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Surprise arrest of Telegram chief

On Saturday, the Russian-born co-founder—Pavel Durov—was arrested by French authorities in Paris. The charges: The absence of content moderation on the social media platform:

French investigators had issued a warrant for Durov’s arrest as part of an inquiry into allegations of fraud, drug trafficking, organised crime, promotion of terrorism and cyberbullying. Durov is accused of failing to take action to curb the criminal use of his platform... “Enough of Telegram’s impunity,” said one investigator who expressed surprise that Durov flew to Paris knowing he was a wanted man.

The exact charges and law invoked are not clear—since the French police aren't saying very much.

About Durov: He first made news as the founder of a Russian encrypted messaging app—which became a haven for those who opposed Vladimir Putin. He set up Telegram in 2013—and left Russia in 2014. So his commitment to free speech is fairly well-established.

Why this matters: His arrest reflects the tension at the core of all social media platforms. Soft content moderation protects political dissident groups—but also offers a haven to drug traffickers, pedophile rings, and neo-Nazi networks. The misuse of these platforms offers justification for strict government control—which of course can and is easily misused, as well.

What’s next: Durov is being held in custody for questioning—which can be extended to 96 hours under French law. The Guardian has the story—and New York Times has more of the big picture.

War on Gaza: Israel vs Hezbollah

The context: For most of this year, there have been escalating worries about a conflict between Iran and Israel. Things became red-hot in April when a Tel Aviv missile assassinated a top commander in the Revolutionary Guard in Syria (see: this Big Story). A fiery tit-for-tat followed—but both sides showed restraint in the end. Just three months later, Israel is teetering on the edge of war—with both Iran and Hezbollah!

What happened now: On Sunday, the confrontation between the two escalated suddenly. Israel launched “preemptive” missile attacks on Lebanon—claiming it had detected plans for a significant offensive. Hezbollah fired 300-plus rockets as “phase one” of its retaliation for the assassination of its top commanders. Both sides say the attacks caused very little damage. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah indicated the next “phase” of the plan will take time to execute: “At this stage, the people can take a breath and relax.” We have no words. (Reuters via The Telegraph)

Starliner will return, but without its crew

The context: The greatly jinxed Boeing Starliner—crewed by hamaari Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore—finally launched on June 5 after multiple delays (explained in this Big Story)—and docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on June 6. It was meant to return on June 14 after a eight-day mission–but the return date kept getting pushed due to “helium leaks and a malfunctioning thruster valve.” The delay has now become yet another strike against Boeing—whose aircraft have become infamous for safety issues.

What happened now: NASA has given up on bringing back Williams and Willmore on the Starliner. It will now return unmanned sometime in early September. The astronauts won’t be able to come home until February 2025—aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft as part of the Crew-9 mission. The reason for this decision: After conducting an “agency-level review” on Saturday, NASA said there was “too much uncertainty.” All of which is terrible PR for Boeing—and bad news for everyone on the ISS. As TIME magazine recently noted: The space station is equipped with only six sleep chambers—which have to accommodate nine astronauts. (The Guardian)

Groundbreaking vaccine trial for lung cancer

Clinical trials for the world’s first ever vaccine against lung cancer have kicked off in the UK, US plus a number of EU countries. Much like the Covid jab, it is an mRNA vaccine known as BNT116. But this is a treatment vaccine—and not meant to boost immunity like other vaccines. The key benefit: It precisely targets cancer cells—rather than fire-bombing them—which creates severe side-effects in current cancer treatments.

Why this matters: Lung cancer causes 1.8 million cancer deaths each year. This vaccine offers hope to those in stage 4. Reminder: Many non-smokers who develop lung cancer—typically due to air pollution—are not diagnosed until it's too late. (The Guardian)

Sticking with new meds: A new drug could help reduce hot flashes—the bane of every menopausal women—without using hormone therapy:

The drug, called elinzanetant, works by blocking the brain chemicals responsible for hot flashes and night sweats — what doctors call vasomotor symptoms — in women whose ovaries have slowed production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

In the trials, more than 80% of the women experienced a reduction in hot flashes by at least 50%. (CNN)

You’ve got microplastics in your brain

In an alarming discovery, a new study has found that microplastics make up almost 0.5% of the weight of the human brain—seven to 30 times higher than any other organ in the body. And it is increasing rapidly—jumping by 50% between 2016 and 2024. Also this: “The most common plastic found in the organs was polyethylene, the polymer that is commonly used to make plastic bags and bottles.”

The really worrying bit: The research found a link between the rise in microplastics in the brain and the rise of Alzheimer’s diseases and other dementia related conditions. (The Guardian)

Found: World’s second largest diamond

A Canadian mining company has unearthed a 2,492-carat rough diamond in Botswana—second largest in history. It is as big as “two-thirds the size of a drinks can” and is worth at least $40 million. It is second only to the 3,106-carat Cullinan Diamond discovered in South Africa in 1905—which were broken up into the British Crown Jewels. As you can see below, it’s a monster:

Our fave bit: Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s reaction to the precious stone: (Financial Times, paywalled, Al Jazeera)

what caught our eye

business & tech

Apple users, rejoice! You can now access your favourite podcasts on Apple Podcasts’ new web app.
Microsoft is officially retiring—or no longer supporting—the 39-year-old Windows’ Control Panel. The Settings app replaces it.
Elon Musk’s X is finally leaving San Francisco. The locals’ response: “Good riddance!”
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) banned Anil Ambani—and 24 others—from the securities market for five years and fined him Rs 250 million (25 crore). Check out our Big Story for more on the poorer Ambani sibling’s financial woes.

sports & entertainment

‘Ted Lasso’ lovers, get excited for a fourth season of footballing humour and heartwarming storytelling. But, but, but: production doesn’t start until 2025.
Say hello to Dua Lipa this November—she will return to India for a one-off show in Mumbai as part of Zomato’s Feeding India festival.
Three months after releasing his viral Gaza-themed single ‘Hind’s Hall’, rapper Macklemore has cancelled his upcoming Dubai show due to UAE’s involvement in the Sudan crisis.
Definitely, maybe? Oasis are set to reunite after 15 years, with beefing brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher burying the hatchet.
Goodbye, Gabbar—Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan has called time on his long career in international and domestic cricket.
Mushfiqur Rahim and Mehidy Hasan Miraz were the stars of the show, as Bangladesh defeated Pakistan for the first time ever in men’s test cricket.

as for the rest

Venezuela’s highest court has upheld the re-election of Nicolás Maduro, amid allegations of widespread voter fraud.
The entire population of Gaza—2.2 million people—is now confined to 15 square miles, smaller than the footprint of Manhattan. Wall Street Journal (splainer gift link) has more.
Paintings aren’t just to be seen, but smelled too! A UK gallery is pairing each artwork of an upcoming exhibition with its own scent.
Robert F Kennedy Jr has suspended his independent presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump.
Almost half of corporate donations in the US election have come from…the crypto industry, according to a report by nonprofit Public Citizen.
Africa will finally receive its first batch of 10,000 vaccines for the deadly MPox virus from the US (Check out our Big Story for more on MPox).
Israeli attacks on Sunday have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, with more still believed to be under the rubble.
The Philippines has accused China of firing flares near its aircraft in the South China Sea—less than a week after the two countries’ ships collided.
Residents of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra, brace yourselves. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned of intense rains near you.
In connection with the RG Kar rape-murder case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has raided 15 locations in Kolkata—including former RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh’s home and offices, where they had to wait 75 minutes.
The best city for remote work is…Budapest, according to a new top 10 list compiled by hybrid workspace operator, International Workplace Group.
If you’re flexible, great news! You’re more likely to live longer, a new study has revealed.

Five things to see

One: The series of photos below show how the Taliban has shrouded Afghan women—erasing them from any kind of public life. The Taliban has issued a new set of morality laws—which severely restrict what they wear. They are also banned from “singing, reciting or reading aloud in public” because a woman’s voice is “intimate.” Below is a photo of the “sharia hijab” required by authorities. Heart-breaking. (NBC News)

Two: US border officials have uncovered a brand new way to smuggle drugs—the watermelon. They found two tonnes of crystal meth “wrapped in plastic painted in two shades of green to resemble the fruit and placed among real watermelons.” Behold the camouflage cartel! (BBC News)

Three: Ed Sheeran’s got himself a new drummer: the God of Thunder Chris Hemsworth—who showed up at a concert in Romania. The gig was part of Hemsworth’s National Geographic show ‘Limitless With Chris Hemsworth’—where he picks up new skills to see how far he can push himself. Watch the Sheeran-Hemsworth collab below. (Hollywood Reporter)

Four: Just weeks after his record-breaking gold at the Paris Olympics, Swedish pole vaulter Armand “Mondo” Duplantis broke his own record at the Silesia Diamond League by launching a 6.26 metre throw! FYI: This is the third time that he’s broken his own record just this year. You can see the overachieving throw below. (Sportstar)

Five: If you’re a Neil Gaiman fan, get ready for Netflix’s upcoming show ‘Kaos’—which also features Greek gods in present-day America. Can you go wrong with Jeff Goldblum as Zeus? We think not. All episodes drop on Netflix on August 29.