The Full Belmonte, 2/15/2023
Lawmakers have until summer to fix the debt ceiling
Alex Wong/Getty Images
“The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday warned the US could default on its loans between July and September unless lawmakers raise or suspend the federal debt ceiling.” [Vox] [Washington Post / Tony Romm]
“If the US defaults on its loans, it would wreak economic havoc for most Americans, and global markets.” [Vox] [USA Today / Candy Woodall]
“The CBO also cautioned the Treasury Department could fail to pay the government’s bills even sooner if the IRS misses April tax revenues.” [Vox] [Associated Press / Fatima Hussein, Josh Boak, and Kevin Freking]
“Republicans want Democrats to agree to cut spending in exchange for raising the $31.4 trillion limit; however, President Joe Biden wants the GOP to lift the debt ceiling without conditions. Formal negotiations have yet to begin.” [Vox] [CNBC / Christina Wilkie]
“The office also forecast US budget deficits to average $2 trillion per year over the next decade, largely fueled by high interest rates and government spending.” [Vox] [Reuters / David Lawder and Richard Cowan]
“Yet again, fresh data has shown the US economy’s resilience seemingly knows no bounds, with robust demand keeping inflation elevated and heaping pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep raising rates for longer. Retail sales rose last month by the most in almost two years, and separate measures of manufacturing also came in better than expected, according to reports released Wednesday. Combined with Tuesday’s inflation report, which showed the overall rate slowing just slightly, the figures reveal an economy spurning Fed efforts to rein it in. ‘The economy is generally performing better than expected,’ said Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank. ‘These data collectively make the Fed more likely to surprise to the upside.’” [Bloomberg]
Trump election probe grand jury believes some witnesses lied
FILE - Former President Donald Trump announces he is running for president for the third time at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., Nov. 15, 2022. A special grand jury that investigated efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his election loss in Georgia is expressing concerns that ‘one or more witnesses’ called to testify may have lied under oath. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
“ATLANTA (AP) — A special grand jury investigating efforts by then-President Donald Trump and his allies to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia says it believes ‘one or more witnesses’ committed perjury and urged local prosecutors to bring charges.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis should ‘seek appropriate indictments for such crimes where the evidence is compelling,’ according to portions of the special grand jury’s final report that were released on Thursday.
Those sections are silent on key details, including who the panel believes committed perjury and what other specific charges should be pursued. But it marks the first time the grand jurors’ recommendations for criminal charges tied to the case have been made public. And it’s a reminder of the intensifying legal challenges facing the former president as he ramps up his third White House bid amid multiple legal investigations.
Trump is also under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for holding classified documents at his Florida estate.
The former president never testified before the special grand jury, meaning he is not among those who could have perjured themselves. But the report doesn’t foreclose the possibility of other charges, and the case still poses particular challenges for Trump, in part because his actions in Georgia were so public.
Trump and his allies made unproven claims of widespread voter fraud and berated Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Gov. Brian Kemp for not acting to overturn his narrow loss to President Joe Biden in the state….” Read more at AP News
Michigan State University gunman’s note had possible motive
Mourners attend a vigil at The Rock on the grounds of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich., Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Alexandria Verner, Brian Fraser and Arielle Anderson were killed and several other students remain in critical condition after a gunman opened fire on the campus of Michigan State University Monday night. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
“EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The man who shot eight students at Michigan State University, killing three, was found with two handguns and a note containing a possible motive for the attack, police said Thursday.
The 9 mm guns, dozens of rounds of ammunition and the two-page note were found with Anthony McRae when he killed himself Monday night after being confronted by police, said campus deputy chief Chris Rozman.
Investigators said they still were trying to pin down a motive, three days after the violence at the 50,000-student campus in East Lansing, but the note was a key point.
‘It appears based on the content of the note that he felt he was slighted in some way by people or businesses,’ Rozman said at a news conference. ‘Did a mental health issue amplify that or was it a component of that? We’re not sure at this point. We’re working our best to try to determine that as best as possible.’
McRae, 43, was the lone shooter and had no connection to the victims or to Michigan State as a student or employee, police said.
Rozman described the investigation as ‘massively complex.’
The shootings happened Monday during evening classes at Berkey Hall and nearby at the MSU Union, a social hub where students can study, eat and relax. Students across the vast campus were ordered to shelter in place for four hours — ‘run, hide, fight’ if necessary — while police hunted for the gunman. Some residence halls were a mile away from the shooting scenes.
Students have described breaking windows and taking other desperate steps to escape Berkey Hall, which will stay closed through the spring term….” Read more at AP News
Bruce Willis was diagnosed frontotemporal dementia. What is it? Causes, symptoms, treatments
“Bruce Willis' family gave an update on the actor's health Thursday, announcing his condition has progressed and has been diagnosed as frontotemporal dementia.
‘Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia,’ his family said in a statement.
‘Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.’
The news comes after his family said in March 2022 Willis would be stepping away from acting due to health issues.
Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder, but it differs from Alzheimer's disease. It is less common and known, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.” [USA Today]
Biden wants ‘sharper rules’ on unknown aerial objects
President Joe Biden speaks about the Chinese surveillance balloon and other unidentified objects shot down by the U.S. military, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is developing ‘sharper rules’ to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country.
The president has directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an ‘interagency team’ to review U.S. procedures after the U.S. shot down the Chinese balloon, as well as three other objects that Biden said the U.S. now believes are most likely ‘benign’ objects launched by private companies or research institutions.
While not expressing regret for downing the three still-unidentified objects, Biden said he hoped the new rules would help ‘distinguish between those that are likely to pose safety and security risks that necessitate action and those that do not.’
‘Make no mistake, if any object presents a threat to the safety and security of the American people I will take it down,’ he added, repeating the legal justification cited for the downings — that the objects, flying between 20,000 and 40,000 feet posed a remote risk to civilian planes….” Read more at AP News
Sen. John Fetterman checks into hospital for depression
FILE - Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., leaves an intelligence briefing on the unknown aerial objects the U.S. military shot down this weekend at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 14, 2023. Fetterman is in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to seek treatment for clinical depression. His office said Thursday that Fetterman checked himself in Wednesday night. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
“WASHINGTON (AP) — Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, still recovering from a stroke, has checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to seek treatment for clinical depression, his office said Thursday.
Fetterman, who has struggled with the aftereffects of a stroke he suffered last May, checked himself in Wednesday night, it said.
‘While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,’ his chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said in a statement.
Fetterman was evaluated Monday by the attending physician of Congress, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, who recommended inpatient care at Walter Reed, Jentleson said….” Read more at AP News
White supremacist gets life in prison for Buffalo massacre
Gunman Payton Gendron reads an apology to the court at his sentencing before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y. Gendron, a white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after relatives of his victims confronted him with the pain and rage caused by his racist attack. (Derek Gee/The Buffalo News via AP, Pool)
“BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — A white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after relatives of his victims confronted him with pain and rage caused by his racist attack.
Anger briefly turned physical at Payton Gendron’s sentencing when a victim’s family member rushed at him from the audience. The man was quickly restrained; prosecutors later said he wouldn’t be charged. The proceeding then resumed with an emotional outpouring from people who lost loved ones or were themselves wounded in the attack.
Gendron, whose hatred was fueled by racist conspiracy theories he encountered online, cried during some of the testimony and apologized to victims and their families in a brief statement.
Their remarks ranged from sorrow to outrage, shouts to tears. Some vehemently condemned him; others quoted from the Bible or said they were praying for him. Several pointed out that he deliberately attacked a Black community a three-hour drive from his home in overwhelmingly white Conklin, New York….” Read more at AP News
A drone image shows the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 6.
