Iran examines US bill tightening visa-free travel

1. The Nigerian army has reportedly stormed the residence of top Shia Muslim leader Ibrahim al-Zakzaky in the northern city of Zaria. Almost all those inside the cleric’s house have been killed. The fate of the cleric and his wife remains unknown. However, some reports say that he has been arrested by the Nigerian troops.
2. Three Syrian civilians have been killed in mortar attacks by militants in several neighborhoods of the capital Damascus. Over 30 other people were wounded in the attacks. Witnesses say most of those injured were schoolchildren.
3. In Bahrain, people have taken to the streets to protest against the continued imprisonment of opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman and other political activists. Protesters rallied in the town of Bilad al-Qadim and demanded the immediate release of Salman. At least two Bahrainis were arrested by regime forces.
4. Israeli forces have shot and seriously injured a female Palestinian teenager in the south of the occupied West Bank. Tel Aviv says 16-year-old Lama al-Bakri attempted to stab Israelis before being shot. The incident happened near the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba outside the city of al-Khalil also known as Hebron.
5. Iran says it is examining different aspects of a bill passed by the U-S House of Representatives to tighten visa-free travel to the United States. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says the country will take action if it finds the legislation in breach of its nuclear deal with the P5+1.
6. The US secretary of state has slammed anti-Muslim comments by republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump. John Kerry said Trump’s remarks endanger America’s national security. Speaking to local media, Kerry said the comments show a willingness to discriminate against a religion by a person who plans to run for US leadership.
7. Exit polls from France’s second round of regional elections suggest that the far-right National Front party has failed to win even in a single region. They topped in six out of thirteen regions in the first round. Nicolas Sarkozy's centre-right Republican Party is in the lead and ahead of the ruling Socialists.
8. Russia summons Turkey's military attaché in Moscow over an incident in the Aegean Sea. Russia's defense ministry said one of its warships was forced to fire warning shots to prevent a collision with a Turkish vessel. The ministry added that the Russian ship had failed to respond to earlier warnings.

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