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FBI Director Will Exit Before Trump Takes Oath

FBI Director Will Exit Before Trump Takes Oath

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
December 12, 2024

Good Thursday morning. Parents will go a long way to ensure their kids have great holidays. Enjoy the day!

In Today’s Brief

New York: Sex trafficking
Italy: Shipwreck survivor
Biden: Pardon pushback
Nasdaq: Record close
Rugby: Diplomatic play

... and more

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1) Stepping aside

FBI Director Christopher Wray will resign by Inauguration Day.

The news: Wray announced his decision during a town hall with FBI employees yesterday; he will serve a little over seven years of his 10-year appointment. Wray did not set a date, but said it would be while President Joe Biden is still in office.
Catch up: Wray was tabbed by President-elect Donald Trump in 2017 after former FBI Director James Comey was fired. But he has fallen out of favor with Trump due to the bureau's involvement in criminal cases against the president-elect and involving the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Next steps: Trump signaled he planned to push Wray to resign (or fire him) when he said he would nominate the controversial Kash Patel to lead the bureau. There is some skepticism about whether Patel can win Senate approval. It is unclear who will lead the FBI on an interim basis when Wray steps down.

2) Heel turn

Bill Belichick is going to give it the college try.

What happened: The former New England Patriots coach and eight-time Super Bowl champion was hired to lead North Carolina's football program, capping a stunning turn of events. Belichick, 72, has never coached at the college level; his late father Steve was a longtime collegiate assistant, including a stint at UNC in the 1950s.
The details: Belichick has reportedly received a five-year deal that will pay him $10M annually. Reports have indicated his son, Stephen Belichick, will be on his staff and may have a contract that states he will eventually succeed his father as the Tar Heels' coach. North Carolina is expected to invest millions in the program and name, image and likeness opportunities for players.
Big picture: Many anticipated Belichick would try to return to the NFL, where he is closing in on becoming the winningest coach in league history. But he will now attempt to become the fourth coach to win a Super Bowl and a college national title -- and the first to capture the collegiate crown second.

3) Found out

There were significant developments in two high-profile missing persons cases.

In Wisconsin: A married father of three children who faked his own death and ran to Eastern Europe through Canada has returned to the country. Police said Ryan Borgwardt voluntarily came home. The man had purposely capsized his kayak after communicating with a woman overseas; officials eventually learned he had interacted with Canadian border personnel and eventually tracked him down.
Out West: A missing Hawaii woman who disappeared after missing a connecting flight in Los Angeles has been located, but no location was specified. Los Angeles police previously determined she purposely skipped the flight and then crossed into Mexico on foot. Her father died of an apparent suicide while searching for her.
Next steps: The LAPD indicated Kobayashi, 30, will not face any criminal charges. But Borgwardt has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction charge. Local officials are also expected to seek restitution for the resources burned on search missions for him.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

Three brothers, including two prominent real estate brokers, face federal sex trafficking charges. Alon, Oren and Tal Alexander were indicted in New York and accused of crimes over an 11-year period that dates back to when they were in high school (More)
The Pentagon disputed a New Jersey lawmaker's claim that Iran is behind a rash of mysterious drone spottings in the state. Rep. Jeff Van Drew called for the drones to be shot down; defense officials said they do not believe the aircraft belong to foreign adversaries (More)
The Federal Communications Commission levied $200K in fines against pirate radio stations in the Boston area. Radio piracy is when there is unauthorized transmission on frequencies found on or near AM and FM radio bands (More)

World News

An 11-year-old girl from Sierra Leone was rescued from a shipwreck after three days at sea. A German charity located her in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy; the ship originated from Tunisia and several dozen people may have died (More)
The United Kingdom indefinitely blocked puberty blocker prescriptions for minors with gender dysphoria. The move comes after an independent National Health Service study concluded more medical research into gender affirmation treatment for minors is necessary (More)
France and Poland will reportedly discuss a post-war peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Many analysts believe President-elect Trump will pressure European NATO members to secure buffer zones if there is a diplomatic ceasefire deal with Russia (More)

Political News

Over 50% of Americans disagree with President Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter, according to an Associated Press poll. Only 22% of respondents agreed with the president; 38% of Democrats supported the move (More)
President-elect Trump is expected to be named Time's Person of the Year today. He has reportedly invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend his inauguration on Jan. 20; other foreign dignitaries and leaders could also be invited (More | More)
Army veteran and ex-CIA officer Ronald Johnson was nominated to be Ambassador to Mexico. He was previously Ambassador to El Salvador; there had been speculation Trump would tab failed Arizona Senate and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed mixed yesterday. The Nasdaq surged to a record close at over 20K points (Dow -0.22%, Nasdaq+1.77%, S&P 500 +0.82%).
Inflation was at 2.7% YoY in November, meeting expectations. The Consumer Price Index data signals the Federal Reserve remains on track to make another interest rate cut this month (More)
Albertsons is suing Kroger after a proposed $25B merger collapsed. The lawsuit claims Kroger violated its contract and did not follow through on commitments to get the deal approved; it is reportedly seeking billions in damages (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Australia's government will spend $600M to launch a professional rugby team in Papua New Guinea. The Port Moresby-based club will begin play in the National Rugby League in 2028; the agreement is part of a strategic pact aimed at swaying the Oceania nation away from potential Chinese influence (More)
The Amazing Kreskin died at 89. George Kresge Jr. was an entertainer and mentalist who rose to fame as a regular guest on The Tonight Show during Johnny Carson's tenure as host (More)
The NFL will play a regular season game in Berlin next season. The league has also committed to 2025 games in London and Madrid; other games and locations are expected to be announced in the coming weeks (More)

Quick Hitters

Fun Stuff: Consider leaving snacks outside your home for delivery drivers this holiday season. It means a lot to them, as this hilarious video proves.
Bad Luck: A 76-year-old Long Island woman keeps getting roped into traffic violations (and other more significant law enforcement matters) she has nothing to do with. Why? Because she once had Star Trek vanity license plates.
Go Deep: Scientists believe they have identified a new cause for Earth's rising temperature: The planet has gotten darker and is absorbing more sunlight.
Take Note: Should you wash your eggs? It depends on the circumstances, according to a food safety expert.
Life Hack: Getting your finances in order before the new year can give you a jump-start in 2025. Here are some potential moves to consider as 2024 winds down.

Watch This

The wild story of a beer CEO's 1980s kidnapping.