After yesterday, we did some more digging into speed limit history. I mean, what else would you do when you’re criminally behind on your work?

If you’ve ever received a speeding ticket, you were probably going a wee bit faster than the man who received the first-ever speeding ticket in 1896. That driver was going a whopping 8 MPH in a British neighborhood with a 2 MPH speed limit. Oh, the nerve of Sir Walter Arnold! 8 MPH in Kent? Disgraceful.

In today's edition:

• France bans far-right groups and cigs

• Mark Cuban to Shark Tank: I’m out

• The loneliest goat

 🔑 Key Stories

Ransomware Hits Hospitals

A ransomware attack forced a healthcare chain to divert emergency room patients to other hospitals

• On November 23 (Thanksgiving), a ransomware attack struck Ardent Health Services, a US healthcare chain with 30 hospitals and 200+ care sites across several states. Ardent said the group targeted “medical records…and other clinical systems”

• In a statement, Ardent said that although it has continued to provide care for patients, out of an “abundance of caution” it is placing some of its emergency rooms on “divert,” meaning it is asking ambulances to bring patients to other hospitals

France Banning Right-Wing Groups

France seeks to ban three right-wing groups connected to violent anti-immigration protests

• On November 19, a 16-year-old boy identified as “Thomas” was stabbed to death in southern France. Rumors spread the attackers were of Arab origin

• On Saturday, ~100 right-wing protesters, some armed with bats, gathered in a town where Thomas’ alleged assailants are rumored to live. Police arrested ~20 people 

• On Tuesday, France’s interior minister said he asked the government to ban three groups involved, saying doing so would help avoid a “civil war”

Indian Workers Rescued

Miners rescued all 41 Indian construction workers who were trapped in a tunnel that collapsed 17 days ago

• On November 12, a tunnel in the Himalayas collapsed, trapping 41 workers inside an air pocket. Rescuers were able to get food, water, and other supplies to them but struggled to open a corridor wide enough for the workers to escape

• On Monday, rescuers hired “rat miners” – miners skilled at digging narrow, vertical tunnels straight into the Earth – to assist rescue operations. With their help, on Tuesday, all 41 workers were rescued

First Transatlantic Green Flight

The first transatlantic flight powered by “sustainable aviation fuel” (SAF) landed in New York on Tuesday

• SAF releases carbon like fossil fuels, but the airline industry claims that over its “lifetime” – i.e., from production to consumption – SAF produces ~70% less carbon than fossil fuels. It is usually made from crops, household waste, cooking oils, sugars, and other materials

• On Tuesday, Virgin Atlantic flew a plane from London to New York powered solely by SAF. The plane carried no paying customers

• Virgin Atlantic owner Richard Branson called the flight a proof of concept for lower-carbon air travel. “If we didn’t prove it can be done, you would never, ever get sustainable aviation fuel,” he said

Cybersecurity Peace of Mind

Together with Incogni

The upcoming holiday season can be stressful enough. Let Incogni keep you safe with their personal data removal service so it is one less thing for you to worry about. 

• All you have to do is create an account, grant Incogni the right to work for you, and kick back and watch Incogni work 

• Incogni will scrub your personal data from the web, confronting the world’s data brokers on your behalf. And unlike other services, Incogni helps remove your sensitive information from all broker types, including those tricky People Search Sites.

• Just for Roca readers: For all of November (ending today!) Incogni is offering Roca readers an exclusive Black Friday sale: 60% off Incogni annual plans with code ‘ROCA60’

🍿 Popcorn

ICYMI

• And for that reason, Mark’s out: Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban announced he will leave hit show “Shark Tank” after the show’s 16th season, likely airing next year

• But Guy ain’t going nowhere! Guy Fieri has renewed his contract with Food Network for three years in a deal exceeding $100M. He is the channel’s highest-paid talent

• We shall smoke on the beaches: France will ban smoking in public areas including beaches, parks, and forests. France’s health minister says tobacco causes 75k deaths per year

Wildcard

• Chopt (literally): A Connecticut woman has sued fast-casual restaurant chain Chopt after allegedly finding a piece of finger in her salad

• Florida *woman attack: Police arrested a 44-year-old Miami woman for aggravated battery after she allegedly stabbed her boyfriend’s eye with a rabies vaccine during a dispute

• Hail to the forklifts: A 12-year-old boy led Ann Arbor, Michigan, police on an hour-long chase in a stolen construction forklift. The boy stole the vehicle from outside a middle school

👇 What do you think?

Today’s poll is sponsored by Incogni

Today's Question:

Do you think political extremism is a major security threat in your country?

Reply to this email with your answers!

See yesterday's results below the Wrap! 

🌯 Roca Wrap

A goat is stranded on a cliff in this country.

Wales is one of the United Kingdom’s four countries. Home to 3.1M people, it is less populous than England or Scotland but more populous than Northern Ireland. It’s largely mountainous and popular among outdoor enthusiasts.

Last week, one group of countryside walkers came across a mountain goat stranded on a cliff. The goat is believed to have strayed away from its herd, a locally well-known group of 150 goats in a seaside town.

After spotting the goat stranded on a cliffside, the walkers called an animal service who gave them bad news: There was nothing they could do.

The animal service said that trying to rescue the goat could cause it to jump or fall off the cliff, harming or killing it.

The good news, it said, is that the goat appears to be in good health and have enough food. “Once the food on this ledge is exhausted, she may decide to move,” the group added.

The situation comes just weeks after the rescue of Britain’s loneliest sheep – Fiona – who had spent two years isolated at the foot of a steep cliff in Scotland. A local farmer organized a rescue operation earlier this month, saving Fiona.

Will a rescue be in order for Wales’s loneliest goat?

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

 🌊 Roca Clubhouse

Yesterday's Poll:

Have you played a video game in the last year?
Yes: 43%
No: 57%

Yesterday's Question:

Should prosecutors be allowed to us rappers’ lyrics in lawsuits against them?

"Rappers' lyrics are a form of artistic expression and not necessarily a reflection of true events or intentions, thus using them in court can lead to misinterpretations and unjust convictions"

"This practice can disproportionately target artists from certain genres and backgrounds, leading to a form of racial or cultural bias in the legal system”

"Using lyrics as part of evidence respects the principle that no form of communication is inherently exempt from legal scrutiny, ensuring all relevant information is considered in a trial"

🧠 Intermission

We hope your Wednesdays are warmer than ours. As if the first high-20s day of the year wasn’t tough enough, our building manager just informed us there’d be a fire drill this afternoon. Stay warm, Roca Nation!

For those who have been reading our Germany trip, the final installment is below. Tomorrow we begin a new trip, this time to the happiest place on Earth…

–Max and Max

🌎 Roca Reports

Today marks the conclusion of Roca Reports from Germany. Tomorrow we head to Finland and try to answer the pivotal question: Is Finland truly the happiest country? You can start your 14-day free trial here!

Polls currently show the AFD is Germany’s second-most popular party, with around 22% support nationally.

When I came to Germany, I wanted to understand if it was as “far-right” and “extreme” as the media said. After doing dozens of interviews and traveling through the country, the answer proved far more complicated.

Subscribe to Premium Membership to read the rest.