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Saudi flag outside the embassy in Turkey Lefteris Pitarakis/AP Photo

Trump says Saudi explanation of death of journalist Khashoggi is credible

The Saudis have said Jamal Khashoggi was killed in a fight at its Istanbul consulate.

US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has said he found Saudi Arabia’s explanation about the death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi credible and termed it an “important first step”.

Trump added if the US takes action, he does not want it to impact arms sales to the kingdom, which said Khashoggi was killed in a fight at its Istanbul consulate. Turkish officials pointed to a state-sanctioned hit.

“I do, I do,” Trump said when asked if he found the Saudis’ explanation credible, adding: “It’s early, we haven’t finished our review or investigation, but… I think it’s a very important first step.”

“I would prefer, if there is going to be some form of sanction or what we may determine to do, if anything… that we don’t use as retribution canceling $110 billion worth of work, which means 600,000 jobs,” he said during a visit to Arizona, referring to a major arms deal with the kingdom.

Trump has sent mixed messages about Khashoggi for days, vowing a severe response but also saying that the United States wants to preserve its close relationship with the conservative kingdom.

Members of the US Congress were far harsher in the wake of the kingdom’s admission that Khashoggi was dead.

Republican Senator Bob Corker, Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, said he doubted the credibility of the Saudi authorities, who insisted for weeks that he left the consulate.

“The story the Saudis have told about Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance continues to change with each passing day, so we should not assume their latest story holds water,” he tweeted.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally who has nonetheless been outspoken about Khashoggi, shared Corker’s suspicion.

“To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr Khashoggi is an understatement,” the Republican senator tweeted.

Targeting Saudi officials

Bob Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the United States should pursue sanctions against Saudis involved in Khashoggi’s death under a US law named after Sergei Magnitsky, the anti-corruption Russian accountant who died in custody.

“The Global Magnitsky Act doesn’t have exceptions for accidents. Even if Khashoggi died because of an altercation, that’s no excuse for his murder,” Menendez tweeted.

“This is far from the end and we need to keep up the international pressure.”

Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor who lived in suburban Washington, was a former insider who turned into a critic of the kingdom’s direction under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

He visited the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October to sort out marriage paperwork, but his fiancee saw nothing more of him after he entered.

Representative Mike Coffman, one of a number of lawmakers from Trump’s Republican Party facing a tough race in 6 November elections, said the United States “must stand up for our values and demand our ‘allies’ respect human rights.”

The Colorado lawmaker, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, urged Trump to immediately recall the acting US ambassador from Saudi Arabia. Trump has yet to nominate a permanent envoy to the kingdom.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres meanwhile demanded that those responsible for Khashoggi’s death be held to account.

“The Secretary-General is deeply troubled by the confirmation of the death of Jamal Khashoggi. He extends his condolences to Mr Khashoggi’s family and friends,” Guterres’s office said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General stresses the need for a prompt, thorough and transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr Khashoggi’s death and full accountability for those responsible.”

© – AFP, 2018

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    Mute Roseann O'Hanlon
    Favourite Roseann O'Hanlon
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    Feb 21st 2024, 4:45 PM

    Well this sounds like the Debenhams situation all over again told by email your job is gone with little else. Still dealing with the fall out from that 4 years later in the courts. I hope the staff are treated better than we the former Debenhams staff have been.

    265
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    Mute Max Cooper
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    Feb 21st 2024, 5:35 PM

    It’s too expensive to do business in this country anymore. This is only the beginning.

    168
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    Mute Isla Carabine
    Favourite Isla Carabine
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    Feb 21st 2024, 5:53 PM

    @Max Cooper: while I totally agree with you, unfortunately this has nothing to do with it, the UK went into administration last week, closed 7 stores with no notice yesterday with a further 100 to go, mass redundancies in head office with no notice either yesterday. It’s deeply fishy

    96
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    Mute KTH
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    Feb 22nd 2024, 5:28 AM

    @Gregory C Donoghue:
    Your next account should be called “Walter Mitty”
    lol

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    Mute Clyde Bear
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    Feb 22nd 2024, 7:20 AM

    @Max Cooper: Or….maybe people have had enough of bolloxology nature sourced facial oatmeal crapology?

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    Mute Fidgenti
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    Feb 22nd 2024, 9:26 AM

    @Max Cooper: And we did it to ourselves.It will be some miracle if we get that EU Anti Money Laundering HQ today, but I suspect we won’t, based on our rapacious rates and charges, lack of accommodation compounded by widespread , unchecked anti social behaviour.

    SF seem to be oblivious to the enormity of the task they face as a party that has never held power and the usual FFG suspects can only worsen the situation.

    It’s a pity we can’t base an economy on Rugby and Rowing. We seem to be useless at everything else

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    Mute noel donohue
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    Feb 21st 2024, 4:45 PM

    The government are setting up a committee to look into it.

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    Mute Mike 100
    Favourite Mike 100
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    Feb 21st 2024, 5:32 PM

    @noel donohue: something Smells here

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    Mute Tom Dillon
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    Feb 21st 2024, 5:32 PM

    @noel donohue: They’re not nor is there a need.

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    Mute Alex Marquis
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    Feb 21st 2024, 6:31 PM

    Debenhams, Argos, the Body Shop. Who’s next.

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    Mute Gerard Carey
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    Feb 21st 2024, 7:27 PM

    @Alex Marquis: Probably Halfords.

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    Mute David McGrath
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    Feb 21st 2024, 7:51 PM

    @Alex Marquis: Next

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    Mute brendan C5
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    Feb 21st 2024, 9:28 PM

    @Gerard Carey: Halfords are ok they have a lot of MOT centres in the UK plus service centres, tyre shops, parts stores and bicycles and all the extra stuff that goes with them.

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    Mute Willie Marty
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    Feb 21st 2024, 9:50 PM

    @David McGrath: thats good

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    Mute Mayo seem to be the football equivalent of Waterfo
    Favourite Mayo seem to be the football equivalent of Waterfo
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    Feb 21st 2024, 10:18 PM

    @Alex Marquis: Iceland also

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    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
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    Feb 21st 2024, 10:12 PM

    Go Woke, Go Broke.
    When the majority of your customers are women it probably helps if you can define what one is.

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    Mute Isla Carabine
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    Feb 21st 2024, 10:28 PM

    @Ollie McGlinchey: grow up.

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    Mute Steve O'Hara Smith.
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    Feb 21st 2024, 4:41 PM

    Get your bargain price closing down sale new body now.

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    Mute 9213caroline
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    Feb 21st 2024, 9:30 PM

    About 10 years, the Body Shop had a fabulous ginger body lotion/handcream for the Christmas period. It was the best one I ever used and the scent was beautiful. They never continued it . That was the problem. They didn’t move with the times re new scents, and the plastics didn’t disappear and compete with Lush on the environment issues.

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    Mute James Carolan
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    Feb 21st 2024, 9:38 PM

    What’s going on? First Argos, then M&S announce store closures and now The Body Shop.

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    Mute Chris
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    Feb 21st 2024, 5:56 PM

    Ah, the smell in front of their stores…

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Feb 21st 2024, 8:52 PM

    Bring back Anita Roddick – oh wait …

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    Mute Tim Quigley
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    Feb 21st 2024, 10:44 PM

    Can they not build the bloody thing to Stephen’s Green and talk about Charlemont as it is being progressed

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