Paul Ryan: ‘I’m just not ready’ to back Donald Trump (CNN)
House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday he cannot yet support Republican nominee Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Ryan’s position makes him the highest-level GOP official to reject Trump since the real estate mogul became the last candidate standing in the party’s nominating contest. His move gives down-ballot Republicans cover to hold off on supporting Trump. It could also keep his agenda in the House from being overtaken by Trumps policy positions.
Air Strikes hit camp in Syria, US condemns Assad statement (Reuters)
Air strikes on a camp housing Syrians uprooted by war killed at least 28 people near the Turkish border on Thursday, and fighting raged in parts of northern Syria despite a deal to cease hostilities in the city of Aleppo. President Bashar al-Assad said to Russian President Vladimir Putin that his army would not accept anything less than “attaining final victory” and “crushing the aggression” by rebels in Aleppo, according to state media. “We call on Russia to urgently address this totally unacceptable statement,” US State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing.
LA’s ‘Grim Sleeper’ serial killer convicted after 20 years (BBC)
Lonnie David Franklin Jr killed nine women and a 15 year old girl between 1985 and 2007, before dumping their bodies, often in alleyways. Prosecutors said Franklin Jr, 63, stalked vulnerable black women before shooting or strangling them. He began targeting drug addicts during LA’s crack cocaine epidemic. He was nicknamed the “Grim Sleeper” because of an apparent 14 year gap in attacks.
North Carolina’s Anti-LGBT Law Deemed Illegal (BBC News)
The United States Justice Department told North Carolina that the recent HB2 bill that was passed is illegal as it violates national civil rights laws. The Justice Department gave N. Carolina till Monday to respond, if the state chooses not to repeal the law they risk losing millions in federal funding. The HB2 bill states that individuals must use the restroom of their sex at birth (i.e. transgendered individuals have to use the restroom that coincides with their birth sex). N. Carolina says that they will not be bullied by the federal government and looks as though they might not comply
