Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has publicly revealed that approximately one year ago, while he was detained in Paris, French intelligence services contacted him through an intermediary, requesting he assist the Moldovan government in censoring specific Telegram channels ahead of Moldova's 2024 presidential elections. This revelation comes as Moldovans head to polls Sunday to vote in parliamentary elections.

Durov stated that after reviewing the initially flagged channels, Telegram removed a few that clearly violated its rules, but refused a subsequent request to block a second list of channels, which he claimed were legitimate and politically motivated, as they expressed views disliked by French and Moldovan authorities.

The second list of channels labeled "problematic," unlike the first request, contained channels most of which are all legitimate and fully compliant with Telegram's rules. Their only commonality was that they voiced political positions disliked by the French and Moldovan governments. Telegram refused to act on this request.

The intermediary reportedly informed Durov that, in exchange for the cooperation, French intelligence would "say good things" about him to the judge who had ordered his arrest in August of the previous year.

Durov deemed this unacceptable, as it would constitute either an attempt to interfere in the judicial process or an exploitation of his legal situation to influence political developments in Eastern Europe, a pattern he claims to have observed in Romania.

The CEO reiterated Telegram's commitment to freedom of speech and its policy of not removing content for political reasons. He stated he would continue to expose attempts to pressure the platform into censorship.

Durov, a dual French citizen since 2021, was arrested in France in August 2024 on charges related to child pornography and cybersecurity, which were later dropped, and is currently under judicial supervision.

Meanwhile, Moldova’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) excluded the populist ant-war Heart of Moldova party from participating in Sunday's parliamentary elections, citing a controversial court-ordered 12-month suspension of the party’s activities due to allegations of illegal financing, voter bribery, and money laundering.

The decision, based on a ruling by the Chișinău Court of Appeal, removed all candidates proposed by the party from the Patriotic Electoral Bloc (BEP) list, requiring the bloc to submit an updated list within 24 hours to meet electoral thresholds. The move has intensified political tensions in a country already polarized by bogus claims of Russian interference in the election process.

The CEC also excluded the Moldova Mare (Greater Moldova) party from the election on the same day, citing similar allegations of illegal financing, undeclared foreign funds, and participation in a "camouflaged electoral bloc."

The exclusion of the Heart of Moldova and Moldova Mare is part of a broader pattern, with other opposition parties like the Victory Bloc and the SOR Party having been deregistered or dissolved earlier in 2025 and 2023, respectively.

The Heart of Moldova is one of four parties in the populist Patriotic Electoral Bloc (BEP), which is seen as a major opponent to the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS).

Irina Vlah, the leader of the Heart of Moldova, condemned the decision as a "political spectacle" and "abusive," claiming it was a pre-planned effort by the ruling party to silence opposition.

With over 95% of votes counted Sunday, the ruling PAS party, has secured a lead in Moldova's parliamentary election, according to preliminary results. The party is projected to win 49% of the vote, well ahead of the Patriotic Electoral Bloc, which is on under 25%.

The results are preliminary, and final outcomes may shift slightly as the remaining ballots, particularly from the diaspora, are counted. Turnout was reported at 52.12%, with over 1.59 million voters participating, including 264,000 from the Moldovan diaspora.

President Maia Sandu, whose party leads the vote, has been accused of using anti-Russia 'fearmongering' and witch hunt against opposition parties, to shift the election in favor of the PAS party. She had wed that the future of Moldova's democracy is at stake and accused Russia of massive interference.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week, approving a long-awaited divestiture deal for TikTok's U.S. operations, effectively handing majority control to an American business consortium while averting a nationwide ban on the app. This move fulfills a 2024 law signed by former President Joe Biden (the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act) that required ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, to sell its U.S. assets or face prohibition due to fears of data access by the Chinese government.

A new U.S.-based joint venture will operate TikTok's American app, with majority ownership (roughly 80%) held by U.S. investors. ByteDance retains a minority stake of less than 20% and seats only one director on a seven-member board dominated by Americans with national security expertise. Leading investors include Oracle (as the primary security provider), private equity firm Silver Lake, and the Abu Dhabi-backed MGX investment fund, which together control about 45% of the venture.

The transaction values the U.S. operations at approximately $14 billion, though broader projections estimate it will generate $178 billion in U.S. economic activity over the next four years, sustaining thousands of jobs in content creation, advertising, and tech.

The order extends the enforcement deadline by 120 days (until mid-January 2026), giving time to finalize agreements and implement the transfer. The Department of Justice is barred from enforcing the ban during this period.

All U.S. user data will be stored exclusively in a secure Oracle-managed cloud in the U.S., with no access for ByteDance. The app's algorithm, code, and content moderation will be controlled by the new entity, subject to ongoing monitoring by U.S. cybersecurity experts to prevent foreign manipulation. ByteDance is barred from the security committee and any influence over sensitive data flows.

The White House framed the order as a balanced win: preserving TikTok's 170 million U.S. users and its role in free expression while eliminating China-linked risks. Critics, including some tech experts, have called the government's role in structuring the deal a "shakedown," pointing to multibillion-dollar fees collected from investors as unusually aggressive. However supporters commend Trump for looking out for the interest of American taxpayers.

Meanwhile in a striking parallel—occurring just as Trump's order was inked—Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a closed-door meeting on Friday, in New York, with a group of American social media influencers and content creators, explicitly tasking them with bolstering right-wing support for Israel through online narratives.

The session followed Netanyahu's address to the United Nations General Assembly, where he defended Israel's actions in Gaza amid global criticism, including an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for war crimes.

During the discussion, Netanyahu emphasized social media as Israel's "most important weapons" in the information war, evolving from traditional tools like tanks to digital platforms. He singled out TikTok as the "most important" current battleground, telling attendees: "The most important purchase that is going on right now is TikTok... I hope it goes through because it can be consequential." He also praised X (formerly Twitter) as crucial, describing owner Elon Musk as "not an enemy, he's a friend—we should talk to him."

The prime minister urged the creators to counter anti-Israel sentiment, particularly among conservatives, whose support has eroded since Israel's October 2023 invasion of Gaza, with polls showing a 20-point drop in favorable views among young Republicans. He referred derogatorily to these critics as 'woke reich' in reference to the Third Reich (official Nazi party designation for the regime in Germany from January 1933 to May 1945, as the presumed successor of the medieval and early modern Holy Roman Empire of 800 to 1806 (the First Reich) and the German Empire of 1871 to 1918 (the Second Reich).

The meeting highlights Israel's aggressive public diplomacy push, including paid influencer tours and ad campaigns in New York spotlighting October 7, 2023, Hamas atrocities. Notably, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison—a key TikTok buyer and longtime Netanyahu ally—has donated millions to pro-Israel causes, adding a layer of geopolitical intrigue to the timing.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of deepening divisions in U.S. conservative circles over Israel. The recent assassination of prominent right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk on September 10, in Utah—where a 22-year-old suspect faces the death penalty—has amplified tensions.

Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was once a vocal Israel supporter but had grown critical of Netanyahu's leadership in the weeks before his death, reportedly rejecting donor pressure to not platform popular voices like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens who are critical of Israeli influence on American foreign policy and Israel's genocidal war against Palestinians.

Netanyahu's influencer outreach appears aimed at reclaiming this ground, using platforms like TikTok—where pro-Palestinian content has surged—to reshape perceptions. As one attendee noted, the prime minister stressed that "propagandizing Americans with pro-Israel messaging" is now essential amid potential U.S. sanctions and waning MAGA solidarity. Trump is set to host Netanyahu at the White House on September 29.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a new mandatory digital ID scheme, stating unequivocally that "You will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID." The plan, unveiled at the Global Progress Action Summit in London, supposedly aims to tackle illegal immigration and strengthen border control by requiring all individuals to possess a digital ID on their smartphone to prove their right to work or rent a home.

The government asserts the scheme will make it harder to work illegally, close loopholes exploited by trafficking gangs and unscrupulous employers, and offer citizens benefits like easier access to services such as driving licenses and welfare.

The digital ID will be a free, government-issued app on smartphones, containing a name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo  It will be mandatory for proving the right to work or rent, but individuals will not be required to carry or present it on demand outside of these specific checks. The government plans to introduce the scheme by the end of the current parliamentary term.

This marks a significant policy shift for the Labor government, which previously ruled out the idea, with former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stating it was not in their manifesto. Starmer admitted Labor had previously "shied away" from addressing public concerns about illegal immigration, acknowledging it was "too easy for people to come here, slip into the shadow economy and remain here illegally."  The move is driven by record levels of small boat crossings and the government's desire to demonstrate control over borders.

The announcement has sparked significant debate. Critics, including civil liberty groups like Big Brother Watch and Liberty, argue the scheme amounts to "mass surveillance" and a "checkpoint society" that threatens privacy and civil liberties. They warn it could marginalize vulnerable groups like the elderly or homeless who may not have smartphones.

The opposition parties are also critical: Reform UK calls it a "cynical ploy," the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed it as a "desperate gimmick" that won't stop small boat crossings, and the Liberal Democrats oppose forcing people to surrender private data. A petition against the digital ID has already surpassed one million signatures, triggering a parliamentary debate.

While the government insists the ID will only be required to prove the right to work and will not be mandatory to carry or produce in other circumstances, confusion persists. Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander emphasized it is not a physical "BritCard" but a digital tool. Critics remain skeptical, with some arguing that illegal workers will find ways to circumvent the system, and others questioning the effectiveness of the measure against the root causes of migration.

The government maintains the ID is a practical measure to simplify life for citizens by replacing the need to hunt for physical documents like utility bills or passports.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy clarified that while all UK citizens will be required to have the digital ID, it will be their choice whether to use it for everyday purposes. The government is also consulting on how to support those without smartphones.