US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo have cancelled the "Vigilant Ace" military exercise that was slated for December, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Friday.

The two officials agreed to suspend the drill to "give the diplomatic process" with Pyongyang "every opportunity to continue," spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement.

"Both ministers are committed to modifying training exercises to ensure the readiness of our forces," the statement read, saying the need for future exercises would continue to be evaluated.

The decision came as Mattis met with Jeong and South Japanese Minister of Defense Takeshi Iwaya on Friday at a security summit in Singapore.

White's statement said Iwaya was "consulted" on the matter. Mattis did not mention the decision when he spoke to reporters after his meetings with Jeong and Iwaya.

Following US President Trump's June meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the United States said it would suspend "select" exercises with South Korea, including the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises scheduled for August.

Vigilant Ace is an air exercise aimed at improving coordination between the two armies that takes place every year in early December in South Korea.

Last year, 230 aircraft and some 12,000 US and South Korean troops participated.

In August Mattis had said the Pentagon would "see how the negotiations go, and then we will calculate the future, how we go forward."

US and South Korean forces have been training together for years, and routinely rehearse everything from beach landings to an invasion from the North, or even "decapitation" strikes targeting the North Korean regime.

Last month, the then-nominee to head US and UN forces in South Korea said the pause in drills had been a "prudent risk" to help facilitate a detente on the peninsula.

But there "was certainly a degradation in the readiness of the force, for the combined forces," General Robert Abrams told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing. Abrams went on to say that the continued suspension of the drills risked a further erosion in "readiness and capability and interoperability of the combined forces," though he noted officials were working to minimize issues by running smaller scale staff exercises.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo have cancelled the "Vigilant Ace" military exercise that was slated for December, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Friday.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo have cancelled the "Vigilant Ace" military exercise that was slated for December, a Pentagon spokeswoman said Friday. The two officials agreed to suspend the drill to "give the diplomatic process" with Pyongyang "every opportunity to continue," spokeswoman Dana White said in a statement. "Both ministers are committed to modifying training exercises to ensure the readiness of our forces," the statement read, saying the need for future exercises would continue to be evaluated. The decision came as Mattis met with Jeong and South Japanese Minister of Defense Takeshi Iwaya on Friday at a security summit in Singapore. White's statement said Iwaya was "consulted" on the matter. Mattis did not mention the decision when he spoke to reporters after his meetings with Jeong and Iwaya. Following US President Trump's June meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the United States said it would suspend "select" exercises with South Korea, including the large-scale Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises scheduled for August. Vigilant Ace is an air exercise aimed at improving coordination between the two armies that takes place every year in early December in South Korea. Last year, 230 aircraft and some 12,000 US and South Korean troops participated. In August Mattis had said the Pentagon would "see how the negotiations go, and then we will calculate the future, how we go forward." US and South Korean forces have been training together for years, and routinely rehearse everything from beach landings to an invasion from the North, or even "decapitation" strikes targeting the North Korean regime. Last month, the then-nominee to head US and UN forces in South Korea said the pause in drills had been a "prudent risk" to help facilitate a detente on the peninsula. But there "was certainly a degradation in the readiness of the force, for the combined forces," General Robert Abrams told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing. Abrams went on to say that the continued suspension of the drills risked a further erosion in "readiness and capability and interoperability of the combined forces," though he noted officials were working to minimize issues by running smaller scale staff exercises.

US, South Korea suspend additional military exercise: Pentagon

Disputes over US tariffs and retaliatory moves by other states have sparked 12 requests for adjudication at the World Trade Organization, signalling an escalation in global trade tensions.

The agenda for an Oct. 29 meeting of the WTO's dispute settlement body on Friday confirmed the legal moves, which Reuters reported late on Thursday.

The dispute procedure begins with a 60-day window for talks to try to reach a settlement. The meeting agenda show that those talks have failed.

By asking for adjudication, the disputants are triggering litigation that could last years.

China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Norway, Russia and Turkey have all requested that the WTO set up a panel of adjudicators to judge the legality of steel and aluminium tariffs which US&nbsp;President Donald Trump imposed in March.

In return, the United States has asked the WTO to adjudicate on tariffs imposed by Canada, China, Mexico and the European Union in response to those US&nbsp;steel and aluminium tariffs.

It has also asked for adjudication in a separate case against China. Washington wants to impose tariffs on Beijing for its alleged failure to protect US&nbsp;intellectual property rights.

Opponents of the 25 per cent US&nbsp;duty on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium say they breach WTO rules. Washington says they are a national security matter, and therefore outside the WTO's jurisdiction.

The wheels of WTO adjudication are slow, and particularly congested at the moment, with a record number of disputes working through the system.

The defendants in the disputes can reject the adjudication requests at the October 29 meeting but would have to accept them at the November meeting.

Then a search for adjudicators will begin. Once they are appointed, which will take months more, they may take two years or more to report on the disputes.

The sides can then appeal, but the United States is threatening to cripple the WTO appeals system by blocking the appointment of judges.

Disputes over US tariffs and retaliatory moves by other states have sparked 12 requests for adjudication at the World Trade Organization, signalling an escalation in global trade tensions.

Disputes over US tariffs and retaliatory moves by other states have sparked 12 requests for adjudication at the World Trade Organization, signalling an escalation in global trade tensions. The agenda for an Oct. 29 meeting of the WTO's dispute settlement body on Friday confirmed the legal moves, which Reuters reported late on Thursday. The dispute procedure begins with a 60-day window for talks to try to reach a settlement. The meeting agenda show that those talks have failed. By asking for adjudication, the disputants are triggering litigation that could last years. China, the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Norway, Russia and Turkey have all requested that the WTO set up a panel of adjudicators to judge the legality of steel and aluminium tariffs which US President Donald Trump imposed in March. In return, the United States has asked the WTO to adjudicate on tariffs imposed by Canada, China, Mexico and the European Union in response to those US steel and aluminium tariffs. It has also asked for adjudication in a separate case against China. Washington wants to impose tariffs on Beijing for its alleged failure to protect US intellectual property rights. Opponents of the 25 per cent US duty on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium say they breach WTO rules. Washington says they are a national security matter, and therefore outside the WTO's jurisdiction. The wheels of WTO adjudication are slow, and particularly congested at the moment, with a record number of disputes working through the system. The defendants in the disputes can reject the adjudication requests at the October 29 meeting but would have to accept them at the November meeting. Then a search for adjudicators will begin. Once they are appointed, which will take months more, they may take two years or more to report on the disputes. The sides can then appeal, but the United States is threatening to cripple the WTO appeals system by blocking the appointment of judges.

Clash over Trump tariffs heats up with barrage of WTO litigation

Turkey on Friday widened the investigation into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after his visit to the Saudi consulate, searching a forest in the city.

Ankara also denied giving any audio recording to US officials from the investigation about Khashoggi, a former royal insider who moved to the United States after becoming a critic of the current House of Saud leadership.

US President Donald Trump acknowledged that Khashoggi was likely dead even as his fate remained unclear 17 days after he vanished.

Pro-government Turkish media have provided a steady stream of claims that Khashoggi was tortured and decapitated by a Saudi hit squad inside the consulate, although Turkey has yet to divulge details about the investigation.

But the controversy has already put the kingdom -- for decades a key Western ally and bulwark against Iran in the Middle East -- under unprecedented pressure amid reports it is scrambling to provide an explanation to take the heat off its rulers.

It is also a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a favourite of the Trump administration who has portrayed himself as a modernising Arab reformer, but whose image and even position at home could now be gravely undermined.

Forest search

Istanbul's Belgrade forest became a target of the investigation after police focused on the vehicles which had left the consulate on the day Khashoggi disappeared, NTV channel reported. At least one vehicle is suspected to have gone to the forest.

The forest, a vast area and sufficiently remote for even locals to regularly get lost there, is nearly 15 kilometres (over nine miles) away from the Saudi consulate.

Investigators already conducted two searches of the consulate and a nine-hour search of the consul's residence this week. The Saudi consul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, abruptly left Istanbul for Riyadh on Tuesday.

Pro-government daily Sabah on Friday published new CCTV images of some of the Saudi team arriving in Istanbul and reported that two of the men landed in the city on October 1.

Previously, local media said the 15 men arrived in Turkey on the day that Khashoggi went missing via two private planes, which then returned to Riyadh via Egypt and Dubai.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu did not reveal probe details but promised to share information in due course "in a transparent manner".

"It is out of the question for us to share this or that information with any country," he said during a visit to Albania's capital, Tirana.

'No tape given'

The key potential piece of evidence in the investigation is an alleged audio tape whose existence has been reported by pro-government media. They say it proves Khashoggi was tortured and then killed.

ABC News on Thursday quoted an unnamed Turkish official saying US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heard the audio tape and was shown a transcript of the recording during his visit to Ankara. &nbsp;

But Pompeo said he had neither "seen" nor "heard" a tape and had not read a transcript during the visit to Ankara where he held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Cavusoglu.

Cavusoglu on Friday also denied the claims and said it was "out of the question for Turkey to give any kind of audio tape to Pompeo or any other US official".

Earlier Trump said he now believed Khashoggi was dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible.

"It certainly looks that way to me. It's very sad," Trump said when asked if he believed that Khashoggi is no longer alive.

'Prevent whitewash'

The New York Times reported that Saudi leaders could blame General Ahmed al-Assiri, a top intelligence official close to the crown prince.

Previously US media said Saudis were preparing a report that Khashoggi's death resulted from a botched interrogation, in a bid to limit the global backlash against Riyadh and damage to the crown prince.

As Washington seeks to avoid a long-term rupture with its ally Riyadh, Pompeo told Trump the Saudis should be given "a few more days to complete" an official probe.

But four prominent human rights and press freedom groups urged Turkey to demand a United Nations investigation to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime.

The furore has also blown a huge hole in next week's Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. It was meant to showcase Prince Mohammed's plans for reform but has now been hit by a stream of big name cancellations including US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Turkey on Friday widened the investigation into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after his visit to the Saudi consulate, searching a forest in the city.

Turkey on Friday widened the investigation into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi after his visit to the Saudi consulate, searching a forest in the city. Ankara also denied giving any audio recording to US officials from the investigation about Khashoggi, a former royal insider who moved to the United States after becoming a critic of the current House of Saud leadership. US President Donald Trump acknowledged that Khashoggi was likely dead even as his fate remained unclear 17 days after he vanished. Pro-government Turkish media have provided a steady stream of claims that Khashoggi was tortured and decapitated by a Saudi hit squad inside the consulate, although Turkey has yet to divulge details about the investigation. But the controversy has already put the kingdom -- for decades a key Western ally and bulwark against Iran in the Middle East -- under unprecedented pressure amid reports it is scrambling to provide an explanation to take the heat off its rulers. It is also a major crisis for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a favourite of the Trump administration who has portrayed himself as a modernising Arab reformer, but whose image and even position at home could now be gravely undermined. Forest search Istanbul's Belgrade forest became a target of the investigation after police focused on the vehicles which had left the consulate on the day Khashoggi disappeared, NTV channel reported. At least one vehicle is suspected to have gone to the forest. The forest, a vast area and sufficiently remote for even locals to regularly get lost there, is nearly 15 kilometres (over nine miles) away from the Saudi consulate. Investigators already conducted two searches of the consulate and a nine-hour search of the consul's residence this week. The Saudi consul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, abruptly left Istanbul for Riyadh on Tuesday. Pro-government daily Sabah on Friday published new CCTV images of some of the Saudi team arriving in Istanbul and reported that two of the men landed in the city on October 1. Previously, local media said the 15 men arrived in Turkey on the day that Khashoggi went missing via two private planes, which then returned to Riyadh via Egypt and Dubai. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu did not reveal probe details but promised to share information in due course "in a transparent manner". "It is out of the question for us to share this or that information with any country," he said during a visit to Albania's capital, Tirana. 'No tape given' The key potential piece of evidence in the investigation is an alleged audio tape whose existence has been reported by pro-government media. They say it proves Khashoggi was tortured and then killed. ABC News on Thursday quoted an unnamed Turkish official saying US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heard the audio tape and was shown a transcript of the recording during his visit to Ankara. But Pompeo said he had neither "seen" nor "heard" a tape and had not read a transcript during the visit to Ankara where he held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Cavusoglu. Cavusoglu on Friday also denied the claims and said it was "out of the question for Turkey to give any kind of audio tape to Pompeo or any other US official". Earlier Trump said he now believed Khashoggi was dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible. "It certainly looks that way to me. It's very sad," Trump said when asked if he believed that Khashoggi is no longer alive. 'Prevent whitewash' The New York Times reported that Saudi leaders could blame General Ahmed al-Assiri, a top intelligence official close to the crown prince. Previously US media said Saudis were preparing a report that Khashoggi's death resulted from a botched interrogation, in a bid to limit the global backlash against Riyadh and damage to the crown prince. As Washington seeks to avoid a long-term rupture with its ally Riyadh, Pompeo told Trump the Saudis should be given "a few more days to complete" an official probe. But four prominent human rights and press freedom groups urged Turkey to demand a United Nations investigation to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime. The furore has also blown a huge hole in next week's Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. It was meant to showcase Prince Mohammed's plans for reform but has now been hit by a stream of big name cancellations including US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Khashoggi's disappearance: Turkey widens search to Istanbul forest

A top Republican lawmaker has urged the Trump administration to immediately designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism and terminate its non-NATO ally status, asserting that Islamabad consistently defends Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and condemns US' counterterrorism efforts.

Congressman Ted Poe said in the House of Representatives that Pakistan will not receive any financial support from the US if terrorists continue to live safely in the country.

"Now is the day of reckoning. All assistance to Pakistan must end, its Major non-NATO ally status must be terminated, and the State Department should immediately designate it as a state sponsor of terrorism," Poe said last week, according to Congressional records.

In his remarks, the Republican Congressman from Texas slammed Pakistan's Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi for what he described as lecturing the US on aid.

"While I do not oppose open engagement with Pakistan, our position must be clear: Pakistan will not receive a dime of US support if terrorists continue to live safely on their soil," he said.

"For too long the opposite has been the case. Fortunately, President Donald Trump has disrupted the status quo and suspended most of the funding we give to Pakistan, specifically calling them out for their support to terrorism. But more should be done," he said.

Poe said if Qureshi was truly interested in restoring the relationship between the two countries, he would accept responsibility and acknowledge that countless terrorists still live inside Pakistan.

"His country has been the epicenter for extremism for decades, where extremists are still able to hold massive public rallies to incite young men to violence. This isn't conjecture, the evidence is well documented," he asserted.

Poe said Mumbai terror attack mastermind and the founder of the US and UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba Hafiz Saeed operated freely in Pakistan.

Despite his role in the 2008 Mumbai attack, Saeed leads public rallies and can raise money for extremists causes, he said.

"Yet, Pakistan, including its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consistently defends Saeed and condemns US counterterrorism efforts," Poe said.

He said Qureshi even claimed terrorist groups that target Pakistan had safe haven in Afghanistan under the US' watch.

"Yet it is Pakistani officials who somehow claim there is a 'good' Taliban, while the US makes no distinction," he said.

"If the Foreign Minister wanted to earn our trust, his government could demonstrate good faith by taking action. This includes handing over Saeed, the leaders of the

Taliban and Haqqani Network, and banning all extremist groups on its soil. But this is a fantasy," Poe said.

The relations between Pakistan and the US nosedived this January after President Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.

The US Congress also passed a bill to slash Pakistan's defence aid to $ 150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than $ one billion per year.

The Trump administration had announced early this year that it was suspending security assistance to Pakistan over differences on Afghanistan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A top Republican lawmaker has urged the Trump administration to immediately designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism and terminate its non-NATO ally status, asserting that Islamabad consistently defends Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and condemns US' counterterrorism efforts.

A top Republican lawmaker has urged the Trump administration to immediately designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism and terminate its non-NATO ally status, asserting that Islamabad consistently defends Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and condemns US' counterterrorism efforts. Congressman Ted Poe said in the House of Representatives that Pakistan will not receive any financial support from the US if terrorists continue to live safely in the country. "Now is the day of reckoning. All assistance to Pakistan must end, its Major non-NATO ally status must be terminated, and the State Department should immediately designate it as a state sponsor of terrorism," Poe said last week, according to Congressional records. In his remarks, the Republican Congressman from Texas slammed Pakistan's Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi for what he described as lecturing the US on aid. "While I do not oppose open engagement with Pakistan, our position must be clear: Pakistan will not receive a dime of US support if terrorists continue to live safely on their soil," he said. "For too long the opposite has been the case. Fortunately, President Donald Trump has disrupted the status quo and suspended most of the funding we give to Pakistan, specifically calling them out for their support to terrorism. But more should be done," he said. Poe said if Qureshi was truly interested in restoring the relationship between the two countries, he would accept responsibility and acknowledge that countless terrorists still live inside Pakistan. "His country has been the epicenter for extremism for decades, where extremists are still able to hold massive public rallies to incite young men to violence. This isn't conjecture, the evidence is well documented," he asserted. Poe said Mumbai terror attack mastermind and the founder of the US and UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba Hafiz Saeed operated freely in Pakistan. Despite his role in the 2008 Mumbai attack, Saeed leads public rallies and can raise money for extremists causes, he said. "Yet, Pakistan, including its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consistently defends Saeed and condemns US counterterrorism efforts," Poe said. He said Qureshi even claimed terrorist groups that target Pakistan had safe haven in Afghanistan under the US' watch. "Yet it is Pakistani officials who somehow claim there is a 'good' Taliban, while the US makes no distinction," he said. "If the Foreign Minister wanted to earn our trust, his government could demonstrate good faith by taking action. This includes handing over Saeed, the leaders of the Taliban and Haqqani Network, and banning all extremist groups on its soil. But this is a fantasy," Poe said. The relations between Pakistan and the US nosedived this January after President Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to Washington but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists. The US Congress also passed a bill to slash Pakistan's defence aid to $ 150 million, significantly below the historic level of more than $ one billion per year. The Trump administration had announced early this year that it was suspending security assistance to Pakistan over differences on Afghanistan.

US Congressman seeks immediate designation of Pakistan as state sponsor of terrorism

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not want to abandon ally Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist and has asked for audio recordings Turkish sources say indicate he was killed by Saudi agents.

Trump said he was waiting for a full report on what had happened to Jamal Khashoggi from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, whom he sent to Saudi Arabia and Turkey to meet with officials over the disappearance of the Saudi government critic. Trump and Pompeo are scheduled to meet at 10 am&nbsp;(1400 GMT) on Thursday.

Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was critical of the authoritarian kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October&nbsp;2 and his body removed. The Saudis have denied the allegations.

Turkish sources have told&nbsp;the authorities have an audio recording indicating Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. He has not been seen since entering the building.

Turkey's pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper on Wednesday published what it said were details from audio recordings that purported to document Khashoggi's torture and interrogation.

Khashoggi was killed within minutes and his torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation, the newspaper said. His killers later beheaded and dismembered him, it said.

Turkey has not shared with the US&nbsp;government or European allies graphic audio or video evidence, seven US&nbsp;and European security officials told. The United States and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said.

A New York Times report cited a senior Turkish official confirming the details published by Yeni Safak. Two Turkish government officials contacted by Reuters declined to confirm the report.

Trump, who has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and the 33-year-old crown prince, said the United States has asked Turkey for any audio or video evidence.

Asked in a Fox Business Network interview if Washington could abandon Riyadh, Trump said: "I do not want to do that."

Trump reiterated his hopes that Saudi leaders were not involved in the disappearance of Khashoggi, a US&nbsp;resident.

"I want to find out what happened, where is the fault, and we will probably know that by the end of the week," Trump later told reporters.

"We have asked for it, if it exists ... I'm not sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does," he said of the audio or video evidence.

US&nbsp;media outlets have reported that Riyadh, despite its earlier denials of involvement, will acknowledge that Khashoggi was killed in a botched interrogation. Trump has speculated without providing evidence that "rogue killers" could be responsible.

How the crown prince emerges from the crisis is a test of how the West will deal with Saudi Arabia in the future.

Trump has appeared unwilling to distance himself too much from the Saudis, citing Riyadh's role in countering Iranian influence in the region - and tens of billions of dollars in potential arms deals.

Other Western nations, although expressing concern about the incident, face a similar delicate situation in their dealings with the world's top oil exporter.

IMPORTANT TIES

Pompeo said Riyadh should be given a few more days to complete its own probe into Khashoggi's disappearance. He met Turkey's president and foreign minister, a day after Trump gave Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt.

"They're going to do an investigation, and when the investigation comes out we'll evaluate it," Pompeo told reporters travelling with him.

A State Department spokeswoman said Pompeo had not heard any audio recording purporting to indicate Khashoggi was killed.

Pompeo also said the United States must be mindful of important business and government ties with Saudi Arabia as it considers any steps once the facts have been determined.

Turkish investigators spent nearly nine hours in the Saudi consul's residence, leaving early on Thursday, as did Saudi investigators. The search by Turkish investigators included the roof and garage and the deployment of a drone over the area.

Turkish crime scene investigators were still working at the consulate early on Thursday, using bright lights to illuminate the garden, though it was not clear what they were doing.

A pro-government Turkish daily published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared.

The Washington Post published a column by Khashoggi it received from his assistant a day after he was reported missing.

In the column, Khashoggi condemns the crackdown on journalists by Arab governments and the failure of the international community to respond. "As a result, Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate," he wrote.

A New York Times report, citing witnesses and other records, linked four suspects to Prince Mohammed's security detail.

One name matches a LinkedIn profile for a forensic expert who has worked at the interior ministry for 20 years. Another is identified in a diplomatic directory from 2007 as a first secretary at the Saudi Embassy in London. Others resemble officers in the Saudi Army and Air Force.

After meeting the king and crown prince on Tuesday, Pompeo said Saudi Arabia has committed to a full investigation.

Asked whether they said Khashoggi was alive or dead, Pompeo said: "They didn't talk about any of the facts."

DESERTED CONFERENCE

Prince Mohammed has painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes.

But there has been criticism of some of his moves, including Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war, the arrest of women activists, and a diplomatic row with Canada.

US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said his plans to attend an investment conference in Riyadh next week would be revisited on Thursday after U.S. officials have a chance to consult Pompeo. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and top executives from Societe Generale and Glencore joined a growing list of executives who have pulled out.

Saudi Arabia has said it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not want to abandon ally Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist and has asked for audio recordings Turkish sources say indicate he was killed by Saudi agents.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he did not want to abandon ally Saudi Arabia over the disappearance of a Saudi journalist and has asked for audio recordings Turkish sources say indicate he was killed by Saudi agents. Trump said he was waiting for a full report on what had happened to Jamal Khashoggi from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, whom he sent to Saudi Arabia and Turkey to meet with officials over the disappearance of the Saudi government critic. Trump and Pompeo are scheduled to meet at 10 am (1400 GMT) on Thursday. Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist who was critical of the authoritarian kingdom's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 and his body removed. The Saudis have denied the allegations. Turkish sources have told the authorities have an audio recording indicating Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. He has not been seen since entering the building. Turkey's pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper on Wednesday published what it said were details from audio recordings that purported to document Khashoggi's torture and interrogation. Khashoggi was killed within minutes and his torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation, the newspaper said. His killers later beheaded and dismembered him, it said. Turkey has not shared with the US government or European allies graphic audio or video evidence, seven US and European security officials told. The United States and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said. A New York Times report cited a senior Turkish official confirming the details published by Yeni Safak. Two Turkish government officials contacted by Reuters declined to confirm the report. Trump, who has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and the 33-year-old crown prince, said the United States has asked Turkey for any audio or video evidence. Asked in a Fox Business Network interview if Washington could abandon Riyadh, Trump said: "I do not want to do that." Trump reiterated his hopes that Saudi leaders were not involved in the disappearance of Khashoggi, a US resident. "I want to find out what happened, where is the fault, and we will probably know that by the end of the week," Trump later told reporters. "We have asked for it, if it exists ... I'm not sure yet that it exists, probably does, possibly does," he said of the audio or video evidence. US media outlets have reported that Riyadh, despite its earlier denials of involvement, will acknowledge that Khashoggi was killed in a botched interrogation. Trump has speculated without providing evidence that "rogue killers" could be responsible. How the crown prince emerges from the crisis is a test of how the West will deal with Saudi Arabia in the future. Trump has appeared unwilling to distance himself too much from the Saudis, citing Riyadh's role in countering Iranian influence in the region - and tens of billions of dollars in potential arms deals. Other Western nations, although expressing concern about the incident, face a similar delicate situation in their dealings with the world's top oil exporter. IMPORTANT TIES Pompeo said Riyadh should be given a few more days to complete its own probe into Khashoggi's disappearance. He met Turkey's president and foreign minister, a day after Trump gave Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt. "They're going to do an investigation, and when the investigation comes out we'll evaluate it," Pompeo told reporters travelling with him. A State Department spokeswoman said Pompeo had not heard any audio recording purporting to indicate Khashoggi was killed. Pompeo also said the United States must be mindful of important business and government ties with Saudi Arabia as it considers any steps once the facts have been determined. Turkish investigators spent nearly nine hours in the Saudi consul's residence, leaving early on Thursday, as did Saudi investigators. The search by Turkish investigators included the roof and garage and the deployment of a drone over the area. Turkish crime scene investigators were still working at the consulate early on Thursday, using bright lights to illuminate the garden, though it was not clear what they were doing. A pro-government Turkish daily published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared. The Washington Post published a column by Khashoggi it received from his assistant a day after he was reported missing. In the column, Khashoggi condemns the crackdown on journalists by Arab governments and the failure of the international community to respond. "As a result, Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate," he wrote. A New York Times report, citing witnesses and other records, linked four suspects to Prince Mohammed's security detail. One name matches a LinkedIn profile for a forensic expert who has worked at the interior ministry for 20 years. Another is identified in a diplomatic directory from 2007 as a first secretary at the Saudi Embassy in London. Others resemble officers in the Saudi Army and Air Force. After meeting the king and crown prince on Tuesday, Pompeo said Saudi Arabia has committed to a full investigation. Asked whether they said Khashoggi was alive or dead, Pompeo said: "They didn't talk about any of the facts." DESERTED CONFERENCE Prince Mohammed has painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes. But there has been criticism of some of his moves, including Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war, the arrest of women activists, and a diplomatic row with Canada. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said his plans to attend an investment conference in Riyadh next week would be revisited on Thursday after U.S. officials have a chance to consult Pompeo. International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and top executives from Societe Generale and Glencore joined a growing list of executives who have pulled out. Saudi Arabia has said it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions.

Trump reluctant to abandon Riyadh over missing journalist, wants evidence: Turkey sources

Turkey searched the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for a second time overnight as part of a probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while the French and Dutch finance ministers pulled out of a Riyadh investment summit amid global criticism of the kingdom.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said he was awaiting a full report on what had happened to Khashoggi from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after the envoy met with Saudi and Turkish leaders, and said he did not want to abandon his Saudi ally.

Turkish officials say they believe Khashoggi - a US&nbsp;resident and Washington Post columnist critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and his body removed.

Saudi Arabia has denied involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance. Trump has speculated without providing evidence that "rogue killers" could be responsible.

How Western allies deal with Riyadh will hinge on the extent to which they believe responsibility for the affair lies with Prince Mohammed and the Saudi authorities.

Trump, who has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and the 33-year-old crown prince in an effort to counter Iranian influence in the region, has appeared unwilling to distance himself too much from Riyadh. He has cited tens of billions of dollars in potential arms deals.

Other Western nations have expressed concern about Khashoggi's disappearance, but face a similarly delicate situation in their dealings with the world's top oil exporter.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday he had cancelled his attendance at an investment conference in Riyadh next week, telling Public Senat TV: "The conditions are not right."

Dutch Finance Minister Wopka Hoekstra has also scrapped plans to attend, news agency ANP reported, while the Dutch government cancelled a trade mission to Saudi Arabia next month.

US&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said his plans to attend the Riyadh conference would be revisited on Thursday after US&nbsp;officials have a chance to consult Pompeo. Britain's Secretary of State for Trade Liam Fox's plans to attend have not been confirmed, a spokesperson said.

Audio recording

Turkish crime scene investigators left the Saudi consulate early on Thursday after searching the building and consular vehicles, a Reuters witness said. They used bright lights to illuminate the garden.

Earlier, the investigators spent nearly nine hours in the Saudi consul's residence, as did Saudi investigators. The Turkish team's search included the roof and garage and the use of a drone.

Turkish sources have told Reuters the authorities have an audio recording indicating Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. Trump said the United States has asked Turkey for any audio or video evidence.

Turkey's pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper published on Wednesday what it said were details from audio recordings that purported to document Khashoggi's torture and interrogation.

The newspaper said Khashoggi's torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him.

A New York Times report cited a senior Turkish official confirming those details. Two Turkish government officials contacted by Reuters declined to confirm the report.

Turkey has not shared with the US&nbsp;government or European allies graphic audio or video evidence, seven US&nbsp;and European security officials have told Reuters.

The United States and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said.

Intelligence team

Turkish pro-government newspaper Sabah published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared.

One name matches a LinkedIn profile for a forensic expert who has worked at the interior ministry for 20 years. Another is identified in a diplomatic directory from 2007 as a first secretary at the Saudi Embassy in London.

Other names and photos of the 15 resemble officers in the Saudi Army and Air Force, as identified by previous Saudi media reports and in one case a Facebook profile.

A New York Times report, citing witnesses and other records, linked four suspects to Prince Mohammed's security detail.

Prince Mohammed has painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes.

But he has faced criticism including over the arrest of women activists, a diplomatic row with Canada and Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war during which airstrikes by the coalition Saudi Arabia leads have killed civilians.

Khashoggi, a royal insider who once advised former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal, never shied away from criticising Saudi policies.

The Washington Post published a column it received from his assistant after he was reported missing in which Khashoggi condemns the crackdown on journalists by Arab governments and the failure of the international community to respond.

"As a result, Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate," he wrote.

Turkey searched the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for a second time overnight as part of a probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while the French and Dutch finance ministers pulled out of a Riyadh investment summit amid global criticism of the kingdom.

Turkey searched the Saudi consulate in Istanbul for a second time overnight as part of a probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, while the French and Dutch finance ministers pulled out of a Riyadh investment summit amid global criticism of the kingdom. US President Donald Trump said he was awaiting a full report on what had happened to Khashoggi from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after the envoy met with Saudi and Turkish leaders, and said he did not want to abandon his Saudi ally. Turkish officials say they believe Khashoggi - a US resident and Washington Post columnist critical of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2 and his body removed. Saudi Arabia has denied involvement in Khashoggi's disappearance. Trump has speculated without providing evidence that "rogue killers" could be responsible. How Western allies deal with Riyadh will hinge on the extent to which they believe responsibility for the affair lies with Prince Mohammed and the Saudi authorities. Trump, who has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and the 33-year-old crown prince in an effort to counter Iranian influence in the region, has appeared unwilling to distance himself too much from Riyadh. He has cited tens of billions of dollars in potential arms deals. Other Western nations have expressed concern about Khashoggi's disappearance, but face a similarly delicate situation in their dealings with the world's top oil exporter. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday he had cancelled his attendance at an investment conference in Riyadh next week, telling Public Senat TV: "The conditions are not right." Dutch Finance Minister Wopka Hoekstra has also scrapped plans to attend, news agency ANP reported, while the Dutch government cancelled a trade mission to Saudi Arabia next month. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said his plans to attend the Riyadh conference would be revisited on Thursday after US officials have a chance to consult Pompeo. Britain's Secretary of State for Trade Liam Fox's plans to attend have not been confirmed, a spokesperson said. Audio recording Turkish crime scene investigators left the Saudi consulate early on Thursday after searching the building and consular vehicles, a Reuters witness said. They used bright lights to illuminate the garden. Earlier, the investigators spent nearly nine hours in the Saudi consul's residence, as did Saudi investigators. The Turkish team's search included the roof and garage and the use of a drone. Turkish sources have told Reuters the authorities have an audio recording indicating Khashoggi was killed inside the consulate. Trump said the United States has asked Turkey for any audio or video evidence. Turkey's pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper published on Wednesday what it said were details from audio recordings that purported to document Khashoggi's torture and interrogation. The newspaper said Khashoggi's torturers severed his fingers during the interrogation and later beheaded and dismembered him. A New York Times report cited a senior Turkish official confirming those details. Two Turkish government officials contacted by Reuters declined to confirm the report. Turkey has not shared with the US government or European allies graphic audio or video evidence, seven US and European security officials have told Reuters. The United States and allies have collected some intelligence through their own sources and methods, which partly confirms news reports based on leaks of audio recordings, four of the sources said. Intelligence team Turkish pro-government newspaper Sabah published preliminary evidence last week from investigators who it said had identified a 15-member Saudi intelligence team that arrived in Istanbul on diplomatic passports hours before Khashoggi disappeared. One name matches a LinkedIn profile for a forensic expert who has worked at the interior ministry for 20 years. Another is identified in a diplomatic directory from 2007 as a first secretary at the Saudi Embassy in London. Other names and photos of the 15 resemble officers in the Saudi Army and Air Force, as identified by previous Saudi media reports and in one case a Facebook profile. A New York Times report, citing witnesses and other records, linked four suspects to Prince Mohammed's security detail. Prince Mohammed has painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes. But he has faced criticism including over the arrest of women activists, a diplomatic row with Canada and Riyadh's involvement in the Yemen war during which airstrikes by the coalition Saudi Arabia leads have killed civilians. Khashoggi, a royal insider who once advised former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal, never shied away from criticising Saudi policies. The Washington Post published a column it received from his assistant after he was reported missing in which Khashoggi condemns the crackdown on journalists by Arab governments and the failure of the international community to respond. "As a result, Arab governments have been given free rein to continue silencing the media at an increasing rate," he wrote.

Turkey searches Saudi consulate again, as French, Dutch ministers cancel Riyadh trip

President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to "CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER" if Mexico does not act against a migrant caravan travelling towards the US-Mexico border.&nbsp;

The migrants are trying to reach the US border from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.&nbsp;

"I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the US&nbsp;Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1052885781675687936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Donald Trump also said that&nbsp;"The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA."

"Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!"

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
....The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA. Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1052888451199262725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Trump threatened to withhold regional aid as a caravan with several thousand Honduran migrants journeyed this week through Guatemala to Mexico in hopes of crossing the US-Mexico border and escaping endemic violence and poverty in Central America.

The president also dispatched US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico City on Friday to discuss regional issues.&nbsp;

Trump, who has made curtailing immigration and building a border wall on the Mexican border a key platform, has previously threatened to shut off aid and dispatch troops there.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to "CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER" if Mexico does not act against a migrant caravan travelling towards the US-Mexico border.

President Donald Trump threatened Thursday to "CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER" if Mexico does not act against a migrant caravan travelling towards the US-Mexico border. The migrants are trying to reach the US border from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. "I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the US Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!" Trump wrote on Twitter. ....In addition to stopping all payments to these countries, which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!.. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018 × Donald Trump also said that "The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA." "Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws!" ....The assault on our country at our Southern Border, including the Criminal elements and DRUGS pouring in, is far more important to me, as President, than Trade or the USMCA. Hopefully Mexico will stop this onslaught at their Northern Border. All Democrats fault for weak laws! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2018 × Trump threatened to withhold regional aid as a caravan with several thousand Honduran migrants journeyed this week through Guatemala to Mexico in hopes of crossing the US-Mexico border and escaping endemic violence and poverty in Central America. The president also dispatched US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Mexico City on Friday to discuss regional issues. Trump, who has made curtailing immigration and building a border wall on the Mexican border a key platform, has previously threatened to shut off aid and dispatch troops there.

