Tehran will not submit to any “excessive demands” by Washington during future talks, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has said US President Donald Trump pushed for a memorandum of understanding with Iran because he found himself in a dire situation, the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has said. The 14-point document was signed remotely by Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian late on Wednesday, and entered force with immediate effect, according to Pakistani mediators. Tehran previously said that the MOU envisages a series of concessions by Washington, including the lifting of the US naval blockade on Iran, sanctions waivers for Tehran’s oil exports, access to frozen Iranian funds, and a US-backed economic reconstruction plan to the tune of at least $300 billion. On Thursday, Khamenei commented on the signing of the agreement, stressing in a statement that it w...
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An aging population, a collapse of fertility, and record numbers of abortions and divorces are turning a decline into a full-on nosedive The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has cited a forecast by the Rhodium Group research team according to which China’s population will shrink by 60 million people over the next ten years. Even such a decline, comparable to the population of France (68.5 million people), does not at first glance seem catastrophic against the backdrop of China’s total population of 1.4 billion. Boris Johnson might even consider it an excellent result worthy of congratulating the Chinese leadership. The issue, however, lies in the trend and the outlook. Population decline in China has now been recorded for a fourth consecutive year since 2022. But the roots of this great demographic turning point go back to the 1970s. At that time, the global ‘population explosion’ w...
The 1st International Bridge Awards ceremony has been held in the country’s capital Several outstanding foreigners who have chosen Russia as their new home have been honored at the Bridge Awards gala night in Moscow for their contribution to the country’s economy and culture. The ceremony, which is backed by the Russian Foreign Ministry and Moscow’s authorities, was held for the first time on Wednesday. The awards were handed out in 13 categories, including business, architecture, media, family values and charity. The head of the Russian capital’s department of international relations, Sergey Cheremin, praised the achievements of the nominees, saying that “they create a unique, friendly atmosphere in the country, build beautiful cities… and enrich our culture.” The prize in culture and art category went to Japanese dancer Kohei Fukuda, who has been a member of the Novo...
This is the ‘Hormuz Effect’ – the ultimate symbol of the decline of the American dream The US-Iran War is officially over. After months of back-and-forth negotiations, a finalized Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by US President Donald Trump and his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian, the fighting stopped, and shipping will resume at Iranian ports and through the Strait of Hormuz. It is this last part that deserves more attention, because the entire focus of the American effort during the negotiation period boiled down to getting oil flowing freely once again through this choke point. As James Carvelle famously noted during former US President Bill Clinton’s 1992 election, “It’s the economy, stupid.” The minutia of foreign policy can drive those elites in power, but to remain in power they need the support of the people on election day, and to get that suppo...
Brussels should focus on restoring diplomacy with Moscow, Bulgaria’s new government has said The EU’s latest Russia sanctions package proposal includes counter-productive measures that could backfire on its own member states, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova has said. The government of Ukraine-skeptic Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who assumed office in May, are reportedly “digging their heels in” against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal. Sofia has concerns about a number of measures being pushed by Brussels, though the country’s government does not oppose sanctions that could help bring Moscow and Kiev closer to peace talks, Petrova said on Wednesday. “We support sanctions that have a real economic effect, but do not lead to greater damage for the member states than [Russia],” she said. Bulgaria depends on Russian energy s...
The real threat isn’t screen time – it’s a family culture where children are more afraid of telling the truth than going online alone Bans on social media for teenagers might seem like a protective measure, but without trust, family accountability, and overall digital literacy, they often backfire. Instead of disappearing from the internet, kids gravitate toward less visible and secure internet spaces, resorting to VPNs, anonymous accounts, and the use of less monitored platforms. Pavel Durov recently made a similar statement, criticizing the British government’s decision to restrict social media access for users under 16. He argued that such restrictions would push teens into a digital environment with a higher risk of encountering illegal and harmful content, as it doesn’t undergo the standard moderation that social media platforms typically enforce. Not all children might immediately turn to...