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.

Top Stories: Iraq has welcomed a violent militia group into its government, increasing sectarian strife and linking the country more closely to Iran. South Sudan's independence from the North has not stopped ethnic violence as more than 3,000 people have been killed and 1,200 children kidnapped in recent attacks. The enduring power of Joan of Arc's story, 600 years after her birth.

Politics: More scrutiny of Rick Santorum, this time focusing on his lucrative post-Senate career working with companies that he helped legislate for while in Congress. A Democratic Senator may be holding up the President's appointment of a federal judge because of her relationship with one of his poltical rivals. How President Obama is trying to pin the Republican nominee to the reviled and unpopular Republican Congress.

Opinion: Paul Krugman attacks Mitt Romney's claims that Obama is a job destroyer, while he was a job-creator. Nick Kristof offers praise to celebrities who use their fame on behalf of humanitarian causes.

Health: The secrets of successfully keeping New Year's resolution, including minimizing temptation in advance in order to preserve willpower later.

NYC: The popular trend of free barroom lectures, combines intellectuals with the local pickup scene.

World: Zimbabwe's government has tightened its control of the country's diamond mines, threatening smugglers who used to dominate the region and killing off what little local economy benefited from their black market work.

Sports: A profile of Mr. Met, the lovable mascot of those lovable losers. Stadium video boards have gotten so big that football players can look at the screen during a play to see if any one is behind them about to make a tackle.

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