Good Morning!

It's Thursday, May 1, and in today’s edition of Rise & Recap, we look at:

• U.S. GDP falls at an annual rate of 0.3%.

• Weight loss drug shows promise in treating advanced liver diseases.

• Sitting can be tough on the hips, simple things can help.

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Economy Shrinks

The U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter of 2025, with a surge in imports ahead of President Donald Trump’s tariffs negatively impacting growth. According to data released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, the GDP fell at an annualized rate of 0.3% in the first three months of the year, following a 2.4% annualized increase in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The U.S. economy was expected to grow by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2025, based on the average estimate from economists polled by FactSet. However, the slowdown has raised concerns about the potential impact of President Trump’s broad tariffs, with some economists warning that the U.S. may face a recession in 2025. While the blanket tariffs were announced on April 2 — after the quarter ended — businesses rushed to make early purchases to mitigate the anticipated effects of the new import duties.

As the stocks have seen the worst start to a presidential term since 1974, Trump said during a cabinet meeting, “I have to start off by saying, that’s Biden. That’s not Trump. Let’s give us a pass on the first month, we were sort of getting a little bit used to things.”

Just days after Trump completed 100 days in White House, thousands of protesters are expected to gather nationwide on Thursday to protest the administration’s policies.

‘Not Afraid of You’: Columbia Student Released by ICE

A U.S. district judge on Wednesday ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a permanent resident who was detained during his citizenship interview earlier this month as part of the Donald Trump administration's crackdown on activists protesting against Israel’s attacks on Palestine. 

U.S. District Judge Geoffrey W. Crawford stated during a hearing that Mahdawi had made “substantial claims that his detention is the result of a retaliation for protected speech that he engaged in as a college student on the Columbia campus. The two weeks of detention so far demonstrate great harm to a person who has been charged with no crime. Mr. Mahdawi, I will order you released.”

34-year-old Mahdawi is a Columbia University student who moved to Vermont in 2014. He became a vocal critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack.

Outside the courthouse, there was celebration as Mahdawi addressed hundreds of supporters. “I am saying it clear and loud to President Trump and his Cabinet: I am not afraid of you. Never give up on the idea that justice will prevail.”

Weight Loss Drug Shows Promise in Treating Liver Disease

The weight loss drug Wegovy effectively treated a serious form of liver disease in approximately two-thirds of patients in a major clinical trial, according to findings published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, previously known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, affects about 33% of adults in the U.S. Of these, 5% to 7% have a more advanced form of the disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Alcohol-associated liver disease, another type of liver disease, is caused by excessive drinking. Watch Explainer.

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, sponsored the trial, as is typical for clinical research. After 72 weeks, nearly 63% of participants receiving semaglutide injections showed resolution of liver fat and inflammation without worsening fibrosis, compared to about 34% in the placebo group. Additionally, nearly 37% of those on semaglutide had reduced liver scarring with no increase in fat or inflammation, versus roughly 22% of those given a placebo.

Click-Worthy

🏫 SCOTUS leans toward greenlighting first virtual religious charter school ever.

​🤝 U.S., Ukraine ink minerals pact, after much debate (and contention).​

🪑 Too much chair time? Unjam cranky hips.

🤖 Google leans on AI race as antitrust breakup battle brews.

💊 Study shows this supplement can improve depressive symptoms!

🌍 “Do Not Travel” to which countries?

🔥 Budget cuts threaten NASA's role in combating wildfires.

💼 Seeking a job? Let AI guide your career change!

🏥 U.S. maternal mortality rate rises, reversing two-year decline.

🎯 Harris returns to political life with Trump as the target.

She’s Got Game

⚽ Chelsea clinched a sixth WSL crown — but they’re not done yet. With an unbeaten season in sight and a domestic treble on the table, the Blues are chasing history, not just wins.

🏀 Washington Mystics rookie Georgia Amoore, a top draft pick, suffers ACL injury in training camp.

The Style Edit

💙 Baby blue is spring’s chicest neutral — elegant, grown-up, and endlessly versatile. Whether it is tailored trousers or breezy dresses, style them with crisp whites, tan leather, and navy accents.

👗 Shirred dresses are back and stealing the spotlight with flirty fits, stretchy comfort, and just enough drama to turn sidewalks into runways. Ready to twirl into summer?

The Fame Frame

💋 Did Selena Gomez get a rash from her “very good” first kiss with Benny?

🎤 Katy Perry claps back at critics, says she’s become a “human piñata”.

🏳️‍⚧️ Robert De Niro supports daughter Airyn after she comes out as transgender.

🪨 The Rock, is that you?

✈️ Love is in the air — Tom Cruise jets rumoured girlfriend to London.

Weigh In

"Strength doesn’t come from what you can do; it comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t." 

— Rikki Rogers