"The Good Banker"

#13362487

23 February 2026

A protester holds a banner reading "A good habit: don't borrow from Brussels" during the rally. Polish opposition groups protest outside the Presidential Palace in Warsaw, Poland, on February 21, 2026, urging President Karol Nawrocki to veto the SAFE Bill, which enables Poland to access EUR 43.7 billion in EU loans for defense projects. The bill, approved by the Senate but opposed by Law and Justice and Confederation lawmakers, sparks debates over its political implications and potential misuse, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk advocating for its swift enactment.

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#13294668

9 February 2026

A senior man holds a protest sign with the demands ''Mieten deckeln! Leerstand verhindern! Spekulation stoppen! Sozialwohnungen erhalten!'' (Cap rents! Prevent vacancies! Stop speculation! Preserve social housing!) during a demonstration for affordable living at Odeonsplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, on February 7, 2026.

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#13283932

7 February 2026

Thousands of people demonstrate for affordable housing and stronger tenant protections at Odeonsplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, on February 07, 2026. A group holds a banner reading, ''Housing is not a commodity! Homes belong to those who live in them! Expropriate the rent mafia!''

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#13283810

7 February 2026

Thousands of local residents demonstrate for affordable housing and stronger tenant protections at Odeonsplatz in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, on February 7, 2026. Some protesters hold a banner reading ''Miete hoher als die Alpen'' (Rent higher than the Alps).

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#13099419

15 December 2025

Opponents hold a banner reading 'Stop LGV' in front of the Matabiau train station in Toulouse, France, on December 15, 2025. Several associations, such as 'Amis de la Terre' (Friends of Earth), Stop-LGV 47, Stop-LGV 33, and LGV-No Thanks, call for a gathering in front of the main railway station of Toulouse, the Matabiau train station, just before a hearing at the Administrative Court of Toulouse to contest the legality of environmental authorizations for the planned high-speed train between Bordeaux and Toulouse. The CNPN (National Council for the Protection of Nature) says the SNCF file to build this high-speed railway is inadequate, false, and incomplete. The Environmental Authority also says there is no research on alternatives for the LGV, which is a legal duty. Moreover, the projected price tag is initially estimated at EUR10 billion for 200 km, then EUR14 billion in 2021, and now, the costs are estimated to exceed EUR20 billion. The EU will not provide any funding. However, there are already two train lines between Bordeaux and Toulouse. The works and the line will use more than 6,300 hectares of good soils, including 3,000 hectares of forests and 370 hectares of wetlands.

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#13034228

28 November 2025

An unidentified veiled woman sits in front of a banner at the International Teenager Without Borders Festival in Sarcheshmeh Complex in southern Tehran, Iran, on November 27, 2025. Teenagers from eleven countries--including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Algeria, Russia, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Palestine--participate in an Instagram-based cultural and youth-focused event held in Tehran, designed to bring together young people from diverse backgrounds to share creativity, dialogue, and artistic expression.

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#12965280

8 November 2025

Protesters hold a banner reading 'Asphalt? To your good health!' near an NGE Roads' asphalt plant in Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur, France, on November 8, 2025. The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants express concern about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect state there will be no negative effects, as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air and inform inhabitants if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be taken on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the construction of the highway to be stopped until all judicial decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project argue that the reprofiling of the N126 will suffice for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers.

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#12965282

8 November 2025

Protesters hold a banner reading 'Asphalt? To your good health!' The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants worry about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect say there will be no negative effects as NGE Road will measure the pollutants emitted in the air, and inhabitants will be informed if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be done on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway costs EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. In Toulouse, France, on November 8, 2025.

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#12965299

8 November 2025

Protesters hold a banner reading 'Asphalt? To your good health!' near an asphalt plant near Villeneuve-les-Lavaur. The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants worry about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect say there will be no negative effects as NGE Road will measure the pollutants emitted in the air, and inhabitants will be informed if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be done on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to stop until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway costs EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers in Toulouse, France, on November 8, 2025.

