Riot police and protesters in Hong Kong fought brief skirmishes near the Chinese border on Saturday, the latest clashes during huge pro-democracy protests that have battered the financial hub for more than three months.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at small groups of hardcore activists who had built barricades in the outlying town of Tuen Mun, some of them lobbing bricks and at least one Molotov cocktail.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/when-will-you-die-hong-kong-leader-carrie-lam-grilled-at-press-conference-242677">'When will you die?' Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam grilled at press conference</a>

Multiple protesters were seen being arrested in the clashes, which were less sustained than the intense battles of previous weekends.

The city has been convulsed by months of huge, sometimes violent rallies calling for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability.

The movement is the biggest challenge to China's rule since <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-accuses-hong-kong-police-of-abuses-torture-of-protestors-250814">Hong Kong</a> was handed back by Britain in 1997 and shows no sign of ending, with city leaders and Beijing taking a hard line.

Saturday's clashes were the 16th straight weekend of protests and skirmishes.

In a now-familiar pattern, the day began with a peaceful rally through Tuen Mun, a town in Hong Kong's northwest, close to the border with mainland China.

At one point, a handful of protesters pulled down China's flag flying outside a local government office and burned it.

Tensions soon spiked after police snatch squads rushed into a park where crowds had gathered and made a series of arrests.

Hundreds of hardcore activists then built barricades and dismantled nearby fences to arm themselves with makeshift clubs. Objects were also thrown onto nearby train tracks.

But protesters showed little appetite in holding ground, quickly retreating as soon as tear gas and rubber bullets were fired by police.

By Saturday evening, pockets of demonstrators and police were playing a familiar game of cat and mouse.

Calvin Tan, 22, was among those taking part in the rally earlier in the day.

He said most protesters were prepared for a "long term fight".

"Every small protest matters, even though it doesn't seem to help that much, it's like each small step in a marathon," he told AFP.

'No choice'

Tan described himself as a moderate who avoids clashes with police. But he said he ideologically supports those on the frontlines.

"When facing institutional violence, we have no choice but to respond with street fights," he said. "We have tried peaceful, rational and non-violent methods and continued using these ways to fight for our demands."

Hong Kong has been plunged into crisis this summer.

The protests were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the authoritarian Chinese mainland.

But when local leaders and Beijing refused to budge it snowballed into a wider campaign for democracy, fuelled by animosity towards the police.

Protesters have hurled rocks, bottles and petrol bombs as well as used slingshots in their battles with police, who have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons with growing frequency.

On Friday Amnesty International released a report accusing Hong Kong's police of using excessive force, in some cases amounting to torture.

The UN's rights watchdog has also criticized the city's police.

But the city's force rejects such criticism, saying their officers have used proportionate force against hardcore protesters who are showing increasing levels of violence.

At a briefing with foreign journalists on Friday, a senior commanding officer said he was alarmed by the latest tactics from protesters.

"Our officers are worried that&nbsp;violence has got to such a level that they might have to kill someone or be killed themselves," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"We have been so restrained but in the face of such violence, this pressure has become extremely dangerous."

Riot police and protesters in Hong Kong fought brief skirmishes near the Chinese border on Saturday, the latest clashes during huge pro-democracy protests that have battered the financial hub for more than three months.

Riot police and protesters in Hong Kong fought brief skirmishes near the Chinese border on Saturday, the latest clashes during huge pro-democracy protests that have battered the financial hub for more than three months. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at small groups of hardcore activists who had built barricades in the outlying town of Tuen Mun, some of them lobbing bricks and at least one Molotov cocktail. Also read: 'When will you die?' Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam grilled at press conference Multiple protesters were seen being arrested in the clashes, which were less sustained than the intense battles of previous weekends. The city has been convulsed by months of huge, sometimes violent rallies calling for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability. The movement is the biggest challenge to China's rule since Hong Kong was handed back by Britain in 1997 and shows no sign of ending, with city leaders and Beijing taking a hard line. Saturday's clashes were the 16th straight weekend of protests and skirmishes. In a now-familiar pattern, the day began with a peaceful rally through Tuen Mun, a town in Hong Kong's northwest, close to the border with mainland China. At one point, a handful of protesters pulled down China's flag flying outside a local government office and burned it. Tensions soon spiked after police snatch squads rushed into a park where crowds had gathered and made a series of arrests. Hundreds of hardcore activists then built barricades and dismantled nearby fences to arm themselves with makeshift clubs. Objects were also thrown onto nearby train tracks. But protesters showed little appetite in holding ground, quickly retreating as soon as tear gas and rubber bullets were fired by police. By Saturday evening, pockets of demonstrators and police were playing a familiar game of cat and mouse. Calvin Tan, 22, was among those taking part in the rally earlier in the day. He said most protesters were prepared for a "long term fight". "Every small protest matters, even though it doesn't seem to help that much, it's like each small step in a marathon," he told AFP. 'No choice' Tan described himself as a moderate who avoids clashes with police. But he said he ideologically supports those on the frontlines. "When facing institutional violence, we have no choice but to respond with street fights," he said. "We have tried peaceful, rational and non-violent methods and continued using these ways to fight for our demands." Hong Kong has been plunged into crisis this summer. The protests were ignited by a now-scrapped plan to allow extraditions to the authoritarian Chinese mainland. But when local leaders and Beijing refused to budge it snowballed into a wider campaign for democracy, fuelled by animosity towards the police. Protesters have hurled rocks, bottles and petrol bombs as well as used slingshots in their battles with police, who have responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons with growing frequency. On Friday Amnesty International released a report accusing Hong Kong's police of using excessive force, in some cases amounting to torture. The UN's rights watchdog has also criticized the city's police. But the city's force rejects such criticism, saying their officers have used proportionate force against hardcore protesters who are showing increasing levels of violence. At a briefing with foreign journalists on Friday, a senior commanding officer said he was alarmed by the latest tactics from protesters. "Our officers are worried that violence has got to such a level that they might have to kill someone or be killed themselves," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We have been so restrained but in the face of such violence, this pressure has become extremely dangerous."

Hong Kong police, protesters clash in 16th weekend of rallies

Over a hundred demonstrators were arrested at yellow vest protests in Paris on Saturday as about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-of-paris-police-deployed-over-yellow-vest-clash-fears-250913">7,500 police were deployed</a> to quell any violence by the movement and its radical, anarchist "black blocs".

There were also fears that the demonstrators could try to infiltrate a march against climate change in the French capital.

The yellow vest movement erupted 10 months ago and blindsided President Emmanuel Macron, whom protesters accused of being out of touch with the needs of ordinary French people.

"What are we doing? We are assembling just to say that we can't make ends meet. (The protest) is not only against the president, it's against the system," said a woman protestor who did not give her name. &nbsp;

The weekly demonstrations -- Saturday was the 45th -- prompted Macron to loosen the state's purse strings to the tune of nearly 17 billion euros ($18.8 billion) in wage boosts and tax cuts for low earners, but tapered off over the summer.

However, it remains to be seen whether the movement will regain the momentum of the winter and early spring, when the protests often descended into violent clashes with security forces, especially in Paris.

By 1.00 pm (11 GMT) police had arrested 106 demonstrators, police headquarters said, adding that some had been found to carry hammers or petrol canisters.

"We are being treated like criminals," said a woman, who identified herself as Brigitte.

The authorities had banned demonstrations in some areas of the city, including tourism hotspot Champs-Elysees, but some protesters violated the ban, leading to a tense standoff with police who used teargas and batons to scatter them.

Macron on Friday called for "calm", saying that while "it's good that people express themselves", they should not disrupt a climate protest and cultural events also due to go ahead on Saturday.

The number of police deployed for Saturday's rallies are on a par with the peak of the yellow vest protests in December and March.

