Senior U.S. Official: Intercepted Al Qaeda Communications Indicate Planned Attack ‘Big,’ ‘Strategically Significant’  —  ABC News' Martha Raddatz and Jonathan Karl report:  —  On the day that almost two dozen U.S. embassies and consulates across North Africa and the Middle East are closed following …

Members of Congress denied access to basic information about NSA  —  Documents provided by two House members demonstrate how they are blocked from exercising any oversight over domestic surveillance  —  • Morgan Griffith's requests for NSA information  —  • Alan Grayson's requests for NSA information

Pay-up time for Brawley: '87 rape-hoaxer finally shells out for slander  —  Just $431,000 to go  —  Twenty-five years after accusing an innocent man of rape, Tawana Brawley is finally paying for her lies.  —  Last week, 10 checks totaling $3,764.61 were delivered to ex-prosecutor Steven Pagones …

Schumer calls Putin a ‘school-yard bully’  —  Russian President Vladimir Putin is nothing more than a “school-yard bully,” and President Barack Obama should cancel their meeting in Moscow next month, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.N.Y.) said Sunday.  —  Last week, Putin granted National Security …

Statement on Update of Embassy and Consulate Closure  —  Press Statement  —  Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson  —  Washington, DC  —  Given that a number of our embassies and consulates were going to be closed in accordance with local custom and practice for the bulk of the week …

Other Agencies Clamor for Data N.S.A. Compiles  —  WASHINGTON — The National Security Agency's dominant role as the nation's spy warehouse has spurred frequent tensions and turf fights with other federal intelligence agencies that want to use its surveillance tools for their own investigations, officials say.

Unknown Republican blocks bill requiring email search warrants  —  An anonymous Republican senator has delayed a vote on legislation that would require police to obtain a warrant before accessing emails and other online messages.  —  Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) …

Martin O'Malley Putting Together “Framework” For Presidential Bid  —  The Maryland governor is openly making preparations for a White House run.  “I think we're on course to have a body of work that lays the framework of a candidacy for 2016,” says O'Malley.  —  Image by Charlie Neibergall, File / AP

Republican No-Shows in the Budget Wars  —  Amid the morass of Washington's endless budget fights there was a moment of sweet revelation last week: House Republicans choked outright when they failed to muster support for the draconian dreams of Paul Ryan, the Wisconsin legislator and fabled budget hawk …

Democracy in Action (Missouri Edition)  —  ProPublica's The Payday Playbook: How High Cost Lenders Fight to Stay Legal is a little different from what they teach in high school civics classes. … Someone raised $2.8 million to fight the initiative.  We don't get know exactly who: