Confederate flag removed from Alabama Capitol grounds on order of Gov. Bentley  —  On the order of Gov. Robert Bentley, the Confederate battle flag which stands at the foot of the confederate memorial on the state Capitol grounds was taken down this morning.

Fox dumps Sarah Palin  —  Fox News will not renew its contract with Sarah Palin, whose bombastic appearances have been a cable staple since the former Alaska governor's failed run on John McCain's ticket in the 2008 presidential election cycle.  When asked for comment, a Fox News spokesperson confirmed …

Autopsy of Freddie Gray shows ‘high-energy’ impact  —  Freddie Gray suffered a single “high-energy injury” to his neck and spine — most likely caused when the police van in which he was riding suddenly decelerated, according to a copy of the autopsy report obtained by The Baltimore Sun.

Bobby Jindal Poised to Join Republican Presidential Race  —  The Louisiana governor is polling near the back of the pack.  —  Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is poised to join the crowded race for the Republican presidential nomination with an announcement at a rally outside New Orleans on Wednesday.

Obamacare dilemma for GOP govs running for president  —  The question: Salvage subsidies or stick to 2016 repeal script?  —  Ohio Governor John Kasich refused to set up an Obamacare exchange, as did most other GOP governors.  Getty  —  If the Supreme Court rules against Obamacare subsidies …

Homegrown Radicals More Deadly Than Jihadis in U.S.  —  WASHINGTON — In the 14 years since Al Qaeda carried out attacks on New York and the Pentagon, extremists have regularly executed smaller lethal assaults in the United States, explaining their motives in online manifestoes or social media rants.

Anesthesiologist trashes sedated patient — and it ends up costing her  —  These audio clips are excerpts from conversations between a gastroenterologist, an anesthesiologist and a medical assistant during a colonoscopy.  This was entered as evidence in a lawsuit filed by the patient for defamation and medical malpractice.

What GOP Candidates Need To Speak To, Now  —  “This is not about guns.  This is about evil.  Here at home, and evil abroad.”  —  No GOP candidate for president has yet used those words but I hope some and perhaps all of them will before a week or more passes.

Iran's Supreme Leader Seems to Pull Back on Nuclear Talks  —  TEHRAN — With exactly a week left before the deadline for a final agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program, the country's supreme leader appeared to undercut several of the central agreements his negotiators have already reached with the West.

Chris Christie to announce 2016 bid as early as next week  —  Chris Christie is in the final stages of preparing his 2016 presidential bid, with a formal announcement possible as soon as next week, according to several sources familiar with the discussions.  —  The governor's planning has intensified in recent days.

Manchin, Toomey both interested in reviving gun control push  —  This post has been updated.  —  In the wake of the Charleston shooting, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) are considering ways to renew their failed push to expand meaningful background checks on gun purchases.

Mass Shootings Are Preventable  —  A firearm is surrendered during a gun buyback event after the 2014 mass shooting at UC-Santa Barbara.  (Kevork Djansezian / Reuters )  —  Mass shooters, although almost always male, in many other ways grimly echo the diversity of American life.

US Navy paid millions to stay on Windows XP  —  The U.S. Navy is paying Microsoft millions of dollars to keep up to 100,000 computers afloat because it has yet to transition away from Windows XP.  —  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, which runs the Navy's communications and information networks …

Every state flag is wrong, and here is why  —  As long as we're on the subject of flags that should and should not be flown in states, let's take a moment to talk about state flags.  —  Every state flag is wrong.  If you don't believe me, look at them.  Here are the 50 worst.

Dash Cams Show Cops Celebrating After Dylann Roof's Arrest … Newly released dash cam footage shows the moment that officers arrested accused Charleston mass murderer Dylann Roof — high-fiving and fist-bumping each other after placing the suspect in a police car.

L.A. City Council OKs crackdowns on homeless encampments  —  The Los Angeles City Council gave final approval Tuesday to an aggressive crackdown on street encampments, setting the stage for the first major homeless sweeps in the city in decades.  —  Mayor Eric Garcetti said he would sign …