President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a new arms race if America pulls out of weapons treaties, and said Russia would respond "in kind" to any new US missiles placed on European soil.

At the weekend, US President Donald Trump sparked concerns globally when he said he would ditch a key Cold War-era nuclear weapons pact, the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

Speaking after hosting Trump's national security advisor John Bolton on Tuesday, Putin warned that abandoning the treaty, and failure to extend another key arms control agreement known as the New START, would unleash a new arms race and put Europe in danger.

Putin said dismantling a global arms control system was "very dangerous," adding Russia was concerned about the fact that the United States had already abandoned the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, planned to ditch the INF, and that the future of the New START was unclear.

"There would be nothing left except an arms race," he said at a news conference after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.&nbsp;

The Russian president said that if Washington moved to abandon the INF and placed more missiles in Europe, Russia would respond "in kind."

"Will we be able to respond?" he said. "Yes, we will and this will be very quick and effective."

Putin said any European countries agreeing to host US missiles would be at risk of a Russian attack.&nbsp;

"These are obvious things," the Russian leader said.&nbsp;

Pershings in Europe

"We will return to the situation with the Pershing missiles in Europe," he said, referring to US missiles stationed in Western Europe in the 1980s.

Putin accused the United States of violating the INF treaty which Trump has said Russia is in breach of.

The Russian president said he wanted to discuss the issue with his American counterpart when they attend a November 11 event in Paris commemorating the centenary of the end of World War I.

"We are ready to work with our American partners without any hysterics," he added.

Italy's Conte said his country was also concerned about a possible collapse of the INF agreement, adding he would speak to Trump on the subject.

"I've already let President Putin know that I was really young in the era of the Pershing missiles and I would not want to return to the time that we have been able to overcome," the 54-year-old said in remarks translated into Russian.

"We should focus on other prospects of cooperation and avoid an escalation that could be alarming for us all."

Trump had said the United States was ready to build up its nuclear arsenal because Russia violated the INF agreement.

"Until people come to their senses, we will build it up," he said Monday, referring to America's nuclear stockpile.&nbsp;

Trump's announcement sparked concern globally, with the European Commission urging the United States and Russia to pursue talks to preserve the treaty, and China calling on Washington to "think twice."

Bolton has said that Britain, Japan, and other countries supported the US position.

Earlier Wednesday, the Kremlin said it was ready to discuss the possibility of a summit between Putin and Trump in Washington next year.

"Undoubtedly (we are) ready," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after Bolton reportedly said such a summit was possible.&nbsp;

Peskov said the issue had been "raised" but "so far there is no concrete decision on this."

Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening and held talks with Putin and top officials including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev.

The US official said the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, a key Soviet-era agreement abandoned by George W. Bush, was previously considered a cornerstone of global security, but that the world had remained safe without it.&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a new arms race if America pulls out of weapons treaties, and said Russia would respond "in kind" to any new US missiles placed on European soil.

President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a new arms race if America pulls out of weapons treaties, and said Russia would respond "in kind" to any new US missiles placed on European soil. At the weekend, US President Donald Trump sparked concerns globally when he said he would ditch a key Cold War-era nuclear weapons pact, the three-decade-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). Speaking after hosting Trump's national security advisor John Bolton on Tuesday, Putin warned that abandoning the treaty, and failure to extend another key arms control agreement known as the New START, would unleash a new arms race and put Europe in danger. Putin said dismantling a global arms control system was "very dangerous," adding Russia was concerned about the fact that the United States had already abandoned the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, planned to ditch the INF, and that the future of the New START was unclear. "There would be nothing left except an arms race," he said at a news conference after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The Russian president said that if Washington moved to abandon the INF and placed more missiles in Europe, Russia would respond "in kind." "Will we be able to respond?" he said. "Yes, we will and this will be very quick and effective." Putin said any European countries agreeing to host US missiles would be at risk of a Russian attack. "These are obvious things," the Russian leader said. Pershings in Europe "We will return to the situation with the Pershing missiles in Europe," he said, referring to US missiles stationed in Western Europe in the 1980s. Putin accused the United States of violating the INF treaty which Trump has said Russia is in breach of. The Russian president said he wanted to discuss the issue with his American counterpart when they attend a November 11 event in Paris commemorating the centenary of the end of World War I. "We are ready to work with our American partners without any hysterics," he added. Italy's Conte said his country was also concerned about a possible collapse of the INF agreement, adding he would speak to Trump on the subject. "I've already let President Putin know that I was really young in the era of the Pershing missiles and I would not want to return to the time that we have been able to overcome," the 54-year-old said in remarks translated into Russian. "We should focus on other prospects of cooperation and avoid an escalation that could be alarming for us all." Trump had said the United States was ready to build up its nuclear arsenal because Russia violated the INF agreement. "Until people come to their senses, we will build it up," he said Monday, referring to America's nuclear stockpile. Trump's announcement sparked concern globally, with the European Commission urging the United States and Russia to pursue talks to preserve the treaty, and China calling on Washington to "think twice." Bolton has said that Britain, Japan, and other countries supported the US position. Earlier Wednesday, the Kremlin said it was ready to discuss the possibility of a summit between Putin and Trump in Washington next year. "Undoubtedly (we are) ready," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after Bolton reportedly said such a summit was possible. Peskov said the issue had been "raised" but "so far there is no concrete decision on this." Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening and held talks with Putin and top officials including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev. The US official said the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, a key Soviet-era agreement abandoned by George W. Bush, was previously considered a cornerstone of global security, but that the world had remained safe without it.

Putin warns of a new 'arms race' with America

President Donald Trump has stepped up his drive to fill courts across the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senate-heads-to-final-vote-on-kavanaugh-supreme-court-nomination-169893">United States with conservative judges</a> in an effort to woo voters on the right ahead of the midterm congressional elections.

Coming off his success in appointing two judges strongly aligned with Republican ideology to the Supreme Court, Trump is duplicating that move in federal circuit and district courts -- the next two levels in the US justice system.

"I have been there less than two years and I have two of them," Trump boasted in an election rally on Monday in Texas, referring to Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, the conservative justices who have tilted the Supreme Court strongly toward the right.

"We have a record number of circuit court judges for the time we have been in office," he added. "We expect to go to the all-time record."

The US Constitution empowers the president to make lifetime appointments of judges to all three levels of federal courts, where nearly 900 judges serve. Each needs to be confirmed by the Senate, however.

Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has obtained the confirmation of 84 federal judges, compared to 43 in the same period for his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama.

Trump has nominated some 50 more, who are awaiting the Senate's green light.

Trump's former White House counsel Don McGahn said they have consciously chosen some of the most conservative people possible for the positions.

"Some folks that are kind of too hot for prime-time," he described them. "The kind of people that make some people nervous."

Impact already felt&nbsp;

Democrats are angry, but have been powerless to do anything about it because they are a minority in the Senate.

The senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, pointed out that her committee was the only one holding hearings before the midterms.&nbsp;

"Republicans are breaking every norm to stack the courts with young, ideological nominees who will undermine the rights and protections of all Americans for generations to come," she said.

And Democratic Senator Kamala Harris said in a tweet, "The Trump Administration is trying to pack the courts for years to come. We will fight this."

If Republicans retain control of the Senate in the November midterm elections as expected, Trump could have the opportunity to fill another 150 vacant posts over the next two years.

The new judges are already having an impact on US society, for instance by shooting down a complaint on racial discrimination in the workplace, and supporting the removal of limits to election campaign donations, both positions backed by Republicans.

"I think it's a huge thing," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said last week. "We can feel a difference in some of the circuits (appeals courts) already."

Trump calls the effort a major achievements of his presidency.

"These appointments are going to be one of the most important things, if not the most important thing, we do," he said.

Election issue

Ahead of the November 6 election -- in which Republicans are fighting to retain control of the two chambers of Congress -- Trump's judicial appointments are galvanizing conservative voters.

Evangelical Christians and traditional conservatives were originally skeptical of billionaire Trump, given his record of political opportunism and seeming agnosticism.

But he won their support in the 2016 presidential election by promising to appoint a committed conservative to the Supreme Court who would oppose abortion and support broad gun ownership rights.

The opportunity to stack the courts with conservatives was greater than usual when he took office: for the previous two years, Republicans in Congress had blocked dozens of Obama's nominees, leaving 107 judgeships vacant.

The Republican Senate quickly began confirming Trump's court picks. Even in their fervor, however, they did not get everyone through: one candidate withdrew when his legal shortcomings became evident; another was dropped after his former writings in support of the Ku Klux Klan were brought to light.

Unprecedented power grab'

With Republicans worried they could lose their majority in the November 6 vote, they have bent the rules in Congress to accelerate confirmations.

Fifteen were approved in one day in mid-October just ahead of the Senate going on break.

And even while it is officially in recess for the election, the Senate Judiciary Committee continues to hold confirmation hearings with nominees, angering Democrats.

"It is an unprecedented power grab that flies in the face of Senators' constitutional duty to advise and consent on judicial nominees and makes a mockery of our Constitution and justice system," said Jill Dash, vice president of the liberal-leaning American Constitution Society. 
&nbsp;

President Donald Trump has stepped up his drive to fill courts across the United States with conservative judges in an effort to woo voters on the right ahead of the midterm congressional elections.

President Donald Trump has stepped up his drive to fill courts across the United States with conservative judges in an effort to woo voters on the right ahead of the midterm congressional elections. Coming off his success in appointing two judges strongly aligned with Republican ideology to the Supreme Court, Trump is duplicating that move in federal circuit and district courts -- the next two levels in the US justice system. "I have been there less than two years and I have two of them," Trump boasted in an election rally on Monday in Texas, referring to Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, the conservative justices who have tilted the Supreme Court strongly toward the right. "We have a record number of circuit court judges for the time we have been in office," he added. "We expect to go to the all-time record." The US Constitution empowers the president to make lifetime appointments of judges to all three levels of federal courts, where nearly 900 judges serve. Each needs to be confirmed by the Senate, however. Since taking office in January 2017, Trump has obtained the confirmation of 84 federal judges, compared to 43 in the same period for his predecessor, Democrat Barack Obama. Trump has nominated some 50 more, who are awaiting the Senate's green light. Trump's former White House counsel Don McGahn said they have consciously chosen some of the most conservative people possible for the positions. "Some folks that are kind of too hot for prime-time," he described them. "The kind of people that make some people nervous." Impact already felt Democrats are angry, but have been powerless to do anything about it because they are a minority in the Senate. The senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, pointed out that her committee was the only one holding hearings before the midterms. "Republicans are breaking every norm to stack the courts with young, ideological nominees who will undermine the rights and protections of all Americans for generations to come," she said. And Democratic Senator Kamala Harris said in a tweet, "The Trump Administration is trying to pack the courts for years to come. We will fight this." If Republicans retain control of the Senate in the November midterm elections as expected, Trump could have the opportunity to fill another 150 vacant posts over the next two years. The new judges are already having an impact on US society, for instance by shooting down a complaint on racial discrimination in the workplace, and supporting the removal of limits to election campaign donations, both positions backed by Republicans. "I think it's a huge thing," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said last week. "We can feel a difference in some of the circuits (appeals courts) already." Trump calls the effort a major achievements of his presidency. "These appointments are going to be one of the most important things, if not the most important thing, we do," he said. Election issue Ahead of the November 6 election -- in which Republicans are fighting to retain control of the two chambers of Congress -- Trump's judicial appointments are galvanizing conservative voters. Evangelical Christians and traditional conservatives were originally skeptical of billionaire Trump, given his record of political opportunism and seeming agnosticism. But he won their support in the 2016 presidential election by promising to appoint a committed conservative to the Supreme Court who would oppose abortion and support broad gun ownership rights. The opportunity to stack the courts with conservatives was greater than usual when he took office: for the previous two years, Republicans in Congress had blocked dozens of Obama's nominees, leaving 107 judgeships vacant. The Republican Senate quickly began confirming Trump's court picks. Even in their fervor, however, they did not get everyone through: one candidate withdrew when his legal shortcomings became evident; another was dropped after his former writings in support of the Ku Klux Klan were brought to light. Unprecedented power grab' With Republicans worried they could lose their majority in the November 6 vote, they have bent the rules in Congress to accelerate confirmations. Fifteen were approved in one day in mid-October just ahead of the Senate going on break. And even while it is officially in recess for the election, the Senate Judiciary Committee continues to hold confirmation hearings with nominees, angering Democrats. "It is an unprecedented power grab that flies in the face of Senators' constitutional duty to advise and consent on judicial nominees and makes a mockery of our Constitution and justice system," said Jill Dash, vice president of the liberal-leaning American Constitution Society.

With eye on vote, Trump stacks US courts with conservatives

US Capitol Police are investigating the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/explosive-device-found-near-bill-and-hillary-clintons-home-in-new-york-173244">suspicious package that was mailed</a> to former US President Barack Obama, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and other high-profile Democrats.

US President Donald Trump condemned the incident and vowed to bring those responsible for the incident.

Calling it a "despicable acts" he said his administration will get to the bottom of it.

"In these times, we have to unify, we have to come together, and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America," Trump said at the White House.

"We're extremely angry, upset and unhappy about what we witnessed this morning, and we will get to the bottom of it," Trump said.

"The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice," he added.

Suspected explosives were also found in packages sent to the US news network CNN, after which Time Warner building in New York City, where the CNN bureau is located, was evacuated.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Capitol Police are investigating the suspicious package that was mailed to former US President Barack Obama, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and other high-profile Democrats.

US Capitol Police are investigating the suspicious package that was mailed to former US President Barack Obama, former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and other high-profile Democrats. US President Donald Trump condemned the incident and vowed to bring those responsible for the incident. Calling it a "despicable acts" he said his administration will get to the bottom of it. "In these times, we have to unify, we have to come together, and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America," Trump said at the White House. "We're extremely angry, upset and unhappy about what we witnessed this morning, and we will get to the bottom of it," Trump said. "The full weight of our government is being deployed to conduct this investigation and bring those responsible for these despicable acts to justice," he added. Suspected explosives were also found in packages sent to the US news network CNN, after which Time Warner building in New York City, where the CNN bureau is located, was evacuated. (With inputs from agencies)

Threats of political violence have no place in US: Trump

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said Saudi authorities staged the "worst cover-up ever" in the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggis-possessions-found-during-search-of-saudi-consulate-vehicle-report-173079">killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi</a> this month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible.

Trump spoke hours after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/who-gave-the-order-to-kill-jamal-khashoggi-turkey-president-erdogan-demands-to-know-172995">Turkey's president, Tayyip Erdogan</a>, dismissed Saudi efforts to blame Khashoggi's death on rogue operatives. Erdogan urged Riyadh to search "from top to bottom" to uncover those behind Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, an incident that has sparked global outrage and strained relations between Riyadh and Washington.

For Saudi Arabia’s allies, the question will be whether they believe that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has painted himself as a reformer, has any culpability.

Trump said the killing and subsequent cover-up by Saudi Arabia were "a total fiasco."

"There should have never been an execution or a cover-up, because it should have never happened," Trump told reporters. He said he had spoken on Monday with the crown prince who denied having anything to do with Khashoggi's killing.

Earlier, Trump said the Khashoggi matter was handled badly by Saudi officials.