'Black blocs'

Key yellow-vest figure Jerome Rodrigues has billed Saturday's protest as "a revelatory demonstration", claiming "many people are going to come to Paris".

But officials have again outlawed protests on the Champs-Elysees and other areas in the heart of the capital, where previously protesters had ransacked and set fire to luxury shops and restaurants.

Some demonstrators in January even used a forklift truck to break down the doors of a government ministry.

The police have also been criticised for being heavy-handed in clashes with hardcore anti-capitalist "black bloc" groups blamed for much of the violence that has accompanied the demonstrations.

Saturday coincides with the annual European Heritage Days weekend, when public and private buildings normally off-limits to the public are open to visitors.

After attracting 282,000 people nationwide on the first day of protests last November, yellow-vest protest participation had fallen sharply by the spring, and only sporadic protests were seen over the summer.

Macron said in an interview with Time magazine published Thursday that the movement had been "very good for me" as it had made him listen and communicate better.

"My challenge is to listen to people much better than I did at the very beginning," the president said.

Over a hundred demonstrators were arrested at yellow vest protests in Paris on Saturday as about 7,500 police were deployed to quell any violence by the movement and its radical, anarchist "black blocs".

Over a hundred demonstrators were arrested at yellow vest protests in Paris on Saturday as about 7,500 police were deployed to quell any violence by the movement and its radical, anarchist "black blocs". There were also fears that the demonstrators could try to infiltrate a march against climate change in the French capital. The yellow vest movement erupted 10 months ago and blindsided President Emmanuel Macron, whom protesters accused of being out of touch with the needs of ordinary French people. "What are we doing? We are assembling just to say that we can't make ends meet. (The protest) is not only against the president, it's against the system," said a woman protestor who did not give her name. The weekly demonstrations -- Saturday was the 45th -- prompted Macron to loosen the state's purse strings to the tune of nearly 17 billion euros ($18.8 billion) in wage boosts and tax cuts for low earners, but tapered off over the summer. However, it remains to be seen whether the movement will regain the momentum of the winter and early spring, when the protests often descended into violent clashes with security forces, especially in Paris. By 1.00 pm (11 GMT) police had arrested 106 demonstrators, police headquarters said, adding that some had been found to carry hammers or petrol canisters. "We are being treated like criminals," said a woman, who identified herself as Brigitte. The authorities had banned demonstrations in some areas of the city, including tourism hotspot Champs-Elysees, but some protesters violated the ban, leading to a tense standoff with police who used teargas and batons to scatter them. Macron on Friday called for "calm", saying that while "it's good that people express themselves", they should not disrupt a climate protest and cultural events also due to go ahead on Saturday. The number of police deployed for Saturday's rallies are on a par with the peak of the yellow vest protests in December and March. 'Black blocs' Key yellow-vest figure Jerome Rodrigues has billed Saturday's protest as "a revelatory demonstration", claiming "many people are going to come to Paris". But officials have again outlawed protests on the Champs-Elysees and other areas in the heart of the capital, where previously protesters had ransacked and set fire to luxury shops and restaurants. Some demonstrators in January even used a forklift truck to break down the doors of a government ministry. The police have also been criticised for being heavy-handed in clashes with hardcore anti-capitalist "black bloc" groups blamed for much of the violence that has accompanied the demonstrations. Saturday coincides with the annual European Heritage Days weekend, when public and private buildings normally off-limits to the public are open to visitors. After attracting 282,000 people nationwide on the first day of protests last November, yellow-vest protest participation had fallen sharply by the spring, and only sporadic protests were seen over the summer. Macron said in an interview with Time magazine published Thursday that the movement had been "very good for me" as it had made him listen and communicate better. "My challenge is to listen to people much better than I did at the very beginning," the president said.

More than 100 arrested in Paris 'yellow vest' protests

Massive protests are expected in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Saturday.

The New York Times on September 19 had reported that the residents "have called for a massive protest on border with India on Saturday and in early October that is expected to be the biggest demonstrations yet."

The report had highlighted that the call for independence within PoK has been growing. It said that pro-independence movements are now attracting thousands of protesters. These protests were barely covered in Pakistani media and mobile phone and internet were cut off for a while in the area. One military general dismissed the demonstrators as "Indian agents."

This comes ahead of the scheduled UNGA session where both the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/article-370-abrogation-india-pakistan-clash-likely-at-unhrc-meet-in-geneva-248505">Indian and Pakistani</a> Prime Ministers are scheduled to speak.

This also comes in the wake of India decision to do away with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/removal-of-article-370-heralds-an-era-of-progress-for-jammu-and-kashmir-242889">Article 370</a> of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Even as Pakistan continues to make attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue despite rebuffs, it has put curbs on residents of PoK who want&nbsp;an end to its control over the territory.

Pakistan's message to the residents in PoK has been very clear: No talk of independence will be allowed, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

A few NYT journalists who were granted rare access to the region in recent days found a toughening Pakistani security response to a growing pro-independence movement there.

Residents were quoted as saying that Pakistan's domination over the occupied territories has increased over the years especially after the scope of dialogue between the two countries came down.

Quoting the locals of the area, the NYT reported that the Pakistani crackdown also has another focus.

As outrage over India's move to end Kashmir's previously accorded (temporary) constitutional status has galvanised militants, Pakistani officials fear they could face international sanctions if they don't rein in the armed groups.

On August 5, the Government of India had announced the decision to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution which gave special status to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/the-road-ahead-whats-next-for-jammu-and-kashmir-after-bifurcation-revocation-of-articles-370-35a-240930">Jammu Kashmir</a>.

Pakistan and its leaders have since then resorted to cheap rhetoric against India with many threatening of war. It also downgraded its diplomatic relations with India.

India on its part has maintained that the issue is strictly internal to India.

Massive protests are expected in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Saturday. The New York Times on September 19 had reported that the residents "have called for a massive protest on border with India on Saturday and in early October that is expected to be the biggest demonstrations yet.

Massive protests are expected in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Saturday. The New York Times on September 19 had reported that the residents "have called for a massive protest on border with India on Saturday and in early October that is expected to be the biggest demonstrations yet." The report had highlighted that the call for independence within PoK has been growing. It said that pro-independence movements are now attracting thousands of protesters. These protests were barely covered in Pakistani media and mobile phone and internet were cut off for a while in the area. One military general dismissed the demonstrators as "Indian agents." This comes ahead of the scheduled UNGA session where both the Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers are scheduled to speak. This also comes in the wake of India decision to do away with Article 370 of the Constitution which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Even as Pakistan continues to make attempts to internationalise the Kashmir issue despite rebuffs, it has put curbs on residents of PoK who want an end to its control over the territory. Pakistan's message to the residents in PoK has been very clear: No talk of independence will be allowed, The New York Times reported on Thursday. A few NYT journalists who were granted rare access to the region in recent days found a toughening Pakistani security response to a growing pro-independence movement there. Residents were quoted as saying that Pakistan's domination over the occupied territories has increased over the years especially after the scope of dialogue between the two countries came down. Quoting the locals of the area, the NYT reported that the Pakistani crackdown also has another focus. As outrage over India's move to end Kashmir's previously accorded (temporary) constitutional status has galvanised militants, Pakistani officials fear they could face international sanctions if they don't rein in the armed groups. On August 5, the Government of India had announced the decision to abrogate Article 370 of the constitution which gave special status to Jammu Kashmir. Pakistan and its leaders have since then resorted to cheap rhetoric against India with many threatening of war. It also downgraded its diplomatic relations with India. India on its part has maintained that the issue is strictly internal to India.

