🌊 RFK Jr. for Trump?

On this day in 2004…

A gang of masked men with guns stole Edvard Munch’s “Madonna” and “Scream” from a museum in Norway. By the way, “Scream” must be the first painting in history to show a proper reaction to being stolen. Police found the paintings two years later. If you work at an art museum, stay on the lookout this month. And if you’re an art thief, it ain’t worth the Monet.

Our reporting from Day 3 of the DNC is below!

–Max, Max, and Owen

KEY STORY

Judges Block Biden

A judge blocked the US federal government’s ban on non-compete agreements

• He said the rule – which would have prohibited companies from making their employees sign contracts that prohibit them from working for other companies once they leave – was arbitrary and too broad

• That came days after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked a Biden Administration rule that would have expanded Title IX – which outlaws sex-based discrimination – to gender identity and, thereby, transgender people

• That means the Administration will not necessarily be able to enforce the law until other courts rule on its validity

Dig Deeper

• The ruling on non-competes was considered a win for companies, while the ruling on Title IX was seen as a win for conservatives. The expanded Title IX ruling is now in limbo, with around half of US states accepting the new rule and the rest opposing it. Because of the new SCOTUS ruling, those who oppose it need not enforce it until courts rule on its validity

KEY STORY

RFK Jr. For Trump?

RFK Jr’s running mate Nicole Shanahan said the duo may drop their presidential bid and endorse Trump

• Shanahan accused the Democratic Party of sabotaging their campaign by creating PACs to block ballot access, planting insiders, and more

• Shanahan said they are weighing staying in the race to earn 5% of the vote and establish a viable party for 2028 or dropping out and endorsing Trump. In the event of the latter, Trump said he would likely give RFK Jr. a position in his admin.: “I respect [Kennedy] a lot”

• A DNC spokeswoman denounced Shanahan and called the accusations of sabotage “delusional”

Dig Deeper

• Concerning the decision, Shanahan said, “First and foremost, we want to make sure we are representing the best interests of health and wellness, of young people, of future generations”

• ABC reported that RFK’s decision may come as early as Friday

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KEY STORY

Indians Head Out

New data suggest an explosion in the number of Indian tourists heading abroad

• In 2009, around 13M of India’s 1B+ people traveled internationally, according to a new report by The Economist. By 2019, that figure reached 27M, with analysts projecting it could reach 90M by 2040

• The figures accompany significant growth in India’s middle class and the population of 25- to 34-year-olds, the demographic that travels most frequently. The size of India’s middle class is expected to double by 2047, while 20% of the population will soon be between 25 and 34

Dig Deeper

• The shift could have an impact similar to China’s rise, which sparked one of the largest international travel booms in history, driven by Chinese tour operators organizing group vacations for a growing middle class that had never before had the means to travel

• Already, flight connections between India and the rest of the world are rapidly expanding as cities attempt to establish direct connections with India’s population

KEY STORY

On the Ground in Chicago

Roca has been attending protests in Chicago, where the DNC is underway

• On Monday, large protests took place throughout the city, including in parks, along streets, and on the perimeter of the United Center, where the DNC is taking place

• On Tuesday, the largest protest took place outside the Israeli consulate, where up to 300 protesters gathered and chanted in support of Palestine, Hamas, and the Houthis. Numerous people were arrested

• On Wednesday, thousands more protesters — organizers said 25k, we estimated up to 10k — gathered for a peaceful March near the DNC

Dig Deeper

• On Tuesday, small groups of protesters gathered outside the DNC and in a park where an anti-capitalist group erected a tent encampment

• The protesters were divided between those who support the Democrats but want to draw attention to certain issues and those who consider the Democrats insufficiently left and are refusing to support them

• Some of the latter group told Roca they plan to vote for Jill Stein of the Green Party

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

📉 The US government revised down the number of jobs created in the year through March by 818,000, about 68,000 fewer per month than previously reported. The largest such revision since 2009, it suggests the economy has been cooler than data indicated

🚔 The police raided far-right influencer Andrew Tate’s Romanian home as he awaits trial for human trafficking and other crimes. Tate’s lawyer said the raids – in which dozens of officers scoured Tate’s property on the edge of Romania’s capital – were related to “human trafficking and money laundering” investigations

🔄 Hamas-Israel ceasefire talks are stalled over whether Israeli troops must vacate all of Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu insists Israeli troops will not do so, claiming there are some areas – including the Gaza-Egypt border crossing – that Israel must control to ensure Israeli security, but Hamas is demanding that Israel evacuate the entire territory

💥 On Wednesday morning, Ukraine launched its largest drone attack against Moscow, with Russia claiming to have shot down 45 drones, including 11 in the Moscow region. The attack – which closed airports up to 1,000 miles away – coincided with Ukrainian advances into Russia’s Kursk region

📺 Chick-fil-A reportedly plans to enter the entertainment space by launching a slate of original content on its own streaming platform. According to Deadline, the fast food chain is collaborating with several major production companies to create family-friendly shows and negotiating to license and acquire additional content

COMMUNITY

🧐 Yesterday’s question: What’s the best sporting event you’ve ever seen in person?

🧠 Today’s question: What’s the best concert you’ve been to?

