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☆ French Protesters March Against Macron’s Pension Overhaul on May Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Protesters in Marseille, France, on Monday. Photo: Jeremy Suyker/Bloomberg NewsPARIS—French protesters took to the streets on May Day in a nationwide demonstration against President Emmanuel Macron and his unpopular overhaul of France’s pension system. Unions sought to use the traditional workers’ day march as a moment to voice the nation’s anger over the pension law, which raises the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. Mr. Macron passed the law in March without approval by the legislature, invoking a provision of the French constitution that gives the president such powers.

☆ College baseball player struck by stray bullet during game in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 1 (Reuters) - A Texas A&M University-Texarkana baseball player who was struck by a stray bullet during a game remains in stable condition in an intensive care unit and has "significant injuries and complications" to overcome, the school said on Monday. DeLaney, 18, is currently being treated at Christus St. Michael Hospital in Texarkana and his family is there with him, the school said. "He has made slight improvements daily but still has significant injuries and complications to overcome. DeLaney and several other players were in the vicinity of the bullpen when the incident occurred. Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Aurora EllisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Opinion | Matthew Desmond On America’s Addiction to Poverty
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

According to the Center on Poverty and Social Policy at Columbia University, 14.3 percent of Americans — nearly 50 million people — were living in poverty in December. The scale of poverty in the U.S. dwarfs that of most of our peer countries. And it raises the question: Why does so much poverty persist in one of the richest countries in the world? For the Princeton sociologist Matthew Desmond, the answer is simple: Poverty is a policy choice. But his new book, “Poverty, by America,” is less about the poor than it is about the rest of us.

☆ Macron Fuels Debate, Protests in France Over Presidential Power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/macron-sparks-debate-protests-in-france-over-presidential-power-5e160779

☆ Opinion: Gun control after Louisville shooting has a chance
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Max Burns | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Meanwhile, Democrats — once wary of mentioning gun control at all — have finally rediscovered their voice. See heated gun control discussion between lawmakers in the halls of Congress 01:19 - Source: CNNDemocrats’ rising confidence in fighting for gun reform comes against a backdrop of tireless coalition-building from gun safety activists and community organizers across the country. Everytown credits at least 51 pieces of state-level gun safety legislation passed in 2022 to their state-by-state strategy. Over the summer, an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 59% of American adults think it’s more important to control gun violence than to protect gun rights (35%) — “its highest point in nearly a decade.” These figures have surely factored into Democrats new assertiveness on gun control. “Republicans look completely unreasonable when they won’t even discuss background checks, gun safety measures like storage or red flag laws,” Del Percio warned.

Bitcoin peaked at $30,438 in Asian trade and was last up 1.4% at $30,070. It has gained nearly 6% since the start of the month, after rising 23% in March. This brings digital asset flows back into positive territory for the year, the report showed. "If (bitcoin) can survive the week over $30,000, we are going higher." While Shapella is not likely to directly drive sell pressure on ether, there could be heightened volatility around the event, Bank of America strategist Alkesh Shah said.

☆ Spring training roundup: Astros pound Cardinals 24-1
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

Astros starter Jose Urquidy scattered four hits over four innings, allowing the lone run on a multiple-error play in the second that scored Oscar Mercado. Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty yielded six earned runs on four hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings. Wil Myers hit an RBI double and Michael Siani added an RBI single for the Reds. Elehuris Montero hit his fifth homer of the spring, a two-run shot, and Brenton Doyle went 2-for-3 with an RBI triple for the Rockies. Padres starter Michael Wacha went five innings and yielded eight hits, two walks and four runs.

☆ Fact Check-Video shows an aphid, not a genetically modified mosquito ‘released by Bill Gates’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A video circulating online shows a small sap-sucking insect called an aphid, not a genetically modified mosquito with a number stamped on it released by philanthropist Bill Gates, as online posts claim. Bill Gates was very vocal about releasing millions of GMO [genetically modified organism] mosquitos into the public.”Another example can be seen (here). However, the video shows a small insect called an aphid, not a GMO mosquito. A representative for the Gates Foundation said the claim that the video showed a genetically modified mosquito with a number or barcode stamped on it released by the Gates Foundation was false. The video shows an aphid, not a mosquito with a number stamped on it and released by Bill Gates.

☆ Why hasn't U.S. poverty improved in 50 years? Pulitzer-prize winning author Matthew Desmond has an answer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In his new book, "Poverty, by America," sociologist Matthew Desmond proposes a reason for that stagnation: We benefit from it. His last book, "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City," won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. I think many of us can go about our daily lives only confronting poverty from the car window or in the news. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwardsAN: So you think there should be fewer tax breaks like the home mortgage interest deduction and more policies to help poor Americans? Matthew Desmond sociologist and authorAN: Thinking that poverty in the U.S. is avoidable makes its existence feel so much worse.