Massive protest expected in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir: Report

Any country that attacks<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-new-us-sanctions-target-iranians-access-to-food-medicine-250961"> Iran </a>will become the "main battlefield", the Revolutionary Guards warned Saturday after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-sending-troops-to-bolster-saudi-defences-after-attack-250910">Washington ordered reinforcements </a>to the Gulf following attacks on Saudi oil installations it blames on Tehran.

Tensions escalated between arch-foes Iran and the United States after last weekend's attacks on Saudi energy giant Aramco's Abqaiq processing plant and Khurais oilfield halved the kingdom's oil output.

Yemen's Huthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the strikes but the US says it has concluded the attacks involved cruise missiles from Iran and amounted to "an act of war".

Washington approved the deployment of troops to Saudi Arabia at "the kingdom's request," Defence Secretary Mark Esper said, noting the forces would be "defensive in nature" and focused on air and missile defence.

But Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Major General Hossein Salami said Iran was "ready for any type of scenario".

"Whoever wants their land to become the main battlefield, go ahead," he told a news conference in Tehran.

"We will never allow any war to encroach upon Iran's territory.

"We hope that they don't make a strategic mistake", he said, listing past US military "adventures" against Iran.

Salami was speaking at Tehran's Islamic Revolution and Holy Defence museum during the unveiling of an exhibition of what Iran says are US and other drones captured in its territory.

It featured a badly damaged drone with US military markings said to be an RQ-4 Global Hawk that Iran downed in June, as well as an RQ-170 Sentinel captured in 2011 and still intact.

'Act of war'

The Guards also displayed the domestically manufactured Khordad 3 air defence battery they say was used to shoot down the Global Hawk.

"What are your drones doing in our airspace? We will shoot them down, shoot anything that encroaches on our airspace," said Salami, noting Iran had defeated "America's technological dominance" in air defence and drone manufacture.

His remarks came only days after strikes on Saudi oil facilities claimed by Yemen's Huthis, but the US says it has concluded the attack involved cruise missiles from Iran and amounted to "an act of war".

Saudi Arabia, which has been bogged down in a five-year war across its southern border in Yemen, has said Iran "unquestionably sponsored" the attacks.

The kingdom says the weapons used in the attacks were Iranian-made, but it stopped short of directly blaming its regional rival.

"Sometimes they talk of military options," Salami said, apparently referring to the Americans.

Yet he warned that "a limited aggression will not remain limited" as Iran was determined to respond and would "not rest until the aggressor's collapse."

'Crushing response'

The Guards' aerospace commander said the US ought to learn from its past failures and abandon its hostile rhetoric.

"We've stood tall for the past 40 years and if the enemy makes a mistake, it will certainly receive a crushing response," Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said.

The United States upped the ante on Friday by announcing new sanctions against Iran's central bank, with President Donald Trump calling the measures the toughest America has ever imposed on another country.

Washington has imposed a series of sanctions against Tehran since unilaterally pulling out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year.

It already maintains sweeping sanctions on Iran's central bank, but the US Treasury said Friday's designation was over the regulator's work in funding "terrorism".

The "action targets a crucial funding mechanism that the Iranian regime uses to support its terrorist network, including the Qods Force, Hezbollah and other militants that spread terror and destabilise the region," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The Qods Force is the Guards' foreign operations arm, while Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite militant group closely allied with Iran.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the new sanctions meant the United States was "trying to block the Iranian people's access to food and medicine".

It showed the US was in "despair" and that "the maximum pressure policy has reached its end," semi-official news agency ISNA quoted him as saying from New York.

Any country that attacks Iran will become the "main battlefield", the Revolutionary Guards warned Saturday after Washington ordered reinforcements to the Gulf following attacks on Saudi oil installations it blames on Tehran.

Any country that attacks Iran will become the "main battlefield", the Revolutionary Guards warned Saturday after Washington ordered reinforcements to the Gulf following attacks on Saudi oil installations it blames on Tehran. Tensions escalated between arch-foes Iran and the United States after last weekend's attacks on Saudi energy giant Aramco's Abqaiq processing plant and Khurais oilfield halved the kingdom's oil output. Yemen's Huthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the strikes but the US says it has concluded the attacks involved cruise missiles from Iran and amounted to "an act of war". Washington approved the deployment of troops to Saudi Arabia at "the kingdom's request," Defence Secretary Mark Esper said, noting the forces would be "defensive in nature" and focused on air and missile defence. But Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Major General Hossein Salami said Iran was "ready for any type of scenario". "Whoever wants their land to become the main battlefield, go ahead," he told a news conference in Tehran. "We will never allow any war to encroach upon Iran's territory. "We hope that they don't make a strategic mistake", he said, listing past US military "adventures" against Iran. Salami was speaking at Tehran's Islamic Revolution and Holy Defence museum during the unveiling of an exhibition of what Iran says are US and other drones captured in its territory. It featured a badly damaged drone with US military markings said to be an RQ-4 Global Hawk that Iran downed in June, as well as an RQ-170 Sentinel captured in 2011 and still intact. 'Act of war' The Guards also displayed the domestically manufactured Khordad 3 air defence battery they say was used to shoot down the Global Hawk. "What are your drones doing in our airspace? We will shoot them down, shoot anything that encroaches on our airspace," said Salami, noting Iran had defeated "America's technological dominance" in air defence and drone manufacture. His remarks came only days after strikes on Saudi oil facilities claimed by Yemen's Huthis, but the US says it has concluded the attack involved cruise missiles from Iran and amounted to "an act of war". Saudi Arabia, which has been bogged down in a five-year war across its southern border in Yemen, has said Iran "unquestionably sponsored" the attacks. The kingdom says the weapons used in the attacks were Iranian-made, but it stopped short of directly blaming its regional rival. "Sometimes they talk of military options," Salami said, apparently referring to the Americans. Yet he warned that "a limited aggression will not remain limited" as Iran was determined to respond and would "not rest until the aggressor's collapse." 'Crushing response' The Guards' aerospace commander said the US ought to learn from its past failures and abandon its hostile rhetoric. "We've stood tall for the past 40 years and if the enemy makes a mistake, it will certainly receive a crushing response," Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh said. The United States upped the ante on Friday by announcing new sanctions against Iran's central bank, with President Donald Trump calling the measures the toughest America has ever imposed on another country. Washington has imposed a series of sanctions against Tehran since unilaterally pulling out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May last year. It already maintains sweeping sanctions on Iran's central bank, but the US Treasury said Friday's designation was over the regulator's work in funding "terrorism". The "action targets a crucial funding mechanism that the Iranian regime uses to support its terrorist network, including the Qods Force, Hezbollah and other militants that spread terror and destabilise the region," said US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The Qods Force is the Guards' foreign operations arm, while Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite militant group closely allied with Iran. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the new sanctions meant the United States was "trying to block the Iranian people's access to food and medicine". It showed the US was in "despair" and that "the maximum pressure policy has reached its end," semi-official news agency ISNA quoted him as saying from New York.

Iran issues 'battlefield' warning as US deploys troops

Facebook said Friday it suspended "tens of thousands" of apps on its platform as a result of a privacy practices review launched following a scandal involving Cambridge Analytica.

The review started in 2018 after revelations that the political consultancy hijacked personal data on millions of Facebook users, and it included attorneys, external investigators, data scientists, engineers, policy specialists and others, according to a Facebook statement.

The suspensions are "not necessarily an indication that these apps were posing a threat to people," said vice president of partnerships Ime Archibong, adding that some developers "did not respond to our request for information."

Archibong said the investigation "has addressed millions of apps. Of those, tens of thousands have been suspended for a variety of reasons while we continue to investigate."

The suspected apps were associated with about 400 developers, and many of the software programs were still in testing phases, according to Facebook.

The huge social network became the subject of intense scrutiny after acknowledging in 2018 that Cambridge Analytica misappropriated personal data on tens of millions of Facebook users as part of its work for Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

Subsequently, Facebook said it would review all apps on the platform to determine how they used data and if they respect its privacy rules.