Reply to this email to let us know what you think!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🥼 Silent treatment: Florida officials put a hearing-impaired doctor on probation after he started a colonoscopy without his hearing aids, unaware that the patient was yelling and not fully sedated

👨🏻‍⚖️ Student outdoes teacher: Online fast-fashion giant Shein is suing rival Temu, accusing the retailer of stealing designs and building an empire through counterfeiting and fraud

🤕 No bandage, no boarding: Authorities at Miami International Airport arrested a 27-year-old man – still bleeding from a hair transplant – after he refused to leave a plane

🍫 Reese’s Angel: Chicago Sky rookie sensation Angel Reese is launching a “Reese’s Pieces” apparel collection after signing an endorsement deal with The Hershey Company

🎺 Police can hold us: A fan in Slovakia jumped on stage with rapper Macklemore at a music festival and bragged about it on social media afterwards. Her post led to police finding her

ROCA WRAP

World Roundup

On Thursdays, we’re now featuring a selection of interesting stories from around the world. Today’s are from Turkey, Michigan, and Hungary. 

Turkey: Fighting for Freedom

A brawl in Turkey’s parliament drew blood.

Last Friday, Turkey’s Grand National Assembly held a debate on the fate of Can Atalay, a man elected from prison last year to serve in parliament. Atalay received an 18-year jail sentence for his role in anti-government protests in 2013, but his election came with immunity that could free him.

Tensions are high around Atalay’s case, which many see as politically motivated, and on Friday, they reached a fever pitch.

During the debate, a member of Atalay’s party called Turkey’s ruling party a “terrorist organization.” That prompted a member of the ruling party to assault Atalay’s ally, sparking a brawl.

Dozens of lawmakers – both men and women – were drawn in, with a splash of blood ending up on the speaker’s podium. To some in Turkey, “fighting for freedom” isn’t just an idea.

Hungary: Splaining to Do

Hungary has to explain why it’s allowing Russians in.

Hungary is an EU and NATO country that diverges from those groups regarding how to treat Russia. It has opposed sanctions on Russia, arming Ukraine, and other anti-Russia policies. Most recently, it loosened requirements for Russians to enter, work, and live in the country.

Hungary’s visa policy means Russians will have an easier time residing in Hungary. Once there, they can cross into the rest of the EU because Hungary is part of the border-free Schengen Zone. The scheme – also available to Belarusians, Ukrainians, Bosnians, and some other non-EU countries – lets people stay for two years and, in some cases, longer.

The EU has said the policy will make it easy for “potential Russian spies and saboteurs” to enter the EU, jeopardizing the security of the entire Schengen Zone. In response, it demanded that Hungary issue a formal explanation of the policy. If the EU found Hungary’s explanation insufficient, it could take steps to punish Hungary. The deadline for that explanation passed on Monday, though, without Hungary submitting anything.

Hungary has accused the other EU countries of fear-mongering and “peddling lies” about Russia and the threat posed by the policy. That’s not an explanation that will win over the EU, meaning that for now, the visa wars will continue.

Michigan: The Dark Horse Wins

A Michigan town elected a horse mayor.

Omena is a small town in northern Michigan’s “Little Finger” with a population of 355. It began holding triennial animal mayor elections in 2009 as a fundraiser for the local historical society. Over time, this playful tradition has sparked real political debates.

Omena’s mayoral role is more than ceremonial: According to the Omena Historical Society’s guidelines, the mayor “participates in all functions important to the village’s place in Leelanau County,” including community meetings, galas, and public events.

This year, the debate focused on which species was best suited for office: Dogs, cats, or a new contender to shake things up. Then, on July 20, about 200 locals gathered in a church parking lot for the new mayor’s inauguration. The historical society’s president announced, “And our new mayor is…Lucky!” drawing mixed reactions from the crowd.

That’s because Lucky is a 16-year-old horse, the first of his kind to hold the position: Until this election, only dogs – and a cat named Sweet Tart in 2018 – had won the race. Lucky defeated twelve dogs, five cats, and a goat to claim victory.

Before the election, Rosie – the town’s outgoing mayor and a Golden Labrador mix – faced a challenging re-election campaign. Her campaign manager admitted to The Free Press, “It’s been an exhausting three-year term for her. Just between us, I don’t think she’s going to win.”

“People are just sick of dogs,” one summer resident said, though he added, “Nobody really likes cats.” 

Amid the talk of dogs versus cats, Lucky – a literal dark horse who has lived in Arizona his entire life but plans to relocate to Omena later this summer – emerged as the winner. But for Omena’s residents, the mayoral race is a lighthearted way to engage in civic duty.

As one local put it, “All politics are stupid. But at least we’re having fun with it, and we’re still friends at the end of the day.”

ROCA VIDEO

Inside the Violence at the Chicago DNC

In case you didn’t get the chance to watch, here’s our coverage of Tuesday’s protests outside the Israeli consulate. The protests turned into clashes that led to 72 people being arrested.

Make sure to subscribe to the channel!

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Happy Tooth Fairy Day! According to the 2024 Original Tooth Fairy Poll, the average value of a single lost tooth during the past year was $5.84. With prices like this, we’ll never let our kids play hockey. It’s tough out there!

–Max and Max