PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA toasts with Laotian president Bounnhang Vorachith (White House photo).

President Barack Obama on Tuesday promised to work to increase and tighten sanctions against North Korea on the wake of that nation’s firing three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. Obama made his comments while visiting the Southeast Asian nation of Laos. The U.N. Security Council in late August condemned four North Korean ballistic missile launches in July and August. He added that he was willing to consider backing off on sanctions if the government of that isolated communist nation changes its policies.

GRETCHEN CARLSON (Wikipedia photo).

$20 MILLION SETTLEMENT IN FOX LAWSUIT

Gretchen Carlson, a former Fox News anchor who filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes has reportedly settled out of court for $20 million and an apology. According to the Associated Press, the one-time Miss America was let go in 2013. The apology, released in a statement from 21st Century Fox, read “We regret and apologize for the fact that Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve.” Carlson claimed that Ailes, 76, the founder of the conservative news network, made sexually suggestive comments and suggestions to her.

WHITE HOUSE RACE TIGHTENS

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s lead over GOP nominee Donald Trump appears to be shrinking. A new CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday had Trump leading Clinton 45 percent to 43 percent in a four-way race that includes Libertarian and Green party candidates. However, an NBC/SurveyMonkey poll has Clinton ahead by a margin of 48 to 42. RealClearPolitics.com’s average of polls has the former Secretary of State ahead by 3.3 percent.

MAN CONFESSES TO 1989 MURDER OF BOY

The mystery of who abducted and killed 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling in Minnesota almost 27 years ago has been solved by the confession of the killer. CBS News reported Tuesday that Jacob Heinrich, 53, said “Yes, I did it,” when asked whether he had kidnapped, sexually abused and murdered the boy while pleading guilty to a child pornography charge.

The Midday Update is posted weekdays as staff time permits. Want more national and international news? Go to http://bigstory.ap.org .