Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of "childish behaviour" and acting out of fear on Thursday after Washington imposed sanctions on Iran's foreign minister amid rising tensions between the two countries.

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-sanctions-on-iranian-foreign-minister-mohammad-javad-zarif-239805">Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif</a>, blocking any property or interests he has in the United States. But Zarif said he had none.

"They (Americans) are resorting to childish behaviour... They were claiming every day 'We want to talk, with no preconditions' ...and then they sanction the foreign minister," Rouhani said in remarks carried live on state television.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers last year and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/will-continue-to-reduce-nuclear-deal-commitments-unless-europe-protects-iran-from-us-sanctions-javad-zarif-239698">ramped up sanctions</a> to put pressure on Iran's economy.

In recent months bilateral relations have worsened significantly after attacks on tankers in the Gulf that the United States blames on Iran, a charge denied by Tehran, and Iran's downing of a US&nbsp;drone.

"A country which believes it's powerful and a world superpower is afraid of our foreign minister's interviews," Rouhani said in an apparent reference to numerous interviews Zarif gave to US&nbsp;media when he visited New York for a United Nations meeting in July.

"When Dr Zarif gives an interview in New York, ... they (Americans) say Iran's foreign minister is misleading our public opinion," Rouhani said. "What happened to your claims of liberty, freedom of expression and democracy?"

"The pillars of the White House are made to tremble by the words and the logic of a knowledgeable and self-sacrificing man and diplomat," Rouhani said.

Zarif lived in the United States from the age of 17 as a student of international relations in San Francisco and Denver, and subsequently as a diplomat at the United Nations in New York, where he was Iranian ambassador from 2002 to 2007.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of "childish behaviour" and acting out of fear on Thursday after Washington imposed sanctions on Iran's foreign minister amid rising tensions between the two countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused the United States of "childish behaviour" and acting out of fear on Thursday after Washington imposed sanctions on Iran's foreign minister amid rising tensions between the two countries. The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, blocking any property or interests he has in the United States. But Zarif said he had none. "They (Americans) are resorting to childish behaviour... They were claiming every day 'We want to talk, with no preconditions' ...and then they sanction the foreign minister," Rouhani said in remarks carried live on state television. US President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers last year and ramped up sanctions to put pressure on Iran's economy. In recent months bilateral relations have worsened significantly after attacks on tankers in the Gulf that the United States blames on Iran, a charge denied by Tehran, and Iran's downing of a US drone. "A country which believes it's powerful and a world superpower is afraid of our foreign minister's interviews," Rouhani said in an apparent reference to numerous interviews Zarif gave to US media when he visited New York for a United Nations meeting in July. "When Dr Zarif gives an interview in New York, ... they (Americans) say Iran's foreign minister is misleading our public opinion," Rouhani said. "What happened to your claims of liberty, freedom of expression and democracy?" "The pillars of the White House are made to tremble by the words and the logic of a knowledgeable and self-sacrificing man and diplomat," Rouhani said. Zarif lived in the United States from the age of 17 as a student of international relations in San Francisco and Denver, and subsequently as a diplomat at the United Nations in New York, where he was Iranian ambassador from 2002 to 2007.

Rouhani says 'childish' of US to sanction Iran foreign minister Zarif

China's top diplomat Wang Yi said maritime problems involving Vietnam should not interfere with bilateral relations, according to a report released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tensions between <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-warns-outsiders-not-to-sow-distrust-in-south-china-sea-239750&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjJo8nOseHjAhVH_XMBHfosBk4QFjABegQIDxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1m7dDqekgrr56MzmR6XYoq">Vietnam and China</a> have risen over a weeks-long standoff between ships near an offshore oil block in the South China Sea.

China released the statement following a meeting between Wang and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on Thursday in Bangkok. Wang said China-Vietnam relations continued to develop and the two sides will "properly control and manage the situation at sea."

China's top diplomat Wang Yi said maritime problems involving Vietnam should not interfere with bilateral relations, according to a report released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China's top diplomat Wang Yi said maritime problems involving Vietnam should not interfere with bilateral relations, according to a report released by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tensions between Vietnam and China have risen over a weeks-long standoff between ships near an offshore oil block in the South China Sea. China released the statement following a meeting between Wang and Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on Thursday in Bangkok. Wang said China-Vietnam relations continued to develop and the two sides will "properly control and manage the situation at sea."

Vietnam 'maritime problems' should not impinge on bilateral ties: China

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-tears-into-china-on-twitter-as-trade-talks-resume-239492&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwikv9KOtOHjAhVKi3AKHQTHCkIQFjAAegQIABAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw06m4z9QxXhFdMSzJ9HcH9R">Donald Trump</a> as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the debate on Wednesday.

On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, the candidates underscored their policy positions and plans to unseat Trump in November of 2020.

Ten candidates took the debate stage including democratic front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, California Senator Kamala Harris, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, businessman Andrew Yang, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro.

