Photos show the aftermath of a damaging earthquake in southwestern Japan

KUMAMOTO, Japan (AP) — A powerful earthquake struck the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu on Tuesday. A shopping mall, a factory and multiple homes were heavily damaged, and Self Defense Forces personnel joined rescue workers to look for survivors.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Firefighters and Self Defense Force members prepare their work at AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, is seen in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

A police officer controls the traffic near AEON Mall, which was destroyed by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Emergency vehicles are seen in front of AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

A vehicle passes by collapsed houses after an earthquake in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto prefecture, Wednesday, July 29, 2026.(Juntaro Yokoyama/Kyodo News via AP)

A utility worker repairs power lines near AEON Mall, which was damaged in an explosion following an earthquake in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, is seen in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Damaged cars are seen in a parking lot at AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

People stand by the fallen torii gate near a shrine, a day after an earthquake in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto prefecture, Wednesday, July 29, 2026.(Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP)

AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, is seen in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

A rescue worker walks in front of AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, is seen in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)

Russia’s main domestic security agency said Wednesday that Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, has been charged with aiding terrorism and put on an international wanted list.

The charges against Durov, who was born and began his career in Russia but later moved abroad, came as the Russian authorities restrict Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in the country. It is part of a long-term effort to bring the internet under the Kremlin’s full control that has intensified since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, accused Telegram’s administration in a statement of failing to remove “numerous channels, chats and bots” that are “actively used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist, and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud" in Russia, which resulted in “numerous human casualties.”

The agency accused Ukrainian security services of using a popular dating chat bot on Telegram to lure and recruit Russians for “sabotage and terrorist activities,” and said 46 users of the chat bot, from 12 to 22 years old, have been detained across Russia since July 2025.

Durov earlier this year announced that the Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation against him and accused them of fabricating pretexts to restrict access to Telegram as part of an attempt to “suppress the right to privacy and free speech.”

If convicted, Durov could face up to life in prison in Russia.

Under President Vladimir Putin, Russian authorities have engaged in multipronged efforts to rein in the internet. They have adopted restrictive laws and banned websites and platforms that don’t comply and focused on improving technology to monitor and manipulate online traffic.

Multiple popular social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and X, have been banned in Russia; YouTube has been throttled; popular messaging apps, such as Signal and Viber, have been blocked, and the most popular ones — WhatsApp and Telegram — have been restricted.

While it’s still possible to circumvent some of the restrictions by using virtual private network services, many of them are routinely blocked, too.

At the same time, Russia actively promotes the “national” messaging app known as MAX, which critics say could be used for surveillance. The platform is touted by developers and officials as a one-stop shop for messaging, online government services, making payments and more. It openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request, and experts also say it doesn’t use end-to-end encryption.

Durov has faced criminal investigations elsewhere. In 2024, he was arrested in Paris over allegations that his platform was being used for illicit activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images.

This story has been corrected to show the potential penalty is life in prison, not 15 years.

FILE - Pavel Durov, founder of Russia's leading social network site VKontakte, or "in contact", stands in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, May 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Roman Kulik, File)

FILE - Protesters hold a portrait of messaging app Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov designed as an icon, protesting against the blocking of the app in Russia, during a May Day rally in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov smiles following his meeting with Indonesian Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Aug. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File)

The app Telegram, center, a popular messenger app in Russia restricted by authorities, is shown on a smartphone in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo)

The app Telegram, a popular messenger app in Russia restricted by authorities, is shown on a smartphone in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo)

FILE - Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov appears at an event on Aug. 1, 2017 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File)