🌊 We May Actually Have a Peace Deal

Hurricane Helene one year later.

A year ago, you all showed extraordinary generosity with the victims of Hurricane Helene and donated hundreds of sweaters, hundreds of socks, and hundreds of other essential items to the towns in North Carolina devastated by the storm.

We checked in with Roca Reader Katie who orchestrated this effort, and she said: “We think about y’all often and just how much you did for our folks 💜.” She told us that the storm’s impact one year later is mixed: “One place looks like nothing ever happened and a quarter mile down the road is still completely torn to shreds. Overall, Appalachian people are so incredibly resilient and lovely and take care of each other 💜. “

Thank you again for your generosity. The Roca Community is truly extraordinary.

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal

Israel and Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement, stopping the war in Gaza and securing the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners

• President Trump unveiled a sweeping 20-point peace plan in late September after months of stalled negotiations

• Under the agreement, fighting will cease and Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza while allowing increased humanitarian aid to flow into the territory. Hamas will release all remaining hostages within 72 hours of Israel ratifying the deal. In return, Israel will free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 250 serving life sentences

• Other issues, including whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza after the war, remain unresolved

Dig Deeper

• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the agreement with his cabinet early on Friday morning in Tel Aviv, with the ceasefire expected to take effect 24 hours after the ratification. Israeli forces will then withdraw to predetermined lines, leaving them in control of approximately 53% of Gaza. The announcement sparked celebrations in both Israel and Gaza

• Negotiators said that Trump's broader peace plan involves future talks to determine other critical details, including Hamas’ disarmament and Gaza’s governance

KEY STORY

Circular AI Deals Raise Bubble Concerns

Major AI companies have invested billions in each other, raising concerns about a bubble and circular financing in the AI industry

• During the late 1990s, technology companies engaged in circular deals where they invested in and bought from each other, artificially inflating demand until the dot-com bubble burst in 2000

• OpenAI agreed this week to spend tens of billions on chips from AMD, while AMD opened a path for OpenAI to become one of its largest shareholders. This followed Nvidia’s commitment to invest up to $100B in OpenAI, while OpenAI pledged to fill data centers with Nvidia chips

• Bank of America analysts wrote that concerns were “highly overstated,” while Goldman Sachs noted the current situation differed from the dot-com bubble, because stock prices reflected “powerful and sustained profit growth rather than excessive speculation”

Dig Deeper

• AI companies accounted for 40% of US GDP growth and 80% of stock market gains in 2025, according to analysts

• Goldman Sachs warned that companies were borrowing more money and that new stock offerings were jumping 30% on their first day of trading – both signs that a bubble might be forming

• Just seven companies – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla – accounted for more than 35% of the S&P 500’s total market value as of Wednesday

KEY STORY

Italy Proposes “Burqa Ban”

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her political party proposed legislation this week that would ban burqas and niqabs in public spaces across the country

• On Wednesday, Meloni's Brothers of Italy party presented a bill to parliament to ban burqas and niqabs, proposing fines between approximately $350 and $3,500 for wearing face-covering garments in shops, offices, schools, and universities

• The legislation aims to combat what the party called “religious radicalization and religiously motivated hatred,” stating in its introduction that “the spread of Islamic fundamentalism... undeniably constitutes the breeding ground for Islamist terrorism”

Dig Deeper

• The bill extends beyond face coverings to include new criminal penalties for what it terms "cultural crimes," including virginity testing and strengthened punishments for forced marriages, which could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years

• The legislation would also impose strict financial transparency requirements on Muslim organizations that lack formal agreements with the Italian state, requiring them to disclose all funding sources

KEY STORY

China Tightens Rare Earth Exports

China announced expanded restrictions on rare earth materials and technology before the expected meeting between President Trump and President Xi later this month

• China processes roughly 90% of the world's rare earth minerals, making it the dominant supplier of materials critical to products ranging from smartphones to military equipment

• On Thursday, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced sweeping new export controls on rare earth materials, magnets, and related technologies. Foreign companies now need licenses from Beijing to export products containing more than 0.1% of Chinese-sourced rare earths or made using China's extraction, refining, or manufacturing technology

• Analysts described the move as an effort to strengthen China's bargaining position before Trump and Xi meet face-to-face in South Korea at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum later this month

Dig Deeper 

• The restrictions added five new rare earth elements and dozens of pieces of refining technology to the controlled list. Companies tied to foreign militaries or placed on export control lists will be denied permits, and applications for items potentially used in weaponry will be rejected

• The new rules specifically target advanced semiconductors and defense applications, requiring case-by-case approval for rare earths used in cutting-edge chips and for AI with potential military uses. Defense users will be denied licenses entirely

• Shares in Chinese rare earth companies surged by up to 10%, and US rare earth producers jumped as much as 17% on the news

KEY STORY

Grand Jury Indicts Letitia James

A federal grand jury in Virginia indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James on bank fraud charges

• James has served as New York's attorney general since 2019 and positioned herself as a prominent critic of President Trump. She led a civil fraud case against Trump in 2022, and during her campaign pledged to be “a real pain in the ass” to Trump

• The charges stem from allegations that she incorrectly listed a Norfolk, Virginia, home as her primary residence on mortgage documents in 2023 to obtain a better loan

• James’ lawyer said she was helping her niece with a down payment and that a power of attorney document contained an error, calling the investigation political retribution

Dig Deeper 

• The case was brought by Lindsey Halligan, Trump's former personal lawyer, whom he appointed as acting US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. The official who previously led that office resigned in September after reportedly telling the Justice Department there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge James

• Trump had publicly called for James' prosecution on social media last month, writing to Attorney General Pam Bondi, "We can't delay any longer, it's killing our reputation and credibility. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!"