"In a few cases, we have banned apps completely," Archibong said.

Bans can be caused by violations including inappropriately sharing data obtained from Facebook or making data publicly available without protecting people's identities, according to the social network.

App crackdown

"One app banned was called myPersonality, which shared information with researchers and companies with only limited protections in place, and then refused our request to participate in an audit," Archibong said.

A year ago, Facebook said it had banned some 400 apps including one called myPersonality, which according to Archibong "shared information with researchers and companies with only limited protections in place," and refused to accept an audit.

Facebook said a recent agreement on privacy with the US Federal Trade Commission -- which included a record $5 billion fine -- calls for additional oversight on app developers.

It "requires developers to annually certify compliance with our policies," Archibong said. "Any developer that doesn't go along with these requirements will be held accountable."

Facebook earlier this year filed a lawsuit against South Korean data analytics firm Rankwave in California to make sure it isn't breaking the leading social network's rules.

Revamping controls

Along with slapping Facebook with a record fine for data protection violations, the settlement in July called for Facebook to create a privacy committee within its board of directors to be appointed by an independent nominating committee.

This would end "unfettered control" of decisions on privacy by Facebook's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, the FTC statement said.&nbsp;

Facebook also will be required to conduct privacy reviews of every new or modified product, service or practice before it is implemented, including for its WhatsApp and Instagram services.

"We have a responsibility to protect people's privacy," Zuckerberg said at the time.

"We're going to set a completely new standard for our industry."

As the news was announced by Facebook, Zuckerberg was in Washington meeting with policymakers on questions about privacy and antitrust issues, and held talks at the White House with President Donald Trump.

Facebook said Friday it suspended "tens of thousands" of apps on its platform as a result of a privacy practices review launched following a scandal involving Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook said Friday it suspended "tens of thousands" of apps on its platform as a result of a privacy practices review launched following a scandal involving Cambridge Analytica. The review started in 2018 after revelations that the political consultancy hijacked personal data on millions of Facebook users, and it included attorneys, external investigators, data scientists, engineers, policy specialists and others, according to a Facebook statement. The suspensions are "not necessarily an indication that these apps were posing a threat to people," said vice president of partnerships Ime Archibong, adding that some developers "did not respond to our request for information." Archibong said the investigation "has addressed millions of apps. Of those, tens of thousands have been suspended for a variety of reasons while we continue to investigate." The suspected apps were associated with about 400 developers, and many of the software programs were still in testing phases, according to Facebook. The huge social network became the subject of intense scrutiny after acknowledging in 2018 that Cambridge Analytica misappropriated personal data on tens of millions of Facebook users as part of its work for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Subsequently, Facebook said it would review all apps on the platform to determine how they used data and if they respect its privacy rules. "In a few cases, we have banned apps completely," Archibong said. Bans can be caused by violations including inappropriately sharing data obtained from Facebook or making data publicly available without protecting people's identities, according to the social network. App crackdown "One app banned was called myPersonality, which shared information with researchers and companies with only limited protections in place, and then refused our request to participate in an audit," Archibong said. A year ago, Facebook said it had banned some 400 apps including one called myPersonality, which according to Archibong "shared information with researchers and companies with only limited protections in place," and refused to accept an audit. Facebook said a recent agreement on privacy with the US Federal Trade Commission -- which included a record $5 billion fine -- calls for additional oversight on app developers. It "requires developers to annually certify compliance with our policies," Archibong said. "Any developer that doesn't go along with these requirements will be held accountable." Facebook earlier this year filed a lawsuit against South Korean data analytics firm Rankwave in California to make sure it isn't breaking the leading social network's rules. Revamping controls Along with slapping Facebook with a record fine for data protection violations, the settlement in July called for Facebook to create a privacy committee within its board of directors to be appointed by an independent nominating committee. This would end "unfettered control" of decisions on privacy by Facebook's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg, the FTC statement said. Facebook also will be required to conduct privacy reviews of every new or modified product, service or practice before it is implemented, including for its WhatsApp and Instagram services. "We have a responsibility to protect people's privacy," Zuckerberg said at the time. "We're going to set a completely new standard for our industry." As the news was announced by Facebook, Zuckerberg was in Washington meeting with policymakers on questions about privacy and antitrust issues, and held talks at the White House with President Donald Trump.

Facebook suspends 'tens of thousands' of apps in privacy review

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, hopes of a breakthrough over the terms of its departure have been stoked in recent days by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the shape of a deal is emerging and European Commission President Juncker saying agreement is possible.

But diplomats say the two sides are split over London's desire to remove the Irish border "backstop" from the divorce deal struck by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, and then work out a replacement in coming years.

The backstop is an insurance policy to keep the 500-km (300-mile) border between Ireland, which will remain in the EU, and the British province of Northern Ireland open after Brexit.

"We both want to see a deal," British Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said after talks in Brussels with EU negotiator Michel Barnier. "The meeting overran, which signals we were getting into the detail."

"There is a still a lot of work to do but there is a common purpose to secure a deal," Barclay said, adding that Juncker and Johnson also both wanted a deal.

Leaving the EU would be Britain's biggest shift in trade and foreign policy for more than 40 years and deprive the 28-nation bloc of one of its biggest economies. The EU has set a deadline for a deal to be reached by October&nbsp;31.

British parliament has rejected the deal May agreed with the EU. Johnson has said he wants to secure an amended deal at an EU summit on Oct. 17-18 but that Britain will leave the bloc if that is not possible. He will meet European Council Donald Tusk at the United Nations in New York next week.

Ireland is crucial to any Brexit solution. Unless the Irish border backstop is removed or amended, Johnson will not be able to win parliamentary approval but Ireland and the EU are unwilling to sign a deal without a solution to the border.

The EU fears a hard border could cause unrest in Northern Ireland and undermine the fragile peace provided by a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland, and the British security forces and pro-British "unionists".

The Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed with the EU last November says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union "unless and until" alternative arrangements are found to avoid the return of border controls in Ireland.

Pound falls

The British government, worried the backstop will trap it in the EU's orbit for years to come, wants to remove it and find a solution before December 2020, when a planned transition period ends.

The British pound fell from a two-month high after the Financial Times reported Johnson had told colleagues he did not expect to reach a full "legally operable" deal next month.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the mood music had improved and that both sides wanted a deal but that they were not close to an agreement.

"There is certainly a lot of commentary now and some of it is spin I think, in the context of where we are," he told the BBC. "We need to be honest with people and say that we’re not close to that deal right now."

"Everybody needs a dose of reality here, there is still quite a wide gap between what the British government have been talking about in terms of the solutions that they are proposing, and I think what Ireland and the EU will be able to support."

Britain said on Thursday it had shared documents with Brussels setting out ideas for a Brexit deal, but an EU diplomat described them as a "smokescreen" that would not prevent a disorderly exit on the Oct. 31 departure date.

Coveney, Ireland's second most powerful politician, said a no-deal could lead to civil unrest.

"Trade across 300 road crossings that has created a normality and a peace that is settled on the island of Ireland for the last 20 years, that now faces significant disruption," he said. "That is what we're fighting for here.

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals.

