Beat Argentina, get a Rolls-Royce — or so we thought. Saudi Arabia's soccer coach has denied the reports that the Kingdom is gifting each player a Rolls-Royce Phantom for upsetting Argentina in the World Cup. Now you can safely assume that if a fleet of 26 Rolls-Royces ever corners you in Riyadh, it's not to challenge you to a soccer match.

In today's edition:

• No qualifications, no problem!

• Thanksgiving cruise miracle

• The Migrant Beach

🔑 Key Stories

Employers Lower Job Requirements

Fewer employers are requiring college degrees for jobs than before the pandemic, data show

• As of November, there are ~1.9 open jobs for every 1 unemployed US worker; i.e., a labor shortage. This has caused many employers to lower job requirements to attract more workers

• Data show that 41% of US job openings required at least a bachelor’s degree this November, vs. 46% in 2019

• Google, Delta Airlines, Ernst & Young, and many other companies have reduced the jobs that require 4-year degrees or other educational experience. At IBM, most US jobs no longer require a 4-year degree

Dig Deeper

• Maryland has cut college degree requirements for state jobs, causing a surge in applications; Pennsylvania's new governor has signaled that he will do the same

Biden: Chevron Can Drill Venezuelan Oil

The Biden administration granted Chevron permission to drill and export Venezuelan oil

• Venezuela has the most proven oil of any country; Chevron has been among the largest US oil companies active there

• Venezuela has been in a political and economic crisis since 2015, though, with 7M+ Venezuelans having fled the country. In 2019, the US imposed sanctions, hoping to change the government's policies. The sanctions forced out many companies and crushed Venezuela’s oil industry

• The US has now given Chevron a license to resume doing business in Venezuela; in exchange, Venezuela’s government says it will negotiate with its domestic political rivals

Dig Deeper

• A Biden administration official said that the decision was "an important step in the right direction," but also noted that Chevron's license only lasts 6 months, and may not be renewed if Venezuela's government doesn't reach a deal with the opposition

Protests Spread Across China

Protests are ongoing in several Chinese cities over C-19-related lockdowns

• Xi Jinping, China’s leader, has fiercely promoted a “zero-Covid” policy, which utilizes mass testing and lockdowns when any cases are detected

• China is currently facing record-high case numbers; officials have responded by locking down millions in several major cities

• Last week, an apartment fire killed 10+, with many blaming lockdowns for a slow emergency response. Thousands have since protested, demanding an end to lockdowns. Such large protests are rare in China

Dig Deeper

• Dozens of protestors, including an accredited BBC reporter, have been arrested or detained at protests in Shanghai, China's most-populous city. Many protestors are holding blank sheets of paper to protest censorship; others are openly criticizing China's ruling communist party

Qatar Reviewing London Investments

Qatar is “reviewing” its London investments after the city banned Qatari ads on its public transport

• In Qatar, the oil-rich Middle Eastern kingdom that is currently hosting the World Cup, homosexuality is punishable with up to 7 years in prison

• In 2019, London partially banned places with anti-LGBT laws from advertising on the city’s public transport system; this week, it banned all ads promoting the World Cup or tourism to Qatar

• Qatar has invested billions in London in recent years; now, a government spokesperson says it is reviewing “current and future investments” in the city

Dig Deeper

• Qatar's numerous investments in London include a 20% stake in its airport; a 14% stake in its second-largest supermarket chain; a 50% stake in a major business park; and several other major skyscrapers and store chains

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📊 Chart of the Day

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-ka-ching

The above columns represent US retail spending in November and December

• Per Gallup, the average US adult is planning to spend $932 this year on gifts. Only 17% of those adults say they will spend more this year than last

• On average, men spend 10% more during the holidays than women

• Online spending during this year's Black Friday reached $9B, the most ever

🍿 Popcorn

ICYMI

• A Thanksgiving miracle: A cruise passenger who fell overboard in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued after spending more than 15 hours at sea

• How ‘bout them ratings! The Giants-Cowboys Thanksgiving clash set a record for the most-watched regular season game, averaging 42M viewers

• Goooooiiillll: Cristiano Ronaldo received a 3-year, $225M offer to play for a Saudi Arabian club in the wake of his departure from Manchester United

Wildcard

• Taking Casual Friday too far: Colombian authorities have suspended a judge after she was caught smoking in her underwear during a Zoom hearing

• Hello bison my old friend: 82 Native American tribes across the country have a combined 20,000 bison thanks to reclamation efforts by public officials

• "Large pepperoni, hold the carbon": Domino’s is adding 800 EVs to its delivery fleet in an effort to reduce its environmental impact

👇🏻 What do you think?

Today's Question:

What was the highlight of your Thanksgiving weekend?

Reply to this email with your answers!

See yesterday's results below the Wrap! 

