🌊 Who Louvres a Good Mystery?

Just take the damn trophy and back of the line, Jean.

On this day in October 22nd history, the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1964 — well, sort of. Sartre turned down the honor because “a writer should not allow himself to be turned into an institution.” Brother… just take the award. You’re lucky to be the one philosophy major not putting the fries in the bag (Max T was thankfully three credits shy of his philo minor becoming a major).

Also, on this day in history, Red Dye #4 was banned in 1976? We’re now on #40 and it’s also en route to getting banned? Maybe 41st time will be the charm!

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Manhunt for Louvre Thieves Continues

French authorities raced against time as they searched for four thieves who carried out a brazen daylight robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday

• Four thieves executed a daring robbery on Sunday morning, stealing eight pieces of French crown jewels in less than eight minutes. Two masked men used a truck-mounted basket lift to reach the second-floor Apollo Gallery, cut through a window with power tools, threatened security guards, and smashed display cases before fleeing on motorcycles

• More than 60 investigators examined security footage and forensic evidence. Prosecutors said organized crime was likely involved, noting the speed and precision suggested experienced professionals

• Art security analysts warned authorities needed to act quickly, as the thieves would likely dismantle the jewelry to sell the precious stones and metals separately

Dig Deeper

• The thieves dropped one item during their escape: Empress Eugénie's crown, which features more than 2,500 diamonds and was later found damaged

• French media reported that one in three rooms in the robbed area of the museum had no security cameras, and labor unions at the museum said they had previously warned about technical and staffing issues

• The heist prompted intense criticism of the French government. France's justice minister told a radio station, "We have failed," adding that "the French people, for the most part, feel as though they have been robbed"

KEY STORY

Japan Elects First Female PM

Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister after winning a parliamentary vote on Tuesday

• Takaichi, a 64-year-old veteran conservative lawmaker, was first elected to Parliament in 1993 and became an ally of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Like Abe, she advocates for stronger defense capabilities and takes a hawkish stance on China

• On Tuesday, Takaichi secured 237 votes in the lower house with support from her new governing partner, the Japan Innovation Party. Her Liberal Democratic Party lost its longtime coalition partner Komeito shortly after she won the party leadership, forcing her to form a new alliance

• Takaichi faces numerous immediate challenges as prime minister, including rising food prices, stagnant wages, and concerns about Japan's aging population

Dig Deeper

• President Trump is expected to visit Japan next week, and the two countries are still working out details of a trade agreement. Under a deal struck in July, Japanese imports to the US now face a 15% tariff, and Tokyo agreed to invest approximately $550B in the US over the next few years

• Takaichi said she would tell Trump that Japan would "strongly enhance its defense forces" while maintaining its alliance with the US

KEY STORY

Warner Bros. Considers Sale

Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would review potential sale options after receiving interest from multiple buyers

• The company was formed just three years ago through a merger between Discovery and WarnerMedia, which had been owned by AT&T. The merger left the company heavily burdened with debt, and it has been losing money since the deal closed

• The company’s board said on Tuesday that it would evaluate a “broad range of strategic options.” The review could result in a sale of the entire company, separate deals for different divisions, or the company proceeding with its previously announced plan to split into two businesses by mid-2026

Dig Deeper

• Paramount recently made at least one offer for the entire company, which was rejected as too low. Multiple reports indicated Paramount made bids below $30 per share, all of which Warner Bros. turned down

• Paramount owner David Ellison is reportedly considering a hostile takeover and is imminently working on a fourth bid. If successful, Ellison would own two of the biggest news networks in the US with CBS and CNN

• Netflix and Comcast have also expressed interest in acquiring parts of the company, particularly the movie and TV studios

• The company's stock jumped 9% following the announcement, and there is no set timeline for completing the strategic review

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KEY STORY

Trump-Putin Summit Postponed Indefinitely

The White House announced Tuesday there are "no plans" for President Trump to meet with Russian President Putin, postponing a summit Trump had said would take place in Hungary within weeks

• The postponement came after Russia rejected proposals for an immediate ceasefire along current battle lines, which Trump, Zelensky, and European leaders had all endorsed. Moscow instead insists Ukraine must completely withdraw from the Donbas region before any ceasefire and accept restrictions on its military

• Last week, Trump met Zelensky at the White House in what sources described as a contentious "shouting match," with Trump pressuring Zelensky to surrender the Donbas region to Russia

• Two senior European diplomats said the postponement signaled American reluctance to proceed unless Moscow backed down from its demands

Dig Deeper 

• A senior White House official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a “productive call” but decided an in-person meeting between Trump and Putin was not immediately necessary. A preparatory meeting between the Rubio and Lavrov scheduled for Budapest this week was also canceled

• A Kremlin spokesperson said Russia's position hasn't changed despite repeated proposals to freeze the current line of contact. Lavrov said Russia was only interested in “long-term, sustainable peace,” not a temporary ceasefire

• Zelensky said the only topic that could make Moscow “pay attention” was the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine, noting that speculation about the US potentially sending Tomahawk missiles had been a “strong investment in diplomacy” that forced Russia to engage in discussion

QUOTE OF THE DAY

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

🕺 Demolition crews began tearing down part of the White House East Wing on Monday to make way for President Trump’s planned ballroom project.

