Far from the World Cup stadium cheers, a prisoner held in Russia is six weeks into a hunger strike.

Reveal host Al Letson talks with Masha Alyokhina, a founding member of the Russian feminist punk rock collective Pussy Riot, about the efforts to free Oleg Sentsov, a Ukrainian filmmaker convicted of an armed plot during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He denies any involvement. His supporters fear U.S. President Donald Trump has undermined their cause. Alyokhina knows the topic well: She spent time in prison for challenging Russian President Vladimir Putin, too.

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Het Rode Plein in Moskou blijft vandaag leeg. Geen trots marcherende militairen, geen voorbijtrekkende tanks of luchtafweersystemen, geen veteranen van de Grote Vaderlandse Oorlog. De coronacrisis heeft roet in het eten gegooid.

Het had het hoogtepunt moeten worden van Poetins regeerperiode die in 2000 begon: een grootschalige herdenking van de victorie op nazi-Duitsland, de 75ste Dag van de Overwinning. Maar de grootste militaire parade ooit is de president door de neus geboord.

Lijden en ongekende trots

9 mei is de belangrijkste feestdag in Rusland en dit jaar is een kroonjaar. Het is een dag van rouw om de ruim 20 miljoen doden die de toenmalige Sovjet-Unie aan het eind van de Tweede Wereldoorlog te betreuren had. Maar het is ook een dag van ongekende trots. Al dat lijden heeft immers geresulteerd in de verovering van Berlijn en de val van het nazi-regime in mei 1945. Zonder het bloed, het zweet en de tranen van het Rode Leger en de Sovjet-bevolking als geheel was dat nooit gelukt.

Hoe graag had Poetin niet op het bordes op het Rode Plein gestaan om de militaire parade af te nemen, geflankeerd door wereldleiders aan de ene kant en het handjevol veteranen dat nog leeft aan de andere kant. Bekeken en bewonderd door tientallen miljoenen televisiekijkers.

Een beetje zoals president Loekasjenko van buurland en voormalige Sovjetstaat Wit-Rusland wél deed. Hij vindt het virus een waanvoorstelling:

Politiek patriottisme

De emotie die de Dag van de Overwinning in Rusland oproept is echt, maar Poetin heeft er een element aan toegevoegd: politiek patriottisme. "We hebben geen ander samenbindend idee dan patriottisme," zei hij in 2016.

Een jaar later voegde hij daaraan toe dat het laten varen van patriottisme "heel gevaarlijk is, de eerste stap op weg naar een wereldramp". En tijdens zijn jaarlijkse grote persconferentie van 2019 zei hij: "Naar mijn mening is patriottisme de enig mogelijke ideologie in een moderne democratische samenleving."

De 75ste Dag van de Overwinning zou bij uitstek in het teken moeten staan van dat politieke patriottisme en Poetin zou er het boegbeeld van zijn.

Niet gegund

Poetin vindt dat Russen op zoek moeten naar wat hen bindt: de liefde voor hun vaderland. Het probleem is dat dat zo ongeveer de enige verbindende factor is in Rusland. Op tal van andere terreinen zijn de belangentegenstellingen levensgroot. Een ander probleem is dat Poetin zichzelf als de enig mogelijke leider van dat patriottische Rusland ziet.

Hoe dan ook, zijn finest hour is hem niet gegund. Massabijeenkomsten zijn een ernstig risico voor verdere verspreiding van het coronavirus en het gaat wat dat betreft toch al niet al te best in Rusland. Voor Poetin rest een bijrol die hem maar matig zal bevallen.

Hij legt een krans bij het graf van de onbekende soldaat, hij spreekt het volk toe, misschien zingt hij 's avonds mee als het de bedoeling is dat heel Rusland het beroemde lied Dag van de Overwinning aanheft. En dan rest hem niets meer dan vanuit zijn slaapkamerraam naar het ongetwijfeld majestueuze vuurwerk te kijken.

Little Rock Marriott giving 163 employees notice of layoffs longer than originally thought.

The post Little Rock Marriott sends notice of extension of layoffs for more than 160 employees appeared first on Arkansas Times.

A huge amount of viral videos on the net are about animals doing 'stuff', and we 'humans' find that stuff incredibly cute. Is it that we are touched by that part of ourselves within that is animal? Or are we just anthropomorphising animal behaviour and attaching human meaning to it?

A country football league is moving on from race riots in its community and embracing the AFL's Indigenous round with all five clubs in the small competition to wear specially-designed, Indigenous-themed guernseys.

Camera tapes, used by police to identify Star Hotel rioters 40 years ago, have resurfaced and show that fire hoses were used to subdue the crowds.

Authorities were warned that a teenage boy with severe cognitive impairments was deteriorating in Darwin's Don Dale youth detention centre and needed help, before he joined in on a riot for which he may now go to adult jail.

