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Ukraine's parliamentary elections on Sunday pitted an unpopular government against a fragmented opposition. The ruling Party of the Regions is predicted to hang on to its majority, despite widespread allegations of repression and corruption. One of the main opposition leaders, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, is in prison on charges on what her supporters say are trumped up corruption charges. The next most popular opposition leader is a heavyweight boxing champion with no political experience.

Bao Tong was once a senior figure in the Communist Party. He was ousted and jailed for seven years after the Tiananmen Square events of 1989 and is still followed everywhere by security officers. But he doesn't hesitate to speak his mind, and is a scathing critic of the country's current leaders.

New York City has seen some of the worst damage from Sandy. Large parts of Manhattan were without power on Monday night, a building crane was knocked loose, and there were reports of flooding in the city's subway system.

Sandy has created havoc up and down the East Coast, but it's now causing blizzards inland as well. Steve Inskeep speaks with NPR's Jon Hamilton to explain that and the science behind the storm; and to NPR's Dan Charles in West Virginia, where snow has blanketed part of the state.

Steve Inskeep speaks with NPR's Robert Smith in New York about conditions in the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

For Jennifer Kaye, Hurricane Sandy is a threat to her livelihood. Kaye is General Manager and Captain of the Schooner Woodwind, a family-owned business based in Annapolis, Maryland. She and her crew are riding out the storm on board a 74-foot sailboat. Kaye explains how being on the boat is key to protecting it.

Any polls taken after the storm, and while millions of Americans' lives remain disrupted, carry with them a very real potential for accuracy problems, says an expert on public opinion research. In fact, he says the presidential election survey world now needs to be divided into before and after Sandy.

Stopping the Affordable Care Act may be harder than the law's opponents realize. For one thing, if he's elected, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney can't just grant waivers letting states ignore the law on his first day as president.

Over the course of a long campaign, Americans have gotten a chance to learn more about President Obama. His personality and his performance as a leader, a debater and a candidate have all been under the microscope.

The effects of the superstorm could hurt turnout in traditionally blue states, limiting the popular vote for President Obama. But if Obama's response to the disaster is looked upon favorably, the opposition might be less motivated to turn out.