Eurotopics.net

The UK plans to follow Australia's example and ban children and youths under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced that the regulation is to come into effect at the start of next year and that the government will resist pressure from tech companies to stop the measure. Commentators raise doubts about whether the prime minister will be able to implement the ban, and how effective it would be.

A majority of nearly 55 percent of Swiss voters rejected a proposal to cap the country's population at ten million in a referendum held on Sunday. Launched by the right-wing populist Swiss People's Party (SVP), the 'No to a Switzerland of 10 Million' initiative proposed restricting the number of refugees admitted to the country once a certain population threshold is reached and, under certain circumstances, also ending the freedom of movement agreed with the EU.

According to several sources, the US and Iran have agreed on a framework deal to end the war. The announcement was first made by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose country is mediating in the conflict. The official signing ceremony is due to take place on Friday. The details of the agreement remain unclear, as does the question of whether renewed Israeli attacks in Lebanon will jeopardise the deal.

British forces have intercepted an oil tanker in the English Channel that appears to belong to Russia's shadow fleet. Russia uses the vessels to evade Western sanctions and generate revenues from oil shipments which are then used to fund the war against Ukraine. The British media praise the move, not only for its impact on Russia.