"Bad deal, should have never been thought of. Somebody really messed up. And they had the worst cover-up ever," Trump told reporters at the White House.

Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was a US resident and Washington Post columnist.

Trump's comments in recent days have ranged from threatening Saudi Arabia with "very severe" consequences and mentioning possible economic sanctions, to more conciliatory remarks highlighting the country's role as a US ally against Iran and Islamist militants, as well as a major purchaser of US arms.

Trump did not give his views on who was ultimately responsible. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States had identified some of the Saudi government and security officials it believed were involved in Khashoggi's murder and would take appropriate actions including revoking US visas.

The US State Department said 21 Saudis would have their visas revoked or be made ineligible for US visas. Another official said the vast majority of the group had US visas.

"As we continue to develop our understanding of the individuals that were responsible for this, not only those who executed it but those who were connected to it, the world should know that we intend to hold those individuals accountable when we develop this fact set," Pompeo told reporters.

Pompeo also said the State Department was looking into whether sanctions could be applicable for those found to be involved.

"These penalties will not be the last word on this matter from the United States," Pompeo said, although he emphasized as have other senior U.S. officials, the importance of the US-Saudi relationship. "Neither the president nor I are happy with this situation."

The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on the US measures.

As the crisis unfolded over the past three weeks, Saudi Arabia changed its tune on Khashoggi. Riyadh initially denied knowledge of Khashoggi's fate before saying on Saturday he was killed in a fight in the consulate, an account met with scepticism from several Western governments, straining their relations with the world's biggest oil exporter.

Saudi Arabia has detained 18 people and dismissed five senior government officials as part of an investigation into Khashoggi's death. One of those fired includes Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide who ran social media for Prince Mohammed. According to two intelligence sources, Qahtani ran Khashoggi's killing by giving orders over Skype.

Turkish security sources say that when Khashoggi entered the consulate, he was seized by 15 Saudi intelligence operatives who had flown in on two jets just hours before.

Erdogan vow

Erdogan on Tuesday stopped short of mentioning the crown prince who some US lawmakers suspect ordered the killing.

"The Saudi administration has taken an important step by admitting to the murder. From now on, we expect them to uncover all those responsible for this matter from top to bottom and make them face the necessary punishments," Erdogan said in a speech in parliament.

"From the person who gave the order, to the person who carried it out, they must all be brought to account," Turkey's president said.

Turkish sources have said that authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting the killing. Erdogan made no reference to any audio recording.

A Saudi Cabinet meeting chaired by King Salman said Riyadh would hold to account those responsible for the killing and those who failed in their duties, whoever they were.

Turkish investigators searched a Saudi consulate vehicle in Istanbul that contained two suitcases and other items, according to broadcaster CNN Turk. It was not clear what was in the suitcases.

'Brutal Murder'

Trump said he would work with the US Congress to determine the US response to the Khashoggi matter.

"In terms of what we ultimately do, I'm going to leave it very much - in conjunction with me - up to Congress," Trump said, adding he would like a bipartisan recommendation.

CIA Director Gina Haspel, in Turkey to investigate the death of Khashoggi, has sought to hear the purported audio recording of his torture and murder, four sources familiar with her mission told Reuters on Tuesday.

A host of Western executives and governments have pulled out of a high-profile Saudi investment summit that started on Tuesday because of the Khashoggi affair.

Erdogan said the killing was planned from when Khashoggi, 59, first went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on September 28 to obtain documents necessary for his marriage. He was told he would need to return later to collect the documents.

A day before Khashoggi's death, agents arrived from overseas and began to scout locations, including the Belgrad Forest near Istanbul and the city of Yalova to its south, Erdogan said. Police have searched both areas for evidence of Khashoggi's remains, Reuters has reported.

On the day Khashoggi arrived for his appointment and was later killed, the hard disk in the consulate's camera system was removed, Erdogan said.

"Covering up a savage murder like this will only hurt the human conscience. We expect the same sensitivity from all parties, primarily the Saudi Arabian leadership," he said.

"We have strong signs that the murder was the result of a planned operation, not a spontaneous development."

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said Saudi authorities staged the "worst cover-up ever" in the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi this month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said Saudi authorities staged the "worst cover-up ever" in the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggi this month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible. Trump spoke hours after Turkey's president, Tayyip Erdogan, dismissed Saudi efforts to blame Khashoggi's death on rogue operatives. Erdogan urged Riyadh to search "from top to bottom" to uncover those behind Khashoggi's death in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, an incident that has sparked global outrage and strained relations between Riyadh and Washington. For Saudi Arabia’s allies, the question will be whether they believe that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has painted himself as a reformer, has any culpability. Trump said the killing and subsequent cover-up by Saudi Arabia were "a total fiasco." "There should have never been an execution or a cover-up, because it should have never happened," Trump told reporters. He said he had spoken on Monday with the crown prince who denied having anything to do with Khashoggi's killing. Earlier, Trump said the Khashoggi matter was handled badly by Saudi officials. "Bad deal, should have never been thought of. Somebody really messed up. And they had the worst cover-up ever," Trump told reporters at the White House. Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince, was a US resident and Washington Post columnist. Trump's comments in recent days have ranged from threatening Saudi Arabia with "very severe" consequences and mentioning possible economic sanctions, to more conciliatory remarks highlighting the country's role as a US ally against Iran and Islamist militants, as well as a major purchaser of US arms. Trump did not give his views on who was ultimately responsible. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States had identified some of the Saudi government and security officials it believed were involved in Khashoggi's murder and would take appropriate actions including revoking US visas. The US State Department said 21 Saudis would have their visas revoked or be made ineligible for US visas. Another official said the vast majority of the group had US visas. "As we continue to develop our understanding of the individuals that were responsible for this, not only those who executed it but those who were connected to it, the world should know that we intend to hold those individuals accountable when we develop this fact set," Pompeo told reporters. Pompeo also said the State Department was looking into whether sanctions could be applicable for those found to be involved. "These penalties will not be the last word on this matter from the United States," Pompeo said, although he emphasized as have other senior U.S. officials, the importance of the US-Saudi relationship. "Neither the president nor I are happy with this situation." The Saudi Embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment on the US measures. As the crisis unfolded over the past three weeks, Saudi Arabia changed its tune on Khashoggi. Riyadh initially denied knowledge of Khashoggi's fate before saying on Saturday he was killed in a fight in the consulate, an account met with scepticism from several Western governments, straining their relations with the world's biggest oil exporter. Saudi Arabia has detained 18 people and dismissed five senior government officials as part of an investigation into Khashoggi's death. One of those fired includes Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide who ran social media for Prince Mohammed. According to two intelligence sources, Qahtani ran Khashoggi's killing by giving orders over Skype. Turkish security sources say that when Khashoggi entered the consulate, he was seized by 15 Saudi intelligence operatives who had flown in on two jets just hours before. Erdogan vow Erdogan on Tuesday stopped short of mentioning the crown prince who some US lawmakers suspect ordered the killing. "The Saudi administration has taken an important step by admitting to the murder. From now on, we expect them to uncover all those responsible for this matter from top to bottom and make them face the necessary punishments," Erdogan said in a speech in parliament. "From the person who gave the order, to the person who carried it out, they must all be brought to account," Turkey's president said. Turkish sources have said that authorities have an audio recording purportedly documenting the killing. Erdogan made no reference to any audio recording. A Saudi Cabinet meeting chaired by King Salman said Riyadh would hold to account those responsible for the killing and those who failed in their duties, whoever they were. Turkish investigators searched a Saudi consulate vehicle in Istanbul that contained two suitcases and other items, according to broadcaster CNN Turk. It was not clear what was in the suitcases. 'Brutal Murder' Trump said he would work with the US Congress to determine the US response to the Khashoggi matter. "In terms of what we ultimately do, I'm going to leave it very much - in conjunction with me - up to Congress," Trump said, adding he would like a bipartisan recommendation. CIA Director Gina Haspel, in Turkey to investigate the death of Khashoggi, has sought to hear the purported audio recording of his torture and murder, four sources familiar with her mission told Reuters on Tuesday. A host of Western executives and governments have pulled out of a high-profile Saudi investment summit that started on Tuesday because of the Khashoggi affair. Erdogan said the killing was planned from when Khashoggi, 59, first went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on September 28 to obtain documents necessary for his marriage. He was told he would need to return later to collect the documents. A day before Khashoggi's death, agents arrived from overseas and began to scout locations, including the Belgrad Forest near Istanbul and the city of Yalova to its south, Erdogan said. Police have searched both areas for evidence of Khashoggi's remains, Reuters has reported. On the day Khashoggi arrived for his appointment and was later killed, the hard disk in the consulate's camera system was removed, Erdogan said. "Covering up a savage murder like this will only hurt the human conscience. We expect the same sensitivity from all parties, primarily the Saudi Arabian leadership," he said. "We have strong signs that the murder was the result of a planned operation, not a spontaneous development."

Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on Khashoggi

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cbi-top-boss-and-deputy-removed-nageswar-rao-takes-interim-charge-173104">Crisis in CBI: Nageswar Rao takes interim charge, director Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana asked to go on leave</a>

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) top boss Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana, the special director who is the No 2 at CBI have been asked to go on leave in the midst of an internal rift over bribery allegations against the latter.&nbsp;CBI joint director Nageshwar Rao will take charge of the investigation agency as new interim chief.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-trump-slams-worst-cover-up-ever-173083">Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on Khashoggi; </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-trump-slams-worst-cover-up-ever-173083">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/khashoggi-killing-trump-slams-worst-cover-up-ever-173083"> revokes visas of some Saudis</a>

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said Saudi authorities staged the "worst cover-up ever" in the&nbsp;killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggithis month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-ronaldos-juventus-beat-manchester-united-173091">Champions League: Ronaldo's Juventus beat Manchester United</a>

An impressive Juventus beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to take command of Champions League Group H with a maximum nine points from three games and demonstrate just how far Jose Mourinho's side are from Europe's elite.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/petrol-diesel-prices-decline-for-seventh-straight-day-check-rates-in-delhi-mumbai-173086">Petrol prices decline for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/petrol-diesel-prices-decline-for-seventh-straight-day-check-rates-in-delhi-mumbai-173086">seventh</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/petrol-diesel-prices-decline-for-seventh-straight-day-check-rates-in-delhi-mumbai-173086"> straight day: Check rates in Delhi, Mumbai</a>

Fuel prices witnessed further reduction on Wednesday, providing some relief to consumers from relentless rate hikes.&nbsp;The petrol price in Delhi was revised to Rs 81.25 per litre (decrease by Rs 0.09), while that in Mumbai was Rs 86.73 per litre (decrease by Rs 0.08).

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/hurricane-willa-makes-landfall-in-mexico-173093">Hurricane Willa makes landfall in Mexico</a>

Hurricane Willa made landfall in Mexico Tuesday, lashing the Pacific coast with powerful wind, heavy rain and what forecasters warned was "extremely dangerous" storm surge.

Crisis in CBI: Nageswar Rao takes interim charge, director Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana asked to go on leave Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) top boss Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana, the special director who is the No 2 at CBI have been asked to go on leave in the midst of an internal rift over bribery allegations against the latter.

Crisis in CBI: Nageswar Rao takes interim charge, director Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana asked to go on leave Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) top boss Alok Verma and Rakesh Asthana, the special director who is the No 2 at CBI have been asked to go on leave in the midst of an internal rift over bribery allegations against the latter. CBI joint director Nageshwar Rao will take charge of the investigation agency as new interim chief. Trump says Saudis staged 'worst cover-up ever' on Khashoggi; US revokes visas of some Saudis President Donald Trump said on Tuesday said Saudi authorities staged the "worst cover-up ever" in the killing of prominent journalist Jamal Khashoggithis month, as the United States vowed to revoke the visas of some of those believed to be responsible. Champions League: Ronaldo's Juventus beat Manchester United An impressive Juventus beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford on Tuesday to take command of Champions League Group H with a maximum nine points from three games and demonstrate just how far Jose Mourinho's side are from Europe's elite. Petrol prices decline for seventh straight day: Check rates in Delhi, Mumbai Fuel prices witnessed further reduction on Wednesday, providing some relief to consumers from relentless rate hikes. The petrol price in Delhi was revised to Rs 81.25 per litre (decrease by Rs 0.09), while that in Mumbai was Rs 86.73 per litre (decrease by Rs 0.08). Hurricane Willa makes landfall in Mexico Hurricane Willa made landfall in Mexico Tuesday, lashing the Pacific coast with powerful wind, heavy rain and what forecasters warned was "extremely dangerous" storm surge.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Families crossing the US-Mexico border illegally surged to "crisis" levels in September as policies pressed by the administration of President Donald Trump failed to deter the flow of migrants from Central America, officials said Tuesday.

The jump drove total undocumented immigrant arrests at the southern US frontier in fiscal 2018 to over 520,000, a 25 per cent surge from the previous year.

US Customs and Border Protection said it had apprehended 16,658 people who arrived in the country in families last month, some 900 more than August and nearly 12,000 more than September one year ago.

It was the highest month for families on record, reflecting a jump in migrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador fleeing widespread violence and poverty, many seeking asylum in the United States.

The surge was reported as Trump called a caravan of some 7,000 mostly Honduran migrants planning to traverse Mexico to the southern US border a national emergency and threatened to close the border completely to halt illegal immigration.

His aides blamed the failure of Congress to change laws that make it impossible to repatriate border crossers from Central America and instead force the government to arrest and then release them inside the United States.

CBP said an overall rise in arrests of undocumented border crossers last month helped return illegal immigration numbers to levels seen before Trump became president in January 2017.

For the full fiscal year, which ended September 30, a total of 521,090 people without immigration documents were apprehended or blocked at the Mexico border.

That was up by more than 105,000 from the previous year, Trump's first year in office when he declared that his tough crackdown on immigration was working.

In fiscal 2016, the last full year before Trump became president, total southern border arrests topped 553,000.

The CBP data showed a continuing trend toward more people crossing in families, despite the Trump administration's threat to separate parents from their children as a deterrent.

Out of the total last year, families and unaccompanied minors made up about 40 percent of all those picked up by border officials for trying to sneak into the country.

Speaking under condition of anonymity, a senior administration official called it a border crisis "that is unprecedented in our history."

The official said laws meant to protect the rights and safety of border crossers are serving as a pull on illegal migrants, allowing them to stay in the United States for years while the US legal system processes their cases.

Simple legal changes -- including being able to repatriate Central Americans as is done with Mexican immigrants -- will deter many of them from trying, according to the official.

"The cost on society is enormous," the official said.

"We are apprehending these aliens. If we could return them, there would be no crisis."

Families crossing the US-Mexico border illegally surged to "crisis" levels in September as policies pressed by the administration of President Donald Trump failed to deter the flow of migrants from Central America, officials said Tuesday.

Families crossing the US-Mexico border illegally surged to "crisis" levels in September as policies pressed by the administration of President Donald Trump failed to deter the flow of migrants from Central America, officials said Tuesday. The jump drove total undocumented immigrant arrests at the southern US frontier in fiscal 2018 to over 520,000, a 25 per cent surge from the previous year. US Customs and Border Protection said it had apprehended 16,658 people who arrived in the country in families last month, some 900 more than August and nearly 12,000 more than September one year ago. It was the highest month for families on record, reflecting a jump in migrants from Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador fleeing widespread violence and poverty, many seeking asylum in the United States. The surge was reported as Trump called a caravan of some 7,000 mostly Honduran migrants planning to traverse Mexico to the southern US border a national emergency and threatened to close the border completely to halt illegal immigration. His aides blamed the failure of Congress to change laws that make it impossible to repatriate border crossers from Central America and instead force the government to arrest and then release them inside the United States. CBP said an overall rise in arrests of undocumented border crossers last month helped return illegal immigration numbers to levels seen before Trump became president in January 2017. For the full fiscal year, which ended September 30, a total of 521,090 people without immigration documents were apprehended or blocked at the Mexico border. That was up by more than 105,000 from the previous year, Trump's first year in office when he declared that his tough crackdown on immigration was working. In fiscal 2016, the last full year before Trump became president, total southern border arrests topped 553,000. The CBP data showed a continuing trend toward more people crossing in families, despite the Trump administration's threat to separate parents from their children as a deterrent. Out of the total last year, families and unaccompanied minors made up about 40 percent of all those picked up by border officials for trying to sneak into the country. Speaking under condition of anonymity, a senior administration official called it a border crisis "that is unprecedented in our history." The official said laws meant to protect the rights and safety of border crossers are serving as a pull on illegal migrants, allowing them to stay in the United States for years while the US legal system processes their cases. Simple legal changes -- including being able to repatriate Central Americans as is done with Mexican immigrants -- will deter many of them from trying, according to the official. "The cost on society is enormous," the official said. "We are apprehending these aliens. If we could return them, there would be no crisis."

Family border crossings surge to 'crisis' levels: White House

US President Donald Trump launched a fresh assault Tuesday against Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, saying he threatened economic growth and seemed to enjoy raising interest rates.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump hinted that he regretted nominating Powell in the first place.

"Every time we do something great, he raises the interest rates," Trump told the Journal.

He "almost looks like he's happy raising interest rates," the president added.

The criticism comes after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-widens-fed-critique-calls-it-my-biggest-threat-172018">Trump last week called the Federal Reserve his "biggest threat"</a> and said Powell was moving "too fast" in hiking rates.&nbsp;

The Fed has raised interest rates three times this year as it seeks to prevent a vibrant economy from overheating, and it is widely expected to raise rates again by 0.25 per cent in December.

US presidents usually remain silent on such issues in respect toward the Fed's independence. Trump has previously called Fed policies "crazy."

Trump told the Journal it was "too early to say, but maybe" he regretted nominating Powell for the four-year term he started in February. 
"He was supposed to be a low-interest-rate guy. It's turned out that he's not," Trump added.

It is unclear whether the president would have the authority to remove Powell.

The Federal Reserve Act says the president can remove Fed governors "for cause," but that provision does not apply to the chairman, according to the Journal.

Trump said the Fed poses the biggest risk to the US economy, adding that higher interest rates would slow growth and add to the national debt.

"To me the Fed is the biggest risk, because I think interest rates are being raised too quickly," Trump said.

US growth reached 4.2 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, its strongest pace in four years.

On Friday, the government is set to publish the first estimate for the third quarter, which is expected to be 3.3 per cent, according to analysts.

US President Donald Trump launched a fresh assault Tuesday against Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, saying he threatened economic growth and seemed to enjoy raising interest rates.

US President Donald Trump launched a fresh assault Tuesday against Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell, saying he threatened economic growth and seemed to enjoy raising interest rates. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump hinted that he regretted nominating Powell in the first place. "Every time we do something great, he raises the interest rates," Trump told the Journal. He "almost looks like he's happy raising interest rates," the president added. The criticism comes after Trump last week called the Federal Reserve his "biggest threat" and said Powell was moving "too fast" in hiking rates. The Fed has raised interest rates three times this year as it seeks to prevent a vibrant economy from overheating, and it is widely expected to raise rates again by 0.25 per cent in December. US presidents usually remain silent on such issues in respect toward the Fed's independence. Trump has previously called Fed policies "crazy." Trump told the Journal it was "too early to say, but maybe" he regretted nominating Powell for the four-year term he started in February. "He was supposed to be a low-interest-rate guy. It's turned out that he's not," Trump added. It is unclear whether the president would have the authority to remove Powell. The Federal Reserve Act says the president can remove Fed governors "for cause," but that provision does not apply to the chairman, according to the Journal. Trump said the Fed poses the biggest risk to the US economy, adding that higher interest rates would slow growth and add to the national debt. "To me the Fed is the biggest risk, because I think interest rates are being raised too quickly," Trump said. US growth reached 4.2 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, its strongest pace in four years. On Friday, the government is set to publish the first estimate for the third quarter, which is expected to be 3.3 per cent, according to analysts.

Trump launches fresh attack against Fed chairman

The Kremlin said Wednesday it was ready to discuss the possibility of a summit in Washington next year between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump.

"Undoubtedly (we are) ready," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after US National Security Advisor John Bolton told Russia's Interfax news agency that such a summit was possible.&nbsp;

He confirmed that the issue has been "raised" but that "so far there is no concrete decision on this."

The Kremlin is preparing for a "possible meeting" between the two leaders at an event in Paris on November 11 commemorating the centenary of the end of World War I, Peskov said.

Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening and held talks with Putin and other Russian officials. He said at a press conference that Trump wished to meet Putin at the World War I commemorations.

The US official told Interfax in an interview published Wednesday that Washington expected the two leaders to discuss in Paris a possible summit in Washington next year, after which Trump could visit Moscow.&nbsp;

Bolton's visit came just after Trump announced that the US would pull out of a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty. &nbsp;

Asked whether the Kremlin wanted to continue discussions with the US on the treaty, Peskov said that "as far as we understand the American side has taken the decision and is formalising in the near future the process of withdrawing from this treaty."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Kremlin said Wednesday it was ready to discuss the possibility of a summit in Washington next year between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump.

The Kremlin said Wednesday it was ready to discuss the possibility of a summit in Washington next year between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US counterpart Donald Trump. "Undoubtedly (we are) ready," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists after US National Security Advisor John Bolton told Russia's Interfax news agency that such a summit was possible. He confirmed that the issue has been "raised" but that "so far there is no concrete decision on this." The Kremlin is preparing for a "possible meeting" between the two leaders at an event in Paris on November 11 commemorating the centenary of the end of World War I, Peskov said. Bolton arrived in Moscow on Sunday evening and held talks with Putin and other Russian officials. He said at a press conference that Trump wished to meet Putin at the World War I commemorations. The US official told Interfax in an interview published Wednesday that Washington expected the two leaders to discuss in Paris a possible summit in Washington next year, after which Trump could visit Moscow. Bolton's visit came just after Trump announced that the US would pull out of a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty. Asked whether the Kremlin wanted to continue discussions with the US on the treaty, Peskov said that "as far as we understand the American side has taken the decision and is formalising in the near future the process of withdrawing from this treaty."

Kremlin says 'ready' to discuss Putin-Trump summit in US next year

Thousands of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-start-cutting-aid-as-migrant-caravan-rolls-on-trump-172856">Honduran migrants heading to the United States </a>-- a caravan President Donald Trump has called an "assault on our country" -- stopped to rest Tuesday after walking for two days into Mexican territory.

Sleeping on cardboard boxes or plastic bags, the migrants set up a massive, impromptu camp in the southern town of Huixtla, 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the Mexico-Guatemala border.

Many nursed bleeding feet mangled by 10 days of walking nearly 800 kilometers in plastic shoes or flip-flops.

"They're exhausted," said migrant rights activist Rodrigo Abeja, of the group Pueblos Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders), which is accompanying the caravan.

"They're going to rest here today and tonight," and then continue their journey north, he told AFP.

More than 7,000 people have now joined the caravan, according to the United Nations, including some Central Americans who were already in Mexico.

Many of the migrants are fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence.

Politically loaded

The caravan has become a politically loaded issue, with only two weeks to go before the United States votes in key midterm elections.

Trump has taken to attacking it regularly -- both on Twitter and on the campaign trail -- firing up his conservative base with the anti-immigration rhetoric that helped get him elected in 2016.

On Monday, he said the US would start cutting aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador for failing to stop the migrants, called the caravan a national emergency and alleged it was infiltrated by "Middle Easterners" and members of the ultra-violent gang MS-13.

Adding to the political tempest, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that according to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the caravan "was organized by leftist groups in Honduras financed by Venezuela and sent north to challenge our sovereignty."

US Customs and Border Protection meanwhile said it had apprehended a record 16,658 people who arrived in the country illegally in families last month, up 900 from August and nearly 12,000 from September 2017.

A senior administration official called the surge a "crisis."

Mexico vowed not to bow to outside pressure to halt the caravan. But activists accused the country of violating the migrants' rights by detaining anyone who tried to apply for asylum.

Mexican authorities said they had registered 1,699 asylum applications from caravan travelers who opted to enter the country legally. Another 495 migrants have voluntarily asked to be returned to Honduras, they said.

Swelling numbers

Late Monday, Mexico allowed about 400 migrants to enter the country after they spent days packed onto a bridge over the Suchiate River, which forms Mexico's southern border with Guatemala.

The caravan had stormed through a series of border barriers Friday and flooded onto the bridge, but hundreds of Mexican riot police blocked their passage.

Most of the migrants then swam or took rafts across the river, but one group had remained camped out on the bridge.

Another group of about 1,000 Hondurans meanwhile started a separate march Sunday across Guatemala, headed for Mexico and then the United States.

Dangerous journey

Migrants in the main caravan -- which set out on October 13 from San Pedro Sula, Honduras -- have been traveling on foot or hitching rides on passing cars and trucks, often crowding onto them precariously.

Two migrants have been killed when they fell off vehicles that let them hitch a ride, according to authorities in Mexico and Guatemala.

Caravan members also face the threat of being robbed, kidnapped or killed by Mexican gangs that extort migrants on their journey.

Caravan of children

Humanitarian organizations estimate that one-fourth of the caravan's members are children, a representative of Save the Children told AFP.

Guadalupe Del Carmen, 29, who is traveling with her nine-year-old son, recounted the difficulty of the journey -- such as the moment her son started to cry, "Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore" while crossing the Suchiate River on a raft made of inner tubes.

"He wanted to go back to Honduras. But I explained we can't go back, that the situation in our country is too difficult and that's why we had to run away," she said quietly.

With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world.

Thousands of Honduran migrants heading to the United States -- a caravan President Donald Trump has called an "assault on our country" -- stopped to rest Tuesday after walking for two days into Mexican territory.

Thousands of Honduran migrants heading to the United States -- a caravan President Donald Trump has called an "assault on our country" -- stopped to rest Tuesday after walking for two days into Mexican territory. Sleeping on cardboard boxes or plastic bags, the migrants set up a massive, impromptu camp in the southern town of Huixtla, 70 kilometers (45 miles) from the Mexico-Guatemala border. Many nursed bleeding feet mangled by 10 days of walking nearly 800 kilometers in plastic shoes or flip-flops. "They're exhausted," said migrant rights activist Rodrigo Abeja, of the group Pueblos Sin Fronteras (People Without Borders), which is accompanying the caravan. "They're going to rest here today and tonight," and then continue their journey north, he told AFP. More than 7,000 people have now joined the caravan, according to the United Nations, including some Central Americans who were already in Mexico. Many of the migrants are fleeing poverty and insecurity in Honduras, where powerful street gangs rule their turf with brutal violence. Politically loaded The caravan has become a politically loaded issue, with only two weeks to go before the United States votes in key midterm elections. Trump has taken to attacking it regularly -- both on Twitter and on the campaign trail -- firing up his conservative base with the anti-immigration rhetoric that helped get him elected in 2016. On Monday, he said the US would start cutting aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador for failing to stop the migrants, called the caravan a national emergency and alleged it was infiltrated by "Middle Easterners" and members of the ultra-violent gang MS-13. Adding to the political tempest, Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that according to Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, the caravan "was organized by leftist groups in Honduras financed by Venezuela and sent north to challenge our sovereignty." US Customs and Border Protection meanwhile said it had apprehended a record 16,658 people who arrived in the country illegally in families last month, up 900 from August and nearly 12,000 from September 2017. A senior administration official called the surge a "crisis." Mexico vowed not to bow to outside pressure to halt the caravan. But activists accused the country of violating the migrants' rights by detaining anyone who tried to apply for asylum. Mexican authorities said they had registered 1,699 asylum applications from caravan travelers who opted to enter the country legally. Another 495 migrants have voluntarily asked to be returned to Honduras, they said. Swelling numbers Late Monday, Mexico allowed about 400 migrants to enter the country after they spent days packed onto a bridge over the Suchiate River, which forms Mexico's southern border with Guatemala. The caravan had stormed through a series of border barriers Friday and flooded onto the bridge, but hundreds of Mexican riot police blocked their passage. Most of the migrants then swam or took rafts across the river, but one group had remained camped out on the bridge. Another group of about 1,000 Hondurans meanwhile started a separate march Sunday across Guatemala, headed for Mexico and then the United States. Dangerous journey Migrants in the main caravan -- which set out on October 13 from San Pedro Sula, Honduras -- have been traveling on foot or hitching rides on passing cars and trucks, often crowding onto them precariously. Two migrants have been killed when they fell off vehicles that let them hitch a ride, according to authorities in Mexico and Guatemala. Caravan members also face the threat of being robbed, kidnapped or killed by Mexican gangs that extort migrants on their journey. Caravan of children Humanitarian organizations estimate that one-fourth of the caravan's members are children, a representative of Save the Children told AFP. Guadalupe Del Carmen, 29, who is traveling with her nine-year-old son, recounted the difficulty of the journey -- such as the moment her son started to cry, "Mommy, I don't want to do this anymore" while crossing the Suchiate River on a raft made of inner tubes. "He wanted to go back to Honduras. But I explained we can't go back, that the situation in our country is too difficult and that's why we had to run away," she said quietly. With a homicide rate of 43 per 100,000 citizens, Honduras is one of the most violent countries in the world.

Migrant caravan stops to rest in Mexico amid Trump threats

Despite Trump threats, migrant 'caravan' rolls on towards America

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-admits-khashoggi-died-in-consulate-donald-trump-says-saudi-explanation-credible-172411">Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi died in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-admits-khashoggi-died-in-consulate-donald-trump-says-saudi-explanation-credible-172411">consulate</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-admits-khashoggi-died-in-consulate-donald-trump-says-saudi-explanation-credible-172411">, Donald Trump says Saudi explanation credible</a>

Saudi Arabia said on Friday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate and said it had fired two senior officials over the incident, giving an account that U.S. President Donald Trump said was credible.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/three-fourths-of-h1b-visa-holders-in-2018-are-indians-us-report-172413">Three-fourths of H-1B visa holders in 2018 are Indians: US report</a>

Nearly three out of every four H-1B visa holders as of October 5 are Indian citizens, an official US report has said. 
According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there were as many as 419,637 foreign nationals working in the US on H-1B visas as on October 5.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/over-60-dead-in-amritsar-train-accident-centre-to-give-rs-2-lakh-to-kin-of-deceased-rs-50000-to-injured-172416">Over 60 dead, at least 72 injured in Amritsar train accident, Punjab declares mourning on Saturday</a>

Over 60 people have been dead and at least 70 were left injured on Friday when a speeding train mowed them down while they were celebrating Dussehra.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sabarimala-is-south-indias-ayodhya-vhp-172417">Sabarimala is South India's Ayodhya: VHP</a>

Responding to the comparison drawn by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury between the violence in Sabarimala and the uproar witnessed during the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the Sabarimala Temple was southern India`s Ayodhya.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-braces-for-militant-attacks-as-polling-centres-open-172420">Afghanistan braces for militant attacks as polling </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-braces-for-militant-attacks-as-polling-centres-open-172420">centres</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistan-braces-for-militant-attacks-as-polling-centres-open-172420"> open</a>

Afghans are bracing for more deadly violence on Saturday as voting gets under way in the long-delayed legislative election that the Taliban has vowed to attack.

Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi died in consulate, Donald Trump says Saudi explanation credible Saudi Arabia said on Friday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate and said it had fired two senior officials over the incident, giving an account that U.

Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi died in consulate, Donald Trump says Saudi explanation credible Saudi Arabia said on Friday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate and said it had fired two senior officials over the incident, giving an account that U.S. President Donald Trump said was credible. Three-fourths of H-1B visa holders in 2018 are Indians: US report Nearly three out of every four H-1B visa holders as of October 5 are Indian citizens, an official US report has said. According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), there were as many as 419,637 foreign nationals working in the US on H-1B visas as on October 5. Over 60 dead, at least 72 injured in Amritsar train accident, Punjab declares mourning on Saturday Over 60 people have been dead and at least 70 were left injured on Friday when a speeding train mowed them down while they were celebrating Dussehra. Sabarimala is South India's Ayodhya: VHP Responding to the comparison drawn by Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury between the violence in Sabarimala and the uproar witnessed during the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the Sabarimala Temple was southern India`s Ayodhya. Afghanistan braces for militant attacks as polling centres open Afghans are bracing for more deadly violence on Saturday as voting gets under way in the long-delayed legislative election that the Taliban has vowed to attack.

The Trump government is planning to "revise" a rule that may impact thousands of immigrant workers from India.

The rule that was introduced by the Obama administration grants work permits to H-4 visa holders who are the spouse&nbsp;of professionals holding H-1B visas.

A significant number of H-1B visa holders in the US hail from India and therefore any revision in the rule is expected to leave a major impact on Indians present in the US.

The visas were issued to the immigrants in 2015 under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration.

While the move is expected to impact over 70,000 Indians, the Department of Homeland Security believes that it will benefit US workers.&nbsp;

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its Unified Fall Agenda released on Wednesday said it believed that abandoning the current practice of granting employment authorisation to H-4 dependent spouses would benefit some US workers.

The DHS said the proposed rule would no longer allow H-4 workers to enter the labour market early.

The DHS, which has already delayed three times this year issuing of the necessary notification, said in its agenda that it was on its way to remove H-4 dependent spouses from getting work authorisation.

"Some US workers would benefit from this proposed rule by having a better chance at obtaining jobs that some of the population of the H-4 workers currently hold, as the proposed rule would no longer allow H-4 workers to enter the labour market early," it said.

As of December 25, 2017, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had approved 126,853 applications for employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders.

These counts all approvals since May 2015 when the rule was implemented. This number includes 90,946 initial approvals, 35,219 renewals, and 688 replacements for lost cards.

(With inputs from PTI)

 
 
&nbsp;

The Trump government is planning to "revise" a rule that may impact thousands of immigrant workers from India. The rule that was introduced by the Obama administration grants work permits to H-4 visa holders who are the spouse of professionals holding H-1B visas.

The Trump government is planning to "revise" a rule that may impact thousands of immigrant workers from India. The rule that was introduced by the Obama administration grants work permits to H-4 visa holders who are the spouse of professionals holding H-1B visas. A significant number of H-1B visa holders in the US hail from India and therefore any revision in the rule is expected to leave a major impact on Indians present in the US. The visas were issued to the immigrants in 2015 under a special order issued by the previous Obama administration. While the move is expected to impact over 70,000 Indians, the Department of Homeland Security believes that it will benefit US workers. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its Unified Fall Agenda released on Wednesday said it believed that abandoning the current practice of granting employment authorisation to H-4 dependent spouses would benefit some US workers. The DHS said the proposed rule would no longer allow H-4 workers to enter the labour market early. The DHS, which has already delayed three times this year issuing of the necessary notification, said in its agenda that it was on its way to remove H-4 dependent spouses from getting work authorisation. "Some US workers would benefit from this proposed rule by having a better chance at obtaining jobs that some of the population of the H-4 workers currently hold, as the proposed rule would no longer allow H-4 workers to enter the labour market early," it said. As of December 25, 2017, US Citizenship and Immigration Services had approved 126,853 applications for employment authorisation for H-4 visa holders. These counts all approvals since May 2015 when the rule was implemented. This number includes 90,946 initial approvals, 35,219 renewals, and 688 replacements for lost cards. (With inputs from PTI)

US plans to remove H-4 visa work permits, move may impact over 70,000 Indians

President Donald Trump on Thursday (October 18) said the upcoming midterm election would be about "Kavanaugh, the caravan, law and order and common sense," during a campaign rally in Montana.

"I have created so many jobs. I've made this country so great that everybody wants to come in," Trump said in a speech where he blamed Democrats for obstructing his efforts to build a wall along the US&nbsp;border with Mexico.

Trump also shared a surprising benefit of becoming president and the constant scrutiny from the media.

"They used to say 'he wears a hairpiece. He wears a hairpiece.' They don't say that anymore," Trump said.

Referencing to his recent visits to hurricane impacted areas, Trump added, "These people have seen me under every condition known to man. You walk around in those conditions. You can't fake it...It might be one of the best things that's happened to me in a long time."

Trump is on a three-state tour in the western part of the United States advocating for Republican candidates who are running for election in November with the hope of keeping control of the US&nbsp;Senate and House of Representatives in Republican hands.

President Donald Trump on Thursday (October 18) said the upcoming midterm election would be about "Kavanaugh, the caravan, law and order and common sense," during a campaign rally in Montana.

President Donald Trump on Thursday (October 18) said the upcoming midterm election would be about "Kavanaugh, the caravan, law and order and common sense," during a campaign rally in Montana. "I have created so many jobs. I've made this country so great that everybody wants to come in," Trump said in a speech where he blamed Democrats for obstructing his efforts to build a wall along the US border with Mexico. Trump also shared a surprising benefit of becoming president and the constant scrutiny from the media. "They used to say 'he wears a hairpiece. He wears a hairpiece.' They don't say that anymore," Trump said. Referencing to his recent visits to hurricane impacted areas, Trump added, "These people have seen me under every condition known to man. You walk around in those conditions. You can't fake it...It might be one of the best things that's happened to me in a long time." Trump is on a three-state tour in the western part of the United States advocating for Republican candidates who are running for election in November with the hope of keeping control of the US Senate and House of Representatives in Republican hands.

Trump shares surprising perk of being president, says election will be about 'Kavanaugh, caravan, common sense'

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-saudi-journalist-likely-dead-warns-of-severe-response-172200">Trump says Saudi journalist likely dead, warns of 'severe' response</a>

President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-pm-modis-visit-sri-lanka-drops-chinese-housing-deal-to-favour-indian-company-172218">As PM Wickremesinghe visits India, Sri Lanka drops Chinese housing deal to </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-pm-modis-visit-sri-lanka-drops-chinese-housing-deal-to-favour-indian-company-172218">favour</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/ahead-of-pm-modis-visit-sri-lanka-drops-chinese-housing-deal-to-favour-indian-company-172218"> Indian joint venture</a>

Ahead of Lankan PM Wickremesinghe's visit to India, the Lankan government dropped a $300-million housing deal with China for a joint venture with an Indian company.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-secretary-mnuchin-withdraws-from-saudi-conference-172206">US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin withdraws from Saudi conference</a>

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday said he would no longer attend next week’s investment conference in Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration awaited the outcome of investigations into missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-should-stay-in-afghanistan-until-peace-achieved-pakistan-172201">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-should-stay-in-afghanistan-until-peace-achieved-pakistan-172201"> should stay in Afghanistan until peace achieved: Pakistan</a>

Pakistan on Thursday said that the US should stay in Afghanistan until peace was achieved in the war-torn country.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/sanctity-of-sabarimala-temple-should-be-preserved-devotees-172199">Sanctity of Sabarimala temple should be preserved: Devotees</a>

A day after protests and violence against the entry of women of menstruating age at the Sabarimala temple was witnessed, devotees visiting the shrine reiterated that the sanctity of the temple and Lord Ayyappa "must be preserved at any cost".

Trump says Saudi journalist likely dead, warns of 'severe' response President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible.

Trump says Saudi journalist likely dead, warns of 'severe' response President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible. As PM Wickremesinghe visits India, Sri Lanka drops Chinese housing deal to favour Indian joint venture Ahead of Lankan PM Wickremesinghe's visit to India, the Lankan government dropped a $300-million housing deal with China for a joint venture with an Indian company. US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin withdraws from Saudi conference US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday said he would no longer attend next week’s investment conference in Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration awaited the outcome of investigations into missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. US should stay in Afghanistan until peace achieved: Pakistan Pakistan on Thursday said that the US should stay in Afghanistan until peace was achieved in the war-torn country. Sanctity of Sabarimala temple should be preserved: Devotees A day after protests and violence against the entry of women of menstruating age at the Sabarimala temple was witnessed, devotees visiting the shrine reiterated that the sanctity of the temple and Lord Ayyappa "must be preserved at any cost".

A Republican congressman in central Arkansas and his challenger on Thursday condemned a political action committee's radio ad that suggests white Democrats will lynch black Americans if they win the midterm election next month.

GOP Representative&nbsp;French Hill criticized the ad from Black Americans for the President's Agenda, which invokes the accusation that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when he was a teenager.

A woman in the ad says that "white Democrats will be lynching black folk again."I'm voting to keep Congressman French Hill and the Republicans because we have to protect our men and boys," the woman in the ad says.

"We can't afford to let white Democrats take us back to bad old days of race verdicts, life sentences and lynchings when a white girl screams rape." Hill, who represents the 2nd District covering Little Rock and seven central Arkansas counties, blasted the ad.

"I condemn this outrageous ad in the strongest terms," he said in a statement. "There's no place in Arkansas for this nonsense." Vernon Robinson, the PAC's co-founder and treasurer, said the ad has been running in Little Rock.

He said the ad is part of a US $50,000 buy that includes a similar spot running on stations in Missouri, where Republican Josh Hawley is trying to unseat Democratic Senator&nbsp;Claire McCaskill. The group had not coordinated the ad with Hill or spoken to his campaign about it, Robinson said.

Robinson did not immediately respond to an email Thursday night from The Associated Press asking if the group planned to pull the ad. Clarke Tucker, the Democratic state legislator trying to unseat Hill, also condemned the ad.

"Congressman Hill and his allies will have to live with the kind of campaign they're running. This radio ad is disgraceful and has no place in our society,"

Tucker said in a statement. "We won't let these shameful tactics distract us from why we're running, to stand up for the people in Central Arkansas on the critical issues in our lives, not just health care and good-paying jobs but also having some basic decency in our political process."

The North Carolina-based PAC was formed earlier this year and this week reported having about US $52,507 cash on hand and US $62,769 in debt.

Arkansas hasn't sent a Democrat to the US&nbsp;House since 2010, but Tucker is mounting a surprisingly competitive bid to unseat the two-term Hill.

Democrats are relying on a heavy turnout in Little Rock and its surrounding county, which is about 37 per cent black and 6 per cent Hispanic.&nbsp;

A Republican congressman in central Arkansas and his challenger on Thursday condemned a political action committee's radio ad that suggests white Democrats will lynch black Americans if they win the midterm election next month.

A Republican congressman in central Arkansas and his challenger on Thursday condemned a political action committee's radio ad that suggests white Democrats will lynch black Americans if they win the midterm election next month. GOP Representative French Hill criticized the ad from Black Americans for the President's Agenda, which invokes the accusation that Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted a woman when he was a teenager. A woman in the ad says that "white Democrats will be lynching black folk again."I'm voting to keep Congressman French Hill and the Republicans because we have to protect our men and boys," the woman in the ad says. "We can't afford to let white Democrats take us back to bad old days of race verdicts, life sentences and lynchings when a white girl screams rape." Hill, who represents the 2nd District covering Little Rock and seven central Arkansas counties, blasted the ad. "I condemn this outrageous ad in the strongest terms," he said in a statement. "There's no place in Arkansas for this nonsense." Vernon Robinson, the PAC's co-founder and treasurer, said the ad has been running in Little Rock. He said the ad is part of a US $50,000 buy that includes a similar spot running on stations in Missouri, where Republican Josh Hawley is trying to unseat Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill. The group had not coordinated the ad with Hill or spoken to his campaign about it, Robinson said. Robinson did not immediately respond to an email Thursday night from The Associated Press asking if the group planned to pull the ad. Clarke Tucker, the Democratic state legislator trying to unseat Hill, also condemned the ad. "Congressman Hill and his allies will have to live with the kind of campaign they're running. This radio ad is disgraceful and has no place in our society," Tucker said in a statement. "We won't let these shameful tactics distract us from why we're running, to stand up for the people in Central Arkansas on the critical issues in our lives, not just health care and good-paying jobs but also having some basic decency in our political process." The North Carolina-based PAC was formed earlier this year and this week reported having about US $52,507 cash on hand and US $62,769 in debt. Arkansas hasn't sent a Democrat to the US House since 2010, but Tucker is mounting a surprisingly competitive bid to unseat the two-term Hill. Democrats are relying on a heavy turnout in Little Rock and its surrounding county, which is about 37 per cent black and 6 per cent Hispanic.

Radio ad in Arkansas suggests 'lynching' if Democrats win

Two of President Donald Trump's top advisers got into a heated exchange outside the Oval Office on Thursday as passions boiled over about how to handle illegal immigration, two sources familiar with the incident said.

The altercation occurred between White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who is a former homeland security secretary, and Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, the sources said.

One source described the argument as a "tense exchange" but said that it had blown over, and that it involved the job performance of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a former deputy to Kelly. Another source said it was "not a big deal."

Trump, asked about the incident, told reporters: "That I have not heard about."

A senior White House official said later that Nielsen and Bolton had a nice conversation in Bolton's office after the exchange and agreed the goal was to protect borders.

Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that Nielsen was close to resigning after being criticized by Trump at a Cabinet meeting for what he said was her failure to secure US&nbsp;borders.

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement: "While we are passionate about solving the issue of illegal immigration, we are not angry at one another. However, we are furious at the failure of Congressional Democrats to help us address this growing crisis."

Trump threatened on Thursday to deploy the military and close the southern US&nbsp;border as Hondurans and Salvadorans joined thousands of migrants in Guatemala hoping to travel north.

"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 said in a tweet.

Two of President Donald Trump's top advisers got into a heated exchange outside the Oval Office on Thursday as passions boiled over about how to handle illegal immigration, two sources familiar with the incident said.

Two of President Donald Trump's top advisers got into a heated exchange outside the Oval Office on Thursday as passions boiled over about how to handle illegal immigration, two sources familiar with the incident said. The altercation occurred between White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, who is a former homeland security secretary, and Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, the sources said. One source described the argument as a "tense exchange" but said that it had blown over, and that it involved the job performance of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, a former deputy to Kelly. Another source said it was "not a big deal." Trump, asked about the incident, told reporters: "That I have not heard about." A senior White House official said later that Nielsen and Bolton had a nice conversation in Bolton's office after the exchange and agreed the goal was to protect borders. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that Nielsen was close to resigning after being criticized by Trump at a Cabinet meeting for what he said was her failure to secure US borders. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement: "While we are passionate about solving the issue of illegal immigration, we are not angry at one another. However, we are furious at the failure of Congressional Democrats to help us address this growing crisis." Trump threatened on Thursday to deploy the military and close the southern US border as Hondurans and Salvadorans joined thousands of migrants in Guatemala hoping to travel north. "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 said in a tweet.

Two top Trump aides tangle outside Oval Office over immigration

President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is 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 told journalists when asked if he believed that Khashoggi, who disappeared more than two weeks ago, is no longer alive.

Asked about the potential US response to Saudi Arabia, which is accused of murdering the Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi regime, Trump said: "It will have to be very severe. It's bad, bad stuff."

This marked a hardening of tone from the Trump administration, which has been reluctant to blame ally Saudi Arabia, despite mounting evidence that the kingdom's agents killed and dismembered Khashoggi inside its consulate in Istanbul more than two weeks ago.

A former regime insider, Khashoggi had become a critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the point man in ever-tightening military and commercial relations between the petro-state and the Trump administration.

Just hours earlier, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had told Trump the Saudis should be given "a few more days to complete" an investigation.

Only then, Pompeo said, "we can make decisions how or if the United States should respond."

In a possible sign of how the Saudis will seek to defuse the diplomatic crisis, The New York Times reported that the country's rulers could come out and blame General Ahmed al-Assiri, a top intelligence official close to the crown prince.

Call for UN probe&nbsp;

Four prominent human rights and press freedom groups on Thursday urged Turkey to request a United Nations investigation to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders said such a probe established by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would finally clear up the affair.

But the United States, the Saudis' most powerful patron, has repeatedly given the country's royals the benefit of the doubt, with Trump and top officials stressing that the US-Saudi relationship cannot be put at risk.

Trump has repeatedly praised massive Saudi arms purchases, while Pompeo used much of his brief remarks on Thursday to recall Washington's "long strategic relationship with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

The Saudis "continue to be an important counter-terrorism partner, they have custody of the two holy sites... We need to be mindful of that as well," he said.

Market takes a hit&nbsp;

The furor has also blown a hole in next week's Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, which was meant to showcase Prince Mohammed's plans for modernizing the desert kingdom.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was pulling out, joining senior ministers from Britain, France and the Netherlands, as well as a string of corporate leaders.

Mnuchin's announcement on Twitter helped push down stock prices on Wall Street.

His withdrawal "raises worry that the administration is being pushed to take a harder line against Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi murder and there could be retaliation," said Karl Haeling of LBBW.

Responses from Saudi Arabia could include selling US Treasuries, or punishing US companies seeking business in the kingdom, Haeling said.

Most analysts don't think Saudi Arabia would cut off oil supplies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, took a dig at Washington, saying that "the US holds a certain responsibility over what happened to him."

But he said Moscow would not "start deteriorating relations" with Saudi Arabia as long as "it did not know what really happened."

Gory details&nbsp;

Neither Turkey nor the United States has publicly confirmed that Khashoggi is dead or said officially that Riyadh is to blame.

But a steady stream of unconfirmed leaks from officials to Turkish media have painted a detailed and horrifying picture of Khashoggi's last minutes, allegedly at the hands of 15 Saudi agents waiting for him when he came to the consulate for paperwork.

The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper on Wednesday claimed it had heard audio tapes in which Khashoggi's alleged killers tortured him by cutting his fingers off before his decapitation.

The pro-government Sabah newspaper on Thursday said Saudi security official Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, believed to be close to the crown prince, was the leader of the operation.

"Here is the head of the execution team," said Sabah's headline, and the paper then detailed Mutreb's movements on the day Khashoggi went missing.

President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead and warned of "very severe" consequences should Saudi Arabia be proven responsible.

President Donald Trump said Thursday he now believes journalist Jamal Khashoggi is 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 told journalists when asked if he believed that Khashoggi, who disappeared more than two weeks ago, is no longer alive. Asked about the potential US response to Saudi Arabia, which is accused of murdering the Washington Post columnist and critic of the Saudi regime, Trump said: "It will have to be very severe. It's bad, bad stuff." This marked a hardening of tone from the Trump administration, which has been reluctant to blame ally Saudi Arabia, despite mounting evidence that the kingdom's agents killed and dismembered Khashoggi inside its consulate in Istanbul more than two weeks ago. A former regime insider, Khashoggi had become a critic of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the point man in ever-tightening military and commercial relations between the petro-state and the Trump administration. Just hours earlier, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had told Trump the Saudis should be given "a few more days to complete" an investigation. Only then, Pompeo said, "we can make decisions how or if the United States should respond." In a possible sign of how the Saudis will seek to defuse the diplomatic crisis, The New York Times reported that the country's rulers could come out and blame General Ahmed al-Assiri, a top intelligence official close to the crown prince. Call for UN probe Four prominent human rights and press freedom groups on Thursday urged Turkey to request a United Nations investigation to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime. The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders said such a probe established by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would finally clear up the affair. But the United States, the Saudis' most powerful patron, has repeatedly given the country's royals the benefit of the doubt, with Trump and top officials stressing that the US-Saudi relationship cannot be put at risk. Trump has repeatedly praised massive Saudi arms purchases, while Pompeo used much of his brief remarks on Thursday to recall Washington's "long strategic relationship with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia." The Saudis "continue to be an important counter-terrorism partner, they have custody of the two holy sites... We need to be mindful of that as well," he said. Market takes a hit The furor has also blown a hole in next week's Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, which was meant to showcase Prince Mohammed's plans for modernizing the desert kingdom. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was pulling out, joining senior ministers from Britain, France and the Netherlands, as well as a string of corporate leaders. Mnuchin's announcement on Twitter helped push down stock prices on Wall Street. His withdrawal "raises worry that the administration is being pushed to take a harder line against Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi murder and there could be retaliation," said Karl Haeling of LBBW. Responses from Saudi Arabia could include selling US Treasuries, or punishing US companies seeking business in the kingdom, Haeling said. Most analysts don't think Saudi Arabia would cut off oil supplies. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, took a dig at Washington, saying that "the US holds a certain responsibility over what happened to him." But he said Moscow would not "start deteriorating relations" with Saudi Arabia as long as "it did not know what really happened." Gory details Neither Turkey nor the United States has publicly confirmed that Khashoggi is dead or said officially that Riyadh is to blame. But a steady stream of unconfirmed leaks from officials to Turkish media have painted a detailed and horrifying picture of Khashoggi's last minutes, allegedly at the hands of 15 Saudi agents waiting for him when he came to the consulate for paperwork. The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper on Wednesday claimed it had heard audio tapes in which Khashoggi's alleged killers tortured him by cutting his fingers off before his decapitation. The pro-government Sabah newspaper on Thursday said Saudi security official Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, believed to be close to the crown prince, was the leader of the operation. "Here is the head of the execution team," said Sabah's headline, and the paper then detailed Mutreb's movements on the day Khashoggi went missing.

Trump says Saudi journalist likely dead, warns of 'severe' response

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed confidence in intelligence reports that suggest a high-level Saudi role in the suspected killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In an interview with the New York Times, Trump said, however, it was still "a little bit early" to draw definitive conclusions about who may have been behind it.

Trump met for less than an hour with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who gave the president an update on his talks this week with Saudi and Turkish officials about the Khashoggi case amid concern that the journalist was killed in the consulate after entering it on Oct. 2.

Pompeo told reporters after his talks with Trump that he made clear to the Saudis in his visit to Riyadh that "we take this matter with respect to Mr. Khashoggi very seriously."

"They made clear to me that they too understand the serious nature of the disappearance of Mr. Khashoggi. They also assured me that they will conduct a complete, thorough investigation of all of the facts surrounding Mr. Khashoggi and that they will do so in a timely fashion," Pompeo added.

Pompeo said he told Trump that "we ought to give them a few more days to complete" their investigation in order to get a full understanding of what happened "at which point we can make decisions about how - or if - the United States should respond to the incident surrounding Mr. Khashoggi."

"I think it's important for us all to remember to, we have a long - since 1932 - a long strategic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Pompeo added.

Meanwhile, four prominent human rights and press freedom groups on Thursday urged Turkey to request a United Nations investigation into the possible murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders said such a probe established by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would shed light on the fate of the prominent journalist.

Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi - a US&nbsp;resident and Washington Post columnist who was a strong critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - was murdered at the consulate and his body chopped up and removed.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed confidence in intelligence reports that suggest a high-level Saudi role in the suspected killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed confidence in intelligence reports that suggest a high-level Saudi role in the suspected killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump said, however, it was still "a little bit early" to draw definitive conclusions about who may have been behind it. Trump met for less than an hour with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who gave the president an update on his talks this week with Saudi and Turkish officials about the Khashoggi case amid concern that the journalist was killed in the consulate after entering it on Oct. 2. Pompeo told reporters after his talks with Trump that he made clear to the Saudis in his visit to Riyadh that "we take this matter with respect to Mr. Khashoggi very seriously." "They made clear to me that they too understand the serious nature of the disappearance of Mr. Khashoggi. They also assured me that they will conduct a complete, thorough investigation of all of the facts surrounding Mr. Khashoggi and that they will do so in a timely fashion," Pompeo added. Pompeo said he told Trump that "we ought to give them a few more days to complete" their investigation in order to get a full understanding of what happened "at which point we can make decisions about how - or if - the United States should respond to the incident surrounding Mr. Khashoggi." "I think it's important for us all to remember to, we have a long - since 1932 - a long strategic relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Pompeo added. Meanwhile, four prominent human rights and press freedom groups on Thursday urged Turkey to request a United Nations investigation into the possible murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi to prevent a "whitewash" of the alleged crime. The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders said such a probe established by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres would shed light on the fate of the prominent journalist. Turkish officials have said they believe Khashoggi - a US resident and Washington Post columnist who was a strong critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman - was murdered at the consulate and his body chopped up and removed.

Trump says too early to assign blame in Khashoggi's apparent killing

President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied covering up for ally Saudi Arabia in the suspected murder of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/missing-saudi-journalist-was-decapitated-report-171928">critical journalist</a> and said that he should know what happened to Jamal Khashoggi within days.

"No not at all, I just want to find out what's happening," Trump told reporters in the White House when asked if his consistently cautious approach to the scandal amounts to a cover-up. "I'm not giving cover at all."

The president said he would get a "full report" from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the diplomat's return from meetings with Saudi and Turkish leaders and that he'd then know the truth.

"We will probably know that by the end of the week," Trump said.

His comments followed publication in pro-government Turkish media of allegations purporting to confirm that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-considers-admitting-khashoggi-died-in-botched-interrogation-reports-171638">Khashoggi was not just murdered</a> by Saudi agents in their consulate in Istanbul, but dismembered.

According to the reports, the assassination squad included agents tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a powerful figure in the Saudi royal family and lynchpin in the trend toward ever-tightening relations with the White House.

The US president has been on the defensive ever since Khashoggi -- a US resident and Washington Post contributor who had criticized Prince Mohammed -- vanished on October 2 after visiting the Istanbul consulate.

The controversy has blown a massive hole in Prince Mohammed's bid to promote himself as the modern face of Saudi Arabia and led to a spate of cancelations by attendees at a major Riyadh investment conference scheduled next week.

But Trump has slow-pedaled on the possibility of action against Saudi Arabia, which he has repeatedly praised as a historic customer for the US weapons industry. Earlier Wednesday, he told Fox Business that the US relies on the kingdom in the fight against terrorism.

After talks with the Saudi leadership in Riyadh marked by expressions of mutual goodwill, Pompeo met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

But Pompeo was tight-lipped, telling journalists he did not want "to talk about any of the facts."

Turkish police on Wednesday began searching the residence of the Saudi consul in Istanbul for their investigation, with forensics experts in white overalls entering the building, an AFP correspondent said.

The Saudi consul Mohammed al-Otaibi left Istanbul for Riyadh on a scheduled Saudia flight Tuesday afternoon, with Ankara insisting he had not been expelled but left of his own choice.

Turkish police on Monday night also carried out an eight-hour search at the consulate itself, taking away soil and DNA samples. Erdogan said toxic material was found which had been "painted over".

Several US media outlets said Monday that the Saudis are preparing a report that Khashoggi's death resulted from a botched interrogation. However there has yet to be any sign of this being published.

Pro-government Turkish daily Yeni Safak reported it had heard audio recordings of Khashoggi being tortured during an interrogation, having his fingers cut off and then being decapitated.

It said al-Otaibi can be heard on one tape saying during Khashoggi's torture: "Do this outside. You are going to get me in trouble."

The daily reported that in another tape, an unknown individual tells Otaibi: "If you want to live when you return to Saudi Arabia, be quiet!"

The New York Times reported Tuesday that a suspect identified by Turkey was a frequent companion of the prince's. Three other suspects are linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic doctor, the Times said.

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde was the latest to pull out of Prince Mohammed's much-trumpeted investment conference next week. An IMF spokesman said she had postponed her planned trip to the Middle East with a stop in Saudi Arabia.

Pompeo came to Ankara after Riyadh where he held a 20-minute talk with King Salman and then a brief meeting and much lengthier dinner with his son Prince Mohammed.

The top US diplomat said that in Saudi Arabia he stressed the "importance of them conducting a complete investigation."

"They made a commitment that they would show the entire world the results of their investigation," said Pompeo, adding Saudi also vowed that no-one would have immunity.

