Hagel Said to Be Stepping Down as Defense Chief Under Pressure  —  WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down under pressure, the first cabinet-level casualty of the collapse of President Obama's Democratic majority in the Senate and a beleaguered national security team …

The Gospel of Rudy Giuliani  —  On Sunday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani went on Meet the Press to discuss the killing of Michael Brown.  Giuliani offered the kind of candor and tough talk that almost made him president: … Yes.  It's almost as if killers tend to murder people who live near them.

Police: Woman Saying She's ‘Ready For Ferguson’ Shoots, Kills Self By Accident  —  St. Louis police were investigating an incident in which a woman waving a gun inside a vehicle and saying she was “ready for Ferguson” apparently shot herself in the head by accident, CNN reported Sunday.

Rand Paul Shows Early Strength in New Hampshire Poll  —  Republican Rand Paul is showing early strength for a possible 2016 presidential bid in the first primary state, where a Bloomberg Politics/Saint Anselm New Hampshire Poll shows him running slightly ahead of more established names.

Rand Paul Declares War on ISIS—and Allows Boots on the Ground  —  The Kentucky senator, seeking to define himself as a foreign-policy heavyweight ahead of 2016, will introduce a measure in the Senate next month declaring war on the terror group.  —  “The most important” part of Rand Paul's assessment of …

Lincoln — or Schoolyard Bully?  —  Even some of Obama's allies cast a cold eye on his penchant for lawmaking.  —  President Obama held a private screening of the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln at the White House in late 2012, and an ABC News reporter tweeted that Obama was “incredibly moved” …

Killings by Utah police outpacing gang, drug, child-abuse homicides  —  1. Officer Bron Cruz' body camera shows him beginning to raise his gun toward Dillon Taylor as Taylor walks away.  2. Taylor continues to face away from Cruz.  Cruz can be heard ordering Taylor, “Get your hands out, now.”

Exclusive: Why TV anchors met secretly with Ferguson officer who shot Michael Brown  —  Practically every journalist covering the death of Michael Brown would like to interview Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Brown.  —  In the pursuit of that interview …

Iran nuclear talks extended seven months after failing to meet deadline  —  (Reuters) - Iran and six powers failed for a second time this year on Monday to resolve their 12-year dispute over Tehran's nuclear ambitions and gave themselves seven more months to overcome the deadlock that has prevented them from clinching an historic deal.

Postscript: Marion Barry (1936-2014)  —  Give him this: Marion Barry was the most vivid local politician in the history of the District of Columbia.  Like Earl and Huey Long, of Louisiana, he was a kaleidoscopically strange and contradictory political beast: a man of civil rights …

Giving thanks for government  —  Raise your hand if you love big government — you know, intrusive, controlling high-tax big government.  —  Not you, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).  The only Socialist elected to Congress is excused from this caucus.  —  But seriously, every Republican …