Trump threatens to 'CLOSE BORDER' if Mexico does not stop migrant caravan

US President Donald Trump gave Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt in the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi even as US lawmakers pointed the finger at the Saudi leadership and Western pressure mounted on Riyadh to provide answers.

"I think we have to find out what happened first," Trump told the Associated Press in an interview on Tuesday. "Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that."

Trump then referred directly to his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, which ran into trouble in the Senate after several women came forward to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, before Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed.

Earlier, in a Twitter post, Trump said that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denied knowing what happened in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where Khashoggi vanished two weeks ago after going there to collect documents he needed for his planned marriage.

Turkish officials have said they believe the Saudi journalist was murdered and his body removed, which the Saudis have strongly denied. Khashoggi was a US resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post and he was critical of the Saudi government, calling for reforms.

"Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate," Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump also wrote that the crown prince "told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter. Answers will be forthcoming shortly."

How the crown prince, often referred to as MbS, emerges when the dust settles over Khashoggi's disappearance is a test of how the West will deal with Saudi Arabia in the future. At issue will be to what extent the West believes responsibility lies with MbS for Khashoggi.

MbS, who has enjoyed a close relationship with the Trump administration, painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes.

HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

But there has been mounting a criticism of some of the prince's moves.

These include Riyadh's involvement in the war in Yemen, the arrest of women activists and a diplomatic dispute with Canada. The kingdom also denied an assertion by France that it held Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri captive in November 2017.

Despite Western concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record, Trump still says he is unwilling to pull out of weapons sales agreements with Riyadh.

Also, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plans to attend a high-profile investment conference in Riyadh starting on Oct. 23. Those are all indications Trump is sticking by Saudi Arabia, the first country he visited as president in 2017. Trump told the AP that Mnuchin’s trip could be cancelled by Friday depending on what the investigation finds.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met with Saudi King Salman, the crown prince and the foreign minister, said his assessment from the meetings was that there was "a serious commitment to determine all the facts and ensure accountability, including accountability for Saudi Arabia's senior leaders or senior officials.

Pompeo is due to travel to Turkey on Wednesday.

Pompeo and Trump's remarks reflect a dilemma for the United States, Britain and other Western nations in how to respond to an authoritarian monarchy that does not typically bow to foreign pressures. Saudi Arabia is the world's top oil exporter, spends lavishly on Western arms and is a major Sunni Muslim ally.

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump on some issues, called the crown prince a "toxic" figure, adding, "He can never be a world leader on the world stage."

"I've been their biggest defender on the floor of the United States Senate," Graham said. "This guy is a wrecking ball. He had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey and to expect me to ignore it, I feel used and abused," Graham said.

The Group of Seven foreign ministers, including the United States, said in a statement that they remained "very troubled" by Khashoggi's disappearance, and looked forward to Riyadh conducting a "thorough, credible, transparent and prompt investigation, as announced."

The statement was unusual for a group that normally weighs in on global foreign policy issues and speaks generally about human rights abuses in other countries.

US media outlets reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia will acknowledge that Khashoggi was killed in a botched interrogation.

Trump speculated on Monday that "rogue killers" could be behind the disappearance, but gave no evidence to back up that theory.

CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE

Members of the US Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, are among the loudest voices in the United States demanding answers and action on Khashoggi, who moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of the crown prince.

Republican Representative Jeb Hensarling, outgoing chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, said Washington might have to seriously review relations with Saudi Arabia if Riyadh was involved in killing Khashoggi.

"If this was a state-sanctioned assassination, which it may prove to be, then there will have to be a fundamental rethinking of our relationship vis-a-vis the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Absolutely," Hensarling told Reuters.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated that parts of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul had been repainted since Khashoggi's disappearance.

"The investigation is looking into many things such as toxic materials and those materials being removed by painting them over," Erdogan told reporters.

A Turkish security source said the search of the consulate provided "strong evidence" but no conclusive proof that Khashoggi was killed there.

The source confirmed that Saudi Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi left Istanbul on Tuesday, returning to Riyadh. The source said Turkish authorities had not asked him to leave.

A search of the Saudi consul's Istanbul residence was called off for the day because Saudi officials were not able to join, Turkish police said. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had said earlier on Tuesday that Turkish officials would extend their investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance to include the residence of the Saudi consul and some vehicles.

Indicating unease over the Khashoggi case, international media and business executives have been pulling out of next week's investment conference, known as "Davos of the desert."

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and London Stock Exchange Chief Executive David Schwimmer joined the list on Tuesday, as did the CEOs of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, and BNP Paribas, and David Bonderman, the billionaire chairman and founding partner of private equity firm TPG.

Saudi Arabia has said it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions.

CNN reported on Monday that after denying for two weeks any role in Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi Arabia was preparing to say he died in a botched interrogation. The New York Times reported that Prince Mohammed had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi and the government would shield him by blaming an intelligence official.

Saudi authorities could not be reached for comment.

Turkish authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, Turkish sources have told Reuters.

The Saudi riyal rebounded after falling to its lowest level in two years over fears that foreign investment could shrink. The Saudi stock index initially dropped 3 per cent but finished up after state-linked funds came in to buy toward the close.

US President Donald Trump gave Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt in the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi even as US lawmakers pointed the finger at the Saudi leadership and Western pressure mounted on Riyadh to provide answers.

US President Donald Trump gave Saudi Arabia the benefit of the doubt in the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi even as US lawmakers pointed the finger at the Saudi leadership and Western pressure mounted on Riyadh to provide answers. "I think we have to find out what happened first," Trump told the Associated Press in an interview on Tuesday. "Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that." Trump then referred directly to his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, which ran into trouble in the Senate after several women came forward to accuse Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, before Kavanaugh was ultimately confirmed. Earlier, in a Twitter post, Trump said that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman denied knowing what happened in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where Khashoggi vanished two weeks ago after going there to collect documents he needed for his planned marriage. Turkish officials have said they believe the Saudi journalist was murdered and his body removed, which the Saudis have strongly denied. Khashoggi was a US resident who wrote columns for the Washington Post and he was critical of the Saudi government, calling for reforms. "Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate," Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump also wrote that the crown prince "told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter. Answers will be forthcoming shortly." How the crown prince, often referred to as MbS, emerges when the dust settles over Khashoggi's disappearance is a test of how the West will deal with Saudi Arabia in the future. At issue will be to what extent the West believes responsibility lies with MbS for Khashoggi. MbS, who has enjoyed a close relationship with the Trump administration, painted himself as the face of a new, vibrant Saudi Arabia, diversifying its economy away from reliance on oil and making some social changes. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES But there has been mounting a criticism of some of the prince's moves. These include Riyadh's involvement in the war in Yemen, the arrest of women activists and a diplomatic dispute with Canada. The kingdom also denied an assertion by France that it held Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri captive in November 2017. Despite Western concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record, Trump still says he is unwilling to pull out of weapons sales agreements with Riyadh. Also, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin plans to attend a high-profile investment conference in Riyadh starting on Oct. 23. Those are all indications Trump is sticking by Saudi Arabia, the first country he visited as president in 2017. Trump told the AP that Mnuchin’s trip could be cancelled by Friday depending on what the investigation finds. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met with Saudi King Salman, the crown prince and the foreign minister, said his assessment from the meetings was that there was "a serious commitment to determine all the facts and ensure accountability, including accountability for Saudi Arabia's senior leaders or senior officials. Pompeo is due to travel to Turkey on Wednesday. Pompeo and Trump's remarks reflect a dilemma for the United States, Britain and other Western nations in how to respond to an authoritarian monarchy that does not typically bow to foreign pressures. Saudi Arabia is the world's top oil exporter, spends lavishly on Western arms and is a major Sunni Muslim ally. US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican close to Trump on some issues, called the crown prince a "toxic" figure, adding, "He can never be a world leader on the world stage." "I've been their biggest defender on the floor of the United States Senate," Graham said. "This guy is a wrecking ball. He had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey and to expect me to ignore it, I feel used and abused," Graham said. The Group of Seven foreign ministers, including the United States, said in a statement that they remained "very troubled" by Khashoggi's disappearance, and looked forward to Riyadh conducting a "thorough, credible, transparent and prompt investigation, as announced." The statement was unusual for a group that normally weighs in on global foreign policy issues and speaks generally about human rights abuses in other countries. US media outlets reported on Monday that Saudi Arabia will acknowledge that Khashoggi was killed in a botched interrogation. Trump speculated on Monday that "rogue killers" could be behind the disappearance, but gave no evidence to back up that theory. CONGRESSIONAL PRESSURE Members of the US Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans, are among the loudest voices in the United States demanding answers and action on Khashoggi, who moved to Washington last year fearing retribution for his criticism of the crown prince. Republican Representative Jeb Hensarling, outgoing chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, said Washington might have to seriously review relations with Saudi Arabia if Riyadh was involved in killing Khashoggi. "If this was a state-sanctioned assassination, which it may prove to be, then there will have to be a fundamental rethinking of our relationship vis-a-vis the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Absolutely," Hensarling told Reuters. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated that parts of the Saudi consulate in Istanbul had been repainted since Khashoggi's disappearance. "The investigation is looking into many things such as toxic materials and those materials being removed by painting them over," Erdogan told reporters. A Turkish security source said the search of the consulate provided "strong evidence" but no conclusive proof that Khashoggi was killed there. The source confirmed that Saudi Consul General Mohammad al-Otaibi left Istanbul on Tuesday, returning to Riyadh. The source said Turkish authorities had not asked him to leave. A search of the Saudi consul's Istanbul residence was called off for the day because Saudi officials were not able to join, Turkish police said. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had said earlier on Tuesday that Turkish officials would extend their investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance to include the residence of the Saudi consul and some vehicles. Indicating unease over the Khashoggi case, international media and business executives have been pulling out of next week's investment conference, known as "Davos of the desert." International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde and London Stock Exchange Chief Executive David Schwimmer joined the list on Tuesday, as did the CEOs of HSBC, Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, and BNP Paribas, and David Bonderman, the billionaire chairman and founding partner of private equity firm TPG. Saudi Arabia has said it would retaliate against any pressure or economic sanctions. CNN reported on Monday that after denying for two weeks any role in Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi Arabia was preparing to say he died in a botched interrogation. The New York Times reported that Prince Mohammed had approved an interrogation or abduction of Khashoggi and the government would shield him by blaming an intelligence official. Saudi authorities could not be reached for comment. Turkish authorities have an audio recording indicating that Khashoggi was killed in the consulate, Turkish sources have told Reuters. The Saudi riyal rebounded after falling to its lowest level in two years over fears that foreign investment could shrink. The Saudi stock index initially dropped 3 per cent but finished up after state-linked funds came in to buy toward the close.

Donald Trump gives Saudi Arabia benefit of doubt in Khashoggi's disappearance

New dating app DonaldDaters was supposed to help lonely conservatives find each other discreetly. But the app leaked its database of users on launch day, a report said on Monday.

With the slogan "Make America Date Again," the app targets the "American-based singles community connecting lovers, friends, and Trump supporters alike," its website says.

The app had just over 1,600 users on its first day of operations, technology news site TechCrunch reported.

TechCrunch said it learned the figure because a French security researcher found "issues" with the app, making it possible to download the entire user database.

The researcher "shared the database with TechCrunch, which included users' names, profile pictures, device type, their private messages - and access tokens, which can be used to take over accounts," it said.

TechCrunch said the data was pulled offline after it contacted the app maker.

DonaldDaters' website says "all your personal information is kept private."

New dating app DonaldDaters was supposed to help lonely conservatives find each other discreetly. But the app leaked its database of users on launch day, a report said on Monday.

New dating app DonaldDaters was supposed to help lonely conservatives find each other discreetly. But the app leaked its database of users on launch day, a report said on Monday. With the slogan "Make America Date Again," the app targets the "American-based singles community connecting lovers, friends, and Trump supporters alike," its website says. The app had just over 1,600 users on its first day of operations, technology news site TechCrunch reported. TechCrunch said it learned the figure because a French security researcher found "issues" with the app, making it possible to download the entire user database. The researcher "shared the database with TechCrunch, which included users' names, profile pictures, device type, their private messages - and access tokens, which can be used to take over accounts," it said. TechCrunch said the data was pulled offline after it contacted the app maker. DonaldDaters' website says "all your personal information is kept private."

'Make America Date Again' dating app DonaldDaters leaks data: Report

A stalemate in efforts to determine what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is threatening to escalate into a crisis that could usher in a new era in relations between the United States and some of its closest Arab allies as well as in the region’s energy politics.

In response to US President Donald Trump’s threat of “severe punishment,” if Saudi Arabia is proven to have been responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance while visiting the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia is threatening to potentially upset the region’s energy and security architecture.

A tweet by Saudi Arabia’s Washington embassy thanking the United States for not jumping to conclusions did little to offset the words of an unnamed Saudi official quoted by the state-run news agency stressing &nbsp;the kingdom’s “total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it, whether through economic sanctions, political pressure or repeating false accusations.”

The official was referring to the Kingdom’s insistence that it was not responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance and assertion that it is confronting a conspiracy by Qatar and/or Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood.

“The Kingdom also affirms that if it is (targeted by) any action, it will respond with greater action,” the official said noting that Saudi Arabia “plays an effective and vital role in the world economy.”

Turki Aldhakhil, a close associate of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and general manager of the kingdom’s state-controlled Al Arabiya news network, claimed in an online article that Saudi leaders were discussing 30 ways of responding to possible US sanctions.

They allegedly included allowing oil prices to rise up to $ 200 per barrel, which according to Aldhakhil, would lead to “the death” of the US economy, pricing Saudi oil in Chinese yuan instead of dollars, an end to intelligence sharing, and a military alliance with Russia that would involve a Russian military base in the kingdom.

It remains unclear whether Aldhakhil was reflecting serious discussions among secretive Saudi leaders or whether his article was intended either as a scare tactic or a trial balloon. Aldakhil’s claim that a Saudi response to Western sanctions could entail a reconciliation with the Kingdom’s arch enemy, Iran, would make his assertion seem more like a geopolitical and economic bluff.

Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a coordinated response aimed at demonstrating that Saudi Arabia was not isolated, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt rushed to express solidarity with the kingdom. Like Turkey, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE have a track record of suppressing independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Ironically, Turkey may be the Kingdom’s best friend in the Khashoggi crisis if its claims to have incontrovertible proof of what happened in the consulate prove to be true. Turkey has so far refrained from making that evidence public, giving Saudi Arabia the opportunity to come up with a credible explanation.

"Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to give Saudis an exit out of Khashoggi case, hoping the Saudi king/crown prince will blame ‘rogue elements’ for the alleged murder, then throwing someone important under the bus. This would let Erdogan walk away looking good &amp; prevent rupture in Turkey-Saudi ties,” tweeted Turkey scholar Soner Cagaptay.

The Saudi news agency report and Aldakhil’s article suggest that Prince Mohammed believes that Saudi Arabia either retains the clout to impose its will on much of the international community or believes that it rather than its Western critics would emerge on top from any bruising confrontation.

Prince Mohammed no doubt is reinforced in his belief by rump’s reluctance to include an arms embargo in his concept of severe punishment. He may also feel that Western support for the Saudi-UAE-led war in Yemen and reluctance to credibly take the kingdom to task for its conduct of the war was an indication that he was free to do as he pleased.

Prince Mohammed may have been further strengthened in his belief by the initial course of events 28 years ago, the last time that the fate of a journalist was at the centre of a crisis between a Western power and an Arab country.

At the time, British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, similar to Trump’s inclination, refused to impose economic sanctions after Iraqi president Saddam Hussein ordered the arrest, torture and execution of Farhad Barzoft, a young London-based Iranian journalist who reported for The Observer.

Since declassified British government documents disclosed that Thatcher’s government did not want to jeopardise commercial relations despite its view of the Iraqi government as a “ruthless and disagreeable regime.”

The comparison between the Khashoggi crisis and the case of Barzoft goes beyond Western governments’ reluctance to jeopardise commercial relationships.

Barzoft was executed months before Hussein’s military invaded Kuwait prompting US-led military action that forced his troops to withdraw from the Gulf state, crippling economic sanctions, and ultimately the 2003 Gulf War that, no matter how ill-advised, led to the Iraqi leader’s downfall and ultimate execution.

Prince Mohammed’s ill-fated military intervention in Yemen, of which Khashoggi was critical in one of his last Washington Post columns, has tarnished the kingdom’s international prestige and sparked calls in the US Congress and European parliaments for an embargo on arms sales that have gained momentum with the disappearance of the Saudi journalist.

To be sure Saudi Arabia enjoys greater leverage than Iraq did in 1990. By the same token, 2018 is not 1973, the first and only time the kingdom ever wielded oil as a weapon against the United States. At the time, the US was dependent on Middle Eastern oil, today it is one of, if not the world’s largest producer.

More fundamentally, Prince Mohammed appears to show some of the traits Hussein put on display, including a seeming lack of understanding of the limits of power and best ways to wield it, a tendency towards impetuousness, a willingness to take risks and gamble without having a credible exit strategy, a refusal to tolerate any form of criticism, and a streak of ruthlessness.

"We're discovering what this 'new king' is all about, and it's getting worrisome. The dark side is getting darker," said David Ottaway, a journalist and scholar who has covered Saudi Arabia for decades.

Hussein was public and transparent about Barzoft’s fate even if his assertion that the journalist was a spy lacked credibility and the journalist’s confession and trial were a mockery of justice.

Prince Mohammed flatly denies any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi and appears to believe that he can bully himself out of the crisis in the absence of any evidence that the journalist left the Kingdom’s Istanbul consulate of his own volition.

&nbsp;Hussein miscalculated with his invasion of Kuwait shortly after getting away with the killing of Barzoft. Prince Mohammed too may well have miscalculated if the Kingdom is proven to be responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance.

Hussein’s reputation and international goodwill was irreparably damaged by his execution of Barzoft and invasion of Kuwait.

Khashoggi’s disappearance has dealt a body blow to Saudi Arabia’s prestige irrespective of whether the journalist emerges from the current crisis alive or dead.

King Salman and the Kingdom appear for now to be rallying the wagons around the crown prince.

At the same time, the king has stepped into the fray publicly for the first time by phoning Turkish president Erdogan to reaffirm Saudi cooperation with an investigation into Khashoggi’s fate.

It remains unclear whether that phone call will pave the way for Turkish investigators to enter the Istanbul consulate as well as the Saudi consul general’s home and whether they will be allowed to carry out forensics.

The longer the investigation into Khashoggi’s fate stalls, the more Saudi Arabia will come under pressure to put forth a credible explanation and the harder Western leaders will be pressed by public opinion and lawmakers to take credible action if Saudi Arabia is proven to be responsible.

A Saudi decision to act on its threats to rejigger its security arrangements and energy policy, even if overstated by Aldhakhil, in response to steps by Western nations to penalise the kingdom, &nbsp;could prove to have not only far-reaching international consequences but, in the final analysis, also equally momentous domestic ones.

“Looks like #Saudi royal family is coming together to protect the family business. Eventually, there will be internal reckoning with what transpired. Not now. Now is the time to save the family reign,” tweeted Middle East scholar Randa Slim.

Said former US State Department and White House official Elliott Abrams: “Jamal Khashoggi lost control of his fate when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Mohammed bin Salman must act quickly to regain control of his own.”&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

A stalemate in efforts to determine what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is threatening to escalate into a crisis that could usher in a new era in relations between the United States and some of its closest Arab allies as well as in the region’s energy politics.

A stalemate in efforts to determine what happened to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is threatening to escalate into a crisis that could usher in a new era in relations between the United States and some of its closest Arab allies as well as in the region’s energy politics. In response to US President Donald Trump’s threat of “severe punishment,” if Saudi Arabia is proven to have been responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance while visiting the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Saudi Arabia is threatening to potentially upset the region’s energy and security architecture. A tweet by Saudi Arabia’s Washington embassy thanking the United States for not jumping to conclusions did little to offset the words of an unnamed Saudi official quoted by the state-run news agency stressing the kingdom’s “total rejection of any threats and attempts to undermine it, whether through economic sanctions, political pressure or repeating false accusations.” The official was referring to the Kingdom’s insistence that it was not responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance and assertion that it is confronting a conspiracy by Qatar and/or Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood. “The Kingdom also affirms that if it is (targeted by) any action, it will respond with greater action,” the official said noting that Saudi Arabia “plays an effective and vital role in the world economy.” Turki Aldhakhil, a close associate of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and general manager of the kingdom’s state-controlled Al Arabiya news network, claimed in an online article that Saudi leaders were discussing 30 ways of responding to possible US sanctions. They allegedly included allowing oil prices to rise up to $ 200 per barrel, which according to Aldhakhil, would lead to “the death” of the US economy, pricing Saudi oil in Chinese yuan instead of dollars, an end to intelligence sharing, and a military alliance with Russia that would involve a Russian military base in the kingdom. It remains unclear whether Aldhakhil was reflecting serious discussions among secretive Saudi leaders or whether his article was intended either as a scare tactic or a trial balloon. Aldakhil’s claim that a Saudi response to Western sanctions could entail a reconciliation with the Kingdom’s arch enemy, Iran, would make his assertion seem more like a geopolitical and economic bluff. Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a coordinated response aimed at demonstrating that Saudi Arabia was not isolated, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt rushed to express solidarity with the kingdom. Like Turkey, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE have a track record of suppressing independent journalism and freedom of the press. Ironically, Turkey may be the Kingdom’s best friend in the Khashoggi crisis if its claims to have incontrovertible proof of what happened in the consulate prove to be true. Turkey has so far refrained from making that evidence public, giving Saudi Arabia the opportunity to come up with a credible explanation. "Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to give Saudis an exit out of Khashoggi case, hoping the Saudi king/crown prince will blame ‘rogue elements’ for the alleged murder, then throwing someone important under the bus. This would let Erdogan walk away looking good & prevent rupture in Turkey-Saudi ties,” tweeted Turkey scholar Soner Cagaptay. The Saudi news agency report and Aldakhil’s article suggest that Prince Mohammed believes that Saudi Arabia either retains the clout to impose its will on much of the international community or believes that it rather than its Western critics would emerge on top from any bruising confrontation. Prince Mohammed no doubt is reinforced in his belief by rump’s reluctance to include an arms embargo in his concept of severe punishment. He may also feel that Western support for the Saudi-UAE-led war in Yemen and reluctance to credibly take the kingdom to task for its conduct of the war was an indication that he was free to do as he pleased. Prince Mohammed may have been further strengthened in his belief by the initial course of events 28 years ago, the last time that the fate of a journalist was at the centre of a crisis between a Western power and an Arab country. At the time, British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, similar to Trump’s inclination, refused to impose economic sanctions after Iraqi president Saddam Hussein ordered the arrest, torture and execution of Farhad Barzoft, a young London-based Iranian journalist who reported for The Observer. Since declassified British government documents disclosed that Thatcher’s government did not want to jeopardise commercial relations despite its view of the Iraqi government as a “ruthless and disagreeable regime.” The comparison between the Khashoggi crisis and the case of Barzoft goes beyond Western governments’ reluctance to jeopardise commercial relationships. Barzoft was executed months before Hussein’s military invaded Kuwait prompting US-led military action that forced his troops to withdraw from the Gulf state, crippling economic sanctions, and ultimately the 2003 Gulf War that, no matter how ill-advised, led to the Iraqi leader’s downfall and ultimate execution. Prince Mohammed’s ill-fated military intervention in Yemen, of which Khashoggi was critical in one of his last Washington Post columns, has tarnished the kingdom’s international prestige and sparked calls in the US Congress and European parliaments for an embargo on arms sales that have gained momentum with the disappearance of the Saudi journalist. To be sure Saudi Arabia enjoys greater leverage than Iraq did in 1990. By the same token, 2018 is not 1973, the first and only time the kingdom ever wielded oil as a weapon against the United States. At the time, the US was dependent on Middle Eastern oil, today it is one of, if not the world’s largest producer. More fundamentally, Prince Mohammed appears to show some of the traits Hussein put on display, including a seeming lack of understanding of the limits of power and best ways to wield it, a tendency towards impetuousness, a willingness to take risks and gamble without having a credible exit strategy, a refusal to tolerate any form of criticism, and a streak of ruthlessness. "We're discovering what this 'new king' is all about, and it's getting worrisome. The dark side is getting darker," said David Ottaway, a journalist and scholar who has covered Saudi Arabia for decades. Hussein was public and transparent about Barzoft’s fate even if his assertion that the journalist was a spy lacked credibility and the journalist’s confession and trial were a mockery of justice. Prince Mohammed flatly denies any involvement in the disappearance of Khashoggi and appears to believe that he can bully himself out of the crisis in the absence of any evidence that the journalist left the Kingdom’s Istanbul consulate of his own volition. Hussein miscalculated with his invasion of Kuwait shortly after getting away with the killing of Barzoft. Prince Mohammed too may well have miscalculated if the Kingdom is proven to be responsible for Khashoggi’s disappearance. Hussein’s reputation and international goodwill was irreparably damaged by his execution of Barzoft and invasion of Kuwait. Khashoggi’s disappearance has dealt a body blow to Saudi Arabia’s prestige irrespective of whether the journalist emerges from the current crisis alive or dead. King Salman and the Kingdom appear for now to be rallying the wagons around the crown prince. At the same time, the king has stepped into the fray publicly for the first time by phoning Turkish president Erdogan to reaffirm Saudi cooperation with an investigation into Khashoggi’s fate. It remains unclear whether that phone call will pave the way for Turkish investigators to enter the Istanbul consulate as well as the Saudi consul general’s home and whether they will be allowed to carry out forensics. The longer the investigation into Khashoggi’s fate stalls, the more Saudi Arabia will come under pressure to put forth a credible explanation and the harder Western leaders will be pressed by public opinion and lawmakers to take credible action if Saudi Arabia is proven to be responsible. A Saudi decision to act on its threats to rejigger its security arrangements and energy policy, even if overstated by Aldhakhil, in response to steps by Western nations to penalise the kingdom, could prove to have not only far-reaching international consequences but, in the final analysis, also equally momentous domestic ones. “Looks like #Saudi royal family is coming together to protect the family business. Eventually, there will be internal reckoning with what transpired. Not now. Now is the time to save the family reign,” tweeted Middle East scholar Randa Slim. Said former US State Department and White House official Elliott Abrams: “Jamal Khashoggi lost control of his fate when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Mohammed bin Salman must act quickly to regain control of his own.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance deals a body blow to Saudi Arabia’s prestige

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said he believes "there's something there" regarding climate change, adding that it may be manmade or not and goes back and forth over years.

Trump made the comments on Monday in Macon, Georgia, as he toured areas damaged by Hurricane Michael and met victims and aid workers.

Trump was also asked whether the storms had made him reconsider his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate change pact. He reiterated his opposition to the agreement, saying that participating in the pact would undermine the US&nbsp;economy.

In recent years, he has expressed skepticism about whether climate change is real, sometimes calling it a hoax.

US President Donald Trump said he believes "there's something there" regarding climate change, adding that it may be manmade or not and goes back and forth over years.

US President Donald Trump said he believes "there's something there" regarding climate change, adding that it may be manmade or not and goes back and forth over years. Trump made the comments on Monday in Macon, Georgia, as he toured areas damaged by Hurricane Michael and met victims and aid workers. Trump was also asked whether the storms had made him reconsider his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate change pact. He reiterated his opposition to the agreement, saying that participating in the pact would undermine the US economy. In recent years, he has expressed skepticism about whether climate change is real, sometimes calling it a hoax.

'There's something there, manmade or not': Trump on climate change

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen. Maybe the deal now leans more in America’s direction, but Trump has also given something away: The right of Mexico and Canada to sell their trucks and cars more easily in the US. He said he’s a great “deal-maker”, and so this time he is.

His trade tussle with China, which looks to be a stand-off at the moment, has not yet led to a breakdown in relations. Trump has been more than careful to keep direct channels open to President Xi Jinping, even if in early October he became more openly critical and personal. He has treated Xi much better than he treated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada.

Nevertheless, the fact is the Chinese have taken advantage of the US, ignoring its copyrights, blatantly reverse engineering expensive US products and subsidising exports. Trump goes too far with his demands, but he is on firm enough ground to force the Chinese to re-think some of their policies. He’s making progress.

Likewise, while being tough on Russia, ratcheting up sanctions, sending modern arms to Ukraine, increasing defence spending and standing back from the cuts in nuclear weapons that President Vladimir Putin has suggested, he keeps his personal channels open to Putin, unlike President Barack Obama. Later he may reap the harvest of this. Russian politics is very personal under Putin.

With North Korea, he appears to have flattered President Kim Jong-un to the point where Kim shows his constructive side to Trump. Progress is being made on nuclear disarmament even if it’s not at the rate the foreign policy establishment wants.

Nevertheless, for all this, the fact is that Trump is a man with an ugly personality, as ugly in its way as Kim. Sometimes one can imagine, if he wasn’t constrained by law, he would execute some of his enemies as Kim has done.

His staff find he’s impossible to deal with although he gets important things done.

After reading Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House, one realises that Woodward gives little space to Trump’s achievements, and his interviews and re-creations of real-life scenes are nearly all orientated in a critical direction.

Woodward has painted a picture of a sordid man, full of quite disgusting profanities and untruths that he aims at his staff and many of those who do business with him with hourly regularity. (If the women in his “base” could hear these, many would be shocked).

It’s a fine book, researched in the most intimate and thorough way. One doesn’t doubt its veracity. Quite a bit of it we have read in the newspapers already over the last two years, but even then Woodward gets deeper inside the man, the policy-making, and how it’s implemented. He’s the best fly on the wall anyone could ask for.

There are, too, whole chapters where Woodward writes about startling things we’ve not known about. Again and again, in order to keep the US on a sensible course in its policies for trade, foreign relations and financial affairs, his staff have to secretly remove from his desk papers waiting to be signed. This choleric man is so seized up by the next crisis or what appears as an affront that he forgets he asked for them.

Time and time again, his staff are courageous, offering the president clever analysis, despite his constant put downs. He tells them it’s bullshit and that he’s held his views on this or that for over 30 years and he’s not going to change. Amazingly, they argue back, and he lets them — up to a point. In his way, he accepts a lot of talk-back and even verbal insubordination, but then gives the staffer hell.

There is insubordination behind his back, too. On one occasion, when discussing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Trump said to General James Mattis, the Defence Secretary, “Let’s go in, let’s fucking kill him.” “Yes”, Mattis said, “I will get right on it.” He hung up the phone. “We’re not going to do any of that,” he told a senior aide.

When the North Korea crisis first blew up, Mattis made it clear he didn’t want war. His view was that North Korea could be contained.

Ironically, as with North Korea latterly, Trump in some areas of policy can have non-warlike instincts. He argued hard with the military until they persuaded him otherwise, that the US should totally withdraw from Afghanistan.

Where this story ends nobody knows. Woodward for one doesn’t advocate impeachment but by the end of the book it hangs in the air. Who really wants such a volatile, unhinged and amoral man to have his finger on the nuclear button?

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-notoriously-difficult-to-deal-with-trump-gets-work-done-2675381">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen.

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Early October he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canada refusing to bend, it could not happen. Maybe the deal now leans more in America’s direction, but Trump has also given something away: The right of Mexico and Canada to sell their trucks and cars more easily in the US. He said he’s a great “deal-maker”, and so this time he is. His trade tussle with China, which looks to be a stand-off at the moment, has not yet led to a breakdown in relations. Trump has been more than careful to keep direct channels open to President Xi Jinping, even if in early October he became more openly critical and personal. He has treated Xi much better than he treated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada. Nevertheless, the fact is the Chinese have taken advantage of the US, ignoring its copyrights, blatantly reverse engineering expensive US products and subsidising exports. Trump goes too far with his demands, but he is on firm enough ground to force the Chinese to re-think some of their policies. He’s making progress. Likewise, while being tough on Russia, ratcheting up sanctions, sending modern arms to Ukraine, increasing defence spending and standing back from the cuts in nuclear weapons that President Vladimir Putin has suggested, he keeps his personal channels open to Putin, unlike President Barack Obama. Later he may reap the harvest of this. Russian politics is very personal under Putin. With North Korea, he appears to have flattered President Kim Jong-un to the point where Kim shows his constructive side to Trump. Progress is being made on nuclear disarmament even if it’s not at the rate the foreign policy establishment wants. Nevertheless, for all this, the fact is that Trump is a man with an ugly personality, as ugly in its way as Kim. Sometimes one can imagine, if he wasn’t constrained by law, he would execute some of his enemies as Kim has done. His staff find he’s impossible to deal with although he gets important things done. After reading Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House, one realises that Woodward gives little space to Trump’s achievements, and his interviews and re-creations of real-life scenes are nearly all orientated in a critical direction. Woodward has painted a picture of a sordid man, full of quite disgusting profanities and untruths that he aims at his staff and many of those who do business with him with hourly regularity. (If the women in his “base” could hear these, many would be shocked). It’s a fine book, researched in the most intimate and thorough way. One doesn’t doubt its veracity. Quite a bit of it we have read in the newspapers already over the last two years, but even then Woodward gets deeper inside the man, the policy-making, and how it’s implemented. He’s the best fly on the wall anyone could ask for. There are, too, whole chapters where Woodward writes about startling things we’ve not known about. Again and again, in order to keep the US on a sensible course in its policies for trade, foreign relations and financial affairs, his staff have to secretly remove from his desk papers waiting to be signed. This choleric man is so seized up by the next crisis or what appears as an affront that he forgets he asked for them. Time and time again, his staff are courageous, offering the president clever analysis, despite his constant put downs. He tells them it’s bullshit and that he’s held his views on this or that for over 30 years and he’s not going to change. Amazingly, they argue back, and he lets them — up to a point. In his way, he accepts a lot of talk-back and even verbal insubordination, but then gives the staffer hell. There is insubordination behind his back, too. On one occasion, when discussing President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Trump said to General James Mattis, the Defence Secretary, “Let’s go in, let’s fucking kill him.” “Yes”, Mattis said, “I will get right on it.” He hung up the phone. “We’re not going to do any of that,” he told a senior aide. When the North Korea crisis first blew up, Mattis made it clear he didn’t want war. His view was that North Korea could be contained. Ironically, as with North Korea latterly, Trump in some areas of policy can have non-warlike instincts. He argued hard with the military until they persuaded him otherwise, that the US should totally withdraw from Afghanistan. Where this story ends nobody knows. Woodward for one doesn’t advocate impeachment but by the end of the book it hangs in the air. Who really wants such a volatile, unhinged and amoral man to have his finger on the nuclear button? (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Notoriously difficult to deal with, Trump gets work done

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he had spoken to Saudi King Salman Salman bin Abdulaziz who had denied any knowledge of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi fate. Trump added that he was sending his Secretary of State&nbsp;Mike Pompeo to meet with Salman.

"Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer . I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!", Trump said in a tweet.

A day before the US President warned of severe punishment to Saudi Arabia if it&nbsp;is found responsible for&nbsp;the disappearance of the missing journalist.

However, the US president has repeatedly made clear that he will not risk billions of dollars in deals to sell weapons to the kingdom, which is a strategic ally in the tinderbox Middle East.

Senior journalist Khashoggi, 59, a strong critic of the Saudi establishment had taken US citizenship after leaving his country and had written several articles against Saudi Arabia's repressive policies for the Washington Post.

The New York Times revealed earlier that a group of 15 men flew down to Turkey in a private jet in order to kill Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey. The Turkish government openly accused Saudi Arabia of colluding to kill the journalist.

The journalist had entered the Saudi consulate to submit documents seeking a divorce from his wife living in Saudi Arabia so that he could remarry again in Turkey.

Saudi Arabia has denied any hand in Khashoggi's disappearance asserting that he walked out of the consulate from the back door. However, his fiance, Hatice Cengiz, who accompanied him to the consulate on October 2 said he never came out of the consulate as she waited outside.

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Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1051814214212485120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Following days of mounting tensions, Saudi officials were allowing Turkish investigators to enter the consulate on Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he had spoken to Saudi King Salman Salman bin Abdulaziz who had denied any knowledge of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi fate.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he had spoken to Saudi King Salman Salman bin Abdulaziz who had denied any knowledge of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi fate. Trump added that he was sending his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with Salman. "Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer . I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King!", Trump said in a tweet. A day before the US President warned of severe punishment to Saudi Arabia if it is found responsible for the disappearance of the missing journalist. However, the US president has repeatedly made clear that he will not risk billions of dollars in deals to sell weapons to the kingdom, which is a strategic ally in the tinderbox Middle East. Senior journalist Khashoggi, 59, a strong critic of the Saudi establishment had taken US citizenship after leaving his country and had written several articles against Saudi Arabia's repressive policies for the Washington Post. The New York Times revealed earlier that a group of 15 men flew down to Turkey in a private jet in order to kill Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey. The Turkish government openly accused Saudi Arabia of colluding to kill the journalist. The journalist had entered the Saudi consulate to submit documents seeking a divorce from his wife living in Saudi Arabia so that he could remarry again in Turkey. Saudi Arabia has denied any hand in Khashoggi's disappearance asserting that he walked out of the consulate from the back door. However, his fiance, Hatice Cengiz, who accompanied him to the consulate on October 2 said he never came out of the consulate as she waited outside. Just spoke to the King of Saudi Arabia who denies any knowledge of whatever may have happened “to our Saudi Arabian citizen.” He said that they are working closely with Turkey to find answer. I am immediately sending our Secretary of State to meet with King! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 15, 2018 × Following days of mounting tensions, Saudi officials were allowing Turkish investigators to enter the consulate on Monday. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says Saudi king denies knowledge of missing journalist's fate

US President Donald Trump said in an interview airing Sunday that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis "could be" leaving, referring to him as "sort of a Democrat."

Mattis, seen as one of the steadiest but also more independent members of Trump's cabinet, has served as a low-profile counterweight to the president in his often abrasive treatment of US allies.

In an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," Trump was asked whether he wanted Mattis to leave.

"It could be that he is. I think he's sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth," Trump said, according to an excerpt released by CBS. "But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves."

Trump said he had lunch with Mattis two days earlier and Mattis, a retired Marine four-star general, had not told him that he was leaving.

The exchange on Mattis came after Trump alluded to upcoming changes in his cabinet, which last week saw the surprise resignation of Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations.

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"I'm changing things around. And I'm entitled to. I have people now on standby that will be phenomenal. They'll come into the administration, they'll be phenomenal," Trump said.

"I think we have a great cabinet. There're some people that I'm not happy with. I have some people that I'm not thrilled with. And I have other people that I'm beyond thrilled with," he said.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview airing Sunday that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis "could be" leaving, referring to him as "sort of a Democrat." Mattis, seen as one of the steadiest but also more independent members of Trump's cabinet, has served as a low-profile counterweight to the president in his often abrasive treatment of US allies.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview airing Sunday that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis "could be" leaving, referring to him as "sort of a Democrat." Mattis, seen as one of the steadiest but also more independent members of Trump's cabinet, has served as a low-profile counterweight to the president in his often abrasive treatment of US allies. In an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," Trump was asked whether he wanted Mattis to leave. "It could be that he is. I think he's sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth," Trump said, according to an excerpt released by CBS. "But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves." Trump said he had lunch with Mattis two days earlier and Mattis, a retired Marine four-star general, had not told him that he was leaving. The exchange on Mattis came after Trump alluded to upcoming changes in his cabinet, which last week saw the surprise resignation of Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations. × "I'm changing things around. And I'm entitled to. I have people now on standby that will be phenomenal. They'll come into the administration, they'll be phenomenal," Trump said. "I think we have a great cabinet. There're some people that I'm not happy with. I have some people that I'm not thrilled with. And I have other people that I'm beyond thrilled with," he said.

Jim Mattis 'could be' leaving as US defense chief: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will "probably" meet at a G20 summit next month, a US official said Sunday, as both sides deplored a badly strained relationship that a Chinese official called "very confusing."&nbsp;

"The presidents will probably meet at the G20 in Buenos Aires," Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on the "Fox News Sunday" program.

But he added that trade talks with China -- with each side imposing a mounting series of tariffs on the other, raising fears of a shock to the global economy -- had so far been "unsatisfactory."

"The relationship has not been positive lately," Kudlow said.

China's ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, raised similar doubts about the relationship between the world's two largest economic powers.

Also appearing on Fox, he confirmed reports that China has grown frustrated in trade talks because of conflicting signals from the Trump administration. Cui said other ambassadors in Washington shared his frustration.&nbsp;

"They don't know who was the final decision-maker" in the administration, he said. "Of course, presumably the president would take the final decision. But who is playing what role? It can be very confusing."

Litany of complaints

He also complained about a recent incident in which a US navy ship, in a so-called "freedom of navigation" exercise, sailed close to a disputed island claimed by China in the South China Sea.

"This is a very good example of American intervention into Chinese internal affairs," Cui said, adding that US officials would not be pleased if Chinese warships entered the Gulf of Mexico.

Kudlow concurred that the differences between the two sides extend beyond trade.&nbsp;

"The relationship has not been positive lately, and we have to have reciprocity in all of these areas: trade, security, military issues. That's what is at stake here," he said.

Earlier this month, US Vice President Mike Pence issued a long litany of complaints against China. He accused Beijing of "predatory" trade practices, of military "aggression," of massive attacks on personal freedoms and religious minorities, and even of electoral interference aimed at unseating Trump by running ads in American newspapers.

Cui replied on Fox that Chinese media were "just learning from American media to use all these means to buy commercial pages from newspapers," adding, "This is a normal practice for all the media."

But the ambassador also held out hope for the Buenos Aires meeting.

Two earlier meetings between the presidents, he said, had made it "clear that such top-level communication played a key role, irreplaceable role in guiding the relationship forward. And there is good mutual understanding and good working relationship between the two.

"I hope, and I'm sure, this will continue."

&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will "probably" meet at a G20 summit next month, a US official said Sunday, as both sides deplored a badly strained relationship that a Chinese official called "very confusing.

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping will "probably" meet at a G20 summit next month, a US official said Sunday, as both sides deplored a badly strained relationship that a Chinese official called "very confusing." "The presidents will probably meet at the G20 in Buenos Aires," Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on the "Fox News Sunday" program. But he added that trade talks with China -- with each side imposing a mounting series of tariffs on the other, raising fears of a shock to the global economy -- had so far been "unsatisfactory." "The relationship has not been positive lately," Kudlow said. China's ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, raised similar doubts about the relationship between the world's two largest economic powers. Also appearing on Fox, he confirmed reports that China has grown frustrated in trade talks because of conflicting signals from the Trump administration. Cui said other ambassadors in Washington shared his frustration. "They don't know who was the final decision-maker" in the administration, he said. "Of course, presumably the president would take the final decision. But who is playing what role? It can be very confusing." Litany of complaints He also complained about a recent incident in which a US navy ship, in a so-called "freedom of navigation" exercise, sailed close to a disputed island claimed by China in the South China Sea. "This is a very good example of American intervention into Chinese internal affairs," Cui said, adding that US officials would not be pleased if Chinese warships entered the Gulf of Mexico. Kudlow concurred that the differences between the two sides extend beyond trade. "The relationship has not been positive lately, and we have to have reciprocity in all of these areas: trade, security, military issues. That's what is at stake here," he said. Earlier this month, US Vice President Mike Pence issued a long litany of complaints against China. He accused Beijing of "predatory" trade practices, of military "aggression," of massive attacks on personal freedoms and religious minorities, and even of electoral interference aimed at unseating Trump by running ads in American newspapers. Cui replied on Fox that Chinese media were "just learning from American media to use all these means to buy commercial pages from newspapers," adding, "This is a normal practice for all the media." But the ambassador also held out hope for the Buenos Aires meeting. Two earlier meetings between the presidents, he said, had made it "clear that such top-level communication played a key role, irreplaceable role in guiding the relationship forward. And there is good mutual understanding and good working relationship between the two. "I hope, and I'm sure, this will continue."

China bemoans 'confusing' US signals but holds hope for Trump-Xi meet

Thousands of people made their disdain for President Donald Trump heard Saturday at a rally and march in Chicago aimed at galvanizing support for Democrats in the upcoming November midterm elections.

A giant "Baby Trump" flew over the crowd. Trump was depicted as "El Diablo" on a high-flying flag. Demonstrators waved "Vote Blue" banners -- the message was unmistakable.

Angered by the bitter fight over new US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and what they called the "anti-woman agenda" of the Trump administration and the Republican Party, women -- and men -- descended on the Windy City's picturesque Grant Park.

The "March to the Polls" event -- which began in the downtown park and wrapped up after a two-block-long crowd marched to the centre of the business district -- came just as voter registration deadlines neared in most states and early voting ramped up in more than a dozen states including Illinois.&nbsp;

Hillary Clinton appeared in a video message played on a giant screen, encouraging people to register to vote.&nbsp;

"Imagine being able to hold this administration accountable," Clinton said, echoing the general sentiment that the election is a barometer of Trump's popularity.

Rally the millennials

Saturday's demonstration included a street festival-like "Voter Village" where dozens of community groups and politicians set up booths to reach new voters and encourage political involvement.

"We wanted to lead into the midterms and encourage women to get out and vote," Jessica Scheller, head of Women's March Chicago, which organized the event, told AFP. &nbsp;

The loud crowd of thousands of men, women and even children, marched through downtown Chicago chanting "Vote them out!" Some were encouraged to head to early voting locations nearby to cast ballots.

Iyahna Wilson, a 19-year-old volunteer who assisted in the march, voted for the first time -- motivated by racial justice issues and gender rights.&nbsp;

"I never really thought that my vote was going to make a change," Wilson told AFP moments after she exited a downtown polling location, raising her hands up in celebration.&nbsp;

It is that mindset that organizers were fighting to change with an event they specifically aimed to take place in the runup to the midterm election.&nbsp;

"I would like women to take charge of the midterms," protester Sarah Sieracki told AFP.&nbsp;

The 23-year-old from the nearby Republican-dominated state of Indiana was the type of voter organizers were hoping to encourage to get involved.

She was carrying a "Grab 'em by the midterms" sign -- a play on an infamous remark made by Trump.

"Women need to vote. They need to get out," said Sieracki.&nbsp;

"We need to rally the young millennials and the people coming up, turning 18 (years old)."

'Women are angry'

The Chicago rally symbolized the political rancour generated by the partisan fight over Kavanaugh's confirmation despite sexual assault allegations and powerful testimony against him by his accuser Christine Blasey Ford.&nbsp;

All but one Senate Republican voted to confirm Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court. All but one Democrat voted against.&nbsp;

Anti-Trump marches were scheduled later this month in other states, including the Republican strongholds of Texas, Georgia and South Carolina.&nbsp;

"It is infuriating to women to watch that display that we watched in that Senate committee hearing, and to see that that man was still confirmed," Scheller said.&nbsp;

"Women are angry. And we're starting to feel comfortable being angry." &nbsp;

Republicans currently hold the White House and both chambers of Congress, but many in the party fear anti-Trump voters will overwhelm the president's supporters in the elections, pushing the House -- at least -- over to the Democrats.

Most states allow early voting by mail-in ballot or at a limited number of polling stations, giving those unable to show up on Election Day a chance to vote.

Chicago organizers insisted their event did not favour any one party, even though funding came largely from trade unions and Democrat-aligned groups.&nbsp;

Previous women's protests have included plenty of anti-Trump rhetoric.&nbsp;

Protests in January shut down streets in dozens of American cities. In Chicago, hundreds of thousands marched.&nbsp;

Thousands of people made their disdain for President Donald Trump heard Saturday at a rally and march in Chicago aimed at galvanizing support for Democrats in the upcoming November midterm elections.

Thousands of people made their disdain for President Donald Trump heard Saturday at a rally and march in Chicago aimed at galvanizing support for Democrats in the upcoming November midterm elections. A giant "Baby Trump" flew over the crowd. Trump was depicted as "El Diablo" on a high-flying flag. Demonstrators waved "Vote Blue" banners -- the message was unmistakable. Angered by the bitter fight over new US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and what they called the "anti-woman agenda" of the Trump administration and the Republican Party, women -- and men -- descended on the Windy City's picturesque Grant Park. The "March to the Polls" event -- which began in the downtown park and wrapped up after a two-block-long crowd marched to the centre of the business district -- came just as voter registration deadlines neared in most states and early voting ramped up in more than a dozen states including Illinois. Hillary Clinton appeared in a video message played on a giant screen, encouraging people to register to vote. "Imagine being able to hold this administration accountable," Clinton said, echoing the general sentiment that the election is a barometer of Trump's popularity. Rally the millennials Saturday's demonstration included a street festival-like "Voter Village" where dozens of community groups and politicians set up booths to reach new voters and encourage political involvement. "We wanted to lead into the midterms and encourage women to get out and vote," Jessica Scheller, head of Women's March Chicago, which organized the event, told AFP. The loud crowd of thousands of men, women and even children, marched through downtown Chicago chanting "Vote them out!" Some were encouraged to head to early voting locations nearby to cast ballots. Iyahna Wilson, a 19-year-old volunteer who assisted in the march, voted for the first time -- motivated by racial justice issues and gender rights. "I never really thought that my vote was going to make a change," Wilson told AFP moments after she exited a downtown polling location, raising her hands up in celebration. It is that mindset that organizers were fighting to change with an event they specifically aimed to take place in the runup to the midterm election. "I would like women to take charge of the midterms," protester Sarah Sieracki told AFP. The 23-year-old from the nearby Republican-dominated state of Indiana was the type of voter organizers were hoping to encourage to get involved. She was carrying a "Grab 'em by the midterms" sign -- a play on an infamous remark made by Trump. "Women need to vote. They need to get out," said Sieracki. "We need to rally the young millennials and the people coming up, turning 18 (years old)." 'Women are angry' The Chicago rally symbolized the political rancour generated by the partisan fight over Kavanaugh's confirmation despite sexual assault allegations and powerful testimony against him by his accuser Christine Blasey Ford. All but one Senate Republican voted to confirm Kavanaugh to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court. All but one Democrat voted against. Anti-Trump marches were scheduled later this month in other states, including the Republican strongholds of Texas, Georgia and South Carolina. "It is infuriating to women to watch that display that we watched in that Senate committee hearing, and to see that that man was still confirmed," Scheller said. "Women are angry. And we're starting to feel comfortable being angry." Republicans currently hold the White House and both chambers of Congress, but many in the party fear anti-Trump voters will overwhelm the president's supporters in the elections, pushing the House -- at least -- over to the Democrats. Most states allow early voting by mail-in ballot or at a limited number of polling stations, giving those unable to show up on Election Day a chance to vote. Chicago organizers insisted their event did not favour any one party, even though funding came largely from trade unions and Democrat-aligned groups. Previous women's protests have included plenty of anti-Trump rhetoric. Protests in January shut down streets in dozens of American cities. In Chicago, hundreds of thousands marched.

Thousands march in Chicago against Trump's 'anti-woman agenda'

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security.

In June, Trump abandoned his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents on the US-Mexico border after images of youngsters in cages sparked outrage at home and abroad.

But some Trump administration officials have said the policy, under which some 2,600 children were separated from their parents, was needed to secure the border and deter illegal immigration.

Trump seemed to support that argument on Saturday.

"If they feel there will be separation, they don't come," he said of migrants during comments to reporters at the White House.

Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that immigrants were "grabbing children and they're using children to come into our country in many cases." &nbsp;

He stopped short, however, of committing to a new round of family separations.

"We're looking at a lot of different things having to do with illegal immigration," he said, again calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation. "We're going to do whatever we can do to get it slowed down."

A new policy could establish illegal immigration as a major theme in mid-term congressional elections on Nov. 6, when Democrats are seen as having a good chance of regaining control of the House of Representatives.

Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said on Saturday there was a crisis at the US-Mexico border with rising numbers of adults entering the country illegally with children.

"DHS will continue to enforce the law humanely, and will continue to examine a range of options to secure our nation's borders," she said.

Following reports that Trump might again authorize family separations, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler on Friday called on the administration to "provide a full accounting of their previous failed efforts."

A government audit released earlier this month said the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year was plagued by a lack of preparation, resource shortfalls and communication failures.

The audit found that hundreds of migrant children were detained for longer than the three-day limit allowed at US&nbsp;Border Patrol facilities, including one who was held for 25 days.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that separating migrant families at the border could deter illegal immigration and that he was considering several options to tighten border security. In June, Trump abandoned his policy of separating immigrant children from their parents on the US-Mexico border after images of youngsters in cages sparked outrage at home and abroad. But some Trump administration officials have said the policy, under which some 2,600 children were separated from their parents, was needed to secure the border and deter illegal immigration. Trump seemed to support that argument on Saturday. "If they feel there will be separation, they don't come," he said of migrants during comments to reporters at the White House. Trump also claimed, without providing evidence, that immigrants were "grabbing children and they're using children to come into our country in many cases." He stopped short, however, of committing to a new round of family separations. "We're looking at a lot of different things having to do with illegal immigration," he said, again calling on Congress to pass immigration legislation. "We're going to do whatever we can do to get it slowed down." A new policy could establish illegal immigration as a major theme in mid-term congressional elections on Nov. 6, when Democrats are seen as having a good chance of regaining control of the House of Representatives. Katie Waldman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said on Saturday there was a crisis at the US-Mexico border with rising numbers of adults entering the country illegally with children. "DHS will continue to enforce the law humanely, and will continue to examine a range of options to secure our nation's borders," she said. Following reports that Trump might again authorize family separations, Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler on Friday called on the administration to "provide a full accounting of their previous failed efforts." A government audit released earlier this month said the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" immigration crackdown at the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year was plagued by a lack of preparation, resource shortfalls and communication failures. The audit found that hundreds of migrant children were detained for longer than the three-day limit allowed at US Border Patrol facilities, including one who was held for 25 days.

