Doing Better: Making Improvements to HealthCare.gov  —  Over the past two and a half weeks, millions of Americans visited HealthCare.gov to look at their new health care options under the Affordable Care Act.  In that time, nearly half a million applications for coverage have been submitted from across the nation.

Contractors See Weeks of Work on Health Site  —  Federal contractors have identified most of the main problems crippling President Obama's online health insurance marketplace, but the administration has been slow to issue orders for fixing those flaws, and some contractors worry that the system …

GOP, Boehner take shutdown hit in new CNN poll  —  Washington (CNN) — Just more than half the public says that it's bad for the country that the GOP controls the House of Representatives, according to a new national poll conducted after the end of the partial government shutdown.

White House photographer weds in Rose Garden  —  President Obama hosted a wedding for White House photographer Pete Souza and Patti Lease on Saturday evening in the Rose Garden, according to a White House official.  —  “They ceremony was performed by [White House] Chaplain Rev. [Stan] …

CONNECT  —  Cracks are showing in the Democratic coalition as the next round of budget talks gets under way, hurting the chances for progress toward a broad deal that changes the tax code and significantly narrows future deficits.  —  While Republicans are still smarting over nasty infighting …

Brooklyn group of black youths blocks white couple's car, bloody victims in racial attack: cops  —  Authorities say Ronald and Alana Russo were pummeled by attackers — ranging in age from 12 to 18 — who showered them with racial slurs.  One Brooklyn teen says he was falsely arrested …

NSA Accessed Mexican President's Email  —  The NSA has been systematically eavesdropping on the Mexican government for years.  It hacked into the president's public email account and gained deep insight into policymaking and the political system.  The news is likely to hurt ties between the US and Mexico.

Our choice for governor in 2013: none of the above  —  The Times-Dispatch is not endorsing a candidate for governor in 2013.  —  The words that follow should not come as a surprise.  During recent months, numerous editorials in The Times-Dispatch have lamented the gubernatorial campaign.

Jeb Bush to GOP: ‘Have a Little Bit of Self-Restraint,’ Offer Alternative to Achieve Obamacare Repeal  —  During an interview for “This Week,” former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush encouraged the GOP to come up with an alternative and show some restraint if their aim was to repeal the president's signature healthcare law.

Dick Cheney's heart  —  The following script is from “Dick Cheney's Heart” which aired on Oct. 20, 2013.  The correspondent is Dr. Sanjay Gupta.  Michael Radutzky and Denise Schrier Cetta, producers.  —  Dick Cheney is one of the most polarizing figures in America.

Time running out for immigration reform  —  Supporters are pushing for action in Congress, but some say there's not enough time to get a deal done this year.  —  CONNECT  —  PHOENIX — Immigration reform, the centerpiece of President Barack Obama's second-term domestic agenda …