World

''Chinese people and China share one faith - not an inch of land of our great country cannot, and will not be taken from us'' - that was the warning from President Xi Jinping as he closed the two-week long annual session of parliament. He did not mention Taiwan, which is seen by Beijing as a separatist province, by name, but Donald Trump recently caused Chinese anger by encouraging direct meetings between the Taiwanese and US administrations.

The warning follows a controversial law that allows Xi to rule over the country for life, sparking fears of a move towards dictatorship.

Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports from Beijing.

Politicians in Britain and the US are pushing for Facebook's Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg to appear before them to answer questions about the scandal involving the data breach of millions of its users.

Facebook is set to brief the US Congress on Wednesday.

Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy based in London, is accused of gaining unauthorised access to the details of 50 million Facebook users. The firm worked for Donald Trump's presidential campaign and the Brexit campaign in the UK.

Its chief executive has been suspended. He was secretly recorded boasting about the firm's ability to sway elections.

News of the scandal hit Facebook shares. The company's stock fell 2.5 percent on Tuesday, that followed an almost seven percent drop on Monday.

Over $60bn has been wiped off the company's value over the last two days.

Al Jazeera's Sonia Gallego reports from London.

Vidya Devi Bhandari was elected to the second term as the President of Nepal on Tuesday. Bhandari was the candidate of the ruling Left coalition. She had the support of two prominent Madheasi parties. She defeated Kumari Lakshmi Rai of the main Opposition party Nepalese Congress.

Election Commission spokesman, Navraj Dhakal said that Bhandari got 39,275 votes in the elections held for the presidential election in Nepal on Moday, while her nearest rival Rai got 11,730 votes.

Nepal Communist Party-UML leader Bhandari was elected the first President of Nepal on October 28, 2015. Vidya Devi Bhandari, wife of late Communist leader Madan Bhandari, has been active in politics since her school days. However, she came to the discussion after her husband's untimely demise in a road accident.

She won the parliamentary elections in 1994 and 1999. She has also been the Defense Minister of the country. when she was elected Vice-President of the party in the eighth conference of the party which was organized at Butwal then Bhandari influence increased much in Nepal Communist Party-UML. It is believed that Party president and the Prime Minister of Nepal, K.P Sharma Oli does full confidence on Bhandari.

An aircraft of the US-Bangladeshi Airlines collided with the runway after landing on the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) of Nepal on Monday, causing a fire in it. At least 50 people are expected to be killed in this accident. A top Nepali official gave this information. There were 67 passengers and four crew members on board in the Bombardier Dash8 Q400 aircraft.

TIA spokesman Premnath Thakur said that while landing the plane got stuck on the runway and there was a fire and it crashed after going to a football field near the airport.

'My Repubblica' told by quoting TIA's General Manager Raj Kumar Chhetri, "There is a possibility that more than 50 people will be killed in the accident. We are running relief and rescue operations."

More than 20 people were injured in the accident, who were taken to Kathmandu Medical College for treatment, seven of whom were dead. The rest of the injured are undergoing treatment. The aircraft, UBG 211, was coming from Dhaka (Bangladesh) to Kathmandu. The plane flew from Dhaka and it landed at the airport at 2:20 pm (local time).

Black flames could be seen rising from the football field. "The plane slipped on the runway and it immediately caught fire," Himalayan Times quoted an airport official as saying. Officials however said that the cause of the accident can also be a technical disturbance.

"The aircraft was allowed to land towards the south of the runway, but it landed towards north," Kathmandu Post quoted the director general of Nepali Civil Aviation Authority Sanjeev Gautam as saying.

He said that the aircraft lost balance in an attempt to land on the runway. Gautam said, "We are exploring the reason behind this unusual landing." He said that the cause of this accident can also be a technical disturbance. Officials said that the fire has been suppressed and relief and rescue operations are in progress.

Russia's passenger carrier plane crashed in Syria on Tuesday. All 32 people died in the plane crash.

This is confirmed by the news agency quoted from Russia's Department of Defense. Among the deceased, there are six crew members, including 26 passengers.

According to reports of Russian media, the accident happened near the coastal city of Latakia. According to preliminary news, the Russian plane was hit by an accident on the Khamemim airbase.

At least 29 people, including five children, were killed in a recent attack on the Eastern Ghouta suburb, occupied by rebels in the Syrian capital. Last week more than 500 civilians were killed in the fierce bombing by the Syrian government's loyal forces had carried out here.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a war surveillance body of Britain, 12 people dead in Dauma City in air strikes and cannons' attack continuing from the morning and four people died in Al-Shifoniya town.

SOHR however did not make it clear whether the Syrian and Russian forces are responsible for the recent attacks. At least 12 people were injured in Saturday's attack. Along with Urbin and Harasta, Gruesome attacks continued throughout the night at Sakaba and Hamouriyah. SOHR has said that in these areas, personal property was destroyed due to bombing.

According to the Observatory, the news agency AFE said that along with the deaths on Saturday, the number of dead has reached 505 in the Eastern Ghouta since February 18, in which 123 children and 65 women are included. 2,453 people have also been injured in the attacks, out of which hundreds are being described as critical. While dozens are still buried under debris. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar had called the Syrian government to stop the bombing earlier this week.

At least 23 people died in serial blasts and attacks in Afghanistan, while dozens were injured. The information was given by the concerned officials on Saturday (February 24, 2018). According to officials, in the biggest attack Taliban militants entered the army hideouts in western Farah province last night and killed 18 soldiers.

Afghanistan's Defense Ministry spokesman Daulat Wazir said, "Last night a large group of terrorists attacked the army base in Bala Bulluk district of Farah. Unfortunately we lost 18 soldiers and two soldiers were injured. We have sent extra forces in the area."

