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A symbol of independent journalism, Novaya Gazeta has been classed as a ‘foreign agent’ by Moscow.

Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has announced it will shut down, citing pressure from the authorities.

The independent outlet’s editorial board said in a statement released on Friday that the newspaper has been forced to end its operations.

The Russian media has come under increased scrutiny from the state amid Moscow’s war on Ukraine. The authorities recently searched the home of Novaya Gazeta’s senior editor and arrested the editor-in-chief.

“The newspaper is gone. The Russian authorities and … intelligence services forced the editorial staff to cease operations,” the editorial board said in the statement, which was entitled: “We were killed.”

Viewed as a relative bastion of independent journalism in Russia, Novaya Gazeta has been classed as a “foreign agent” by Moscow, a label used to stifle dissent.

“Novaya Gazeta is ceasing to exist,” editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov said in a video statement published on YouTube. “On November 9 we will turn off the lights in our home, where we have lived for 30 years. We will shut down the servers and leave.”

Earlier this month, Sokolov was taken in for questioning as Russian authorities searched his home due, they said, to a link to a criminal case involving his colleague Oleg Roldugin.

Roldugin was arrested in April and charged with “unlawful access to computerised information”.

“How far will the Kremlin’s relentless campaign against Novaya Gazeta go?” asked media watchdog Reporters Without Borders in a statement after Sokolov was arrested on October 15.

“Six of its journalists and staff members have been murdered, its newsroom has been raided, its journalists have been prosecuted, and the publication has been designated a ‘foreign agent’,” the press freedom organisation noted.

The forced closure of Novaya Gazeta marks another escalation in Russia’s crackdown on press freedom, with few independent media outlets or journalists left in the country, as censorship levels and arrests of regime critics have skyrocketed since it launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The newspaper had already trimmed production inside Russia after Moscow invaded Ukraine, as authorities revoked its media licence.

The paper’s then editor-in-chief, Dmitry Muratov, jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 for his “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression” at the helm of the paper.

A POPULAR English Island will be closed to visitors for an entire day due to Storm Austen.

It comes as winds of up to 70mph are set to batter parts of the UK, on Thursday evening and Friday.

Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour will be closed on Friday, October 23 due to Storm Austen.

It is still unclear if the National Trust owned isle will open on Saturday.

A spokesperson for National Trust Brownsea Island also told Bournemouth Echo: “We apologise for any disappointment or inconvenience this may cause.

“The safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff is our top priority and this decision has been made to ensure everyone remains safe during the adverse weather conditions.”

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The Island, which can be reached via boat from Poole Harbour, was already due to close on November 1 and will not reopen to the public until mid-March 2027.

Typically, it costs £12 to visit but National Trust members can enter for free.

It comes as the Met Office has issued weather warnings for wind and rain across parts of the UK, with two named storms due to bring disruption.

Storm Austen is expected to affect south-west England on Friday – with an amber warning for wind issued in parts of the region.

Over the weekend, Storm Boelo will affect Northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of northern England with what the Met Office described as “impactful winds”.

A five-star establishment has closed for good

A popular Scottish seaside town has been dealt a devastating blow following the sudden closure of a prominent hotel. The firm behind the establishment recently collapsed into liquidation, forcing its immediate shutdown, with all members of staff confirmed to have lost their jobs.

The Kinnettles Hotel, a five-star boutique property nestled in the heart of St Andrews, Scotland, shut its doors for good in September after its parent company, Kinnettles Hotel Limited, went into liquidation.

The hotel’s on-site restaurant partner, Gidi Grill, was locked out of the building on September 23, with owner Mo Adeniyi claiming “the building was taken over by someone else, but we hadn’t been told”. He confirmed he was now on the hunt for new premises to relocate his West African and Afro-Caribbean restaurant.

The closure of the Kinnettles Hotel, situated just a 10-minute walk from the iconic West Sands Beach and the historic St Andrews Old Course golf links, left all 12 members of staff without work.

The broader Kinnettles portfolio, which includes Kinnettles Mansion in Guardbridge and Kinnettles Castle near Forfar, had previously been put up for sale for £15 million.

Callum Carmichael, a partner at FRP Advisory, has been appointed as liquidator of the company. He confirmed that the challenges facing the business had become “insurmountable”, reports the Express.

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Mr Carmichael told The Courier: “Kinnettles Hotel has been a well-established part of St Andrews’ hospitality sector, offering boutique accommodation in the heart of the town for many years.

“Despite its established presence, the challenges facing the business and many like it in Scotland’s hospitality sector ultimately proved insurmountable. Our focus is now on safeguarding the assets of the three companies and supporting those affected.”

Nestled at 127 North Street in the heart of St Andrews town centre, the Kinnettles Hotel featured 15 spacious bedrooms, a bar, spa, and an on-site restaurant.

The hotel had garnered a string of glowing reviews on TripAdvisor, with guests heaping praise on the accommodation, spa and facilities alike.

One wrote in July: “I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever had a better spa experience in my life. From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, every single detail was absolutely perfect.”

A second reviewer wrote in May: “I had an amazing experience at Kinnettles Hotel & Spa, truly one of the best I’ve had.”

A third posted in March: “My husband and I stayed for one night and used spa facilities and got a treatment each. First of all we were made to feel very welcomed when we entered the building , staff couldn’t do enough for us.

“The breakfast next morning was lovely but the best part was the spa facilities and the treatment it was absolutely fantastic and cant wait to go back again.”

Another visitor commented in March: “I can’t praise highly enough the Kinnettles Hotel and Spa, St Andrews. We arrived as guests and departed five days later as friends.”