10 things you need to know today: September 8, 2013

Novak Djokovic beat Stanislas Wawrinka on the thirteenth day of the 2013 US Open after 4 hours.

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last updated 8 January 2015

1. al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels seize Christian village

Rebels including al-Qaeda-linked fighters gained control of Maaloula, a Christian village 26 miles northeast of the capital Damascus, on Sunday. The advance was spearheaded by the Jabhat al-Nusra, exacerbating fears about Islamic extremists within the rebel ranks. The development came as President Obama's administration continues efforts to win congressional backing for military strikes against Syria over an alleged chemical attack in August. Obama will address the American people on Tuesday to continue pressing his case. [TIME]

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The National Security Agency can crack protective measures on iPhones, BlackBerry, and Android devices, giving it access to nearly all smartphone users' data, according to a report Sunday in German magazine Der Spiegel. The magazine described the NSA and its British counterpart GCHQ setting up dedicated teams to gather intelligence on specific individuals, such as terrorists. [The Associated Press]

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough argued on CNN's State of the Union Sunday that there's more than enough evidence to suggest that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had carried out attacks on his own people. "Here's the common-sense test. The material was used in the eastern suburbs of Damascus that had been controlled by the opposition for some time. It was delivered by rockets, rockets which we know the Assad regime has and we have no indications that the opposition has," McDonough said. [Politico]

Scotland Yard apologized Sunday after mistaking Prince Andrew for an intruder in Buckingham Palace's gardens on Wednesday and ordering him to verify his identity. The incident happened two days after a man was arrested on suspicion of burglary inside the palace. Police said no weapons were drawn in the incident involving the Queen's second son, who has an apartment and office at Buckingham Palace. [BBC]

According to a study published in the Lancet medical journal, e-cigarettes work about as well as nicotine patches in helping smokers quit. The study is the first major piece of research to show that the products, which deliver a nicotine mist using a cigarette-shaped pipe, can actually benefit smokers. Public health experts still don't fully embrace the popular e-cigarettes, which are not yet regulated. [NBC News]

Terri is a freelance writer at TheWeek.com. She's a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism and has worked at TIME and Brides. You can follow her on Twitter.

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