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Willie Mays: 1931-2024

Willie Mays: 1931-2024

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
June 19, 2024

Good Wednesday morning. Today is Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery. Here is a look at the history and significance of the newest federal holiday. Have a great day.

In Today’s Brief

Gaetz: Ethics probe grows
UAE: Row with Sudan
Virginia: GOP war too close to call
Nvidia: New No. 1
Justin Timberlake: DWI arrest

... and more

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Top Tips

1) 'A true legend'

Willie Mays, one of the greatest players in baseball history, has died. He was 93.

His legacy: Mays was the oldest living Hall of Famer and widely considered the greatest living ballplayer. Some argue he is the greatest player ever. "The Say Key Kid" was a 24-time All-Star, a 12-time Gold Glove winner and a two-time National League MVP. Mays hit 660 home runs and notched over 3K hits with a .301 career batting average, mainly for the San Francisco Giants. Mays' over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series is one of the most famous plays in sports history. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2015.
The reaction: "Today we have lost a true legend," Giants Chairman Greg Johnson said in a statement. Longtime Boston Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan wrote, "it is impossible to exaggerate his greatness." The Giants said a public memorial service will be held at a later date.
Fitting tribute: Mays, an Alabama native, died two days before the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals play in the state's first-ever Major League game at Birmingham's Rickwood Field to celebrate Juneteenth and the Negro Leagues (Mays played at the stadium for the Birmingham Black Barons). MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said the game will now serve as "a national remembrance" of Mays.

2) Dictatorial duo

The bromance between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un continues to grow.

Party in Pyongyang: The Russian president flew in yesterday night to begin a two-day summit with the North Korean leader. It is Putin's first trip to the country in over 20 years; Kim visited Russia last fall. The nations have ramped up diplomatic and economic collaborations in recent months and a strategic partnership pact will likely be announced today.
Back scratching: North Korea has illegally provided Russia with artillery shells and missiles to use in its invasion of Ukraine, according to the U.S. and South Korea. The Kremlin is said to have provided much-needed food and energy assistance in return and has helped North Korea with spy satellites and other advanced military technology. Putin has pledged to stand against the U.S. with Kim.
Big picture: Putin has also worked to align with China and Iran since Russia became a global pariah. But his burgeoning partnership with North Korea has particularly alarmed the U.S. and its NATO and Pacific allies. There is a belief Russia could help Kim evade heavy sanctions meant to deter his behavior, as well as boost the country's military and nuclear weapons program.

3) Guac block

It's early, but America could face a shortage of two summer staples.

The news: The U.S. Department of Agriculture has paused new exports of avocados and mangos from Mexico "until further notice." The decision comes after the agency suspended inspection operations across the southern border due to safety concerns. Produce already in transit will not be impacted.
At issue: The USDA action impacts the Mexican state of Michoacan, considered one of the country's most dangerous due to organized crime activity. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service operations were reportedly halted due to an incident at a pro-police protest. The state's governor said he has promised inspectors will be safe.
Big picture: The USDA also suspended exports for safety reasons in 2022. That pause only lasted a week, though, and did not impact supply chains. A longer stoppage could have a major effect on U.S. availability and the Mexican economy amid a period of intense political violence in the country.

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Quick Tips

U.S. News

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz remains under House Ethics Committee investigation. The panel is still probing drug use and sexual misconduct allegations; the Republican lawmaker now faces obstruction charges in the three-year-long probe (More)
New federal regulations on hospital cybersecurity are imminent, according to the White House. The healthcare industry has struggled with ransomware incidents and other cyberattacks; revised minimum guidelines are expected within weeks (More)
The nation's second-largest school district voted to ban cellphone and social media use during instruction hours. The Los Angeles Unified School District board has over 429K K-12 students; the prohibition would take effect in 2025 (More)

World News

Sudan's military-aligned government accused the United Arab Emirates of funding a paramilitary opposition group in a 14-month civil conflict. The UAE denied the charge, which was levied at the United Nations (More)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the U.S. has been withholding arms deliveries for months. The White House denied the assertion, saying only one shipment has been held up (More)
Over 500 people have died making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to several Arab nations. Over 300 Egyptians are among the dead; almost all deaths are due to extreme heat (More)

Campaign News

The heated GOP primary in Virginia's 5th Congressional District was too close to call after midnight. State Sen. John McGuire claimed victory over Rep. Bob Good, the House Freedom Caucus Chairman; former President Donald Trump endorsed McGuire (More)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will attend the GOP Convention next month. The Kentucky lawmaker's icy relationship with Trump has thawed in recent weeks; McConnell will step down as party leader after the election (More)
Trump's hush money trial gag order remains in place. A New York judge declined to hear an appeal to lift it following the former president's conviction; sentencing remains set for July 11 (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed higher yesterday. The S&P 500 notched another record close (Dow +0.15%, Nasdaq +0.03%, S&P 500 +0.25%).
Nvidia has surpassed Microsoft as the world's most valuable company. The chipmaker's market cap is up to $3.3T; its share price is up over 170% this year (More)
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun apologized to families of plane crash victims and was lambasted by lawmakers during a contentious Senate hearing. A new whistleblower has emerged alleging wrongdoing by the scandal-plagued aerospace giant (More)

Entertainment & Sports

Justin Timberlake was arrested on DWI charges in New York early yesterday morning. The pop star was released without bail and given a July 26 court date; his summer tour begins next week (More)
Netflix will open two permanent venues in the Dallas and Philadelphia areas next year. The streamer's Netflix House concept will include eateries, shopping outlets and immersive experiences (More)
Last Sunday's Chicago Sky-Indiana Fever game was the WNBA's highest-rated in over 20 years. The contest featured star rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese; Clark's Fever won, 91-83 (More)

Quick Hitters

Fun Stuff: A donkey in California escaped from his owners in 2019 after being spooked. A herd of elk has taken him in as one of their own.
Take Note: Stellantis is recalling over 1M vehicles in the U.S. and Canada due to a software glitch that can disablerearview cameras. Several Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models are impacted, among others.
Makes Sense: Why are prescription bottles tinted orange? It has to do with sun safety.
New Idea: Engineering students at Johns Hopkins University have invented a leaf blower that is far less noisy than most currently on the market. The design is patent pending and could be for sale in two years.
Life Hack: The secret to a more robust cup of coffee is not using more beans. Here are some ways to punch things up, or stretch the contents of an almost-empty bag.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes.”

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