Britain said on Friday a Brexit deal with the European Union could be reached at a summit next month, but EU member Ireland said the sides were far from agreement and London had not yet made serious proposals. Three years after Britons voted to leave the EU, hopes of a breakthrough over the terms of its departure have been stoked in recent days by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying the shape of a deal is emerging and European Commission President Juncker saying agreement is possible. But diplomats say the two sides are split over London's desire to remove the Irish border "backstop" from the divorce deal struck by Johnson's predecessor, Theresa May, and then work out a replacement in coming years. The backstop is an insurance policy to keep the 500-km (300-mile) border between Ireland, which will remain in the EU, and the British province of Northern Ireland open after Brexit. "We both want to see a deal," British Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said after talks in Brussels with EU negotiator Michel Barnier. "The meeting overran, which signals we were getting into the detail." "There is a still a lot of work to do but there is a common purpose to secure a deal," Barclay said, adding that Juncker and Johnson also both wanted a deal. Leaving the EU would be Britain's biggest shift in trade and foreign policy for more than 40 years and deprive the 28-nation bloc of one of its biggest economies. The EU has set a deadline for a deal to be reached by October 31. British parliament has rejected the deal May agreed with the EU. Johnson has said he wants to secure an amended deal at an EU summit on Oct. 17-18 but that Britain will leave the bloc if that is not possible. He will meet European Council Donald Tusk at the United Nations in New York next week. Ireland is crucial to any Brexit solution. Unless the Irish border backstop is removed or amended, Johnson will not be able to win parliamentary approval but Ireland and the EU are unwilling to sign a deal without a solution to the border. The EU fears a hard border could cause unrest in Northern Ireland and undermine the fragile peace provided by a 1998 peace deal that ended three decades of violence between Irish nationalists seeking a united Ireland, and the British security forces and pro-British "unionists". The Withdrawal Agreement that was agreed with the EU last November says the United Kingdom will remain in a customs union "unless and until" alternative arrangements are found to avoid the return of border controls in Ireland. Pound falls The British government, worried the backstop will trap it in the EU's orbit for years to come, wants to remove it and find a solution before December 2020, when a planned transition period ends. The British pound fell from a two-month high after the Financial Times reported Johnson had told colleagues he did not expect to reach a full "legally operable" deal next month. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said the mood music had improved and that both sides wanted a deal but that they were not close to an agreement. "There is certainly a lot of commentary now and some of it is spin I think, in the context of where we are," he told the BBC. "We need to be honest with people and say that we’re not close to that deal right now." "Everybody needs a dose of reality here, there is still quite a wide gap between what the British government have been talking about in terms of the solutions that they are proposing, and I think what Ireland and the EU will be able to support." Britain said on Thursday it had shared documents with Brussels setting out ideas for a Brexit deal, but an EU diplomat described them as a "smokescreen" that would not prevent a disorderly exit on the Oct. 31 departure date. Coveney, Ireland's second most powerful politician, said a no-deal could lead to civil unrest. "Trade across 300 road crossings that has created a normality and a peace that is settled on the island of Ireland for the last 20 years, that now faces significant disruption," he said. "That is what we're fighting for here.

Britain and EU spar over Brexit as clock ticks down

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue.

Trudeau is campaigning in Toronto with less than five weeks to go before the October&nbsp;21 national election and two days after bombshell images of him in blackface emerged.

"Thoughts and prayers aren't going to cut it," Trudeau said in Toronto. "We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer."

This month, a 17-year-old was killed by gunfire and five other people were wounded in a community just outside of Toronto, and two days later another person was killed in a shooting on a major highway.

The Liberal Party leader vowed on Thursday to continue his push for re-lection and asked for forgiveness. Several ministers turned up at the announcement to show their support, including Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Trudeau said the new gun rules would include a buyback program for all legally purchased assault rifles, and a Liberal government would also work with other levels of government to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns.

In August, Toronto Mayor John Tory said a city-wide handgun ban would be enough to reduce gun violence in Canada's biggest city. All federal parties are hoping to make political gains in and around Toronto this election.

Before the blackface images emerged two days ago, polls showed Trudeau running head-to-head with his main rival, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer.

Trudeau's campaign was upended when Time magazine on Wednesday published an image of the prime minister, who is known to be a strong advocate for multiculturalism, with his face blackened at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a Vancouver private school.

Other images have since emerged, and Trudeau said on Thursday he was "wary" of ruling out the existence of even more because he could not remember those that had already come to light.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, embroiled in a blackface picture scandal, on Friday pledged to ban military-style assault rifles in the country's most ethnically diverse city in a bid to get his campaign back on issue. Trudeau is campaigning in Toronto with less than five weeks to go before the October 21 national election and two days after bombshell images of him in blackface emerged. "Thoughts and prayers aren't going to cut it," Trudeau said in Toronto. "We know you do not need a military-grade assault weapon, one designed to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time, to take down a deer." This month, a 17-year-old was killed by gunfire and five other people were wounded in a community just outside of Toronto, and two days later another person was killed in a shooting on a major highway. The Liberal Party leader vowed on Thursday to continue his push for re-lection and asked for forgiveness. Several ministers turned up at the announcement to show their support, including Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. Trudeau said the new gun rules would include a buyback program for all legally purchased assault rifles, and a Liberal government would also work with other levels of government to give municipalities the ability to further restrict or ban handguns. In August, Toronto Mayor John Tory said a city-wide handgun ban would be enough to reduce gun violence in Canada's biggest city. All federal parties are hoping to make political gains in and around Toronto this election. Before the blackface images emerged two days ago, polls showed Trudeau running head-to-head with his main rival, Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer. Trudeau's campaign was upended when Time magazine on Wednesday published an image of the prime minister, who is known to be a strong advocate for multiculturalism, with his face blackened at a 2001 "Arabian Nights" party when he was a 29-year-old teacher at a Vancouver private school. Other images have since emerged, and Trudeau said on Thursday he was "wary" of ruling out the existence of even more because he could not remember those that had already come to light.

Canada's Trudeau pledges assault rifle ban, pivots campaign amid blackface scandal

Israel's Arab parties are set to be the largest non-ruling bloc in parliament - and could even lead the opposition - if a national unity government emerges from Tuesday's election.

A surge in turnout gave the Arab-dominated Joint List 13 of the Knesset's 120 seats, making it the third-largest grouping behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party, with 31 seats, and Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White, with 33.

That would make the Joint List the largest opposition grouping in parliament if a unity government takes shape, a realistic possibility even though Gantz rebuffed Netanyahu's initial invitation.

No party drawn from the 21 per cent Arab minority has ever been part of an Israeli government. But if Joint List head Ayman Odeh, 44, becomes opposition leader, he would receive monthly briefings from the Mossad intelligence agency and meet visiting heads of state.

This would provide a platform to voice Arab complaints of discrimination against them and give a bigger platform to Arab parties that differ with parties drawn from the country's Jewish majority.

"It is an interesting position, never before held by someone from the Arab population. It has a lot of influence," Odeh told reporters outside his home in Haifa, a mixed Arab and Jewish city in northern Israel.

But although the Joint List will be the single biggest group, other opposition parties combined would have enough seats to block his appointment through an absolute majority vote, analysts said.

"There's no way the other parties will agree to have Ayman Odeh as head of the opposition, and grant our community recognition and legitimacy," said Aida Touma-Sliman, an Arab lawmaker from Odeh's Hadash faction.

Arab lawmakers often call for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the dismantling of Israel's settlements in the West Bank.

"Symbolic win"

The Arab community in Israel is mainly descendants of the Palestinians who remained in Israel after its creation in 1948, and some in the younger generation openly identify as Palestinian.

They make up 1.9 million of Israel's 9 million population, and often complains of discrimination in health, education and housing, living in cities such as Nazareth and Acre in the north and Bedouin towns in the southern Negev desert.

The Mossawa Center rights group says Israel's state budget often favours Jews, allocating more funds to Jewish localities and schools than to Arab ones. Some 47% of Arab citizens live in poverty, far above a national average of 18%, it says.

However, Netanyahu's Likud party counters that its 15 billion shekel ($4.19 billion) investment plan for the Arab sector during the last parliament "is the largest such commitment in Israel’s history", according to Eli Hazan, Likud's foreign affairs director.

