Taliban Commander: More Kidnappings to Come After Bergdahl Deal  —  A Taliban commander close to the negotiations over the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl told TIME Thursday that the deal made to secure Bergdahl's release has made it more appealing for fighters to capture American soldiers and other high-value targets.

Hillary to New York Times: Back Off  —  Some of Hillary Clinton's closest aides blasted the New York Times for what they said was unfair coverage of the former first lady during a recent secret meeting with the paper's Washington bureau, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.

McDaniel rep, others locked in courthouse  —  An official investigation has been opened into three people who were found locked in the Hinds County Courthouse hours after it was closed by election officials Tuesday after returns had been counted in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.  —  CONNECT

Inside look at what New York Times' Dowd was told about edibles in visit to Denver  —  When Pulitzer-winning New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd came to Denver in January 2014 to report on the newly legal recreational marijuana sales that had just begun throughout Colorado …

Really, Dr. Carson?  Obamacare Is Worse Than 9/11?  —  The Republican presidential hopeful thinks that Obamacare has caused Americans more pain than jetliners crashing into the World Trade Center and two costly wars.  —  Dr. Ben Carson, the Republican right's favorite African-American neurosurgeon …

First draft of state GOP 2014 platform has revamped planks on immigration, homosexuality  —  Fort Worth — The first blueprint of the Republican Party of Texas' 2014 platform contains a revamped immigration plank that emphasizes a beefed-up plan for border security and a proposes a visa program …

Brian Schweitzer Isn't Holding Much Back as 2016 Approaches  —  Would he be a better president than Hillary Clinton?  He thinks so  —  To get rid of the trash, former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer either has to drive it away in a pickup from his remote lake house or burn it in a rusty oil barrel.

EXCLUSIVE: Bergdahl declared jihad in 2010, secret documents show  —  U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl at one point during his captivity converted to Islam, fraternized openly with his captors and declared himself a “mujahid,” or warrior for Islam, according to secret documents prepared on the basis …

Bernie Sanders, John McCain strike VA deal  —  Sens. Bernie Sanders and John McCain have struck a deal on legislation to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs to expand veterans' access to health care and make it easier to fire VA officials for misconduct.

Obama admin official scrubs Twitter bio after suggesting Bergdahl's platoon was full of ‘psychopaths’  —  Scrub-a-dub-dub.  —  When Brandon Friedman took to Twitter to plant the seeds for another attack on Bowe Bergdahl's whistle-blowing platoon mates, his bio proudly announced his role …