🌊 Trump and Putin to Meet

The mixed reviews for the return of the presidential fitness test.

The Washington Post just published a story titled, “Kids hated the presidential fitness test. Researchers aren’t fans, either.” First of all, can we end this headline structure once and for all? Every time we open a paper we see headline after headline like “My angry uncle voted for Trump. Here’s why you should support IVF.” Most of the time they’re non-sequiturs; all of the time they’re annoying.

But back to the fitness test, we believe America needs to get healthier but also understand the blowback. Do you support it? Tell us in today’s question.

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Trump to Meet Putin

President Zelensky is trying to get a seat at the table for the Trump-Putin meeting this week

• On Friday, Trump confirmed that he would meet Putin in Alaska on August 15. He said the talks would seek to reach a Ukraine peace deal and include discussion of trading territory: “We’re going to get some back, and we’re going to get some switched…There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both”

• Ukrainian officials have responded with alarm, both rejecting any potential ceding of territory and demanding a seat at the table for Zelensky. They met with American officials in the UK on Saturday, after which Zelensky said, “Our arguments are being heard. The dangers are being taken into account…It’s important that America has the determination and capability to end the war, and we welcome President Trump’s efforts to stop the killing”

Dig Deeper 

• Zelensky has also been trying to rally Europe to his side, and this weekend, EU leaders issued a statement saying that Ukraine’s border “must not be changed by force” and that “the current line of contact should be the starting point of negotiations”

• “The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine,” it said

• Putin has said he will not meet face-to-face with Zelensky until certain preconditions are met

KEY STORY

Universities to Submit Data

President Trump signed a memorandum requiring colleges to submit race-based admissions data

• The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that considering race in college admissions violates students' civil rights. Since then, concerns have persisted about whether universities are circumventing the ruling through proxies like diversity statements or geographic preferences

• Last Thursday, Trump's presidential memorandum directed the Secretary of Education to require universities to submit data necessary to verify that their admissions processes don't involve unlawful discrimination

• The memorandum coincided with recent Justice Department guidance stating that race-based scholarships, internships, and other programs for specific racial groups are likely illegal

Dig Deeper 

• The directive also mandated increased checks on the data schools provide, calling for action against universities that submit untimely or inaccurate information

• The order will revamp the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, which collects information about admissions, enrollment, and financial aid

• The guidance warned institutions receiving federal funding against prioritizing "underrepresented groups" for admissions or hiring, especially when considering race. Additionally, it addressed potential proxies for race, including asking about "lived experience," "overcoming obstacles," or "cross-cultural skills" in applications

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KEY STORY

Germany Halts Exports to Israel

Germany announced it would halt military equipment exports to Israel

• Germany has maintained one of the strongest pro-Israel stances globally since World War II. The country served as Israel's second-largest arms supplier after the US, providing approximately one-third of Israeli military imports

• On Friday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the suspension after Israel's Security Cabinet approved a plan to take military control of Gaza City, one of the few remaining territories in Gaza not under Israeli military occupation

• "The even harsher military action by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, approved by the Israeli cabinet last night, makes it increasingly difficult for the German government to see how these goals will be achieved," Merz stated

Dig Deeper

• Merz said the decision came amid pressure that threatened to topple his governing coalition

• Germany joined several European nations in condemning Israel's escalation plans, with officials expressing concern about the humanitarian impact. Germany's decision carried particular weight given the country's historical commitment to Israel's security and its position as a major arms supplier

• Though Britain, Canada, and France announced their intentions to recognize Palestinian statehood in September, Germany currently has no plans to do so

KEY STORY

Gold Futures Soar

The Trump Administration destabilized global gold markets after a customs ruling suggested tariffs would apply to gold bars

• Gold is traditionally exempt from tariffs due to its role as a financial asset and global currency, and the White House had indicated in April that gold would be exempt from its sweeping import tariffs

• On Friday, though, US Customs and Border Protection classified one-kilogram and 100-ounce gold bars as "semi-manufactured" rather than "unwrought" products, subjecting them to tariffs. Gold futures then surged to a record $3,534.20 per ounce