In Tuesday's election, Odeh and his group of four Arab parties ran a united front and Arab turnout increased sharply. That helped them regain seats lost in April when they were divided and turnout plummeted.

The Joint List held up its stronger showing on Tuesday's rerun as a victory over what is described as an "unprecedented campaign of incitement against the Arab public" by Netanyahu and right-wing parties.

Netanyahu made allegations of voter fraud in Arab communities an issue in his election campaign, and sought to deploy cameras to the country's polling centres in what Arab leaders described an attempt to scare off voters. Israel's top court refused to allow cameras.

Eid Jbaili, a 55-year-old gym teacher from Haifa, said he boycotted the April election but voted on Tuesday "because my community's leaders showed they could exude unity in the face of adversity".

But Jbaili was unsure an Arab opposition leader would be able to provide anything beyond a "small symbolic win" for his community.

"We still won't be decision-makers in this country," he said.

Israel's Arab parties are set to be the largest non-ruling bloc in parliament - and could even lead the opposition - if a national unity government emerges from Tuesday's election.

Israel's Arab parties are set to be the largest non-ruling bloc in parliament - and could even lead the opposition - if a national unity government emerges from Tuesday's election. A surge in turnout gave the Arab-dominated Joint List 13 of the Knesset's 120 seats, making it the third-largest grouping behind Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud Party, with 31 seats, and Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White, with 33. That would make the Joint List the largest opposition grouping in parliament if a unity government takes shape, a realistic possibility even though Gantz rebuffed Netanyahu's initial invitation. No party drawn from the 21 per cent Arab minority has ever been part of an Israeli government. But if Joint List head Ayman Odeh, 44, becomes opposition leader, he would receive monthly briefings from the Mossad intelligence agency and meet visiting heads of state. This would provide a platform to voice Arab complaints of discrimination against them and give a bigger platform to Arab parties that differ with parties drawn from the country's Jewish majority. "It is an interesting position, never before held by someone from the Arab population. It has a lot of influence," Odeh told reporters outside his home in Haifa, a mixed Arab and Jewish city in northern Israel. But although the Joint List will be the single biggest group, other opposition parties combined would have enough seats to block his appointment through an absolute majority vote, analysts said. "There's no way the other parties will agree to have Ayman Odeh as head of the opposition, and grant our community recognition and legitimacy," said Aida Touma-Sliman, an Arab lawmaker from Odeh's Hadash faction. Arab lawmakers often call for an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the dismantling of Israel's settlements in the West Bank. "Symbolic win" The Arab community in Israel is mainly descendants of the Palestinians who remained in Israel after its creation in 1948, and some in the younger generation openly identify as Palestinian. They make up 1.9 million of Israel's 9 million population, and often complains of discrimination in health, education and housing, living in cities such as Nazareth and Acre in the north and Bedouin towns in the southern Negev desert. The Mossawa Center rights group says Israel's state budget often favours Jews, allocating more funds to Jewish localities and schools than to Arab ones. Some 47% of Arab citizens live in poverty, far above a national average of 18%, it says. However, Netanyahu's Likud party counters that its 15 billion shekel ($4.19 billion) investment plan for the Arab sector during the last parliament "is the largest such commitment in Israel’s history", according to Eli Hazan, Likud's foreign affairs director. In Tuesday's election, Odeh and his group of four Arab parties ran a united front and Arab turnout increased sharply. That helped them regain seats lost in April when they were divided and turnout plummeted. The Joint List held up its stronger showing on Tuesday's rerun as a victory over what is described as an "unprecedented campaign of incitement against the Arab public" by Netanyahu and right-wing parties. Netanyahu made allegations of voter fraud in Arab communities an issue in his election campaign, and sought to deploy cameras to the country's polling centres in what Arab leaders described an attempt to scare off voters. Israel's top court refused to allow cameras. Eid Jbaili, a 55-year-old gym teacher from Haifa, said he boycotted the April election but voted on Tuesday "because my community's leaders showed they could exude unity in the face of adversity". But Jbaili was unsure an Arab opposition leader would be able to provide anything beyond a "small symbolic win" for his community. "We still won't be decision-makers in this country," he said.

A historic first? Israel's Arabs could lead parliamentary opposition

The death toll from a massive <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/10-killed-in-car-bomb-attack-in-southern-afghanistan-governor-250502">Taliban bomb attack</a> which flattened a hospital in southern Afghanistan earlier this week has risen to at least 39, officials said Friday.

The jump in the toll from the blast, which took place in the town of Qalat in Zabul province on Thursday, takes the total number of people killed in just three days of violence across the war-torn country this week to at least 91.

"The toll from the hospital attack in Qalat has jumped to 39 killed, 140 others wounded," Gul Islam Seyal, the spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.

Earlier, authorities had said the blast had killed 20 people.

Another official put the toll even higher Friday, at 41.

The surge in violence, with civilians paying the heaviest price, has come after US President Donald Trump called off talks with the Taliban that could have seen Washington begin withdrawing troops, and as the country gears up for a presidential election.

The insurgents responded to Trump's declaration that the talks were "dead" earlier this month by promising to continue fighting, and have vowed to target the September 28 polls.

But they also left the door open for talks to resume. The White House has said the talks will not continue if the violence does, but the Taliban have argued that the US is also killing people in Afghanistan.

Thursday's bloodshed began with the Qalat bomb near dawn.

Hours later, reports emerged of an airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province said to have killed at least nine civilians.

"US forces conducted a precision strike against Da'esh terrorists in Nangarhar early (on September 19)," Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for US Forces-Afghanistan, said in a statement on Friday, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State militant group.

"We are aware of allegations of the death of non-combatants and are working with local officials to determine the facts to ensure this is not a ploy to deflect attention from the civilians murdered by the Taliban at a hospital in Zabul earlier."

The strike came just hours after four people were killed on Wednesday when unknown gunmen and a suicide bomber stormed a government building in nearby Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar.

On Tuesday, the Taliban killed nearly 50 people in two separate attacks -- one at a campaign rally for President Ashraf Ghani in the central province of Parwan, and the other in Kabul.

Ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with more civilians killed in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to the United Nations.

The death toll from a massive Taliban bomb attack which flattened a hospital in southern Afghanistan earlier this week has risen to at least 39, officials said Friday.

The death toll from a massive Taliban bomb attack which flattened a hospital in southern Afghanistan earlier this week has risen to at least 39, officials said Friday. The jump in the toll from the blast, which took place in the town of Qalat in Zabul province on Thursday, takes the total number of people killed in just three days of violence across the war-torn country this week to at least 91. "The toll from the hospital attack in Qalat has jumped to 39 killed, 140 others wounded," Gul Islam Seyal, the spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP. Earlier, authorities had said the blast had killed 20 people. Another official put the toll even higher Friday, at 41. The surge in violence, with civilians paying the heaviest price, has come after US President Donald Trump called off talks with the Taliban that could have seen Washington begin withdrawing troops, and as the country gears up for a presidential election. The insurgents responded to Trump's declaration that the talks were "dead" earlier this month by promising to continue fighting, and have vowed to target the September 28 polls. But they also left the door open for talks to resume. The White House has said the talks will not continue if the violence does, but the Taliban have argued that the US is also killing people in Afghanistan. Thursday's bloodshed began with the Qalat bomb near dawn. Hours later, reports emerged of an airstrike in eastern Nangarhar province said to have killed at least nine civilians. "US forces conducted a precision strike against Da'esh terrorists in Nangarhar early (on September 19)," Col. Sonny Leggett, spokesman for US Forces-Afghanistan, said in a statement on Friday, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State militant group. "We are aware of allegations of the death of non-combatants and are working with local officials to determine the facts to ensure this is not a ploy to deflect attention from the civilians murdered by the Taliban at a hospital in Zabul earlier." The strike came just hours after four people were killed on Wednesday when unknown gunmen and a suicide bomber stormed a government building in nearby Jalalabad, capital of Nangarhar. On Tuesday, the Taliban killed nearly 50 people in two separate attacks -- one at a campaign rally for President Ashraf Ghani in the central province of Parwan, and the other in Kabul. Ordinary Afghans continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, with more civilians killed in 2018 than during any other year on record, according to the United Nations.