The crowded Democratic field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the race to pick a challenger to Trump in the November 2020 election.

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President Donald Trump as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the debate on Wednesday.

Democratic presidential contenders attacked Republican President Donald Trump as a demagogue who is ripping apart the country and promised to restore unity during the debate on Wednesday. On the second of back-to-back nights of Democratic debates, the candidates underscored their policy positions and plans to unseat Trump in November of 2020. Ten candidates took the debate stage including democratic front-runner, former Vice President Joe Biden, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, California Senator Kamala Harris, New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet, businessman Andrew Yang, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and former Housing Secretary Julian Castro. The crowded Democratic field of about two dozen candidates has been vying for attention and financial support in the race to pick a challenger to Trump in the November 2020 election.

Ahead of US elections 2020, democratic candidates discuss their strategies to unseat Trump

The global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday it was an "obscenity" for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to say that press freedom was thriving in his country.

During a recent visit to the United States, Khan had said talking about curbs on press freedom in Pakistan was a "joke".

"It is clear that either you are very poorly informed, in which case you should urgently replace the people around you, or you are knowingly concealing the facts, which is very serious, given your responsibilities," wrote RSF Secretary-General, Christophe Deloire.

Given a recent surge in press freedom violations, which RSF enumerated in a statement, "you will appreciate that to talk of 'one of the freest presses in the world' is clearly tantamount to an obscenity," Deloire said.

He urged Khan to "allow Pakistan's journalists to exercise their profession in complete safety and with complete independence.

"The credibility of the Pakistani state and democracy is at stake," Deloire wrote.

Khan, a cricket hero who captained the national team to World Cup victory in 1992, was elected last summer after running a fiery campaign -- vowing to crack down on corruption and build an Islamic welfare state.&nbsp;

But, nearly one year later, his rule has been marred by a crackdown on civil rights activists, the rounding up of opposition leaders, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/news-tv-blackouts-in-pakistan-draw-fresh-accusations-of-censorship-239745">increased pressure on the press</a>.&nbsp;

His government is also struggling to right the country's floundering economy, with ballooning deficits, soaring inflation, and a sinking rupee stirring discontent.

Earlier in July, Khan's government launched another blistering attack on the press, linking critical coverage to potential "treason".

Also in July, a number of private television channels had their broadcasts cut after screening a press conference with opposition leader Maryam Nawaz.&nbsp;

The Committee to Protect Journalist last year warned that the powerful Pakistani military had "quietly, but effectively, set restrictions on reporting".

Pakistan routinely ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for media workers, and reporters have frequently been detained, beaten and even killed for being critical of the government or powerful military.

In recent years the space for dissent has shrunk further, with the government announcing a crackdown on social networks and traditional media houses decrying pressure from authorities that they say has resulted in widespread self-censorship.

The global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday it was an "obscenity" for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to say that press freedom was thriving in his country.

The global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Wednesday it was an "obscenity" for Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to say that press freedom was thriving in his country. During a recent visit to the United States, Khan had said talking about curbs on press freedom in Pakistan was a "joke". "It is clear that either you are very poorly informed, in which case you should urgently replace the people around you, or you are knowingly concealing the facts, which is very serious, given your responsibilities," wrote RSF Secretary-General, Christophe Deloire. Given a recent surge in press freedom violations, which RSF enumerated in a statement, "you will appreciate that to talk of 'one of the freest presses in the world' is clearly tantamount to an obscenity," Deloire said. He urged Khan to "allow Pakistan's journalists to exercise their profession in complete safety and with complete independence. "The credibility of the Pakistani state and democracy is at stake," Deloire wrote. Khan, a cricket hero who captained the national team to World Cup victory in 1992, was elected last summer after running a fiery campaign -- vowing to crack down on corruption and build an Islamic welfare state. But, nearly one year later, his rule has been marred by a crackdown on civil rights activists, the rounding up of opposition leaders, and increased pressure on the press. His government is also struggling to right the country's floundering economy, with ballooning deficits, soaring inflation, and a sinking rupee stirring discontent. Earlier in July, Khan's government launched another blistering attack on the press, linking critical coverage to potential "treason". Also in July, a number of private television channels had their broadcasts cut after screening a press conference with opposition leader Maryam Nawaz. The Committee to Protect Journalist last year warned that the powerful Pakistani military had "quietly, but effectively, set restrictions on reporting". Pakistan routinely ranks among the world's most dangerous countries for media workers, and reporters have frequently been detained, beaten and even killed for being critical of the government or powerful military. In recent years the space for dissent has shrunk further, with the government announcing a crackdown on social networks and traditional media houses decrying pressure from authorities that they say has resulted in widespread self-censorship.

