Month: August 2022

Russia Tightens Grip on Media as Yandex Sells Homepage, News to Rival VK

Russia’s leading internet firm Yandex on Tuesday said it had agreed to sell its news aggregator and yandex.ru homepage to rival VK in a move likely to further limit Russians’ access to independent media. The all-share deal, in which Yandex will acquire 100% of food delivery service Delivery Club, marks a significant shift in Russia’s internet landscape, with Yandex effectively passing control over distribution of online content to a state-controlled firm. VK already runs Russia’s largest social network, V Kontakte, while Moscow has blocked access to some foreign platforms, including Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram. Russia’s yearslong suppression of independent …

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US Warns of Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Infrastructure

The United States warned Tuesday that Russia is “stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days.” The message posted by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv followed similar warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about potential Russian actions against Ukraine coinciding with his country’s Independence Day. “Russian strikes in Ukraine pose a continued threat to civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the U.S. Embassy said, adding that U.S. citizens should depart Ukraine if they are able. Wednesday marks 31 years since Ukraine gained independence from Soviet rule, as well as six months since Russia …

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Timeline: Ukraine’s Turbulent History Since Independence

Ukraine marks six months on Wednesday since Russia invaded the country in what Russian President Vladimir Putin calls a “special military operation.”  Ukraine and its Western backers accuse Moscow of waging an unprovoked war of aggression with the aim of grabbing land and erasing Ukrainian national identity.  Putin said his aim was to disarm the country in order to preemptively ensure Russia’s own security against NATO expansion and to rid it of far-right nationalists who he said threatened Russia.  Here is a timeline of the main events in Ukraine’s political history since it won independence from Moscow in 1991.  1991: …

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Hungary Fires Weather Service Chief Over Inaccurate Forecasts

The Hungarian government on Monday fired the head of the national weather service and her deputy, two days after a fireworks display to celebrate Hungary’s national holiday was delayed for fear of storms. Technology Minister Laszlo Palkovics, under whose authority the National Meteorological Service (NMS) falls, relieved President Kornelia Radics and her deputy Gyula Horvath from their duties but did not provide a reason. The ministry did not immediately return AFP’s call. But the announcement came a day after pro-government media criticized NMS for their forecast of thunderstorms and gusts of wind, which prompted the cancellation of the fireworks on …

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