Nine dead after ‘hate crime’ shooting at Emanuel AME  —  (Matthew Fortner/staff) Scene of church shooting at 9 p.m. at 110 Calhoun Street, site of Mother Emanuel AME Church.  —  The Post and Courier  —  A white gunman killed nine people during a prayer meeting at one of Charleston's oldest …

Pope Francis, in Sweeping Encyclical, Calls for Swift Action on Climate Change  —  VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Thursday called for a radical transformation of politics, economics and individual lifestyles to confront environmental degradation and climate change, as his much-awaited papal encyclical blended …

Brian Williams expected to stay at NBC  —  Brian Williams is down, but not out.  —  NBC and Williams have come to a tentative agreement that will keep Williams at the network after his six-month suspension ends in August.  —  The decision, described by people with knowledge of the plan …

Scott Walker's latest target: College professors  —  As Republican Gov. Scott Walker prepares to campaign for president as the man who tamed Wisconsin's unions, he's targeting tenure protections for professors at public colleges and universities.  —  Getty

Woman's Portrait Will Appear on the $10 Bill  —  WASHINGTON — Growing numbers of Americans are going cashless, but demands to finally put a woman on paper currency persist.  And now the Treasury has announced that a portrait of a woman, to be determined soon, will grace the $10 bill.

Hillary Clinton crafts defense on tenure at State Department  —  Hillary Clinton has started to formulate a strategy on one of the thorniest issues she will face on the campaign trail: her tenure as President Obama's secretary of State.  —  Republicans have ripped Clinton's reign …

The Last Time Conservatives Dismissed a Major Encyclical, It Ended Terribly for Them  —  Despair is ranked as one of the unforgivable sins, yet right-wing Catholics deserve some mercy in their despondency.  The bulwark of their political creed is being subverted by both the new direction Pope Francis …

Donald Trump Campaign Offered Actors $50 to Cheer for Him at Presidential Announcement  —  Donald Trump's big presidential announcement Tuesday was made a little bigger with help from paid actors — at $50 a pop.  —  New York-based Extra Mile Casting sent an email last Friday to its client list …

Blow Up the Tax Code and Start Over  —  Apply a 14.5% flat tax to personal income and to businesses.  Cut deductions.  Watch the economy roar.  —  Some of my fellow Republican candidates for the presidency have proposed plans to fix the tax system.  These proposals are a step in the right direction …

Fox News as we know it may be screwed: Roger Ailes' stunning rebuke could spell the end  —  With Rupert Murdoch stepping aside, Roger Ailes will now report to Murdoch's Fox-hating sons  —  After reports surfaced that Rupert Murdoch planned to step down as head of media giant 21st Century Fox …