Toxic train wreck
“Residents in the Ohio village of East Palestine are concerned about their health after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed there two weeks ago, sparking a massive dayslong blaze. The derailment on February 3 prompted crews to manage detonations to release vinyl chloride -- a chemical that can kill quickly at high levels and increase cancer risk. Although evacuation orders were lifted last week, some residents are staying elsewhere amid fears the lingering chemical exposure could be in the water, air, soil and on surfaces in the area. In a document sent to the EPA and recently made public by the agency, a company contracted for cleanup efforts did not list soil removal among completed activities. ‘The people want answers. I want answers,’ said East Palestine mayor Trent Conaway, calling on EPA officials to provide a more comprehensive update on the current situation.” [CNN]
Mall shooting
‘One person was killed and three others injured in a shooting Wednesday night at a mall in El Paso, Texas, police said, sending patrons running or sheltering in a chaotic scene. The gunfire took place inside the Cielo Vista Mall, which sits next to a Walmart where a shooting in 2019 killed 23 and left nearly two dozen more injured. Two people, both male, were taken into custody. Police have not commented on possible motives. The incident on Wednesday is yet another example of shootings shattering the sense of security many Americans once felt in public spaces, like shopping centers, grocery stores and schools. So far this year, there have been more than 70 mass shootings across the US, according to the Gun Violence Archive.” [CNN]
Law enforcement agents walk in the parking lot of a shopping mall, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, in El Paso, Texas. Police say one person was killed and three other people were wounded in a shooting at Cielo Vista Mall. One person has been taken into custody, El Paso police spokesperson Sgt. Robert Gomez said.
Andrés Leighton, AP
Classified documents
“The FBI has conducted two searches at the University of Delaware in connection with the investigation into President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN. FBI agents have also searched Biden's two homes in Delaware as well as the Washington office of the Penn Biden Center. The FBI found classified documents in one of Biden's homes and also took some materials from his time in the Senate from that location, CNN has reported, as well as at the Penn Biden Center office. Meanwhile, CNN has learned a third attorney for former President Donald Trump was recently brought before a federal grand jury investigating the mishandling of classified documents from his time in the White House. The DC-based grand jury is investigating obstruction in addition to criminal violations of government records laws.” [CNN]
Justice Dept. Won’t Bring Charges Against Gaetz in Sex-Trafficking Inquiry
Prosecutors investigated if the Florida congressman had broken federal laws, focusing on allegations involving sex trafficking and sex with a minor.
“WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has decided not to bring charges against Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, after a lengthy sex-trafficking investigation that imperiled one of former President Donald J. Trump’s most ambitious and hard-charging allies in Congress.
In recent months, investigators have signaled they were not likely to pursue criminal charges against Mr. Gaetz after concluding they could not make a strong enough case in court, people familiar with the matter said. Department officials told his legal team about the decision early Wednesday….” Read more at New York Times
Immigration
“Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday signed a bill expanding a controversial state program to transport migrants. The measure allows the DeSantis administration to pick up where the governor left off last year when he sent two planes of migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The action sparked multiple lawsuits and questions as to whether his administration violated state law by rounding up migrants in Texas. The budget law that created the program specified that the money was set aside to relocate ‘unauthorized aliens from this state.’ Additionally, since DeSantis has declared a state of emergency related to immigration, the program will allow the administration to award millions of dollars in no-bid contracts to companies to facilitate the transportation of migrants with little public disclosure.” [CNN]
Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
“To stop Medicare's finances from imploding as soon as 2028, Congress has only three real options: raise taxes ... cut benefits ... or cut payments to the health-care industry.
No one has a realistic plan for getting to ‘yes’ on any of those, Axios' Caitlin Owens reports.
Why it matters: Republicans and Democrats are pushing even farther apart by distorting each other's positions — making any deal even harder.
What's happening: Medicare is one of the biggest line items in the U.S. budget. As the population ages, the program will get more expensive.
How it works: Medicare's trust fund, which pays for hospital care, is funded through income taxes. Medicare's trustees say that by 2028, that fund will be paying out more than it takes in.
Both parties have drawn red lines around possible reforms and made any cuts to the program a potent political weapon.
Reality check — why each of the three won't happen:
The GOP has ruled out tax hikes on principle — and is well aware that cutting seniors' benefits would be political malpractice.
Democrats are against benefit cuts on principle — and have gotten a lot of political mileage out of attacking them.
Although some Republicans are hinting they might be open to reducing payments to the industry, the GOP's campaign apparatus is hammering the Biden administration for proposals to do exactly that.” [Axios]
Virginia governor blocks bill banning police from seeking menstrual histories
Glenn Youngkin essentially kills bill passed in Democratic-led state senate to ban search warrants for menstrual data on tracking apps
“The Republican governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, appears to have thwarted an attempt to stop law enforcement obtaining menstrual histories of women in the state.
