Good Morning!

It's Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Warner Bros. Discovery restarts negotiation talks with Paramount.

• Should you be counting your macros instead of calories? 

• A hack for your next grocery run. 

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

Business

Warner Bros. Discovery Restarts Deal Talks With Paramount

Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday that it will restart deal talks with Paramount Skydance to give it a chance to beat a $83 billion Netflix bid. Warner Bros. Discovery rejected Paramount’s offer last year to buy the entire company for $108 billion in favor of a deal to sell only its streaming and studios business to Netflix. 

Paramount’s chief executive, David Ellison, has raised questions about the Netflix bid, including whether its deal can pass regulatory scrutiny. Netflix described Paramount Skydance's efforts as “antics”, but granted a seven-day waiver for these discussions to proceed. Paramount has indicated it may raise its offer to $31 a share and cover the $2.8 billion breakup fee owed to Netflix if the deal falls apart. A BBC estimate on which bid is likely to prevail.

US News

Nine Missing, Six Rescued After Avalanche Near Lake Tahoe

Six skiers were rescued, but nine remain missing after a massive avalanche struck on Tuesday near Castle Peak, situated northwest of Lake Tahoe. The group of 15, which included clients and guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, was finishing a three-day trip when the slide occurred during a period of high avalanche danger.

Nevada County Sheriff’s Captain Russell Greene said rescuers are navigating “treacherous conditions” and blizzard winds to reach the site. Two of the rescued skiers have been hospitalized, while the search for the remaining continues as the weather permits.

US News

Defense Secretary Hegseth Considers “Supply Chain Risk” Label For Anthropic

Per an Axios report, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is close to cutting business ties with Anthropic (the company behind Claude) — and might designate it as a “supply chain risk”. The designation, if effective, could mean that anyone who wants to do business with the US military will also have to sever ties with the company. This penalty is generally reserved for foreign adversaries, making such a move against a domestic AI leader (with a $200 million contract with the Pentagon) a shocker. 

Both sides have tried to negotiate Anthropic’s terms of use for the military. The dispute remains over the company’s demand for assurance that Claude won’t be used for mass domestic surveillance or the development of fully autonomous lethal weapons. The Pentagon claims this to be “unduly restrictive”. 

In the know

DON’T MISS

🗳️ Trump says voter ID requirements are mandatory for the midterms, whether Congress approves or not. 

🚶 Feeling bored? Turn your day around with these activities that take less time than a coffee break. 

📉 Public approval of Trump’s immigration policies drops to a new low of 38% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll. 

🥣 Could tracking your macros be better than calorie counting? Experts weigh in. 

🍴 Free office lunch is the last great workplace perk now — and a Michelin-style upgrade is coming for it. 

🏢 What does it take to stay ahead of the technology you’re building? In San Francisco, AI startups are normalizing 12-hour days and zero weekends.

🤝 US and Iran make “good progress” in Geneva talks as Trump threatens military action if a deal isn't struck soon.

🛒 Can the 6-to-1 method fix your grocery bill?

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

🌳 Moving therapy sessions outside in nature sounds unconventional. Some therapists are on board, and the reasons are convincing. 

🍎 You’ve reached your weight goals, now what? Good news: there is a trick to eat more without losing your progress — it’s called “reverse dieting”.

🍳 We hate to break it to you, but those forever chemicals in your non-stick pans might be staying for dinner. The question is, why are chemicals that never break down …. everywhere? 

🍖 Influencers love jerky for a quick protein fix. Should you? If anything, your favorite snack could be a sodium bomb, masquerading as a fitness snack. 

Decor & More

HOUSE TO HOME

🛋️ ‘Tis the season of the “occasional sofa”. It’s the couch you don’t actually sit on — and that’s the point.

🛏️ Interior designers say built-in beds turn your cramped floor space plan into a cozy and customizable retreat. We’re finally out of the box (read: your cramped studio apartment)! 

🥫 Your next favorite organizing accessory might be a trashed tomato can. Trust us, this pantry staple needs a second life as high-end kitchen storage! 

🔪 Everyone always ends up in the kitchen anyway, so you might as well lean into it. These are the best open-concept kitchen designs that naturally flow right into your living space.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

🏖️ The Baywatch reboot is bringing the OG heartthrob back — red trunks and all. 

🎤 Sydney Sweeney and Scooter Braun sing their hearts out on a karaoke date night. 

🎸 Get the best of both worlds, again. Miley Cyrus is donning that iconic blonde wig for a Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special on Disney+. 

🎹 Lana Del Rey’s new single is a literal tongue-twister — good luck memorizing that title! 

👠 Tyra Banks won’t address this question in Netflix’s America’s Next Top Model documentary.

Interactive

WEIGH IN

Sociologists and new research say that becoming a regular at your local cafe might be good for your mental health. It’s a world that prioritizes strong ties (family and BFFs), and while they are important in their own right, “weak” ties — like that 30-second chat with your barista or the server who knows your pizza order — help you feel less lonely and more connected to your community. Experts say these third spaces act as a vital social safety net, boosting your mood and sense of belonging without the pressure of a deep heart-to-heart conversation every time. So, even in the city of millions, the best thing you can do for yourself is …. just do the same thing every Friday.

“The best way out is always through.”

— Robert Frost