QUOTE OF THE DAY

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

🚤 The Colombian president claimed on Wednesday that the US bombed a vessel carrying Colombian citizens in the Caribbean, an allegation the White House dismissed as baseless.

🚗 US automobile safety regulators launched an investigation into Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) technology after reports of vehicles running red lights and causing crashes.

🌭 California became the first state to phase out ultra-processed foods from school meals under a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom (D) on Wednesday.

🧑‍⚖️ A federal judge imposed temporary restrictions on Thursday on how federal agents can use force and make arrests during Chicago-area immigration protests.

🍔 European Parliament lawmakers voted 532 to 78 on Wednesday to restrict the use of terms like “steak,” “sausage,” and “burger” to animal-based products only.

What does Roca Nation think?

😊 Yesterday’s Question: What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day?

20 Questions!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Weeknd.

Welcome to a Fall-themed "This or That" edition of 20 Questions! We list two fall-related things, and you pick which one you prefer. Can't wait to see the results.

Have an amazing weekend!

Link to 20 Questions!

Last Week’s Responses

Results from last week’s “This or That” edition of 20 Questions.

Coffee - 42.2% Chocolate - 57.8%
Laughter - 93.6% Dreams - 6.4%
Pizza - 58.7% Burgers - 41.3%
Football - 20.0% Democracy - 80.0%
Breakfast - 60.0% Dessert - 40.0%
College football - 54.0% NFL - 46.0%
Cheese - 52.6% Bread - 47.4%
YouTube - 58.8% Netflix - 41.2%
New York - 49.8% California - 50.2%
Superhero movies - 43.8% Rom-coms - 56.2%
Memes - 64.3% Emojis - 35.7%
Rain - 57.1% Snow - 42.9%
CNN - 5.1% RocaNews - 94.9%
Pets - 69.1% Condiments - 30.9%
Soy sauce - 5.0% Pillows - 95.0%
Ranch - 37.6% Front yards - 62.4%
Lake houses - 53.9% Beach houses - 46.1%
Video games - 25.4% Board games - 74.6%
Ice cream - 77.2% Barber shops/salons - 22.8%
The Oscars - 8.6% Napkins - 91.4%

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🖼️ Happy Little Windfall: Thirty original Bob Ross paintings will be auctioned starting next month through Bonhams, with all proceeds benefiting public television stations affected by the Trump Administration's $1.1B funding cut.

🦖 Repentant Rex: A beloved 50-pound fiberglass dinosaur named Claire was returned to a Los Angeles gas station 10 days after being stolen, wrapped in cloth and carrying an apology note taped to her neck.

🦈 You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Tracker: The largest great white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic has resurfaced off Canada’s coast, where the 14-foot, 1,653-pound beast named Contender is feasting on seals to bulk up for winter.

🪐 Rogue Planet Caught Red-Handed: Astronomers have discovered a rogue planet named Cha 1107-7626 devouring material at an unprecedented rate, offering new insight into how these lonely worlds form without orbiting a star.

🇮🇹 Emperor’s Private Entrance: A hidden imperial passage at Rome’s Colosseum will open to the public on October 27 for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, allowing visitors to walk the secret route Roman emperors used to reach the arena unseen and protected.

ROCA WRAP
Last Stand Legacy

Edward “Ned” Kelly

A bushranger who fashioned bulletproof armor and wrote a 56-page manifesto against police corruption became a famous outlaw.

Edward “Ned” Kelly wasn’t your typical criminal. The son of an Irish convict, he grew up poor in rural Victoria, Australia, where his family believed they were persecuted by wealthy landowners and harassed by corrupt police. After a violent confrontation at his family’s home in 1878, Kelly and his gang killed three policemen, leading authorities to declare them outlaws who could be shot on sight. What made Kelly legendary wasn’t just his crimes, but his response: He fashioned bulletproof armor from agricultural equipment and wrote a 56-page manifesto denouncing police corruption and demanding justice for the rural poor.

Kelly's end came in June 1880 at Glenrowan, where his gang attempted to derail a police train as part of an audacious plan to attack the town of Benalla. When police arrived early and surrounded the gang at a local inn, a 12-hour siege ensued, with Kelly and his men wearing their homemade armor. In the misty dawn, Kelly emerged from the bush like something out of a nightmare, his armor making him seem invincible as bullets bounced off the iron plates. Police finally brought him down by shooting his unprotected legs, discovering he’d sustained 28 wounds in the battle.

Despite thousands rallying for his reprieve and a petition gathering over 32,000 signatures, Kelly was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang. His trial judge happened to be the same man who’d imprisoned his mother two years earlier, adding fuel to claims the system was rigged against him. When the judge pronounced the customary, “May God have mercy on your soul,” Kelly supposedly replied, “I will see you there where I go.” The judge died just 12 days after Kelly’s execution.

On the morning of November 11, 1880, Kelly walked to the gallows and, when passing the prison garden, commented on the beauty of the flowers. His reported last words were, “Such is life” – a phrase that became as iconic as his armor.

Whether he was a revolutionary fighting oppression or simply a killer with a gift for self-mythologizing, Kelly became more powerful in death than he ever was in life, transforming from outlaw to national symbol in a country still figuring out what it meant to be Australian.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Wow… 5% of you took CNN over RocaNews?! Didn’t realize so many of my family members voted.

Anyways, we hope you have an amazing weekend. We pray that the peace deal in Gaza holds and that there will finally be an end to the horrific conflict. Don’t forget to do 20 Questions, and see you Monday!

–Max and Max