A bill passed in the Democratic-led state senate, and supported by half the chamber’s Republicans, would have banned search warrants for menstrual data stored in tracking apps on mobile phones or other electronic devices.
Advocates feared private health information could be used in prosecutions for abortion law violations, after a US supreme court ruling last summer overturned federal protections for the procedure.
But Youngkin, who has pushed for a 15-week abortion ban to mirror similar measures in several Republican-controlled states, essentially killed the bill through a procedural move in a subcommittee of the Republican-controlled House.
Citing unspecified future threats to the ability of law enforcement to investigate crime, Maggie Cleary, Youngkin’s deputy secretary of public safety, told the courts of justice subcommittee it was not the legislature’s responsibility to restrict the scope of search warrants.
‘While the administration understands the importance of individuals’ privacy … this bill would be the very first of its kind that I’m aware of, in Virginia or anywhere, that would set a limit on what search warrants can do,’ she said, according to the Washington Post.
‘Currently any health information or any app information is available via search warrant. And we believe that should continue to be the case.’
The panel voted on party line to table the bill, meaning it is unlikely to resurface during the current legislative session.
Abortion rights advocates contend that with Youngkin’s efforts to push a 15-week abortion ban, with limited exceptions, failing to advance in either legislative chamber, the governor is looking for other avenues.
‘The Youngkin administration’s opposition to this commonsense privacy protection measure shows his real intentions, to ban abortion and criminalise patients and medical providers,’ said Tarina Keene, executive director of Repro Rising Virginia, in a statement provided to the Guardian.
Youngkin has insisted that any abortion restrictions would target doctors, not women who have the procedure.
The administration has also attempted to portray a united front among Republicans for abortion restrictions, arguing it is a consensus issue. But the defection of the nine senate Republicans over the menstrual data bill follows one of their number, Siobhan Dunnavant, speaking out last month against Youngkin’s 15-week proposal….” Read more at The Guardian
China declares Covid victory
“Chinese officials claimed a ‘decisive’ victory over the Covid-19 pandemic after 800,000 critically ill patients and 200 million others recovered from the virus.” [Vox] [Associated Press]
“In 2022, Chinese provinces spent more than $50 billion to contain and treat the coronavirus before Beijing abandoned its “zero-Covid” policy in January 2023.” [Vox] [Reuters]
“Though China claims an official Covid-19 death toll of just over 80,000, health experts estimate up to 1.5 million people died from the virus in the past two months.” [Vox] [New York Times / James Glanz, Mara Hvistendahl, and Agnes Chang]
“Meanwhile, a group of elderly retirees in Wuhan protested cuts to health care benefits the government enacted during the pandemic.” [Vox] [BBC / Stephen McDonell]
“Russia launched a new cruise missile barrage Thursday against critical infrastructure facilities across Ukraine. Some three dozen missiles were launched from the air and sea; many were intercepted, Kyiv officials said. It was the first major attack in a week, but one of more than a dozen since early October. While Russia is thought to have begun its winter offensive, making small advances along the eastern front, some analysts say its resources in terms of armaments have been severely degraded.” [Bloomberg]
“Portugal will end its so-called golden visa program for wealthy foreign property buyers as it tries to address a lack of affordable housing in one of Western Europe’s poorest economies. Chinese nationals accounted for almost half of the residency permits sold (for a minimum of €350,000) under the program. It was also very popular with US investors.” [Bloomberg]
A residential block in the Marvila district of Lisbon. Portugal had been one of Western Europe’s hottest property markets thanks in part to its “golden visa” program. Photographer: Bloomberg
Scotland’s Leader Quits, Citing Toll of the Job
Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation removes one of the most formidable figures from British politics, one who has dedicated her life to the cause of Scottish independence.
“LONDON — Nicola Sturgeon, a fiery campaigner for Scotland’s independence who led its government for more than eight years, resigned on Wednesday, declaring that she was exhausted and had become too polarizing a figure to lead the country’s hurly-burly politics as it weighs another bid to break from Britain.
Her resignation removes one of the most formidable figures from British politics. A skilled veteran of the United Kingdom’s system of power sharing and a sure-handed leader during the coronavirus pandemic, she outlasted four British prime ministers, while bedeviling each of them with her unyielding push for Scottish independence.
