🌊 Time to McPanic?

Who coulda Seine this coming?

Paris spent $1.5B to clean up the Seine River for the Olympics. Despite these efforts — and Paris’ mayor’s highly publicized dip last week — it may not be safe enough for competition. Rain from this weekend swept millions of gallons of sewage into the river, canceling triathlon swim training for the second day in a row due to E. coli levels.

Pardon our French, but… this literally is a s*it show.

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

Not So Fast, Fast Food

McDonalds reported its first drop in global sales since 2020 as customers seek cheaper options

• McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said that second-quarter sales fell 1% year-over-year, marking the first revenue decline since the start of the C-19

• Kempczinski said consumers want cheaper food: “You’re seeing that the consumer is eating at home more often, you’re seeing more deal seeking”

• US restaurant prices have increased 30% since 2019; at McDonald’s, a Big Mac Meal now costs $9.29, 27% more than in 2019. “[McDonald’s] reputation for value has appeared diminished,” one analyst wrote

Dig Deeper

• McDonald’s isn’t struggling alone: Higher prices have dampened sentiment across the fast food industry

• Domino’s Pizza announced that it would open fewer new stores than previously expected this year, while Chipotle lowered profit expectations

• Numerous other indicators show consumers are cutting back, potentially with significant implications for the economy

KEY STORY

Biden’s Big Proposals

Pres. Biden proposed a constitutional amendment and Supreme Court (SCOTUS) term limits

• The proposed amendment says, “[The] Constitution does not confer any immunity from federal criminal indictment, trial, conviction, or sentencing by virtue of previously serving as president”

• Biden also proposed 18-year term limits for SCOTUS justices and rules requiring justices to “disclose gifts, refrain from public political activity, and recuse themselves from cases in which they or their spouses have financial or other conflicts of interest”

• Harris endorsed the proposals

Dig Deeper

• The proposals come a month after SCOTUS ruled that presidents have immunity for “official” acts

• Passing a Constitutional amendment requires securing two-thirds support in both chambers of Congress and then approval by 75% of state legislatures. The last new amendment – which regulates Congressional pay – took effect in 1992, 202 years after it was first proposed

• The proposals are unlikely to move quickly in Congress, where the Republicans control the House, and the Democrats have a narrow Senate majority

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KEY STORY

Crisis in Venezuela

Venezuela is in crisis after both President Maduro and the opposition claimed to have won a presidential election

• After years of sanctions by the Trump Administration, Biden tried to push out Maduro – an authoritarian socialist – by cutting sanctions in exchange for elections. The vote took place Sunday after Maduro disqualified the opposition leader. Nevertheless, polls showed the opposition winning in a landslide

• The vote was marked by irregularities. Late Sunday, Maduro claimed to have won 51%, while the opposition claimed to have won 70%. Protests have since broken out, and clashes are ongoing. Western governments have demanded all poll data be released

Dig Deeper

• “What a beautiful day we’ve lived,” Maduro said at his victory rally. “Thanks for giving me this victory that the people so deserve. This is the triumph of the ideals of equality”

• What happens next will likely depend on the armed forces: They’ve traditionally backed Maduro, and it’s unlikely he would fall if they continue to do so

KEY STORY

Crisis in Lebanon

Israel vowed a “severe” strike on Hezbollah, intensifying fears of an Israel-Hezbollah war

• Hezbollah – an Iran-backed Islamist militia in Lebanon – has been attacking Israel daily since October. On Saturday, a Hezbollah rocket struck a soccer field in northern Israel, killing 12

• On Monday, Israel’s prime minister said, “The State of Israel will not, and cannot, ignore this…Our response will come, and it will be severe”

• A top US government spokesman has called the risk of war “exaggerated,” but both the US and Germany are warning their citizens to leave Lebanon

Dig Deeper

• Israel is under intense American pressure to moderate its response, and on Monday, one Israeli source told Reuters, “The estimation is that the response will not lead to an all-out war…That would not be in our interest at this point”

• Meanwhile, the US National Security Council spokesman said, “Nobody wants a broader war, and I’m confident that we’ll be able to avoid such an outcome”

• But a US official simultaneously warned citizens in Lebanon to “develop a crisis plan of action, and leave before a crisis begins,” adding that “Regularly scheduled commercial transportation is always the best option while local communications and transport infrastructure are intact and operating normally”

