Bahrain dialogue restarts after 2-month break

Bahrain's national dialogue launched in February and aimed at ending the Gulf monarchy's political deadlock since a 2011 Shiite-led revolt resumed on Wednesday after a two-month summer break. Opposition and government representatives took part in the Manama talks, participants said. Led by the influential Shiite group Al-Wefaq, the opposition is taking part in the dialogue while keeping up street protests to call for reform in the Shiite-majority, Sunni-rule state. Bahraini authorities in 2011 crushed mass pro-democracy demonstrations in the capital with the help of Saudi-led troops but sporadic protests have continued in the Shiite villages. At least 80 people have been killed in Bahrain since Arab Spring-inspired pro-democracy protests erupted in February 2011, according to the International Federation for Human Rights.