Trump says separating children from families deters illegal immigration

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-vows-to-get-even-tougher-on-china-says-beijings-behaviour-needs-to-be-adjusted-171204">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-vows-to-get-even-tougher-on-china-says-beijings-behaviour-needs-to-be-adjusted-171204"> vows to get even tougher on China, says Beijing's 'behaviour needs to be adjusted'</a>

US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nirmala-sitharaman-visits-rafale-manufacturing-facility-in-france-171205">Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits Rafale factory in France, takes stock of production</a>

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday visited a production facility of French aerospace major Dassault Aviation near Paris where the Rafale jets to be supplied to India are being manufactured, official sources said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-are-fine-melania-trump-dismisses-gossip-about-marriage-171196">'We are fine': Melania Trump dismisses gossip about marriage</a>

Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump's reported affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has "more important things to think about."

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/women-entering-sabarimala-should-be-ripped-into-half-actor-kollam-thulasi-171210">Women entering Sabarimala should be 'ripped into half': Kerala actor Kollam Thulasi</a>

Actor Kollam Thulasi on Friday made a shocking statement saying that women entering Sabarimala temple should be ripped into the half. He was addressing a public gathering here.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-death-toll-rises-to-17-as-search-goes-on-in-florida-171201">Hurricane death toll rises to 17 as search goes on in Florida</a>

The death toll from Hurricane Michael rose to 17 people across four states on Friday as rescuers, hampered by power and phone outages, used cadaver dogs, drones and heavy equipment to search devastated communities in the Florida Panhandle.

&nbsp;

US vows to get even tougher on China, says Beijing's 'behaviour needs to be adjusted' US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas.

US vows to get even tougher on China, says Beijing's 'behaviour needs to be adjusted' US national security adviser John Bolton has vowed to further intensify the Trump administration's tough approach to China, saying Beijing's "behaviour needs to be adjusted in the trade area, in the international, military and political areas." Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visits Rafale factory in France, takes stock of production Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday visited a production facility of French aerospace major Dassault Aviation near Paris where the Rafale jets to be supplied to India are being manufactured, official sources said. 'We are fine': Melania Trump dismisses gossip about marriage Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump's reported affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has "more important things to think about." Women entering Sabarimala should be 'ripped into half': Kerala actor Kollam Thulasi Actor Kollam Thulasi on Friday made a shocking statement saying that women entering Sabarimala temple should be ripped into the half. He was addressing a public gathering here. Hurricane death toll rises to 17 as search goes on in Florida The death toll from Hurricane Michael rose to 17 people across four states on Friday as rescuers, hampered by power and phone outages, used cadaver dogs, drones and heavy equipment to search devastated communities in the Florida Panhandle.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The family of Prince has told Donald Trump to stop playing the late icon's songs at rallies, following a phalanx of other angry artists who have told the US president to pull the plug.

"The Prince Estate has never given permission to President Trump or The White House to use Prince's songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately," tweeted the musician's half-brother Omarr Baker.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to an AFP request to comment.

The president's team have reportedly added "Purple Rain," one of Prince's best-loved tracks, to the playlist of recent rallies in the run-up to November midterm elections, including in Mississippi last week.

The complaint adds Prince to a long line of musicians or their representatives who have objected to the billionaire Republican head of state blasting out their tunes at his public rallies.

The Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Queen and George Harrison are among acts that have lodged objections to the use of their music at Republican gatherings.

The family of Italy's late Luciano Pavarotti, one of the most famous tenors of the 20th century, also criticized the use of his signature recording of blockbuster Puccini aria "Nessun Dorma," a fixture at Trump's 2016 rallies.

But during a question-and-answer session on Twitter two years ago Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger was quoted as saying there was nothing he could do under US law to stop Trump playing his music.

"If you're in a public place like Madison Square Garden or a theater, you can play any music you want, and you can't be stopped. So, if you write a song and someone plays it in a restaurant that you go to, you can't stop them. They can play what they want," the Daily Beast quoted him as saying.

While US law could allow an artist to ask for his music not to be played at political campaigns, none have yet followed through with any legal action.

Prince died aged 57 in April 2016 from an accidental overdose of powerful painkillers. He left no will and had no living children, with his siblings put in charge of keeping his estate afloat.

The family of Prince has told Donald Trump to stop playing the late icon's songs at rallies, following a phalanx of other angry artists who have told the US president to pull the plug.

The family of Prince has told Donald Trump to stop playing the late icon's songs at rallies, following a phalanx of other angry artists who have told the US president to pull the plug. "The Prince Estate has never given permission to President Trump or The White House to use Prince's songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately," tweeted the musician's half-brother Omarr Baker. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to an AFP request to comment. The president's team have reportedly added "Purple Rain," one of Prince's best-loved tracks, to the playlist of recent rallies in the run-up to November midterm elections, including in Mississippi last week. The complaint adds Prince to a long line of musicians or their representatives who have objected to the billionaire Republican head of state blasting out their tunes at his public rallies. The Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young, R.E.M., Aerosmith, Queen and George Harrison are among acts that have lodged objections to the use of their music at Republican gatherings. The family of Italy's late Luciano Pavarotti, one of the most famous tenors of the 20th century, also criticized the use of his signature recording of blockbuster Puccini aria "Nessun Dorma," a fixture at Trump's 2016 rallies. But during a question-and-answer session on Twitter two years ago Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger was quoted as saying there was nothing he could do under US law to stop Trump playing his music. "If you're in a public place like Madison Square Garden or a theater, you can play any music you want, and you can't be stopped. So, if you write a song and someone plays it in a restaurant that you go to, you can't stop them. They can play what they want," the Daily Beast quoted him as saying. While US law could allow an artist to ask for his music not to be played at political campaigns, none have yet followed through with any legal action. Prince died aged 57 in April 2016 from an accidental overdose of powerful painkillers. He left no will and had no living children, with his siblings put in charge of keeping his estate afloat.

Family of Prince demands Trump stop playing his music

A delegation from Saudi Arabia has arrived in Turkey as part of a joint investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three Turkish sources said on Friday.

A Saudi source also said a senior royal, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, visited Turkey on Thursday for talks. Later the same day Turkey said the two countries had agreed to form a joint working group - at Riyadh's initiative - to investigate the case.

Saudi state news agency SPA later quoted a Saudi official as welcoming Turkey's approval of its request to form the team.

US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Ohio, said he had not yet spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman about Khashoggi's disappearance but would be calling him "pretty soon."

"This is a very serious thing and we're looking at it in a very serious manner," Trump said.

Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to get documents for his forthcoming marriage. Saudi officials say he left shortly afterwards but Turkish officials and his fiancee, who was waiting outside, said he never came out.

Turkish sources have told Reuters the initial assessment of the police was that Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the Saudi government, was deliberately killed inside the consulate.

Riyadh has dismissed the claims.

SPA said on Friday that Saudi Arabia's interior minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, condemned the "lies and baseless allegations" against the kingdom, although he praised the joint investigation with Turkey.

The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Turkey on Thursday, is meeting a Turkish prosecutor investigating the case as well as representatives from the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, police and the national intelligence agency, one source said.

There is no set date for how long the meetings will take, but "very quick results need to be seen", the source said. The team is now in Istanbul and will continue to work over the weekend, the source added.

Prince Khaled, the governor of Mecca, made his brief visit in his capacity as special adviser to King Salman, a source with links to the prince's family told Reuters, in a move that would suggest the monarch was treating the issue as a priority.

President Tayyip Erdogan has previously said that Turkey could not remain silent over Khashoggi's disappearance and called on officials at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to prove he had left the building.

On Tuesday, the Turkish foreign ministry said the Saudi consulate in Istanbul would be searched as part of the investigation.

A delegation from Saudi Arabia has arrived in Turkey as part of a joint investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three Turkish sources said on Friday.

A delegation from Saudi Arabia has arrived in Turkey as part of a joint investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three Turkish sources said on Friday. A Saudi source also said a senior royal, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, visited Turkey on Thursday for talks. Later the same day Turkey said the two countries had agreed to form a joint working group - at Riyadh's initiative - to investigate the case. Saudi state news agency SPA later quoted a Saudi official as welcoming Turkey's approval of its request to form the team. US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Ohio, said he had not yet spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman about Khashoggi's disappearance but would be calling him "pretty soon." "This is a very serious thing and we're looking at it in a very serious manner," Trump said. Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to get documents for his forthcoming marriage. Saudi officials say he left shortly afterwards but Turkish officials and his fiancee, who was waiting outside, said he never came out. Turkish sources have told Reuters the initial assessment of the police was that Khashoggi, an outspoken critic of the Saudi government, was deliberately killed inside the consulate. Riyadh has dismissed the claims. SPA said on Friday that Saudi Arabia's interior minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, condemned the "lies and baseless allegations" against the kingdom, although he praised the joint investigation with Turkey. The Saudi delegation, which arrived in Turkey on Thursday, is meeting a Turkish prosecutor investigating the case as well as representatives from the Justice Ministry, Interior Ministry, police and the national intelligence agency, one source said. There is no set date for how long the meetings will take, but "very quick results need to be seen", the source said. The team is now in Istanbul and will continue to work over the weekend, the source added. Prince Khaled, the governor of Mecca, made his brief visit in his capacity as special adviser to King Salman, a source with links to the prince's family told Reuters, in a move that would suggest the monarch was treating the issue as a priority. President Tayyip Erdogan has previously said that Turkey could not remain silent over Khashoggi's disappearance and called on officials at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to prove he had left the building. On Tuesday, the Turkish foreign ministry said the Saudi consulate in Istanbul would be searched as part of the investigation.

Saudi team arrives in Turkey for Khashoggi investigation: Sources

US President Donald Trump on Saturday alleged that Saudi Arabia could be behind the disappearance of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump also warned of "severe punishment" if the same turns out to be true, news agency AFP reported.

"We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment," Trump told US media.

"As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes," Trump said in the interview, which was conducted on Thursday.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Ohio, said he had not yet spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman about Khashoggi's disappearance but would be calling him "pretty soon," news agency Reuters reported.&nbsp;

"This is a very serious thing and we're looking at it in a very serious manner," Trump added.

Meanwhile, a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-team-arrives-in-turkey-for-khashoggi-investigation-sources-171203">delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Turkey</a> as part of a joint investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three Turkish sources said on Friday.

Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, vanished on October 2 after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.

Turkish police and numerous media have claimed he was tortured and killed at the consulate.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Donald Trump on Saturday alleged that Saudi Arabia could be behind the disappearance of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump also warned of "severe punishment" if the same turns out to be true, news agency AFP reported.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday alleged that Saudi Arabia could be behind the disappearance of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Trump also warned of "severe punishment" if the same turns out to be true, news agency AFP reported. "We're going to get to the bottom of it and there will be severe punishment," Trump told US media. "As of this moment, they deny it and they deny it vehemently. Could it be them? Yes," Trump said in the interview, which was conducted on Thursday. US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in Ohio, said he had not yet spoken to Saudi Arabia's King Salman about Khashoggi's disappearance but would be calling him "pretty soon," news agency Reuters reported. "This is a very serious thing and we're looking at it in a very serious manner," Trump added. Meanwhile, a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Turkey as part of a joint investigation into the disappearance of prominent Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three Turkish sources said on Friday. Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor, vanished on October 2 after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage. Turkish police and numerous media have claimed he was tortured and killed at the consulate. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump warns of 'severe punishment' if Saudis behind Khashoggi disappearance

Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump's reported affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has "more important things to think about."

Addressing for the first time allegations that have swirled around her husband the first lady brushed off speculation that her marriage is troubled and insisted she loves life in the US capital.

In a lengthy ABC television interview, Trump did not deny the many stories of her husband's philandering. But she also made clear she does not dwell on it.

"It is not a concern and focus of mine," she said. "I'm a mother and a first lady, and I have much more important things to think about and to do."

"I know people like to speculate and media like to speculate about our marriage," she added.

"It's not always pleasant, of course, but I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true and not true."

The interview, excerpts of which were released by ABC ahead of a full broadcast Friday evening, came after nearly two roller-coaster years in the White House, during which Melania was frequently thought to be on the verge of breaking with President Trump, as one woman after another came forth claiming they had been paid to be quiet about their affairs with him.

But she gave no hint to ABC as to how the stories affected her.&nbsp;

Asked whether she loved her husband, she answered: "Yes, we are fine. It's what media speculate, and it's gossip. It's not always correct stuff."

Mysterious, impenetrable &nbsp;

In a White House known for its inability to keep secrets, the 48-year-old Slovenia-born former fashion model, Trump's third wife, remains mysterious and impenetrable to the American public.

She gave the interview to ABC while she was on her first solo trip abroad last week, to Africa where she sought to promote her humanitarian efforts and US Agency for International Development projects.

Sitting in jodhpurs with a safari pith helmet at her side, Trump was poised and confident as she responded to uncomfortable questions on her personal life with the real estate billionaire who now leads the United States.

She is not the first lady to suffer gossip about a president's unfaithfulness. Hillary Clinton endured husband Bill Clinton's dalliance with Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office, and John F. Kennedy, president from 1961-63, was a serial cheater on wife Jackie.

But Donald Trump's brash behavior has left his wife constantly under the Washington microscope, facing questions about whether she will leave him and move back to New York with their son Barron.

She scoffed at such talk in the ABC interview. "I am enjoying it. I really love to live in the Washington and the White House," she said.

'Most bullied person'&nbsp;

In Africa, she visited hospitals and schools and a wildlife park in Ghana, Malawi and Kenya, speaking to students and feeding a baby elephant, before stopping in Egypt to visit the Giza pyramids.

She hinted to ABC that life in the White House was not easy, dealing with people she didn't always trust. "You always need to watch your back," she said.

She also explained one reason why she had made fighting cyber bullying a target of her "Be Best" campaign.

"I could say I'm the most bullied person in the world," she said, or "one of them, if you really see what people are saying about me."

More comfortable facing a still camera than a microphone, Trump has taken much longer than most first ladies to open up to the media.

The interview came just over three weeks before the midterm congressional elections, in which Trump's record is expected to play a big part in how voters cast their ballots.

Flak for fashion choices&nbsp;

Also like past first ladies, Melania is constantly under the microscope for her fashion choices, which lean toward well-cut, refined but not flashy clothes from Ralph Lauren and French-American designer Herve Pierre.

She took heavy flack in June when she wore a $39 Zara jacket that had "I really don't care, do u?" written on the back, as she embarked on a trip to the Mexican border to see immigrant children who had been separated from their parents under her husband's much criticized policy.

Tthe target of that message was unclear.

Donning a pith helmet during her Nairobi stop last week, and then an "Indiana Jones"-style Panama hat while in Egypt, Melania Trump also drew fashion maven reprimands as "insensitive" to the continent's colonial history.

Reporters should "talk about my trip and not what I wear," she responded during the journey.

Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump's reported affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has "more important things to think about.

Melania Trump dismissed Friday the widespread talk about her husband President Donald Trump's reported affairs with a porn star and others, saying she has "more important things to think about." Addressing for the first time allegations that have swirled around her husband the first lady brushed off speculation that her marriage is troubled and insisted she loves life in the US capital. In a lengthy ABC television interview, Trump did not deny the many stories of her husband's philandering. But she also made clear she does not dwell on it. "It is not a concern and focus of mine," she said. "I'm a mother and a first lady, and I have much more important things to think about and to do." "I know people like to speculate and media like to speculate about our marriage," she added. "It's not always pleasant, of course, but I know what is right and what is wrong and what is true and not true." The interview, excerpts of which were released by ABC ahead of a full broadcast Friday evening, came after nearly two roller-coaster years in the White House, during which Melania was frequently thought to be on the verge of breaking with President Trump, as one woman after another came forth claiming they had been paid to be quiet about their affairs with him. But she gave no hint to ABC as to how the stories affected her. Asked whether she loved her husband, she answered: "Yes, we are fine. It's what media speculate, and it's gossip. It's not always correct stuff." Mysterious, impenetrable In a White House known for its inability to keep secrets, the 48-year-old Slovenia-born former fashion model, Trump's third wife, remains mysterious and impenetrable to the American public. She gave the interview to ABC while she was on her first solo trip abroad last week, to Africa where she sought to promote her humanitarian efforts and US Agency for International Development projects. Sitting in jodhpurs with a safari pith helmet at her side, Trump was poised and confident as she responded to uncomfortable questions on her personal life with the real estate billionaire who now leads the United States. She is not the first lady to suffer gossip about a president's unfaithfulness. Hillary Clinton endured husband Bill Clinton's dalliance with Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office, and John F. Kennedy, president from 1961-63, was a serial cheater on wife Jackie. But Donald Trump's brash behavior has left his wife constantly under the Washington microscope, facing questions about whether she will leave him and move back to New York with their son Barron. She scoffed at such talk in the ABC interview. "I am enjoying it. I really love to live in the Washington and the White House," she said. 'Most bullied person' In Africa, she visited hospitals and schools and a wildlife park in Ghana, Malawi and Kenya, speaking to students and feeding a baby elephant, before stopping in Egypt to visit the Giza pyramids. She hinted to ABC that life in the White House was not easy, dealing with people she didn't always trust. "You always need to watch your back," she said. She also explained one reason why she had made fighting cyber bullying a target of her "Be Best" campaign. "I could say I'm the most bullied person in the world," she said, or "one of them, if you really see what people are saying about me." More comfortable facing a still camera than a microphone, Trump has taken much longer than most first ladies to open up to the media. The interview came just over three weeks before the midterm congressional elections, in which Trump's record is expected to play a big part in how voters cast their ballots. Flak for fashion choices Also like past first ladies, Melania is constantly under the microscope for her fashion choices, which lean toward well-cut, refined but not flashy clothes from Ralph Lauren and French-American designer Herve Pierre. She took heavy flack in June when she wore a $39 Zara jacket that had "I really don't care, do u?" written on the back, as she embarked on a trip to the Mexican border to see immigrant children who had been separated from their parents under her husband's much criticized policy. Tthe target of that message was unclear. Donning a pith helmet during her Nairobi stop last week, and then an "Indiana Jones"-style Panama hat while in Egypt, Melania Trump also drew fashion maven reprimands as "insensitive" to the continent's colonial history. Reporters should "talk about my trip and not what I wear," she responded during the journey.