Pompeo held 40 minutes of talks at the airport with Erdogan.&nbsp;

Interviewed by state-run Anadolu news agency, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu refused to be drawn into commenting on what may have happened inside the consulate.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied covering up for ally Saudi Arabia in the suspected murder of a critical journalist and said that he should know what happened to Jamal Khashoggi within days.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied covering up for ally Saudi Arabia in the suspected murder of a critical journalist and said that he should know what happened to Jamal Khashoggi within days. "No not at all, I just want to find out what's happening," Trump told reporters in the White House when asked if his consistently cautious approach to the scandal amounts to a cover-up. "I'm not giving cover at all." The president said he would get a "full report" from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the diplomat's return from meetings with Saudi and Turkish leaders and that he'd then know the truth. "We will probably know that by the end of the week," Trump said. His comments followed publication in pro-government Turkish media of allegations purporting to confirm that Khashoggi was not just murdered by Saudi agents in their consulate in Istanbul, but dismembered. According to the reports, the assassination squad included agents tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a powerful figure in the Saudi royal family and lynchpin in the trend toward ever-tightening relations with the White House. The US president has been on the defensive ever since Khashoggi -- a US resident and Washington Post contributor who had criticized Prince Mohammed -- vanished on October 2 after visiting the Istanbul consulate. The controversy has blown a massive hole in Prince Mohammed's bid to promote himself as the modern face of Saudi Arabia and led to a spate of cancelations by attendees at a major Riyadh investment conference scheduled next week. But Trump has slow-pedaled on the possibility of action against Saudi Arabia, which he has repeatedly praised as a historic customer for the US weapons industry. Earlier Wednesday, he told Fox Business that the US relies on the kingdom in the fight against terrorism. After talks with the Saudi leadership in Riyadh marked by expressions of mutual goodwill, Pompeo met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. But Pompeo was tight-lipped, telling journalists he did not want "to talk about any of the facts." Turkish police on Wednesday began searching the residence of the Saudi consul in Istanbul for their investigation, with forensics experts in white overalls entering the building, an AFP correspondent said. The Saudi consul Mohammed al-Otaibi left Istanbul for Riyadh on a scheduled Saudia flight Tuesday afternoon, with Ankara insisting he had not been expelled but left of his own choice. Turkish police on Monday night also carried out an eight-hour search at the consulate itself, taking away soil and DNA samples. Erdogan said toxic material was found which had been "painted over". Several US media outlets said Monday that the Saudis are preparing a report that Khashoggi's death resulted from a botched interrogation. However there has yet to be any sign of this being published. Pro-government Turkish daily Yeni Safak reported it had heard audio recordings of Khashoggi being tortured during an interrogation, having his fingers cut off and then being decapitated. It said al-Otaibi can be heard on one tape saying during Khashoggi's torture: "Do this outside. You are going to get me in trouble." The daily reported that in another tape, an unknown individual tells Otaibi: "If you want to live when you return to Saudi Arabia, be quiet!" The New York Times reported Tuesday that a suspect identified by Turkey was a frequent companion of the prince's. Three other suspects are linked to his security detail and a fifth is a high-level forensic doctor, the Times said. International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde was the latest to pull out of Prince Mohammed's much-trumpeted investment conference next week. An IMF spokesman said she had postponed her planned trip to the Middle East with a stop in Saudi Arabia. Pompeo came to Ankara after Riyadh where he held a 20-minute talk with King Salman and then a brief meeting and much lengthier dinner with his son Prince Mohammed. The top US diplomat said that in Saudi Arabia he stressed the "importance of them conducting a complete investigation." "They made a commitment that they would show the entire world the results of their investigation," said Pompeo, adding Saudi also vowed that no-one would have immunity. Pompeo held 40 minutes of talks at the airport with Erdogan. Interviewed by state-run Anadolu news agency, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu refused to be drawn into commenting on what may have happened inside the consulate.

Jamal Khashoggi case: Trump says he is not covering for Saudis, truth will be out in days

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump heaped more criticism on the Federal Reserve in an interview with Fox Business Network on Tuesday, extending his discontent beyond its chairman, Jerome Powell, whom he has frequently critiqued in public.

"My biggest threat is the Fed," he said, according to excerpts released before the interview with "Trish Regan Primetime" airs. "I put a couple of other people there I’m not so happy with too but for the most part I’m very happy with people."

Last week, Trump criticized the US&nbsp;central bank twice, saying it was raising interest rates so swiftly that it threatened the country's economic health.

Nonetheless, in the face of a hot labour market and signs of inflation, the Fed has settled into a gradual policy tightening and is expected to raise interest rates again in December.

Past US&nbsp;presidents have been reticent to criticize the central bank because its independence is seen as important for economic stability. But Trump in the past week has called the Fed "crazy," "loco," "ridiculous," and "too cute."

Trump has said he is not trying to oust Powell, whom he appointed to replace former Chair Janet Yellen. The president also appointed two of the three other policymakers on the Fed's powerful Board of Governors, Randal Quarles and Richard Clarida.

"Can I be honest? I’m not blaming anybody," Trump said in the interview. "I put (Powell) there. And maybe it’s right, maybe it’s wrong, but I put him there."

The Fed independently makes policy decisions but regularly reports to Congress. Data since the Fed's last meeting in September has been in line with its portrait of a strong economy, and policymakers have said they expect to continue a rate-hike cycle that began in late 2015.

Republican US&nbsp;Representative Jeb Hensarling, who is set to retire as chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee that oversees the central bank, said Trump "clearly has his own style." But "I don't think the fact that he has publicly criticized the Fed, in any way shape or form, is going to impinge upon (its) independence," he told Reuters.

US President Donald Trump heaped more criticism on the Federal Reserve in an interview with Fox Business Network on Tuesday, extending his discontent beyond its chairman, Jerome Powell, whom he has frequently critiqued in public.

US President Donald Trump heaped more criticism on the Federal Reserve in an interview with Fox Business Network on Tuesday, extending his discontent beyond its chairman, Jerome Powell, whom he has frequently critiqued in public. "My biggest threat is the Fed," he said, according to excerpts released before the interview with "Trish Regan Primetime" airs. "I put a couple of other people there I’m not so happy with too but for the most part I’m very happy with people." Last week, Trump criticized the US central bank twice, saying it was raising interest rates so swiftly that it threatened the country's economic health. Nonetheless, in the face of a hot labour market and signs of inflation, the Fed has settled into a gradual policy tightening and is expected to raise interest rates again in December. Past US presidents have been reticent to criticize the central bank because its independence is seen as important for economic stability. But Trump in the past week has called the Fed "crazy," "loco," "ridiculous," and "too cute." Trump has said he is not trying to oust Powell, whom he appointed to replace former Chair Janet Yellen. The president also appointed two of the three other policymakers on the Fed's powerful Board of Governors, Randal Quarles and Richard Clarida. "Can I be honest? I’m not blaming anybody," Trump said in the interview. "I put (Powell) there. And maybe it’s right, maybe it’s wrong, but I put him there." The Fed independently makes policy decisions but regularly reports to Congress. Data since the Fed's last meeting in September has been in line with its portrait of a strong economy, and policymakers have said they expect to continue a rate-hike cycle that began in late 2015. Republican US Representative Jeb Hensarling, who is set to retire as chairman of the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee that oversees the central bank, said Trump "clearly has his own style." But "I don't think the fact that he has publicly criticized the Fed, in any way shape or form, is going to impinge upon (its) independence," he told Reuters.

Trump widens Fed critique, calls it 'my biggest threat'

Budding diplomatic crisis with ally Saudi Arabia, cleaning up after Hurricane Michael, stock market jitters and... President Donald Trump focused Tuesday on calling a rival Democratic senator names.

Trump's mockery of liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren's claim to have Native American blood has finally boiled up from a bizarre political sideshow to full-blown White House obsession.

Latching on to a disproven theory that Warren used her tribal heritage claim to advance her academic career at Harvard, Trump <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-senator-warren-mocked-by-trump-as-pocahontas-releases-dna-test-171612">revels in denigrating the Democrat as "Pocahontas."</a>

Pocahontas was a historical 17th century figure, long famous in US pop culture, but who has been turned by Trump into a jibe against Warren that he often repeats to laughter from the crowds at his campaign rallies.

Warren -- touted as a likely Democratic challenger to Trump in 2020 -- thought she'd put the matter to bed on Monday when she released a DNA test showing she does indeed have a sliver of Native American heritage.

But Trump, who once promised to pay $1 million to charity if Warren could ever prove her claim, savaged the senator again Tuesday in no less than three early morning tweets.

"Pocahontas (the bad version), sometimes referred to as Elizabeth Warren, is getting slammed. She took a bogus DNA test and it showed that she may be 1/1024, far less than the average American," he said.

He pointed out that the Cherokee Nation tribe -- which Warren has said an ancestor belonged to -- had rejected the relevance of her DNA claim, saying a "DNA test is useless to determine tribal citizenship."

"Now Cherokee Nation denies her," Trump gleefully tweeted. "Even they don’t want her. Phony!"

Budding diplomatic crisis with ally Saudi Arabia, cleaning up after Hurricane Michael, stock market jitters and... President Donald Trump focused Tuesday on calling a rival Democratic senator names.

Budding diplomatic crisis with ally Saudi Arabia, cleaning up after Hurricane Michael, stock market jitters and... President Donald Trump focused Tuesday on calling a rival Democratic senator names. Trump's mockery of liberal Senator Elizabeth Warren's claim to have Native American blood has finally boiled up from a bizarre political sideshow to full-blown White House obsession. Latching on to a disproven theory that Warren used her tribal heritage claim to advance her academic career at Harvard, Trump revels in denigrating the Democrat as "Pocahontas." Pocahontas was a historical 17th century figure, long famous in US pop culture, but who has been turned by Trump into a jibe against Warren that he often repeats to laughter from the crowds at his campaign rallies. Warren -- touted as a likely Democratic challenger to Trump in 2020 -- thought she'd put the matter to bed on Monday when she released a DNA test showing she does indeed have a sliver of Native American heritage. But Trump, who once promised to pay $1 million to charity if Warren could ever prove her claim, savaged the senator again Tuesday in no less than three early morning tweets. "Pocahontas (the bad version), sometimes referred to as Elizabeth Warren, is getting slammed. She took a bogus DNA test and it showed that she may be 1/1024, far less than the average American," he said. He pointed out that the Cherokee Nation tribe -- which Warren has said an ancestor belonged to -- had rejected the relevance of her DNA claim, saying a "DNA test is useless to determine tribal citizenship." "Now Cherokee Nation denies her," Trump gleefully tweeted. "Even they don’t want her. Phony!"

Trump tears into rival Democrat 'Pocahontas'

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he did not want to walk away from Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and alleged killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arguing the US relies on the kingdom in the fight against terrorism.

Asked during an interview on Fox Business what action he had in mind for Riyadh if he learned it was responsible, Trump said: "Well, I hope we're going to be on the better side of the equation."

"You know we need Saudi Arabia in terms of our fight against all of the terrorism, everything that's happening in Iran and other places."

Asked if the US would not then walk away from Saudi Arabia, he said: "I do not want to do that and frankly they have a tremendous order, $110 billion." The reference was to promised US arms sales to the kingdom.&nbsp;

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he did not want to walk away from Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and alleged killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arguing the US relies on the kingdom in the fight against terrorism.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he did not want to walk away from Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and alleged killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, arguing the US relies on the kingdom in the fight against terrorism. Asked during an interview on Fox Business what action he had in mind for Riyadh if he learned it was responsible, Trump said: "Well, I hope we're going to be on the better side of the equation." "You know we need Saudi Arabia in terms of our fight against all of the terrorism, everything that's happening in Iran and other places." Asked if the US would not then walk away from Saudi Arabia, he said: "I do not want to do that and frankly they have a tremendous order, $110 billion." The reference was to promised US arms sales to the kingdom.

Trump says US needs Saudi Arabia in fight against terrorism

Anyone entering the US illegally would be arrested, detained and then deported back, President Donald Trump has warned as he threatened three Central American nations to halt a migrant caravan from heading to America or lose millions of dollars in foreign aid.

Trump's warning comes amidst reports that a new migrant caravan from Honduras comprising about 1600 people is moving towards the US via Guatemala.

The caravan, formed in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Saturday, crossed into Guatemala on Monday. Guatemala detained one of its coordinators on Tuesday, but other members of the caravan are advancing through Guatemala with hopes of reaching the US border.

"Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!" Trump said in a late-night tweet.

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Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!
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He said his administration has informed the three countries - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - that America will stop all payments to them if they allow their citizens to enter the US.

"We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!" Trump said in another tweet.

In 2017, the US gave US $248 million to Guatemala, US $175 million to Honduras and US $115 million to El Salvador in foreign aid.

Vice President Mike Pence also tweeted earlier, saying that he had spoken with Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.

He said Trump's message to Honduras also applied to Guatemala, "no more aid if it's not stopped!"

"Spoke with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales about caravan heading for the US and made clear our borders and sovereignty must be maintained. We expect our partners to do all they can to assist and appreciate their support. Reiterated POTUS' message: no more aid if it's not stopped!" Pence tweeted.

This caravan's emergence comes nearly six months after another caravan consisting largely of Honduran immigrants reached the US-Mexico border.

Its formation also comes just weeks before high-stakes midterm elections in the United States, in which many Republican candidates have been echoing President Trump's message of boosting border security and cracking down on illegal immigration.

Trump has been a fierce advocate of building a border wall with Mexico to tighten the US' immigration controls.

He believes border security is a serious national issue and the lack of it poses a substantial threat to the "sovereignty and safety" of America and its citizens.

During his campaign, Trump tapped into the immigration concerns of many Americans who worry about loss of economic opportunities and the threat of criminals and terrorists entering the country.

His call for the construction of a border wall was one of his most popular proposals and helped the billionaire tycoon to galvanise masses.&nbsp;

Anyone entering the US illegally would be arrested, detained and then deported back, President Donald Trump has warned as he threatened three Central American nations to halt a migrant caravan from heading to America or lose millions of dollars in foreign aid.

Anyone entering the US illegally would be arrested, detained and then deported back, President Donald Trump has warned as he threatened three Central American nations to halt a migrant caravan from heading to America or lose millions of dollars in foreign aid. Trump's warning comes amidst reports that a new migrant caravan from Honduras comprising about 1600 people is moving towards the US via Guatemala. The caravan, formed in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula on Saturday, crossed into Guatemala on Monday. Guatemala detained one of its coordinators on Tuesday, but other members of the caravan are advancing through Guatemala with hopes of reaching the US border. "Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country!" Trump said in a late-night tweet. Anybody entering the United States illegally will be arrested and detained, prior to being sent back to their country! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2018 × He said his administration has informed the three countries - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - that America will stop all payments to them if they allow their citizens to enter the US. "We have today informed the countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador that if they allow their citizens, or others, to journey through their borders and up to the United States, with the intention of entering our country illegally, all payments made to them will STOP (END)!" Trump said in another tweet. In 2017, the US gave US $248 million to Guatemala, US $175 million to Honduras and US $115 million to El Salvador in foreign aid. Vice President Mike Pence also tweeted earlier, saying that he had spoken with Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. He said Trump's message to Honduras also applied to Guatemala, "no more aid if it's not stopped!" "Spoke with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales about caravan heading for the US and made clear our borders and sovereignty must be maintained. We expect our partners to do all they can to assist and appreciate their support. Reiterated POTUS' message: no more aid if it's not stopped!" Pence tweeted. This caravan's emergence comes nearly six months after another caravan consisting largely of Honduran immigrants reached the US-Mexico border. Its formation also comes just weeks before high-stakes midterm elections in the United States, in which many Republican candidates have been echoing President Trump's message of boosting border security and cracking down on illegal immigration. Trump has been a fierce advocate of building a border wall with Mexico to tighten the US' immigration controls. He believes border security is a serious national issue and the lack of it poses a substantial threat to the "sovereignty and safety" of America and its citizens. During his campaign, Trump tapped into the immigration concerns of many Americans who worry about loss of economic opportunities and the threat of criminals and terrorists entering the country. His call for the construction of a border wall was one of his most popular proposals and helped the billionaire tycoon to galvanise masses.

'Arrest, detain and deport': Donald Trump on people entering US illegally

US President Donald Trump said Monday that "rogue killers" could be to blame for the disappearance of a dissident Saudi journalist and said that the oil-rich state's monarch emphatically denies involvement.

