Eu: Celebs Rumors

Sacha Baron Cohen has called out social media platforms for not blocking Russia’s state TV network amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine.In a post on Twitter, the actor criticised the CEOs of Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube – Mark Zuckerbeg, Parag Agrawal, Sundar Pichai and Susan Wojcick respectively – and urged them to remove the network RT from their platforms.“Putin just bombed a children’s hospital, but @Facebook, @Instagram, @Twitter & @YouTube are still showing Russia’s state-run RT,” Cohen wrote.“Why are you profiting off Putin’s propaganda?! Remove Russia RT from your platforms NOW!”Hey Mark, @paraga,@sundarpichai, @SusanWojcicki Putin just bombed a children’s hospital, but @Facebook, @instagram @Twitter & @YouTube are still showing Russia's state-run RTWhy are you profiting off Putin's propaganda?!Remove Russia RT from your platforms NOW! pic.twitter.com/W0wkWKAZpX— Sacha Baron Cohen (@SachaBaronCohen) March 9, 2022NME has reached out to representatives for all the respective companies.As posted on the updates blog for Meta – the rebrand of Facebook who also own Instagram – the company states they have restricted access to RT and Sputnik in Ukraine, the UK and across the EU.In an update on March 1, the blog reads: “In addition to restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU, we are now globally demoting content from Facebook Pages and Instagram accounts from Russian state-controlled media outlets and making them harder to find across our platforms. “We have also begun to demote posts that contain links to Russian state-controlled media websites on Facebook.

EXCLUSIVE: The biggest Ukrainian media organizations have penned an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging sanctions on all Russian TV channels.

Drivers who break new vehicle number plate regulations could face a a hefty fine as it is now considered to be breaking the law. The DVLA introduced new guidelines on car number plate on March 1.

Kate Middleton made a rare political statement as she visited the Ukrainian Cultural Centre in London alongside Prince William. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, who was photographed learning about the efforts being made to support Ukrainians in the UK and Europe amid the Russian invasion, made a subtle nod to Ukraine as she wore a blue knitted jumper on Wednesday 9 March. Meanwhile Kate also donned a badge of the Ukrainian flag with a white heart in the middle on her chest during the outing which hit home her political statement.

Emerald Airlines are launching a new service from Manchester Airport to Belfast later this month with tickets now on sale.

Netflix has suspended its service in Russia entirely in protest of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.The streaming service joins a growing list of companies that have stopped serving Russia since the full-scale invasion began on February 24.Netflix had previously announced a hold on Russian projects and acquisitions and refused to carry 20 Russian propaganda channels that it was required to host under Russian law. Now, the service has been shut down entirely in the country.“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a spokesperson told Variety of the move.The platform’s previous sanctions on the country had seen four Russian original works put on pause.

The traffic cone which sits atop the iconic Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow city centre has been painted in Ukrainian colours to show support for the warn torn country.

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said he believes the conflict in Ukraine could last several months or years.

An independent Scotland would be better off staying out of the NATO military alliance, the Scottish Greens have said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that he considers Western sanctions to be akin to a declaration of war against Russia.

Good afternoon Insider team. Max Goldbart back in the saddle for your weekly dose of news as the Russia/Ukraine invasion continues to have huge ramifications for the film and TV world and vice versa.

A Tesco shopper was left 'shaken' after she found out a coating meant that some of Tesco's fruit isn't suitable for vegans or vegetarians.

Lord of the Rings character Gollum this week, using the character to criticise the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Serkis was discussing his voice work on The Lord of the Rings. He demonstrated the voice of Gollum and in doing so, criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by taking aim at Russian President Vladimir Putin.It comes after Ukraine severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation last Thursday (February 24).“Gollum was on this side and Sméagol was on this side,” Serkis said in the segment.“And he would say things like, ‘We wants it.

Ethan Shanfeld The American branch of Russian state-funded media network Russia Today (RT) is shutting down and laying off most of its staff, CNN reports.According to a memo, RT America will be “ceasing production” due to “unforeseen business interruption events.”“Unfortunately, we anticipate this layoff will be permanent, meaning that this will result in the permanent separation from employment of most T&R employees at all locations,” the memo said (via CNN).Per CNN, Misha Solodovnikov, the general manager of T&R Productions, the production company behind RT, delivered the news in person to hosts, correspondents, producers and others in the Washington, D.C. bureau.

Iron Maiden have announced that their upcoming summer shows in Ukraine and Russia have been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict between the neighbouring countries.The band were set to perform at VDNG in Kyiv, Ukraine on May 29 before visiting VTB Arena in Moscow Russia on June 1 as part of their 2022 ‘Legacy Of The Beast’ world tour.Sharing a statement on social media, Iron Maiden said “the promoters have cancelled the two Iron Maiden shows” due to the “ongoing situation in Ukraine”.“We are very sorry to announce that due to the ongoing situation in Ukraine, the promoters have cancelled the two Iron Maiden shows scheduled for May 29th in Kyiv and June 1st in Moscow on the 2022 Legacy Of The Beast World Tour,” the band tweeted.The band added that ticket-holders would we informed by the respective promoters on refunds, and concluded by stating: “Our priority is, and will always be, the safety of our fans.”Ticket-holders for both shows will be informed by the respective promoters on refunds at the appropriate time. Our priority is, and will always be, the safety of our fans.— Iron Maiden (@IronMaiden) March 3, 2022Since the conflict started, the likes of Iggy Pop, Yungblud, Green Day, Franz Ferdinand and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds are among the acts who have scrapped dates due to the ongoing crisis.It comes after Ukraine severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation last Thursday (February 24).Ukraine, which has a population of 44million people, borders both Russia and the European Union.

