Scott Neuman

Turkey's Premier Says It's His Duty To Crush Protests

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:28:00 +0000

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday defended his order to forcibly evict thousands of anti-government protesters from Istanbul's Taksim Square, saying he had simply carried out his "duty" as the nation's leader.

In a speech to hundreds of thousands of supporters, Erdogan also railed against foreign media coverage and social media amid criticism of his government's handling of the protests, The Associated Press reports.

"I said we were at an end. That it was unbearable," he told a massive rally of supporters. "Yesterday the operation was carried out and it was cleaned up.

How Do You Say 'Born To Ride' In Latin?

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:39:00 +0000

Pope Francis blessed a thundering parade of thousands of bikers on Sunday as Harley-Davidson riders descended on Rome to celebrate the motorcycle maker's 110^th anniversary.

The Associated Press reports that the Harley's patented super-loud engines nearly drowned out the Latin recitation of "Our Father."

The AP writes:

"There was something a bit incongruous about the Harley crowd — known for their 'Freedom' motto, outlaw image and adventuresome spirit — taking part in a solemn papal Mass to commemorate a 1995 encyclical on the inviolability of human life.
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U.S. To North Korea: Dismantle Nuke Program, Then We'll Talk

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:01:00 +0000

The White House says it's open to "senior-level" talks proposed by North Korea, but only if Pyongyang lives up to its U.N. obligations to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said Sunday that North Korea must meet "its obligations to the world." The U.S. will judge Pyongyang by "its actions and not its words," she said.

Earlier Sunday, Pyongyang proposed the high-level discussions with the U.S.

Jordan Says It's Ready If Syria Becomes Danger

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:22:00 +0000

Jordan's King Abdullah says his country stands ready to respond to any threat from a spillover of the civil war in neighboring Syria, a day after the U.S.

Iran's President-Elect Meets With Caution In West

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:41:00 +0000

Hasan Rowhani's stunning presidential election victory in Iran has opened the door for improved relations with the West, but the U.S.

Syrian Strife Draws In Neighbors, Global Players

Scott Neuman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 12:22:00 +0000

The conflict in Syria may be first and foremost a civil war, pitting the Shiite-dominated regime of President Bashar Assad against mostly Sunni insurgents.

Google's 'Looney' Internet Balloons Invade New Zealand

Scott Neuman — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:51:00 +0000

Google has launched — quite literally — a new idea to bring the Internet to some of the world's remotest places.

The tech giant's engineering hothouse, Google X, is testing the use of 12-mile-high helium balloons to get coverage in areas where it's impractical to put in conventional infrastructure.

Google said Saturday that it has 30 of the balloons, or "high-altitude platforms" (HAPS), flying over New Zealand as part of something called Project Loon.

Anti-Government Protesters In Turkey Refuse To Leave Park

Scott Neuman — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:12:00 +0000

(This post last updated at 2:45 p.m. ET)

Turkish riot police backed by armored vehicles sealed off Istanbul's Taksim Square, firing tear gas and water cannons to dislodge protesters after two weeks of anti-government demonstrations.

The police moved into the square hours after an ultimatum issued by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that security forces "know how to clear" the area.

Facebook, Microsoft Reveal Requests For User Data

Scott Neuman — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:25:00 +0000

Facebook and Microsoft Corp.

Firefighters In Colorado Gaining The Upper Hand On Blazes

Scott Neuman — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:36:00 +0000

Firefighters near Colorado Springs say that a surprise rainstorm and cooler weather have rallied their efforts to push back devastating wildfires that have destroyed at least 473 homes in recent days.

Bus Bomb Kills 11 From Pakistan Women's University

Scott Neuman — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:51:00 +0000

A bomb ripped through a bus in southwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 14 students from a women's university in Quetta. Shortly afterward, militants burst into a nearby hospital that was treating the injured. Pakistani security forces stormed the hospital and regained control after a five-hour standoff.

Our original post continues:

A bomb on a bus in Pakistan has killed at least 11 female university students and teachers, and hurt 20 others.

