• Barack Obama beats Mitt Romney to win re-election
• Republicans projected to hold control of House
• Democrats remain in charge of Senate
• Read our latest news story on Obama’s victory
Syria conflict: rebels withdraw from Salahedin, Aleppo – Thursday 9 August 2012
• Rebels claim Assad’s chief of protocol has defected
• More clashes reported in Aleppo
• All 48 Iranian hostages are alive, Tehran claims