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#12965276

8 November 2025

Protesters stand with a banner reading 'Asphalt? To your good health!' near an NGE Roads asphalt plant in Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur, France, on November 8, 2025, for the planned A69 highway between Toulouse and Castres. The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants worry about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect say there will be no negative effects as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air, and inhabitants will be informed if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be done on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers.

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#12965283

8 November 2025

People cough in front of the NGE Roads' asphalt plant near Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. The banner reads 'Asphalt? To your good health!' The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants worry about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect say there will be no negative effects as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air and inform inhabitants if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be done on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to stop until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. This takes place in Toulouse, France, on November 8, 2025.

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#12965278

8 November 2025

Some protesters stand near an NGE Roads' asphalt plant for the planned A69 highway near Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. The banner reads 'Asphalt? To your good health!' The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants express concern about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect state there will be no negative effects as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air and inform inhabitants if there is a problem with air quality. No measures are taken on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the construction of the highway to stop until all judicial decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will suffice for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway costs EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. In Toulouse, France, on November 8, 2025.

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#12965279

8 November 2025

Some protesters gather near an NGE Roads' asphalt plant near Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur, France, on November 8, 2025. The banner reads 'Asphalt? To your good health!' The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants express concern about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect claim there will be no negative effects as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air, and inhabitants will be informed if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be taken on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the construction of the highway to be stopped until all judicial decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project argue that the reprofiling of the N126 will suffice for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers.

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#12965287

8 November 2025

A protester with a doll made of asphalt stands near an NGE Roads' asphalt plant near Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. The banner reads 'Asp^halt? To your good health!' The collective 'Collectif sans bitume' (i.e., 'Collective without asphalt') walks against the planned opening of a temporary asphalt plant for the A69 highway near the village of Villeneuve-Les-Lavaur. Inhabitants worry about the environmental and sanitary impacts of this plant. Several studies show an increase in autoimmune diseases and cancers near asphalt plants. NGE Roads and the Tarn's Prefect say there will be no negative effects as NGE Roads will measure the pollutants emitted in the air, and inhabitants will be informed if there is a problem with air quality. No measures will be taken on the soil or vegetables. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway costs EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers. This takes place in Toulouse, France, on November 8, 2025.

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#12684978

28 August 2025

A Gendarmerie car is stationed near graffiti reading 'Good Morning' in Vendine, France, on August 28, 2025. Since 3 a.m. this morning, four 'Ecureuils' (i.e., 'squirrels') from the GNSA ('National Group of Trees Watching' founded by Thomas Brail, the activist and arborist-climber) occupy two plane trees in Vendine (Haute-Garonne) to block their cutting for works on the planned A69 highway between Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) and Castres (Tarn). They deploy a banner on Article 2 of the constitutional law about preserving the environment. Initially, only two plane trees are to be cut, but finally, about 10 plane trees will be cut. 'Ecureuils' plan to stay until NGE/Atosca explains the necessity of the cutting and consider going on trial about these planned cuttings. The concessionaire of the A69, NGE/Atosca, repeatedly says that all trees have already been cut for the A69. The main association 'La Voie est Libre' (i.e., 'The Way is Free') and other opponents want the building of the highway to be stopped until all the justice decisions on the content are given. Opponents of this project say that the reprofiling of the N126 will be sufficient for the 6,000 vehicles planned per day and would cost far less money. The A69 highway will cost EUR512 million (in 2018 euros without inflation) for 54 kilometers.

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#12361328

13 May 2025

The head banner reads, 'For public services for everyone, everywhere, recruitment, good salaries, not guilty to be ill'. Hundreds of protesters march in Toulouse, France, on May 13, 2025, called by trade unions to protest against the new budget for France in 2026. Workers for public services see the waiting period for illness leave go from one day to three, their pay while on illness leave is cut by 10%, and all their bonuses are suppressed. More than anything, they protest against the shrinking of public services such as education, health, children's protection, and public finances. The 2026 Bayrou budget plans nearly EUR50 billion in cuts to public services, except for the defense budget. The defense budget is the only one to grow in 2026. Protesters are against the defense budget and the cuts. Similar protests take place elsewhere in France. The culture sector is one of the main domains impacted by cuts.

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