Rouhani allies seek control of parliament in Iran vote

Voting was extended Friday in second round elections for almost a quarter of the seats in Iran's parliament, a crucial showdown between reformists and conservatives seeking to influence the country's future. Iran's reformists -- who have encouraged foreign investment, support moves for greater diplomatic rapprochement and seek social reforms at home -- are allied with President Hassan Rouhani's government and made major gains in the first round on February 26. Polling stations opened at 8:00 am (0330 GMT) for the second round which took place in 21 provinces, but not the capital Tehran, with 68 of parliament's 290 seats being contested.

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  Iran moderates eye more gains in run-off parliamentary election

  Reuters
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  Mind the mullahs: Iran votes

  Economist Espresso

APNewsBreak: San Francisco chief releases racist texts

San Francisco's police chief has ordered effective immediately that all officers attend an anti-harassment class, even as he released more transcripts of a former lieutenant and two former officers exchanging racist text messages. Investigators found the text messages on the personal phones of the officers during criminal probes of former officer Jason Lai and retired Lt. Curtis Liu. Police Chief Greg Suhr provided additional transcripts and copies of photos with racist captions that were found on Liu's phone to The Associated Press Thursday.

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  Former San Francisco police lieutenant charged with impeding rape investigation

  Los Angeles Times
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  Racist texting scandal rocks San Francisco police department again!

  USA Today

China Successfully Tests Hypersonic Weapon System

China has conducted a test of its new hypersonic weapon. The test is the seventh successful test of the so-called DF-ZF, the Washington Free Beacon reports. The test was carried out from the Wuzhai missile test center in central China.

The Latest: Candles to honor car crash victims, 22 others

The University of Georgia plans a candlelight service to remember four students killed in a car crash — along with 22 other members of the university community — who have died in the past year. It holds special significance this year, coming shortly after the Wednesday night car crash that took the lives of four students and left one other critically injured. On Tuesday, names of the 26 students, faculty and staff members who have died will be read aloud on the steps of the chapel, following by the toll of the chapel bell and the lighting of a candle as each name is read.

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  The Latest: Campus gathering planned after crash kills 4

  Washington Post
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  Driver still critical after crash that killed 4 UGA students

  Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Finnish NATO membership would lead to crisis with Russia: government report

If Finland joined NATO it would lead to a serious crisis with neighboring Russia, a report commissioned by the Finnish government said on Friday. Membership of the military alliance would strengthen Finland's security but trigger a harsh reaction from the Kremlin, affecting trade between the countries, according to the report prepared for Prime Minister Juha Sipila's center-right government. Militarily-neutral Finland shares a 1,340 km-long border and difficult history with Russia, its former ruler.

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  Russia Warns NATO: Will Deploy New Generation Missiles In Northern Territories If Sweden Joins Alliance

  International Business Times
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  Russia's foreign minister warns Sweden against joining NATO

  Newsweek

Kim Jong-Un Has A 'Pleasure Squad' Of Teenage Girls Who Follow Him Around The World

Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered a new ‘pleasure squad’ of teenage girls to serve his every whim. The North Korean leader originally stopped the practice – which has been employed in the country for decades – following the death of his father and predecessor, Kim Jong-il, in 2011. Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo’s Waseda University and an authority on North Korean affairs, told The Telegraph, that at first Kim Jong-un stopped the practice because he didn’t trust the girls.

Norway oil-rig helicopter crash kills 13; flying ban issued

A helicopter carrying Statoil workers from an offshore rig in the North Sea crashed Friday on an island off western Norway, killing all 13 people on board, rescuers said. The Airbus EC-225 helicopter shattered into pieces as it slammed just after noon into the rocky shoreline of Turoey, a tiny island outside Bergen, Norway's second-largest city. "We do not believe anyone can be found alive," said Boerge Galta of the Joint Rescue Coordination Center.

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  The Latest: Norway's king cancels trip to Sweden after crash

  Associated Press
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  Chopper crashes into sea off Norway, 11 dead

  WAPT Jackson

Aleppo: A key Syrian battleground

The city of Aleppo, capital of the eponymous northern province, is strategically vital to all sides involved in Syria's five-year civil war and at the centre of escalating violence imperilling a landmark ceasefire. Syria's onetime economic powerhouse, Aleppo and its surrounding countryside has suffered some of the worst fighting in a conflict that has killed more than 270,000 people. A spike in fighting has killed more than 200 people in the past week, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights -- the most serious violations of a truce agreed between the US and Russia that began on February 27.

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  Syrian government reportedly restarts Aleppo strikes; 15 dead in mosque attack

  Fox News
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  Aleppo left in ruins as Syrian cease-fire crumbles

  CBS News

Attorney General Says Hillary Clinton Email Probe May Not Be Settled Anytime Soon

Attorney General Loretta Lynch has some disappointing news for Hillary Clinton foes and fans who hope her email drama will be resolved before the Democratic National Convention: The investigation has no deadline. Lynch says setting a hard stop date for "a full, thorough and independent review" would hamper authorities' ability to do a good job. Private affair: Clinton's use of a private email address and server while running the State Department has proven to have staying power as an issue through the presidential campaign — for both parties.

Two-thirds of Nigerian states struggling to pay salaries - president Buhari

Nearly two-thirds of Nigeria's 36 states are struggling to pay civil servants' salaries despite receiving a government bailout, President Muhammadu Buhari's spokesman quoted him as saying on Thursday. Nigeria, Africa's top oil exporter and biggest economy, has been hit hard by the fall in crude prices. Several states around the country raised money on the domestic bond market and from banks to fund infrastructure projects at the peak of oil prices, but as crude prices have plunged many have found themselves unable to pay bills or salaries.