'We are fine': Melania Trump dismisses gossip about marriage

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Turkey to quickly release other Americans in detention after it freed a pastor at the centre of a crisis in relations.

"Pastor (Andrew) Brunson is finally coming home to America, following a long ordeal for the pastor and his family. We hope that the Turkish government will quickly release our other detained US citizens and State Department locally employed staff," Pompeo tweeted Friday.

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Pastor Brunson is finally coming home to America, following a long ordeal for the pastor and his family. We hope that the Turkish government will quickly release our other detained U.S. citizens and <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> locally employed staff.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1050861466553856000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"The world should know that (President Donald Trump) and the State Department continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained," he tweeted.

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It’s a great day for America! Another American citizen has been released. The world should know that <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecPompeo/status/1050861467954831360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The United States had imposed tariffs and sanctioned senior government officials to pressure Turkey on Brunson, whose two-year detention had particularly outraged Trump's conservative Christian base.

But two Turkish employees of US diplomatic missions remain in jail. One of them, former Adana consulate staffer Hamza Ulucay, was Friday denied release in a separate court hearing.

And NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual US-Turkish national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in February on terror charges, a term reduced to five years last month.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Turkey to quickly release other Americans in detention after it freed a pastor at the centre of a crisis in relations.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Turkey to quickly release other Americans in detention after it freed a pastor at the centre of a crisis in relations. "Pastor (Andrew) Brunson is finally coming home to America, following a long ordeal for the pastor and his family. We hope that the Turkish government will quickly release our other detained US citizens and State Department locally employed staff," Pompeo tweeted Friday. Pastor Brunson is finally coming home to America, following a long ordeal for the pastor and his family. We hope that the Turkish government will quickly release our other detained U.S. citizens and @StateDept locally employed staff. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 12, 2018 × "The world should know that (President Donald Trump) and the State Department continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained," he tweeted. It’s a great day for America! Another American citizen has been released. The world should know that @POTUS and @StateDept continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) October 12, 2018 × The United States had imposed tariffs and sanctioned senior government officials to pressure Turkey on Brunson, whose two-year detention had particularly outraged Trump's conservative Christian base. But two Turkish employees of US diplomatic missions remain in jail. One of them, former Adana consulate staffer Hamza Ulucay, was Friday denied release in a separate court hearing. And NASA scientist Serkan Golge, a dual US-Turkish national, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in February on terror charges, a term reduced to five years last month.

Pompeo urges Turkey to release remaining detained Americans

Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him -- and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president.

"I love this guy right here," the serial Grammy-winning artist declared in the Oval Office, before taking the president in his arms.

The rapper had been invited to lunch to discuss prison reform but turned what would ordinarily have been a staid White House photo-op into possibly one of the more unusual -- and profanity laden -- encounters in the Oval Office's storied history.

Talking loudly and rapidly on everything from Trump's protectionist trade polices to replacing Air Force One with a hydrogen plane, black gun crime, being married to Kim Kardashian and "infinite amounts of universe," West left the normally loquacious president nearly speechless.

"That was quite something," Trump finally said to laughter from astonished senior aides and journalists at the end of the soliloquy, which West punctuated with bangs of his fist on the legendary Resolute desk, used by presidents since the 1880s.

"It was from the soul. I just channelled it," the musician said, adding -- to further gasps -- that Trump "might not have expected to have a crazy motherfucker like Kanye West supporting him."

Trump said West "could very well be" future presidential material, to which the rapper said he would not want to get in the way of the Republican's 2020 reelection.

"Only after him in 2024," West said.

Wearing Trump's hat&nbsp;

West, who has broken ranks with much of the left-leaning entertainment industry to support Trump, recently took fire for wearing one of the red baseball caps handed out at the president's raucous "Make America Great Again" rallies.

Does he care?

West not only wore one of the caps into the Oval Office but declared: "There's something about when I put on this hat, I feel like Superman."

Trump can only have been delighted.

The president is pushing hard to portray himself as being on the side of blacks, rather than only the overwhelmingly white voter block behind his surprise election.

Last year, Trump was heavily criticized for what appeared to be his lukewarm condemnation of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

He's also locked in a dispute with several black NFL football players who have knelt down during the playing of the US national anthem to protest racial inequality.

As recently as August, Trump seemed to be digging himself an even larger hole among African Americans when he got into a Twitter war with basketball great and black icon LeBron James.

But he's working to flip that narrative ahead of congressional midterm elections next month.

His stump speech includes repeated boasts about record low unemployment for African Americans and he is touting the need for reform of the prison system, where blacks are about 38 per cent of inmates, despite being only 13 per cent of the US population.

So West's visit, accompanied by NFL football great Jim Brown, maybe the best political advertising Trump can get. Or the bizarreness of the occasion could end up backfiring, with some critics of the president immediately questioning whether serious issues facing the black community were sacrificed to showbiz.

After accidentally revealing the passcode to his iPhone in front of ranks of media cameras inside the Oval Office, West topped off his eyebrow-raising day by heading to a Washington Apple store, where he stood on the table -- and talked again about Trump's red hats.

Black power&nbsp;

In a Fox television interview Thursday, Trump said that West's support had transformed blacks' view of his presidency.

"When Kanye came out a couple months ago, something happened," Trump said. "Nobody (has) ever seen it. He has a big following in the African-American community, a big, big following.... The polls went through the roof."

Previously, West's reality TV star wife Kardashian visited the White House to press, successfully, for Trump to grant clemency to Alice Johnson, a woman who was sentenced to life in prison for nonviolent drug crimes.

Trump raised her case again Thursday as an example of why the prison system needs urgent change.

West's "terrific" wife opened his eyes, Trump said.

"We do need reform. That doesn't mean easy. We're going to make certain categories tougher when it comes to drug dealing and other things, but there has to be a reform because it is very unfair right now," he said.

"It is very unfair to African-Americans."

Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him -- and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president.

Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him -- and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president. "I love this guy right here," the serial Grammy-winning artist declared in the Oval Office, before taking the president in his arms. The rapper had been invited to lunch to discuss prison reform but turned what would ordinarily have been a staid White House photo-op into possibly one of the more unusual -- and profanity laden -- encounters in the Oval Office's storied history. Talking loudly and rapidly on everything from Trump's protectionist trade polices to replacing Air Force One with a hydrogen plane, black gun crime, being married to Kim Kardashian and "infinite amounts of universe," West left the normally loquacious president nearly speechless. "That was quite something," Trump finally said to laughter from astonished senior aides and journalists at the end of the soliloquy, which West punctuated with bangs of his fist on the legendary Resolute desk, used by presidents since the 1880s. "It was from the soul. I just channelled it," the musician said, adding -- to further gasps -- that Trump "might not have expected to have a crazy motherfucker like Kanye West supporting him." Trump said West "could very well be" future presidential material, to which the rapper said he would not want to get in the way of the Republican's 2020 reelection. "Only after him in 2024," West said. Wearing Trump's hat West, who has broken ranks with much of the left-leaning entertainment industry to support Trump, recently took fire for wearing one of the red baseball caps handed out at the president's raucous "Make America Great Again" rallies. Does he care? West not only wore one of the caps into the Oval Office but declared: "There's something about when I put on this hat, I feel like Superman." Trump can only have been delighted. The president is pushing hard to portray himself as being on the side of blacks, rather than only the overwhelmingly white voter block behind his surprise election. Last year, Trump was heavily criticized for what appeared to be his lukewarm condemnation of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. He's also locked in a dispute with several black NFL football players who have knelt down during the playing of the US national anthem to protest racial inequality. As recently as August, Trump seemed to be digging himself an even larger hole among African Americans when he got into a Twitter war with basketball great and black icon LeBron James. But he's working to flip that narrative ahead of congressional midterm elections next month. His stump speech includes repeated boasts about record low unemployment for African Americans and he is touting the need for reform of the prison system, where blacks are about 38 per cent of inmates, despite being only 13 per cent of the US population. So West's visit, accompanied by NFL football great Jim Brown, maybe the best political advertising Trump can get. Or the bizarreness of the occasion could end up backfiring, with some critics of the president immediately questioning whether serious issues facing the black community were sacrificed to showbiz. After accidentally revealing the passcode to his iPhone in front of ranks of media cameras inside the Oval Office, West topped off his eyebrow-raising day by heading to a Washington Apple store, where he stood on the table -- and talked again about Trump's red hats. Black power In a Fox television interview Thursday, Trump said that West's support had transformed blacks' view of his presidency. "When Kanye came out a couple months ago, something happened," Trump said. "Nobody (has) ever seen it. He has a big following in the African-American community, a big, big following.... The polls went through the roof." Previously, West's reality TV star wife Kardashian visited the White House to press, successfully, for Trump to grant clemency to Alice Johnson, a woman who was sentenced to life in prison for nonviolent drug crimes. Trump raised her case again Thursday as an example of why the prison system needs urgent change. West's "terrific" wife opened his eyes, Trump said. "We do need reform. That doesn't mean easy. We're going to make certain categories tougher when it comes to drug dealing and other things, but there has to be a reform because it is very unfair right now," he said. "It is very unfair to African-Americans."

Kanye hugs Trump who then says rapper could be a future US President

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago.

Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said that he took the decision after "putting his family and country first" and "distanced himself from the values of the Trump administration."

In March 2017, Cohen registered himself as a Republican. He had also served as the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee` Finance Committee, before stepping down amid a federal investigation into his business deals, Fox News reported.

The move comes amid the souring ties between Trump and Cohen over adult actress Stormy Daniels` legal action against the duo over a USD 130,000 non-disclosure agreement, in which the porn star had agreed to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump.

The contract, which was signed days before the 2016 presidential poll, also led to the violation of Trump campaign`s finance laws, which Cohen had agreed later.

In August, the former lawyer had pleaded guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court for orchestrating the payments at "Trump`s direction".

The announcement of Cohen`s sentence is scheduled for December 12 by Judge William H. Pauley and is expected to include jail time and a monetary fine.

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago.

Michael Cohen, United States President Donald Trump's former attorney, has returned to Democratic Party after he switched to Republican Party one and a half years ago. Cohen's lawyer Lanny Davis said that he took the decision after "putting his family and country first" and "distanced himself from the values of the Trump administration." In March 2017, Cohen registered himself as a Republican. He had also served as the deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee` Finance Committee, before stepping down amid a federal investigation into his business deals, Fox News reported. The move comes amid the souring ties between Trump and Cohen over adult actress Stormy Daniels` legal action against the duo over a USD 130,000 non-disclosure agreement, in which the porn star had agreed to stay quiet about her alleged affair with Trump. The contract, which was signed days before the 2016 presidential poll, also led to the violation of Trump campaign`s finance laws, which Cohen had agreed later. In August, the former lawyer had pleaded guilty to the charges in Manhattan federal court for orchestrating the payments at "Trump`s direction". The announcement of Cohen`s sentence is scheduled for December 12 by Judge William H. Pauley and is expected to include jail time and a monetary fine.

Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen returns to Democratic Party

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-central-america-will-help-with-your-development-if-you-cut-down-migration-170966">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-central-america-will-help-with-your-development-if-you-cut-down-migration-170966"> to Central America: Will help with your development if you cut down migration</a>

US Vice President Mike Pence told Central American countries on Thursday the United States was willing to help with economic development and investment if they did more to tackle mass migration, corruption and gang violence.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/save-ganga-crusader-gd-agarwal-dies-after-111-day-fast-govt-says-most-demands-met-170978">Save Ganga crusader GD Agarwal dies after 111-day fast: Govt says most of his demands met</a>

Veteran environmental activist GD Agarwal died at a Rishikesh hospital on Thursday, 111 days after he began a fast for a pollution-free Ganga. He was 86.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/kanye-west-hugs-trump-muses-on-presidential-run-170975">Kanye hugs Trump who says rapper could be a future US President</a>

Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him -- and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/im-most-bullied-person-in-world-melania-trump-on-be-best-initiative-170959">I'm the most bullied person in the world: Melania Trump</a>

When asked in an interview why she chose cyberbullying as a pet cause, US President Donald Trump's wife had a surprising answer.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-will-review-paks-bailout-application-to-imf-including-debt-position-170968">US will review Pak's bailout application to IMF, including debt position&nbsp;</a>

The United States has said it will review Pakistan's bailout request to the IMF from all angles, including the country's debt position, as it appeared to have held the huge Chinese debt responsible for it.

&nbsp;

US to Central America: Will help with your development if you cut down migration US Vice President Mike Pence told Central American countries on Thursday the United States was willing to help with economic development and investment if they did more to tackle mass migration, corruption and gang violence.

US to Central America: Will help with your development if you cut down migration US Vice President Mike Pence told Central American countries on Thursday the United States was willing to help with economic development and investment if they did more to tackle mass migration, corruption and gang violence. Save Ganga crusader GD Agarwal dies after 111-day fast: Govt says most of his demands met Veteran environmental activist GD Agarwal died at a Rishikesh hospital on Thursday, 111 days after he began a fast for a pollution-free Ganga. He was 86. Kanye hugs Trump who says rapper could be a future US President Does rap megastar Kanye West support Donald Trump? He loves him -- and proved it Thursday by suddenly striding from his chair at a surreal White House meeting to hug the president. I'm the most bullied person in the world: Melania Trump When asked in an interview why she chose cyberbullying as a pet cause, US President Donald Trump's wife had a surprising answer. US will review Pak's bailout application to IMF, including debt position The United States has said it will review Pakistan's bailout request to the IMF from all angles, including the country's debt position, as it appeared to have held the huge Chinese debt responsible for it.

US President Donald Trump hailed the decision of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-court-sentences-us-pastor-for-3-years-lifts-house-arrest-travel-ban-171161">Turkey court to&nbsp;release the American pastor Andrew Brunson</a> who was detained for the last two years in Turkey.

Trump tweeted, " My thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon!

A Turkish court on Friday ordered the release of a pastor in a case that sparked a crisis in ties with the United States.

The court in the western town of Aliaga convicted Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges and sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in jail, an AFP correspondent said.

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My thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1050747691062493185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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However, he was freed taking into account time served and his good conduct in the trial, with the court lifting his house arrest and overseas travel ban, the correspondent added.

Brunson's detention since 2016 caused a rift between&nbsp;NATO allies Turkey and the US.

The US also slapped sanctions on Turkey which resulted&nbsp;in a crash in the Turkish lira.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Donald Trump hailed the decision of the Turkey court to release the American pastor Andrew Brunson who was detained for the last two years in Turkey.

US President Donald Trump hailed the decision of the Turkey court to release the American pastor Andrew Brunson who was detained for the last two years in Turkey. Trump tweeted, " My thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon! A Turkish court on Friday ordered the release of a pastor in a case that sparked a crisis in ties with the United States. The court in the western town of Aliaga convicted Andrew Brunson on terror-related charges and sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in jail, an AFP correspondent said. My thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Brunson, and we hope to have him safely back home soon! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2018 × However, he was freed taking into account time served and his good conduct in the trial, with the court lifting his house arrest and overseas travel ban, the correspondent added. Brunson's detention since 2016 caused a rift between NATO allies Turkey and the US. The US also slapped sanctions on Turkey which resulted in a crash in the Turkish lira. (With inputs from agencies)

Trump says hopes to have freed US pastor 'back home soon'

President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on the US central bank on Thursday, saying it was "out of control" in raising interest rates but that he had no plans to dismiss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Trump blamed the Federal Reserve for the global stocks rout that continued Thursday for a second day amid concerns about rising interest rates.

"It is a correction that I think it is caused by the Federal Reserve, with interest rates," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think the Fed is out of control."

However, asked about Powell's future, Trump said, "I'm not going to fire him."

Trump named Powell to lead the central bank but can only fire him for cause.

Earlier in the day, Trump told the Fox &amp; Friends television broadcast that the central bank was "making a big mistake" by being "too aggressive" in raising rates.

However, he acknowledged higher rates helped savers.

The comments followed his strongest criticism of the Fed late Wednesday when he said the central bank had "gone crazy."&nbsp;

US shares fell sharply on Wednesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 800 points in its worst tumble since February.

The rout caused a domino effect worldwide, with losses spreading to Asia and Europe on Thursday as investors remained concerned about rising rates -- which would send more buyers out of equities and into bonds -- as well as the impact of Trump's trade conflict with China on corporate profits.

After a roller-coaster ride Thursday, the Dow lost another 545 points for a drop of more than two per cent. London also lost nearly two per cent, Frankfurt fell 1.5 per cent, and Tokyo plunged nearly four per cent.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Thursday said Trump's opinions had no weight on the Fed's actions.

"We know the Fed is independent. The president is not dictating policy to the Fed. He didn't say anything remotely like that," he said on CNBC.

