Ukraine hits Russian refinery as Zelenskyy says ‘we’re done’ with Trump’s energy truce

    France’s Constitutional Council, the country’s highest constitutional authority, has rejected a proposed law that would have banned children under the age of 15 from accessing social media. The decision represents a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who had strongly supported measures aimed at protecting young people from the potential harms of social media. The proposed legislation would have prevented children below 15 from creating social media accounts from September 1. It also required social media companies to close accounts belonging to existing under-15 users within four months. Platforms would have been required to introduce an age-verification system approved by France’s privacy regulator to determine whether users met the minimum age requirement. However, the Constitutional Council ruled that important parts of the legislation did not provide sufficient legal safeguards. In particular, the council objected to the requirement that users prove their age without clearly defining the conditions and limits surrounding the collection and use of such information. According to the council, the legislation placed disproportionate restrictions on freedom of expression and communication. It also failed to adequately protect individuals’ right to privacy. The ruling effectively prevents the law from coming into force in its original form. French lawmakers had approved the legislation in July, making France one of the first European countries to pursue such a comprehensive restriction on social media use by young teenagers. The move followed Australia’s decision to introduce a world-first social media ban for children under 16 in December. The Australian restrictions cover major platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Australian lawmakers are now considering stronger penalties for companies that fail to comply, although early data has indicated that the ban has had mixed results. Several other countries have also taken steps to restrict young people’s access to social media. China, the United Arab Emirates and Türkiye have introduced measures or discussed plans aimed at limiting children’s access to online platforms. At the European Union level, authorities have also indicated that stronger protections may be needed to shield children from harmful features and content on social media platforms. Major technology companies have generallyFrance’s Constitutional Council, the country’s highest constitutional authority, has rejected a proposed law that would have banned children opposed blanket restrictions, arguing that they already provide tools and age-based safeguards to protect younger users. At the same time, companies have indicated that they would follow government regulations where required. Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok had not immediately issued comments on the French court’s decision. Following the ruling, Macron instructed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to revise the proposed legislation and address the Constitutional Council’s concerns. The Elysee Palace said the French president remains committed to introducing the reform. The government wants a revised version of the legislation to take effect before spring 2027, when France is scheduled to hold its next presidential election. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, making the issue a significant part of his government’s remaining agenda.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting Ukraine, saying the country will continue to stand firmly with Kyiv despite warnings from Moscow over Britain’s involvement in the conflict. Burnham said the UK would remain a reliable supporter of Ukraine and would continue providing assistance as the war continues. His comments came after Russia criticised Britain’s role following confirmation that British-made drones had been used in recent Ukrainian attacks inside Russian territory. “We are not fair-weather friends,” Burnham said, stressing that Britain would remain with Ukraine during what he described as its “hour of need”. He added that the UK’s position was to provide Ukraine with the support necessary to defend itself. The Russian embassy in the UK responded by accusing Britain of deliberately increasing tensions surrounding the war. It warned that the greater Britain’s involvement in the conflict became, the greater the consequences could be for the UK. The embassy said London’s actions would eventually have consequences for which Britain would have to take responsibility. However, it did not provide specific details about what form those consequences might take. The latest dispute follows an increase in Ukrainian attacks against targets deep inside Russia. Ukrainian forces have recently focused on areas including Moscow and other parts of the country, with oil refineries, logistics facilities and other strategically important sites among the reported targets. One company affected by the attacks is Wildberries, a major Russian online retailer. Its logistics infrastructure has reportedly been damaged during recent Ukrainian drone strikes. Asked about Moscow’s warning, Burnham defended the UK’s policy of assisting Ukraine. He said Britain was providing support to enable Ukraine to protect itself and argued that this had been the country’s position throughout the conflict, including under previous British prime ministers. The UK has been one of Ukraine’s strongest international supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Britain has supplied Kyiv with military equipment, training and technology, including drone capabilities and Storm Shadow missiles. The UK’s Ministry of Defence has also reiterated its commitment to supplying Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself against Russian forces and what it described as President Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion. Russia currently occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine, but Russian troops have made limited progress along the front line in recent months. Despite the lack of major advances, however, attacks and casualties continue to occur far from the main battlefield. United Nations officials have reported a sharp increase in civilian casualties. At least 437 civilians were killed in Ukraine last month, making it the country’s deadliest month for civilians since May 2022. More people were killed in the latest Russian attacks on Tuesday. Seventeen Ukrainians reportedly died in different parts of the country. Ten people were killed in the north-eastern village of Pechenihy after two missiles struck the area. Residential buildings, a cafe and a post office were among the places damaged. Other deaths were reported in Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, with three people killed in Sumy and two each in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Meanwhile, Moscow’s latest warning came after a series of Ukrainian strikes inside Russia. Five people were reportedly killed in a residential area of Russia’s Rostov region during attacks over the weekend. Ukraine has also launched hundreds of drones towards the Moscow region in recent days. Regional governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Tuesday that a 10-year-old girl was injured and a Wildberries warehouse was damaged. Alongside foreign-made equipment, Ukraine has increasingly relied on its own defence industry. Ukrainian forces have recently used domestically developed drones and missiles, including the FP-5 Flamingo cruise missile. The latest developments demonstrate the increasingly long-range nature of the conflict and the growing risks faced by countries supporting Ukraine. Despite Moscow’s warnings, Britain maintains that helping Ukraine defend itself remains a central part of its policy.