🌊 Mr. Musk Leaves Washington

Maybe the French will go to war soon.

France’s health minister announced that France will ban outdoor smoking in most places including beaches, parks, and near schools. Given that a third of French adults smoke cigarettes, this decision could prove to be a real drag on French morale. No wonder Brigitte slapped her husband the other day…

In other news, you all voted for history-themed trivia for this week’s 20 Questions. Here it is, and this time we’re making the link accessible.

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Musk Leaves Government

Elon Musk ended his role at the Trump Administration

• Musk’s departure comes as his companies suffered and days after he publicly criticized Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," arguing that it would increase the debt and undermine DOGE's mission

• While some have said that tensions between Trump and Musk prompted Musk’s exit, he has said that he is leaving because he’s only allowed to work 130 days for the government

• During his tenure, DOGE claims to have cut $175B in spending, a widely disputed figure. The libertarian CATO institute estimates the cuts at $63B

Dig Deeper 

• Musk posted, “As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President [Trump] for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending…The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government“

KEY STORY

Tariffs Unblocked

A federal appeals court reinstated President Trump’s tariffs after a lower court ruled he lacks the authority to impose broad tariffs

• In April, Trump enacted a 10% baseline tariff on most imports, claiming authority under a “national emergency.” A group of small businesses and a coalition of states sued, alleging that Trump lacked the authority to do so

• On Wednesday, a US trade court ruled against Trump and ordered that the tariffs be canceled. Trump appealed and on Thursday, a higher judge ruled that the tariffs can stay in effect while the appeal is heard

Dig Deeper 

• That second judge did not rule on the merits of the case. He only said that the tariffs can remain in effect while the appeal proceeds

• The Trump Administration can attempt to reimpose the tariffs under different laws, although many of those would require longer procedures before the tariffs could go into effect

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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Dig Deeper

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KEY STORY

Mahmoud Khalil Update

A federal judge ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio likely violated the Constitution by ordering the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, but did not release him from custody

• In March, immigration officials arrested Khalil, a green-card holder, over his role as a leader in pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University

• The State Department did that under a law that allows the deportation of immigrants “whose presence or activities [...] would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States”

• This week, a judge ruled that Rubio failed to explain how Khalil’s activities “affected US relations with any other country,” however, the judge did not enable his release

Dig Deeper

• Khalil also faces a separate legal proceeding under an immigration judge

• In April, the immigration judge ruled he could be deported, however, the federal court judge – the same who issued the recent ruling – previously barred the government from deporting him while the legal challenges proceed

KEY STORY

Israel Expands Settlements

Israel approved 22 new settlements in the West Bank, marking the largest expansion since the start of the current war

• Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza (“The Palestinian Territories”) during the 1967 Six-Day War. Since then, the West Bank has been under Israeli military rule with limited autonomy, while some 700,000 Israeli “settlers” have established towns in the region – a major flashpoint in the Israel-Palestine conflict

• On Thursday, Israel approved its largest settlement expansion since the start of the current war, casting the move as building a “wall of protection” against terrorism

Dig Deeper

• Peace Now, an Israeli non-profit organization that advocates for a “Two-State Solution” to the Israel-Palestine dispute, said, “The Israeli government no longer pretends otherwise: the annexation of the Occupied Territories and expansion of settlements is its central goal. The cabinet’s decision to establish 22 new settlements—the most extensive move of its kind [in decades…] will dramatically reshape the West Bank and entrench the occupation even further”

• Israel says it has both a biblical right and a security obligation to settle the West Bank, points its defense minister touched on in a statement Thursday: “[The new approval] anchors our historical right in the Land of Israel, and constitutes a crushing response to Palestinian terrorism…Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria [West Bank] constitutes an essential protective wall for the security of the large population centers in Israel and we must do everything in order to broaden and strengthen this wall of protection”

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

🇵🇹 After a major shift in Portugal’s elections, a right-wing anti-immigration populist party has now become the country’s main opposition party

💰 President Trump reportedly rejected a $15M defamation settlement from Paramount, which owns CBS. He’s said to want $25M

🇺🇸 New government economic data revealed that the US economy shrank at an annualized 0.2% rate in the first quarter of 2025, less than the preliminary -.3% reported earlier this month

📈 New unemployment claims rose to 240K last week, an increase of 14K from the previous week, per the Labor Department

🚰 Investigators in the UK found glyphosate levels in tampons to be 40 times higher than the legal limit for drinking water

What does Roca Nation think?

