RIP to Jerry Springer, the king of daytime TV. Not many could go from being mayor of Cincinnati to host of a show that is equal parts Judge Judy, Dr. Phil, and WWE Monday Night Raw. So RIP to Jerry, and all we can hope is that he isn’t surprised by the results of the eternity test.
In today's edition:
FDA approves first poop pill
Spain bans dwarf bullfighting
🔑 Key Stories
Oldest Newspaper Ending?
Austria’s government passed a law ending daily circulation of the world’s oldest active newspaper
The newspaper, Wiener Zeitung, was founded in 1703 under a different name. It became Austria’s official government newspaper in 1857
It covered topics including Mozart’s rise, the collapse of the Hapsburg Dynasty, and both World Wars
The paper still prints 20,000 daily copies. It receives most of its funding from the government, though, and on Thursday, Austria’s government said it will no longer fund daily printing, pushing the paper online. The government said it’s not its job to “finance a daily newspaper”
Dig Deeper
It will still release at least 10 print editions annually, but most of its content will be only online. A union representing the outlet said half of its 200 workers could be laid off
Trump Rape Trial Underway
A woman who accused former president Donald Trump of raping her testified in court
In 2019, E. Jean Carroll, a writer, accused Trump of raping her at a department store in 1995 or 1996. Last year she sued Trump in civil court, which could fine him but couldn’t send him to jail
Trump says he never met Carroll and that she isn’t “my type in any way, shape, or form”
On Wednesday, Carroll testified that she met Trump at the store and that he raped her in a changing room. Trump’s lawyers said, “She became a celebrity and loved every minute of it”
Dig Deeper
Carroll says she initially told 2 people about the assault, one of whom convinced her not to tell police: “He has 200 lawyers, he will bury you,” she claims to have been told. Both are expected to testify at the trial
“This is a fraudulent & false story–Witch Hunt!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. It is unclear if Trump will testify
Poop Pill?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first oral pill derived from human feces
Clostridium difficile (C. diff) is a bacteria that causes diarrhea and inflammation of the colon. Antibiotics can treat C. diff, but those also kill healthy bacteria, which can lead to reinfection
For years, doctors have experimented with transplanting healthy bacteria from people’s feces into patients with C. diff to try to restore balance to their guts and prevent reinfections
On Thursday, the FDA approved a pill that does so. It is the first approved oral pill derived from human feces
Dig Deeper
The FDA approved the pill after 88% of patients who took it as part of a 180-patient study did not experience reinfection after 8 weeks, versus 60% for those who took a placebo
The CEO of the company behind the pill says it “could be a tipping point” for treating C. diff
Disney Sues Desantis
Disney sued Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for allegedly waging a “targeted campaign” against it
Last year, Disney criticized a Florida law that bans discussion of gender identity and sexuality until the 4th grade. After, Florida passed a law giving it more authority over a tax district that Disney World is in
Just before that law took effect, though, Disney stripped the board that oversees that district of most of its powers, leaving Disney with control
On Wednesday, the board overturned that change; in response, Disney sued DeSantis, arguing that his crackdown violates Disney’s free speech rights
Dig Deeper
“There is no room for disagreement about what happened here: Disney expressed its opinion on state legislation and was then punished by the State for doing so,” the lawsuit read
“We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” a state official said
🍿 Popcorn
ICYMI
The few, the Stroud: QBs Bryce Young and CJ Stroud went first and second in last night’s NFL Draft to the Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans, respectively
Lamar the merrier: Lamar Jackson signed a 5-year, $260M deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The $52M/yr. makes him the highest-paid QB ever
Meta been betta: Meta’s stock jumped 15% on Thursday after ending a streak of 3 quarters of declining revenue. Its stock is up 170% since November
Wildcard
RIP, dwarf bullfighting: Spain’s parliament voted to ban “dwarf bullfighting.” Disability groups praised the move, while some dwarf bullfighters protested it
Spielberg, the extra-regretful: Steven Spielberg regrets editing out guns from the 20th-anniversary release of E.T., the Extraterrestrial, saying “no film should be revised”
Cornhusker crazies: The Nebraska Cornhuskers’ women’s volleyball team sold 85,000 tickets for its season opener, which will take place in Nebraska’s football stadium
👇🏻 What do you think?
Today's Question:
See yesterday's results below the Wrap!
🗣 20 Questions
Every Friday, we ask the Roca readers 20 questions, then feature our favorite answers the following week.
With all of the negativity in the world and the media cycle, it can be easy to recall what makes us unhappy. That’s where Roca comes in to shift the tide! Let’s take some time on this lovely Friday to reflect on life’s positive moments….
20 Questions: POSITIVE MOMENTS EDITION!
We've got 20 common positive occurrences, which you will rate on a 1-10 scale. Let us know just how happy they make or have made you in your life. If you haven’t experienced them all yet, here’s to hoping you will! We’ll average your scores, and include them in here next week.
Here's the link. Have an AMAZING WEEKEND!
If you have thoughts, let us know at [email protected]!
🌊 Roca Clubhouse
Yesterday's Poll:
Would you rather live in…
NYC: 55%
LA: 45%
Yesterday's Question:
Alex from Maryland: “Spain. They start their day at around 10am, have a siesta around 2pm, and at 9pm everyone goes out for a drink. Plus the food and wine are delicious. Plus I’m fluent in Spanish.”
Tina from California: “I would 100% move to Japan. I visited in 2013 and was so impressed with not just the beauty and efficiency of the country, but with the people themselves. Every person I encountered, hotel staff, convenience store employee, or stranger on the street, were all such basic good humans. I don't think they went out of their way or were being fake about it, it was just their nature. I would love to live in a country where people are good without an agenda behind it.”
Mikkel from Los Santos: “I did and have lived in Panama for 10 years now. I pay half the rent and 20% of the utility costs that I did in California. I live in a small village of 250 people, quiet, with no stress and I have a 3-minute walk to the beach.”
Last Week's 20 Qs Responses:
Spongebob Squarepants: 5.5
Snoopy: 7.6
Mickey Mouse: 6.5
Popeye: 6.6
Scooby Doo: 7.1
Pink Panther: 6.5
Stewie Griffin: 4.9
Garfield: 6.3
Homer Simpson: 6
Eric Cartman: 4.9
Hello Kitty: 3.5
Winnie the Pooh: 7.3
Tom Cat: 5.7
Perry the Platypus: 4.9
Johnny Bravo: 4.5
Charlie Brown: 7.3
Fred Flinstone: 7.1
The Grinch: 7.3
Yogi Bear: 6.7
Timmy Turner: 4.2
🧠 Final Thoughts
Whether you had a good week or bad; whether you read Big News or Roca; whether your NFL team made a terrible draft pick or a great one – none of it matters now, because it's the weekend. We hope you have a restful and enjoyable couple days until we're back on Monday. See you then.
—Max and Max