Watchdog group slams Pakistan PM Imran Khan over press freedom

Sri Lanka put on a clinical performance with bat and ball to record a 122-run win in the third and final one-day international and complete a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sri-lanka-beat-bangladesh-by-seven-wickets-to-seal-odi-series-239060">clean sweep over Bangladesh</a> in Colombo on Wednesday.

Former captain Angelo Mathews led Sri Lanka with 87 off 90 balls, guiding the side to 294-8 before Dasun Shanaka backed his 30 off 14 with three wickets for 27 runs to complete the rout.

Somuya Sarkar hit the only half-century for Bangladesh, 69 off 86 balls, but it gave Sri Lanka no trouble as the visitors were bowled out for 172.

Kasun Rajitha (2-17) and Lahiru Kumara (2-26) complemented Shanaka with the ball to complete the victory in 36 overs.

Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya deceived Soumya with his flight to bowl the left-hander in the 32nd over for his only wicket, rendering the rest of the game a mere formality.

Tail-ender Taijul Islam’s unbeaten 39 off 28 balls only managed to entertain a sparse crowd at the R. Premadasa Stadium and delay the result. &nbsp;

"I worked hard after getting dropped from the side. I was confident with my batting which helped me perform well. We're all relieved as a team because we performed together," Shanaka said after the match.

The home side won the first two matches respectively by 91 runs and seven wickets. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"There are a lot of negatives, starting from myself to the team. We have to hold it tight and come back strong," said Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who scored 21 runs in the three matches.

Mathews and Kusal Mendis, who made 54 off 58 balls, set the platform for Sri Lanka's big innings after skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat first.&nbsp;

Mathews and Mendis put on 101 for the fourth wicket.

Bangladesh got an early breakthrough when Shafiul Islam removed Avishka Fernando for six but Karunaratne (46) and Kusal Perera (42) steadied the innings with an 83-run stand.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam removed Karunaratne to break the partnership and Rubel Hossain got rid of Perera in the next over to bring Bangladesh back into the contest.

But Mathews and Mendis snatched the momentum back thanks to some sloppy fielding by Bangladeshi players.

Mushfiqur Rahim dropped Mathews on 32 off Shafiul before Sabbir Rahman gave the former Sri Lankan captain another life on 63 off Mehidy Hasan's bowling.&nbsp;

Mathews, who hit eight fours and a six, was finally dismissed by Soumya Sarkar in the last over but not before Bangladesh reviewed a caught behind appeal initially dismissed by on-field umpire.

Soumya finished with 3-56 while medium pace Shafiul also claimed 3-68.

The island nation's cricket board has dedicated the match to pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara who announced his retirement last week.

Tamim-led Bangladesh wore black armbands to pay respect to their first national captain, Shamim Kabir, who died on Monday.

Sri Lanka put on a clinical performance with bat and ball to record a 122-run win in the third and final one-day international and complete a clean sweep over Bangladesh in Colombo on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka put on a clinical performance with bat and ball to record a 122-run win in the third and final one-day international and complete a clean sweep over Bangladesh in Colombo on Wednesday. Former captain Angelo Mathews led Sri Lanka with 87 off 90 balls, guiding the side to 294-8 before Dasun Shanaka backed his 30 off 14 with three wickets for 27 runs to complete the rout. Somuya Sarkar hit the only half-century for Bangladesh, 69 off 86 balls, but it gave Sri Lanka no trouble as the visitors were bowled out for 172. Kasun Rajitha (2-17) and Lahiru Kumara (2-26) complemented Shanaka with the ball to complete the victory in 36 overs. Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya deceived Soumya with his flight to bowl the left-hander in the 32nd over for his only wicket, rendering the rest of the game a mere formality. Tail-ender Taijul Islam’s unbeaten 39 off 28 balls only managed to entertain a sparse crowd at the R. Premadasa Stadium and delay the result. "I worked hard after getting dropped from the side. I was confident with my batting which helped me perform well. We're all relieved as a team because we performed together," Shanaka said after the match. The home side won the first two matches respectively by 91 runs and seven wickets. "There are a lot of negatives, starting from myself to the team. We have to hold it tight and come back strong," said Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal, who scored 21 runs in the three matches. Mathews and Kusal Mendis, who made 54 off 58 balls, set the platform for Sri Lanka's big innings after skipper Dimuth Karunaratne won the toss and elected to bat first. Mathews and Mendis put on 101 for the fourth wicket. Bangladesh got an early breakthrough when Shafiul Islam removed Avishka Fernando for six but Karunaratne (46) and Kusal Perera (42) steadied the innings with an 83-run stand. Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam removed Karunaratne to break the partnership and Rubel Hossain got rid of Perera in the next over to bring Bangladesh back into the contest. But Mathews and Mendis snatched the momentum back thanks to some sloppy fielding by Bangladeshi players. Mushfiqur Rahim dropped Mathews on 32 off Shafiul before Sabbir Rahman gave the former Sri Lankan captain another life on 63 off Mehidy Hasan's bowling. Mathews, who hit eight fours and a six, was finally dismissed by Soumya Sarkar in the last over but not before Bangladesh reviewed a caught behind appeal initially dismissed by on-field umpire. Soumya finished with 3-56 while medium pace Shafiul also claimed 3-68. The island nation's cricket board has dedicated the match to pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara who announced his retirement last week. Tamim-led Bangladesh wore black armbands to pay respect to their first national captain, Shamim Kabir, who died on Monday.