And Kudlow said the Fed was managing "the transition from ultra, ultra-easy money...to something more normal," by raising rates gradually.

Trump has repeatedly touted the spate of Wall Street records as proof of the success of his economic program, including his confrontational trade strategy, and criticized the Fed for raising the benchmark interest rate -- three times this year -- saying it would undermine his efforts.

'Do the right thing'&nbsp;

In fact, it is largely his policies that are behind the changes: tax cuts and increased government spending are expected to juice the economy, adding to the Fed's justification to raise interest rates.

Meanwhile, trade conflicts raise costs for companies, which could hit the bottom line in quarterly earnings -- something analysts said had helped prompt Wednesday's sell-off.

The attacks on the Fed are another example of Trump breaking with recent norms. The Fed is an independent body and presidents in recent decades have avoided commenting publicly on its actions.

Powell has brushed off the comments, saying officials do not pay attention to politics.

"This is just who we are and I think who we will always be, which is, we're a group who -- we're quite removed from the political process," Powell said in a recent interview.

"And we just try to do the right thing for the medium and long term for the country."

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde also defended the Fed on Thursday.

Raising interest rates was justified "for those economies that are showing much-improved growth, inflation that is picking up...unemployment that is extremely low," Lagarde told a press briefing in Bali, Indonesia where the IMF is holding its annual meeting.

President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on the US central bank on Thursday, saying it was "out of control" in raising interest rates but that he had no plans to dismiss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

President Donald Trump renewed his attacks on the US central bank on Thursday, saying it was "out of control" in raising interest rates but that he had no plans to dismiss Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Trump blamed the Federal Reserve for the global stocks rout that continued Thursday for a second day amid concerns about rising interest rates. "It is a correction that I think it is caused by the Federal Reserve, with interest rates," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I think the Fed is out of control." However, asked about Powell's future, Trump said, "I'm not going to fire him." Trump named Powell to lead the central bank but can only fire him for cause. Earlier in the day, Trump told the Fox & Friends television broadcast that the central bank was "making a big mistake" by being "too aggressive" in raising rates. However, he acknowledged higher rates helped savers. The comments followed his strongest criticism of the Fed late Wednesday when he said the central bank had "gone crazy." US shares fell sharply on Wednesday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 800 points in its worst tumble since February. The rout caused a domino effect worldwide, with losses spreading to Asia and Europe on Thursday as investors remained concerned about rising rates -- which would send more buyers out of equities and into bonds -- as well as the impact of Trump's trade conflict with China on corporate profits. After a roller-coaster ride Thursday, the Dow lost another 545 points for a drop of more than two per cent. London also lost nearly two per cent, Frankfurt fell 1.5 per cent, and Tokyo plunged nearly four per cent. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Thursday said Trump's opinions had no weight on the Fed's actions. "We know the Fed is independent. The president is not dictating policy to the Fed. He didn't say anything remotely like that," he said on CNBC. And Kudlow said the Fed was managing "the transition from ultra, ultra-easy money...to something more normal," by raising rates gradually. Trump has repeatedly touted the spate of Wall Street records as proof of the success of his economic program, including his confrontational trade strategy, and criticized the Fed for raising the benchmark interest rate -- three times this year -- saying it would undermine his efforts. 'Do the right thing' In fact, it is largely his policies that are behind the changes: tax cuts and increased government spending are expected to juice the economy, adding to the Fed's justification to raise interest rates. Meanwhile, trade conflicts raise costs for companies, which could hit the bottom line in quarterly earnings -- something analysts said had helped prompt Wednesday's sell-off. The attacks on the Fed are another example of Trump breaking with recent norms. The Fed is an independent body and presidents in recent decades have avoided commenting publicly on its actions. Powell has brushed off the comments, saying officials do not pay attention to politics. "This is just who we are and I think who we will always be, which is, we're a group who -- we're quite removed from the political process," Powell said in a recent interview. "And we just try to do the right thing for the medium and long term for the country." International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde also defended the Fed on Thursday. Raising interest rates was justified "for those economies that are showing much-improved growth, inflation that is picking up...unemployment that is extremely low," Lagarde told a press briefing in Bali, Indonesia where the IMF is holding its annual meeting.

Federal Reserve 'out of control' but won't fire Chairman Powell: Trump

The United States is tightening controls on China`s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the US Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions.

Last month, US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on nearly $200 billion of Chinese imports and then threatened more levies if China retaliated. China then hit back with tariffs on about $60 billion of US imports.

Washington announced the nuclear technology controls a day after the US Justice Department said it had arrested and indicted a spy for China`s Ministry of State Security on charges of economic espionage. Chinese operative Xu Yanjun also attempted to steal trade secrets from US aviation and aerospace companies, the department said. China rejected the allegations.

"The United States cannot ignore the national security implications of China’s efforts to obtain nuclear technology outside of established processes of US-China civil nuclear cooperation," US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said in a statement. &nbsp;

Beginning last year, the National Security Council led a review of China`s efforts to obtain nuclear material, equipment and advanced technology from US companies, government officials said in a conference call with reporters on Thursday. The review was prompted by China’s accelerated efforts to acquire US intellectual property to the detriment of US businesses and military interests, they said.

The officials said the indictment in 2016 of a Chinese-American nuclear engineer, Allen Ho, was one of the factors that led to the review.

Ho, a naturalized US citizen, pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to produce "special nuclear material" in China in violation of the US Atomic Energy Act. The state-owned China General Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) was also charged.

The new policy goes into immediate effect, and sets guidelines for reviewing all existing and future technology transfers into China, the officials said. The vast majority of existing technology transfers approved before January 1, 2018 are unlikely to be altered, the officials said.

There will be a presumption of denial to new license applications or extensions to existing authorisations related to the CGNPC, the energy department said. Officials declined to comment on whether China is already using this technology.&nbsp;

The development of nuclear technology to power small reactors in the South China Sea and for submarines and icebreakers are of concern, officials said. They also expressed concern about use of the technology in weapons.

The government is also concerned about diversion for use of technology by other countries, one of the officials said. They declined to comment on the specifics of these concerns.

US nuclear exports to China amounted to $170 million in 2017, the officials said.

The United States is tightening controls on China`s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the US Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions.

The United States is tightening controls on China`s imports of civil nuclear technology to prevent use for military or other unauthorized purposes, the US Department of Energy said on Thursday amid increased trade tensions. Last month, US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on nearly $200 billion of Chinese imports and then threatened more levies if China retaliated. China then hit back with tariffs on about $60 billion of US imports. Washington announced the nuclear technology controls a day after the US Justice Department said it had arrested and indicted a spy for China`s Ministry of State Security on charges of economic espionage. Chinese operative Xu Yanjun also attempted to steal trade secrets from US aviation and aerospace companies, the department said. China rejected the allegations. "The United States cannot ignore the national security implications of China’s efforts to obtain nuclear technology outside of established processes of US-China civil nuclear cooperation," US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said in a statement. Beginning last year, the National Security Council led a review of China`s efforts to obtain nuclear material, equipment and advanced technology from US companies, government officials said in a conference call with reporters on Thursday. The review was prompted by China’s accelerated efforts to acquire US intellectual property to the detriment of US businesses and military interests, they said. The officials said the indictment in 2016 of a Chinese-American nuclear engineer, Allen Ho, was one of the factors that led to the review. Ho, a naturalized US citizen, pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to produce "special nuclear material" in China in violation of the US Atomic Energy Act. The state-owned China General Nuclear Power Company (CGNPC) was also charged. The new policy goes into immediate effect, and sets guidelines for reviewing all existing and future technology transfers into China, the officials said. The vast majority of existing technology transfers approved before January 1, 2018 are unlikely to be altered, the officials said. There will be a presumption of denial to new license applications or extensions to existing authorisations related to the CGNPC, the energy department said. Officials declined to comment on whether China is already using this technology. The development of nuclear technology to power small reactors in the South China Sea and for submarines and icebreakers are of concern, officials said. They also expressed concern about use of the technology in weapons. The government is also concerned about diversion for use of technology by other countries, one of the officials said. They declined to comment on the specifics of these concerns. US nuclear exports to China amounted to $170 million in 2017, the officials said.

US tightens controls on China imports of nuclear components

By Louis Monroy-Santander

Colombia’s new president Ivan Duque has begun his tenure facing a number of significant challenges. He must manage the 2016 peace deal achieved by his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, which he believes lets some former Farc guerillas off too lightly.&nbsp;

He must battle drug production, which has been rising since the end of the armed conflict. And he must manage the desperate humanitarian and political crisis that is seeping across the border from neighbouring Venezuela.

Thanks to Santos’s peace diplomacy, which helped bring to an end five decades of fighting, Colombia now has the opportunity to open up and expand its foreign policy approach. Duque could now develop a more amicable and positive vision that enables him to establish agreements on social, political, economic and humanitarian issues with countries around the world.

Consequently, Duque’s foreign policy approach is being closely monitored – particularly how it tallies with that of the Trump administration in the US. Closer ties between the US and Colombia were evident during Duque’s intervention at the United Nations General Assembly and his encounter with president Donald Trump, where both drug trafficking and the Venezuelan crisis were discussed.

President Duque’s intervention insisted on the need to combat drug trafficking as a global threat, the need to combat the evident increase in illicit crop plantations, his commitment to fighting corruption, and the need to work with the international community in dealing with the most difficult migratory and humanitarian problem in the region: the Venezuelan crisis.

Colombia’s alignment with American foreign policy has increased tensions between Bogota, Washington and Caracas, leading to speculation about a possible military intervention into Venezuela to topple the regime of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president. Meanwhile, Trump has expressed publicly his support for Colombia as an ally in the war on drugs and offered support for Colombia in the event of a military clash with Venezuela. The US administration also announced sanctions against Cilia Flores, Maduro’s wife, and Diosdado Cabello, Maduro’s top political ally.

For his part, Duque has insisted that Colombia will not support a military intervention into Venezuela, and has instead called on the international community to support sanctions that bring an end to Maduro’s regime.

The Venezuela question

Indeed, Duque opposes a closed border approach and has insisted on opening up diplomatic channels and resources to deal with the crisis in Venezuela, including the International Criminal Court to denounce the violations of the Maduro regime and initiate a peaceful democratic transition. Back in 2017, for example, Duque, together with other senators, initiated a complaint against Maduro at the ICC for the crimes of torture, political discrimination, murder and kidnapping.

But Maduro has contested the US sanctions imposed on his wife, and challenged Duque to a televised debate (to be broadcast both in Colombia and Venezuela) to discuss the range of issues affecting bilateral relations – an invitation rejected by Duque, who deemed it a mere electoral stunt. Maduro has also deployed Venezuelan troops along the Colombian border, justifying these troop movements as a strategy for combating illegal drug networks located along the border, an act interpreted by both Trump and Duque as intimidation.

Although international pressure is a useful instrument for weakening Maduro’s administration, the ongoing and escalating verbal clashes between the three presidents is a dangerous strategy.

US military interventions are viewed with great suspicion in Latin America, particularly after those in Granada and Panama became enforced occupations. A US/Colombian intervention in Venezuela would likely require troops to stay for the long haul, in a country where most physical and social structures have been destroyed, drug traffickers benefit from widespread lawlessness and nation-building would be a lengthy process. The presence of US troops would also play into the hands of Maduro, who already rails to his supporters about US plots against him.

However, the US has often used indirect means to influence events in South America, using allied forces and governments in the region to intervene on its behalf. Trump, for example, has met with various officers of the Venezuelan military since 2017, to discuss the possibility of a coup against president Maduro, although none have ended in concrete material support.

Colombia, therefore, plays a vital role in the current situation – both as Venezuela’s closest neighbour and the most important regional US ally – and the Duque administration has rejected signing the Lima declaration which would have ruled out any intervention leading to regime change in Venezuela.

But an internal coup in Venezuela – with the support of the US and Colombia – would be beset with difficulties. It would require an overarching political and military strategy, as well as regional tactical coordination, with agreements based on varying interests and loyalties. The Venezuelan military, meanwhile, has been purged and politicised through a constant rotation of army commanders since 2002. Irrespective of what Colombia and the US want, putting plans into place in a country as chaotic as Venezuela will be no easy feat.

 
(Louis Monroy-Santander is Teaching Fellow in Defence, Development and Diplomacy, Durham University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/tensions-rise-between-colombia-us-and-venezuela-amid-rumours-of-a-military-intervention-104340">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Louis Monroy-Santander Colombia’s new president Ivan Duque has begun his tenure facing a number of significant challenges. He must manage the 2016 peace deal achieved by his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, which he believes lets some former Farc guerillas off too lightly.

By Louis Monroy-Santander Colombia’s new president Ivan Duque has begun his tenure facing a number of significant challenges. He must manage the 2016 peace deal achieved by his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos, which he believes lets some former Farc guerillas off too lightly. He must battle drug production, which has been rising since the end of the armed conflict. And he must manage the desperate humanitarian and political crisis that is seeping across the border from neighbouring Venezuela. Thanks to Santos’s peace diplomacy, which helped bring to an end five decades of fighting, Colombia now has the opportunity to open up and expand its foreign policy approach. Duque could now develop a more amicable and positive vision that enables him to establish agreements on social, political, economic and humanitarian issues with countries around the world. Consequently, Duque’s foreign policy approach is being closely monitored – particularly how it tallies with that of the Trump administration in the US. Closer ties between the US and Colombia were evident during Duque’s intervention at the United Nations General Assembly and his encounter with president Donald Trump, where both drug trafficking and the Venezuelan crisis were discussed. President Duque’s intervention insisted on the need to combat drug trafficking as a global threat, the need to combat the evident increase in illicit crop plantations, his commitment to fighting corruption, and the need to work with the international community in dealing with the most difficult migratory and humanitarian problem in the region: the Venezuelan crisis. Colombia’s alignment with American foreign policy has increased tensions between Bogota, Washington and Caracas, leading to speculation about a possible military intervention into Venezuela to topple the regime of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president. Meanwhile, Trump has expressed publicly his support for Colombia as an ally in the war on drugs and offered support for Colombia in the event of a military clash with Venezuela. The US administration also announced sanctions against Cilia Flores, Maduro’s wife, and Diosdado Cabello, Maduro’s top political ally. For his part, Duque has insisted that Colombia will not support a military intervention into Venezuela, and has instead called on the international community to support sanctions that bring an end to Maduro’s regime. The Venezuela question Indeed, Duque opposes a closed border approach and has insisted on opening up diplomatic channels and resources to deal with the crisis in Venezuela, including the International Criminal Court to denounce the violations of the Maduro regime and initiate a peaceful democratic transition. Back in 2017, for example, Duque, together with other senators, initiated a complaint against Maduro at the ICC for the crimes of torture, political discrimination, murder and kidnapping. But Maduro has contested the US sanctions imposed on his wife, and challenged Duque to a televised debate (to be broadcast both in Colombia and Venezuela) to discuss the range of issues affecting bilateral relations – an invitation rejected by Duque, who deemed it a mere electoral stunt. Maduro has also deployed Venezuelan troops along the Colombian border, justifying these troop movements as a strategy for combating illegal drug networks located along the border, an act interpreted by both Trump and Duque as intimidation. Although international pressure is a useful instrument for weakening Maduro’s administration, the ongoing and escalating verbal clashes between the three presidents is a dangerous strategy. US military interventions are viewed with great suspicion in Latin America, particularly after those in Granada and Panama became enforced occupations. A US/Colombian intervention in Venezuela would likely require troops to stay for the long haul, in a country where most physical and social structures have been destroyed, drug traffickers benefit from widespread lawlessness and nation-building would be a lengthy process. The presence of US troops would also play into the hands of Maduro, who already rails to his supporters about US plots against him. However, the US has often used indirect means to influence events in South America, using allied forces and governments in the region to intervene on its behalf. Trump, for example, has met with various officers of the Venezuelan military since 2017, to discuss the possibility of a coup against president Maduro, although none have ended in concrete material support. Colombia, therefore, plays a vital role in the current situation – both as Venezuela’s closest neighbour and the most important regional US ally – and the Duque administration has rejected signing the Lima declaration which would have ruled out any intervention leading to regime change in Venezuela. But an internal coup in Venezuela – with the support of the US and Colombia – would be beset with difficulties. It would require an overarching political and military strategy, as well as regional tactical coordination, with agreements based on varying interests and loyalties. The Venezuelan military, meanwhile, has been purged and politicised through a constant rotation of army commanders since 2002. Irrespective of what Colombia and the US want, putting plans into place in a country as chaotic as Venezuela will be no easy feat. (Louis Monroy-Santander is Teaching Fellow in Defence, Development and Diplomacy, Durham University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Tensions rise between Colombia, US and Venezuela amid rumours of a military intervention

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday.

Moon also said the North and the United States are in working-level discussions to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump as soon as the US midterm elections are over, according to a script of Moon's interview with BBC shared by his office.

After his third summit in Pyongyang last month with Kim, Moon said the North was ready to invite international experts to watch the dismantling of a key missile site and would close the main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington took reciprocal actions.

In the BBC interview, Moon said the actions could include opening of a US liaison office in North Korea, humanitarian aid and an exchange of economic experts.

Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with Kim would be held after US congressional elections on November 6.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un means to abolish all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities to achieve "complete" denuclearisation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Friday. Moon also said the North and the United States are in working-level discussions to arrange a second summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump as soon as the US midterm elections are over, according to a script of Moon's interview with BBC shared by his office. After his third summit in Pyongyang last month with Kim, Moon said the North was ready to invite international experts to watch the dismantling of a key missile site and would close the main Yongbyon nuclear complex if Washington took reciprocal actions. In the BBC interview, Moon said the actions could include opening of a US liaison office in North Korea, humanitarian aid and an exchange of economic experts. Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with Kim would be held after US congressional elections on November 6.

South Korea's Moon says North Korea means to abolish all nuclear weapons

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