CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia due to Putin's new censorship law
March 5, 2022, 12:58 pm

CNN, BBC, and others suspend broadcasting from Russia due to Putin's new censorship law

CNN announces to stop broadcasting from Russia after President Vladimir Putin signed on Friday a censorship bill into law making it impossible for news organizations to accurately report the news in or from Russia. The BBC also said that it had no choice but to "temporarily suspend the work". ABC News and CBS News both said that their networks were temporarily refraining from broadcasting from Russia.

The law, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, makes it a crime to disseminate "fake" information about the invasion of Ukraine, with a penalty of up to 15 years in prison for anyone convicted, the CNN Business reported,

To stop brooadcating from Russia, means that international correspondents in Moscow are staying in the city, but are not appearing on TV for the time being.

The Wall Street Journal said that its "top priorities are the safety of our employees and covering this important story fairly and fully," the CNN Business mentioned.

It is more and more difficult to confirm the exact number of civilians killed and wounded in this barbaric war. The military losses are also difficult to assess. But, Putin’s savage bombing of civilian structures – schools, hospitals, residential districts, private homes – proves that these horrific actions are WAR CRIMES (File photo and text: Euromaidan Press)

Not only did Russia pass this harsh media law, but its media regulator, Roskomnadzor, blocked several western news sites on Friday.

"Russian authorities have restricted access to news publications including BBC Russia, Radio Liberty, and Latvia-based Meduza, RIA Novosti reported on Friday," CNN's Anna Cooban wrote.

Russia introduces jail terms for spreading ‘fake’ information about the army

Plus, "Russian independent paper Novaya Gazeta said that it is removing articles on the war in Ukraine, saying that new Russian censorship efforts necessitated removing those materials..."

levantnews, CNNBusiness

UK advises its citizens to consider leaving Russia Antony Blinken arrives in Poland for talks on security and Ukrainian refugees

Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.