The great thing about Flat stayers is that they can be around for such a long time and, in racing at least, familiarity breeds affection.

A US judge says al-Qa'ida, the Taliban and Iran should pay $6 billion to relatives of September 11 victims for aiding in the 2001 terror attacks in New York.

Four people face execution over a $2.6bn bank (£1.7bn) bank fraud described as the biggest financial scam in Iranian history. Two more of the 39 accused in the case were jailed for life, state media reported yesterday.

As regards the itinerary, at least, Mitt Romney's trip was everything a Republican nominee's first overseas tour might be expected to be. It followed a standard route of friendly countries – from Britain, to Israel and, yesterday, on to Poland – with plenty of opportunities to burnish the candidate's foreign policy credentials and set him up as a warmer friend to America's allies than Barack Obama has been.

The intensifying civil war in Syria has set off a storm of anguish over the ramifications for the region. There's not a television report or political speech that doesn't harp on about the danger of sectarian conflict spreading to adjoining countries.

In his Eighties pomp, Jackson contributed a superb arrangement of "Round Midnight" to a Thelonious Monk tribute album, but this new homage to Ellington works as superior adult-pop rather than jazz.

Tensions and patrols rise as ship opens fire on small boat said to have ignored warnings

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said last night that the United States will use "all elements of American power" to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and insisted it was on "same page" as Israel on the issue.

Before you commit to reading any more of this, I should warn you that I most certainly do not have my finger on the pulse of this Kingdom, so if you were expecting to feel the warmth of collusion – an edgy togetherness – you might want to stop before venturing too far in.

Iran could prevent even “a single drop of oil” passing through the Strait of Hormuz if its security is threatened, a naval chief said today, as tensions simmer over Tehran's nuclear programme.

Iran's semi-official news agency Fars is reporting the country can destroy nearby US military bases and strike Israel within minutes of an attack on the Islamic Republic.

Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards test-fired several ballistic missiles today, including a long-range variety capable of hitting US bases in the region as well as Israel, Iranian media reported.

Britain has condemned as anti-semitic remarks made by Iran's vice-president Mohammad-Reza Rahimi at a UN conference in Tehran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday it was time to ramp up sanctions against Iran to try to curb its nuclear programme after discussing the matter with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin.