Ukraine is pushing its Western allies for additional air defences and to use weapons to attack targets in Russia.

His label, SM Entertainment, says an investigation is ongoing, but refrains from giving details of the sexual crime.

Former editor Chung Pui-kuen says freedom of speech shouldn't be restricted on grounds of ‘eradicating dangerous ideas'.

The US Fed has signalled rate cuts are coming, while other major central banks have started lowering borrowing costs.

US national security adviser and General Zhang Youxia clash over Taiwan but arrange military talks to defuse tensions.

Several Palestinians have been killed and injured in raids across the territory that have drawn global condemnation.

PARIS — A lawyer for Telegram boss Pavel Durov, who is being investigated in France, said it was "totally absurd" to suggest the head of a social network was responsible for any criminal acts committed on the platform, French media said. A French judge put Durov under formal investigation on Wednesday, saying he was suspected of complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, images of child sex abuse and drug trafficking. He is also being investigated for alleged money laundering and the refusal to cooperate with judicial authorities. Durov, who spent four days in police custody following his arrest on Saturday at an airport near Paris, was granted bail on condition he pays $5.6 million, reports twice a week to police and does not leave French territory. His arrest has fueled debate on where freedom of speech ends and enforcement of the law begins, and to what extent tech companies should be held responsible for social media content. Telegram is used by close to a billion people. "It's totally absurd to think that the head of a social network could be involved in criminal acts that do not concern him, either directly or indirectly," lawyer David-Olivier Kaminski, who is representing Durov in France, said in comments to reporters carried by several local media outlets. "Telegram fully abides with European rules on digital," he was quoted as saying. Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates judges consider there is enough evidence to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or shelved. Kaminski did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is known to be an avid user of Telegram, said earlier this week that Durov's arrest was "in no way a political decision" and that the probe had been decided by judicial authorities, not by the government. Macron had lunch with Durov in 2018 as part of a series of meetings with tech entrepreneurs, a source close to the president said, and Durov was granted French citizenship in 2021 under a rare procedure for high-profile individuals.

Fewer than 100 spaces remain in men's prisons, reports say, and magistrates have been told to delay hearings.

Djokovic marches on in his bid for a 25th Grand Slam title and American players shine on a hot day three in New York.

World Food Programme suspends staff movements in Gaza after Israeli forces fired on a vehicle near a Gaza checkpoint.

Which teams have qualified and what's the league's format? What are the new rules? Al Jazeera breaks it down.

A splash of colour and hope for inclusivity headlined the opening ceremony as more than 4,000 athletes paraded in Paris.

Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes says platform faces ban unless Musk names legal representative within 24 hours.

More than 800 students face missing out as their accommodation will not be ready in time.

Powerful storm with gusts of up to 216km per hour made landfall near Satsumasendai city in southwestern Kyushu.

PARIS — French authorities handed preliminary charges to Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Wednesday for allowing alleged criminal activity on his messaging app and barred him from leaving France pending further investigation. Both free-speech advocates and authoritarian governments have spoken out in Durov's defense since his weekend arrest. The case has also called attention to the challenges of policing illegal activity online, and to the Russian-born Durov's own unusual biography and multiple passports. Durov was detained on Saturday at Le Bourget airport outside Paris as part of a sweeping investigation opened earlier this year and released earlier Wednesday after four days of questioning. Investigative judges filed preliminary charges Wednesday night and ordered him to pay 5 million euros bail and to report to a police station twice a week, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office. Allegations against Durov, who is also a French citizen, include that his platform is being used for child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking, and that Telegram refused to share information or documents with investigators when required by law. The first preliminary charge against him was for ''complicity in managing an online platform to allow illicit transactions by an organized group,'' a crime that can lead to sentences of up to 10 years in prison and 500,000 euro fine, the prosecutor's office said. Preliminary charges under French law mean magistrates have strong reason to believe a crime was committed but allow more time for further investigation. David-Olivier Kaminski, a lawyer for Durov, was quoted by French media as saying "it's totally absurd to think that the person in charge of a social network could be implicated in criminal acts that don't concern him, directly or indirectly." Prosecutors said that Durov is, "at this stage, the only person implicated in this case." They did not exclude the possibility that other people are being investigated but declined to comment on other possible arrest warrants. Any other arrest warrant would be revealed only if the target of such a warrant is detained and informed of their rights, prosecutors said in a statement to the AP. French authorities opened a preliminary investigation in February in response to ''the near total absence of a response by Telegram to judicial requests" for data for pursuing suspects, notably those accused of crimes against children, the prosecutor's office said. Durov's arrest in France has caused outrage in Russia, with some government officials calling it politically motivated and proof of the West's double standard on freedom of speech. The outcry has raised eyebrows among Kremlin critics because in 2018, Russian authorities themselves tried to block the Telegram app but failed, withdrawing the ban in 2020. In Iran, where Telegram is widely used despite being officially banned after years of protests challenging the country's Shiite theocracy, Durov's arrest in France prompted comments from the Islamic Republic's supreme leader. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei weighed in with veiled praise for France for being "strict" against those who "violate your governance" of the internet. French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that Durov's arrest wasn't a political move but part of an independent investigation. Macron posted on X that his country "is deeply committed" to freedom of expression but "freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights." In a statement posted on its platform after Durov's arrest, Telegram said it abides by EU laws, and its moderation is "within industry standards and constantly improving." "Almost a billion users globally use Telegram as means of communication and as a source of vital information. We're awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation,'' it said. In addition to Russia and France, Durov is also a citizen of the United Arab Emirates and the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. The UAE Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it was "closely following the case" and had asked France to provide Durov "with all the necessary consular services in an urgent manner." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he hoped that Durov "has all the necessary opportunities for his legal defense" and added that Moscow stands "ready to provide all necessary assistance and support" to the Telegram CEO as a Russian citizen. "But the situation is complicated by the fact that he is also a citizen of France," Peskov said. Telegram was founded by Durov and his brother after he himself faced pressure from Russian authorities. In 2013, he sold his stake in VKontakte, a popular Russian social networking site which he launched in 2006. The company came under pressure during the Russian government's crackdown following mass pro-democracy protests that rocked Moscow at the end of 2011 and 2012. Durov had said authorities demanded that the site take down online communities of Russian opposition activists, and later that it hand over personal data of users who took part in the 2013-14 popular uprising in Ukraine, which eventually ousted a pro-Kremlin president. Durov said in a recent interview that he had turned down these demands and left the country. The demonstrations prompted Russian authorities to clamp down on the digital space, and Telegram and its pro-privacy stance offered a convenient way for Russians to communicate and share news. Telegram also continues to be a popular source of news in Ukraine, where both media outlets and officials use it to share information on the war and deliver missile and air raid alerts. Western governments have often criticized Telegram for a lack of content moderation.

Aricell CEO Park Soon-kwan arrested over alleged violations of industrial safety law.

Former public administrator Robert Telles sentenced to life after being found guilty of 2022 murder of Jeff German.

Schools and colleges in England say a lack of clarity on the future of vocational courses is a "minefield".