Trimming the Times: Al-Assad's Enforcer; Pentagon Papers

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Adam Martin 452 Views Jun 8, 2011

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 front page leads with a report on embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his "enforcer" brother, Maher al-Assad. And Anthony Weiner once again grabs headlines high on the page, to his certain chagrin, as this time it's an examination of his chances to keep his job. And don't miss the near-gloating coverage of the government's declassification of the Pentagon Papers, 40 years after they were leaked.

World: In addition to the report on the Al-Assad brothers, you should catch the report on uncertainty in Yemen as it's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, recovers from injuries far worse than originally reported. And John Burns has a good report on yesterday's major aerial attack on Muammar el-Qaddafi's compound. Also, just for weirdness' sake, don't miss the report on Mexican drug smugglers' armored "rhino trucks."

U.S.: Michael Cooper and Sam Roberts got back in touch with Daniel Ellsberg as the government is set to declassify the Pentagon Papers, 40 years after their leak to the New York Times. There's a good report on the Arizona wildfires, though the latest information will be coming from local sources such as the Arizona Republic. And in a great bit of biographical reporting, a longtime art forger finally faces a fraud charge.

New York: Jennifer Preston uncovered a Twitter group of self-described conservatives who warned young women to be cautious of Anthony Weiner a few months ago.

Business: The lead, borrowed from the national section, is an interesting feature on the departure of the old guard of television anchors. You can skip the report on Germany's proposal to extend Greek bonds (that stuff's available at the Washington Post as well) . But don't miss the report on domestic start-ups going public on foreign stock exchanges.

Technology: Skip the report on the new Nintendo (you probably read about that anyway), and check out the report on the Financial Times' new mobile application.

Science: The only real coverage here is the report on New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's plans to cut the state's renewable energy goals.

Sports: In another close win for the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki arose from his sickbed to score 21 points. And leading up to Belmont, there's a great horse-racing slide show on the Lens blog, linked from Sports.

Opinion: It's not the lead op-ed (that's all about how natural gas is greener than wind or solar power), but the op-ed by Eric Weiner on the difficulty of having that particular name is priceless.

Arts: Charles Isherwood's review of The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World doesn't make you want to go see the show, but it does make for some entertaining theater and rock writing.

Dining and Wine: The lead feature on the family-run Ridgewood Pork Store in Queens makes one hungry for cured meats. But perhaps the more accessible story nationally is the report on the local food treats available in Congressional offices.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at amartin at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

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