Samsung is suspending shipments of all of its products to Russia, the company announced Friday. “Due to the current geopolitical developments, shipments to Russia have been suspended,” reads a statement from an unnamed Samsung representative, via Samsung’s generic PR email address. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22962282/samsung-suspending-shipments-russia-smartphones-chips

Tesla’s Gigafactory in Germany won approval from local officials on Friday, but the company still has to meet several requirements before the plant can begin production of vehicles, Reuters reported, including concerns about the plant’s water use. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22962131/tesla-wins-approval-germany-gigafactory-conditions-environment

Nintendo has temporarily put its Russian eShop into maintenance mode, the company said in a notice on its Russian website, which appears to mean that players in the country can’t buy digital games from the store. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22961869/nintendo-eshop-russia-maintenance-mode

Russia’s communications agency Roskomnadzor announced Friday that it is blocking access to Facebook in Russia. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22960739/russia-internet-block-facebook-meta-roskomnadzor-ukraine

EA is halting sales of its games and content in Russia and Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the publisher announced Friday. On Wednesday, the company said that it was removing Russian teams from its FIFA and NHL games, but Friday’s actions go a significant step further. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22961673/ea-halting-sales-games-content-currency-russia-belarus

Russia’s lower house of parliament has passed a law punishing “fake news” with up to 15 years in prison, according to Reuters. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22961472/russia-fake-news-law-military-ukraine-invasion-casualties-jail-time

It didn’t go into further detail about what that looks like or specify what meaningful financial impact the move will have on its businesses, as CD Projekt Red did yesterday while announcing a ban on services to Russia and Belarus. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22961445/microsoft-russia-ukraine-sales-ban-xbox-azure-windows-office

Apple isn’t the only tech behemoth pulling its products from the Russian market in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Microsoft is ‘suspending’ all new sales of products and services in Russia, and is halting “many aspects” of its business in the country to honor US, UK and EU sanctions. via Technology and News Today… Read More Microsoft halts all sales in Russia

Prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson has just broken the Kickstarter record for the most successful crowdfunded project of all time, cracking the $20,338,986 milestone set by the Pebble Time all the way back in 2015. via Technology and News Today https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/4/22960365/brandon-sanderson-fantasy-novels-kickstarter-cosmere

CD Projekt Red says it will stop selling its games until further notice in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. via Technology and News Today https://www.engadget.com/cd-projekt-red-russia-belarus-ukraine-cyberpunk-2077-151853498.html