Yellow Vest Protests

147 people were arrested in Paris on Saturday, as protests took place across France on the one-year anniversary of the yellow vest rallies. The movement began last November over rising fuel prices, but grew to encompass a range of concerns, including stagnating wages, living costs, and economic inequality.

Iran Protests

On Friday, Iran introduced a new government measure mandating a 50 percent increase in the minimum gas price, sparking protests in more than 100 cities across the country that resulted in at least three deaths and hundreds of arrests. Iran has reportedly shut down nearly all internet access in the country in response to the demonstrations.

Louisiana Election

Incumbent John Bel Edwards (D) defeated businessman Eddie Rispone (R) Saturday night in Louisiana’s gubernatorial election by a little more than 19,000 votes.

Crude details

Saudi Aramco released the details of its planned domestic IPO over the weekend - the state-owned oil giant said it will list 1.5% of the company at a valuation between $1.6 trillion and $1.7 trillion. The company is expected to publicly debut its shares in early December.

Let’s Make A Deal

The players’ associations of the NFL and MLB have partnered with private-equity firm RedBird Capital to form OneTeam Partners, a company centered around managing players’ revenue from the video game and trading-card industries. RedBird has made an initial investment of $125 million and will own 40% of the company.

Rejection section

HP’s board of directors unanimously rejected a ~$33 billion unsolicited takeover offer from Xerox on Sunday, saying the offer undervalues HP and is not in the best interest of shareholders. Last month, HP announced a plan to cut between 7,000 and 9,000 jobs by the end of the 2022 fiscal year, a 15% reduction in workforce that will help the company save an estimated $1 billion per year.

And then there was one

Members of the UAW have approved a new four-year deal with Ford - the contract mirrors a previously ratified agreement between the UAW and General Motors, and was supported by 56.3% of Ford union members who voted. The UAW will now turn its attention to discussions with Fiat Chrysler, the last of the Detroit automakers up for negotiation in 2019.

Customer Service

You’ve likely heard the warning about too many cooks in the kitchen, but what about the opposite? Thanks to a scheduling snafu, that was the situation a Waffle House employee named Ben found himself in, left all alone to face the midnight rush - quite the overwhelming situation. How can one person take orders, cook food, bus tables, and manage the cash register at the same time?

Thankfully, Ben received an unexpected source of support. A male customer came up to the counter, and after a brief exchange, the man accepted an apron and started to wash dishes. Then a woman in high heels joined in, brewing a fresh pot of coffee and bussing tables. A third man jumped into action as well, and pretty soon the place was running like a well-oiled machine.

Customer Ethan Crispo had resigned himself to an empty stomach, but as the Good Samaritans leapt into action, he snapped a few photos documenting the inspiring act. “Certainly [their actions] made an impact on me,” he told AL.com. “Humanity isn’t just good, it’s great.”

State of the Art

When you think of a philanthropist, the idea of a young student from a low-income background is typically not the first image that pops into your head. Yet Mark*, a young student from a low-income background, is a philanthropist nonetheless.

When Mark was first introduced to Fresh Artist’s Palates to Palettes program, the annual art education budget at his school district had fallen from $1500 to $500, and finally to $0. As a student that was exhibiting promising art skills, this was a significant setback to his potential as an artist. The non-profit, Fresh Artists, based in Philadelphia, became his outlet for expression and a way for him to continue working on his art...

Fresh Artist’s mission is to empower vulnerable children by exhibiting their artwork in highly visible and unexpected places. They invite K-12 artists in low-income schools to donate high-resolution images of selected artwork and then give this artwork to corporate or individual donors as a thank-you gift for their financial contributions.

They’re redefining what it means to be a philanthropist, which is giving students, like Mark, a chance to realize their potential. Thanks to Fresh Artists, Mark was accepted into a selective arts high school and now wants to become an animator. He’s motivated, inspired and has a team at Fresh Artists who is encouraging him to strive for greater success.

*names have been changed for privacy