Cricket: Clinical Sri Lanka whitewash 'negative' Bangladesh

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday, confirmed the approval by the country's security cabinet the previous day, ahead of the arrival by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser.

The approval of 700 homes for Palestinians and 6,000 for Israeli settlers comes as the White House seeks to promote Kushner's long-awaited peace plan.

It was not immediately clear if all of the homes would be new or if some already exist and are receiving retroactive approval.

While the number of homes approved for Palestinians is relatively small and far outweighed by the number of settlement homes, the move could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to argue he is making efforts to make Kushner's plan succeed.

Kushner visited Jordan on Wednesday and was later on his way to Israel as part of a Middle East tour.

He has said his plan will not mention a two-state solution because "it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians."

Palestinians and many governments around the world warn that continued settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank is slowly eating away at hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict.

But US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who has been a backer of Israeli settlements, reiterated his stance in an interview with CNN late Tuesday.

Friedman said the United States was in favour of Palestinian "autonomy," but signalled Washington was not ready for now to support full statehood -- similar to Netanyahu's position.

"The issue we have is agreeing in advance to a state because the word state conjures up with it so many potential issues that we think it does a disservice for us to use that phrase," he said.

"We believe in Palestinian autonomy. We believe in Palestinian civilian self-governance. We believe that that autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security, and it's a very complicated needle to thread."

He argued that the Palestinian Authority government may currently be too weak to prevent militant groups from overrunning it, resulting in a "failed state" that threatens Israel and neighbouring Jordan.

Palestinian boycott

The White House unveiled economic aspects of its peace plan at a conference in Bahrain in June, but it was boycotted by the Palestinians.

The Palestinians froze contacts with Trump's White House after his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and have already dismissed the peace plan as blatantly biased in favour of Israel.

In addition to the Jerusalem decision, Trump's administration has taken a series of moves against the Palestinians, including cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and shutting their de facto embassy in Washington.

Tuesday's approvals are for housing in the part of the West Bank known as Area C, which is under Israeli security and civilian control and where most of its settlements are located.

Area C accounts for more than 60 per cent of the West Bank, the Palestinian territory that would form part of a future Palestinian state under the so-called two-state solution.

Israel rarely grants approvals for Palestinian construction in that area and frequently carries out demolitions of Palestinian buildings it considers illegally built.

Walid Assaf, the Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israeli settlements, told AFP the approvals were "vague and incomprehensible."

He said the approval of 700 Palestinian homes was partly a cover-up "for the construction of 6,000 settlement units to complete the outer envelope of Jerusalem, isolating it from the Palestinian territories."

The settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state.

Israel says that Palestinian intransigence, violence and incitement are the main impediments to peace.

Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967.

It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community and sees the entire city as its undivided capital.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday.

Israel has given rare approval to Palestinian homes in the part of the occupied West Bank it fully controls while also backing a large settlement expansion, ahead of White House advisor Jared Kushner's key visit Wednesday. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity Wednesday, confirmed the approval by the country's security cabinet the previous day, ahead of the arrival by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser. The approval of 700 homes for Palestinians and 6,000 for Israeli settlers comes as the White House seeks to promote Kushner's long-awaited peace plan. It was not immediately clear if all of the homes would be new or if some already exist and are receiving retroactive approval. While the number of homes approved for Palestinians is relatively small and far outweighed by the number of settlement homes, the move could allow Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to argue he is making efforts to make Kushner's plan succeed. Kushner visited Jordan on Wednesday and was later on his way to Israel as part of a Middle East tour. He has said his plan will not mention a two-state solution because "it means one thing to the Israelis, it means one thing to the Palestinians." Palestinians and many governments around the world warn that continued settlement construction by Israel in the West Bank is slowly eating away at hopes for a two-state solution to the conflict. But US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who has been a backer of Israeli settlements, reiterated his stance in an interview with CNN late Tuesday. Friedman said the United States was in favour of Palestinian "autonomy," but signalled Washington was not ready for now to support full statehood -- similar to Netanyahu's position. "The issue we have is agreeing in advance to a state because the word state conjures up with it so many potential issues that we think it does a disservice for us to use that phrase," he said. "We believe in Palestinian autonomy. We believe in Palestinian civilian self-governance. We believe that that autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security, and it's a very complicated needle to thread." He argued that the Palestinian Authority government may currently be too weak to prevent militant groups from overrunning it, resulting in a "failed state" that threatens Israel and neighbouring Jordan. Palestinian boycott The White House unveiled economic aspects of its peace plan at a conference in Bahrain in June, but it was boycotted by the Palestinians. The Palestinians froze contacts with Trump's White House after his 2017 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and have already dismissed the peace plan as blatantly biased in favour of Israel. In addition to the Jerusalem decision, Trump's administration has taken a series of moves against the Palestinians, including cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in aid and shutting their de facto embassy in Washington. Tuesday's approvals are for housing in the part of the West Bank known as Area C, which is under Israeli security and civilian control and where most of its settlements are located. Area C accounts for more than 60 per cent of the West Bank, the Palestinian territory that would form part of a future Palestinian state under the so-called two-state solution. Israel rarely grants approvals for Palestinian construction in that area and frequently carries out demolitions of Palestinian buildings it considers illegally built. Walid Assaf, the Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israeli settlements, told AFP the approvals were "vague and incomprehensible." He said the approval of 700 Palestinian homes was partly a cover-up "for the construction of 6,000 settlement units to complete the outer envelope of Jerusalem, isolating it from the Palestinian territories." The settlements are considered illegal under international law and are built on land that the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Israel says that Palestinian intransigence, violence and incitement are the main impediments to peace. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the Six-Day War of 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community and sees the entire city as its undivided capital. The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Some 600,000 Israeli settlers now live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with around 2.9 million Palestinians.

