🌊 Asia... Asia on Pete's Mind

Life, liberty, and… here comes John Cena with a chair!

Today marks a very special anniversary in the history of our democracy: The first WrestleMania. The "Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment" debuted in Madison Square Garden on March 31, 1985, featuring Hulk Hogan and Mr. T. The tradition remains today — Wrestlemania 41 kicks off on April 19.

Speaking of sports, congrats to all the Janets nationwide who are winning their office bracket pools after picking all the favorites. This is like hedge funders losing to the S&P every year; sometimes the less you know the better. Boo, Duke!

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Myanmar Earthquake

At least 2,000 people have died since a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on Friday

• Myanmar – a Southeast Asian country – has been ruled by a military junta since 2021. The country is also in the throes of a devastating civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions

• The quake collapsed buildings, destroyed roads and bridges, and cut off electricity and internet access. Nearby countries were also affected, with buildings collapsing as far away as Bangkok, Thailand

• Myanmar’s main rebel group announced a two-week ceasefire in affected areas that it controls, however, the military continued airstrikes through the weekend

Dig Deeper 

• Neighboring countries have sent rescue workers and humanitarian aid to Myanmar, while the US announced it is sending $2M in aid "through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organizations”

• The World Food Program said Myanmar may require $15 to $20M from the UN each month at least until June, which could be complicated by funding cuts by major humanitarian donors

KEY STORY

Court Bans Le Pen

French conservative politician Marine Le Pen was banned from running for office for five years

• The right-wing National Rally, led by Le Pen from 2011 to 2021, is the largest single party in France’s parliament, and Le Pen was a frontrunner to replace French President Emmanuel Macron in 2027

• In 2022, prosecutors charged Le Pen and other National Rally members for allegedly embezzling EU funds. Le Pen has denied the allegations

• Prosecutors had called for Le Pen to face years in jail and a political ban preventing her from running in 2027

• On Monday, a court convicted her, sentenced her to four years of house arrest – preventing her from campaigning – and banned her from running for office in 2027. Le Pen is likely to appeal

Dig Deeper

• Le Pen has framed the trial as a political matter, saying in a TV interview, “It’s my political death that’s being demanded,” calling the proposed ban “a very violent attack on democracy”

• The judge, meanwhile, said, “The court took into consideration, in addition to the risk of reoffending, the major disturbance of public order if a person already convicted… was a candidate in the presidential election”

• Many – including numerous opponents of Le Pen – have expressed concern that a ban could generate distrust in the judicial system. One former interior minister and Le Pen opponent said, “Madame Le Pen must be fought at the ballot box, not elsewhere”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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KEY STORY

Wisconsin Court Election

The election to replace an outgoing liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court justice has shattered political fundraising records

• In 2023, liberals gained a 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court after 15 years of conservative control. Candidates in that race raised $56M, a record for a state court election

• In the new race, taking place on Tuesday, that number is projected to pass $100M. Polls show the race is close, with the liberal candidate, Susan Crawford, having an edge over the Trump- and Elon Musk-backed candidate, Brad Schimel. Schimel was Wisconsin’s attorney general from 2015-2019

Dig Deeper

• Wisconsin's attorney general sued Musk last week over his plan to give two voters $1M for signing a petition against what he calls “activist” judges. Musk is also offering $100 to anyone who signs the petition

• A court denied the attorney general’s push to block the payments on Saturday

• In total, Elon Musk and other conservative donors have spent about $41M on Schimel, while Crawford’s backers have spent about $32M

KEY STORY

Shift to Asia

In a visit to Japan, Defense Secretary Hegseth declared that the US would be shifting its attention to Asia

• In recent weeks, reports had emerged that officials in Japan – one of America’s close allies in the Pacific – were worried about the US’ commitment to the alliance

• On Sunday, though, Hegseth announced that the US would be turning Japan into its “war-fighting” headquarters, an upgrade of current US commitments to the country, and called Japan a “model ally”

• He also visited The Philippines, calling that country’s alliance with the US  “ironclad.” He said Trump will “truly prioritize and shift to this region of the world in a way that is unprecedented”