🖥️ OpenAI launched its own web browser called Atlas on Tuesday, entering direct competition with Google Chrome as AI increasingly replaces traditional search.

🏛️ A New York man pardoned by President Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack was arrested last week for allegedly threatening to kill House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY).

🪙 Gold prices dropped more than 5% on Tuesday, marking their largest daily decline in over five years after reaching a record high of $4,381 per troy ounce the previous day.

🇺🇸 The president-elect of the Oxford Union – Oxford’s debate society – lost a no-confidence vote after facing criticism for comments seemingly celebrating the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

What does Roca Nation think?

🏈 Yesterday’s Question: Who will win the Super Bowl? National championship in cfb?

🎥 Today’s Question: A movie that never fails to inspire you? The world needs more inspiration!

Reply to this email with your response!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🦀 Deep Sea Discoveries: Australian scientists have identified two new species – a semi-transparent porcelain crab and a glowing lantern shark – among hundreds of specimens collected during a 2022 research voyage off Western Australia's coast.

🎭 Solo Rejection: Adam Driver revealed he spent two years developing a Star Wars film about his character Ben Solo, but Disney rejected the project despite Lucasfilm's enthusiasm.

🪧 Billboard Blunder: Cracker Barrel's CEO said on Tuesday that the chain's controversial logo redesign was intended to improve highway billboard visibility, not make an ideological statement.

⛏️ Space Junk Down Under: Mine workers in Western Australia discovered a smoking slab of mysterious debris near a remote road, which analysts believe is likely part of a Chinese rocket that reentered Earth's atmosphere.

🎙️ Goku’s Voice Honored: Masako Nozawa, the voice actor behind Dragon Ball's Goku, became the first voice actor to receive Japan's prestigious Persons of Cultural Merit honor.

ROCA WRAP
The Last Soldier

Hiroo Onoda

A Japanese officer refused to believe World War II had ended for nearly three decades.

In late 1944, as American forces pushed through the Pacific, the Philippine island of Lubang became the assignment for a 22-year-old intelligence officer, whose orders would trap him in a war long after it ended. Hiroo Onoda arrived on Lubang in December 1944 with clear instructions: Sabotage the airstrip, destroy the harbor, and resist any Allied landings. His commanding officer gave him one final directive that would haunt him for decades: Under no circumstances was he to surrender or take his own life. When American and Philippine forces seized the island in early 1945, Onoda retreated into the mountains with three other soldiers.

The war ended in August 1945, yet Onoda dismissed as enemy propaganda the leaflets announcing Japan's surrender. In October 1945, islanders left a note reading: “The war ended on 15 August. Come down from the mountains!” The soldiers studied it and concluded it was fake. Letters from their families arrived in 1952, dropped from planes with photographs. Still, the men believed it was an elaborate American trick. One by one, Onoda's companions fell away: Private Akatsu surrendered in 1950, which the others viewed as betrayal, Corporal Shimada died in a 1954 shootout with police, and Private Kozuka was killed by local officers in 1972 during a rice-burning raid.

For 29 years, Onoda survived on stolen rice, coconuts, and bananas, occasionally shooting at locals he believed were enemy forces. The group allegedly killed up to 30 civilians during their time in the jungle, attacking villagers they mistook for guerrillas. Onoda maintained a soldier's discipline, keeping his rifle functional and his mission alive in his mind. In February 1974, a Japanese college dropout named Norio Suzuki traveled to Lubang with an unusual goal: To find “Lieutenant Onoda, a panda, and the abominable snowman, in that order.” After four days of searching, Suzuki stumbled upon Onoda in the jungle. The two became friends, but Onoda refused to surrender without orders from his commanding officer.

The Japanese government tracked down Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who had become a bookseller after the war. Taniguchi flew to Lubang and on March 9, 1974, formally relieved Onoda of his duties. The next day, Onoda emerged from the jungle carrying his sword, a working rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition, several grenades, and a dagger his mother had given him to use if captured. Onoda returned to Japan as a celebrity, though he was reportedly uncomfortable with the attention and what he saw as the erosion of traditional values. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos pardoned him for any crimes committed during his time in hiding. Onoda wrote a bestselling autobiography, then moved to Brazil to become a cattle rancher.

Years later, his memoir's ghostwriter published a retraction, claiming Onoda knew the war was over and enjoyed the killing. Families of Filipino victims asked Onoda to compensate them when he visited Lubang in 1996, staging protests against his appearance. Onoda never acknowledged these deaths in his book.

For a man who spent three decades fighting a war that didn’t exist, the truth of what he knew and when he knew it may remain forever in the jungle.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

By the way, it’s also NATIONAL CAP LOCKS DAY. HOPE ALL OF YOU WHO CELEBRATE HAVE A GREAT ONE.

Also, make sure to check out the latest episode of The RocaNews Show: YouTube, Apple, and Spotify, where we discuss Fateh (Minneapolis), Zohran (NYC), and Santos (freedom).

–Max and Max