Obama heads to Riyadh for talks on counterterrorism, defense

U.S. President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Ash Carter will talk next week with leaders in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Gulf region about agreements on counterterrorism and bolstering ballistic missile defense systems, a White House official said on Thursday. Obama will travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with King Salman on Wednesday and then attend a summit with other leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council on Thursday. Carter will meet his counterparts just before the summit, on W