Here’s an incredible stat: If every apple picked in Washington in a single year was placed side-by-side, they would circle the earth 29 times. Isn’t that remarkable? If you happen to be a Washington apple farmer, we apple-aud you. No longer sleeping on Pacific Northwest fruit production. Happy Friday.

In today's edition:

• MrBeast goes to court

• Cyprus’ Covid cat-pocalypse

• 20 questions!

 🔑 Key Stories

MrBeast Suing MrBeast Burger

MrBeast is suing the company behind the fast food chain MrBeast Burger

• MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – is the world’s largest individual YouTuber. In 2020, he partnered with Virtual Dining Concepts (VDC) to launch the delivery-only MrBeast Burger

• MrBeast Burger received poor reviews, with viral videos showing raw or unappetizing food

• This week, MrBeast sued VDC, citing reviews that its food was “disgusting,” “revolting,” and “inedible.” He said the company never paid him and “irreparably” harmed his brand. VDC called the lawsuit “meritless”

Dig Deeper

• The lawsuit claimed the low quality caused “irreparable harm to MrBeast’s reputation and brand” and that “MrBeast has has not received a dime”

• VDC said it looks forward to defending itself in court and may countersue MrBeast

Italy Leaving BRI?

Italy’s defense minister called the country’s decision to join a Chinese infrastructure initiative “atrocious”

• In 2013, China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which sought to develop roads, power plants, and other infrastructure in countries across the world. It’s invested billions into 120+ countries

• In 2019, Italy – the world’s 9th largest economy and a US ally – joined BRI, citing its economic benefits

• A month before taking office, Italy’s prime minister called joining BRI a “big mistake.” She has since implied she won’t renew the deal next year. On Sunday, Italy’s defense minister called the deal “atrocious”

Dig Deeper

• China has said its infrastructure investments are to help countries develop and to boost the global economy. The US and many of its allies say the project is predatory. Some countries that have taken significant Chinese money have since tried to back out

Outlawing Quarn Burning

Sweden & Denmark may ban Quran burnings

• Protesters in Sweden and Denmark have been burning Qurans, Islam’s holiest text. In response, since June, Iraqi protesters stormed Sweden’s embassy; Iraq cut ties to Sweden; and dozens of Muslim-majority countries criticized Sweden, Denmark, and the protesters

• Both Sweden and Denmark have strong free speech protections that permit things like Quran-burnings

• Amid the controversy, leaders in both countries are considering making Quran burning illegal. Their critics have said that undermines free speech rights

Dig Deeper

• “I don’t consider it a restriction on freedom of expression that you can’t burn other people’s books,” Denmark’s prime minister said in an interview published on Thursday

• Sweden’s prime minister has said his government is also “analyzing the legal situation”

US Arming Commercial Ships?

The US is considering putting soldiers aboard commercial ships passing through a key strait near Iran, the Associated Press reports

• The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway bordered by Iran on one side and the UAE and Oman on the other. ~20% of the world’s crude oil passes through it

• Per the Pentagon, Iran has “harassed, attacked, or interfered” with 15 ships passing through the Strait since 2021. The most recent of those occurred in April

• Per the AP, the US is now considering putting soldiers on commercial ships passing through the Strait. It will only do so if ships request such aid

Dig Deeper

• Thousands of US soldiers are currently en route to the region, which the Pentagon said is “in response to recent attempts by Iran to threaten the free flow of commerce in the Strait.” It is unclear how many soldiers are involved or what their precise combat objective is

🍿 Popcorn

ICYMI

• Truth hurts? Lizzo denied the sexual harassment allegations made by her former tour dancers in an Instagram post Thursday, calling them “sensationalized stories”

• Hey… easy on Max: Warner Bros. Discovery lost 1.8M subscribers in the three months following the launch of Max. In May, Warner Bros. Discovery replaced HBO Max with Max, bundling HBO and Discovery Plus content in one platform

• No Messi acclimation: Lionel Messi has dominated since joining Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami, scoring five goals in three games. Miami has yet to lose since he arrived

Wildcard

• Airports 11 : Two thieves stole – and police recovered – a handbag containing $9.3M worth of watches and jewelry. The bag was snatched from Russian tourists at a Barcelona airport

• Fabric-peace: Greenpeace protestors draped UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s home in black fabric to protest the government’s oil drilling policy

• Covid cat-pocalypse: Cyprus will make unused human Covid medication available to cats affected by feline Covid. More than 300,000 cats have already died in the country

👇🏻 What do you think?

Today's Question:

Just 20 Questions!

See yesterday's results below the Wrap! 