Kushner visits after Israel okays homes for Palestinians, settlers

Congress member and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, T Subbarami Reddy on Wednesday informed the House that over 20,000 school children in the national capital are caught in the trap of drugs.&nbsp;

Reddy highlighted that the rising menace of drug mafia is not just a problem in Delhi but in the whole of North India including states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

He also said that the state governments are finding it difficult to curb the menace of drug mafia.

This comes on the day when Punjab Police arrested two persons and seized over one kilogram of heroin from their possession as part of a crackdown on drug trafficking and misdemeanours in Khanna area of the city, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, in Tripura, the police on Tuesday destroyed over 6,300 kg of marijuana worth Rs 3.15 crore by burning it in RK Nagar area of West Tripura district.

On Monday, Delhi Police arrested three people and seized more than 50 kilograms of hashish and marijuana in three separate incidents in the national capital.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Congress member and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, T Subbarami Reddy on Wednesday informed the House that over 20,000 school children in the national capital are caught in the trap of drugs.

Congress member and Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, T Subbarami Reddy on Wednesday informed the House that over 20,000 school children in the national capital are caught in the trap of drugs. Reddy highlighted that the rising menace of drug mafia is not just a problem in Delhi but in the whole of North India including states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. He also said that the state governments are finding it difficult to curb the menace of drug mafia. This comes on the day when Punjab Police arrested two persons and seized over one kilogram of heroin from their possession as part of a crackdown on drug trafficking and misdemeanours in Khanna area of the city, news agency ANI reported. Meanwhile, in Tripura, the police on Tuesday destroyed over 6,300 kg of marijuana worth Rs 3.15 crore by burning it in RK Nagar area of West Tripura district. On Monday, Delhi Police arrested three people and seized more than 50 kilograms of hashish and marijuana in three separate incidents in the national capital. (With inputs from agencies)

Rajya Sabha lawmaker says over 20,000 Delhi school kids addicted to drugs  

Iranian women could now face a jail term up to a decade for posting their pictures online <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-sanctions-hit-iran-women-debate-wearing-hijab-in-public-236170">without their headscarves or hijab</a>.&nbsp;

According to media reports, scores of Iranian women have joined an online movement wherein they post their videos and photos sans headscarves on social media and send them a US-based activist who found a campaign to oppose the hijab.&nbsp;

Iranian officials announced the same this week especially making note of Masih Alinejad, a US-based activist, who owns a social media platform since 2014 and has been inviting Iranian women to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-women-take-off-their-hijab-to-fight-veil-law-31304">oppose the wearing of the hijab</a>.

More and more women in Iran are coming out and expressing their desires against the dress code.

While many have restrained their desires due to the fear of the ruling Shiite Muslim clergy and their security agencies, some women have found an alternative to hijab in loosely draped colourful scarves.&nbsp;

Last month Iran hired 2,000 morality police to punish women who refuse to wear the compulsory hijab in public.&nbsp;

Reformists lawmakers point out that morality police has been a failure.

The beginning of last year saw Iran gripped with a similar wave of protest. Iranian women took to the streets, removing their headscarves in public in a move to protest the veil law.&nbsp;

The protests followed Vida Mohaved's release who was detained by Iranian authorities in December, 2017&nbsp;for removing her hijab while taking part in an anti-government protest.

Iranian women could now face a jail term up to a decade for posting their pictures online without their headscarves or hijab. According to media reports, scores of Iranian women have joined an online movement wherein they post their videos and photos sans headscarves on social media and send them a US-based activist who found a campaign to oppose the hijab.

