The Games: America’s first gold medal of the Rio games was won by 19-year-old West Virginia University sophomore, Ginny Thrasher — in the air rifle shooting event. Eight finalists wee given eight shots each until one was eliminated. Then it …

Now He’s There: Donald Trump finally endorsed House Speaker Paul Ryan for re-election after earlier saying he was “not there yet.” It may be an attempt to pull together the Republican Party that’s fractured and crumbling under the Trump candidacy. …

Party Unity: House Speaker Paul Ryan is still behind Donald Trump for president, even though Trump refuses to return the favor. It’s a perfect illustration of the dilemma faced by professional Republicans with an upstart candidate. Do they turn against …

Boos and Unity: Time to remind you that Will Rogers famously said, “I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.” Protesters marched outside the Philadelphia convention hall yesterday chanting, “Hell no DNC we won’t …

Blame it on Rio: Just seven weeks from the opening of the summer Olympics, the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro is broke and the governor has declared a state of emergency. Public employees aren’t getting paid. Crime is rising …

War in Paris: The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the six coordinated attacks in Paris last night that left at least 128 people dead. An ISIS statement called the attacks “the first of a storm.” France closed its borders …

370: The surface search for wreckage from the missing Malaysia Flight 370 has been called off. The ships and aircraft involved have returned to base and a slow undersea search started yesterday. But the robotic submarine Bluefin had to perform …

Caught: Ending a 13-year manhunt, the world’s most-wanted drug dealer, Joaquín Guzmán Loera known as “El Chapo,” has been caught. Guzman, whose nickname means “Shorty,” escaped prison in a laundry basket in 2001 as he faced extradition for trial in …

Ukraine: President Viktor Yanukovych is reported to have had fled the capital a day after making a deal to end the country’s political violence. Where he went is unknown. Yanukovych left as the entryways to the capital were falling under …

Ukraine: A brief truce was broken by gunfire today and at least 20 people were killed in Ukraine’s capital city Kiev. Police had moved in using stun grenades and were repulsed by gunfire. Shots came from both sides during the …