🗣 20 Questions

As you may know, this newsletter is sent by a duo – Max and Max – which, while far from one of history's best, is a duo nonetheless. In honor of that fact, today's 20 questions are Duo Edition: We give you 20 pairs of duos, and you tell us which is better.

For the uninitiated, every Friday we ask 20 questions and then feature the reader responses next week. Last week's answers are below.We hope you enjoy and have great weekends. We won't be offended if you choose fish and chips over Max and Max.

Here's the link. Have an AMAZING WEEKEND!

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

 🌊 Roca Clubhouse

Yesterday's Poll:

When you receive a phone call from an unknown number, what do you do?

Don’t answer: 90%
Answer: 10%

Yesterday's Question:

Do unions help or hurt a country’s labor market?

Robert from Castle Rock, Colorado: "Hurt they are an outdated Dinosaur that only gets in the way of being productive. The members all want cushy jobs in which they get paid for doing nothing. The Union leaders are nothing but crybabies”

Brian from Potlatch, Idaho: “Unions definitely help a country's labor market. They give workers the ability to negotiate working conditions without repercussion. In jobs without union protection workers might get salaries that keep them in bondage to companies. Some people consider unions Socialism, but if there is no balance Capitalism is more than happy to make slaves of individuals. Union companies provide benefits and options for workers to afford a living wage.”

Rachel from Citrus Heights, California: "A good union is worth it’s weight in absolute gold for its members! It’s unions that created a five day work week, and also increases pay to a living wage. They are as needed today as they always have been, even though we keep hearing that they aren’t because companies are “different” now. Companies are NOT different. They will take as much as we will let them. I am an RN. I have worked within unions and out of unions. There is no comparison to the jobs that are available through the union. More respect, more pay, more say, and more voice for our patients. Unions unions unions! YES!!”

Joe from Athens, Alabama: “100 years ago, they helped a lot. Today, for the most part, unions have become self-licking ice cream cones. Now they live off the backs of the workers. Another thing about unions is negotiating the quantity of a product to be produced. Take cars for example. UAW negotiated the minimum number of automobiles to be produced in Detroit or they would strike. Talk about scratching your own back.”

Last Week's 20 Qs Responses:

1. Tony the Tiger or Michelin Man?

   Tony the Tiger: 85%

   Michelin Man: 15%

2. Flo from Progressive or Jake from State Farm?

   Flo: 53%

   Jake: 47%

3. Energizer Bunny or Pillsbury Dough Boy?

   Energizer Bunny: 55%

   Pillsbury Dough Boy: 45%

4. Snap, Crackle, or Pop?

   Snap: 38%

   Crackle: 26%

   Pop: 36%

5. Captain Morgan or Cap'n Crunch?

   Captain Morgan: 62%

   Cap'n Crunch: 38%

6. Mickey Mouse or Smokey Bear?

   Mickey Mouse: 53%

   Smokey Bear: 47%

7. Mike the Tiger (LSU) or Uga the bulldog (UGA)?

   Mike: 54%

   Uga: 46%

8. Sparty (Michigan State) or Brutus Buckeye (OSU)?

   Sparty: 44%

   Brutus: 56%

9. Kool-Aid Man or Mr. Peanut?

   Kool-Aid Man: 63%

   Mr. Peanut: 37%

10. Rich Uncle Pennybags (Monopoly) or Mr. Clean?

    Rich Uncle Pennybags: 41%

    Mr. Clean: 59%

11. Chester Cheetah or Julio Pringles?

    Chester Cheetah: 84%

    Julio Pringles: 16%

12. Colonel Sanders or Eat Mor Chikin Cow?

    Colonel: 41%

    Cow: 59%

13. Ronald McDonald or The Burger King?

    Ronald McDonald: 73%

    The Burger King: 27%

14. Queen of Hearts or Queen of Clubs?

    Queen of Hearts: 92%

    Queen of Clubs: 8%

15. Miss Peacock or Colonel Mustard?

    Miss Peacock: 51%

    Colonel Mustard: 49%

16. Jersey Mike or Jimmy John?

    Jersey Mike: 60%

    Jimmy John: 40%

17. Barbie or Bratz?

    Barbie: 85%

    Bratz: 15%

18. Uncle Sam or Smokey Bear?

    Uncle Sam: 43%

    Smokey Bear: 57%

19. Mr. Met or Phillie Phanatic?

    Mr. Met: 55%

    Phillie Phanatic: 45%

20. Lucky the Leprechaun or Fred Flintstone?

    Lucky the Leprechaun: 75%

    Fred Flintstone: 25%

🧠 Final Thoughts

We hope your weeks were great and that your weekends are even better. If you're on the app, we'll see you tomorrow for a great batch of weekend deep-dives. If you're not, we'll see you on Monday!

—Max and Max