Iranian women could now face a jail term up to a decade for posting their pictures online without their headscarves or hijab. According to media reports, scores of Iranian women have joined an online movement wherein they post their videos and photos sans headscarves on social media and send them a US-based activist who found a campaign to oppose the hijab. Iranian officials announced the same this week especially making note of Masih Alinejad, a US-based activist, who owns a social media platform since 2014 and has been inviting Iranian women to oppose the wearing of the hijab. More and more women in Iran are coming out and expressing their desires against the dress code. While many have restrained their desires due to the fear of the ruling Shiite Muslim clergy and their security agencies, some women have found an alternative to hijab in loosely draped colourful scarves. Last month Iran hired 2,000 morality police to punish women who refuse to wear the compulsory hijab in public. Reformists lawmakers point out that morality police has been a failure. The beginning of last year saw Iran gripped with a similar wave of protest. Iranian women took to the streets, removing their headscarves in public in a move to protest the veil law. The protests followed Vida Mohaved's release who was detained by Iranian authorities in December, 2017 for removing her hijab while taking part in an anti-government protest.

Iranian women could face 10-year prison term for posting pictures, videos online sans headscarves

Huawei remained the number two global smartphone vendor in the past quarter despite tough US sanctions imposed on the Chinese technology giant, market trackers said Wednesday.

The <a href="s.com/business-economy/huawei-warns-on-us-ban-after-china-smartphone-sales-drive-first-half-revenue-239507">Chinese firm managed</a> to boost its sales even as the overall market declined, remaining on the heels of sector leader Samsung and ahead of US-based Apple.

According to Strategy Analytics, overall global smartphone sales fell 2.6 per cent to 341 million units in the April-June period but showed signs of stabilizing after several quarters of declines.

Samsung increased its market share to 22 per cent, helped by a seven per cent rise in handset sales, with growth seen in the mid-range and entry segments. The South Korean giant stayed ahead of Huawei, which was at 17 per cent, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-woos-investors-with-china-gain-market-value-nears-1-trillion-239747">Apple</a> at 11 per cent of the market.

"Huawei surprised everyone and grew its global smartphone shipments by eight per cent annually," said Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston.

"Huawei surged at home in China during the quarter, as the firm sought to offset regulatory uncertainty in other major regions such as North America and Western Europe."

The research firm estimated that Apple, which released its results this week without details on unit shipments, saw an eight per cent drop in iPhone sales in the quarter.

"Apple is stabilizing in China due to price adjustments and buoyant trade-ins, but other major markets such as India and Europe remain challenging for the expensive iPhone," said Woody Oh, director at Strategy Analytics.

A separate report by Counterpoint Research offered similar findings, showing Samsung, Huawei and Apple in the three top spots as overall sales fell.

Analyst Tarun Pathak at Counterpoint said, however, the US ban on technology sales to Huawei will have an impact in the coming months.

"The effect of the ban did not translate into falling shipments during this quarter, which will not be the case in the future," Pathak said.

"In the coming quarters, Huawei is likely to be aggressive in its home market and register some growth there, but it will not be enough to offset the decline in its overseas shipments. This will further lead to the decline of the overall smartphone market in 2019."

The surveys indicated Chinese makers Xiaomi and Oppo holding the fourth and fifth spots, largely due to sales in their home markets.

According to Counterpoint, the combined global smartphone market share of Chinese majors Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Realme reached 42 per cent, the highest it has ever been.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Huawei remained the number two global smartphone vendor in the past quarter despite tough US sanctions imposed on the Chinese technology giant, market trackers said Wednesday.

Huawei remained the number two global smartphone vendor in the past quarter despite tough US sanctions imposed on the Chinese technology giant, market trackers said Wednesday. The Chinese firm managed to boost its sales even as the overall market declined, remaining on the heels of sector leader Samsung and ahead of US-based Apple. According to Strategy Analytics, overall global smartphone sales fell 2.6 per cent to 341 million units in the April-June period but showed signs of stabilizing after several quarters of declines. Samsung increased its market share to 22 per cent, helped by a seven per cent rise in handset sales, with growth seen in the mid-range and entry segments. The South Korean giant stayed ahead of Huawei, which was at 17 per cent, and Apple at 11 per cent of the market. "Huawei surprised everyone and grew its global smartphone shipments by eight per cent annually," said Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston. "Huawei surged at home in China during the quarter, as the firm sought to offset regulatory uncertainty in other major regions such as North America and Western Europe." The research firm estimated that Apple, which released its results this week without details on unit shipments, saw an eight per cent drop in iPhone sales in the quarter. "Apple is stabilizing in China due to price adjustments and buoyant trade-ins, but other major markets such as India and Europe remain challenging for the expensive iPhone," said Woody Oh, director at Strategy Analytics. A separate report by Counterpoint Research offered similar findings, showing Samsung, Huawei and Apple in the three top spots as overall sales fell. Analyst Tarun Pathak at Counterpoint said, however, the US ban on technology sales to Huawei will have an impact in the coming months. "The effect of the ban did not translate into falling shipments during this quarter, which will not be the case in the future," Pathak said. "In the coming quarters, Huawei is likely to be aggressive in its home market and register some growth there, but it will not be enough to offset the decline in its overseas shipments. This will further lead to the decline of the overall smartphone market in 2019." The surveys indicated Chinese makers Xiaomi and Oppo holding the fourth and fifth spots, largely due to sales in their home markets. According to Counterpoint, the combined global smartphone market share of Chinese majors Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Realme reached 42 per cent, the highest it has ever been.

Huawei still number two smartphone seller despite US sanctions

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance.

The event, which will take place in Caracas on Thursday, has been running since 1952 and has an enviable record on the international stage, having produced seven Miss Universe winners and six in Miss World.

Traditionally, the contestants' vital statistics have been publicized -- with a 90-centimetre (36- inch) bust, 60-centimetre&nbsp;waist and 90-centimetre hips long considered the ideal.

This year, contestants will still parade on stage in swimsuits and evening gowns, but organizers say they want to fight stereotypes about what an ideal woman looks like and hence will not reveal their measurements.

"A woman's beauty isn't 90, 60, 90 ... It is measured by each one's talent," said Gabriela Isler, the pageant's spokeswoman and Venezuela's last Miss Universe winner in 2013.

At past pageants, presenters would tell the audience the exact size of each contestant, many of whom underwent cosmetic surgery and followed strict diets in a bid to achieve the supposedly ideal physique.

Miss Venezuela is normally a big business in the crisis-wracked Latin American country, but it is suffering from the same difficulties as the rest of the population.

One of those is frequent blackouts, the latest of which hit the country on July 22.

Isler revealed that the pageant did not have enough money to put in place contingency measures in case of a power outage on Thursday.

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance.

For the first time in its history, the Miss Venezuela contest will not publish the 24 contestants' waist, bust and hip measurements, organizers said -- as pageants face criticism for their primary focus on physical appearance. The event, which will take place in Caracas on Thursday, has been running since 1952 and has an enviable record on the international stage, having produced seven Miss Universe winners and six in Miss World. Traditionally, the contestants' vital statistics have been publicized -- with a 90-centimetre (36- inch) bust, 60-centimetre waist and 90-centimetre hips long considered the ideal. This year, contestants will still parade on stage in swimsuits and evening gowns, but organizers say they want to fight stereotypes about what an ideal woman looks like and hence will not reveal their measurements. "A woman's beauty isn't 90, 60, 90 ... It is measured by each one's talent," said Gabriela Isler, the pageant's spokeswoman and Venezuela's last Miss Universe winner in 2013. At past pageants, presenters would tell the audience the exact size of each contestant, many of whom underwent cosmetic surgery and followed strict diets in a bid to achieve the supposedly ideal physique. Miss Venezuela is normally a big business in the crisis-wracked Latin American country, but it is suffering from the same difficulties as the rest of the population. One of those is frequent blackouts, the latest of which hit the country on July 22. Isler revealed that the pageant did not have enough money to put in place contingency measures in case of a power outage on Thursday.

In a first, Miss Venezuela ditches contestants' measurements

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke.

Environmentalists have warned that the scale of the blazes could accelerate global warming, aside from any immediate effects on the health of inhabitants.

"After reviewing a report from the emergency situations minister, Putin instructed the ministry of defence to join the effort to extinguish the fires," the Kremlin's press service told Russian media.

Around 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land in the centre and east of the country were in the grip of fires on Wednesday, authorities said.

The acrid smoke has affected not only small settlements but also major cities in Western Siberia and the Altai region as well as the Urals such as Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, and disrupted air travel.

Some 2,700 firefighters were already working to tackle the blazes, Interfax news agency reported.

The defence ministry told news agencies that 10 planes and 10 helicopters had been dispatched to the Krasnoyarsk region, one of the worst affected.

The Kremlin press service said the armed forces in the Irkutsk region, also badly hit, had been put on high alert, without providing further details of military involvement.&nbsp;

The fires, triggered by dry thunderstorms in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were spread by strong winds, Russia's federal forestry agency said earlier.&nbsp;

The majority of the fires rage in remote or inaccessible areas and authorities make the decision to extinguish them only if the estimated damage exceeds the cost of the operation.

Summer fires are common in Russia but this year they have spread further than usual.