But that goal has remained elusive and appears no closer than it was nearly a decade ago, when voters rejected a proposal for independence. Support for leaving the union has ebbed and flowed over the years, but the British government remains implacably opposed to another referendum. And Ms. Sturgeon said she was no longer the leader to see the battle through….” Read more at New York Times
Tesla opens up
Tesla chargers in Corte Madera, Calif. (Marin County). Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
“Tesla agreed yesterday to open part of its proprietary car-charging network to drivers of other brands. That should make it far easier for electric vehicle (EV) owners to charge away from home, potentially accelerating adoption, Axios' Joan Muller writes from Detroit.
Why it matters: The Biden administration's clean-energy agenda includes a shift away from gasoline-powered cars and a new domestic supply chain for electric cars.
But many Americans have resisted buying EVs because they're worried about charging on long road trips.
The White House yesterday detailed a slew of measures meant to address those concerns, and to ensure that chargers are built in America.
Most notably, Tesla agreed to make portions of its U.S. Supercharger network and its slower-speed destination chargers available to non-Tesla EVs.
The announcement was made by the White House, not Tesla.
Tesla needed a nudge from President Biden to open up its network, The Washington Post reported.
The carmaker can now qualify for federal tax incentives for deploying U.S. charging infrastructure.
Where it stands: S&P Global Mobility estimates the U.S. will need eight times as many chargers by 2030.
Tesla will more than double its nationwide network of Superchargers, which are manufactured in Buffalo, the White House said.
Reality check: Most other EVs use a different type of plug than Tesla's proprietary connector. But new adapters are available.
A multitude of hardware and software issues will need to be worked out before there's a seamless national network of EV chargers.” [Axios]
“Tesla fired dozens of employees Wednesday at its plant in Buffalo, New York, one day after Autopilot workers there announced a union campaign, organizers said in a complaint. The union accused Tesla of illegally terminating employees ‘in retaliation for union activity and to discourage union activity.’ There was more bad news for Elon Musk’s car company: it’s recalling hundreds of thousands of vehicles because US authorities said that automated-driving technology could increase the risk of a crash. Autopilot has been under scrutiny from Washington for some time, and this latest development raises even more questions about a system Musk sees as critical to the company’s long-term prospects.” [Bloomberg]
A Tesla is pulled from a pond near the city of San Ramon, California, following a deadly crash in 2018. Photographer: Bob Rendell/NBC Bay Area/KNTV
“Dropped charges: Prosecutors in Texas said they planned to dismiss a domestic violence case against Chris Beard, the former University of Texas men’s basketball head coach.” [New York Times]
At 103, Sister Jean publishes memoir of faith and basketball
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the Loyola University men's basketball chaplain and school celebrity, sits for a portrait in The Joseph J. Gentile Arena, on Monday, Jan. 23, 2023, in Chicago. The beloved Catholic nun captured the world's imagination and became something of a folk hero while supporting the Ramblers at the NCAA Final Four in 2018. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
“CHICAGO (AP) — At age 103, Sister Jean awakes daily at 5 a.m. She sits up quickly to avoid going to sleep again — ‘I’ve got too much to do,’ she says. After prayers for the day ahead, she reads the Gospel on her tablet.
‘I guess there aren’t too many 103-year-old nuns using iPads these days – there aren’t too many 103-year-olds, period,’ she writes in her memoir that will be published Feb. 28. ‘But I’m pretty comfortable with modern technology. I’ve always said, ‘If you’re not moving forward, you’re going to get left behind real quick.’ Adaptability is my superpower.’
In ‘Wake Up with Purpose: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years,’ Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt tells her life story, offers spiritual guidance and shares some of the lessons she’s learned.
The beloved Catholic nun captured the sports world’s imagination and became something of a folk hero as the chaplain for the Loyola Chicago men’s basketball team that reached the NCAA Final Four in 2018.
