Rachel Dolezal breaks her silence on TODAY: ‘I identify as black’  —  Rachel Dolezal, the former NAACP chapter president accused of pretending to be black, tells TODAY's Matt Lauer in an exclusive live interview that she identifies as black — something she started doing at the age of five.

Democrats face gut-check moment on spending  —  They aim to force Republicans to increase domestic spending by killing GOP funding bills.  —  Senate Democrats are ready to follow through on a risky strategy to confront Republicans this week over government spending, shrugging off Republicans' assertions …

St. Louis Cardinals Investigated by F.B.I. for Hacking Astros  —  WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. and Justice Department prosecutors are investigating front-office officials for the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the most successful teams in baseball over the past two decades, for hacking …

Joyce Mitchell had sexual relationships with both escaped N.Y. inmates, sources say  —  They got out with a bang.  —  The wayward wife accused of helping two killers break out of upstate's Clinton Correctional Facility had sex with both of them, sources told the Daily News.

How Obama Abandoned Israel  —  Netanyahu and the president both made mistakes, but only one purposely damaged U.S.-Israel relations.  —  'Nobody has a monopoly on making mistakes.  " When I was Israel's ambassador to the United States from 2009 to the end of 2013, that was my standard response …

Bernie Sanders' Longshot Campaign Drawing Big Crowds  —  Challenge for the Democratic presidential candidate is to channel the enthusiasm into donations, votes  —  DES MOINES, Iowa—It's the sort of problem many candidates would envy.  Sen. Bernie Sanders is drawing large …

House punts on trade  —  House GOP leaders are punting on voting again on President Obama's trade agenda, possibly until the end of July.  —  After Friday's failed vote to pass aid for workers displaced by trade deals, known as Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) …

Dems should not be losing voting-rights fight  —  Why are Democrats losing the debate over voting rights?  —  The biggest political fight shaping the 2016 campaigns for the White House and Senate is over limiting the Democrats' base of likely voters.  —  President Obama twice won …

Obama's anti-police ideology  —  As President Obama starts to wind down his tenure in the White House, with just a year and a half to go, he's focusing on federalization of local police forces in the name of “justice.”  Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be his go-to on this project, just as Eric Holder was before her.

South Bend mayor: Why coming out matters  —  Editor's note: South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg wrote this essay, which was published on the Tribune's Voices page.  —  Any day now, the Supreme Court will issue a decision on same-sex marriage that will directly affect millions of Americans.

It's official: Obama axes trans fat  —  The Obama administration is making good on its pledge to all but ban trans fat nationwide.  —  The Obama administration is making good on its pledge to all but ban trans fat nationwide.  —  The FDA issued a final decision Tuesday that gives …

Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical  —  Vatican condemns early release of document in which pontiff calls on people to change their lifestyles and energy consumption or face grave consequences  —  Pope Francis will this week call for changes in lifestyles …

Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: June 2015  —  Bianca DiJulio, Jamie Firth, and Mollyann Brodie … A Focus On Prescription Drugs  —  The Public Says Prescription Drug Prices Are Unreasonable  —  In April, when asked about their health care priorities for the President and Congress going forward …

Lindsey Graham's memoir blunt about his upbringing  —  He shares stories of tough times and failed relationships.  —  Lindsey Graham grew up in the back room of a South Carolina bar, sharing a bathroom with patrons who worked down the street at a nearby mill plant.  He took baths with water heated up on the stove.

Jeb Bush Offers Some Surprises  —  Jeb Bush's speech announcing his presidential campaign today confirmed some things we already suspected — like the fact that he's running — but also revealed a few surprises that suggest the 2016 Republican primaries will be more interesting than expected.

Full text of Jeb Bush's presidential announcement  —  Jeb Bush announced his 2016 candidacy for President of the United States of America.  Below are his remarks, as prepared for delivery.  —  Thank you all very much.  I always feel welcome at Miami-Dade College.