Russia: Critical newspaper 'Novaya Gazeta' to close

The independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta has announced that it is shutting down and ceasing operations under pressure from state authorities who recently searched the home of its senior editor. "They've killed us," read a statement published on the newspaper's website on Friday morning. "The Russian authorities — the Russian special services — have forced the editorial team to end its work," added editor-in-chief Sergei Sokolov in a video statement. "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.