Senate leaders nearing a deal  —  Senate leaders are closing in on a deal to reopen the government and extend the U.S. debt ceiling until next year, marking a major breakthrough in an impasse that has paralyzed Washington for the last two weeks, according to several sources familiar with the talks.

NSA collects millions of e-mail address books globally  —  The National Security Agency is harvesting hundreds of millions of contact lists from personal e-mail and instant messaging accounts around the world, many of them belonging to Americans, according to senior intelligence officials …

Sarah Palin: Barack Obama flirts with impeachment  —  President Barack Obama is risking “impeachable” offenses with the way he is handling the debt limit debate, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said in a post on her Facebook page Monday.  —  “Defaulting on our national debt is an impeachable offense …

How federal cronies built — and botched — Healthcare.gov  —  Many contractors for Healthcare.gov site seem to have been picked based on past government work rather than IT expertise  —  The biggest problem with Healthcare.gov seems simple enough: It was built by people who are apparently far …

Poll: Republicans losing no-win game  —  All of Washington's elected leaders earn negative marks for handling budget negotiations, but the public's ire toward Republicans in Congress has hardened quicker than disapproval of President Obama and Democrats through a fortnight of failed negotiations.

Government shutdown unleashes racism  —  Question: If Ted Cruz and John Boehner were both on a sinking ship, who would be saved?  —  Answer: America.  —  Harsh?  Look around you at what is happening to America and you will see harsh.  I am not talking about closed parks and monuments.

Senators Near Fiscal Deal, but the House Is Uncertain  —  WASHINGTON — Senate leaders neared the completion Monday night of a bipartisan deal to raise the debt ceiling and end the government shutdown while the rest of the world braced for the possibility of an American default that could set off a global financial disaster.

North Andover High Punishes Teen For Giving Drunken Pal Ride Home From Party  —  NORTH ANDOVER (CBS) — It's tough for Eleanor Cox to talk about how heartbroken her daughter Erin is over the punishment she received for doing what she thought was right.  —  “She's very fragile and I'm worried about her.

What Republican Suicide Would Look Like  —  As most are now aware, the Republican Party is taking a beating at the polls.  GOP favorability is now at historic lows and they are taking the brunt of the blame for the government shutdown.  —  These numbers are bad enough for Republicans.

NBC host Bob Costas: Washington Redskins nickname ‘an insult, a slur’  —  Bob Costas of NBC Sports waded into the controversy over the Washington Redskins nickname Sunday night, devoting a commentary to the topic at halftime of the nationally televised game between the Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys.