World News Briefs -- October 18, 2018 (Evening Edition)

Reuters: Trump threatens to send military, shut border as migrants head for Mexico

WASHINGTON/GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to deploy the military and close the southern U.S. border if Mexico does not halt a caravan of Central America migrants heading north, raising the risk of huge disruptions to trade.

Stretching almost 2,000 miles (3,200 km), the U.S.-Mexican border is one of the busiest in the world, processing thousands of commuters daily and much of the half a trillion dollars of annual trade between Mexico and the United States.

“I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught - and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Turkey pledges accountability in Saudi probe; critics wonder.

US gives Saudis 'few more days' on disappeared journalist.

Jamal Khashoggi case: Fox and Mnuchin quit Saudi summit. Mnuchin says he won’t go to Saudi conference amid tension over Khashoggi disappearance.

Iraqi security: Camps for displaced are being closed.

Hamas pledges Gaza rocket fire probe as calm returns.

UN envoy warns Gaza is imploding.

US downgrades consulate for Palestinians into Israel embassy unit.

EU-Arab summit set for February 24-25 in Egypt.

ASIA

China shows what's inside its Muslim 'vocational training centres' after being accused of detaining and brainwashing ethnic minorities in internment camps in Xinjiang.

Afghan police chief killed in ambush; U.S. general escapes unharmed.

Bhutan votes in the country's third general polls.

Singapore charges suspects with smuggling luxury goods to North Korea.

Xinjiang camps: China takes its defence of ‘re-education centres’ overseas with Pakistan meeting.

Beijing expresses ‘solemn concerns’ after US navy research ship docks in Taiwan.

Hong Kong’s freedoms will not be curbed, but city cannot be used as anti-China base, top Beijing official says.

Malaysia arrests opposition leader Zahid.

Right-wing protesters attack women and block them from entering one of India's most sacred sites.

AFRICA

Civilians flee Comoros bloodshed as govt forces reinforced.

Rwandan leader reshuffles team after losing foreign minister.

Cameroon opposition leader's home torched, court told.

Abiy Ahmed: Protesting Ethiopian soldiers wanted to kill me. Ethiopia PM accuses 'plotters' over soldiers' protest.

Ivory Coast election results revealed.

Eritrea, Ethiopia foreign ministers in Somalia for high-level talks.

DR Congo presidential hopeful says she was barred from travel.

UN plea for release of '900 seized in South Sudan'.

Libyan eastern-based parliament condemns "soil violation" by Chadian opposition.

12 killed in fresh Mali violence.

EUROPE

EU looks to African nations, border control to stop migrants.

Russians 'will go to heaven' in event of nuclear war: Putin.

Putin affirmed that Moscow ready to improve relations with Washington "any moment".

Russia’s top diplomat warns Ukraine won’t be able to hold NATO drills in Azov Sea.

Death toll from Crimea college attack climbs to 21. Crimean city turns to mourning 20 victims of school attack.

EU summit: Theresa May says 'maybe' to transition period extension. Theresa May under pressure over EU concessions as no new progress has been made.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon: French left-wing leader quizzed over cash.

Court in Finland finds pro-Kremlin trolls guilty of harassing journalist.

Media investigation exposes scale of years-long European tax scam.

AMERICAS

Democratic candidates for Congress have raised a record-shattering $1 billion this election.

Mexico deploys hundreds of riot police as migrants near.

Thousands of Honduran migrants arrive in Guatemala City.

Trump threatens military action if Mexico doesn't stop immigration 'onslaught'. Trump threatens to call US military to close southern border as 4,000-strong migrant caravan pushes north. Trump threatens to close US-Mexico border over Honduran migrant caravan.

Mexico sends federal police to intercept migrant caravan at Guatemala border.

Trump asks Cabinet secretaries for 5% budget cut.

Mueller assembles team of cooperators in Russian probe.

Coast Guard rounds up $47 million worth of cocaine, marijuana off Florida coast.

3 dead after explosion cuts power to Venezuela for 2 days.

Haiti protests over politicians' misuse of Petrocaribe Funds.

Nicaragua intensified crackdown on protesters: Amnesty.

Peru opposition leader Keiko Fujimori freed.

US threatens to stop Canadian pot businessmen at border.

Canada pot stores run out of supplies and have more long lines on second day of marijuana legalization.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

AFRICOM kills 60 Shabaab fighters in largest strike in Somalia since 2017.

Foreign fighters still joining IS in Syria: US general.

German intelligence foiled 2016 Islamic State terror attack.

US offers reward for jihadist who urged attacks over Jerusalem.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Wall St. slides as Saudi Arabia, Italy add to economic concerns.

Recession fears grip emerging markets amid currency crises.

eBay sues Amazon for allegedly poaching its sellers.

Donald Trump to pull US out of postal alliance in latest move targeting China.

Google to stop bundling apps on smartphones in EU nations.