Afghanistan: Death toll from Taliban bomb attack rises to 39

Hundreds of thousands of students and workers left their schools, colleges and offices on Friday and marched along city streets around the globe to demand that world leaders take urgent action to avert an environmental catastrophe.

The global climate strike, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, kicked off in the Pacific islands and followed the rising sun across Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia and then on to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.

It will culminate in New York when Thunberg, who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, will spearhead a rally at the United Nations headquarters, where heads of government are due to gather for a climate summit next week.

"This is about my future, not only my future, but the future of my entire generation and all the generations to come after ours," said Tristan Vancleef, 16, among around 15,000 demonstrators who marched through the centre of Brussels.

Banners at the Brussels march included "Cool kids save the hot planet", "I won't go to school until you make it cool" and "The warm earth destroys our cold beer."

Protesters in about 150 countries are calling on governments to take immediate action to limit the harmful effects of manmade climate change.

Watch: Climate Change protests in 150 countries

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Social media posts showed scores of demonstrations, ranging from a few dozen primary school children in Abuja, Nigeria, to tens of thousands of people in cities from Hamburg, in Germany, to Melbourne, Australia.

Britain's opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted that 100,000 people joined the demonstration in London.

"Our future on your shoulders," read one banner stretched across a street by students in Berlin.

"Our oceans are rising, so are we," was a popular slogan on placards in many places, including one carried by a student in school uniform in Melbourne and another by a girl wearing a facemask in Kolkata, in eastern India.

Among the students gathering in New York's Foley Square ahead of a midday march was Alexandria Villasenor, a 14-year-old who has been striking outside the UN every Friday since December&nbsp;14.

"We're telling adults to step up and back us up with our strikes because we need everyone to tell the leaders at the global climate summit that they need to take climate action," she said.

Mitigation strategies

Global warming caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has already led to droughts and heatwaves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and floods, scientists say.

Carbon emissions climbed to a record high last year, despite a warning from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October that output of the gases must be slashed over the next 12 years to stabilise the climate.

The protest movement is putting increasing pressure on both governments and companies to respond.

Online retail giant Amazon.com Inc pledged on Thursday it would be net carbon neutral by 2040.

Cutting emissions is a challenging goal for Amazon, which delivers 10 billion items a year and has a massive transport and data centre footprint. "We know we can do it and we know we have to do it," Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos said.

Environmental advocacy group Greenpeace USA welcomed the commitment, but a spokesman said the company lagged peers Google, Apple and Facebook in transparency around its renewable projects.

Some of the company's workers from the group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice plan to join marches on Friday.

In Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unveiled a major new climate protection package thrashed out by parties in her coalition in all-night talks.

Meanwhile, on the streets of the capital, crowds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, where three activists stood on blocks of ice beneath a mock gallows.

Carbon emissions

The UN summit next week brings together world leaders to discuss climate change mitigation strategies, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources from fossil fuels.

US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, among the world's only national leaders that publicly question climate science, are not due to take part, their representatives said.

The issue of global warming is vital to low-lying Pacific islands, which have repeatedly asked wealthier nations to do more to prevent rising sea levels.

As Friday's day of action got underway across scattered Pacific communities, students holding placards in Kiribati chanted: "We are not sinking, we are fighting".

By mid-afternoon across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, crowds had gathered in many cities, including London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Stockholm, Helsinki, Beirut, Nairobi and Cape Town. Protests were also getting started in many American cities, including New York and Washington DC

In Stockholm, crowds gathered outside the Swedish parliament, where Thunberg began her "Fridays for Future" school strike protests last year.

"We have to send a message to the politicians that the environment is more important than education," said Mattis Johanssen, 18.

Earlier, Danielle Porepilliasana, a Sydney high school student, had a blunt message for politicians such as Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who told parliament on Thursday that students should stay in class.

"World leaders from everywhere are telling us that students need to be at school doing work," she said, wearing anti-coal earrings. "I'd like to see them at their parliaments doing their jobs for once."

Hundreds of thousands of students and workers left their schools, colleges and offices on Friday and marched along city streets around the globe to demand that world leaders take urgent action to avert an environmental catastrophe.

Hundreds of thousands of students and workers left their schools, colleges and offices on Friday and marched along city streets around the globe to demand that world leaders take urgent action to avert an environmental catastrophe. The global climate strike, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, kicked off in the Pacific islands and followed the rising sun across Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia and then on to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. It will culminate in New York when Thunberg, who has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, will spearhead a rally at the United Nations headquarters, where heads of government are due to gather for a climate summit next week. "This is about my future, not only my future, but the future of my entire generation and all the generations to come after ours," said Tristan Vancleef, 16, among around 15,000 demonstrators who marched through the centre of Brussels. Banners at the Brussels march included "Cool kids save the hot planet", "I won't go to school until you make it cool" and "The warm earth destroys our cold beer." Protesters in about 150 countries are calling on governments to take immediate action to limit the harmful effects of manmade climate change. Watch: Climate Change protests in 150 countries × Social media posts showed scores of demonstrations, ranging from a few dozen primary school children in Abuja, Nigeria, to tens of thousands of people in cities from Hamburg, in Germany, to Melbourne, Australia. Britain's opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted that 100,000 people joined the demonstration in London. "Our future on your shoulders," read one banner stretched across a street by students in Berlin. "Our oceans are rising, so are we," was a popular slogan on placards in many places, including one carried by a student in school uniform in Melbourne and another by a girl wearing a facemask in Kolkata, in eastern India. Among the students gathering in New York's Foley Square ahead of a midday march was Alexandria Villasenor, a 14-year-old who has been striking outside the UN every Friday since December 14. "We're telling adults to step up and back us up with our strikes because we need everyone to tell the leaders at the global climate summit that they need to take climate action," she said. Mitigation strategies Global warming caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels has already led to droughts and heatwaves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and floods, scientists say. Carbon emissions climbed to a record high last year, despite a warning from the UN-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in October that output of the gases must be slashed over the next 12 years to stabilise the climate. The protest movement is putting increasing pressure on both governments and companies to respond. Online retail giant Amazon.com Inc pledged on Thursday it would be net carbon neutral by 2040. Cutting emissions is a challenging goal for Amazon, which delivers 10 billion items a year and has a massive transport and data centre footprint. "We know we can do it and we know we have to do it," Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos said. Environmental advocacy group Greenpeace USA welcomed the commitment, but a spokesman said the company lagged peers Google, Apple and Facebook in transparency around its renewable projects. Some of the company's workers from the group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice plan to join marches on Friday. In Europe, German Chancellor Angela Merkel unveiled a major new climate protection package thrashed out by parties in her coalition in all-night talks. Meanwhile, on the streets of the capital, crowds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate, where three activists stood on blocks of ice beneath a mock gallows. Carbon emissions The UN summit next week brings together world leaders to discuss climate change mitigation strategies, such as transitioning to renewable energy sources from fossil fuels. US President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, among the world's only national leaders that publicly question climate science, are not due to take part, their representatives said. The issue of global warming is vital to low-lying Pacific islands, which have repeatedly asked wealthier nations to do more to prevent rising sea levels. As Friday's day of action got underway across scattered Pacific communities, students holding placards in Kiribati chanted: "We are not sinking, we are fighting". By mid-afternoon across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, crowds had gathered in many cities, including London, Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Warsaw, Stockholm, Helsinki, Beirut, Nairobi and Cape Town. Protests were also getting started in many American cities, including New York and Washington DC In Stockholm, crowds gathered outside the Swedish parliament, where Thunberg began her "Fridays for Future" school strike protests last year. "We have to send a message to the politicians that the environment is more important than education," said Mattis Johanssen, 18. Earlier, Danielle Porepilliasana, a Sydney high school student, had a blunt message for politicians such as Australian Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, who told parliament on Thursday that students should stay in class. "World leaders from everywhere are telling us that students need to be at school doing work," she said, wearing anti-coal earrings. "I'd like to see them at their parliaments doing their jobs for once."

