Trimming the Times: Syrian Crackdown, Racist Cemetery

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.

At the top of the home page today, the Syrian government has sent soldiers to crack down on dissidents in its northwest, but most have fled. And Robert Gates didn't pull any punches in warning NATO of its "dim if not dismal future" in his address to a Brussels think tank. Topping our favorites today, the report from a small California town where a cemetery marker gave a glimpse into an intolerant past.

World: The lead story on Egypt's sluggish post-revolution economy is a great read and a good follow-up to the dramatic political coverage there. A story from Germany has news that officials there have finally concluded that contaminated bean sprouts caused an E. coli outbreak. And in an interesting report from China, officials appear to be hobbling grass-roots political candidates.

U.S.: At the top of the page, some worthwhile analysis on Barack Obama's planned trip to Puerto Rico says he'll really be speaking to Puerto Ricans in mainland U.S. states. There's also an interesting report on Boston College's legal fight over British access to recordings of I.R.A. interviews. But the story to read from this section is the  report from a small town in California, where a cemetery population has been buried under a shockingly racist marker for 57 years.

New York: In a sort of combination news report and profile, we learn how Anthony Weiner's brash and aggressive style has not won him many friends on Capitol Hill now that he needs them. And Trouble the dog has finally died.

Business: Catherine Rampell has an interesting report on how companies in recovery are spending their cash on new equipment rather than workers. And Eric Dash has some worthwhile analysis of banking security in the wake of the Citibank breach.

Technology: A good report on a new type of circuit by IBM basically translates this Science magazine article into plain English.

Health: Don't miss the story, borrowed from the New York section, on cyclist Damian Lopez Alfonso, who is in New York to get prosthetic forearms to help him ride even faster.

Sports: With the NBA title in reach, the game coverage of the Mavericks win over the Heat is quite dramatic. And there's a great story (which is actually at the top of the home page right now) on how slower times in Preakness and the Kentucky Derby are a good sign for horse racing, as they show a lack of steroids.

Opinion: In the lead op-ed, New York University professors Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith make the case that when dictators face revolution, it's generally the rich ones that stay in power and the poor ones that get overthrown.

Arts: The story to read here is, of course, the forecast for Sunday night's Tony awards.

Style: The profile of Social Life publisher Devorah Rose gives some great insight into Hamptons high society.