Imperiled

Leah Sharibu, 15, of Nigeria is in danger of losing her life after she refused to give up her Christian faith under threat from her Boko Haram captors. Sharibu is the last Dapchi schoolgirl left in captivity under the Muslim terrorist group. The Nigerian government negotiated the freedom of the 104 girls that had been with her, but Boko Haram refused to let Sharibu go because she would not renounce Christianity. The prisoners who returned home told stories of Sharibu’s determined stand for her faith. Recently, the group laid down an ultimatum: Sharibu had one month to choose to become a Muslim or they would kill her. The Nigerian government has promised to do all it can to rescue the girl, and local churches are praying for her release. Many pastors say she has been an inspiration.

Died

Officials expect the death toll from Hurricane Michael to continue to rise as rescue crews search along the Florida coast. There have been at least 39 deaths confirmed across the four states hit by the storm, 29 dead in Florida, six in Virginia, three in North Carolina, and one in Georgia. Authorities gave inhabitants of Mexico Beach, Fla., a mandatory evacuation order as the storm approached, but rescue officials believe about 100 people stayed. Three of them were still missing in mid-October. The state had brought in more than 1,700 rescue workers complete with heavy equipment and dogs to search the destroyed buildings. The search extended to Panama City farther up the coast.

Imperiled

According to the United Nations, 13 million people in Yemen are in danger of starvation in what could be the “worst famine in the world in 100 years.” A 3-year-old civil war has torn Yemen as the Houthi rebel group, backed by Iran, has taken large sections of the country. Saudi Arabia has been fighting the rebels with the support of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, using airstrikes and a blockade. The BBC reports that the conflict has displaced millions, and at least 10,000 people have died.

Released

A three-judge panel in Turkey found American Pastor Andrew Brunson guilty on charges of terrorism and espionage but released him. Turkey had held Brunson, 50, for two years on the made-up charges as part of the Muslim country’s “hostage diplomacy.” Returning to the United States the day after his release, Brunson met with President Trump and said he and his wife planned to go home, pray, and “see what God wants for the next part of our lives.”

Admitted

A priest, accused of child sexual assault, pleaded guilty to felony charges before a grand jury Oct. 17. David Poulson was a priest in a Pennsylvania diocese for 40 years. He was brought into court after the state issued a report with credible accusations of sexual abuse against more than 300 priests. Most of these cases had to be dismissed due to statute limitations, but Poulson was one of two priests to be charged with crimes. He admitted to assaulting one boy multiple times and trying to assault another. The two victims were 8 and 15 when Poulson targeted them. Authorities dropped remaining charges after his confession. The judge in the case, John Foradora, has yet to hand down a sentence.