Cheat Sheet - Miss Japan Takes On the Mob

Today: Pussy Riot May Be Freed Thursday , Gov't Workers Very Unhappy , The EPA's Million-Dollar Con Man December 18, 2013 HERE SHE COMES 1. Miss Japan Takes On the Mob When the first Japanese woman to win the Miss International title in 52 years, Ikumi Yoshimatsu, refused to go to work for any mafia-connected talent agency, she found out that standing up for the right thing in Japan is a sure way to get knocked off your throne. The Daily Beast's Jake Adelstein reports. Read it at The Daily Beast FREEDOM, MAYBE 2. Pussy Riot May Be Freed Thursday An amnesty bill marking the anniversary of Russia's post-Communist constitution in 1993 could allow for members of the Pussy Riot band to be released early, says Russia's state-run news agency. The law, which has been backed by lawmakers in its final draft, would affect thousands of non-violent Russian prisoners as well as those on trial. The Russian government's human rights record has come under fire lately as it prepares to host the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. Read it at CNN SAD FACE 3. Gov't Workers Very Unhappy Looks like the holidays in D.C. won't be very jolly this year. Budget cuts, furloughs, and being a constant political target have taken their toll on federal workers as a new government-wide survey shows federal employee morale at a record low. While the federal government saw its employee satisfaction drop for the third year in a row to 57.8 percent, the private sector saw job satisfaction rise to 70.7 percent. Read it at Best Places to Work READ THIS 4. The Best of the Best Books Lists Looking for the best reads of the past year? No need to take our word for it—we've aggregated the year-end rankings of 40 top critics to give you the ultimate holiday reading list. Here they are: the best fiction and non-fiction books of 2013. Read it at The Daily Beast Boom 5. Home Construction Hits 5-Year High It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. U.S. housing starts reached their highest level since the Great Recession began, jumping 22.7 percent in November. It was the best month since February 2008, and the single biggest jump in 23 years. Pent-up demand and the prospect of higher interest rates from the Federal Reserve are attributed for the explosion. Homebuilders say they're feeling the most confident in eight years. Is the long-awaited housing recovery finally here? Read it at Bloomberg END OF THE LINE? Boehner Retirement Rumors Heat Up Close friend's exit spurs new chatter. FAREWELL U.K.'s 'Great Train Robber' Dies Ronnie Biggs passes at 84. Enemy of the State Morsi Charged for 'Terrorist Acts' Egypt's ex-president faces the death penalty. HE'S BACK Taylor Kitsch on His Comeback Star of 'John Carter' flop has turned it around. PREACH 'Duck Dynasty': Repent, America Likens homosexuality to bestiality. 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. 11 News Anchor Flubs by Alec Kubas-Meyer Hillary's Own Populist Path by Andrei Cherny Is 'Playboy' Turning It Down? by The Fashion Beast Team

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