Trimming the Times: Tripoli Bombed; Space is the Place

A guide to what's in the New York Times for those worried about hitting its pay wall

Now that the New York Times pay wall is live, you only get 20 free clicks a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we're taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.

The home page today leads with news that NATO has bombed Tripoli in its heaviest attack yet. And A.G. Sulzberger and Brian Stetler have an excellent account of Sunday night's tornado, as experienced in a Joplin hospital. If you like vintage space photos, don't miss the Science feature on the U.S. race to space.

World: You'll want to check out the account of the morbid detective work being done to determine exactly how late Chilean leader Salvadore Allende died. In an interesting piece of news from Saudi Arabia, the government quickly arrested a woman for driving a car as a protest gesture. And if you'd like a hopeful bit of news from Afghanistan, check out this report on a region that is quietly governing itself.

U.S.: The top story, and one of the most important, is on the Supreme Court decision that finds overcrowded California prisons amount to cruel and unusual punishment. And for news on the newly released FBI crime statistics showing an overall drop nationwide, the Times coverage provides one of the better national takes--most other papers focused on their own cities.

Business: With a tight job market for lawyers, some are taking lower-paid, non-tenure-track positions in big law firms. And if you can't afford to fly first class, you may still be able to buy the little gift bag they give you.

Technology: The big news is Sony's $3.2 billion loss over the last fiscal year, thanks to the Japan earthquake and the Playstation Network hack. But of course, that news is available elsewhere. The report on Square's efforts to do away with payment cards altogether shows we're nearing the brave new world. And that explosion at the Foxconn plant was caused by dust.

Science: In one of the best combinations of interesting thinking and cool pictures we've seen in a long time, an essay and slide show take us through the U.S. race to space of the early 1960s. Also worth a look: This piece on how vastly different-seeming species can share strikingly similar DNA.

Health: The story on doctor-passengers becoming an increasingly relied-upon health measure on airplanes is worth a look. Also of interest: A psychiatrist cringes at the statements of other psychiatrists asked to comment on the news.

Sports: In your NBA playoffs story, the Mavericks beat the Thunder. You can read about the Bulls' Joakim Noah's antigay slur elsewhere. Better to spend your click on this feature on Taj Smith, a "fringe" player who may wind up a casualty of the NFL's lockout.

Opinion: In the lead op-ed, journalism professor David Hajdu looks at a crop of musicians turning 70, and what happened when they were 14.

Arts: Check out the profile of the theatrical troupe that performs unusual readings of classic American literature.