Pompeo meets Saudi king in Riyadh 

RIYADH/ISTANBUL - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Saudi King Salman at his palace in Riyadh on Tuesday, reporters traveling with the envoy said, to discuss the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul two weeks ago.

“I hope you are comfortable here," the king told Pompeo, according to the reporters. Pompeo responded, "Thank you for accepting my visit on behalf of President Trump."

US media reported that the kingdom may be mulling an admission he died during a botched interrogation.

"Rogue killers" could be to blame for the disappearance of Khashoggi, who has not been seen since he walked into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to sort out marriage paperwork, US President Donald Trump said after telephone talks with the king.

Turkish officials have said they believe he was killed, a claim Saudi Arabia has denied.

Turkish police on Monday searched the consulate for the first time since Khashoggi, a Saudi national and US resident who became increasingly critical of powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, went missing.

They will search the Saudi consul's residence in Istanbul, Turkish broadcaster NTV said on Tuesday, as part of the probe.

NTV also said that investigators are expected to search the consulate again on Tuesday.