🌊 Putin, We Have a Problem

Bill Gates says AI will take every job but three…

According to one of our reptilian overlords Bill Gates, AI will take every job but three by 2035: Coders, energy workers, and biologists. Now we don’t mean to take a shot at Mr. Gates, but has he ever seen a robot plunge a toilet? Or how about teach a kindergarten class? Or how about try to arrest a Florida man who just put a baby gator through the drive-thru window at Wendy’s? Time for Bill to open those Microsoft ~windows~ and get some fresh air.

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire

Ukraine accused Russia of undermining the partial US-brokered ceasefire agreement

• On Tuesday, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, adding to last week’s agreement barring energy infrastructure attacks

• The partial ceasefire has failed to take hold, though, with Ukraine accusing Russia of “manipulating” the deal by adding more conditions than initially agreed

• On Tuesday, Trump said he thought Russia was “dragging its feet” in negotiations. He likened Russia’s actions to his own in past business deals

Dig Deeper

• Trump’s comments came after the US intelligence community (IC) released a report saying that Russia had “seized the upper hand” in the war and “is on a path to accrue greater leverage” in negotiations with the US and Ukraine

• The IC’s Annual Global Threat Assessment report added that both Russia and Ukraine “probably still see the risks of a longer war as less than those of an unsatisfying settlement"

KEY STORY

Paralysis Treatment?

A paralyzed man is learning to walk after receiving a stem cell injection during experimental trials

• Roughly 300,000 people in the US have a severe spinal cord injury, with 18,000 new cases per year

• In a new study, researchers in Tokyo announced that, out of four paralyzed patients, one was able to stand and another was able to move his limbs after being injected with reprogrammed stem cells

• While two of the four patients did not experience significant improvements, the researchers say the success with two shows that neural stem cells are a potentially effective treatment for paralysis

Dig Deeper

• Previous trials using different forms of stem cells found that the treatment is safe, but, as one scientist told Nature, “Nothing’s really worked so far”

• Responding to the Japanese trial, he added, “That’s a great positive outcome. It’s very exciting for the field”

• Given the small size of the experiment, the Japanese researchers say that larger trials are needed to determine if the stem cell injections are broadly effective in treating paralysis or if the recovery occurred naturally

QUOTE OF THE DAY

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KEY STORY

Signal Transcripts Published

Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic editor-in-chief, published the transcript from a Signal chat of top US officials

• Goldberg was apparently accidentally added to a group chat in which top national security advisers were discussing upcoming strikes on the Houthis, in Yemen

• He said he decided to publish the transcripts after several officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, tried to downplay their severity. Hegseth and others have said the chats contained no confidential information

• Per the transcript, hours before the strikes began on Saturday, Hegseth noted the time that jets would take off and when they would strike their targets

• Critics have said the situation is an egregious security lapse, while many Republicans have said the situation is overblown

Dig Deeper

• The situation has emerged as a political flashpoint, with Trump’s critics saying it highlights the administration’s incompetence and recklessness, while his defenders are either saying the leaks are overblown or that Goldberg tricked his way into the chat

KEY STORY

Pfizer Vaccine Probe

Per the Wall Street Journal, US prosecutors are investigating a claim that Pfizer intentionally delayed announcing the success of its Covid vaccine trial until after Biden won the 2020 election

• Pfizer released the results of its vaccine trial on November 8, 2020, days after Trump’s defeat

• Shortly after Trump’s 2024 victory, UK drugmaker GSK told US prosecutors that Pfizer delayed the results until after the 2020 election. The claims center on a former top Pfizer researcher who moved to GSK in 2021 and reportedly blew the whistle

• The scientist, Phil Dormitzer, now denies that he told GSK that Pfizer delayed its data, stating, “My Pfizer colleagues and I did everything we could to get the FDA’s…Authorization at the very first possible moment. Any other interpretation of my comments about the pace of the vaccine’s development would be incorrect”

Dig Deeper 

• Trump has long asserted that Pfizer delayed the release of its trial results to benefit Biden. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan have now launched a probe into GSK’s claims, conducting interviews with those involved, including a GSK employee present when Dormitzer’s comments were allegedly made

• Pfizer denied the allegations, writing in a statement that it “remains ready, willing, and able to explain why any allegation of impropriety is utter nonsense”

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

⚖️ The Supreme Court upheld a Biden-era regulation requiring background checks for “ghost guns,” which are often sold partially assembled online

💲 The EU’s lead trade negotiator told the Financial Times that he expects President Trump to impose 20% tariffs on Europe next week

🧺 The EU advised citizens to stockpile three days' worth of water, food, and other essential goods in preparation for a war, cyberattack, or other possible crisis

🪧 Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza took to the streets to protest Hamas, the largest such demonstration since the war began

📝 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Fox News that he expects Ukraine to sign a resource deal by next week, adding that President Trump is considering added sanctions on Russia

What does Roca Nation think?

🧠 Yesterday’s Question: With the Snow White remake getting blasted by critics and audiences alike, what’s your favorite Disney movie of all time?

🧐 Today’s Question: What’s your reaction to #groupchatgate? Is accidentally adding The Atlantic editor to a war discussion chat a fireable offense?

Reply to this email with your response!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

⚽ FIFA’s Big Payday: FIFA announced that the winner of the first-ever Club World Cup could earn $125M, with a total prize fund of $1B

📖 700-Year Sequel Wait: Researchers used advanced technology to read the lost manuscript of the 700-year-old sequel to the Merlin and King Arthur legend

👕 Merch or Tech Company?: The CEO of Bluesky, launched as a rival to Elon Musk’s X, said the company made more money selling t-shirts in one day than it has in two years of selling custom domains

🎪 Unconventional Campaign Headquarters: A homeless man in Seattle announced he is running for mayor, setting up his campaign headquarters in a tent encampment

🐸 Muppet Matriculation: The University of Maryland announced that Kermit the Frog will deliver the commencement address to this year’s graduates

ROCA WRAP
No Porn For You

Papua New Guinea

This country banned Facebook to prevent people from accessing porn.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the world’s least developed countries. Situated between Australia and Indonesia, it’s a sprawling archipelago made up of dense jungle. With hundreds of tribes living across the island and speaking 800+ languages, a near-total lack of roads has stopped modern life from penetrating much of the country.

But porn has made it through, apparently.

On Monday, PNG’s government shut down Facebook in what it described as a “test” intended to stop the spread of pornography, hate speech, misinformation, and "other detrimental content.” The ban left Facebook users in the country unable to log-in, sparking opposition and rights groups to allege a violation of human rights.

PNG's police minister Peter Tsiamalili defended the initiative as a way to keep "harmful content" out of public discourse.

The shutdown came a day after the ruling cabinet’s “shopping list” leaked, sparking widespread condemnation. The confidential list named various national priorities, including developing a space agency, exploring a possible Formula 1 track, creating a “Silicon Valley style hub,” partnering with Israel to develop a spy agency, and joining with a Congolese rapper to acquire a luxury island.

That would all be done in a country that lacks the most basic services, prompting widespread criticism – and, perhaps, a ban on Facebook.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Why Hollywood Is Leaving Hollywood

ICYMI!

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Today is a big day for sports: Opening Day for the MLB and the first night of the Sweet Sixteen featuring Arizona-Duke, Maryland-Florida, and more. It’s also just another day of checking your phone to see if you were added to the latest war group chat. Unfortunately, nothing but texts about unpaid Florida tolls for us. Have a great Thursday!

–Max and Max