"The denial was very, very strong," Trump told reporters at the White House after talking to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-king-orders-public-prosecutor-to-open-internal-investigation-into-khashoggi-case-171569">King Salman</a> by telephone. "It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?"

"All I can do is report what he told me. He told me in a very firm way that they had no knowledge of it. He said it very strongly," Trump said.

Trump said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Saudi Arabia within the hour to discuss the controversy over journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post and critic of powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Khashoggi vanished after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/turkey-to-search-saudi-consulate-in-missing-journalist-khashoggi-case-source-171581">Turkish sources say he was murdered there</a> by a team of Saudi agents.

Trump has taken a cautious position, threatening &nbsp;"severe punishment" should proof emerge of Saudi guilt, but insisting that he will not risk billions of dollars in deals to sell US weapons to the kingdom, a strategic ally in the tinder box Middle East.

Following days of mounting tensions, Saudi officials were allowing Turkish investigators to enter the consulate on Monday.

A Turkish diplomatic source said it was expected that the search, to be conducted jointly with Saudi authorities, would "take place towards the evening."

Lurid claims have appeared in Turkish media, including that Khashoggi was tortured before being killed and cut up. However, the Turkish leadership has so far refrained from pointing the finger directly at Riyadh in public comments.

The controversy has also embarrassed Saudi Arabia's other traditional Western allies -- many of them arms suppliers to the kingdom -- and undermined efforts by the prince, Mohammed, to present himself as the modernizing future of the kingdom.

An investment conference seen as a platform for the crown prince, due to take place next week in Riyadh and dubbed "Davos in the Desert," has been hit by a string of prominent cancellations.

Business barons including British billionaire Richard Branson and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, as well as media powerhouses like Bloomberg and CNN, have pulled out of the Future Investment Initiative (FII).&nbsp;

In major new twin blows to the credibility of the event, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Ford chairman Bill Ford also cancelled plans to attend, CNBC reported.

In Washington, Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, is coming under pressure after having spearheaded the administration's strategy to forge close ties with Mohammed.

But US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that he still plans to attend the Saudi conference.

"If more information comes out over the next week, I will obviously take that into account," he said.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that "rogue killers" could be to blame for the disappearance of a dissident Saudi journalist and said that the oil-rich state's monarch emphatically denies involvement.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that "rogue killers" could be to blame for the disappearance of a dissident Saudi journalist and said that the oil-rich state's monarch emphatically denies involvement. "The denial was very, very strong," Trump told reporters at the White House after talking to King Salman by telephone. "It sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers. Who knows?" "All I can do is report what he told me. He told me in a very firm way that they had no knowledge of it. He said it very strongly," Trump said. Trump said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was on his way to Saudi Arabia within the hour to discuss the controversy over journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a contributor to The Washington Post and critic of powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi vanished after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2. Turkish sources say he was murdered there by a team of Saudi agents. Trump has taken a cautious position, threatening "severe punishment" should proof emerge of Saudi guilt, but insisting that he will not risk billions of dollars in deals to sell US weapons to the kingdom, a strategic ally in the tinder box Middle East. Following days of mounting tensions, Saudi officials were allowing Turkish investigators to enter the consulate on Monday. A Turkish diplomatic source said it was expected that the search, to be conducted jointly with Saudi authorities, would "take place towards the evening." Lurid claims have appeared in Turkish media, including that Khashoggi was tortured before being killed and cut up. However, the Turkish leadership has so far refrained from pointing the finger directly at Riyadh in public comments. The controversy has also embarrassed Saudi Arabia's other traditional Western allies -- many of them arms suppliers to the kingdom -- and undermined efforts by the prince, Mohammed, to present himself as the modernizing future of the kingdom. An investment conference seen as a platform for the crown prince, due to take place next week in Riyadh and dubbed "Davos in the Desert," has been hit by a string of prominent cancellations. Business barons including British billionaire Richard Branson and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, as well as media powerhouses like Bloomberg and CNN, have pulled out of the Future Investment Initiative (FII). In major new twin blows to the credibility of the event, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Ford chairman Bill Ford also cancelled plans to attend, CNBC reported. In Washington, Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, is coming under pressure after having spearheaded the administration's strategy to forge close ties with Mohammed. But US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that he still plans to attend the Saudi conference. "If more information comes out over the next week, I will obviously take that into account," he said.

'Rogue killers' may have killed missing Saudi journalist Khashoggi: Trump

US&nbsp;Senator Elizabeth Warren has released a DNA test that shows "strong evidence" she has Native-American heritage, a smackdown of President Donald Trump's ridicule of her as "fake Pocahontas" while she signals a possible 2020 presidential run.

Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said last month she would take a "hard look" at running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Trump in 2020. She and Trump clashed frequently through the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump has cast aspersions on her claim to Native-American ancestry.

"When I decided to run for Senate in 2012, I never thought that my family's Native American heritage would come under attack and my dead parents would be called liars," she said in a statement on Monday.

"And I never expected the president of the United States to use my family's story as a racist political joke," she said.

Trump taunted Warren over the issue at a July rally in Montana.

"I will give you a million dollars to your favorite charity, paid for by Trump, if you take the test and it shows you're an Indian," he said. "I have a feeling she will say no."

However, when Trump was asked about the DNA test on Monday, he said, "Who cares?" as he left Washington to visit hurricane-stricken areas in Florida and Georgia.

Warren provided the DNA test results in a statement, showing the lineage goes back six to 10 generations. https://bit.ly/2OqLmUz

The analysis of Warren's DNA was done by Carlos D. Bustamante, a Stanford University professor who the Boston Globe reported was an expert in the field.

The professor concluded that most of the senator's DNA shows European ancestry, but there is a Native-American segment. Warren has said that her Native-American ancestry possibly goes back to the 1700s, including Cherokee blood on her mother's side, according to family lore.

Warren's release of the DNA results could be a prelude to a possible presidential run.

Known as a liberal firebrand in her party, Warren is a former Harvard Law School professor who has championed populist economics including student loan reform and a higher minimum wage.

Warren was an architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau set up after the 2008 financial crisis and has been a strong voice in the U.S. Senate on financial issues.

Trump has repeatedly called Warren "Pocahontas," the name of a 17th century Native American teenager, to draw attention to a controversy over her heritage raised during Warren’s 2012 Senate race.

Warren, campaigning with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016, attacked Trump as an "insecure money grubber" who is driven by greed and hate.

"I hope she's running for president, because I think she'll be very easy," Trump said as he left the White House.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has released a DNA test that shows "strong evidence" she has Native-American heritage, a smackdown of President Donald Trump's ridicule of her as "fake Pocahontas" while she signals a possible 2020 presidential run.

US Senator Elizabeth Warren has released a DNA test that shows "strong evidence" she has Native-American heritage, a smackdown of President Donald Trump's ridicule of her as "fake Pocahontas" while she signals a possible 2020 presidential run. Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said last month she would take a "hard look" at running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Trump in 2020. She and Trump clashed frequently through the 2016 presidential campaign and Trump has cast aspersions on her claim to Native-American ancestry. "When I decided to run for Senate in 2012, I never thought that my family's Native American heritage would come under attack and my dead parents would be called liars," she said in a statement on Monday. "And I never expected the president of the United States to use my family's story as a racist political joke," she said. Trump taunted Warren over the issue at a July rally in Montana. "I will give you a million dollars to your favorite charity, paid for by Trump, if you take the test and it shows you're an Indian," he said. "I have a feeling she will say no." However, when Trump was asked about the DNA test on Monday, he said, "Who cares?" as he left Washington to visit hurricane-stricken areas in Florida and Georgia. Warren provided the DNA test results in a statement, showing the lineage goes back six to 10 generations. https://bit.ly/2OqLmUz The analysis of Warren's DNA was done by Carlos D. Bustamante, a Stanford University professor who the Boston Globe reported was an expert in the field. The professor concluded that most of the senator's DNA shows European ancestry, but there is a Native-American segment. Warren has said that her Native-American ancestry possibly goes back to the 1700s, including Cherokee blood on her mother's side, according to family lore. Warren's release of the DNA results could be a prelude to a possible presidential run. Known as a liberal firebrand in her party, Warren is a former Harvard Law School professor who has championed populist economics including student loan reform and a higher minimum wage. Warren was an architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau set up after the 2008 financial crisis and has been a strong voice in the U.S. Senate on financial issues. Trump has repeatedly called Warren "Pocahontas," the name of a 17th century Native American teenager, to draw attention to a controversy over her heritage raised during Warren’s 2012 Senate race. Warren, campaigning with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in 2016, attacked Trump as an "insecure money grubber" who is driven by greed and hate. "I hope she's running for president, because I think she'll be very easy," Trump said as he left the White House.

US Senator Warren, mocked by Trump as 'Pocahontas', releases DNA test

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!
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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

An American pastor held for two years in Turkey on terror-related charges arrived home in the United States on Saturday and sat down with US President Donald Trump, who signaled an easing in the diplomatic crisis sparked by the case.

Andrew Brunson -- who has become a cause celebre for Trump's conservative Christian base -- received a hero's welcome at the White House shortly after his arrival at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.

Brunson thanked Trump and his administration, saying "you really fought for us" and later kneeled to pray for the president, his hand on Trump's shoulder.

Trump repeatedly thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his help on the case, which caused not only a serious diplomatic row between the NATO allies but led to a crash in the lira, exposing Turkey's economic fragility.

"It's not an easy situation for Turkey either. They had a lot of difficult situations going on and I do want to thank President Erdogan for making this possible," Trump said.

On Friday, a Turkish court in the western port city of Aliaga convicted Brunson on charges of espionage and aiding terror groups. It sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in jail -- but released him based on time served and good behavior.

Erdogan has said the court's decision was "taken independently."

Both Trump and Erdogan have denied reports that the two sides reached a secret deal for the 50-year-old Brunson to be released in exchange for the US easing "economic pressure" on Ankara.

"There was absolutely no deal made," Trump told reporters on Saturday. "We don't pay ransom" for hostages.

But as he tweeted earlier, "There was, however, great appreciation on behalf of the United States, which will lead to good, perhaps great, relations between the United States &amp; Turkey!"

Erdogan later responded: "I hope that the United States and Turkey continue cooperation in a manner that befits two allies."

Trump continued to celebrate Brunson's liberation into the night. "Big day! Pastor Andrew Brunson, who could have spent 35 years in a Turkish prison, was returned safely home to his family today," he tweeted.

'I am an innocent man' 
Brunson is an evangelical Presbyterian clergyman who lived in Turkey for nearly half his life, initially moving there in 1993 as part of a missionary program.

He was first detained in October 2016 and faced up to 35 years in jail. Prosecutors then demanded a sentence of up to 10 years. The pastor steadfastly insisted he was not guilty.

"I am an innocent man. I love Jesus. I love Turkey," he said in his final defense.

When the verdict was read out, Brunson wept and hugged his wife Norine.

After gathering his belongings, Brunson was driven to the airport in the Turkish city of Izmir, where he boarded a US military plane for Germany.&nbsp;

Upon arrival there for a refueling stop, he kissed an American flag presented to him by Richard Grenell, the US ambassador in Berlin.

'Navigate through a minefield' 
While the strain in US-Turkish relations eased with Brunson's release, problems remain.&nbsp;

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to "quickly release" other Americans in detention.

He said Washington would "continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained."

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.

And two Turkish employees of US diplomatic missions remain in jail. One of them, former Adana consulate staffer Hamza Ulucay, was denied release on Friday.

Anthony Skinner, director for Middle East and North Africa at the Verisk Maplecroft consultancy, said that the US and Turkey had plenty of disagreements beyond Brunson.

"The clamp has now been removed, which opens the way for bilateral negotiations to address other sources of disagreement, but Washington and Ankara still have to navigate through a minefield," Skinner said.

He pointed to Turkey's order for Russian S-400 missile defense systems, which has riled its Western allies, as well as Ankara's determination to do business with Iran in defiance of US sanctions.

Turkey is bracing for potential fines from US authorities over sanctions-busting by Turkish lender Halkbank, whose deputy director general has been jailed in the United States.&nbsp;

Brunson's release comes at a sensitive time for the Turkish leadership, which is under global scrutiny over how it handles the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared at Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul last week.

Both Erdogan and Trump have pressed Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to Khashoggi.&nbsp;

Now that the Brunson issue has been resolved to Washington's satisfaction, it could help the two sides coordinate their Saudi policy more closely.

An American pastor held for two years in Turkey on terror-related charges arrived home in the United States on Saturday and sat down with US President Donald Trump, who signaled an easing in the diplomatic crisis sparked by the case.

An American pastor held for two years in Turkey on terror-related charges arrived home in the United States on Saturday and sat down with US President Donald Trump, who signaled an easing in the diplomatic crisis sparked by the case. Andrew Brunson -- who has become a cause celebre for Trump's conservative Christian base -- received a hero's welcome at the White House shortly after his arrival at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington. Brunson thanked Trump and his administration, saying "you really fought for us" and later kneeled to pray for the president, his hand on Trump's shoulder. Trump repeatedly thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his help on the case, which caused not only a serious diplomatic row between the NATO allies but led to a crash in the lira, exposing Turkey's economic fragility. "It's not an easy situation for Turkey either. They had a lot of difficult situations going on and I do want to thank President Erdogan for making this possible," Trump said. On Friday, a Turkish court in the western port city of Aliaga convicted Brunson on charges of espionage and aiding terror groups. It sentenced him to three years, one month and 15 days in jail -- but released him based on time served and good behavior. Erdogan has said the court's decision was "taken independently." Both Trump and Erdogan have denied reports that the two sides reached a secret deal for the 50-year-old Brunson to be released in exchange for the US easing "economic pressure" on Ankara. "There was absolutely no deal made," Trump told reporters on Saturday. "We don't pay ransom" for hostages. But as he tweeted earlier, "There was, however, great appreciation on behalf of the United States, which will lead to good, perhaps great, relations between the United States & Turkey!" Erdogan later responded: "I hope that the United States and Turkey continue cooperation in a manner that befits two allies." Trump continued to celebrate Brunson's liberation into the night. "Big day! Pastor Andrew Brunson, who could have spent 35 years in a Turkish prison, was returned safely home to his family today," he tweeted. 'I am an innocent man' Brunson is an evangelical Presbyterian clergyman who lived in Turkey for nearly half his life, initially moving there in 1993 as part of a missionary program. He was first detained in October 2016 and faced up to 35 years in jail. Prosecutors then demanded a sentence of up to 10 years. The pastor steadfastly insisted he was not guilty. "I am an innocent man. I love Jesus. I love Turkey," he said in his final defense. When the verdict was read out, Brunson wept and hugged his wife Norine. After gathering his belongings, Brunson was driven to the airport in the Turkish city of Izmir, where he boarded a US military plane for Germany. Upon arrival there for a refueling stop, he kissed an American flag presented to him by Richard Grenell, the US ambassador in Berlin. 'Navigate through a minefield' While the strain in US-Turkish relations eased with Brunson's release, problems remain. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Turkey to "quickly release" other Americans in detention. He said Washington would "continue to work hard to bring home all American hostages and those wrongfully imprisoned and detained." 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. And two Turkish employees of US diplomatic missions remain in jail. One of them, former Adana consulate staffer Hamza Ulucay, was denied release on Friday. Anthony Skinner, director for Middle East and North Africa at the Verisk Maplecroft consultancy, said that the US and Turkey had plenty of disagreements beyond Brunson. "The clamp has now been removed, which opens the way for bilateral negotiations to address other sources of disagreement, but Washington and Ankara still have to navigate through a minefield," Skinner said. He pointed to Turkey's order for Russian S-400 missile defense systems, which has riled its Western allies, as well as Ankara's determination to do business with Iran in defiance of US sanctions. Turkey is bracing for potential fines from US authorities over sanctions-busting by Turkish lender Halkbank, whose deputy director general has been jailed in the United States. Brunson's release comes at a sensitive time for the Turkish leadership, which is under global scrutiny over how it handles the case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who disappeared at Riyadh's consulate in Istanbul last week. Both Erdogan and Trump have pressed Saudi Arabia to explain what happened to Khashoggi. Now that the Brunson issue has been resolved to Washington's satisfaction, it could help the two sides coordinate their Saudi policy more closely.