'This is our future' say students, as climate protests sweep globe

Apple's latest iPhone 11 range hit stores in China on Friday, with short queues of die-hard fans contrasting with the hundreds who camped out ahead of previous launches.

The sales performance of the US tech giant's latest line-up is being closely watched in the world's largest smartphone market, where Apple has been losing ground to competitors with cheaper and feature-packed handsets in recent years.

The queues at the Shanghai and Beijing stores added up to few dozen customers, were in sharp contrast to previous years, when hundreds used to wait for hours outside Apple's shops to be the first to grab its latest offerings.

But much of the fanfare in China has moved online where the pre-sales for iPhone 11, priced between $699 and $1,099, started last week.

Analysts said they had gotten off to a better start than the last cycle a year ago. Chinese e-commerce site JD.com said day one pre-sales for the iPhone 11 series were up 480% versus comparable sales for the iPhone XR last year.

Among the customers who went to a store in Beijing on Friday to make a purchase in person was a programmer who only gave his surname as Liu and said that he has owned a model from every Apple series since the 3G range.

He said he was particularly attracted to the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro, which has three cameras on the back. "When it comes to taking photos, it's better for night shots and the image is clearer", he told Reuters.

Other customers, however, said that they were concerned that the range was not enabled for fifth-generation networks, putting them behind 5G models already released by China's Huawei Technologies and smaller rival Vivo, and expressed hopes that Apple could make it happen for its next line-up.

Apple's latest iPhone 11 range hit stores in China on Friday, with short queues of die-hard fans contrasting with the hundreds who camped out ahead of previous launches.

Apple's latest iPhone 11 range hit stores in China on Friday, with short queues of die-hard fans contrasting with the hundreds who camped out ahead of previous launches. The sales performance of the US tech giant's latest line-up is being closely watched in the world's largest smartphone market, where Apple has been losing ground to competitors with cheaper and feature-packed handsets in recent years. The queues at the Shanghai and Beijing stores added up to few dozen customers, were in sharp contrast to previous years, when hundreds used to wait for hours outside Apple's shops to be the first to grab its latest offerings. But much of the fanfare in China has moved online where the pre-sales for iPhone 11, priced between $699 and $1,099, started last week. Analysts said they had gotten off to a better start than the last cycle a year ago. Chinese e-commerce site JD.com said day one pre-sales for the iPhone 11 series were up 480% versus comparable sales for the iPhone XR last year. Among the customers who went to a store in Beijing on Friday to make a purchase in person was a programmer who only gave his surname as Liu and said that he has owned a model from every Apple series since the 3G range. He said he was particularly attracted to the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro, which has three cameras on the back. "When it comes to taking photos, it's better for night shots and the image is clearer", he told Reuters. Other customers, however, said that they were concerned that the range was not enabled for fifth-generation networks, putting them behind 5G models already released by China's Huawei Technologies and smaller rival Vivo, and expressed hopes that Apple could make it happen for its next line-up.

No crowds as Apple's iPhone 11 hits stores in China

Nepal on Friday celebrated the fourth anniversary of the promulgation of its landmark Constitution after six decades of political struggle in the country.

This comes amidst the rife with Madheshis who constitute 70 per cent of the Terai population and consider that the supreme law of the land unfairly recognises them.

On the evening of the Constitution Day, also celebrated as the National Day of Nepal, leaders from a few opposition parties claimed that works are not done as per the spirit of the constitution.&nbsp;

"Though years have passed by after the formation of the new constitution, the feeling of affinity and acceptance from all walks of life remains divided at large, which is a very painful thing for us," Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said while addressing the parliament on Thursday.

The Madhesh-based parties, who are still protesting against the newly-formulated Constitution and demanding its amendment, have announced not to celebrate the day expressing their reservation over the provisions of the supreme law of the nation.&nbsp;

"Four years have already passed but all the citizens have not got the chance to celebrate the Constitution Day in equity with fervour and happiness. And we know that this never can happen," Rajendra Mahato, a senior leader of the Madhesh-based Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal said.&nbsp;

The party is still continuing with its demands for an amendment of the Constitution and had staged rounds of protests over time.

Constitution of Nepal, promulgated by an elected body in 2015, is yet to get an appraisal from Madhesh-based parties.

"The disgruntled parties have been taking the issue forward. One group of disgruntled parties has been pressing it hard whereas other is supporting the monarchy. Kamal Thapa`s Rastriya Janata Party came forward demanding for change in the preamble of the Constitution. In place of a Republic, they wanted Constitutional monarchy; a Hindu nation in place of a secular state. These factors further fuel the disparity in the country," Prakash Timalsina, senior journalist and analyst told ANI.

The Madhesh-based parties who have been protesting since the birth of new constitution have demanded changes in the supreme law of the land which they allege have barred them from taking over executive posts in the Himalayan nation.

Protests across the country over the pressing issue have resulted in the death of 100 people.&nbsp;

Nepal on Friday celebrated the fourth anniversary of the promulgation of its landmark Constitution after six decades of political struggle in the country. This comes amidst the rife with Madheshis who constitute 70 per cent of the Terai population and consider that the supreme law of the land unfairly recognises them.

Nepal on Friday celebrated the fourth anniversary of the promulgation of its landmark Constitution after six decades of political struggle in the country. This comes amidst the rife with Madheshis who constitute 70 per cent of the Terai population and consider that the supreme law of the land unfairly recognises them. On the evening of the Constitution Day, also celebrated as the National Day of Nepal, leaders from a few opposition parties claimed that works are not done as per the spirit of the constitution. "Though years have passed by after the formation of the new constitution, the feeling of affinity and acceptance from all walks of life remains divided at large, which is a very painful thing for us," Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba said while addressing the parliament on Thursday. The Madhesh-based parties, who are still protesting against the newly-formulated Constitution and demanding its amendment, have announced not to celebrate the day expressing their reservation over the provisions of the supreme law of the nation. "Four years have already passed but all the citizens have not got the chance to celebrate the Constitution Day in equity with fervour and happiness. And we know that this never can happen," Rajendra Mahato, a senior leader of the Madhesh-based Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal said. The party is still continuing with its demands for an amendment of the Constitution and had staged rounds of protests over time. Constitution of Nepal, promulgated by an elected body in 2015, is yet to get an appraisal from Madhesh-based parties. "The disgruntled parties have been taking the issue forward. One group of disgruntled parties has been pressing it hard whereas other is supporting the monarchy. Kamal Thapa`s Rastriya Janata Party came forward demanding for change in the preamble of the Constitution. In place of a Republic, they wanted Constitutional monarchy; a Hindu nation in place of a secular state. These factors further fuel the disparity in the country," Prakash Timalsina, senior journalist and analyst told ANI. The Madhesh-based parties who have been protesting since the birth of new constitution have demanded changes in the supreme law of the land which they allege have barred them from taking over executive posts in the Himalayan nation. Protests across the country over the pressing issue have resulted in the death of 100 people.

Nepal Constitution celebrates 4th b'day amidst Madheshi trouble

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Punitipandey

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