☆ Macron Proposes Bonus for Workers in Bid to Calm Pension Protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS—President Emmanuel Macron stood by his overhaul of France’s pension system on Wednesday but proposed several measures for workers—including bonus payments for employees of companies that buy back shares—in a bid to calm an escalating protest movement against his government. In his first public remarks since pushing through the overhaul last week without a vote in Parliament, Mr. Macron said the law and its centerpiece, raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030, were needed to fix a pension system that would become unaffordable in a matter of years. He said he wanted the law’s provisions to enter into force by the end of this year, defying polls that show the public is largely opposed to the overhaul.

☆ Explainer: The business of water: no one-size-fits-all approach
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Isla Binnie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPSA group of experts established by the Dutch government is proposing "Just Water Partnerships" in which development finance institutions would invest alongside private firms to improve water systems in lower-income countries. One of those, the Calvert Global Water Fund, tracks the performance of an index of companies that "are offering products or services that are part of a solution to global water challenges," said portfolio manager Jade Huang. "There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can help to approach the many aspects of dealing with water challenges," Huang added. Lance Coogan, who developed that concept for water price indexing, describes it as "the volume-weighted average of the actual water transactions that are taking place". How can you have those things without having the water price?"

☆ France’s Macron to Face No-Confidence Votes Over Pension Overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Noemie Bisserbe | Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to face no-confidence votes early next week aimed at bringing down his government and killing his overhaul of France’s pension system. A group of centrist lawmakers opposed to Mr. Macron filed a no-confidence motion on Friday with the backing of at least 58 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament. Far-right National Rally also put forward its own no-confidence motion against the government on Friday.

☆ France’s Macron to Face No-Confidence Vote Over Pension Overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Noemie Bisserbe | Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to face a vote of no confidence early next week aimed at bringing down his government and killing his overhaul of France’s pension system. A group of centrist lawmakers opposed to Mr. Macron filed a no-confidence motion on Friday with the backing of at least 58 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.

☆ Europe’s Drought Deepens, Threatening Agriculture and Industries
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Matthew Dalton | Photographs Jordi Ruiz Cirera For The Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MONTLUEL, France—A rainy, cool climate has sustained fisheries in this region north of Lyon for eight centuries, filling up hundreds of man-made ponds that are France’s main source of freshwater fish. This year, however, many of the ponds are nearly empty after an exceptionally dry and warm stretch of weather that has lingered across much of Europe since last summer. The farmers expect to raise half as much fish as they did last season and lay off workers who usually help with the catch.

[1/6] Pills are pictured at a fentanyl pill manufacturing center and a methamphetamine lab seized by the Mexican Army, in Culiacan, in Sinaloa state, Mexico February 14, 2023. Reuters GraphicsThe hiked up figures are not credible, say two former senior law enforcement figures in Mexico and the United States, as well as two serving Mexican security sources. The description of the drugs the Mexicans say they seized in the labs also raises questions about the accuracy of the lab data, said two of the security sources. Laboratory busts, often in hard-to-reach mountainous areas, have historically been a key metric for how active Mexican security forces have been in targeting drug trafficking groups. In 2022, FGR reported 18 lab raids by all security agencies, compared to the army's count of 492 raids.

☆ Electric cars don't need as much maintenance as gas-powered ones. Here are key differences between them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Alexa St. John | Matthew Debord | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Gas-powered vehicles require maintenance like oil changes and more. Still, there are key nuances to EV maintenance that drivers should know. Tesla has advertised its vehicles with that, touting them as "eliminating the need for service." But because EVs are so tech-heavy, they do come with some maintenance and service nuances. Here's a rundown of all the ways that keeping an EV on the road is different from a gas-powered vehicle:

☆ French March in Seventh Round of Protests Against Emmanuel Macron’s Pension Overhaul
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Protesters marched Saturday through the streets of Lille, France, during a demonstration over a proposed pension overhaul. PARIS—Around 368,000 people marched against President Emmanuel Macron ’s proposed pension overhaul on Saturday, a drop in turnout for the seventh round of national protests against Mr. Macron’s plan. Saturday’s protest comes after unions stepped up their fight against the pension overhaul on Tuesday, rallying 1.28 million people into the streets in one of France’s largest protests in decades. The far-left CGT and other big French unions said Tuesday’s protest would begin an open-ended strike until the government drops the pension overhaul.