🌯 Roca Wrap

Roca co-founder Max Frost just spent 10 days in Colombia, learning about the Venezuelan migrant crisis. He’s writing about the experience here in the coming newsletters.

Necoclí is the end of the road.

The South American migrant path ends in this dusty town on the Caribbean. This is where migrants save up their last bit of money and buy the supplies they need to trek through the Darién Gap – a gang-controlled, roadless jungle that separates Colombia from Panama, and South from Central America.

Depending on the migrant flows, there are hundreds or thousands of migrants waiting in Necoclí. The town was relatively empty during our visit, which locals said was because the US had just announced it would deport Venezuelans who enter the country illegally.

Most migrants in Necoclí are Venezuelan, but they come from everywhere: Haiti, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, China, India, Africa, the Middle East. They wait on the beach until they have enough money to buy a boat passage to the jungle and pay off the gangs within it. Here is what 2 of them, both Veneuzuelan, told us.

***

José Ignacio:

I am from Caracas, Venezuela. I am going to the United States looking for improvements for my daughters. Better jobs, better work – where I can give them everything they need. Here in Venezuela, we don't have enough money to buy candy or buy food. The monthly minimum wage is $50, and a chicken is worth $40. What future do children have in Venezuela?

In Venezuela, I had 2 jobs: I was a qualified welder and a systems programmer.

We are here, collecting cans to afford the trip. We are a group of 7 people, and we have a goal to leave on Wednesday, God willing, if we manage to get what we need. We will carry canned goods and a little clothing. We are going to look for food so as not to spend money.

My message to Venezuelans and Americans is this: There are many Venezuelans who are going to do evil, but we are not all like that. There are many of us who are going to work, and many of us who are suffering. We aren’t making this trip to go for a walk, or to have a moment of fun.

At the beginning, the US provided support for migrants. Then they closed the border. It suddenly changed. But they still need workers, helping hands, there. They should give us a chance.

Because they closed the border, people look for what is illegal, and therein lies the danger. It's better that you know who's coming in, that you know who's in control, than that they get in where you don't know, because you don't have control when you don't know who got in.

At first, the US had an open border. They had control. I have friends who went to the US and they were received, they were given shelter and everything, and work. They were fine like that.

But if you close the border – obviously, crossing it is one's dream. They are not going to stop there. I have to go in, go in, go in because I have to work, because I can’t do another journey that takes so many days to go back to my family. That's what we're going for.

And to the Venezuelans who are there: The only message I give them is to behave well. It's good that they go, that they support us, because by being there, they can give us a door. We ask for their support, we just ask them to behave well.

***

Jefferson:

I am 30 years old, and I have 3 children in Venezuela. One is my son, who began to suffer from cancer at age 7. He had 2 types of cancer – skin cancer and testicular cancer.

I've been a single parent because the mom abandoned us. So I've raised my children alone since my daughter was 9 months old. When my son's cancer was advancing a bit, I saw the need to leave the country.

Relatively, I did not have it bad. Despite the fact that the situation was tough in Venezuela, I still didn't have the need to leave because of my job. I worked as a supervisor at the Central Bank of Venezuela. I have a bachelor's degree in science, and I am an accounting assistant with an accounting degree. And I had my children.

But when my son's illness progressed a little more, I no longer received the expenses for his medicines, and for that I had to emigrate. It's been 4 years since I emigrated from Venezuela, 4 years without being with my children. Right now my mom has them.

I had a year here in Colombia, in Barranquilla. The employment situation was not very profitable, and for my expenses with my son, I had to emigrate again. I went to Peru, where I lasted 3 years, but in the same way, in Peru, the cost of living is increasing a lot. That gave me the need to look for another border, for which we decided to come on this journey, to cross into the United States in order to be able to end my son’s treatment.

Thank God, his testicular cancer is now over. And we're finally overcoming skin cancer, which has been a little more complicated and complex, but nevertheless it's already in a good stage and we are already overcoming it too. And that is my goal of arriving in the United States: To finish completing my son's treatment and to be able to be with my children soon.

Because what I want is to finish my son's treatment, for my children to be healthy, and to return with them. That is my fight. That is why I left the country, since it is very sad to lose a child.

I lost the mother of my older child. My wife died in childbirth and my child died 2 hours later, and it is so painful. And that is why I emigrated – because I said, ‘I am not going to lose another child.’

And so that has been my struggle during these 4 years outside the country.

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

🌊 Roca Clubhouse

Yesterday's Poll:

Should Turkey Trots be illegal?Yes: 24.3%No: 75.7%

Yesterday's Question:

Just 20 Qs!

🧠 Final Thoughts

We hope you all had wonderful Thanksgivings, and we appreciate all the kind notes you sent, wishing us the same. Ours were great, and we're thankful for another day of delivering you all the news.

Have a great Monday!

Max and Max