Teenagers were seen atop the roof of the Kariong detention centre after reports of an escape attempt.

Teenagers were seen atop the roof of the Kariong detention centre after reports of an escape attempt.

MORNING BRIEFING: A pair of boys are "met by their parents and spoken to by police" after climbing a 111-metre communications tower, and 21 people are charged after a violent riot and police siege at a youth detention centre.

MORNING BRIEFING: A bushfire that threatened homes near Newcastle last night is brought under control, and nine detainees at a juvenile detention centre are charged over a June riot.

A major overhaul of all New South Wales juvenile correction facilities is underway, with an independent review into a riot at Central Coast facility exposing systemic failures and consistent violence.

(California Court of Appeal) - Affirmed the issuance of mutual restraining orders in a case where a divorced, elderly couple had been involved in a series of incidents. The husband had appealed from the restraining orders.

The former Colorado prep standout who led the Chargers to the 2016 Class 4A semifinals was selected in the third round at No. 101 overall by the Patriots on Friday.

Calboy performs "Chariot."

Calboy performs "Chariot."

Kicker Justin Rohrwasser said he would cover the tattoo

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, Gisele Bundchen, reportedly have wrapped up their house hunting in Greenwich, settling on a seven-bedroom, nearly 15,000-square-foot estate.

Fisher helped implement the reforms that rebuilt the Los Angeles Police Department after the Rodney G. King scandal and the 1992 riots.

A wartime correspondent, a hardened investigative reporter and a nurturing editor later in life, Wood had a long career as a journalist.

A call to split the U.S. into separate republics based on our deep political divisions draws support from readers.

New England has a negative point differential heading into Week 4 for the first time since 2008.

Getting a jump on early lines can give bettors added value in their wagering. Here are three teams to focus on for Week 5.

The Patriots put their stamp back on the AFC East after throttling the Miami Dolphins 38-7 on Sunday. The Colts are next.

Michel will face a Chicago Bears defense that stops opposing rushers a league-low 13 percent of the time.

The Patriots are coming off a devastating 34-33 loss to the Miami Dolphins yet were lucky to maintain their playoff position as the No. 2 seed in the AFC

6 February 2014 , Volume 70, Number 1

Masha Gessen, Words will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot, Granta, £8.70

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC): ST KITTS AND Nevis Patriots have made some significant changes to their line-up for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season. Captain Carlos Brathwaite has gone to the Jamaica Tallawahs, while the Patriots have...

Portmore United captain Rosario Harriott says the Premier League Clubs Association shouldn’t rush to call off this season of the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The league was stopped indefinitely in mid-March...

The Patriots didn't draft a quarterback, but they signed two who went undrafted. Michigan State quarterback Brian Lewerke's agent revealed a week ago that Lewerke had signed with the Patriots. Patriots coach Bill Belichick wouldn't confirm the team had signed Louisiana Tech quarterback J'mar Smith as well. But Tuesday's official transactions report brought confirmation of [more]

Caterpillars -- Australia, Southern -- Identification -- Pictorial works.

Organized crime -- New South Wales -- Sydney -- History -- 20th century.

Punk rock music -- History and criticism.

Londres : J.-B. Baillière, 1878.

Paris (rue de la Vannerie a l'image St. Michel) : Dupuis graveur du Roy, [1721]

London (in Cheapside) : Published according to Act of Parliament, by J. Boydell engraver, Sept.r 3rd, 1763.

The freedom fighter may have once used the structure to conspire against English forces

The Kent State shootings further widened the chasm among a citizenry divided over the Vietnam War

On Patriots' Day, we celebrate musician, publisher, and patriot Josiah Flagg (1737-1794), a friend of Paul Revere and major figure in Early American music.

Four-time All Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski has agreed to a reunion with Tom Brady. The trade, finalized Tuesday night, brings Gronkowski and a seventh-round pick to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round selection.

New England head coach Bill Belichick said not taking a quarterback in the Patriots' first post-Tom Brady draft "wasn't by design."

Following the recent protests and riots, OM Panama's Mission Extreme group helps clean the Volcán police station.

Lauren Taylor catches up with the popular TV chef, after he explores the Med for his new show and cookbook.

This sequel to Lian Li's original Strimer RGB PC-modding accessory has bolder lighting and more advanced patterns to make your build shine. We built it into a PC to see how it glows.

Other defendants plea to drug, weapons, and robbery charges A Superior Court judge sentenced three inmates Friday for their roles in the 2017 Vaughn prison riot, which resulted in the murder of correctional officer Lt. Steven Floyd. Dwayne Staats, 37, sentenced to two life sentences in prison plus 153 years for his conviction on 2 […]