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Voters will choose the state's next governor in a special election Tuesday. On the ballot are the man who has been acting governor, Democratic state Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, and GOP businessman Bill Maloney. But Republicans are trying to make the race a referendum on someone else: President Obama.

Political figures choreograph their presidential campaigns well in advance. If they're running, they'll let you know. Asking might only distract from more substantive policy issues.

Friday's drone strike in Yemen eliminated two Americans who have played a key role in the development of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan were, above all else, the group's bridge to the West. The group is largely made up of Yemenis and Saudis who have hardly stepped foot out of the Middle East. That made Awlaki and Khan unique. Host Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Dina Temple-Raston.

After many awful seasons this year's Detroit Lions are — can you believe it — undefeated. To add to the glory, each of the Detroit car makers is showing signs of health with increased quality and profitability. It's long-awaited good news for a city that's been through bad times.

The Syrian government is continuing its brutal crackdown against protesters. For much of the past week, there have also been clashes between security forces and armed militants in the central town of Rastan and elsewhere. Most of those resisting the government with arms are thought to be defectors from the Syrian army. Host Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Deb Amos from Beirut, where she has been monitoring the Syrian crisis.

This past week, Bank of America announced plans to charge most of its debit card users $5 a month if they use the card to make purchases. The decision is meant to offset anticipated revenue losses from regulatory changes that took effect on Friday. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois introduced those changes to last year's Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation. Durbin joins host Audie Cornish to explain why he thinks the legislation is important.

The Supreme Court returns to the bench this week after its summer recess. The new term begins tomorrow with some 50 cases on the docket, and several of them deal with hot-button political issues. Host Audie Cornish talks with NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg about the upcoming Supreme Court term.

On his way out as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen's comments about Pakistan has given public voice to concerns about the country's intelligence agency. Those comments have raised new questions about U.S.-Pakistan relations and what the U.S. should do next.

If the debt reduction supercommittee deadlocks, or if Congress rejects its work, by law automatic across-the-board budget cuts — half of them from defense spending — will be triggered. Already, talk is growing of undoing that trigger.

The GOP contender's aides say his family took steps to paint over a rock at a hunting camp it leased. A racial epithet had been on the stone for years. Some who visited the camp tell The Washington Post the word was still visible in recent years.