NATIONAL NEWS:
Saudi journalist dead
After initially claiming to have no knowledge of the whereabouts of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi government announced Friday the self-exiled government critic did in fact die at their consulate office in Istanbul, Turkey weeks earlier.
Khashoggi visited the Saudi Turkish consulate Oct. 2 to obtain documents certifying he had divorced his former wife so he could marry his fiancé. Security footage shows he never exited the building.
According to the Saudi government, Khashoggi was killed when a fist fight broke out during an interrogation gone wrong. Turkish officials offer a different story, saying Khashoggi was tortured and murdered, and his body was mutilated after the killing.
Speaking to reporters at an Arizona Air Force Base on Friday, President Donald Trump said he accepted the Saudi explanation of Khashoggi’s death as credible.
Elizabeth Warren DNA Test
Following through on a direct challenge from President Trump, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, made public results of a DNA test Monday.
The results showed Warren has Native American ancestry between six and 10 generations removed.
Warren’s claims of Native American ancestry have drawn criticism from the president and other Republican leaders, who say she has falsely promoted herself as a minority to advance her career and salary. In the 1990s, Harvard Law School touted Warren as a minority Native American professor, but she claims the status did not allow her any special benefits.
The Cherokee Nation released a statement Monday in response to the results, saying DNA tests are “useless” in determining tribal citizenship and Warren is “undermining tribal interests” by publicly claiming she has Native American heritage.
Several analysts have predicted Warren may run as a Democratic candidate in the 2020 Presidential Election.
Migrant caravan reaches Mexico
A caravan of between 2,000 and 3,000 U.S.-bound Central American migrants arrived at the Mexico-Guatemala border Thursday, with some crossing legally and others illegally.
The migrants initially broke through a border barrier wall but were soon met by police officers in riot gear armed with pepper spray, forcing them to retreat to a nearby immigration bridge. The Mexican government said they would allow small groups to enter the country on a case-by-case basis.
On Friday, President Trump applauded Mexico’s efforts to deter the caravan from entering the country. On Thursday, he said in a tweet he would go as far as shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border to stop the caravan from reaching American soil.
STATE/LOCAL NEWS:
Pence visits Tulsa
Vice President Mike Pence made an appearance Thursday at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Kevin Stitt.
In his address to a cheering crowd, Pence compared Stitt to President Trump, calling him a political outsider who would “bring his practical experience and results-oriented leadership to the State House”.
Oklahoma voters will decide between Stitt, Democrat Drew Edmondson and Libertarian Chris Powell in the general election Nov. 6.
Streetcar service starting soon
Construction crews welded the final rail of the Oklahoma City streetcar track Thursday. Service is set to begin in six weeks.
The streetcar will connect passengers from the downtown entertainment district to Midtown. In preparation for December’s grand opening, the streetcars are currently undergoing testing.
On Friday, the downtown streetcar became stuck under the E.K. Gaylord bridge at Reno Avenue during testing. Maintenance crews were able to make repairs and move the streetcar from under the bridge.
Domestic violence warrant sweep
A covert domestic violence warrant sweep resulted in 121 arrests and seven pending extraditions, the Oklahoma City Police Department announced Friday.
The effort was collaborative, with officials from the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, Del City Police Department and Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office aiding in locating the accused.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said the warrant sweep was a positive example of how different agencies can work together for a common goal.
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