According to the Russian branch of Greenpeace, almost 12 million hectares of forest have been burnt this year -- causing significant CO2 emissions and reducing the future capacity of forest to absorb the carbon dioxide.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called in the military to fight forest fires that have been raging across vast expanses of Siberia for days, enveloping entire cities in black smoke. Environmentalists have warned that the scale of the blazes could accelerate global warming, aside from any immediate effects on the health of inhabitants. "After reviewing a report from the emergency situations minister, Putin instructed the ministry of defence to join the effort to extinguish the fires," the Kremlin's press service told Russian media. Around 3 million hectares (7.4 million acres) of land in the centre and east of the country were in the grip of fires on Wednesday, authorities said. The acrid smoke has affected not only small settlements but also major cities in Western Siberia and the Altai region as well as the Urals such as Chelyabinsk and Yekaterinburg, and disrupted air travel. Some 2,700 firefighters were already working to tackle the blazes, Interfax news agency reported. The defence ministry told news agencies that 10 planes and 10 helicopters had been dispatched to the Krasnoyarsk region, one of the worst affected. The Kremlin press service said the armed forces in the Irkutsk region, also badly hit, had been put on high alert, without providing further details of military involvement. The fires, triggered by dry thunderstorms in temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), were spread by strong winds, Russia's federal forestry agency said earlier. The majority of the fires rage in remote or inaccessible areas and authorities make the decision to extinguish them only if the estimated damage exceeds the cost of the operation. Summer fires are common in Russia but this year they have spread further than usual. According to the Russian branch of Greenpeace, almost 12 million hectares of forest have been burnt this year -- causing significant CO2 emissions and reducing the future capacity of forest to absorb the carbon dioxide.

Putin calls in army to fight Siberia forest fires

At least 12 people were killed as monsoon rains lashed Pakistan's port city of Karachi, officials and charity groups confirmed Wednesday, while flooding also triggered power outages and overwhelmed the metropolis's fragile infrastructure.

Authorities said the deaths occurred largely due to electrocutions caused by ill-maintained power lines even as large segments of the city suffered hours-long outages that lasted up to a day in some areas.

According to the Edhi Foundation - which oversees a vast rescue services operation in Karachi -&nbsp;up to 15 people were killed during the recent bout of flooding.&nbsp;

However, government hospitals in the city said only 12 people had died in recent days in flood-related incidents.

Outrage simmered in the city after a video went viral on social media showing two children who had been allegedly electrocuted by a power line that had fallen into a puddle.

"The electricity company must be held responsible for the children’s death as safety and security is its responsibility," said Faisal Edhi, who heads the Edhi Foundation.

Dr Seemi Jamali - director of the state-run Jinnah Postgraduate Medical University - confirmed that nine people were "brought dead" to the hospital because of electrocutions.

Another three bodies, including the children from the video shared online, were taken to the city's Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, a doctor on duty at the facility confirmed to AFP.

The megacity of some 20 million has been inundated with heavy rains since Monday, flooding residential areas and bringing large swathes of Karachi's perennially traffic-congested streets to a halt.

"We are living without electricity and water for the past three days and no official rescue came," said 24-year-old resident Qaiser Khan.

Hundreds have been killed across South Asia this monsoon season and tens of thousands displaced by the heavy rains.&nbsp;

While the annual rains are crucial to replenishing water supplies in the impoverished region, they often turn deadly.

At least 12 people were killed as monsoon rains lashed Pakistan's port city of Karachi, officials and charity groups confirmed Wednesday, while flooding also triggered power outages and overwhelmed the metropolis's fragile infrastructure.

At least 12 people were killed as monsoon rains lashed Pakistan's port city of Karachi, officials and charity groups confirmed Wednesday, while flooding also triggered power outages and overwhelmed the metropolis's fragile infrastructure. Authorities said the deaths occurred largely due to electrocutions caused by ill-maintained power lines even as large segments of the city suffered hours-long outages that lasted up to a day in some areas. According to the Edhi Foundation - which oversees a vast rescue services operation in Karachi - up to 15 people were killed during the recent bout of flooding. However, government hospitals in the city said only 12 people had died in recent days in flood-related incidents. Outrage simmered in the city after a video went viral on social media showing two children who had been allegedly electrocuted by a power line that had fallen into a puddle. "The electricity company must be held responsible for the children’s death as safety and security is its responsibility," said Faisal Edhi, who heads the Edhi Foundation. Dr Seemi Jamali - director of the state-run Jinnah Postgraduate Medical University - confirmed that nine people were "brought dead" to the hospital because of electrocutions. Another three bodies, including the children from the video shared online, were taken to the city's Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, a doctor on duty at the facility confirmed to AFP. The megacity of some 20 million has been inundated with heavy rains since Monday, flooding residential areas and bringing large swathes of Karachi's perennially traffic-congested streets to a halt. "We are living without electricity and water for the past three days and no official rescue came," said 24-year-old resident Qaiser Khan. Hundreds have been killed across South Asia this monsoon season and tens of thousands displaced by the heavy rains. While the annual rains are crucial to replenishing water supplies in the impoverished region, they often turn deadly.

12 killed as flooding paralyses Pakistan's Karachi

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Zee News Rajasthan

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