Venezuela's marathon man looks to run down Chavez  —  Henrique Capriles, an opposition leader who runs marathons in his spare time, hopes to give Hugo Chavez a close race in elections next weekend, reports Philip Sherwell.  —  Henrique Capriles is hoping to give Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez a run for his money.

Supreme Court cases could stir 2012 race  —  As the presidential race heads into the home stretch, the Supreme Court is poised to wade into a series of contentious issues that neither President Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney seems eager to discuss.  —  The justices begin their next term on Monday.

State bans gay-repair therapy for minors  —  Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press / SF  —  Sacramento —  California has become the first state in the country to ban controversial therapy practices that attempt to change the sexual orientation of minors after Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill to outlaw them Saturday.

Afghan troops get a lesson in American cultural ignorance  —  KABUL — During the Vietnam War, American soldiers shipped out armed with government-issued guides to the distant land and the mysterious people.  —  In Afghanistan, the U.S. military has tried training sessions, embedded cultural advisers …

On ‘This Week’: Gov. Chris Christie and David Plouffe  —  Chris Christie and David Plouffe on This Week (New Jersey State Governor's Office/ABC)  —  Days before the critical first presidential debate next week, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and White House senior adviser David Plouffe join …

The World We're Actually Living In  —  FOR the first time in a long, long time, a Democrat is running for president and has the clear advantage on national security policy.  That is not “how things are supposed to be,” and Republicans sound apoplectic about it.

Obama within reach of electoral votes for 2nd term; Romney could still win but path narrower  —  Early voting is under way in dozens of states, and national and key states surveys show undecided voters feel more favorably toward Obama than Romney.  —  The Republican is in a tight battle …

Dispatches From The War That Nobody Wants  —  As everybody knows, there is no such thing as a global war on terror anymore.  Instead we live in a harmonious world of interfaith comity with only the occasional criminal act that is quickly and competently handled by law enforcement officials.

Elizabeth Warren appears to inch ahead of Scott Brown in new Globe poll, 43 - 38  —  But 18% of voters said they're still undecided  —  You are reading this article for FREE courtesy of BostonGlobe.com.  Get unlimited access.  —  With Elizabeth Warren and Senator Scott Brown preparing …

'I'm not counting on a gaffe' from Biden  —  (CNN) - GOP vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan said Sunday he's not counting on gaffes from Vice President Joe Biden when they debate on October 11.  —  “I don't think he will.  You know he doesn't do that in debates.

Des Moines Register Iowa Poll: Obama leads Romney by 4 points  —  © Des Moines Register and Tribune Co.  —  President Barack Obama leads Republican nominee Mitt Romney 49 percent to 45 percent in the battleground state of Iowa, a new Des Moines Register Iowa Poll has found.

Most voters have locked in choice  —  Thirty-seven days from Election Day, Iowa has few undecided voters left — just 2 percent.  —  But 10 percent of likely voters say they could still change their minds.  Of that group, more than half are independent voters.