Report: Former Nazi SS Officer Living In Minnesota

Scott Neuman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:06:00 +0000

A 94-year-old man who allegedly was a top commander of a Nazi SS unit responsible for the massacre of civilians during World War II is reportedly living quietly in Minnesota, according to an exclusive report by The Associated Press.

The news agency says it obtained records through the Freedom of Information Act that show Michael Karkoc lied to officials in 1949 about his past in order to immigrate to the United States.

According to the AP, Karkoc concealed his military service during World War II as an officer and founding member of the SS-led Ukraine Self Defense Legion and later as an of

Archaeologists Discover Lost City In Cambodian Jungle

Scott Neuman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:56:00 +0000

Australian archaeologists using remote-sensing technology have uncovered an ancient city in Cambodia that has remained hidden for more than a millennium under dense jungle undergrowth.

The discovery of Mahendraparvata, a 1,200-year-old lost city that predates Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat temple complex by 350 years, was part of the Hindu-Buddhist Khmer Empire that ruled much of Southeast Asia from about 800 to 1400 A.D., during a time that coincided with Europe's Middle Ages.

Damian Evans, director of the University of Sydney's archaeological research center in Cambodia, and a small group

U.S. Navy Approves Use Of Lower-Case Letters

Scott Neuman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 20:30:00 +0000

A recent directive issued by the U.S. Navy was transmitted in the customary format, using all uppercase letters. Sailors, it said, are:

"AUTHORIZED TO USE STANDARD, MIXED-CASE CHARACTERS IN THE BODY OF NAVY ORGANIZATIONAL MESSAGES."

It marks the end of an era for the Navy (and the Marines). Since the early days of Morse code, which doesn't distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters, the Navy has been using the all-capital format.

Iranians Go To Polls In Vote To Replace Ahmadinejad

Scott Neuman — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:32:00 +0000

Millions of Iranians cast ballots Friday in elections to replace incumbent President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a race that is being characterized as a potential challenge to the country's ruling Islamic clerics.

A slate of conservatives tacitly backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are facing off against the lone moderate, Hasan Rowhan, a former nuclear negotiator.

Other candidates include Saeed Jalili, also a nuclear negotiator; Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf; and Khamenei's diplomatic adviser, Ali Akbar Velayati.

Although the president in Iran has little say in the country's

U.S. Says It Has 'High Confidence' Syria Used Chemical Weapons

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:34:00 +0000

The White House has "high confidence" that the Syrian regime is using chemical weapons against rebel forces, and the U.S.

American Airlines To Add More Seats To 737s, MD-80s

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:47:00 +0000

If you thought your coach-class seat lacked legroom now, American Airlines has some bad news: It's probably going to get worse.

American plans to add seats to its Boeing 737s and McDonnell Douglas MD-80s, which account for about two-thirds of the airline's entire fleet of jetliners.

Chinese Astronauts Dock With Orbiting Space Lab

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:30:00 +0000

A trio of Chinese astronauts has successfully docked with the Tiangong-1 space laboratory for what's expected to be a total of 15 days in orbit — the longest mission to date for China's burgeoning manned space program.

The published plan is for the three-person crew, including Wang Yaping, China's second female spacefarer, to practice docking maneuvers between their Shenzhou-10 capsule and the Tiangong ("Heavenly Palace").

Explosion, Fire Reported At Chemical Plant Near Baton Rouge

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:17:00 +0000

(This post last updated at 8:30 p.m. ET)

An explosion touched off a fire at a Louisiana petrochemical plant, killing at least one person and injuring more than 70 others, officials say.

State Police reported one person dead in the calamity at the Williams Olefins chemical plant in Geismar, La.

Senate Rejects Measure To Delay 'Path To Citizenship'

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:33:00 +0000

The Senate has defeated a Republican measure that would have blocked implementation of a "path to citizenship" for undocumented workers until after the U.S.-Mexico border has been deemed secure for a period of six months.

