Big oh no out of Tokyo today: Japan recorded a population decline of 800,000 in 2022 — its largest ever. All 47 prefectures — Japan’s equivalent to states — lost people, and Japan’s prime minister has declared it a “now or never moment.”

Maybe it's time for a national anthem change in Japan? Thinking Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” or whatever Phillip Rivers listens to.

In today's edition:

• Kevin Spacey acquitted of charges

• Mitch McConnell freezes on stage

• Peru’s jail for ex-presidents fills up

 🔑 Key Stories

Hunter’s Deal Collapses

Hunter Biden’s plea deal to avoid jail time fell apart during a court appearance on Wednesday

• Hunter is accused of evading federal taxes and illegally owning a firearm. In June, he struck a deal with a prosecutor in which he would plead guilty to tax charges and go on probation, but avoid jail time

• On Wednesday, a judge asked prosecutors if that deal gave Hunter blanket immunity for other possible charges. Prosecutors said no; Hunter’s lawyers said if that was the case, then the deal is off

• The judge delayed ruling on the deal; Hunter’s lawyers will now try to negotiate a new plea deal

Dig Deeper

• The deal fell apart over two main issues: First was an apparent misunderstanding over the protections that would be provided to Hunter. Hunter's lawyers thought he had far-reaching immunity; the prosecutors said that wasn't the case. Separately, the judge questioned the legality of the plea agreement and whether it exceeded the judge's authority

Spacey Not Guilty

A UK jury found actor Kevin Spacey not guilty of sexually assaulting four British men

• Spacey – a two-time Oscar-winning actor – was accused by 40+ people in 2017 of sexual crimes

• Since then, multiple lawsuits against him have been dropped. He won a civil lawsuit last year against an actor who accused Spacey of abusing him as a teen

• 4 British men accused Spacey of sexually assaulting them over a decade ago. That went to trial, during which Spacey testified and denied all the charges. Spacey faces no further criminal charges and has not been convicted of any crime.

Dig Deeper

• In June, he told a German magazine he wants to return to acting: “I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges”

Fed Raises Interest Rates

The US Federal Reserve – “Fed” – raised interest rates to the highest level since 2001

• The Fed is tasked with keeping inflation around 2% long-term. It does that by modifying interest rates, which set the price of borrowing. Higher interest rates take money out of the economy, slowing inflation and growth

• Inflation began rising in 2021 and peaked at 9.1% in June 2022. It has since fallen to 3%

• It was unclear whether the Fed would continue to raise rates. On Wednesday it did, increasing the key rate by .25% to 5.25%-5.5%, the highest since 2001

Dig Deeper

• The Fed also said it “may” have to raise rates further later this year if inflation remains high. It’s hoping to achieve a “soft landing” – raising interest rates to slow inflation but lowering them in time to prevent a recession

UFO Hearing

The US House held a UFO hearing on Wednesday

• Two former Navy pilots testified. One said that in 2004 he witnessed a “Tic Tac”-like object in the middle of the ocean that moved incredibly fast. The other pilot said he and others witnessed a spherical object flying close to their jets near Virginia in 2014

• David Grusch – who worked on the Pentagon’s UFO taskforce – testified under oath that the US has for decades run secret programs to recover “non-human” vehicles/biological remains

• “We're going to uncover the cover-up,” a House representative said during the hearing

Dig Deeper

• Check out our Instagram later today for a deeper dive on the hearing!

Bonus Chart

The Japan story in today’s intro made us wonder where populations are growing or declining around the world, so we put together this chart that shows the annual population growth rate by country. Developed countries tend to have low or even negative growth rates, while less developed ones tend to have higher rates. Is population decline a concern in your country? Let us know at [email protected]!

The Healthy Alternative to Sugary Sports Drinks

Together with LMNT

Healthy hydration isn’t just about drinking water. It’s about water AND electrolytes

• It makes sense—you lose both water and sodium when you sweat. Both need to be replaced

• Most people only replace the water. Why? Because since the 1940s, we’ve been told to drink 8 glasses of water per day, thirsty or not

• Drinking beyond thirst can be a bad idea. It dilutes blood electrolyte levels (especially sodium levels), which leads to headaches, low energy, cramps, confusion, or worse

• The solution isn’t to stop drinking water, though. It’s to drink water plus electrolytes. That is where LMNT is great! Just mix it with water and it’s perfect for hydrating, be it after a workout or night out. It comes in great flavors, like the watermelon salt Roca-favorite, and contains no sugar

• You can try it totally risk-free. If you don’t like it, they’ll give you your money back – no questions asked

Dig Deeper

• Right now LMNT is offering Roca Riders a FREE sample pack with any purchase. That’s 8 single servings FREE with any LMNT order. This is a great way to try all 8 flavors or share LMNT with a salty friend

🍿 Popcorn

ICYMI

• RIP, Sinéad: Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor died at 56. The cause of death for the “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer is yet to be announced. She had openly struggled with her mental health

• Controller disconnected? Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly froze and fell silent during a press conference for a period of 27 seconds. He was then escorted away

• Crane of my existence: An NYC skyscraper crane partially collapsed after catching fire, injuring 11 people. Its arm swung into a neighboring building and collapsed onto the street below

Wildcard

• Dunne with class: LSU star gymnast Olivia Dunne said she no longer attends in-person classes for “safety reasons.” The social media star is the highest-paid NCAA female athlete

• Hoosier nightmare: Indiana prosecutors filed charges against the parents of a 16-month-old boy who was fatally shot by his 5-year-old brother, both of whom had drugs in their system

• Spursy trading: British billionaire Joe Lewis faces securities fraud and conspiracy charges for insider trading. The owner of the soccer club Tottenham allegedly shared confidential information with romantic partners and others

👇 What do you think?

