The speaker of the Russian parliament said that it’s a responsibility of everybody in Russia to support the oligarch who’ve been hit with US sanctions. This means more taxes and more privations for everybody to make sure that these billionaires don’t see even a minimal reduction to their well-being.
What’s really interesting is that there haven’t been any xenophobic comments by Russian people against these oligarchs who are very obviously not ethnically Russian. Nobody seems to have a problem feeling solidarity with them.
Of course, the victory over xenophobia has only been achieved in what concerns oligarchs. In the recent fire that killed many small children, quite a few folks in Russia advanced the idea that the kids had been killed by Jews as a sacrifice for Pesach.
Clarissa's Blog 
By the way, have you been following the Israeli massacres, and the craven manner it is being covered in the US?
Firing back at … smoke.
LikeLike
No, I’m clueless. God. This is so bad.
LikeLike
Snipers. Shooting at unarmed children.
LikeLike
The best coverage I have found on the subject once I started looking is Ukrainian. I’m proud of Ukrainians for covering it in a non-disgusting way, at least.
LikeLike
The guy I linked to above had this nice explanation (I’m copypasting his tweet):
“ppl ask why reporting on Palestine is so bad, the answer is reporters have it drilled into them its a “cycle of violence” Both Sides conflict when its really a massively asymmetrical occupation, they try to force the former into the latter & the result is goofy, tortured language”
LikeLike
The English-language coverage I have seen so far is, indeed, ridiculously bad. I’m now looking for coverage in Spanish to see if they are doing any better. But yeah, it stinks. Not that I expected anything much of the US media.
LikeLike
My heart bleeds now that I discovered what’s going on. This is horrible.
LikeLike
An unarmed protest is Israel’s biggest nightmare.
LikeLike
Another good one. Maybe he slipped on a banana peel. Or had food-poisoning.
https://twitter.com/AP/status/982566926709936134
LikeLike
7 Palestinians killed, 5 seriously wounded in ‘Friday of Tires’ protest
Despite relatively paltry turnout compared to last Friday’s inaugural protest, Palestinian protesters near Gaza border begin burning tires in earnest after conclusion of Friday prayers; 7 Palestinians killed, 5 others seriously wounded in clashes with IDF; army thwarts Palestinian attempts to cross, damage fence and throw Molotov cocktails, explosives under cover of smoke.
…
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit offered the army’s first comments on the protest, saying violent clashes were taking place in five locations along the Gaza Strip since Friday morning. IDF forces, consequently, have been deploying crowd control measures, water cannons to put out fires, giant fans to disperse smoke and live fire, in accordance with the army’s rules of engagement.
…
The IDF further stated it will not allow any harm to come to security infrastructures or to the border fence, which protect Israeli civilians, and that it will retaliate against any violent protesters and terrorists involved in so doing.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5221844,00.html
LikeLike
Semi OT: what’s your take on Viktoria Skripal and her attempt to ‘visit’ her cousins to find out the truth?
(I’m pretty sure I know, but thought it might be fun to get your opinion)
LikeLike
The Russians are desperate to prove they have no complicity in the poisoning. Judging by the huge hype created about the story on Russian TV, they are horrified by the results.
I suspect this was not even a planned action by the Russian government. My theory is that some mid-level agent did it because of some personal reasons without an actual official clearance. I have no evidence to support this but it does feel like a huge fuck-up that Russians are very capable of.
LikeLike
” My theory is that some mid-level agent did it because of some personal reasons without an actual official clearance.”
Interesting idea, but whoever did/ordered it must have clout or they’d just turn him over as a rogue (or they would if they had any sense, which…. maybe not).
Another idea is that true to Putin (et al)’s policy of pushing things as far as they can they’ve run into unexpected resistance and are now trying various tactics to figure out now if it’s genuine and long-lasting or temporary…
LikeLike
Very possible. One thing is for sure, they are really panicking. The pushback was unexpected and confusing to them.
LikeLike
In other news…. Happy Orthodox Easter! (at least Russian and Romanian, is Ukrainian on the same schedule)?
LikeLike
For now, yes. And thank you!
LikeLike
\ The best coverage I have found on the subject once I started looking is Ukrainian. I’m proud of Ukrainians for covering it in a non-disgusting way, at least.
May you share the website’s name?
LikeLike
I don’t have a specific one. I have dozens in my newsfeed.
LikeLike