Freed US pastor home from Turkey, meets Trump at White House

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States would be "punishing" itself by halting military sales to Saudi Arabia even if it is proven that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the country's consulate in Istanbul.

Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Riyadh and a US resident, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate. Turkey's government believes he was deliberately killed inside the building and his body removed.

Trump has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and is under international and domestic pressure to help determine what happened to Khashoggi and punish Saudi Arabia if investigations show its government had him killed.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have demanded firm action. There was already mounting concern over civilian deaths caused by a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen's civil war and some lawmakers have said Washington should block military sales to Riyadh if the allegations over Khashoggi are proven.

But Trump is firmly opposed.

"I actually think we’d be punishing ourselves if we did that," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"There are other things we can do that are very, very powerful, very strong and we’ll do them," he added, without saying what those measures might be.

Under US law, major foreign military sales can be blocked by Congress. An informal review process lets key lawmakers use a practice known as a "hold" to stall deals if they have concerns such as whether the weapons being supplied would be used to kill civilians.

Major US defence contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co, are among the beneficiaries of Washington's close ties to Riyadh and would be hurt by the halting of major arms deals.

Trump said on Saturday his administration won a $110 billion military order from Saudi Arabia and that the deal, combined with Saudi commitments to invest heavily in the United States, was worth hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs.

"If they don’t buy it from us, they’re going to buy it from Russia or they’re going to buy it from China," he said. "Think of that, $110 billion. All they’re going to do is give it to other countries, and I think that would be very foolish.”

It was unclear what specific measures, if any, Trump is considering against Saudi Arabia, which is the world's largest oil exporter, and one of his top allies.

The Trump administration plans to reimpose sanctions on oil exports from Iran on Nov. 5 and Trump has urged Saudi Arabia to boost oil output to help make up for the loss.

Trump said he would probably speak to Saudi Arabia's King Salman over the weekend "because I think it’s appropriate for me to ask him what’s going on."

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States would be "punishing" itself by halting military sales to Saudi Arabia even if it is proven that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the country's consulate in Istanbul.

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States would be "punishing" itself by halting military sales to Saudi Arabia even if it is proven that Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the country's consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Riyadh and a US resident, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate. Turkey's government believes he was deliberately killed inside the building and his body removed. Trump has forged closer ties with Saudi Arabia and is under international and domestic pressure to help determine what happened to Khashoggi and punish Saudi Arabia if investigations show its government had him killed. Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have demanded firm action. There was already mounting concern over civilian deaths caused by a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen's civil war and some lawmakers have said Washington should block military sales to Riyadh if the allegations over Khashoggi are proven. But Trump is firmly opposed. "I actually think we’d be punishing ourselves if we did that," Trump told reporters at the White House. "There are other things we can do that are very, very powerful, very strong and we’ll do them," he added, without saying what those measures might be. Under US law, major foreign military sales can be blocked by Congress. An informal review process lets key lawmakers use a practice known as a "hold" to stall deals if they have concerns such as whether the weapons being supplied would be used to kill civilians. Major US defence contractors, including Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon Co, are among the beneficiaries of Washington's close ties to Riyadh and would be hurt by the halting of major arms deals. Trump said on Saturday his administration won a $110 billion military order from Saudi Arabia and that the deal, combined with Saudi commitments to invest heavily in the United States, was worth hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs. "If they don’t buy it from us, they’re going to buy it from Russia or they’re going to buy it from China," he said. "Think of that, $110 billion. All they’re going to do is give it to other countries, and I think that would be very foolish.” It was unclear what specific measures, if any, Trump is considering against Saudi Arabia, which is the world's largest oil exporter, and one of his top allies. The Trump administration plans to reimpose sanctions on oil exports from Iran on Nov. 5 and Trump has urged Saudi Arabia to boost oil output to help make up for the loss. Trump said he would probably speak to Saudi Arabia's King Salman over the weekend "because I think it’s appropriate for me to ask him what’s going on."

Trump says US would be 'punishing' itself if it halts Saudi arms sales

US President Donald Trump has said that he wants people with merit, who can help, to enter the country and not sneak inside the border illegally.

"I'm very tough at the borders. We've been very tough at the borders. People have to come into our country legally, not illegally. Legally. And I want them to come in on merit," Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday.

Responding to a series of question on illegal immigration, the president reiterated that he wants people based on merit, a move that can help technology professionals from countries such as India.

"What I want is merit. I want a lot of people to come in. We have great car companies entering our country again. This hasn't happened for 35 years. We have companies like Foxconn going to Wisconsin with a massive, massive plant," he said.

"We need people coming in, but we want them to come in on merit. We want people that are going to help us. It's very important," Trump said.

Observing that immigration is not tricky to him, he insisted that the administration and the Congress have to do the right thing whether there's an election or not.

He opposed the chain migration policy and said, "If that's a bad policy, then guess what, a lot of bad things are going to happen. But a lot of people agree with me. I would say a vast majority of our country agrees. They don't want criminals coming into our country.They don't want people that they don't want in the country that aren't going to help us as a country. They don't want these people coming in. So we have a very strong policy."&nbsp;

"The one thing that really has changed over the last couple of years since I've been President -- our country is doing so well, even with real interest -- not with false interest rates. Zero interest. Anybody can do well with zero interest. We're the hottest country in the world, economically, by far. You take a look at us compared to China, compared to everybody else, we're the hottest country in the world. A lot of people are trying to come in. Our border security, our ICE, our law enforcement is doing an incredible job," he said.&nbsp;

US President Donald Trump has said that he wants people with merit, who can help, to enter the country and not sneak inside the border illegally. "I'm very tough at the borders.

US President Donald Trump has said that he wants people with merit, who can help, to enter the country and not sneak inside the border illegally. "I'm very tough at the borders. We've been very tough at the borders. People have to come into our country legally, not illegally. Legally. And I want them to come in on merit," Trump told reporters at the White House on Saturday. Responding to a series of question on illegal immigration, the president reiterated that he wants people based on merit, a move that can help technology professionals from countries such as India. "What I want is merit. I want a lot of people to come in. We have great car companies entering our country again. This hasn't happened for 35 years. We have companies like Foxconn going to Wisconsin with a massive, massive plant," he said. "We need people coming in, but we want them to come in on merit. We want people that are going to help us. It's very important," Trump said. Observing that immigration is not tricky to him, he insisted that the administration and the Congress have to do the right thing whether there's an election or not. He opposed the chain migration policy and said, "If that's a bad policy, then guess what, a lot of bad things are going to happen. But a lot of people agree with me. I would say a vast majority of our country agrees. They don't want criminals coming into our country.They don't want people that they don't want in the country that aren't going to help us as a country. They don't want these people coming in. So we have a very strong policy." "The one thing that really has changed over the last couple of years since I've been President -- our country is doing so well, even with real interest -- not with false interest rates. Zero interest. Anybody can do well with zero interest. We're the hottest country in the world, economically, by far. You take a look at us compared to China, compared to everybody else, we're the hottest country in the world. A lot of people are trying to come in. Our border security, our ICE, our law enforcement is doing an incredible job," he said.

Want people to come to US legally, on merit: Trump

Donald Trump has escalated his feud with China into a full-press offensive that has drawn comparisons to the Cold War. Now the question on both sides of the Pacific is, how will it end?

In recent weeks, Trump has slapped $250 billion worth of tariffs, boosted military support for rival Taiwan, accused China of interfering in US elections, stepped up denunciations of Beijing's human rights record and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-tightens-controls-on-china-imports-of-nuclear-components-170965">curtailed its access to US nuclear technology</a>.

The real estate mogul, who early in his tenure had described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a friend, was generally presumed to be most interested in trade as he has repeatedly vowed to ramp up US factory production by fighting back the flow of cheaper manufactured imports.&nbsp;

But his administration has expanded its pressure campaign to virtually all fronts, a strategy unprecedented since the time the United States and China established diplomatic relations four decades ago.

"It is a full-frontal assault by the US on China," said Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"There is a general sense in Washington that China is simply too big now, it's simply too large as a country and as an economy, to allow it to continue to violate all sorts of expected international trade and investment norms," she said.

Economy said that the United States was also struck at how Xi has "presented a very different China to the world" with a "much more ambitious and expansive foreign policy."

"The US and other countries say, 'Okay, this is the China we have to deal with, not what we anticipated ten years ago.'"

China ready for 'marathon'

Hua Po, a political commentator in Beijing, agreed that trade was only the "superficial" source of friction.

He believed that the underlying concern of the United States was the Made in China 2025 plan, under which Beijing has set a goal of rapidly ensuring that a majority of its industry is sourced domestically.

The United States accuses China of rampantly stealing technology and seeking an unfair trade advantage by forcing foreign businesses to work with local partners.

"Even if the trade issue is resolved, other problems between China and the United States will continue to exist," Hua said.

Hua said that Trump seemed to want "to fight a new cold war." But Hua doubted that the United States would enjoy the support of its allies, especially in Europe, which do not see China as the same type of threat as the former Soviet Union.

And amid turbulence on Wall Street, China is expecting the US economy to see growing strains as negative effects emerge from Trump's signature domestic policy of tax cuts, Hua said.

"China does believe that this dispute will last for some time. The United States wants to run a 100-meter race with China, but China wants a marathon with the United States," he said.

Diplomacy through confrontation

Tensions soared between the world's two largest economies last month at the annual UN General Assembly session.&nbsp;

A closed-door meeting of foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council turned "icy" as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lashed out aggressively against China, whose foreign minister, Wang Yi, responded with similar intensity, according to a witness.

Vice President Mike Pence a week later delivered a speech in which he took China to task and made the headline-grabbing claim, a month ahead of congressional elections, that Beijing was intervening in US politics, citing the Asian power's purchase of newspaper advertisements and its imposition of counter tariffs in politically crucial states.

The two countries have still kept in contact on resolving the nuclear crisis with North Korea, a top priority for both powers, with Pompeo visiting Beijing after a stop in Pyongyang.

Ryan Hass, the director for China policy on the White House's National Security Council under Obama, said that Trump had taken a new course by emphasizing public pressure over diplomacy with China.

He said that Trump had gambled "on the assumption that Beijing needs a stable relationship with Washington" and that Beijing is ready to moderate its policies both at home and abroad.

"Beijing believes Washington is organizing itself to contest China's rise. As such, Beijing sees little incentive to accommodate Trump's demands on trade or other issues, because doing so would not resolve the underlying source of intensifying rivalry -- Washington's efforts to hold back China's rise," said Hass, now a fellow at the Brookings Institution.

"Given these dynamics, it is unlikely that either side will moderate its approach in the foreseeable future," he said.

Donald Trump has escalated his feud with China into a full-press offensive that has drawn comparisons to the Cold War. Now the question on both sides of the Pacific is, how will it end?

Donald Trump has escalated his feud with China into a full-press offensive that has drawn comparisons to the Cold War. Now the question on both sides of the Pacific is, how will it end? In recent weeks, Trump has slapped $250 billion worth of tariffs, boosted military support for rival Taiwan, accused China of interfering in US elections, stepped up denunciations of Beijing's human rights record and curtailed its access to US nuclear technology. The real estate mogul, who early in his tenure had described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a friend, was generally presumed to be most interested in trade as he has repeatedly vowed to ramp up US factory production by fighting back the flow of cheaper manufactured imports. But his administration has expanded its pressure campaign to virtually all fronts, a strategy unprecedented since the time the United States and China established diplomatic relations four decades ago. "It is a full-frontal assault by the US on China," said Elizabeth Economy, director for Asia studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. "There is a general sense in Washington that China is simply too big now, it's simply too large as a country and as an economy, to allow it to continue to violate all sorts of expected international trade and investment norms," she said. Economy said that the United States was also struck at how Xi has "presented a very different China to the world" with a "much more ambitious and expansive foreign policy." "The US and other countries say, 'Okay, this is the China we have to deal with, not what we anticipated ten years ago.'" China ready for 'marathon' Hua Po, a political commentator in Beijing, agreed that trade was only the "superficial" source of friction. He believed that the underlying concern of the United States was the Made in China 2025 plan, under which Beijing has set a goal of rapidly ensuring that a majority of its industry is sourced domestically. The United States accuses China of rampantly stealing technology and seeking an unfair trade advantage by forcing foreign businesses to work with local partners. "Even if the trade issue is resolved, other problems between China and the United States will continue to exist," Hua said. Hua said that Trump seemed to want "to fight a new cold war." But Hua doubted that the United States would enjoy the support of its allies, especially in Europe, which do not see China as the same type of threat as the former Soviet Union. And amid turbulence on Wall Street, China is expecting the US economy to see growing strains as negative effects emerge from Trump's signature domestic policy of tax cuts, Hua said. "China does believe that this dispute will last for some time. The United States wants to run a 100-meter race with China, but China wants a marathon with the United States," he said. Diplomacy through confrontation Tensions soared between the world's two largest economies last month at the annual UN General Assembly session. A closed-door meeting of foreign ministers from the five permanent members of the Security Council turned "icy" as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lashed out aggressively against China, whose foreign minister, Wang Yi, responded with similar intensity, according to a witness. Vice President Mike Pence a week later delivered a speech in which he took China to task and made the headline-grabbing claim, a month ahead of congressional elections, that Beijing was intervening in US politics, citing the Asian power's purchase of newspaper advertisements and its imposition of counter tariffs in politically crucial states. The two countries have still kept in contact on resolving the nuclear crisis with North Korea, a top priority for both powers, with Pompeo visiting Beijing after a stop in Pyongyang. Ryan Hass, the director for China policy on the White House's National Security Council under Obama, said that Trump had taken a new course by emphasizing public pressure over diplomacy with China. He said that Trump had gambled "on the assumption that Beijing needs a stable relationship with Washington" and that Beijing is ready to moderate its policies both at home and abroad. "Beijing believes Washington is organizing itself to contest China's rise. As such, Beijing sees little incentive to accommodate Trump's demands on trade or other issues, because doing so would not resolve the underlying source of intensifying rivalry -- Washington's efforts to hold back China's rise," said Hass, now a fellow at the Brookings Institution. "Given these dynamics, it is unlikely that either side will moderate its approach in the foreseeable future," he said.

The Trump-China trade war: How will it end? 

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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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
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'

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