Deaths of note from around the world:
Frank Calabrese Sr., 75: A Chicago mobster and hit man who strangled victims and then slashed their throats to be sure they were dead. Calabrese was among five men convicted at the Family Secrets trial in September 2007. Died Tuesday in a federal prison in North Carolina, authorities said.
Richard Baum, 72: Presided over Chinapol, an online discussion group about China that has become an essential forum for many experts, diplomats and journalists. Baum was a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Died Dec. 14 at his home in Los Angeles.
Bob Auerbach, 92: A longtime political activist who helped found the Green Party in Maryland and was a three-time candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Maryland. Died Dec. 12 at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, Md., after being struck by an automobile while walking to the post office, two days before his 93rd birthday