Iconic Military Job's Alarming Pattern

Good Wednesday morning. Eggs are getting expensive and scarce; here are ingredients that can be used as substitutes if needed. Have a great day.

In Today’s Brief

• Texas: Airport fire

• Italy: Mafia raids

• Musk: DOGE defense

• Inflation: New report

• NHL: 4 Nations

... and more

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Top Tips

1) 'Startlingly high'

Alarming figures have emerged about an American institution.

• The news: U.S. Marine Corps drill instructors have considerable military and popular culture stature. But officials have established suicide is notably prevalent among their ranks, according to The Washington Post and Military.com. The joint report by the outlet examines military casualty records and an internal study conducted by the Marines, among other sources.

• The numbers: At least seven drill instructors have taken their own lives in the past five years, according to the outlets. The Marines previously determined that 29 drill instructors had either committed suicide or openly acknowledged they considered an attempt from 2009-19. The study's authors said the results were "startlingly high" when compared to suicidal ideation rates among all other Marines. Drill instructors also saw much higher addiction and divorce rates.

• Big picture: Corps officials acknowledged the trend but ascribed it to overall suicide concerns facing the Pentagon. Many cite the intensity of the role and its long hours as factors that lead to mental health struggles. The Marines have also faced criticism for lacking the resources to assist drill instructors and fostering a stigma toward seeking support. 

2) Hard time

A serial swatter from California is headed to federal prison.

• The news: Alan Filion, 18, will serve four years after pleading guilty to making hundreds of fake bomb and shooting calls and threats nationwide. He admitted his actions were designed to provoke significant responses from emergency services and law enforcement.

• The rap sheet: Filion made over 375 swatting calls against government officials, colleges, religious buildings and similar targets. August 2022 and January 2024. The bogus calls left officials unable to respond to real emergencies in some cases; other incidents resulted in police drawing weapons and detaining people before determining it was a hoax. Filion made some calls for compensation.

• Key details: The Justice Department said Filion alleged he was about to perpetrate a mass shooting at a Florida mosque, even playing fake gunfire noise during the call. He also impersonated a federal law enforcement official on a 911 call and claimed he had murdered his mother. Most of Filion's calls happened when he was underage, but DOJ moved to charge him as an adult.

3) Late development

A top Democrat accused one of President Donald Trump's most controversial cabinet picks of perjury.

• The news: Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin -- the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee -- alleged FBI Director nominee Kash Patel lied under oath during his confirmation hearing. Durbin has asked the Justice Department's inspector general to launch an investigation.

• The claims: Durbin said Patel has directed a purge of career agents and been involved in bureau matters through Trump Administration intermediaries. Patel testified he was unaware of efforts to fire or punish FBI employees, specifically any who worked on criminal cases against Trump.

• Big picture: Patel's path to Senate approval has been considered tricky due to past threats of retaliation against political opponents and other brash public comments. But he should have enough votes from Senate Republicans to be approved tomorrow unless Durbin's last-hour maneuver gains traction.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

• A large fire broke out near El Paso International Airport, injuring seven people. There was reportedly an explosion at a transportation center; the blaze did not impact air travel (More)

• NASA may bring the Starliner astronauts back home two weeks early. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stuck at the International Space Station since last June after their Boeing ship was deemed unsafe; an aircraft switch for an upcoming SpaceX mission could expedite their return (More)

• An off-duty Florida corrections officer was killed in a "targeted" attack. The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office has not yet disclosed how they reached the determination after the Belle Glade incident (More)

World News

• Italian police targeted the Sicilian Mafia in a series of raids. About 150 people were arrested; officials said it was the biggest sting operation against Cosa Nostra in decades (More)

• An American teacher was released after over three years in a Russian prison. Marc Fogel was considered wrongfully detained by the State Department over a minor drug offense; President Trump said the Kremlin will receive an unnamed prisoner in return today (More)

• The Gaza ceasefire is on the verge of collapse. Israel said it will resume its war against Hamas if the terrorist group does not release hostages by noon on Saturday; Trump claimed "all hell is going to break out" if captives are not freed by then (More)

Political News

• Elon Musk defended the Department of Government Efficiency’s controversial work in an Oval Office press briefing with President Trump. The billionaire said he is carrying out the president's agenda after he was given a larger mandate to reduce the federal workforce (More)

• The Associated Press was barred from a White House event over its style guide. The news organization said the Trump Administration demanded it begin referring to the "Gulf of America" rather than the Gulf of Mexico, calling the action a First Amendment violation (More)

• Former White House advisor Steve Bannon pleaded guilty to fraud charges in New York related to a fundraiser for border wall construction. The Trump confidant said he agreed to a plea deal that did not involve jail time, getting off with a conditional discharge (More)

Business & Markets

• Major indexes closed mixed yesterday ahead of January's consumer inflation numbers. The Dow Jones was up over 100 points (Dow +0.28%, Nasdaq -0.36%, S&P 500 +0.03%).

• The Federal Reserve is in no rush to cut interest rates again, Chairman Jerome Powell said. The central bank head said the U.S. economy is strong during Senate testimony; he appears before the House today (More)

• The U.S. and the United Kingdom refused to sign onto the AI Action Summit's safety communique. Vice President J.D. Vance said European regulations on artificial intelligence could stifle the industry in a speech at the Paris event (More | More)

Entertainment & Sports

• The NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off begins today. The eight-day tournament will have league players competing for teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. instead of a traditional all-star game (More)

• Wes Anderson's next film will hit theaters in May. The Academy Award-winning director's The Phoenician Scheme, about a family business, will feature a star-studded cast led by Benicio del Toro (More)

• Several New York City pension funds are suing to pause the $8B Paramount Global-Skydance Media merger. They allege Paramount violated its fiduciary duty by not giving sufficient consideration to other bidders; the media giant recently said it was bound to Skydance after a surprise $13.5B offer emerged (More)

Quick Hitters

• Feel Good: A Canadian artist tried to ship two pieces to a gallery. They got lost in the mail and ended up at a liquidation store, where a shopper sensed something was wrong and took action. 

• Be Safe: A voluntary recall was issued for some canned tuna products sold at Costco, Trader Joe's, Walmart and other retailers. A pull-tab defect could increase the risks of botulism food poisoning, which can be fatal.

• Go Deep: Smart people often cheat. Here is a close look at why they do so, even when there is nothing to gain. 

• History Lesson: Two hikers in England took arguably the best UFO photo ever captured almost 35 years ago. People still do not know what to make of the incident.

• Take Note: Most pillows come with expiration dates. You should pay attention to them the same way you would with other perishable products.

Watch This

Skyscrapers can only go so tall.

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Looking Ahead …

The NCAA selection committees for the Division-1 men's and women's national tournaments will make their top-16 team reveals this coming Saturday and Sunday, respectively, with one month before March Madness begins.

Question of the Day

Yesterday’s results:

Are you still paying off student loans?

• I never had any (63%)

• No, mine are paid off (29%)

• Yes, I still have some (8%)