Good Morning!

It's Friday, October 10, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• Who won the Nobel Peace Prize?

• Gen Z is facing a ‘job-pocalypse’.

• Is your favoring snack having a MAGA-era makeover!

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Top headlines

SPILL THE NEWS

US News

DOJ Indicts Another Trump Foe

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on Thursday in Virginia on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, related to a 2020 home purchase in Norfolk. Prosecutors allege James claimed the property would serve as a second residence to secure favorable mortgage terms, but instead rented it out. The indictment follows Trump’s sustained push for prosecutions of perceived political enemies and comes two weeks after former FBI Director James Comey was similarly charged.

James called the case “baseless” and described it as a continuation of Trump’s “desperate weaponization of our justice system,” saying the charges represent political retaliation for her work investigating him. Lindsey Halligan, Trump’s former personal lawyer appointed US attorney in eastern Virginia, presented the case to the grand jury. Critics argue both James and Comey indictments were politically motivated, as prior career prosecutors reportedly found insufficient evidence. What we know about charges against her?

James, who won a civil fraud lawsuit against Trump in 2023 over inflated property valuations, will appear in court on October 24. Governor Kathy Hochul defended James, calling the indictment a “weaponization of the Justice Department to punish those who hold the powerful accountable”. How will James do her day job?

Market

Are Americans Spending Their Way Through Recession?

Despite strong consumer spending, cracks are appearing beneath the surface of the US economy, suggesting that Americans cannot spend their way out of a recession. While consumption accounts for roughly two-thirds of GDP and has been growing steadily, historical patterns show that spending typically slows only after employment deteriorates. In past recessions, consumption either grew modestly or remained flat, cushioning economic declines rather than preventing them.

Current data shows durable goods spending is stagnant, services growth is slowing, and residential investment has contracted for five of the past six quarters. These trends point to broader weakness in the economy, with the labor market showing clear signs of strain. Job growth has concentrated in less cyclical sectors like healthcare, while goods-producing jobs have contracted, and unemployment is slowly rising. Residential construction, a key recession indicator, may drive further layoffs, potentially shedding tens of thousands of jobs this year.

State-level data highlights uneven strain, with 22 states either in recession or close to it, largely driven by tariffs, slowing immigration, and federal job cuts. Economists warn that even as stock markets soar and wealthy households remain buoyed, the broader economy could face a sharper slowdown if key states falter.

Economy

Candy Costs Might Be Scariest This Halloween

This Halloween may be pricier for chocolate lovers, but the treats won’t disappear entirely. Trick-or-treaters may find smaller candy hauls this year as soaring cocoa prices ripple through the candy aisle. Cocoa costs have more than doubled since early 2024, driving the Consumer Price Index for candy and gum up 8% and prompting shoppers to rethink how they fill their Halloween bowls, according to Wells Fargo, Empower, and the National Confectioners Association.

Cocoa futures spiked to $12,500 per metric ton late last year, a decades-high mark, and while prices have eased recently, lower store-shelf prices may still be months away. Empower reports that 57% of Americans are adjusting their Halloween candy spending because of rising costs. Chocolate-heavy treats are particularly affected, with some shoppers turning to alternatives like caramel or white chocolate, or buying smaller packages to manage the expense.

Still, Halloween traditions are holding strong. The National Confectioners Association found 94% of consumers plan to hand out candy, keeping the $54 billion U.S. confectionery industry humming. Around 38% are hunting for sales or coupons, and 22% are shopping early to spread costs. Analysts say candy prices could moderate by Valentine’s Day 2026 as improved weather and new cocoa crops in Brazil and Ecuador boost supply.

In the know

DON’T MISS

💰 Senate passes $925B defense bill with troop raises, AI, drone funding.

🏥 Trump is set to undergo second screening in months sparking doubts over his health. 

🌠 Two comets and a meteor shower will light up the sky this month. 

🏆 Sorry President Trump, Venezuela opposition leader wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

🤖 Gen Z is facing a ‘job-pocalypse’ as global organizations prioritize AI.

🎭 Era of fakery: AI video generators are getting so better that we can’t trust our eyes anymore.

🧾 IRS releases new tax brackets. Where do you fall?

🏡 How much pay are Americans willing to sacrifice for remote work? Apparently, a lot!

🍿 This snack, a favorite for many, is getting a major MAGA-era makeover.

💪 Moving your body isn’t just for good health, you can workout out of your breakup!

Health & Wellness

FOR YOUR WELLBEING

☕ Espresso might do more than wake you up. Turns out your morning coffee shot may have some unexpected brain-boosting powers. 

🤝 Strong ties help you live longer, but introverts don’t need to fake extroversion to get them. You can create a balance by trying these out!

🍞 Your gut microbes get hangry too. Skip the white bread. Your gut’s begging for a fiber upgrade — and it’s worth listening to.

😴 Tossing and turning? Try cognitive shuffling: stir your thoughts by imagining unrelated images, works like a mental sleep aid.

Fashion & Beauty

BEYOND THE MIRROR

👖 Capri pants are back, and yes, your fall wardrobe just got way cooler and surprisingly easy to style. The easiest and chicest ways to style them.

🍩 When did smelling like a doughnut become a thing? This latest body care craze is making companies go all in on dessert-scented soaps and deodorants.

💃 Sweater weather just got louder: printed dresses in bold hues are here to steal your autumn spotlight.

💅 From burgundy to pumpkin spice, these almond nails bring seasonal vibes and a touch of nail art magic.

Hollywood

THE FAME FRAME

💔 No one knew her real story, Jennifer Aniston opens up about 20 years of fertility struggle.

🎬 Bradley Cooper to star alongside Margot Robbie in an ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ prequel.

😂 Travis Kelce once thought who was Hugh Grant’s wife! We might have our own Ken.

⚖️ Judge dismisses Drake’s lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’.

🐉 We have a ‘Game Of Thrones’ prequel at hand. Are you ready?

Interactive

WEIGH IN

ChatGPT now reaches 10% of the world’s adult population, with around 700 million monthly users in July and 800 million weekly users reported at OpenAI’s DevDay. Processing 2.5 billion messages daily, the AI chatbot has grown faster than any technology in history. Its dominance also far surpasses other AI chatbots, like xAI’s Grok and Anthropic’s Claude. Experts say this unprecedented adoption reflects the global appetite for AI tools and the shift toward digital assistants.

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday.” 

— A.A. Milne