* Journalist's son leaves for US
Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor on Thursday said the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate earlier this month was premeditated, reversing previous official statements that the killing was unintended, Reuters reported.
The Saudi disclosure came after CIA director Gina Haspel heard an audio recording of the killing during a fact-finding visit to Turkey this week. The spy chief was due to brief US President Donald Trump on the matter.
Meanwhile, Khashoggi's eldest son Salah and his family arrived in Washington on Thursday on a flight from Saudi Arabia, according to two sources close to the family. One source said Salah holds dual US-Saudi citizenship and had been under a travel ban.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel condemned the killing in the strongest terms possible during a phone call with King Salman, and vowed to take appropriate measures in response, the chancellery said.
