‘It’s a reckoning’: Md. AG’s report on child sex abuse by Catholic priests

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

‘It’s a reckoning’: Md. AG’s report on child sex abuse by Catholic priests Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown speaks to WTOP’s DMV Download podcast host Luke Garrett in Baltimore, Maryland. In a nearly 500 page report released last week, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown’s office documented more than 600 victims of sexual assault at the hands of priests, seminarians and deacons within the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.“It’s been one of the most difficult things that I’ve had to address in my 20-plus years of public service,” Brown told WTOP News.Brown’s office released the report during Holy Week — considered the most sacred time within the Catholic calendar — and said this investigation only scratches the surface of what they describe as an 80-year scheme of abuse and cover up in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.“The staggering pervasiveness of the abuse itself underscores the culpability of the Church hierarchy,” the report said. “The sheer numbe...

Global shares trend higher with focus on inflation data

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Global shares trend higher with focus on inflation data TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were mostly higher Wednesday, as investors watched for key inflation data likely to influence the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates. France’s CAC 40 added 0.4% in early trading to 7,420.32. Germany’s DAX edged up 0.4% to 15,709.27. Britain’s FTSE 100 surged 0.5% to 7,825.05. The future for the Dow industrials gained nearly 0.2% and the S&P 500 future contract added nearly 0.1%. In Asian trading, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.6% to finish at 28,082.70. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 0.5% to 7,343.90. South Korea’s Kospi edged up 1% to 2,550.64..Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.9% to 20,309.86 and the Shanghai Composite index added 0.4% to 3,327.18. “Broader markets remain laser-focused on this week’s critical inflation data as market participants attempt to tease out the state of the economy and the course the Fed might take from here,” Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Manag...

A tail wagging reunion after a terrier taken during a car theft in Prince George’s Co. is found safe

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

A tail wagging reunion after a terrier taken during a car theft in Prince George’s Co. is found safe Just over two weeks ago, a stop to fill up on gas in Landover Hills, Maryland, was the beginning of a nightmare for a couple headed to their home in Pennsylvania from Florida.On March 23, Cary Zamilski was outside their Land Rover and his wife Roxanne inside the gas station when someone stole their vehicle with their two Boston terriers, Gianni and Nina, inside.Cary said he ran after the car, yelling to the thief that his dogs were still inside.“It became obviously apparent that I wasn’t going to be able to reach them, and they were gone in the blink of an eye,” he said.More Local NewsMore Maryland NewsMore Prince George’s County NewsCary said two people tried to help. One called 911, and the other jumped into their car and attempted to chase the stolen car.Gianni, a Boston terrier, was missing for weeks after Cary and Roxanne Zamilskis’ car was stolen with Gianni inside in March. To the Zamilskis immense pleasure, Prince George’s police located G...

James Webb Telescope captures a ‘green monster’ inside a young supernova

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

James Webb Telescope captures a ‘green monster’ inside a young supernova The James Webb Space Telescope captured never-before-seen colorful detail in one of the best-observed remnants of an exploded star.The glowing gas and dust of Cassiopeia A is all that remains of a star that exploded in a supernova and whose light first reached Earth 340 years ago. It is the youngest known supernova remnant in our galaxy, which is why the celestial object has been studied by a multitude of terrestrial and space telescopes.Cassiopeia A lies 11,000 light-years away, in the constellation Cassiopeia, and the remnant extends for 10 light-years.How does a supernova explosion start? Scientists capture it for the first timeObserving Cas A, as it is also known, allows scientists to better understand how stellar explosions occur.The astronomers pointed the Webb telescope and its instruments in the direction of Cas A to see if the observatory’s infrared capabilities could pick up something other telescopes might have missed. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, a...

‘The Marvels’ teaser trailer brings Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris together

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

‘The Marvels’ teaser trailer brings Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris together (CNN) — The Marvel-ous misses have hit the mark.On Tuesday the teaser trailer for “The Marvels” dropped, featuring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel.The trio star in the film, a spinoff of Larson’s 2019 “Captain Marvel” movie. The tagline for “The Marvels” is “Teaming up changes e̶v̶e̶r̶y̶t̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ everyone.”It also brings plenty of action, as well as Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury when the three women have to come together to set things straight, much to the delight of Vellani’s character.“A huge part of why I wanted to play Captain Marvel was because of Ms. Marvel and what that meant,” Larson told Entertainment Weekly about Vellani’s character, who is Muslim and of Pakistani heritage. “To see that character realized by such a brilliant human with so much potential is just a really exciting thing.”...

Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals sneakers sell for a record $2.2 million

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals sneakers sell for a record $2.2 million (CNN) — In 1998, Michael Jordan laced up a pair of his iconic black and red Air Jordan 13s to bring home a Bulls victory during Game 2 of his final NBA championship — and now they are the most expensive sneakers ever to sell at auction.The game-winning sneakers sold for $2.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York on Tuesday, smashing the sneaker auction record of $1.47 million, set in 2021 by a pair of Nike Air Ships that Jordan wore earlier in his career.The sale arrives during “Jordan Year” — a reference to the NBA star player’s iconic jersey number 23. In January, Air Jordan partnered with Sotheby’s to auction off 13 pairs of retro sneakers that were designed in memory of The Notorious B.I.G. All lots outsold their high estimates of $5,000 by multiples, with the highest selling for more than $32,000.Last year, Jordan’s Game 1 jersey, also from the 1998 finals, became the most expensive item of worn sports memorabilia to sell at auction when it ...

Russian soldiers are ‘beasts,’ Zelenskyy says over beheading video

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Russian soldiers are ‘beasts,’ Zelenskyy says over beheading video Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday condemned Russians forces as “beasts” over the execution of a Ukrainian soldier, who appeared to be beheaded while still alive in a video published on social media. Zelenskyy’s reaction comes as Kyiv is ramping up diplomatic pressure over Moscow’s presence in international forums ranging from the U.N. Security Council to the Olympics.“There is something that no one in the world can ignore: how easily these beasts kill,” the Ukrainian president said in a video posted on Twitter.“This video, the execution of a Ukrainian captive, the world must see it,” he added. “This is a video of Russia as it is, what kind of creatures they are, there are no people for them: a son, a brother, a husband, someone’s child.”In recent days, two videos have appeared. One supposedly filmed by Wagner group mercenaries shows the bodies of two Ukrainian soldiers, whose heads and hands were cu...

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff calls for unity while speaking at JFK Library in Dorchester

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff calls for unity while speaking at JFK Library in Dorchester Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff called for unity while visiting Boston Tuesday night. The husband of Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the JFK Presidential Library and Museum in Dorchester.Emhoff said he wants to use his platform to act against acts of antisemitism, adding that unity is the biggest tool we have to combat hate. “In order for us to achieve true equality, to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table and how we can push back against hatred and push back against bigotry, we’ve got to do it together,” he said. Emhoff also said it’s crucial to call out those in power who stay silent when instances of bigotry happen.

Summer Warmth Ahead

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Summer Warmth Ahead How about that weather yesterday? Low humidity and a ton of sunshine allowed temps to launch into the mid to upper 70s, providing Boston and many towns and cities with the first 70 degree day of the year. With the really low relative humidity and a gusty wind, the brush fire danger was high, and again will be today. Once again a red flag warning is in place… no cigarettes out the window and no fire pits/outdoor burning today. Highs this afternoon fall a few degrees shy of yesterday’s, but still a mild day overall. Tomorrow, it’s a full send into summer as most towns and cities crack 80. Mid 80s will be common away from the immediate coast, but even beach temps likely reach well into the 70s with the exception for parts of Cape Cod and Cape Ann. Friday is very warm again inland, but likely a lot cooler at the coast. Late morning temps warm well into the 70s at the coast, then an ocean breeze knocks temps back into the 60s to 50s by mid to late afternoon. Meantime, i...

Sen. Tim Scott plans to launch 2024 exploratory committee Wednesday

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:27:26 GMT

Sen. Tim Scott plans to launch 2024 exploratory committee Wednesday (CNN) — Republican Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina plans to launch an exploratory committee for president on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with his plans.Scott — the only Black Republican in the Senate — has been testing the waters for months. Since setting off on a listening tour in February focused on “Faith in America,” he’s made frequent visits to Iowa.He’s scheduled to hold events in the early voting state on Wednesday.The Post and Courier was first to report on the plans.“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past few months,” Scott wrote in a Tuesday night email to his supporters teasing a Wednesday morning announcement on Fox. “I’ve been thinking about my faith. I’ve been thinking about the future of our country. And I’ve been thinking about the Left’s plan to ruin America.”Scott easily won reelection to the Senate last fall and ended the year with more...