M.I.T. Taking Student Blogs to Nth Degree

By TAMAR LEWIN 9 minutes ago

Mark Wilson for The New York Times

At M.I.T., from left, Paul Baranay, Jess Kim and Chris Mills write blogs for its admissions site.

Colleges are letting student bloggers post without censoring, as a marketing tool.

Senator John Ensign was having an affair with Cynthia Hampton, and he sought work for her husband. Mr. Ensign on Capitol Hill in July.

Senator’s Aid After Affair Raises Flags Over Ethics

By ERIC LICHTBLAU and ERIC LIPTON 3 minutes ago

Experts say Senator John Ensign may have violated ethics laws by helping an aide get work after having an affair with his wife.

Immigrants May Become Legal Under Agency Plan

By JULIA PRESTON 15 minutes ago

A gigantic increase in visa applications would be expected if President Obama’s overhaul of immigration law comes to pass next year.

Study Links Water Shortages in Southeast to Population, Not Global Warming

By CORNELIA DEAN 16 minutes ago

Researchers also concluded that rapid population growth was more responsible for the severe water shortages than rainfall patterns were.

Documents: Drought in the Southeastern United States (pdf)

Swine Flu Spreading Widely; Worry Over Pregnant Women

By DONALD G. MCNEIL Jr. 14 minutes ago

With swine flu now widespread across the country, federal health officials released Tamiflu for children and began taking orders from the states for the new swine flu vaccine.

Bill Murphy, a resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, protesting the use of prayer before meetings of the Lodi City Council.

City Decides to Continue Pre-Meeting Invocation

By MALIA WOLLAN and JESSE McKINLEY 13 minutes ago

The Council’s unanimous vote was unlikely to satisfy a group that has threatened lawsuits in an effort to cut religion from local government meetings.

Republicans Call Health Legislation a Tax Increase

By ADAM NAGOURNEY and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN 7 minutes ago

Seizing on a new line of attack, Republican leaders say the proposed health care overhaul is a vehicle for a barrage of hidden and not-so-hidden tax increases.

Panel Easing Penalties for Those Without Insurance

By ROBERT PEAR and JACKIE CALMES 7 minutes ago

The Senate Finance Committee moved to help people who would face financial burdens in buying even the cheapest insurance available.

Support Appears to Drop for Abortion Rights

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN 13 minutes ago

A poll suggests that the gap has narrowed between Americans who favor keeping abortion legal and those who do not.

Texas Governor Defends Shakeup of Commission

By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. 13 minutes ago

The replacement of three members of a state commission investigating an execution will, at the least, delay the inquiry.

House Calls

Articles in this series focus on the viewpoints and experiences of individuals on all sides of the health care debate.

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Beth Court

This series explores how a block of eight homes in Moreno Valley, Calif., about 60 miles from Los Angeles, has been reshaped by the housing bust and recession.

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Women at Arms

This series explores how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have profoundly redefined the role of women in the military.

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Video Feature: Obama's Health Care Address to Congress

Interactive video and transcript of President Obama’s speech before a joint session of Congress on the need to overhaul health care.

Video: Edward M. Kennedy, 1932 - 2009

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts and a member of one of the country's most influential political families, was one of the most effective senators in American history.

Times Topics: Edward M. Kennedy

Interactive Feature: Voices From a Jurist’s History

Recollections of those who have known Sonia Sotomayor as a judge, a lawyer and plain old Sonia.

Times Topics: Sonia Sotomayor

Sources: Social Explorer, www.socialexplorer.com; Minnesota Population Center; U.S. Census Bureau

Interactive Graphic: Immigration Explorer

See how foreign-born groups settled in your area and across the United States from 1880 to 2000.

Jane Briggeman, taking pictures, as Orchid Mei dances for La Savona, left, Marg C and Bambi Jones at a meeting of former burlesque dancers in Baraboo, Wis.

Burlesque Days Again for the Feather Boa Crowd

By DAN BARRY 15 minutes ago

The Golden Days of Burlesque Historical Society brings together performers from the circuit, pre-1965.

Multimedia

Multimedia Feature

Veterans’ Voices

Four veterans recall their Vietnam War experiences.

A new blog about what changes in the health care system might mean for Americans.

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A blog examining all facets of college and university admissions.

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The Recession’s Impact

Faces, numbers and stories from behind the downturn.

Memories from the Great Depression seem more relevant today than ever. The New York Times is starting a series of video conversations about that painful past and the uncertain future. Join in at nytimes.com/thenewhardtimes.