YouTube Suspends All Monetization in Russia, Blocks Kremlin-Backed Channels Worldwide

making a joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith's hair loss during the Oscars. Reports now suggest that Rock didn't know about Jada's alopecia.

Video: Will Smith punches Chris Rock at the Oscars (The Independent)China in 'significant jeopardy' if it aids Russian attack on Ukraine, says BidenUkrainian orphans arrive in the UK from PolandHarrowing drone footage shows extent of Tornado damage in LouisianaWatch live as Boris Johnson speaks after NATO leaders meetingPrince William expresses ‘profound sorrow’ at slavery during Jamaica visitPrince William sets up Raheem Sterling goal as pair enjoy kickabout in JamaicaPensioner says she's 'frightened to put the heating on' amid cost of living crisisWar in Ukraine: One month on from Russia's invasionVolodymyr Zelensky urges millions to protest as he calls for worldwide Ukraine supportGay couple adopts dog abandoned for ‘being gay’Harry Styles announces new album 'Harry's House'Trump dismisses climate change as 'a thing called weather'Warehouse worker panics as he realises he's live on BBC BreakfastPrince William and Kate Middleton scuba dive along world’s second-largest barrier reefAsh Barty: world number one announces shock retirement from tennisNasa video shows global temperatures rise over last 140 years Read more MasterChef fans call for show to 'stop using' phrase about Solihull's Pookie "If the involved party desires a police report at a later date, LAPD will be available to complete an investigative report. "About 45 minutes later, when accepting his first Oscar for best actor for his role in King Richard, Smith apologized to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and his fellow nominees in a tear-filled speech, but not to Rock.

Video: Bryan Adams shuts down interview question about 'Summer of 69' (The Independent)Russia will target other European countries, warns ZelenskyStars pay tribute to PrinceAnnie-Marie falls down steps during Brit Awards performanceStormzy performs Shut Up at GlastonburyPink Floyd unveil plaqueElon Musk and Grimes secretly welcome another babyBlind piano prodigy joins Billy Joel onstageEurovision: Netta performs ToyONE DIRECTION WORLD PREMIEREEd Sheeran in court over copyright claims on song Shape Of YouSam Smith performs for virtual Big WeekendCrowd of Ukrainian civilians confront Russian soldiersShawn Mendes reacts to 2015 clip of him denying dating Camila CabelloTom Parker breaks down as he talks about his brain tumourLizzo calls out people who use her name to refer to someone's sizeRandy Newman's new song offers advice about social distancingThe joke missed, badly. Smith walked onto the stage from his front-row seat and took a swing at Rock with an open palm, generating a loud smack.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSpotify, which suspended its paid subscription service in Russia earlier this month due to that country’s unprovoked and bloody invasion of Ukraine, has announced it will “fully suspend our service in Russia,” apparently indefinitely. It joins dozens of other music companies that have ceased operations in the country.“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region.

in a post on Instagram, which quickly racked up 5,100 likes. One follower gushed, “This brought tears to my eyes I would like to personally thank them.”The two women walked hand-in-hand while waving at gawking passersby, as The United Orchestra’s “We Stand with Ukraine” played over the clip.Some were unimpressed with their bold gesture, calling it “hella goofy” and a “sad” attempt to “go viral” in the comments.Still, others praised Diamond and Pierre for their effort to keep followers informed about world affairs.

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice reportedly has a preference to join Chelsea over Manchester United, according to reports.

