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By Jamie Ross Listen to this briefing Good morning. It’s Friday, Dec. 13, and Taylor Swift’s birthday. To celebrate, we asked fans ages 8 to 88 what Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour meant to them. Now let’s get to the news. The FBI did not have undercover agents at the Jan. 6 riots, a watchdog said. What to know: Many informants went to D.C. the day of the 2021 Capitol attack — but they weren’t instructed to do so, the report said. Read the full inspector general report here. Why it matters: It may further debunk years of false claims from Donald Trump and his allies. The release (and a separate plea deal) made it a bad day for right-wing conspiracy theories. Read this story          Trump took a victory lap in New York City yesterday. What happened? He opened the New York Stock Exchange after being named Time’s “person of the year” for a second time — although that achievement comes with an asterisk. In related news: Trump said bringing down grocery prices, one of his key campaign promises, will be “very hard.” And tech billionaires are wooing Trump with $1 million donations. One more thing: Trump made four of 2024’s most outlandish claims. Find the full list here. Read this story          An American found in Syria said he was imprisoned for seven months. Missouri native Travis Timmerman told NBC News he traveled from Lebanon to Syria “on a pilgrimage.” (Abdulaziz Ketaz/AFP/Getty Images) Who? He identified himself as Travis Timmerman and said he was freed Monday after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. Meanwhile, Syrian rebels offered to look for U.S. journalist Austin Tice. Zooming out: Assad’s fall humiliated Russian President Vladimir Putin and could dent his global ambitions. And videos revealed the hidden opulence of Assad’s palace. Read this story          California made a big bet on the future of electric vehicles yesterday. How? It approved a $1.4 billion plan to dramatically increase the number of places for drivers to plug in. It comes as Trump is causing uncertainty about the switch to EVs. What else to know: Soaring insurance premiums — particularly for autos — are fueling rising prices for consumers and complicating attempts to beat back inflation. Read this story          A new study confirmed the largest bird-killing event in modern history. What happened? A marine heat wave in the Pacific that began a decade ago killed 4 million common murres in Alaska. That’s more than half of the state’s total population. The bigger picture: This is an extreme example of how climate change can throw wildlife populations into turmoil. Marine heat waves are expected to grow more intense. Read this story          Scientists pinpointed when humans had babies with Neanderthals. What to know: Modern humans and Neanderthals had children together for an extended period, peaking 47,000 years ago — leaving genetic fingerprints in people today. Why it matters: The findings, published yesterday, shed light on a pivotal but mysterious chapter of our origin story. Read this story          ADVERTISEMENT   A spectacular meteor shower will peak tonight. Last year’s Geminid meteor above Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. (Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto/AP) What to expect: The Geminid shower will light up skies with dozens of shooting stars every hour. Some might shine green, purple and amber, and leave a shimmering trail. How to enjoy the show: The meteors will be most prolific in the hours near or after midnight. Your best bet is to head away from city lights and tall objects.   Read this story          Before you go … how many have you watched? Our critics’ top 10 movies and top 10 TV shows of 2024. Plus: You can become a better gift-giver. Just follow these scientific guidelines. One more good read: Convicted for making racial slurs, she faces eight years in Brazilian prison. And finally … end your week by playing On the Record, The Post’s quotable quiz. The weekend version is 10 questions, and you can risk all your points on a final bonus question. Ready to play? Click here. Or try our word game, Keyword. You’re all caught up. See you Monday.