Cheat Sheet - Up to Speed on Russia’s Bombings

Today: Israel to Pay for All Abortions , 70 Journalists Killed in 2013 , NSA Spied on Assange December 30, 2013 VOLGOGRAD 1. Up to Speed on Russia's Bombings A day after a suicide bomber attacked a train station in the southern Russian metropolis of Volgograd, killing 17 and wounding scores more, a second bomb blasted through one of the city's trolley buses during the Monday morning rush hour. At least 14 people were reported dead and more than two dozen wounded—including a six-month-old child—in the second suicide strike. The Daily Beast's Katie Baker breaks down who could be behind the blasts (Chechen rebels) and what it means for the Olympics. Read it at The Daily Beast Surprise 2. Israel to Pay for All Abortions Israeli health officials announced Monday that the state would pay for all abortions for women age 20 to 33 starting next year. Subsidized abortions were previously only available in the case of medical emergencies, including rape and sexual abuse. An Israeli medical official says he hopes to make the program universal in the future. "It was brought to our attention that there is a large group of women between 20 and 30 who for various reasons—financial or reasons of secrecy—do not terminate pregnancies," health official Jonathan Halevy said. Women will have to appear before a state committee before terminating a pregnancy. Read it at Haaretz DANGEROUS 3. 70 Journalists Killed in 2013 At least 70 journalists were killed on the job in in 2013, with a majority of those killed in Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, according to a report released Monday by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Twenty-nine journalists were killed in Syria alone, and the death toll included citizen journalists, broadcasters working with media affiliated with either the government or the opposition, and correspondents for foreign press. Ten journalists died in Iraq and six more were killed in Egypt, half of whom were killed reporting on demonstrations that overthrew former President Mohamed Morsi. For the first time in a decade, there were no deaths in Mexico, which has long been a dangerous spot for journalists. Read it at Associated Press FREAKY 4. NSA Spied on Assange Well, look at on the bright side, Julian Assange: you weren't being paranoid. It turns out the National Security Agency did tap into Assange's WiFi at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he is currently holed up while fighting extradition.According to Jacob Appelbaum, who co-wrote the Der Spiegel article that first revealed the NSA's catalog of spying devices, the NSA can control iOS devices and any phone communication from as far as eight miles away. Ecuadorian embassy visitors received welcome messages from a Ugandan company—apparently the messages were installed from a base station installed on the roof, disguised as a cell tower for surveillance purposes. Check your history, Assange, there's bound to be some awkwardness in there. Read it at The Verge POP CULTURE PRESIDENT 5. Obama Loves 'Breaking Bad' Presidents, they're just like us. President Obama delighted us all once again when he announced his love of Breaking Bad, but honestly, wouldn't it be embarrassing if he didn't watch Walter White? The Daily Beast's Kevin Fallon on why we shouldn't be shocked that the president likes highbrow cable dramas. Read it at The Daily Beast GO WEST YOUNG MAN South, West Populations Growing North Dakota's population increased by 3.1 percent. SAFEST CITY NYC Murders Hit Record Low Less than one murder per day. TRAGIC F1 Champ Michael Schumacher in Coma After falling on backcountry ski run in France. Quack Phil Robertson: Marry Teen Girls "Duck Dynasty" star says the ideal age is "15 or 16." XO NASA: Beyoncé 'Insensitive' For using audio from Challenger in new song. GET The Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of news and must-reads from across the Web. You'll love the featured original stories on politics, entertainment, and more from The Daily Beast's diverse group of contributors. GET Culture Beast Weekly cultural recommendations from The Daily Beast. The Christie Backlash by Lloyd Grove The Year in Death by Malcolm Jones , Jimmy So , Michael Moynihan Our 2014 Pop Culture Wishlist by Kevin Fallon

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