The amendment to the larger overhaul of U.S. immigration law was sponsored by Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley.

Gannett To Buy TV Station Owner Belo For $2.2 Billion

Scott Neuman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Gannett Co. plans to buy TV station owner Belo for $1.5 billion in cash and $715 million in debt in a deal that will make it one of the nation's largest owners of network television affiliates.

The total $2.2 billion deal would hand over Belo's 20 local TV stations, nine of them in top markets, Gannett-owned USA Today reports.

Democrat: IRS Manager Denies Targeting Of Conservative Groups

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 21:09:00 +0000

A self-described conservative Republican who oversees IRS screeners dealing with non-profit groups has told lawmakers that he doesn't think the White House played a role in stonewalling "Tea Party" and "patriot" groups, according to the ranking Democrat on the committee investigating the matter.

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Newspaper Reveals Source For NSA Surveillance Stories

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 19:46:00 +0000

The Guardian newspaper has identified the source for a series of reports it's published in recent days on secret U.S. surveillance activity as a former technical assistant for the CIA who now works for a private-sector defense and technology consulting firm.

The U.K. newspaper broke the story of the NSA's acquisition of phone metadata and monitoring of Internet data through a program called PRISM.

Rafael Nadal Wins Record Eighth French Open

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:24:00 +0000

Rafael Nadal beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 to win a record eighth French Open title on Sunday.

Nadal is now the first man to win eight singles titles at the same Grand Slam tournament. He's also won more matches than any other player at the French Open, with 59 wins.

"I never even dreamed about this kind of thing happening," Nadal said in his on-court interview.

Bush-Era NSA Chief Defends PRISM, Phone Metadata Collection

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:05:00 +0000

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Family Strife Could Prove Motive In Santa Monica Shootings

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 15:19:00 +0000

Investigators were reportedly looking into family connections in their search for a motive in Friday's shooting rampage in Santa Monica, Calif., that left six people dead, including the gunman and a woman who died Sunday from injuries sustained in the assault.

The Associated Press, quoting unnamed officials close to the investigation, reports that the inquiry was focusing on the likelihood that a domestic dispute sparked the violence that spilled over onto the Santa Monica College campus.

Delegations From Rival Koreas Meet At Panmunjom

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:30:00 +0000

For the first time in two years, delegations from North and South Korea sat down for talks aimed at ratcheting down escalating tensions on the peninsula.

The meeting took place at the symbolically significant border village of Panmunjom, where nearly 60 years ago the two sides signed an armistice ending the Korean War.

As NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports, the discussions were focused on procedural issues in advance of a planned ministerial-level meeting, as well as discussions on reviving a joint industrial zone and facilitating reunions of families separated by the Korean War; both of these hav

Chinese Cyber-Hacking Discussed At Obama-Xi Summit

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:45:00 +0000

A two-day summit between President Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, is being described as a "unique, positive and constructive" meeting that reportedly produced broad agreement on handling North Korea and put the thorny issue of cybersecurity at the forefront.

It was hoped the summit, which wrapped up Saturday in California, would be an opportunity for the two men to establish a personal relationship weeks after Xi assumed the presidency in China.

Speaking late Saturday about the summit, national security advise

The Latest On The NSA Surveillance Story

Scott Neuman — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 12:42:00 +0000

In the past several days, there's been a steady flow of leaks about the National Security Agency and its secret surveillance activities, including the gathering of metadata on domestic and foreign telephone calls and the existence of PRISM, described in media reports as a top-secret data-mining program.

New developments are occurring on a daily basis.

DNI Calls Reporting On Government Surveillance 'Reckless'

Scott Neuman — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on Saturday said media reporting this week about government surveillance activities amounted to "reckless disclosures" that could hand terrorists a playbook to foil detection.

He said the surveillance measures are legal and said the reporting lacked full context:

"In particular, the surveillance activities published by The Guardian and The Washington Post are lawful and conducted under authorities widely known and discussed, and fully debated and authorized by Congress," Clapper wrote