☆ Michigan Republicans tap election denier to lead state party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Kristina Karamo, a candidate for the Michigan Republican Party's state party chair, speaks to delegates ahead of their vote on the key party leadership position, in Lansing, Michigan, U.S., February 18, 2023. "The election baggage is going to make it hard to move the party forward," said John Clark, a professor of political science at Western Michigan University. "We cannot wait to get work done as one Michigan Republican Party," said Karamo, a local Republican activist who ran an unsuccessful campaign for secretary of state in 2022. The state party chair's main responsibilities include guiding the party's messaging and raising millions of dollars to help fund mass mailing campaigns and support candidates. She has yet to concede he loss to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who won November's election by 14 points.

☆ Two GOP election deniers who were soundly defeated in the 2022 midterms are the top candidates to lead Michigan's Republican Party
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Two 2020 election deniers are the top candidates to lead the Michigan GOP headed into 2024. The state party on Saturday will decide on a leader to replace outgoing chair Ron Weiser. But the outlet also reported that the state GOP had over $2.3 million in outstanding debts in its main state campaign account. Former President Trump is backing Matthew DePerno to lead the Michigan Republican Party. "We must start by supporting Matt DePerno for chairman of the Michigan Republican Party.

☆ Far-right Republican groups surge in swing state Michigan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Nathan Layne | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] Candidate for district party chair for Michigan Republican Party Jon Smith speaks with guests during a fundraiser in Hillsdale, Michigan, U.S., February 8, 2023. "What's going on in Michigan is a microcosm of what is going on with the Republican Party nationally," said Michael Traugott, a professor at the Center for Political Studies at the University of Michigan. The judge declined to intervene, leaving it up to Michigan Republican Party officials to set the rules on delegate selection. The top two candidates for state party chair have both promoted conspiracy theories in support of Trump's false claims about voter fraud. "There's some people that are thinking this is the end of the Republican Party," he said.

☆ France’s EDF Lost $19 Billion After Nuclear Outages
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

EDF’s nuclear reactors normally export large amounts of electricity across Western Europe. PARIS— EDF SA lost around $19 billion last year after outages at its nuclear reactors left the state-controlled power company—and much of Western Europe—more exposed to the energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine. Pipe corrosion found at around 10 of EDF’s 56 nuclear reactors led it to shut down more than half of them over the summer. As a result, EDF was forced to buy electricity on Europe’s wholesale power market, where prices had soared because of Russia’s decision to cut shipments of natural gas to the continent.

☆ Europe Sets Rules for Producing Green Hydrogen
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Matthew Dalton | Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The European Union issued strict regulations for what qualifies as renewable hydrogen under its clean-energy transition plan, shaping how companies are expected to deploy billions of euros of investments in hydrogen factories in the coming years. Governments around the world are looking to hydrogen to help replace fossil fuels in industrial processes and electricity generation. Current supplies of hydrogen are largely produced from cracking open molecules of natural gas. The U.S., Europe and other countries are planning to invest hundreds of billions of dollars on factories that use electricity to power machines called electrolyzers, which produce hydrogen by splitting open molecules of water.

☆ French Protests Against Macron Expected to Draw Hundreds of Thousands
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS—French unions organized a new round of protests against President Emmanuel Macron ‘s pension overhaul on Saturday, aiming to draw more people into the streets on the weekend rather than ask workers to strike for the fourth time in less than a month. More than a million people protested during the first strike organized last month, disrupting schools, factories and transport across the country. This week, however, numbers dipped to around 757,000, according to French authorities. Union leaders said the movement was losing steam because workers couldn’t afford repeated strikes.

☆ Journalist Who Cried ‘No to War’ on Russian TV Fled to France
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Matthew Dalton | Noemie Bisserbe | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Marina Ovsyannikova described her departure from Russia at a press conference in Paris on Friday. PARIS—Marina Ovsyannikova, a Russian journalist who denounced the Ukraine war on a Kremlin-owned television station, has been living in France after being smuggled out of Russia last fall, she said at a press conference Friday in the French capital. Ms. Ovsyannikova had been living under house arrest in Moscow and fitted with an electronic bracelet. Russian authorities in August had charged her with spreading false information for staging an antiwar protest near the Kremlin the month before.

☆ French Protests Against Macron Pension Plan Draw Hundreds of Thousands
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Matthew Dalton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS—Nearly a million French marched in the streets against President Emmanuel Macron ’s pension overhaul on Saturday, signaling that the opposition movement to Mr. Macron’s plans was holding up in a fourth round of nationwide protests. Labor unions organized the demonstrations on the weekend to draw more people into the streets rather than ask workers to strike for the fourth time in less than a month. More than a million people protested during the first strike organized last month, disrupting schools, factories and transport across the country.

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