Protests against Macron's arbitrary increase of the retirement age in France are continuing after months, and thugs have taken up arresting people for the traditional protest of banging on pots.

I'm sure it is true that the finances of retirement pensions in France have a problem that requires more funds. But why turn first to the poor to get them? Macron did that because he is a "centrist", which means "bowing to the rich and pretending that's what most people want."

The propaganda terms "centrist" and "moderate" can be compared with "bolshevik", which was used by a minority to pretend to be the majority.

*Six Libyans face death penalty for converting to Christianity.*

Many countries that call themselves "Muslim" impose that religion on more or less everyone. This is an offense against the freedom of every citizen, including those who are currently Muslims and might want to change. They also punish people for criticizing the official religion ("blasphemy") — in some countries with execution.

Christian countries used to commit similar injustices, quite generally, until the 1500s when a few began to adopt limited freedom for a few Christian sects. The Dutch Republic permitted Judaism as well. The UK didn't officially permit Jews until the mid 1800s, although some lived there. It discriminated against Catholics until later.

Several Chinese who reported on the early days of Covid-19 in Wuhan have been imprisoned one way or another for years. One of them, Fang Bin, may have been released from what China calls "prison" to something more like house arrest.

It seems they have various levels of imprisonment so that they can manipulate prisoners.

The free press is under attack, by states and gangs, all around the world meanwhile, its old business model is gradually disappearing.

Repression is increasing globally and spreading to additional countries.

Students in several European countries, plus Uganda, are holding occupations to demand an end to building fossil fuel facilities.