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

🔍 Donald Trump agreed to be interviewed as part of an FBI investigation into the assassination attempt against him. The FBI said it wants “to get [Trump’s] perspective on what he observed”

🚄 French authorities accused “far-left” groups of being behind the Friday sabotage attack that disrupted train service on the morning of the Olympics opening ceremony. A separate act of sabotage took place on Sunday and Monday, when telecommunications cables were cut, causing mobile and phone outages

🏛 Iowa’s “heartbeat” abortion law took effect on Monday, banning most abortions after detecting cardiac activity, usually about six weeks into pregnancy and before many know they’re pregnant. The law – one of the most restrictive in the US – includes exceptions for rape, incest, fetal abnormalities, and when the mother’s life is in danger

💻 The FBI revealed Trump shooter Matthew Crooks began buying guns and bomb materials over a year ago. Crooks made 25 gun-related purchases online and bought materials used in explosives six times. He also searched online for information about power plants, mass-shooting events, improvised explosive devices, and a recent assassination attempt on Slovakia’s prime minister, the FBI said

COMMUNITY

🧠 Yesterday’s question: What’s your favorite Olympic sport to watch and why?

🤔 Today’s Question: If you had to compete in the Olympics, what sport/task would you choose? Could be anything…

Reply to this email to let us know what you think!

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

🧳 Caution, the moving suitcase is ending: Japan is cracking down on the use of rideable electric suitcases. In recent years, they have gained popularity among travelers in Asia

🥊 Team Trump: YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul endorsed Donald Trump (video below), telling his 45M followers, “We need Trump to knock out all his opponents on Election Day to save America from more unnecessary wars, the woke agenda, and preserving freedom of speech”

🪦 RIP, 360 marketplace: Microsoft shut down the Xbox 360 marketplace on Monday. The Xbox 360 debuted in 2005 and discontinued in 2016, but its storefront remained online

☎️ Florida is contagious: Florida authorities charged an 11-year-old Virginia boy for making over 20 bomb or shooting threats, known as “swatting,” to schools and other places

🍋 Average HOA behavior: Colorado Homeowners Association members attempted to shut down a children’s lemonade stand by calling the sheriff’s office

ROCA WRAP

Trapped Abroad

A pair of Ohio brothers who claim they were drugged are trapped in Dubai.

Joseph Lopez – a 24-year-old Air Force airman-turned-Instagram influencer – and his brother, 32, took a trip to Dubai to vacation and make social content. A week into their two-week trip, though, the duo was leaving a club when a taxi driver picked them up and offered to take them to an after-party at a high-end hotel.

The duo were brought to a VIP section and served excessive amounts of food and drinks. Less than 20 minutes later, though, they say the party ended, and they were hit with a large bill. Moments later, a man invited them to a yacht party, insisting that as their “American guests,” they wouldn’t have to spend a dollar.

Later in the night, though, they were charged $2,722 for food and drinks. Then, Lopez says, a woman brought them drinks. They remember nothing after that.

The Lopezes say they woke up the next day to men in ski masks and were then taken to a police station, where they were held for nine days. Prosecutors say they are considering charging them with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, damaging a patrol vehicle, and alcohol consumption. The police didn’t drug test them until four days after they were arrested – long enough after that a “date-rape” drug may not show up in their system. While the brothers were released on bail, they were issued a travel ban, preventing them from returning to the US. 

Lopez told Roca that they’ve now been detained for 53 days and have not been formally charged. While they paid a lawyer $15,000, he said, “We haven’t really had many updates.”

He says the US embassy “told us all they could do is deliver information to our families and make sure we aren’t being tortured.”

Meanwhile, says Lopez, “Every politician in my family and friends have reached out to send the same generic email just saying that they are monitoring the situation.” 

“It’s been a very difficult time,” he added. “I’ve spent my entire life savings trying to survive here, keeping my brother and I as safe as possible.”

“We’re in limbo right now, waiting for people to help and for our politicians to get involved.”

“My brother and I both pretty much constantly have underlying anxiety, as we don’t know if we’re going to be going home soon or back to jail.”

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Today is the birthday of Henry Ford, who once said, “Whether you believe you can or not, you’re right.”

As we look over this tray of eight uneaten donuts in the kitchen, we really needed to hear that, Henry. Thank you.

–Max and Max