Bloomberg (January 2)
“Geopolitics presents a mixed picture heading into any new decade. But given all the transnational trends I’ve listed, along with the wildcard of the Trump administration — in an election year and facing an impeachment trial, no less — the first year of the 2020s will likely have oversized impact on the nine that follow it.”
Tags: 2020s, Election, Geopolitics, Impeachment, Transnational, Trends, Trump, Wildcard
BBC (January 2)
“France’s transport strike against pension reform has entered its 29th day, making it the longest rail workers’ strike since May 1968.” Even though a majority of the French population supports President Macron’s pension reforms, plans call for additional disruption. “Union leaders have called for a day of mass protests on 9 January. A new blockade of petrol facilities, including refineries, petrol terminals and depots, is also planned on 7 January for 96 hours until 10 January.”
Tags: Blockade, Disruption, France, Macron, Pension reform, Petrol, Protests, Rail workers, Refineries, Strike, Transport
Reuters (January 2)
“CEOs increasingly talk a good game on climate change, but the financial implications of global warming have played a small role in dealmaking so far. That will change in the year ahead.”
LA Times (December 31)
“That’s the thing about 2020, a term that describes both normal eyesight and an abnormal year. 2020 vision has given us a partially corrected view of ourselves, our nation and one another. It has brought into focus some hard truths that we cannot now unsee, try as we might.” The new year “will carry with it pieces of 2020. We still have the pandemic, vaccine notwithstanding. We are at a crossroads on race and policing with little consensus on a path forward.”
Tags: 2020, Abnormal year, Corrected, Hard truths, Normal eyesight, Ourselves, U.S., Vision
Chicago Tribune (January 1)
A fresh calendar, like a New Year, brings “a procession of days that haven’t happened yet, on shiny pages filled with blank spaces for life still to come, marked by the occasional notification of events that will occur regardless of the calendar owner’s plans…. Today those pages, like the year itself, are still open, pure, waiting. You’re alive. It’s a good day to be startled, and be glad.”
Tags: Alive. Glad