Live Nation will no longer operate in Russia in protest at the eastern European country's invasion of Ukraine, it was announced on Wednesday “Live Nation joins the world in strongly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We will not promote shows in Russia, and we will not do business with Russia,” Live Nation said in a statement to Rolling Stone.

Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov's superyacht has been seized amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Spotify has shuttered its Moscow office in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and will restrict the discoverability of content owned and operated by Russian state-affiliated media.“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the unprovoked attack on Ukraine,” a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement.“Our first priority over the past week has been the safety of our employees and to ensure that Spotify continues to serve as an important source of global and regional news at a time when access to information is more important than ever.”Confirming its Moscow office would be closed “indefinitely”, the streaming platform said they were “providing individual support to our personnel” in Moscow, as well as their “global community of Ukrainian employees”.In addition to restricting the discoverability of Russian state-affiliated media, the platform has also removed all content from Kremlin-backed outlets RT and Sputnik that was hosted on Spotify in the European Union and other markets. Additionally, it has launched a guide on the platform that directs users to localised “trusted news” sources.Spotify has stopped short of shutting off access for their Russian users, however, saying they believe it’s “critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information”.“We are exploring additional steps that we can take and will continue to do what is in the best interest of our employees and our listeners,” the statement concluded.Ukraine has been under attack since last Thursday (February 24), when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in the neighbouring country.

Concert promoter Live Nation and streaming service Spotify are the two latest entertainment companies pulling out of further business with Russia.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds feel “lucky and fortunate” to be able to donate to Ukrainian refugees, amid the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of the Eastern European country.The two Hollywood stars announced their partnership with the non-profit organization USA for UNHCR, matching donations up to $1 million to provide aid for refugees fleeing war in Ukraine.“In 48 hours, countless Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes to neighboring countries. They need protection.

Labour is putting pressure on Boris Johnson to ramp up sanctions against Russian oligarchs associated with Vladimir Putin.

DirecTV has dropped RT America, the sister network to Russia Today, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Nicola Sturgeon has stepped up her demand for the UK Government to scrap all visa requirements for Ukrainian refugees.

Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed has welcomed humanitarian aid packages from Scotland aimed at helping those fleeing the Ukraine conflict.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds have cancelled their scheduled concerts in Russia and Ukraine “in light of current events”.The group were due to perform at Bol Festival in Moscow, Russia on June 18 before visiting the Palace Of Sports complex in Kyiv, Ukraine on August 19 as part of a wider run of dates for 2022.Sharing a statement on social media, Cave and co. said they had “no choice but to cancel” the shows following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week.

Russian air strikes have hit a TV tower in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and TV channels have stopped broadcasting in the past hour, according to local reports.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorYouTube will block Russia state-owned RT and Sputnik channels immediately, with parent company Google citing the Russian attack on Ukraine.Google announced the move Tuesday on Twitter. “Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, we’re blocking YouTube channels connected to RT and Sputnik across Europe, effective immediately,” the internet company said. “It’ll take time for our systems to fully ramp up.

A frustrated TV presenter reporting from Ukraine confronted the UK's Deputy Prime Minister over the government's inaction in helping war refugees as sirens sounded behind him.

With Russia invading Ukraine, the world's attention turns to that of nuclear war.

BBC Studios And Sky Deutschland Strike Factual Content Deal

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefMeta, the tech giant that controls the Facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram social media platforms, said that it has restricted access to Russian state media within the European Union. The moves are intended to limit the spread of Russian propaganda during the country’s invasion of Ukraine.“We have received requests from a number of governments and the European Union to take further steps in relation to Russian state-controlled media.

Franz Ferdinand have cancelled their upcoming shows in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine last week.The Scottish band have become the latest act to axe their planned Russian gigs in the wake of the widely condemned Vladimir Putin-ordered military assault, with Yungblud, Green Day and the Russian rapper Oxxxymiron also scrapping shows in recent days.After speaking out in support of the “open and welcoming” people of Kyiv last week, Franz Ferdinand have confirmed this morning (March 1) that their scheduled gigs in St Petersburg and Moscow on June 29 and July 1 will no longer take place.The band said in a statement that “the only reason for this is the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian state”.“We love Russia. This great country has inspired our band through its art and literature and since we first played there 17 years ago, we have built a rich and deep relationship with our Russian fans,” the band said.“Since Thursday morning [February 24], we have spoken to many of our friends in Russia via social media and have encountered unanimous opposition to this violence and solidarity with our Ukrainian friends.

An SNP MSP has apologised after she was accused of comparing Ukraine's battle to repel Russian troops from its borders to the campaign for Scottish independence.

Roku is removing RT, Russia’s state-controlled television network, from its channel stores in Europe, according to a Roku spokesperson.

Måneskin have said that they are unable to share any updates on their postponed EU tour dates with fans while the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues.Ukraine officially severed diplomatic ties with Russia and declared martial law after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an attack on the neighbouring nation last week (February 24).Måneskin have said that they are unable to offer fans any updates on their upcoming tour dates during this “moment of tension.” Back in January, the band were forced to postpone their upcoming European tour dates due to venue capacity issues amid the ongoing COVID pandemic.On social media, the 2021 Italian Eurovision winners wrote: “Despite our desire to give you updates regarding the European and Italian tour by March the 1st, we are not able to define and share the new dates in this moment of tension for Europe and for the whole world. We are closer that ever to all the people plagued by war right now.”Despite our desire to give you updates regarding the European and Italian tour by March the 1st, we are not able to define and share the new dates in this moment of tension for Europe and for the whole world.

Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia and has been in office as president or prime minister for 22 years.