A Moscow court has fined Telegram Messenger Inc. 7 million roubles (about $80,000) for failing to delete content deemed extremist, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Tuesday.
The ruling cited Telegram’s refusal to take down information and channels that allegedly encouraged terrorist attacks and called for protests aimed at overthrowing the Russian government. Specific examples included calls for violence on railway transport and messages purportedly aimed at aiding Ukrainian forces.
"Telegram Messenger Inc., being the owner of an information resource, failed to remove information or channels containing calls for extremist activity," TASS quoted from court documents.
Telegram did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
Founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, the Dubai-based platform has close to 1 billion users and remains widely used across Russia, Ukraine, and several other former Soviet republics. It has become a critical tool for both official and opposition communication in wartime and crisis situations.
Durov himself has faced increasing scrutiny from Russian authorities. He returned to Dubai in March, following several months in France after his August 2024 arrest tied to investigations involving Telegram’s use for fraud, money laundering, and distribution of child abuse material.
Russia has previously clashed with Telegram over content moderation, encryption policies, and access to user data. Tuesday’s court decision marks the latest in a series of escalating efforts by the Kremlin to regulate digital platforms it deems hostile or subversive.
A highly accurate blood test that uses artificial intelligence to detect multiple cancers from just a few drops of blood is now entering clinical trials across the UK’s National Health Service.
A magnitude-6.3 earthquake jolted Ecuador’s Pacific coast near Esmeraldas early Friday, sending residents into the streets but causing no immediate damage or tsunami alert, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
In an expansive interview marking his first 100 days back in office, President Donald Trump sketched out an agenda that touches everything from punitive tariffs and China policy to cease-fire hopes in Ukraine and an overhaul of domestic programmes. Below are the highlights.
U.S. President Donald Trump told *Time* on Friday that he and China’s Xi Jinping are negotiating a tariff deal and have spoken by phone—an account Beijing continues to challenge.
A top envoy from President Donald Trump’s administration arrived in Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, just hours after a high-ranking Russian general was assassinated in a rare car bomb attack in the capital.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Russia launched a major missile and drone assault on Kyiv overnight on April 24, killing at least twelve people and injuring 90, including children and a pregnant woman, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
Estonia has passed a €2.8 billion defense funding bill, raising military spending to over 5% of GDP amid growing security concerns over Russia.
George Santos, a former U.S. congressman, has been sentenced to over seven years in prison after being convicted of fraud and identity theft.
The World Food Programme has warned that its food supplies in Gaza have run out, leaving hundreds of thousands at risk as charity kitchens face imminent shutdown.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiyy said Kyiv cannot reclaim Crimea by force, as tensions grow over Trump’s peace plan proposal.
A Wisconsin judge has been charged with obstruction after allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest in her courthouse.
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