AMNA NAWAZ: President Trump said he's waiting for Saudi Arabia to finish its investigation
into the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, but acknowledged it appears the Saudi journalist
is dead.
Turkey has accused a Saudi hit squad of murdering The Washington Post columnist and critical
Saudi Arabia in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo briefed the president on the matter this morning after
meeting with officials in Saudi Arabia and Turkey this week.
Leaving Washington today, Mr. Trump was asked by reporters if Khashoggi was killed and what
consequences to Saudis should face if they're responsible.
DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: It certainly looks that way to me.
It's very sad.
Well, it will have to be very severe.
I mean, it's bad, bad stuff, but we will see what happens.
AMNA NAWAZ: Today, a pro-government Turkish newspaper published images from two weeks
ago showing the man linked to the Saudi crown prince entering the Saudi Consulate just before
Khashoggi arrived.
The Saudis have denied any involvement.
We will take a closer look at the impact Khashoggi's writing later in the program.
Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced he's pulling out of an investment
conference in Saudi Arabia next week.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban conducted what Afghan and U.S. officials told "PBS NewsHour"
was one of the most significant assassinations of the war.
It happened in the Southern District of Kandahar.
Abdul Raziq, Kandahar's police chief and one of the most influential men in Southern Afghanistan,
was killed by bodyguards of Kandahar's governor, who was also killed in the attack.
Afghan and U.S. officials describe Raziq as essential to keeping Kandahar secure and fear
some instability ahead of Saturday's parliamentary elections.
But the U.N. also accused Raziq of human rights abuses.
The attack just missed the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Army General Scott Mueller,
but wounded an American soldier, contractor and civilian.
Back in this country, White House counsel Don McGahn has left his post after 21 months
on the job.
McGahn was a major figure behind the Trump administration's efforts to confirm conservative
judges and eliminate government regulations.
He's also a key witness to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.
McGahn will be temporarily replaced by President Trump's legal adviser, Emmet Flood, until
his permanent successor, Pat Cipollone, takes over.
Florida officials now say Hurricane Michael killed at least 20 people there, raising the
storm's overall death toll across four states to at least two 30.
More than 137,000 homes and businesses in Florida and Georgia are still without power
more than a week after Michael made landfall.
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into child sex abuse in the
Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.
Federal prosecutors subpoenaed diocese throughout the state last week.
That follows the Pennsylvania state grand jury report from the summer which identified
301 predator priests who molested more than 1,000 children for decades.
The former head of USA Gymnastics was arrested last night for removing evidence related to
the sexual abuse case of Dr. Larry Nassar.
Steve Penny was indicted for taking documents from the Texas Karolyi Ranch training facility
that would have helped in the investigation.
Nassar, the gymnastics team doctor, was sentence last February to up to 125 years in prison
for sexually assaulting more than 150 girls and women.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said she's open to extending the transition period for
Britain's exit from the European Union by a few months, that as Brexit talks have stalled
over questions about the border between E.U.
member Ireland and British Northern Ireland.
May wrapped up a two day summit with E.U.
leaders in Brussels today that was one thought to be a deal deadline.
Still, she remained optimistic.
THERESA MAY, British Prime Minister: These were always going to be tough negotiations
and they were always going to get tougher before we got to the closing stages of the
negotiations.
On the withdrawal agreement, there are a few but considerable outstanding issues in relation
to the Northern Irish backstop.
I'm committed to working with the commission and E.U.
leaders to resolve these as quickly as possible.
AMNA NAWAZ: The U.K. is scheduled to leave the bloc on March 29.
Military relations between the U.S. and China appear to be on more solid ground today.
U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis met with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of
a regional summit in Singapore.
They discussed the disputed South China Sea, but didn't reach any new agreement.
The meeting comes amid a tense trade war between the two countries.
Israel's Supreme Court today overturned a deportation order for a detained American
graduate student; 22-year-old Lara Alqasem had been denied entry to Israel after arriving
with a valid student visa more than two weeks ago.
Israel's government had accused her of supporting an illegal boycott against the country.
Alqasem will now be able to study and stay in Israel.
And it was another volatile day of trading on Wall Street.
The Dow Jones industrial average plunged 327 points to close at 25379.
The Nasdaq feel 157 points and the S&P 500 slipped 40.
Still to come on the "NewsHour": new evidence suggesting the Saudi crown prince was involved
in the alleged murder of Jamal Khashoggi; inside the desperate journey Central Americans
undertake for a better life in the us; the federal budget deficit swells, as spending
increases and revenues fall; plus, much more.