The Taliban took responsibility for the attack. Deputy provincial governor Yunus Rasuli said that the authorities have sent the team to investigate the attack. In another incident a suicide bomber blew himself up in a diplomatic area of Kabul on Saturday morning. Home Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi said that at least three people died and five others were injured in this.

While amending the death statistics, he said, "A suicide bomber on foot was identified at checkpoint at around eight o'clock in the morning. He also dressed in good clothes and neck tie. He blew himself up and killed three people, while five others were injured."

On the condition of not disclosing the name, a defense source said that the attack happened near the Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS). The NDS campus is located near the NATO headquarters and the US Embassy.

An eyewitness told Tolo News TV, "I was passing nearby when I heard a loud bang. The mirrors of my car broke. I saw many injured on the road."

Officials said that in one of the two attacks in the troubled Southern Helmand province, suicide bombers blew up two soldiers in one of the attacks, while a dozen others were injured.

In the first case, the terrorists used Humvee (The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) to attack the army's hideout in Nad Ali district. Provincial spokesman Omar Javak said that the cautious soldiers identified it and ruined it through a rocket. Although two soldiers were killed and seven others were injured in this attack. The second suicide car bomb attack happened in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah, in which seven people were injured.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed deepening on Friday to strengthen trade relations, including issues related to counter terrorism and extremism in New Delhi. After the meeting between the two leaders, India and Canada signed six agreements, including cooperation in energy sector.

After meeting for nearly two hours, Modi, while addressing the media jointly with the Prime Minister of Canada, said that all aspects of bilateral participation were discussed. Modi insisted that it is important for both countries to work together to fight terrorism. He said that there is no place for such people who use religion for political goals.

Prime Minister Modi also clarified that those who challenge India's unity and integrity will not be tolerated. This statement of Modi came after the soft stance of the Trudeau government on Khalistan issue. Modi said that the Prime Minister of Canada has visited various parts of the country and he certainly will have experienced the diversity of India.

Trudeau described India as a natural partner for commercial cooperation. Earlier, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj met with Trudeau and discussed various issues of mutual interest.

India's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ravish Kumar tweeted a picture of both the leaders, "The picture itself tells the story. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had a warm meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and discussions on ways to strengthen and strengthen our partnership." Earlier, Trudeau received a formal reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Iran's plane crashed from Tehran to Yasuz, carrying 66 passengers. All passengers are expected to die in this accident. Although deaths are yet to be official confirmed. The passenger plane was flying from Mehrabad International Airport.

Aseman Airlines of Iran has expected to the death of all the passengers while confirming the accident. According to a spokesman for the Aseman Airlines, where the crew had six members in the plane, there were 60 passengers on board. This aircraft was of two engines and used for short distance flight. Why did the accident happen? The reasons for this can not be ascertained.

According to officials, when the plane took off, there was a fog in the sky. Immediately after flying, the aircraft lost contact. The plane disappeared from the radar. Meanwhile, the plane crashed over the mountainous region of Central Iran's Semirom.

According to the BBC's report, the plane crashed in the Jagros Hills near the city of Semirom in Isfahan province while traveling between the South-West Yasuj city and Tehran.

According to the Emergency Services Department spokesman, all Emergency staff were alerted. However, due to bad weather, there is trouble in relief and rescue operations. According to officials, the causes of the accident are being investigated. According to some Iranian officials, most of the country's aircraft have become old, due to which the number of accidents has increased. According to media reports, 60 people, including two security personnel, two flight attendants and pilot and co-pilot, were in the plane.

Pakistan has given justice to innocent Jainab, the victim of murder after a rape in just one and a half months. A Pakistani court has sentenced Zainab's rapist and murderer Imran to death sentence. An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has given the main accused Imran Ali the death sentence, one life sentence, seven years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20 lakh under four charges.

On Saturday (February 17th), the judge declared the punishment in the Lahore Central Jail of the Court Lakhpat. Imran Ali was convicted by the court for four acts of terror under Section 7 of the death penalty, kidnapping, rape, murder and anti-terrorism. Age imprisonment and fine of Rs 10 lakh was imposed for unnatural sex. While imprisonment of seven years and a fine of Rs 10 lakh was imposed to hide Jainab's body in a pile of garbage.

Public prosecutor Ehtesham Qadir, while talking to the media, said that the accused was given all the opportunities to defend himself, but he accepted his crime. There is now a 15-day time to appeal against the guilty Imran in the upper court. To see the proceedings of the case, Haji Mohammad Amin, father of innocent Jainab, also reached the court Lakhpat. During this period, security arrangements were made near the Central Jail.

Let us say that unexpected response was seen in Pakistan last month after the rape and murder of a six-year-old innocent Jainab. In Pakistan's general public, there was a tremendous fierce anger against this rape. There were strong demonstrations against the police in the Punjab province. In Pakistan, the anger of the people against this rape was similar to that of India's Nirbhaya Scandal. The people of Pakistan attributed the inaction of the police to the case and performed violent in many cities. An angry mob rushed to the Deputy Commissioner's Office in Kasur city, with ropes and stones, in which two people died and many others were injured.

This incident was the 12th incident in the area of two kilometers in the city of Kasur in the last one year. In this sense, people were furious. Jainab went to tuition near her house in the Road Coat area on January 4, during which she was abducted. Later, Jainab's family got a video footage, in which she was seen on the Pirovala road with a stranger. This video was viral on social media on January 9, a police constable found a baby girl's body from a garbage pile. The Punjab government was claimed the arrest of Jainab's killer on January 23.

The demand for justice for Jainab became the form of movement in Pakistan. All the sections of the society, including lawyers, doctors, journalists, civil society, condemned this brutal scandal. Pakistan has sentenced the guilty to death in less than a month and a half after the disappearance of Jainab.