Dig Deeper

• “America first does not mean America alone,” Hegseth said in Japan. “America and Japan stand firmly together in the face of aggressive and coercive actions by the communist Chinese”

• Potentially seeking to further allay Japanese concerns, Hegseth added that “America’s warriors stand shoulder to shoulder every day with their Japan self-defence Force counterparts.” And rather than pressure Japan to boost defense spending, Hegseth said, “We’re confident that Japan will make the correct determination of what capabilities are needed”

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

😤 In an interview with NBC News, President Trump said he was “pissed off” and “very angry” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has called for Zelensky’s ouster and a transitional government in Ukraine

🇺🇸 During a visit to a military base in Greenland, Vice President JD Vance said that the US would offer better protection for Greenland than Denmark, which owns the semi-autonomous territory

💣 President Trump told NBC News that “there will be bombing” if Iran does not reach an agreement with the US over its nuclear development

🏫 Columbia University’s interim president resigned amid high-profile negotiations with the Trump Administration

🇵🇦 Chinese regulators put the sale of two Panama Canal ports to BlackRock on hold, citing antitrust concerns

What does Roca Nation think?

🧠 Today’s Question: Enough culture war/political hot topics: What was the highlight of your weekend?

Reply to this email with your response!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🗿 One Man's Trash Is An Archaeologist's Treasure: A headless 2,000-year-old marble statue of a woman was found abandoned in a garbage bag beside a trash bin near Thessaloniki, Greece

🇺🇸 Florida Mandem: Archaeologists in St. Augustine, Florida have discovered the first evidence of a British military fort from 1781

⚾ New Season, New Bats: The New York Yankees made waves for debuting a newly-designed oddly-shaped baseball bat

🪷 Duking It Out With HBO: Duke University has objected to HBO’s "White Lotus" using its branded apparel without permission in a scene where a character contemplates a murder-suicide

🐕 Pet Rent-Gate: A UK member of parliament’s $1,000 "pet rent" expense claim for her cockapoo has prompted calls for a review of expense rules

ROCA WRAP
Pest Problem

Japan

One of this country's biggest restaurant chains is temporarily closing after pests were found in its food.

Japan is renowned globally for its high standards of cleanliness, meticulous attention to detail, and rigorous food safety protocols. The nation's restaurant industry typically maintains exceptional standards, making recent incidents at a major food chain all the more shocking.

Sukiya, a popular chain famous for its beef-on-rice dishes that has nearly 2,000 restaurants nationwide, announced this weekend that it would close its outlets for five days for a deep cleaning.

The decision came after two alarming incidents: A customer found an insect (reported to be a cockroach) in their food on Friday in Tokyo, and in January, a rat was discovered in a bowl of miso soup at a branch in a different city. The chain initially tried to manage the rat incident privately, but was forced to confirm the discovery after rumors circulated on social media for weeks.

The company announced that most of its sites would be shut between March 31 and April 4 "to prevent external intrusion and internal infestation of pests and vermin.” In its public statement, Sukiya apologized for the "great inconvenience and concern caused" to customers.

The chain had previously implemented less drastic measures, including regular checks for gaps in buildings and refrigerating garbage, but opted for complete closure after the second incident.

While the situation is bad news for the chain, the restaurant did give some good news: The customer spotted the rat before taking a bite.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Inside Albuquerque's "War Zone"

We went to Albuquerque’s “War Zone,” a neighborhood named in the 1980s for its rough reputation. Today, tents, fires, and open drug use are common sights. The city has tried to fix it, but little has changed. We came to see it firsthand and hear from locals.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Roca Nation, we hope you had a refreshing weekend. Max F spent his in Savannah and looks forward to traveling to South Asia this week with video guy Drew for what will be one of the most exciting Roca trips yet.

Our mission is to capture the world without fear, bias, or partisanship. Although we do mainly domestic trips, we are excited to report from a totally different landscape. We are all in for the Roca wave (or at least one of the Maxes… Max T will be eating Pad Thai and drinking Red Bulls in Roca’s office while Max F is over there).

–Max and Max