She has been featured by newspapers and TV stations across America. Her NCAA news conference, she was told, had more journalists than Tom Brady drew at the Super Bowl. Her likeness appears on socks, bobbleheads, even a Lego statue at her gallery in Loyola’s art museum. She sees the attention as a holy opportunity to tell her story and share what she’s learned; to help others wake up with purpose. Among her priorities, there’s little that she enjoys more than talking with young people….” Read more at AP News
Pablo Neruda's family says he was poisoned
Chilean poet Pablo Neruda leans on a ship's railing near New York City in 1966. Photo: Sam Falk/New York Times via Getty Images
“Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda died from poisoning nearly 50 years ago, his family says based on a new report from forensic scientists.
The cause of Neruda's death has been the subject of debate for decades, Axios Latino co-authors Russell Contreras and Marina E. Franco write.
The official line has been that Neruda, who passed away just as dictator Augusto Pinochet came to power, died of prostate cancer. But his family has long argued that wasn't the case.
Neruda's family says forensic tests carried out by a team of experts from Canada, Denmark, and Chile showed the presence of Clostridium botulinum, a toxin that can cause paralysis in the nervous system and death.
It's still unknown who might have poisoned Neruda.” [Axios]
Raquel Welch, star of 'One Million Years B.C.' dies at 82
“Raquel Welch, the Hollywood star famous for her 1960s roles in "One Million Years B.C." and "Fantastic Voyage," has died at 82. Welch died Wednesday morning following a brief illness, her manager Steve Sauer confirmed to USA TODAY. Welch's career spanned 50 years, 30 films and 50 TV series and appearances. She won a Golden Globe for best actress in a comedy or musical for her role in “The Three Musketeers” in 1975, and was nominated for a Globe in the 1987 TV movie "Right to Die." Read more at USA Today
Early in her career, Raquel Welch said Hollywood higher-ups pushed her to change her name to "Debbie." But the actress refused, and always remained proud of her Hispanic heritage.
GETTY
Tim McCarver, big league catcher and broadcaster, dies at 81
FILE - Baseball announcer Tim McCarver poses in the press box before the start of Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Oct. 2, 2003 in New York. McCarver, the All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as the one of the country's most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday morning, Feb. 16, 2023, in Memphis, Tenn., due to heart failure, baseball Hall of Fame announced. He was 81. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
“NEW YORK (AP) — Tim McCarver, the All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as one of the country’s most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday. He was 81.
McCarver’s death was announced by baseball’s Hall of Fame, which said he died Thursday morning due to heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was with his family.
Among the few players to appear in major league games during four decades, McCarver was a two-time All Star who worked closely with two future Hall of Fame pitchers: The tempestuous Bob Gibson, whom McCarver caught for St. Louis in the 1960s, and the introverted Steve Carlton, McCarver’s fellow Cardinal in the ’60s and a Philadelphia Phillies teammate in the 1970s.
He switched to television soon after retiring in 1980 and called 24 World Series for ABC, CBS and Fox, a record for a baseball analyst on television….” Read more AP News
Thai Soccer Player Who Survived Cave Flooding Dies at 17
Duangphet Promthep was a member of the soccer team that escaped from a submerged cave in Thailand in 2018, and he later attended a soccer academy in England. The cause of his death was unclear.
“Five years ago, Duangphet Promthep survived a harrowing test of human endurance under rock and in darkness — the 13-year-old captain of a Thai soccer team that had been trapped before being rescued from a flooded cave in an effort that became a global drama.
He moved to England last year after securing a scholarship to a soccer academy that promoted its high-level program and international student population. ‘I promise I will focus and do my best,’ he wrote on social media at the time, later posting photographs of his classes and the school grounds.
Dom, as he was known to his friends, eluded one tragedy, but not a second. He died on Tuesday, according to his family and the Zico Foundation, a Thai nonprofit group that helped him win the scholarship. He was 17.
No cause of death was given, but Kiatisuk Senamuang, the Zico Foundation’s founder, told reporters on Wednesday that a teacher found the student unconscious in his dorm room on Sunday afternoon. He died in a hospital after becoming unresponsive….” Read more at New York Times
Parting shot
Photo: Brendan McDermid/Reuters
“The Codex Sassoon — the world's oldest (1,000+ years), most complete Hebrew Bible — is displayed at Sotheby's in New York ahead of a May auction where it's expected to bring $30 million to $50 million.’ [Axios]
Photo: John Minchillo/AP