Today's Question:

Have you ever seen a UFO? Tell us your story!

Reply to this email with your answers!

See yesterday's results below the Wrap! 

🌯 Roca Wrap

In 2009, a Peruvian court convicted former President Alberto Fujimori of human rights abuses.

Prosecutors gave Fujimori a 25-year jail sentence, making him the first modern Peruvian leader to go to jail. Today, the country has an entire prison dedicated to former presidents – and it’s full.

Alberto Fujimori is a Peruvian politician of Japanese descent. Elected Peru’s president in 1990, he dissolved Peru’s legislature and judiciary in 1992 and ruled as a dictator. With the support of Peru’s military, he oversaw a violent crackdown against a powerful communist guerilla group. Critics accused him of overseeing atrocities, including mass executions.

In 2000, Fujimori resigned and fled to Japan amid mounting corruption charges. He was later arrested, sent to Peru, and given 25 years in jail for human rights abuses.

To accommodate Fujimori, Peruvian authorities constructed a new jail – Barbadillo – that was specifically designed for presidents. Located in the outskirts of Lima, Peru’s capital, its cells were like apartments and came complete with offices, gardens, and outdoor terraces. It had a two-person occupancy – which would prove insufficient.

Peru’s presidential troubles were just beginning.

Since Fujimori’s jailing in 2008, Peru has had eight presidents. Nearly all have faced criminal charges, impeachment, or pressure to resign; some have gone to Barbadillo.

Fujimori’s first roommate arrived in 2017 and spent 18 months at Barbadillo. It was Ollanta Humala, Peru’s president from 2011 to 2016. Humala had been wrapped up in a corruption scandal that involved a Brazilian company paying bribes to Peruvian officials.

Several other presidents faced charges over that but avoided Barbadillo. One former president killed himself when police arrived to arrest him. Humala was released in 2018 without a conviction. Until late 2022, Fujimori was there alone.

But in December 2022, another former Peruvian president, Pedro Castillo, arrived. Castillo had been elected in 2021 after defeating Fujimori’s daughter in an election during which he promised to help the poor, fight corruption, and restore stability to Peru’s government.

Peru’s legislature opposed many of his policies, though, and twice tried to remove him from office. When it launched its third attempt to do so, Castillo announced he would dissolve the legislature.

Peru’s legislature ignored his order, impeached Castillo, and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was charged with treason and arrested. Last December, Castillo was transferred to Barbadillo.

With Castillo’s arrival, Barbadillo reached capacity. Then in April, after a years-long legal battle, the US announced it would extradite another former Peruvian president to face charges in Peru. That president, Alejandro Toledo, is accused of money laundering.

Ahead of Toledo’s arrival, Peru’s prison authority said it would make room for him at Barbadillo. He returned to Peru in April and is now living in a third cell at the jail.

The jailings at Barbadillo are part of a larger saga of political chaos in Peru. The country has had seven presidents in the last six years, a majority of whom have either been jailed, impeached, or resigned.

The unrest means Peru jails its former leaders at a higher rate than nearly any other country. While some say that’s a sign of a broken system, others say it signifies accountability.

Either way, all of Barbadillo’s cells are currently filled, but more may be needed soon.

If you have thoughts, let us know at [email protected]!

 🌊 Roca Clubhouse

Yesterday's Poll:

Would you participate in the Worldcoin project?
Yes: 6%
No: 94%

Yesterday's Question:

Are chain restaurants net positive or negative for local communities?

William from Knightdale, North Carolina: “Chain Restaurants – Negative – They kill creativity in food”

Anonymous: “Net positive because they provide entry level jobs needed by younger workers. They also are a way for families to go out in a way they can afford”

Nathan from Spring Hill, Tennessee: "Honestly, being able to make a return from a store 400 miles away from where you purchased an item is great, but chains have the potential to push out unique small business that I also love. So, overall mixed feelings."

Susan from Stillwater, Oklahoma: “I live in a college town so chain restaurants are popular here because kids want someplace familiar so they feel a little less homesick. We also have some local spots here that are thriving because they are close to campus and the kids flock to those as well. I'm personally not a fan of some of the chains here so I'm glad the local spots are still open so I have choices”

Jennifer from Augusta, Georgia: "Negative. Except for Chili’s”

Myra from Colorado Springs, Colorado: "With the exception of the Waffle House, chain restaurants are a ripoff. They’re too expensive and provide mediocre food at best. I’ll go local before I go chain every time”

🧠 Final Thoughts

Several of the Roca team went to watch Oppenheimer last night, and frankly speaking, spending 3 hours immersed in the world of the nuclear bomb left us wanting a lighter news day that we could provide today.

We appreciate you reading Roca and hope your weeks are going well. See you tomorrow!

—Max and Max