Thursday morning news: November 1, 2018

Turkish prospector: Jamal Khashoggi strangled inside Saudi Consulate » A Turkish public prosecutor on Wednesday said Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was strangled to death inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. He went on to say Khashoggi’s body was dismembered and that the whole thing was planned in advance.  

Turkey has asked the Saudis to reveal the location of Khashoggi’s remains, but so far to no avail. Turkey also wants the 18 suspects involved in the killing to stand trial in Turkish courts.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday the U.S. government is weighing Turkey’s conclusion but has not yet reached its own conclusion.  

POMPEO: We are working diligently, our team, to get the facts, the facts that the Americans can learn. We won’t rely on others. We’ll take their information. We’ll make sure and develop our fact pattern. 

The Saudis initially claimed Khashoggi left the consulate alive, then said a fistfight led to his death, before finally admitting he was intentionally killed. The Saudi royal family still denies any hand in ordering his death.

Alleged synagogue gunman indicted » A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted the suspect in the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre. 46-year-old Robert Bowers was charged in a 44-count indictment with murder, hate crimes, and other offenses that could lead to the death penalty.

U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said in a statement, “Today begins the process of seeking justice for the victims of these hateful acts, and healing for the victims’ families, the Jewish community, and our city.”

American missionary killed in Cameroon » An American missionary in northwestern Cameroon died Tuesday after being caught in crossfire between security forces and separatists amid ongoing post-election violence in the country. WORLD Radio’s Leigh Jones reports.

LEIGH JONES, NEWS EDITOR: Indiana native Charles Wesco arrived in the city of Bamenda less than two weeks ago with his wife, Stephanie, and their eight children.

He was reportedly in the front seat of a car when two bullets pierced the windshield and struck him in the head. Wesco’s sister-in-law Joy Williams told Reuters that his wife, one of the couple’s children, and another missionary were all in the car. They survived without injury.

In the wake of Wesco’s death, Cameroon’s Defense Ministry warned foreign nationals to avoid traveling in the country’s more dangerous areas.

The northwestern region is at the center of clashes between security forces and English-speaking separatists fighting for an independent state. The unrest intensified last week after the country’s recent presidential election.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Leigh Jones.

Asian Bibi acquitted » Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi is a free woman today after the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned her death sentence in a landmark ruling on Wednesday. Bibi was convicted of blasphemy in 2010.

But the court’s three-judge panel said prosecutors failed to prove Bibi violated the blasphemy law.

The Catholic mother of five first faced blasphemy accusations in 2009 after two Muslim women who worked on a farm with her refused to drink water from the same container she used. A mob later accused her of blasphemy, and in 2010, a Pakistani court sentenced her to death by hanging.

Mueller refers possible smear campaign to FBI » Washington lawyer and GOP activist Jack Burkman claims to represent a woman with a credible claim of sexual misconduct against special counsel Robert Mueller and he plans to reveal her allegations at a press conference today.

But earlier this week, Mueller asked the FBI to investigate an alleged plot to discredit him by offering to pay women to make false accusations. WORLD Radio’s Kristen Flavin has that story.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: A woman identified as Lorraine Parsons recently emailed several journalists claiming she was offered $20,000 “to make accusations of sexual misconduct” against Mueller.

Parsons said a man called her and claimed Jack Burkman had hired him.

Burkman responded Tuesday, stating—quote—“The woman to whom we allegedly offered payment—Lorraine Parsons—does not exist.” He went on to say the claim is a hoax designed to distract from his press conference.

Lorraine Parsons claimed she worked for a New York law firm, but that firm says it has no record of her. And multiple news outlets were unable to confirm her identity.

Another woman also came forward saying someone contacted her about the Mueller probe and that she forwarded the information to Mueller’s office. Her identity has been verified as Vermont Law School professor Jennifer Taub.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey dies » Baseball Hall of Famer Willie McCovey died Wednesday at the age of 80.

The San Francisco Giants announced McCovey’s death, saying the fearsome hitter passed peacefully “after losing his battle with ongoing health issues.”

McCovey, a former first baseman and left fielder, spent nearly his entire career with the Giants. He also played for the San Diego Padres and the Oakland A’s.

McCovey mashed 521 home runs and more than 1,500 RBIs over 22 big league seasons. He retired in 1980 and was inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame six years later.

McCovey had a daughter, Allison, and three grandchildren.

I’m Kent Covington. Straight ahead: Open Doors USA’s David Curry joins us with a look at persecution of Christians around the globe. This is The World and Everything in It.

(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) Activists, protesting the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, hold a candlelight vigil outside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2018. 

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