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Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Arrested In France Over Moderation Policy On The Pro-free-speech Messaging App
August 25, 2024
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Russian-born founder and owner of Telegram was arrested Saturday, at Le Bourget airport outside Paris shortly after landing on a private jet from Azerbaijan. The 39-year-old billionaire who has dual French and UAE citizenship, has been placed in custody as part of a preliminary investigation into alleged wide range of crimes committed on the messaging app due to a lack of moderation, and a lack of cooperation with police.

Authorities have since reportedly extended Durov's detention to another 96 hours.

There was no initial official confirmation from France of the arrest, but police had reportedly spotted he was on the passenger list and moved to arrest him because he was the subject of an arrest warrant in France.

Telegram is famously known to be among the least censored social media platforms, The company says it "is committed to protecting user privacy and human rights such as freedom of speech and assembly." Durov has resisted attempts to get him to censor legal speech on the messaging app.

“We get too much attention from the FBI and other security agencies whenever we come to the U.S," Durov told popular American journalist and podcaster Tucker Carlson earlier in the year. "The last time I was in the U.S., I brought an engineer who works for Telegram. There was an attempt by cybersecurity officers or agents to secretly hire my engineer behind my back. They were curious to learn which open-source libraries are integrated into Telegram's app, and they tried to persuade him to use certain open-source tools that would serve as backdoors. I personally experienced similar pressure in the U.S. Whenever I would go to the U.S., I would have two FBI agents greet me at the airport, asking questions. My understanding is that they wanted to establish a relationship to control Telegram better.”

A cybersecurity gendarmerie unit and national anti-fraud police unit are reportedly leading the French investigation into Telegram and Durov.

In a statement on X, the company writes: "Telegram abides by EU laws, including the Digital Services Act — its moderation is within industry standards and constantly improving. Telegram's CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform."

Russia's foreign ministry said it had sent a note to Paris demanding access to Durov.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that Durov had misjudged by fleeing Russia and thinking that he would never have to cooperate with the security services abroad.

Russian lawmaker Maria Butina, who spent 15 months in U.S. prison for acting as an unregistered Russian agent, said Durov "is a political prisoner - a victim of a witch-hunt by the West."

Durov arrest drew swift global condemnations with #FreePavel trending on social media, and many comparing France and Europe in general to the totalitarian regimes in China and North Korea where political dissent is not tolerated. Many on X raised concerns over travelling to France as a free-speech-minded tech entrepreneur.

Chris Pavlovski, CEO of YouTube rival Rumble whose platform has been forced to suspend services in France after rejecting regulator's demands to censor some users, wrote on X: "I’m a little late to this, but for good reason -- I’ve just safely departed from Europe. France has threatened Rumble, and now they have crossed a red line by arresting Telegram’s CEO, Pavel Durov, reportedly for not censoring speech. Rumble will not stand for this behavior and will use every legal means available to fight for freedom of expression, a universal human right. We are currently fighting in the courts of France, and we hope for Pavel Durov’s immediate release."

In a earlier post, he noted: "China bans Rumble; France threatens Rumble, we leave; Brazil threatens Rumble, we leave; UK threatens Rumble; Russia bans Rumble; New Zealand threatens Rumble; France arrests Telegram CEO. Free speech is under major assault and I will not stop fighting for it."

X owner and Tesla chief, Elon Musk wrote, "It's 2030 in Europe and you’re being executed for liking a meme." And responding to an X user who asked why Mark Zuckerberg is not facing the same prosecution given the prevalence of prohibited content across Meta platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp, Musk wrote, "Because he already caved into censorship pressure. Instagram has a massive child exploitation problem, but no arrest for Zuck, as he censors free speech and gives governments backdoor access to user data."

Telegram, with close to 1 billion users, is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union. The platform is also a political propaganda battlefield used by activists and influential leaders across the world including pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups, the Russian government, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and his officials.

Durov launched Telegram after he was pressured by Russian authorities to sell his social media platform VK. His younger brother, Nikolai, designed the encryption used in Telegram, according to Durov.

"I would rather be free than to take orders from anyone," Durov said in April about his exit from Russia and search for a home for his company, which included stints in Berlin, London, Singapore and San Francisco. He finally settled in Dubai, UAE.

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Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Ukrainian long-range drones struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt naval base on Wednesday, igniting massive fires and damaging military assets just hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The attacks targeted critical energy and military infrastructure in Russia's second-largest city, creating a visible backdrop of thick black smoke as international delegates arrived for the summit, often dubbed "Putin's Davos."

The targets included the JSC Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of the largest oil transshipment facilities on the Baltic Sea, which was set ablaze after drones bypassed air defenses. In the nearby city of Kronstadt, Ukrainian forces struck the naval base home to Russia's Baltic Fleet, with video evidence confirming a direct hit on the guided-missile corvette Boikiy while it was in dry dock for repairs.