🧠 Yesterday’s Question: Who is the best standup comedian from the last 20 years? Any honorable mentions?

20 Questions!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Weeknd.

The people have spoken and a history-themed 20 Questions it is! Movie-themed trivia lost by ~1%. Sorry, cinephiles, but horse shoes and hand grenades... or something like that. Hope you enjoy.

Link to 20 Questions!

Last Week’s Responses

Answer key to last week’s music-themed trivia 20 Questions.

Finish the lyrics: "How does it feel? To be without a home like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone."
Finish the lyrics (opening line to a song): "Something in the way she moves."
Finish the lyrics: "Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost taste it."
Kanye West collaborated with which rapper for the 2011 album "Watch the Throne"? Jay-Z
Where was Ice Cube born? LA/Compton
Who was Led Zeppelin's vocalist? (Jimmy Page was the lead guitarist) Robert Plant
Name a Destiny's Child song. Say My Name, Bootylicious, Survivor, Independent Women…
Which band does Bruce Springsteen regularly perform and tour with? E Street Band
Sting was a member of which famous band before breaking off on his own? The Police
Name a David Bowie album. Ziggy Stardust, Low, Hunky Dory, Heroes, etc.
The 2010s anthem "Levels" is by which EDM artist? Avicii
Who composed the Four Seasons violin concerti? Antonio Vivaldi
In which century did Mozart live? 18th century
Who originally recorded "I Will Always Love You"? Dolly Parton
What song takes Mariah Carey to a top spot on the Billboard chart each year? All I Want for Christmas Is You
Name a song from Abbey Road. Come Together
"Just Dance," "Shallow," and "Telephone" are hits from what female artist? Lady Gaga
Bad Bunny is from which country? Puerto Rico
Finish the lyrics: "Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste."

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🧼 That’ll Get the Boys to Shower: Actress Sydney Sweeney is selling a limited-edition soap bar infused with her bathwater for $8

🔥 Fire Stunt: British daredevil Ryan Luney set a new Guinness World Record by completing seven backflips in 30 seconds while on fire

🫖 Tea-rific Fraud: A Scottish businessman was convicted of fraud for marketing ordinary tea as a premium Scottish-grown variety

👮‍♂️ Should’ve Called a Lyft: Florida police officers arrested an Uber driver who allegedly pulled a gun on passengers

🥶 Freeze Flight: A Chinese paraglider was unintentionally lifted over 8,000 meters by a powerful updraft during a practice flight

ROCA WRAP
Wedding Bomb

India

A former college principal has been sentenced to life in this country for sending a parcel bomb that killed a newlywed.

India, the world's most populous nation with over 1.4B people, is a vast country where traditional celebrations like weddings remain central to cultural life. Traditional culture remains particularly pronounced in remote areas, like part of the eastern state of Odisha where a man was just imprisoned over an unusual crime.

In 2018, Soumya Sekhar Sahu, a 26-year-old software engineer, had been married just five days when a parcel arrived at his home. The package appeared to be a wedding gift, allegedly sent from a nearby state. When the couple opened the package while preparing lunch, it exploded, killing Sahu and his 85-year-old great-aunt while critically injuring his wife.

After months of investigation involving thousands of phone records and over 100 interrogations, police received an anonymous letter that helped crack the code. The letter claimed the bomb had been sent under the name "SK Sinha," not "SK Sharma" as police had read, and mentioned motives of "betrayal" and money.

The victim's mother, a college teacher, recognized the letter's writing style as that of her colleague Punjilal Meher, a former principal she had replaced. Meher, 56, had harbored a grudge over a professional rivalry and meticulously planned the attack, using a false name to mail the bomb. He had even attended both the victim's wedding and funeral, maintaining his cover while police searched for the perpetrator.

This week, a court found Meher guilty of murder, attempted murder, and use of explosives, sentencing him to life in prison. For a case that became known as India's "wedding bomb" murder, the verdict brings closure to a crime that showed how professional jealousy can turn deadly.

ROCA VIDEO
Interviewing America’s Lone Pro-Tariff Economist

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

We had a number of you write in to ask for more viewpoints on tariffs, and we’ve had other readers write in to say please never bring up the word “tariff” again. So the above link is optional, and we apologize for any PTSD it triggered.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend. Max F will be in England for a graduation and Max T will be in Louisiana for a wedding! Congrats to Kira for graduating grad school and to Michael Burke and Sarah Nelson for getting married!

–Max and Max