Here's more on the trident kerfuffle from RFE/RL's news desk:
British Police Remove Ukrainian National Emblem From Extremist Guide
Britain has removed Ukraine's coat of arms from a police guide for identifying extremist symbols, after the presence of the "tryzub" (trident in Ukrainian) emblem in the document triggered a protest from Ukrainian officials.
After meeting with representatives from the Ukrainian Embassy in London, Ukraine’s national symbol was removed from the document, a British police statement said on January 23.
The Ukrainian Embassy tweeted that the police agreed to remove the state emblem from its counterterrorism manual "in response to numerous calls by Ukrainians and as a result of the work by Ukrainian diplomats."
The British police’s statement said that the Ukrainian trident was included in its guide because "far right groups have a history of misappropriating national symbols as part of their identity."
"This is the reason why some national flags and symbols appear in our document," it added.
From RFE/RL's news desk:
Media Freedom Groups Express Unease Over Ukrainian Disinformation Bill
Media freedom watchdogs and journalists’ associations are expressing concern over a bill aimed at combating Russian disinformation.
Critics say the draft law put forward by the Culture, Youth, and Sports Ministry on January 20 foresees excessive intrusion of governmental regulation and control in the sphere of media, and could be used to harass journalists.
In a statement on January 23, the Representative on Freedom of the Media for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Harlem Desir said he understood "the need to fight against disinformation” in Ukraine at a time when the country is facing a Russia-backed insurgency in the easternmost regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
"But this should not be done at the expense of media freedom and through state interference in the content of the media and in the organization of journalism activities in the country," Desir added.
The Nation Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) warned that the bill on "amendments to certain legal acts of Ukraine aimed to provide national information security and right to access to truthful information" would legalize state interference in the journalistic profession and restrict media workers' rights.
According to the bill, criminal punishment for spreading disinformation could range from large fines to prison sentences of up to seven years.
But NUJU head Serhiy Tomilenko said some provisions such as the issuance of press cards have "nothing to do with Russian aggression."
Journalists would be required to receive their press accreditation through a state-sponsored agency, while a media monitor would be tasked with imposing fines and blocking online media, among other sanctions, Tomilenko said.
Professional status would be conferred or denied to journalists based on adherence to the Code of Journalistic Ethics.
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and other media watchdogs advised the Ukrainian government to stay out of the activities of media outlets and allow them to self-regulate.
"The state should create conditions for this process [self-regulation and autonomy] by avoiding any governmental interference and not deprive journalists of their rights," said EFJ General Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez.
To combat disinformation, the government should promote "self-regulation, support for professional standards of journalism and fact-checking initiatives, independence of the media, diversity of sources to debunk false information, and the development of media literacy," Desir said.
Time now to point you in the direction of a new feature by RFE/RL correspondent Tony Wesolowsky:
