Manama - The Iranian military's behaviour in the Gulf has changed "across the board" in recent months, the US Navy said on Thursday, after years of tensions in the busy waterway.

President Barack Obama leaves behind a criminal legacy on war, torture and Guantánamo Bay. This isn't hyperbole, it's legal fact, as what follows will amply demonstrate.

Bahrain - El-Wefaq, the largest Shia political party in Bahrain was suspended yesterday. The assets of the party were frozen as well.

Mahdi Abu Dheeb, the leader of the Bahrain Teachers Association, who was jailed for his work promoting human rights in his country, has been freed after over three years in prison.

Manama - US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Iran on Thursday to help end wars in Yemen and Syria, where Tehran and its Gulf Arab rivals are backing opposing sides.

Manama - US Secretary of State John Kerry told Bahrain Thursday that respect for human rights is "essential", as the Gulf kingdom faces persistent accusations of discrimination against its Shiite majority.

Manama - French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told forces on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf Thursday that the war against the Islamic State group was starting to bear its fruit.

Sadad - On the outskirts of the Syrian Christian town of Sadad, children play in front of a cannon fired just hours ago in an ongoing battle against the Islamic State group.

Sanaa - As long as the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthi rebels in Yemen engaged solely in a bombing campaign, they were free of casualties except for a few losses at the southern Saudi border.

The national football team of the Philippines is set to face Uzbekistan on Sept. 8 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan for its third straight win in the ongoing World Cup Finals qualifiers.

Zurich - Amid a slew of corruption allegations FIFA is due to elect its President today. Incumbent Sepp Blatter, whose position seemed impregnable just days ago, is challenged by Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, vice-president of the Asian soccer confederation.

Manama - The U.S. military's top officer said Iran is bolstering the firepower of Shiite militias in Iraq but it remains unclear if Tehran is a help or a hindrance to the fight against Islamic State jihadists.

Manama - Bahrain on Monday permanently closed a Saudi billionaire's pan-Arab news channel after less than 24 hours on air, in what an analyst called a worsening of press freedom.

Manama - Programming at a pan-Arab news channel owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was unavailable on Monday, hours after its first transmission from Bahrain.

Manama - Prosecutors in Sunni-ruled Bahrain charged Shiite opposition chief Sheikh Ali Salman on Monday with promoting regime change in the Gulf kingdom through hatred and violence.

Manama - A bomb blast Tuesday killed one person in a Shiite village in western Bahrain, according to the authorities, who have faced years of simmering unrest since crushing pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Manama - A war of words over Bahrain's legislative election heightened Sunday, with the Sunni leadership and the Shiite opposition, which boycotted the polls, at odds over the turnout rate and trading accusations of malpractice.

Manama - Bahrain voted Saturday in its first legislative election since security forces crushed a pro-democracy uprising in 2011, with the opposition boycotting the poll they see as a farce.

Manama - Bahrain's Shiite-led opposition on Saturday announced a boycott of parliamentary elections next month, saying the vote would cement "totalitarian" Sunni rule in the polarised kingdom.

San Francisco - As the United States and five Arab nations — none of them democracies, most of them repressive dictatorships — begin bombing Islamic State targets in Syria, President Barack Obama has begun boasting on the "broad coalition" he's enlisted in the fight.