TOP STORY — US military deaths in Afghanistan hit 2,000 after 11 years of war
The Associated Press reports: “The toll has climbed steadily in recent months with a spate of attacks by Afghan army and police — supposed allies — against American and NATO troops. That has raised troubling questions about whether countries in the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan will achieve their aim of helping the government in Kabul and its forces stand on their own after most foreign troops depart in little more than two years.”
Battleground Poll: Race still tight
There’s still a lot to play for in the presidential race, according to a new Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll of likely voters. President Barack Obama leads Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney 49 percent to 47 percent, a virtual tie within the margin of the error. But Romney leads by 4 points among independents, meaning a strong debate performance on Wednesday could vault him into the lead.
Another big Supreme Court term kicks off Monday
The U.S. Supreme Court’s next term could include major rulings about affirmative action, gay marriage and voting rights. From the Associated Press: “Many people on both the left and right expect (Chief Justice John) Roberts to return to the fold and side with the conservative justices in the new term’s big cases. If they’re right, the spotlight will be back on Justice Anthony Kennedy, whose vote typically is decisive in cases that otherwise split the court’s liberals and conservatives.
But Roberts will be watched closely, following his health care vote, for fresh signs that he’s becoming less ideologically predictable.”
Christensen: 10 gubernatorial questions worth debating
There’s another big debate on Wednesday — the N.C. gubernatorial debate. The News and Observer’s Rob Christensen poses five questions for Republican Pat McCrory and Democrat Walter Dalton.
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