Syria conflict: Rebels 'capture' IS stronghold of Dabiq

Turkish-backed rebels have captured the symbolically important Syrian town of Dabiq from the Islamic State group, rebel commanders and monitors say.

The rebels took Dabiq when "IS members withdrew", the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights aforesaid.
The small northern city holds nice worth for IS attributable to a prophecy of associate apocalyptic battle, and options heavily in its info.
The advance on Dabiq is a component of a wider offensive by Syrian rebel teams.
Ahmed Osman, the commander of the grand Turk Murad rebel cluster, told Reuters news organisation on Sunday morning that the cluster had conjointly recaptured the near  village of Soran.

The battle for Dabiq has been building for weeks - with one village when another being appropriated from IS by rebel fighters backed by Turkish airstrikes.
In the end, it looks to possess fallen fleetly when the announcement of the ultimate assault on Saturday.
Strategically, it isn't a significant prize. however IS has embraced it as a logo of its apocalyptic vision of complete confrontation with its enemies.
The city is known as in one Hadith - or oral communication by the Prophet Mohammed - because the web site of the climactic battle between Muslims and non-Muslims before the tip of the globe. The cluster named its on-line magazine when it, however has downplayed its significance recently, oral communication this battle isn't the epic that was prophesied.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights aforesaid one,200 IS fighters had been brought in to defend Dabiq.
A commander of 1 rebel cluster, the Hamza Brigade, told the Associated Press that resistance from IS was "minimal".
Saif Abu Bakr aforesaid IS withdrew towards the larger city of Al-Bab to the south.
He aforesaid regarding a pair of,000 rebel fighters were concerned within the offensive.

They were supported by Turkish tanks and artillery, and airstrikes from international coalition warplanes.

Dabiq is simply 10km (six miles) from the border with Turkey.
In August, Turkey launched associate degree offensive to clear the border region of militants, which means each IS and Kurdish rebels fighting IS.
In September, the Turkish prime minister same the 91km borderline was "entirely secured" and "all the terrorist organisations were pushed back".
A war that started with associate degree rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad has currently split Asian nation into several components. it's been occurring for over 5 years and it's claimed three hundred,000 lives.
US Secretary of State John Kerry can meet the foreign ministers of France and European nation later as a part of a revived decide to broker peace in Asian nation.
Last month a ceasefire folded once simply many days and since then Syrian forces, backed by Russia, are bombing the town of Alep, that has become the geographical point of the conflict.
On Sabbatum Mr Kerry met the Russian secretary of state, Sergei Lavrov, along side representatives from Islamic Republic of Iran, Asian nation and Turkey, all of that countries back distinct teams within the long-running war.

No concrete deal or ceasefire was forthcoming however each the America and Russia spoke of "ideas" rising.

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Rio Olympics: US swimmer Jimmy Feigen 'settles robbery row'

US Olympic swimmer Jimmy Feigen has agreed to pay nearly $11,000 to a Brazilian charity over his involvement in a dispute about an armed robbery.

He was one of four gold medallists, along with star Ryan Lochte, who hit the headlines after Mr Lochte said the group had been robbed in Rio.

CCTV footage later contradicted their story, showing the swimmers had vandalised a petrol station.

Mr Lochte left Brazil on Tuesday but Mr Feigen stayed behind and was detained.

The two other members of the group, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger, were pulled off a flight in Rio on Thursday night and questioned by police.

They deny any involvement in the false robbery claim and were allowed to leave for the US on a later flight.

Breno Melaragno, Feigen's lawyer, said: "After a long deliberation, this agreement was reached… he will donate 35,000 reais ($10,800) to an institute, and with that the case is resolved.

"After this donation is done, his passport will be given back to him, and he will be free to return home."

Mr Melaragno did not say which charity, or institute, would receive the donation.

The bizarre story began when Mr Lochte told a reporter that the four men were robbed at gunpoint by thieves disguised as police officers.

In a colourful description of the 14 August robbery, the swimming star said he refused to get on the ground despite having a gun pressed to his forehead.

But when police began to investigate, the evidence appeared to tell a different story. Rio's civilian police chief Fernando Veloso has now ruled out any possibility that the crime occurred.

"No robbery was committed against these athletes. They were not victims of the crimes they claimed," Mr Veloso said.

He told reporters that one or more of the athletes had instead vandalised a toilet in a petrol station and then offered to pay for the damage.

The Americans paid and left after armed security guards intervened, he said.

One guard had justifiably drawn his gun after one of the swimmers began behaving erratically, Mr Veloso added.

He warned that the swimmers, who had repeatedly changed their accounts of what happened, could "in theory" face charges of giving false testimony and vandalism.

But later on Thursday, the men's lawyer Sergio Riera said Mr Bentz and Mr Conger had been allowed to leave the country by a special Olympic court.

Mr Feigen "provided a revised statement this evening (Thursday) with the hope of securing the release of his passport as soon as possible," said the US Olympic Committee (USOC).

The USOC statement confirmed Mr Veloso's version of events, and added that "the behaviour of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA".

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Syrian conflict: Russian bombers use Iran base for air strikes

Russia's defence ministry says it has used a base in western Iran to carry out air strikes in Syria.

Tupolev-22M3 long-range bombers and Sukhoi-34 strike fighters took off from Hamedan on Wednesday, a statement said.

The aircraft attacked jihadist militants in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al-Zour provinces, it added.

It is reportedly the first time Russia has struck targets inside Syria from a third country since it began a campaign to prop up Syria's president last year.

Iran is Bashar al-Assad's main regional ally and has provided significant military and financial support since an uprising against him erupted in 2011.

Last week, Russia asked Iran and Iraq to allow Russian cruise missiles to fly through their airspace for attacks on terrorist targets in Syria.

Analysis - Jonathan Marcus, defence and diplomatic correspondent,

Russia has been operating jets and helicopters from bases in Syria for the past year, but this is the first time that Moscow has deployed aircraft to a third country in the region.

Reports indicate that up to six Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers - known by the Nato codename of "Backfire" - are now operating from an air base in western Iran.

These planes - originally designed as a long-range strategic bomber - have already been engaged in the Syrian air campaign but operating from bases in southern Russia. Placing them in Iran dramatically reduces the duration of their missions. The Russian defence ministry says that an unspecified number of Sukhoi-34 strike aircraft have also been sent to Iran.

Their deployment marks an intensification of the Russian air campaign - perhaps a reflection of the scale of the fighting in and around Aleppo - and it is a demonstration of the growing warmth in ties between Moscow and Tehran, the Syrian government's two closest allies.

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The Russian defence ministry statement said Wednesday's air strikes had killed a "large number" of militants and resulted in the destruction of five large warehouses filled with weapons, ammunition and fuel, and jihadist training camps in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib.

Three command centres in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour were also hit, it added.

News of the strikes comes a day after Russia's defence minister suggested it was close to an agreement with the US on collaborating in attacks on IS militants around the divided city of Aleppo, where fighting between Syrian government and rebel forces has escalated in recent weeks.

"We are moving step by step closer to a plan - and I'm only talking about Aleppo here - that would really allow us to start fighting together to bring peace so that people can return to their homes in this troubled land," Russia's RIA news agency cited Sergei Shoigu as saying.

However, US state department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters: "We have seen the reports and have nothing to announce."

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Japan's Emperor Akihito hints at wish to abdicate

Japan's Emperor Akihito has strongly indicated he wants to step down, saying he fears his age will make it difficult to fulfil his duties.

The revered 82-year-old emperor's comments came in only his second-ever televised address to the public.

Emperor Akihito did not explicitly say he wanted to abdicate as it could be interpreted as political interference.

PM Shinzo Abe said the government would take the remarks "seriously" and discuss what could be done.

"Upon reflecting how he handles his official duty and so on, his age and the current situation of how he works, I do respect the heavy responsibility the emperor must be feeling and I believe we need to think hard about what we can do," he said.

Akihito, who has had heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer, has been on the throne in Japan since the death of his father, Hirohito, in 1989.

In his 10-minute pre-recorded message, he said he had "started to reflect" on his years as as emperor, and contemplate his position in the years to come.

"While, being in the position of the emperor, I must refrain from making any specific comments on the existing imperial system, I would like to tell you what I, as an individual, have been thinking about.

Ever since my accession to the throne, I have carried out the acts of the emperor in matters of state, and at the same time I have spent my days searching for and contemplating on what is the desirable role of the emperor, who is designated to be the symbol of the state by the constitution of Japan. As one who has inherited a long tradition, I have always felt a deep sense of responsibility to protect this tradition.

At the same time, in a nation and in a world which are constantly changing, I have continued to think to this day about how the Japanese imperial family can put its traditions to good use in the present age and be an active and inherent part of society, responding to the expectations of the people."

If he were to abdicate, it would be the first time a Japanese emperor has stepped down since Emperor Kokaku in 1817.

The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says right wing nationalists who support Mr Abe's government do not want any change to the current law, which insists emperors must serve until they die.

Emperor Akihito said he hoped the duties of the emperor as a symbol of the state could continue steadily without any breaks.

He said one possibility when an emperor could not fulfil his duties because of age or illness was that a regency could be established.

But he suggested this was not the ideal outcome, saying: "I think it is not possible to continue reducing perpetually the emperor's acts in matters of state and his duties as the symbol of the state."

Akihito's eldest son, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito is first in line to the Chrysanthemum throne, followed by his younger brother Prince Akishino.

Women are not allowed to inherit the throne and so Princess Aiko, the daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito, cannot succeed her father.

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Pakistan hospital bomb attack kills dozens in Quetta

A bomb blast has killed 53 people at a hospital in the city of Quetta in south-west Pakistan, officials say.

Dozens of people were injured in the attack, which happened at the entrance to the emergency department where the body of a prominent lawyer shot dead earlier on Monday was being brought.

The casualties included lawyers and journalists accompanying the body of Bilal Anwar Kasi.

Gunfire followed the explosion. It was not clear who the attackers were.

Pakistani police have said they suspect the bomb was detonated by a suicide attacker.

Mr Kasi, who was president of the Balochistan Bar Association, had been shot while on his way to the main court complex in Quetta, local news outlet Geo TV reported.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attacks. "No-one will be allowed to disturb the peace of the province," he said.

"The people, policy and security forces in Balochistan have given sacrifices for the country."

The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Sanaullah Zehri, said those injured should be given the best medical treatment and facilities available.

There have been a number of targeted killings in Quetta, linked to a separatist insurgency as well as sectarian tensions and crime.

Those killed in recent weeks have included several lawyers.

Mr Kasi had strongly condemned the attacks and local media said he had announced a two-day boycott of court sessions in protest at the killing of a colleague last week.

Those killed in the hospital attack were said to include Baz Muhammad Kakar, a predecessor of Mr Kasi as provincial bar president, 17 other lawyers and Shahzad Khan, a cameraman for Aaj TV.

Facebook has activated its safety check feature for Quetta, allowing users to mark themselves or others as being safe.

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US First Daughter Sasha Obama serves seafood in summer job

Sasha Obama, daughter of US President Barack Obama, has swapped the comforts of the White House for the counter of a seafood restaurant, US media report.

The 15-year-old has taken a summer job serving food at the business in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.

Sasha, using her full name, Natasha, has been accompanied to the restaurant by a contingent of six secret service agents 

The town has been a favourite location for the Obamas on their summer breaks.

Photographs show the president's youngest daughter wearing the restaurant's uniform of blue T-shirt and cap and working at a till.

A co-worker told the Herald: "She's been working downstairs at takeout. We were wondering why there were six people helping this girl, but then we found out who it was."

The White House has not commented on the report but First Lady Michelle Obama has spoken about trying to bring her two daughters up as normally as possible.

As well as working on the takeaway counter, Sasha Obama's other duties reportedly include waiting on tables and helping to prepare the restaurant for its lunchtime opening.

Her security team has been seen waiting nearby in a large car or sitting on benches while the First Daughter deals with tourists' meals.

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US election 2016: Republican divisions grow over Trump

Fresh divisions are emerging within the US Republican Party over its presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Republican donor Meg Whitman has endorsed his rival Hillary Clinton, saying Mr Trump's "demagoguery" had undermined the national fabric.

Senior party activist Jan Halper-Hayes told the BBC she thought Mr Trump was "psychologically unbalanced".

In the latest controversy, Mr Trump has refused to support two senior figures in his own party.

 he said he was "just not quite there yet" when asked if he would endorse House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain, who are up for re-election in November. Both men have publicly criticised him.

Mr Trump's campaign has been marked by a series of controversial statements.

Ms Whitman,  said that to vote Republican out of party loyalty alone "would be to endorse a candidacy that I believe has exploited anger, grievance, xenophobia and racial division".

"Trump's unsteady hand would endanger our prosperity and national security. His authoritarian character could threaten much more," the Hewlett-Packard executive said.

Dr Halper-Hayes, vice-president of Republicans Overseas Worldwide, told the BBC's Today programme that she was "very concerned" about Mr Trump's behaviour, although she would not go so far as to endorse Mrs Clinton.

"I think there is an element of him that truly is psychologically unbalanced, and I feel very guilty for saying this because I'm a Republican and I want the Republican ticket to win," she said.

"But Donald is out of control right now and he's not listening to anyone."

Dozens of senior Republican Party figures have already said they would not vote for Mr Trump, including the party's 2012 nominee Mitt Romney and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Muslim soldier row

New York Representative Richard Hanna became the first Republican member of Congress to publicly say he would vote for Mrs Clinton. He described Mr Trump as "deeply flawed in endless ways".

On Monday, Sally Bradshaw, a top adviser to Jeb Bush, said that Mr Trump's candidacy had convinced her to leave the Republican Party.

Many Republicans opposed to Mr Trump have stopped short of supporting Mrs Clinton, saying they would vote for a third candidate instead.

However, former Republican congressman John LeBoutillier told the BBC's Newsday programme he believed many Republican politicians would back Mrs Clinton.

"Now I think in private a lot of Republican congressmen are going to vote for Hillary, they can't stand Trump," he said.

Despite the criticism, Mr Trump  that there was "great unity in my campaign, perhaps greater than ever before".

The property billionaire has been heavily under fire over a war of words he has been waging with the bereaved parents of a US Muslim soldier killed in Iraq.

Democratic and Republican leaders as well as veterans' groups quickly rounded on him.

Mr Trump's son Eric defended his father's comments about the Khans, telling CBS News that they had been been "blown hugely out of proportion".

The row led US President Barack Obama to make his strongest comments yet on Mr Trump, saying he was "unfit" to serve as president.

In response, Mr Trump dismissed President Obama's time in the White House as a "disaster".

"He's been weak, he's been ineffective... the worst president, maybe, in the history of our country", he said in interview 

Mr Trump's spokeswoman Katrina Pierson later caused a social media storm by blaming both President Obama and Mrs Clinton for the death of Capt Humayun Khan, citing their policies on Iraq. Capt Khan died in 2004 when Mrs Clinton was in the US Senate and five years before Mr Obama was elected to the White House.

Mrs Clinton has been actively courting moderate Republicans. A Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll suggested she had extended her lead over Mr Trump to eight percentage points, from six points on Friday.

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