Scott Neuman

London attack deemed likely terrorist incident

Scott Neuman — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:35:06 +0000

A man has been killed in what reports described as a machete attack in London, and police have shot two suspects in what British Prime Minister David Cameron says is likely a terrorist incident.

The Associated Press says the incident occurred Wednesday when the suspects attacked the man near a London military barracks.

Why Oklahomans don't like basements

Scott Neuman — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:06:34 +0000

When Randy Keller moved from Texas to the Oklahoma City area seven years ago, he couldn't find the house he was looking for.

"I was moving from Texas, where there are also a lot of tornadoes," says the professor of geology and geophysics at the University of Oklahoma who experienced the 1970 tornado in Lubbock, Texas.

A brief history of Oklahoma tornadoes

Scott Neuman — Tue, 21 May 2013 02:51:53 +0000

Although Oklahoma is a state where tornadoes are a fact of life, few days stand out like May 3, 1999.

That was when some 70 tornadoes touched down over a 21-hour period, cutting paths of destruction like deep cuts of a knife blade in and around Oklahoma City.

Tweets capture 'shock and awe' at tornado's deadly power

Scott Neuman — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:47:36 +0000

Our colleague Andy Carvin has scanned Twitter in search of reaction, including photos and video, from the massive tornado that swept through central Oklahoma on Monday.

Among the tweets:

Sidney Montoya of Oklahoma City says he is "Praying for my little cousins in Moore, their elementary school just got hit by the tornado."

And Dennis Varghese, who also lives in Oklahoma City, says: "Just overheard a lady break down and say, 'my house is gone!' and now worry

FAA orders inspection of Boeing 737s

Scott Neuman — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:14:33 +0000

Federal aviation officials have ordered that more than 1,000 Boeing 737s be examined to see if a key part on the plane's tail section needs to be replaced, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued the airworthiness directive for a pin that holds the 737's horizontal stabilizer to the rest of the tail, to see if it is in danger of failing prematurely.

5 Things To Know About Margaret Thatcher

Scott Neuman — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:33:03 +0000

Margaret Thatcher, the iconic former British prime minister, died Monday at age 87 after suffering a stroke. Although she was a towering presence on the world stage in the 1980s, often standing shoulder to shoulder with fellow conservative President Ronald Reagan, some people may have forgotten her contributions.

We decided to highlight five things you ought to know about her:

She helped break the glass ceiling in politics.

At a time when many people thought social progress for women could only come from the political left, conservative Thatcher showed otherwise.

Britain's Thatcher an unlikely icon for American conservatives

Scott Neuman — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:19:43 +0000

As an icon of the American conservative movement in the 1980s, it would have been difficult to find a more unlikely figure than Britain's Margaret Thatcher, who died Monday following a stroke.

Thatcher became prime minister in 1979, a full year and a half before Ronald Reagan became president.

Astronomers say they've discovered new type of supernova

Scott Neuman — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 03:23:59 +0000

A group of astronomers believe they have found a new kind of "mini" supernovae that appear to share traits with other previously known types.

Until now, only core-collapse supernovae, the grand finale of stars approximately 10 to 100 times more massive than our sun, and Type Ia, which occur when certain conditions exist in binary (two-star) systems, were known to exist.

(Because of their highly predictable luminosity, Type Ia supernovae have long been used as "standard candles," much like distant

Hillary Clinton announces support of gay marriage

Scott Neuman — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:17:37 +0000

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced that she supports same-sex marriage, saying gays and lesbians are "full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship."

"That includes marriage," Clinton says in an online video released Monday by the gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.

Who is Pope Francis?

Scott Neuman — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 04:10:08 +0000

The new pope, 76-year-old Jorge Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, is the first pontiff from Latin America and the first Jesuit, but he appears to hold views very much in line with his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.

Bergoglio has chosen the papal name Francis, becoming the 266th to hold the title of spiritual leader of the Catholic Church.

Catholic News Service calls him an accomplished theologian and says Bergoglio has "written books on spirituality and meditation and has been outspoken against abortion and sa

Europe hits Microsoft with $731M fine over browser options

Scott Neuman — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:47:28 +0000

Some sloppy coding on an update to Microsoft's Windows 7 two years ago has cost the computer giant a $731 million fine to the European Commission.

Microsoft said Wednesday it would not contest the fine, imposed for what the commission said was the company's abuse of its market dominance to stifle competitors' Web browsers.

It all started in 2009, when Microsoft agreed to pay an 860 million euro fine to the commission and to give Windows users in Europe the option to choose browsers such as Google's Chrome or Mozilla's Firefox, instead of having its own Internet Explorer automatically insta

Japan: Probe of battery fire on Boeing 787 finds improper wiring

Scott Neuman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:01:42 +0000

Two reports on troubles with lithium ion batteries aboard Boeing's 787 Dreamliner:

In Japan, where a battery on an All Nippon Airlines 787 overheated and began smoking on Jan. 16, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing, the Transport Ministry released a report Wednesday saying it found that the battery in question had been improperly wired.

The Associated Press, citing the Transport Ministry report, said the ANA 787's auxiliary power unit was incorrectly connected to the main battery that overheated.

Police: Connecticut school shooter armed with 'hundreds' of rounds of ammunition

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:22:29 +0000

Police on Sunday said 20-year-old Adam Lanza was armed with a high-powered rifle, two handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition when he forcibly entered a Newtown, Conn., elementary school and proceeded to gun down 20 young students and six faculty members.

The latest information on the tragedy, the worst violence at an elementary school in U.S. history, came ahead of President Obama's arrival in the town where Friday's mass shooting took place. The president met with families of the victims and planned to attend an evening vigil, where he will speak.

Connecticut State Police Lt. J.

Voting Queue Etiquette: Hey, Buddy, That's Out Of Line!

Scott Neuman — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:44:43 +0000

For most of us, Election Day marks a welcome end to months of relentless political ads and partisan bickering. You show up at your polling place, run the gantlet of sign-wielding campaign volunteers, and join your fellow Americans in long lines that inch toward the voting booth.

Maybe you while away the time quietly reflecting on the choices you're about to make.

Campaigns Strive To Project Confidence, But Not Hubris, In Final Days

Scott Neuman — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:28:28 +0000

There are political races all over the country that aren't even close, but you wouldn't know it from listening to the candidates.

It seems that every behind-the-curve challenger is scrapping his or her way to victory and every ensconced incumbent is fighting an unexpectedly tight contest.

A few examples: Ted Cruz, the Tea Party-endorsed U.S. Senate candidate in Texas has an 18-point lead on his Democratic rival Paul Sadler. But, judging by Cruz's Facebook page, with its numerous get-out-the-vote pleas, you might think it was a lot tighter.