Emilio Mayorga Argentine actor Joaquín Furriel is set to topline Rafa Russo’s next feature, “Devotion” (“Devoción”), which will be produced by Málaga-born producer-director Ezekiel Montes at his label 73140323PC.Spanish actress Elena Martínez, who has starred in Gustavo Hernández’s “Lobo Feroz” and Montes’ admired feature debut “A Dead Man Cannot Live,” which premiered at the Málaga fest last year, will co-star in “Devotion.”Furriel is mainly known for his star turn in Sebastián Schindel’s Guadalajara Actor, New Director double-winner “The Boss, Anatomy of a Crime” and “The Son” by the same director. He was also a standout in the HBO Latin America and Pol-Ka-produced TV show “The Bronze Garden,” recipient of five Telly Awards in 2018 and an international Emmy Awards nomination.

the band’s Twitter account states.The included works that are set to be leaving Russian and Belarusian streaming platforms are Pink Floyd studio albums “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” (1987), “The Division Bell” (1994) as well as 2014’s “The Endless River.” Gilmour has released four solo studio albums in his career, the most recent being “Rattle That Lock” in 2015. His entire solo discography is also being removed from streamers.Last week, Gilmour tweeted in support of Ukraine, writing, “Russian soldiers, stop killing your brothers.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorSony Music has suspended all of its operations in Russia, the company has confirmed to Variety. “Sony Music Group calls for peace in Ukraine and an end to the violence. We have suspended operations in Russia and will continue our support of global humanitarian relief efforts to aid victims in need.,” the company said in a statement.Sources tells Variety that the company’s staffers will continue to receive their salaries for an undetermined time; the artists’ situation is still being worked out.Universal Music Group announced that it is suspending its operations in the country on Tuesday.

Manori Ravindran International EditorDiscovery has suspended all operations in Russia amid the country’s war on Ukraine. Around 15 channels that operate through Media Alliance — a joint venture with Russia’s National Media Group — will go off air from Wednesday.The business joins a growing number of media companies that are turning their backs on Russian operations.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs more and more companies have cut ties with Russia in the wake of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, many have wondered why more music companies have not done the same.Early Tuesday, the U.K.’s performing rights organization, PRS for Music, said it has formally and immediately suspended its rights representation relationship with RAO, the Russian collecting society for musical works, “pending confirmation of its separation from the Russian Government and those individuals and companies on the sanctions lists.“We are also working with CISAC to consider the ongoing membership of Russian societies in the global network. It is not our desire to punish the Russian composer, songwriter and publisher communities who support peace, and we will work with the global community to identify opportunities to amplify the voices of protest.

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.

Streaming giant Netflix is suspending service in Russia, citing that country’s invasion of Ukraine. They join numerous entertainment companies and other businesses who have halted business there.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaNetflix has suspended its service in Russia to protest the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The streaming service previously announced this week that it would pause all future projects and acquisitions from Russia, joining a growing list of companies that have cut ties with the country. Netflix had four Russian originals in the works, including a crime thriller series directed by Dasha Zhuk, which was shooting and has been put on hold.

Mastercard has suspended operations in Russia, with Visa soon looking to do the same, according to multiple reports. The moves on the part of the financial services corporations are the latest to hit the country’s financial system, following its invasion of Ukraine.

invaded that country on Feb. 24.Host Ken Jennings read the $800 clue in the category “Bordering Russia”: ”The Kerch Strait — along with serious border issues — separates Russia from this country on the Black Sea.”The answer, of course, was Ukraine.The 1.9-mile-long strait separates Russia from Crimea to its west and Ukraine to the north. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and subsequently built a bridge across the strait to connect the two in 2018.

Chris Willman Music WriterHit songwriter Ross Golan, who has crafted smashes for Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, One Direction and Demi Lovato, has started a petition on Change.org asking the music community to stop licensing songs in Russia for as long as the nation wages war on Ukraine.The petition, posted Thursday afternoon here, was put up for the purpose of allowing songwriters to make their voices heard in requesting that collection agencies sever ties with their counterpart orgs in Russia, to ensure that they won’t be profiting from the rogue-superpower nation while the bloody siege of its neighbor country continues.“Currently, a portion of our royalties are going directly to the Russian government, which in turn funds their invasion into Ukraine,” Golan says. The petition — credited to “And the Writer Is,” the podcast Golan started to spotlight writers and their issues — reads: “The global songwriting business stands with Ukraine.

The Toronto Film Festival said Thursday that it will suspend participation by film organizations and media outlets supported by the Russian state for its next festival, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of 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.