Friday morning news: October 11, 2019

Civilians flee amid Turkish assault in northern Syria » Black clouds of smoke continue to billow over northern Syria today as bombs rain down near the Turkish border. 

As Turkey continues it’s military assault on U.S.-allied Kurdish forces, thousands of civilians are fleeing the area. Some took whatever they could stuff into vehicles. Others fled on foot. 

AUDIO: [Sound from Syria]

The UN refugee agency warned that nearly a half-million people near the border were at risk.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft addressed reporters on Thursday. She said the White House does not endorse the assault. 

CRAFT: President Trump has emphasized to the government of Turkey that they bear full responsibility for protecting the Kurdish population and religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring that no humanitarian crisis takes place. 

The UN Security Council wrapped up an emergency meeting on the Turkish incursion Thursday. But a divided council failed to agree on a response. 

Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tyyip Erdogan angrily rejected criticism from Europe. 

ERDOGAN: [Speaking in Turkish]

He threatened to release millions of refugees into European countries if they try to frame the attack as an “occupation.” 

Erdogan said Turkish forces have killed more than a hundred Kurdish fighters so far. 

Trade talks resume with China amid friction over censorship and human rights abuses » President Trump says he will meet with a top Chinese negotiator at the White House today. The two sides resumed trade talks on Thursday. 

But the Trump administration penalized China for censorship and human rights abuses this week. It restricted the visas of Chinese officials over persecution of religious minorities.  

Meantime, Apple has caved to pressure from China and removed an app from its store that Hong Kong protesters used to flag police locations.  

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said businesses are having a hard time balancing values with profit as they deal with the communist government. 

POMPEO: I think American businesses are waking up to the risks that attend to their company. It may seem that it makes profit in the short run, but the cost, the reputational costs to these companies, I think will prove to be higher and higher. 

The NBA has bowed to Chinese pressure by apologizing for the pro–Hong Kong remarks of a team executive. China blacked out media coverage of preseason NBA games taking place in China this week. 

More fetal remains found in abortionist’s car » Police in Illinois have found fetal remains in the car of an abortionist who died last month. That after finding thousands of fetal remains in his garage. WORLD Radio’s Anna Johansen reports. 

ANNA JOHANSEN, REPORTER: Officers this week searched one of Ulrich Klopfer’s cars and made another grisly discovery. 

The Will County Sheriff’s Department announced they found five more plastic bags and a box of medically preserved baby body parts in the trunk. 

The deceased abortionist had also stored 2,200 fetal remains in his garage.

The sheriff’s department said the newly discovered remains were packaged and marked like the ones found at Klopfer’s home. The remains appear to be from abortions he performed in neighboring Indiana.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Anna Johansen. 

Jury sentences Florida in 2018 shooting that revived ‘stand your ground’ debate » A jury on Thursday sentenced a Florida man to 20 years behind bars for shooting and killing another man in a parking lot dispute.

The confrontation happened last July outside a Clearwater convenience store. It started when 49-year-old Michael Drejka, who is white, confronted Britany Jacobs for parking in a handicapped space.  

Jacobs’ boyfriend Markeis McGlockton, who was black, shoved Drejka to the ground. Drejka pulled out a handgun and shot him. 

Police initially said the shooting was not a crime under the state’s ‘stand your ground’ law. It allows someone to use deadly force to defend themselves.

But video surveillance footage appeared to show McGlockton backing away as Drejka fired the shot.

German prosecutor: Synagogue attacker planned larger massacre » Wednesday’s deadly attack on a German synagogue could have been much worse. WORLD Radio’s Sarah Schweinsberg reports. 

SARAH SCHWEINSBERG, REPORTER: Germany’s top prosecutor said the suspect in the attack had nearly nine pounds of explosives and homemade weapons in his car. And he said the 27-year-old attacker had planned to carry out a large–scale massacre. 

The suspect opened fire outside the synagogue in Halle after failing to force his way inside. About 80 people, including 10 Americans, where inside celebrating Yom Kippur. 

He posted an anti-Semitic manifesto online and live streamed the attack on a popular gaming site. During the video, he blamed Jews for feminism and mass immigration. 

Two people died in the attack. The suspect is facing two counts of murder, nine of attempted murder, and other offenses.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Sarah Schweinsberg.

(Presidential Press Service via AP, Pool) Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a ceremony, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. 

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