10 things you need to know today: September 24, 2016

1. Ted Cruz endorses Donald Trump

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced Friday he is voting for Donald Trump, and he encouraged his supporters to do the same. "If Clinton wins, we know — with 100 percent certainty — that she would deliver on her left-wing promises, with devastating results for our country. My conscience tells me I must do whatever I can to stop that," Cruz said in his statement. At the Republican convention in July, Cruz had notably told his party to "vote your conscience" and declined to actually endorse Trump; Trump, for his part, has repeatedly insinuated Cruz's father had something to do with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In a statement Friday, Trump said he was "greatly honored" by Cruz's endorsement. "We have fought the battle," Trump said. "I look forward to working with him for many years to come."

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2. Lone gunman disappears after fatally shooting 5 in Washington State mall

A lone gunman fatally shot five people — four women and one man — in a Macy's store at a mall in Burlington, Washington, a small town north of Seattle, around 7 p.m. local time Friday night. The shooter promptly disappeared after his rampage, and local police are actively searching for him even as his motives remain unknown. The missing attacker is described as a Hispanic man dressed in black and armed with a "hunting type rifle." Washington State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Mark Francis said people should remain "indoors, stay secure," until the gunman is apprehended.

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3. Obama vetoes 9/11 bill allowing U.S. families to sue Saudi Arabia

President Obama on Friday vetoed a controversial bill that would have enabled families of people killed in the 9/11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia for its alleged involvement. The bill has been at the center of an emotional debate in Washington, as the effort was led by top Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and is supported by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who was a senator for New York in 2001. Obama had long promised to veto the bill, which would have ended the immunity from lawsuits foreign countries enjoy within the United States. The bill may have enough support to override the president's veto, however, with both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) saying this week they expected to have enough votes to push the bill through. The Saudi government has long denied involvement in the 9/11 attacks.

Reuters CNN

4. New York Times releases cellphone video of Keith Lamont Scott shooting

The New York Times on Friday released a cellphone video of the Tuesday shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a 43-year-old black man killed by a police officer in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Times obtained the video, which was recorded by Scott's wife, Rakeyia Scott, from the family's lawyers. The video does not show the shooting itself, but records the moments immediately preceding it as Rakeyia pleads with police: "Don't shoot him. Don't shoot him. He has no weapon." The video then captures the sound of the gunfire and Rakeyia asking, "Did you shoot him? Did you shoot him? He better not be f---ing dead." A lawyer representing the family said the footage does not prove whether or not the shooting was justified, but rather offers "another vantage point." Police have maintained Scott was armed when he was shot, while some witnesses have said he was holding only a book.

The New York Times

5. Syrian government batters Aleppo, seizes territory nearby

Government forces and allied militias supporting Syria's Bashar al-Assad regime killed dozens of people in Aleppo and claimed territory nearby on Friday and Saturday. More than 100 bombs were reportedly dropped in a wave of regime airstrikes over rebel-held Aleppo Friday, an attack some residents of the decimated city described as the worst of the war so far. On Saturday, the government troops captured Handarat camp just north of Aleppo, a refugee facility for Palestinians long controlled by rebel fighters. Both developments are part of the new offensive the Assad regime announced Thursday and signal the definite demise of the U.S.-Russia cease-fire deal brokered earlier this month after lengthy negotiations.

The Washington Post Reuters

6. North Korea in U.N. speech says U.S. faces 'consequences beyond imagination'

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the United Nations General Assembly on Friday that the United States "will have to face tremendous consequences beyond imagination" for its interference in Korean affairs. His isolated country "had no other choice but to go nuclear," Ri said, to protect itself "from the constant nuclear threats from the United States." Ri pledged North Korea would continue its nuclear development attempts in spite of American hostility, while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in turn announced every nation on earth is responsible for ensuring North Korea "pays a price for its dangerous actions."

Los Angeles Times CNN

7. Jill Stein plans a protest as Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump prep for debate

Green Party nominee Jill Stein was excluded from the presidential debates along with Libertarian Gary Johnson, but she is planning a protest to take place outside the building where the first debate will be held Monday evening. After the "Let Jill Debate" rally, both Stein and Johnson will live tweet their own remarks throughout the debate. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump over the weekend will fine-tune their talking points and rebuttals in preparation to take the stage. While Clinton has taken a more traditional approach, holding practice debates and honing her answers, Trump is aiming to use his unpredictability to the fullest by skipping standard rehearsals with his aides.

The New York Times Politico

8. Obama speaks at opening of new black history Smithsonian

President Barack Obama referenced high-profile police misconduct cases as he spoke Friday at the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the newest Smithsonian museum in Washington, D.C. "My hope is that as people are seeing what's happened in Tulsa or Charlotte on television," he said, a visit to the museum will help them to say, "I understand. I sympathize. I empathize. I can see why folks might feel angry, and I wanna be part of the solution." The museum will be open to the public on Saturday after a presidential ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Politico Associated Press

9. Washington prepares for possible government shutdown

Federal agencies began to prepare on Friday for a possible government shutdown beginning Oct. 1, the end of the fiscal year. Though congressional leaders are working on a 10-week stopgap measure to continue funding the federal government, squabbles over whether that bill should include relief aid to Flint, Michigan, have stalled the process. Thus, "at this time, prudent management requires that the government plan for the possibility of a lapse and OMB is working with agencies to take appropriate action," an Office of Management and Budget official told The Hill. The last time the government shut down because of a funding gap was in 2013, when nonessential employees were sent home for more than two weeks.

The Hill

10. Minnesota Timberwolves buy out Kevin Garnett, setting stage for retirement

The Minnesota Timberwolves have reached an agreement with veteran forward Kevin Garnett to buy out the remaining year of his contract, league sources told the Star Tribune. Garnett signed a two-year, $16.5 million contract in February 2015 to reunite with his old coach Flip Saunders in hopes of reinvigorating the team, but after Saunders died unexpectedly of cancer that October, Garnett's expected role with the team changed. Garnett is the best player in Timberwolves franchise history, having led the team to eight straight playoff appearances from 1997 to 2005; after being traded to the Boston Celtics in 2007, he won his only championship with them in 2008. The buyout set the stage for Garnett, who turned 40 in May, to retire after 21 seasons in the NBA, joining fellow legends Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan in bidding the league farewell after the 2015-2016 season.

Star Tribune ESPN