Additional strikes reportedly hit a weapons factory in the Tambov region, part of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as "long-range sanctions" designed to disrupt Russia's logistics and war economy.

The timing coincided with the start of SPIEF, a flagship event intended to showcase Russia's economic resilience, attended by approximately 20,000 guests from 130 countries. Notable attendees included a low-key US delegation led by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and popular American personalities such as podcaster Candace Owens.

The Ukranian assault forced the temporary closure of Pulkovo Airport and disrupted mobile internet services in St. Petersburg, while Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted over 350 drones across multiple regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the operation a highly precise execution of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions" to disrupt Russia's war economy.

In response to the strikes, which followed earlier deadly Russian barrage on Kyiv that killed 23 people, the Kremlin promised "systemic" retaliation.

In immediate retaliation for the St. Petersburg strikes, Russian forces launched another wave of attacks. Dnipro, which was actively observing an official day of mourning for the victims of the previous day's attack, was struck again. A precision-guided Iskander-M ballistic missile directly struck a massive distribution and food storage warehouse belonging to ATB, Ukraine’s largest supermarket chain.

The strike entirely destroyed a vital hub of civilian food supply. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov expressed immense frustration online, tying the event directly to the Kronstadt naval strike: "We hit their war corvette in Kronstadt. And they target ATB grocery warehouses in Dnipro."

The warehouse strike, combined with a secondary strike on an innovative Nova Poshta (postal service) logistics terminal and residential areas later that evening, injured at least 12 people in Dnipro, leaving three in critical condition.

 

 

Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Meanwhile, Owens emerged as one of the headline foreign guests at SPIEF, participating in multiple sessions alongside high-ranking Russian officials like State Duma Deputy Chair Anna Kuznetsova and nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin.

Owens was featured on panels addressing the "social sphere and new technologies," as well as sessions focused on family policy, titled "Balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career."

The popular conservative commentator who was the event with her husband George Famer, criticized Western liberal social norms, claiming that institutional shifts in Western Europe and the United States have degraded traditional family structures and core civic values. She suggested her presence in Russia as an act of defiance against what she termed "globalist" censorship, praising alternative platforms that allow for non-Western-aligned perspectives.

Speaking directly to journalists on the sidelines of the forum, Owens directed her sharpest critiques toward U.S. foreign policy and financial commitments to Ukraine. "Ordinary Americans are growing increasingly fatigued by unchecked foreign aid spending while critical domestic issues are sidelined," the 37-year-old mother of 4, said.

Owens asserted that billions of American tax dollars are being funneled into a foreign conflict to sustain "oligarchical spending," arguing that the average U.S. citizen receives no benefit while domestic infrastructure, economic stability, and border security suffer. She argued that mainstream media narratives have artificially sustained the conflict against the true economic interests of the American public.

Also in the country, are controversial 'manosphere' influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate who made a highly publicized arrival at a Moscow airport, where they were greeted by traditional Russian folk dancers offering bread and salt. While the Tate brothers' presence sparked intense debate within Russia, their itinerary was focused heavily on filming content for international audiences and meeting with cultural figures.

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Ukraine Attacks St. Petersburg, As Candace Owens, Others Attend The SPIEF

Ukrainian long-range drones struck the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Kronstadt naval base on Wednesday, igniting massive fires and damaging military assets just hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The attacks targeted critical energy and military infrastructure in Russia's second-largest city, creating a visible backdrop of thick black smoke as international delegates arrived for the summit, often dubbed "Putin's Davos."

The targets included the JSC Petersburg Oil Terminal, one of the largest oil transshipment facilities on the Baltic Sea, which was set ablaze after drones bypassed air defenses. In the nearby city of Kronstadt, Ukrainian forces struck the naval base home to Russia's Baltic Fleet, with video evidence confirming a direct hit on the guided-missile corvette Boikiy while it was in dry dock for repairs.

Additional strikes reportedly hit a weapons factory in the Tambov region, part of what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as "long-range sanctions" designed to disrupt Russia's logistics and war economy.

The timing coincided with the start of SPIEF, a flagship event intended to showcase Russia's economic resilience, attended by approximately 20,000 guests from 130 countries. Notable attendees included a low-key US delegation led by Rodney Mims Cook Jr., former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, and popular American personalities such as podcaster Candace Owens.

The Ukranian assault forced the temporary closure of Pulkovo Airport and disrupted mobile internet services in St. Petersburg, while Russian authorities claimed to have intercepted over 350 drones across multiple regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky labeled the operation a highly precise execution of Ukraine's "long-range sanctions" to disrupt Russia's war economy.

In response to the strikes, which followed earlier deadly Russian barrage on Kyiv that killed 23 people, the Kremlin promised "systemic" retaliation.

In immediate retaliation for the St. Petersburg strikes, Russian forces launched another wave of attacks. Dnipro, which was actively observing an official day of mourning for the victims of the previous day's attack, was struck again. A precision-guided Iskander-M ballistic missile directly struck a massive distribution and food storage warehouse belonging to ATB, Ukraine’s largest supermarket chain.

