CNN, ABC, CBS, BBC, Bloomberg Cease Russian Broadcasting Arms
New Kremlin Law Prescribes Jail for anyone spreading Fake News, Misinfo
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The West’s severance from Russia became more apparent this week when CNN International, ABC, CBS, and other major news outlets announced they will stop broadcasting in the Eastern European country following its invasion of Ukraine.
CNN, ABC, CBS, BBC, Bloomberg Cease Russian Broadcasting Arms
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YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images PAUL BOIS5 Mar 20222,1912:52
The West’s severance from Russia became more apparent this week when CNN International, ABC, CBS, and other major news outlets announced they will stop broadcasting in the Eastern European country following its invasion of Ukraine.
The move out of Russia comes in response to the Kremlin introducing a new law that would jail anyone spreading fake news or misinformation about the invasion of Ukraine. Russian officials claim that the United States and Western Europe have been intentionally spreading fake news to spark an uprising against the Kremlin.
“Lawmakers in Moscow passed amendments to the criminal code making the spread of ‘fake’ information an offense punishable with fines or jail terms,” They also imposed fines for anyone calling for sanctions against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine,” according to the Daily Mail.
“The new legislation was passed by parliament and will become law when Vladimir Putin signs it, as he is widely expected to do. It was not clear when Putin would sign the measure,” added the outlet.
People in violation of the law could face up to 15 years in prison. CNN, ABC, CBS, Bloomberg, BBC, and CBC all announced they would be discontinuing their broadcasts.
“CNN will stop broadcasting in Russia while we continue to evaluate the situation and our next steps moving forward,” a network spokesperson said Friday.
“The change to the criminal code, which seems designed to turn any independent reporter into a criminal purely by association, makes it impossible to continue any semblance of normal journalism inside the country,” Bloomberg Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait said in a statement.
CBS, ABC, CBC, and the BBC all made similar announcements. Interim BBC News Director Jonathan Munro confirmed that while broadcasts within the country will be suspended, the network will not be “pulling out journalists from Moscow.”
“We cannot use their reporting for the time being but they remain valued members of our teams and we hope to get them back on our output as soon as possible,” tweeted Munro.
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Jonathan Munro
@jonathancmunro
·
Mar 4, 2022
It’s with a heavy heart that we have had to suspend @BBCNews operations in Russia until we assess impact of new laws which outlaw independent journalism. Thoughts with colleagues in Moscow whose voices cannot be silenced for long.
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Jonathan Munro
@jonathancmunro
We are not pulling out @BBCNews journalists from Moscow, as some articles are suggesting. We cannot use their reporting for the time being but they remain valued members of our teams and we hope to get them back on our output as soon as possible.
11:50 AM · Mar 4, 2022
Both the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post announced they would not be suspending operations in the country.
“Our top priorities are the safety of our employees and covering this important story fairly and fully. Being in Moscow, freely able to talk to officials and capture the mood, is key to that mission,” said a spokesperson for the WSJ.
“We are assessing the details of the Russian law and its potential impact on our reporting. We intend to exercise caution while seeking clarity about how these reported restrictions would affect Washington Post correspondents and local staff,” said the Post.
CNN, ABC, CBS, BBC, Bloomberg Cease Russian Broadcasting Arms (breitbart.com)
…White House disavows Graham’s call for Putin assassination…
White House disavows Graham’s call for Putin assassination
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The Associated PressAP 5 Mar 2022347South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is facing pushback from the White House and all corners of Washington after calling for the assassination of President Vladimir Putin by the Russian people
White House disavows Graham’s call for Putin assassinationBy MARY CLARE JALONICKAssociated PressThe Associated PressWASHINGTON
WASHINGTON (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is facing intense pushback from all corners of Washington after calling for the Russian people to end the Ukraine war by assassinating President Vladimir Putin. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that it is “not the position of the United States government.”
Graham, a former Air Force lawyer and longtime defense hawk, tweeted Thursday evening that “the only people who can fix this” are Russians.
“The only way this ends is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out,” Graham tweeted. “You would be doing your country – and the world – a great service.”
The tweet drew swift pushback from some of the most conservative and liberal members of Congress. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz called it “an exceptionally bad idea.” Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican who was denounced this week for speaking at an event organized by a white nationalist, said Graham’s tweet was “irresponsible, dangerous & unhinged.” And Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who has faced criticism over comments about Israel, tweeted: “Seriously, wtf?”
On Friday, Psaki dismissed Graham’s idea out of hand.
“That is not the position of the United States government and certainly not a statement you’d hear come from the mouth of anybody working in this administration,” she said.
Graham’s comment comes at a fraught time for the White House, which is orchestrating a tough Western response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while trying to avoid a direct confrontation with Russia for fear of triggering a broader war. The Russian president’s raising of the alert level on his country’s nuclear weapons stirred fears that he may be willing to consider the unthinkable step of using them.
The U.S. has ruled out sending troops to Ukraine and hasn’t agreed to a no-fly zone over Ukraine that could lead to clashes with Russian warplanes.
With no letup in the war, the White House has asked Congress for $10 billion in emergency funding, with money going toward humanitarian aid and security needs. Approval could come as soon as next week. Lawmakers are also pushing the Biden administration to halt oil imports from Russia, a move that could tighten the vise on the country’s increasingly isolated economy.
But Graham is alone in encouraging attempts on Putin’s life. Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, called his comments “unacceptable and outrageous.”
Graham was unbowed in a Fox News appearance Friday morning, saying that the best way for the fighting to end is to have “an Eliot Ness or Wyatt Earp” in Russia, referring to fabled American law enforcement figures.
“I am convinced this is a one man problem surrounded by a few people,” Graham said.
Also Friday, Graham introduced a resolution with a bipartisan group of senators that calls for Putin to be held accountable for his actions in Ukraine, including investigations of war crimes.
Graham and his Senate colleagues will have an opportunity to talk to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly Saturday in a video call, according to a person familiar with the invitation from the Ukrainian embassy.
All senators are invited to the call, according to the person, who requested anonymity to discuss the private invitation. The meeting will be the first time U.S. lawmakers have talked to the Ukrainian president since Russia invaded his country.
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Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant contributed to this report.
White House disavows Graham's call for Putin assassination - Breitbart