Wednesday morning news: November 14, 2018

Deadly California wildfires rage on » Officials now face a grim task in Northern California: finding and identifying those killed in the inferno in and around the town of Paradise.

Authorities are using cadaver dogs to search for the dead. And they’ve set up a rapid DNA-analysis system as well as mobile morgues.

TRUMP: We mourn the lives of those lost, and we pray for the victims, and there are more victims than anybody would ever even think possible. 

President Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

The so-called Camp fire is now the single deadliest fire in state history. At least 48 people have perished in the smoke and flames and that number is likely to rise again.

Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott said he’s toured the town of Paradise, and there are no words to describe it.  

PIMLOTT: It’s sobering. We talked to some victims. We toured town center. We went to the hospital, and it’s a war zone. 

The flames almost entirely destroyed the town of 27,000.

Firefighters also continue to battle blazes in Southern California. The Woolsey fire has burned about a hundred-thousand acres and destroyed more than 400 structures. Cal Fire Deputy chief Nick Schuler told reporters…

SCHULER: More than 15 air tankers have dropped nearly a half a million gallons of retardant. Twenty-two helicopters have dropped more than a million and a half gallons of water. And we have hundreds of firefighters still committed to this incident and more than 8,700 statewide. 

Statewide at lease 50 people are dead and 200 are still missing.

Recording of journalist’s murder points to Saudi leaders » An audio recording of the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi reportedly provides further evidence that a high-ranking Saudi official ordered his assassination. That according to Turkish intelligence sources speaking with the New York Times. WORLD Radio’s Sarah Schweinsberg has more.

SARAH SCHWEINSBERG, REPORTER: The intelligence officials told The Times that a member of the assassination team inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul told a superior over the phone to—quote—“tell your boss” the mission was complete.

Turkish officials have said they believe Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was behind the killing though he’s not mentioned by name in the recording.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the recording “appalling.” And he said Turkey has shared the recording with intelligence officials from the U.S. and several other nations.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Sarah Schweinsberg.

Ceasefire takes hold in Gaza Strip » After firing hundreds of rockets and mortars into Israel in recent days, Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza said Tuesday they have accepted a ceasefire brokered by Egypt.

The sudden announcement brought relief to a region that had been paralyzed by hundreds of Palestinian rocket attacks in southern Israel and scores of Israeli airstrikes on targets in the Gaza Strip.

But not everyone in Israel is happy about the ceasefire, saying Israel’s government is capitulating to Hamas militants.

The ceasefire announcement set off celebrations in Gaza City as Hamas supporters declared victory.

Britain, E.U. negotiators strike Brexit deal » After months of stalled Brexit talks. negotiators from Britain and the European Union finally struck a deal on Tuesday to provide for the UK’s smooth exit from the EU. WORLD Radio’s Kristen Flavin reports.

KRISTEN FLAVIN, REPORTER: The British government confirmed Tuesday that the negotiating teams have reached a draft agreement. But the agreement faces major political hurdles starting today.

British Prime Minister Theresa May will try to win the approval of her divided Cabinet for a deal that many ministers view with skepticism.

Meantime, a spokesman for chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier urged caution, saying a deal was not yet finalized. Ambassadors from EU countries are also due to hold a meeting in Brussels today.

Britain wants to seal a deal this fall, so Parliament has time to vote on it before the UK leaves the bloc in March. The European Parliament also has to approve any agreement, as do all 28 EU nations.

Reporting for WORLD Radio, I’m Kristen Flavin.

Amazon announces new headquarters » Amazon is planning to split its highly anticipated second headquarters between two states. The online retail giant made that announcement Tuesday.

Half of Amazon’s new workforce will be in the Washington D.C. suburb of Arlington, Virginia. Governor Ralph Northam said Tuesday…

NORTHAM: Amazon will invest approximately 2.5 billion dollars to establish a major new headquarters here, and plans to create at least 25,000 new jobs. 

The company says it will bring another 25,000 new jobs to Queens, New York.

Amazon also plans to open an operations hub in Nashville hiring 5,000 workers there. The online retailer plans to keep its main office in Seattle, where it currently has more than 40,000 employees.

(AP Photo/John Locher) Search and rescue workers search for human remains at a trailer park burned by the Camp Fire, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. 

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