The strike entirely destroyed a vital hub of civilian food supply. Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov expressed immense frustration online, tying the event directly to the Kronstadt naval strike: "We hit their war corvette in Kronstadt. And they target ATB grocery warehouses in Dnipro."

The warehouse strike, combined with a secondary strike on an innovative Nova Poshta (postal service) logistics terminal and residential areas later that evening, injured at least 12 people in Dnipro, leaving three in critical condition.

 

 
Candace Owens Slams US Aid To Ukraine, In Remarks At SPIEF: Governments 'Should Encourage Big Families'

Meanwhile, Owens emerged as one of the headline foreign guests at SPIEF, participating in multiple sessions alongside high-ranking Russian officials like State Duma Deputy Chair Anna Kuznetsova and nationalist philosopher Aleksandr Dugin.

Owens was featured on panels addressing the "social sphere and new technologies," as well as sessions focused on family policy, titled "Balancing parenthood in a large family with a successful career."

The popular conservative commentator who was the event with her husband George Famer, criticized Western liberal social norms, claiming that institutional shifts in Western Europe and the United States have degraded traditional family structures and core civic values. She suggested her presence in Russia as an act of defiance against what she termed "globalist" censorship, praising alternative platforms that allow for non-Western-aligned perspectives.

Speaking directly to journalists on the sidelines of the forum, Owens directed her sharpest critiques toward U.S. foreign policy and financial commitments to Ukraine. "Ordinary Americans are growing increasingly fatigued by unchecked foreign aid spending while critical domestic issues are sidelined," the 37-year-old mother of 4, said.

Owens asserted that billions of American tax dollars are being funneled into a foreign conflict to sustain "oligarchical spending," arguing that the average U.S. citizen receives no benefit while domestic infrastructure, economic stability, and border security suffer. She argued that mainstream media narratives have artificially sustained the conflict against the true economic interests of the American public.

Also in the country, are controversial 'manosphere' influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate who made a highly publicized arrival at a Moscow airport, where they were greeted by traditional Russian folk dancers offering bread and salt. While the Tate brothers' presence sparked intense debate within Russia, their itinerary was focused heavily on filming content for international audiences and meeting with cultural figures.

Read full Article
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[UPDATED] Lena The Plug Files For Divorce From Adam22, Years After Jason Luv Sex Scene Shoot
UPDATE | Lena The Plug Says She's Not Divorcing Adam22

Lena The Plug says reports of her divorce are false, claiming a stalker filed the paperwork without her consent and that she’s currently working with the courthouse to reverse it. “I love my husband, we’ve been together for 10 years”

==================

Lena the Plug (Lena Nersesian) filed for divorce from Adam22 (Adam Grandmaison) on Monday, in Los Angeles County, which was her birthday. She filed without a lawyer and is seeking legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old daughter. The couple lists their date of separation as April 15, 2026.

In the filing, Lena states she has no job and her only income is $3,000 monthly in spousal support from Adam. She claims limited access to joint financial information (estimating figures) and is requesting half of their $1.1 million entertainment studio. No specific reasons for the divorce (like irreconcilable differences) are detailed in public reports.

Lena and Adam dated for years (starting around 2016–2017), got engaged, had a child, and reportedly married in 2023. Their relationship and brand were built on extreme degeneracy in the adult industry.

They ran the Plug Talk podcast (interviewing adult stars, often followed by scenes) and shared OnlyFans content, including scenes together and with others. Adam also hosts No Jumper. Their dynamic was non-monogamous for content purposes, which they discussed publicly, including boundaries and occasional jealousy.

Lena notoriously filmed multiple scenes with adult performer Jason Luv. The first major scene around 2023 was highly publicized. It generated massive hype, subscriber growth, and memes. Adam initially said he felt "a little jealous" but supported it as great for business and even gifted Lena a Lamborghini afterward.

Luv made comments in interviews claiming he was a "better lover" than Adam, which led to online backlash, a feud, and Adam "blacklisting" Jason from future scenes with Lena at one point.

There was reportedly a second scene later ("The Luv Boat" in 2025). Tensions played out publicly, including during a 2026 amateur boxing match in Miami, where Adam fought Luv. Lena made comments at events favoring Jason in bed, while praising Adam otherwise, probably adding fuel.

These events were controversial—critics saw them as humiliating for Adam or exploitative, while the couple framed them as empowering/business decisions that boosted their platforms. There were also rumors of Lena's off-camera interactions and beach sightings with Luv.

Despite the filing, the couple continued promoting Plug Talk content around the time the news broke. Adam responded on social media with posts about "FREEDOM" and jokingly inviting Black women to DM him, offering to buy a car in one reported post. Their relationship had ups and downs visible online -- financial discussions, content disputes, public feuds -- but they often continued collaborating.

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