The number of journalists killed worldwidefor their work nearly doubled this year.That information comes from a new reportby the Committee to Protect Journalists.The New York-based group reported that 34 journalistswere killed because of their work as of December 14,while at least 53 were killed in all.That compares to 18 retaliation killingsamong the 47 deaths confirmed by the committee in 2017.The new report lists the name of Jamal Khashoggi,who wrote opinion pieces for The Washington Post.Khashoggi was a native of Saudi Arabia,but fiercely critical of its ruling family.He went missing on October 2 during a visitto Saudi Arabia's diplomatic offices in Istanbul.Turkish officials claim he was attacked and killed inside the consulate.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced last weekthat the United States is still investigating the killing.However, the Central Intelligence Agencyfound that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmanwas involved in Khashoggi's murder.U.S. President Donald Trump has condemnedthe violence against journalists.Yet the committee noted that he has called some"enemies of the people."In addition to retaliation killings,media workers have died in armed conflictsor on dangerous reporting assignments.The deadliest country for journalists in 2018 has been Afghanistan,where 13 journalists were killed, the report said.Some died from suicide bombers whose actionswere claimed by the militant group Islamic State.Media rights group Reporters Without Borders noted thatthe United States made it into the top five deadliest countriesfor journalists this year for the very first time.Six journalists were killed nationwide.They included four who were among five people killedby a gunman who attacked the offices of Maryland'sCapitol Gazette newspaper on June 28.The shooting was the deadliest single attackon the media in recent U.S. history.The man had lost a defamation case against the newspaperTwo other journalists died while reporting on extreme weather conditions.In addition, the committee saidthe imprisonment of journalists has been on the rise."Changes in technology...have allowed more peopleto practice journalism," the committee said.It added that the same technologyhas made journalists less important to criminal groupswho once needed the media to spread their message.Time magazine last week recognizedjailed and killed journalists as its "person of the year."By name, they included Khashoggi and workers at the Maryland newspaper.The other honorees were reporters Wa Loneand Kyaw Soe Oo, jailed in Myanmar,and Maria Ressa, held in the Philippines.Journalists have died this year in Slovakia,where 27-year-old reporter Jan Kuciakwas shot while investigating suspected corruption.The committee said that at least four journalists were murdered in Mexico,two in Brazil and two Palestinian journalistswere killed by Israeli soldiers during protests in the Gaza Strip.In Syria and Yemen, two countries with violent civil wars,the fewest journalists were killed since 2011.Three were killed in Yemen.In Syria, the committee recorded nine deathscompared to a high of 31 in 2012.