Trump Rebuffs CIA Findings | Spain Could Derail Brexit Deal

Speaking to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort yesterday, President Donald Trump emphasized his support of Saudi Arabia, saying the CIA’s conclusion that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi was a result of “feelings” rather than facts. “Do people really want me to give up hundreds of thousands of jobs?” the president asked, stressing Washington’s economic partnership with Riyadh. He unleashed a flurry of Thanksgiving Day commentary — including, when asked what he was thankful for, responding, “I made a tremendous difference in our country.”

They’re between a Rock and a hard Brexit. Spanish officials have warned their country could “stop the clock” on negotiations over the future of British-administered Gibraltar. Madrid says London has quietly included the disputed territory in a trade deal without its consent, despite Spain’s longstanding insistence that Gibraltar cannot benefit from any such agreements without Madrid being directly involved. British Prime Minister Theresa May is hoping to secure EU approval of her hard-fought Brexit deal this weekend — but a Spanish veto would force the EU to reconvene next month.

Diplomats and staff were reported safe after armed separatists from the so-called Baluch Liberation Army attacked the consulate in the port city of Karachi earlier today. Two police officers, two civilians and all three gunmen were killed in the resulting shoot-out. Prime Minister Imran Khan called the assault a “conspiracy” aimed at destabilizing close strategic relations between China and Pakistan. Meanwhile, at least 25 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a market in the northwestern region of Orakzai. The two incidents did not appear to be linked.

Carlos Ghosn, who was formally ousted yesterday as chairman of Nissan, allegedly used around $18 million in company money to purchase personal residences in Brazil and Beirut while also paying his older sister hefty consulting fees. The 64-year-old executive was arrested Monday by Japanese authorities but hasn’t yet been charged. Meanwhile, observers say Ghosn’s downfall paves the way for ambitious CEO Hiroto Saikawa, who’s reportedly seeking to tip the balance of the Nissan-Renault partnership toward the Japanese firm. “It’s a coup,” one analyst said. “Ghosn’s era is over.”

Know This: Tensions continue to rise in Tijuana as members of the Central American migrant caravan amass at the U.S. border. The United Nations has appealed to North Korea to readmit its nuclear weapons inspectors. And Samsung has apologized for the allegedly work-related deaths of some of its employees.

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Should they stay or should they go? Japan’s government is reportedly considering paying citizens as much as $27,000 to move out of the capital as the country’s emptying countryside and smaller cities struggle to find labor. With 38 million residents, Tokyo’s metropolitan area is home to nearly one-third of Japan’s population, and has seen more people moving in than moving away for 22 years straight. Revitalization programs aren’t new — local governments have offered tax cuts and subsidies to companies willing to relocate — but this payout may be the most extreme measure yet.

Weeks after the American network boycotted a major business conference in Riyadh over the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Fox Networks has announced it’s teaming up with Saudi Arabia’s state-controlled MBC, the Middle East’s largest broadcaster. The deal will allow MBC to pick up shows featured on Fox Plus, a new streaming service already reaching Latin America and Southeast Asia. Online video subscriptions in the region are booming, expected to grow annually by 34 percent through 2022. Fox executive Sanjay Raina said, “We have just seen the tip of the iceberg.”

Ancient African herbivores like colossal elephants and antlered giraffes likely died out due to long-term environmental change rather than humans’ appetite for meat, according to a new study in Science. Researchers found that 28 lineages of extinct megafauna began a slow, steady decline 4.6 million years ago as falling carbon dioxide levels prompted deforestation and the expansion of grassland. But humans, long blamed for the extinctions, only began large-scale hunting 50,000 years ago. Today only five species of megaherbivores — those weighing over 2,000 pounds — roam Africa.

Following his recent arrest on racketeering charges, the rapper was reportedly removed from a Brooklyn jail because former gang associates wanted to “super violate” him. Reports that he was transferred to a federal facility for prisoners who cooperate with prosecutors sparked rumors that the rainbow-haired performer, who publicly split from his manager and members of his posse at the time of his arrest, is seeking to strike a deal. Sources say the 22-year-old, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, specifically asked to be separated from the Crips and the Bloods.

Whippet good! The well-disciplined hound earned top honors in a field of more than 2,000 competitors at the National Dog Show in Philadelphia. The proud pooch won the Hound Group to reach the final before claiming the title from last year’s winner, a Brussels Griffon named Newton. Yesterday’s victory marked Whiskey’s 20th Best in Show title. “He’s just a great dog,” said one of his owners. The American Kennel Club uses funds raised from the competition, held annually since 1933, for various dog-focused charities.