The Empire Strikes Back

ITEM 1: After stiff sanctions were imposed on the Russian Federation after their seizure of Crimea and their continuing interference in Ukraine, the Russians retaliated against the West, including playing games with their huge natural gas resources and conducting threatening military exercises near the borders of NATO allies.  Now, however, they're playing hardball:  they're threatening to shut some 200 McDonalds over "health" violations.  Damnski!  They're wise to the fillers and secret sauce!  Or maybe the restaurants don't slip enough vodka in the soft drinks.

ITEM 2: On a serious note, Christophe de Margerie, CEO of the French oil company TOTAL, was killed last night when his private plane crashed into a snowplow on the runway of Moscow's Vnukovo airport.  Preliminary reports indicate that the snowplow's driver, who escaped injury, was drunk.  De Margerie was a vigorous opponent of sanctions against the Russian Federation.