• The White House later said an executive order would be issued "in the near future" to clarify what it called "misinformation about the tariffing of gold bars," causing futures to pare gains

Dig Deeper

• Multiple refineries and logistics companies paused gold deliveries to the US amid the confusion. "With a tariff of 39%, exports of gold bars will be definitely stopped to the US," said the president of the Swiss Association of Precious Metals Manufacturers and Traders

• The situation particularly impacts Switzerland, which is one of the world's largest gold-refining hubs and is now subject to a 39% US tariff

• Even so, the impact has been less drastic as it could have been, given that traders had built up these stockpiles between December and March as a hedge against potential tariffs on bullion imports

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

💉 The New York Times reported that President Trump has signed a directive authorizing the Pentagon to use military force against Latin American drug cartels that have been designated as terrorist organizations

💵 The Trump Administration doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50M, accusing him of being one of the world's largest narco-traffickers and working with cartels to flood the US with fentanyl-laced cocaine

☮️ Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a US-brokered peace agreement at the White House on Friday, marking their first bilateral peace declaration since the Cold War

🔊 North Korea has started dismantling propaganda loudspeakers along its border with South Korea, following Seoul's removal of its own speakers earlier last week

🪨 A rare Martian meteorite discovered in Niger sold for $4.3M at a New York auction, sparking controversy over its potentially illegal export from the West African nation

What does Roca Nation think?

🧐 Today’s Question: Do you support the return of the presidential fitness test?

Reply to this email with your response!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🍝 Pasta Panic: A UK recipe platform has stirred a culinary revolt in Italy by publishing a cacio e pepe recipe that includes butter and parmesan

🐻 Claws v. Paws: A tiny Pomeranian named Scout chased a black bear out of his Vancouver, Canada home

🍨 Got (Breast)milk?: A limited-edition breastmilk–flavored ice cream has gone viral in the US

🚘 Cyber-Target Practice: The US Air Force plans to buy two Tesla Cybertrucks to use as targets during missile testing

🕊️ Feed the Birds: Hundreds of protesters in Mumbai defied a court-ordered ban to feed pigeons

ROCA WRAP
Goat Patrol

Spain

This European country is deploying hundreds of goats to prevent wildfires.

Spain faces increasing wildfire threats each summer as climate change intensifies drought conditions across its Mediterranean regions. The country has battled severe water shortages while searching for innovative fire prevention strategies, with Catalonia experiencing its worst drought in a century, leading one city to take an inventive approach to wildfire prevention.

The Catalan city of Mataró has launched an EU-funded pilot program deploying 300 goats to create natural firebreaks by clearing combustible vegetation from forest edges. The animals' voracious appetites for dry shrubs, thorny plants, and even cacti make them ideal for reducing wildfire fuel loads in areas where machinery would be impractical or damaging. Local agriculture councillor Jose Antonio Ricis declared the initiative a success that's "here to stay," noting that Catalonia saw fewer fire outbreaks last year despite the drought conditions.

Business partners Francesco Teixido and Pedro Alba guide their combined herds through Maresme county's wildfire-prone zones using whistles and working dogs. The pair represents a growing movement of Spanish farmers abandoning mechanized land management for more traditional manual methods. 

The herders earn income from municipalities paying for fire prevention services and cheesemakers who prize milk from the free-ranging goats. The constantly moving animals produce sweeter, fattier milk with seasonal flavor variations that commands premium prices. Despite the dual revenue streams, both men acknowledge the work barely breaks even when accounting for hours invested. "We do it because we believe in another way of life and of managing the land," Alba explained. 

For Spain's wildfire warriors, four legs are proving better than four wheels.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Hope you all had a nice weekend. We’d like to give a special shoutout to the Hogan family in Buffalo for welcoming Max F yesterday. Today he heads off to Niagara Falls to compare the Canada side with the US side. Thank you to all of the readers who’ve sent in suggestions and offered to help. We’ve learned that Roca readers are the single best sources we have for the places we visit.

Let’s have a great week!

–Max and Max