Israel’s foreign ministry has issued a statement denouncing U.S. billionaire George Soros, a move that appeared designed to align Israel more closely with Hungary ahead of a visit to Budapest next week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Source Reuters
If Theresa May wanted proof she is running out of friends in Europe, she need only have ventured to the Roy d’Espagne brasserie in Brussels late last night. For while the Prime Minister dined alone after another summit mauling, Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and the rest of their European chums were drinking the night away and enjoying the city’s famous beers. Source The Telegraph
President Donald Trump says it “certainly looks” as though missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead. Trump did not say Thursday what he based his conclusion on. But he says the consequences for the Saudis “will have to be very severe” if they are found to have killed him. Trump has previously warned that the kingdom will face “severe punishment” from the U.S. if it is determined that Saudi Arabia was responsible for Khashoggi’s death. Khashoggi hasn’t been seen since entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul more than two weeks ago. Turkish authorities say he was killed and dismembered. The Saudis have denied involvement. Source AP News
Italy’s Prime Minister defended the country’s “beautiful” 2019 budget on Thursday, brushing off criticism of it from Brussels as European authorities stepped up pressure for changes to a draft that breaches the bloc’s fiscal rules. Source Reuters
