U.S. evolves on same-sex marriage

STORY HIGHLIGHTSThe president and the nation have shifted perspectives on same-sex marriageSupreme Court ruling on California's same-sex marriage ban a critical testGrowing public support for gay marriage give proponents hope for changeWashington (CNN) -- The nation's growing acceptance of same-sex marriage has happened in slow and painstaking moves, eventually building into a momentum that is sweeping...

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Syrian shells hit Israeli-occupied Golan: army

JERUSALEM: Mortar rounds believed to be have been fired from Syria hit the southern Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday without causing damage or casualties, the army said."Several shells landed and were found in an open area in the southern Golan Heights, most likely due to the fighting in Syria," a spokesman told AFP."No injuries or damages were caused. The incident was reported...

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U.S. to 'rain mice' on tree snakes

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What does the WH's brief for Supreme Court mean for same-sex marriage?

(CBS News) WASHINGTON - At his news conference Friday, President Obama was asked about his decision to get involved in the battle over same-sex marriage in California's ban on same-sex marriage. Late Thursday, the administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court, saying that California's ban on gays and lesbians marrying violates their constitutional rights. "If the Supreme Court asks me or my...

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Sequester: What Will Happen, What Won't Happen

When it comes to critical elements of the sequester timeline, not much is known -- because federal agencies have been tight lipped.Asked when specific effects will be felt, officials at three federal departments declined to discuss the timing of sequester cuts and their consequences. Some departments were waiting for President Obama's Friday night sequester order and subsequent...

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Syria war is everybody's problem

Syrians search for survivors and bodies after the Syrian regime attacked the city of Aleppo with missiles on February 23.STORY HIGHLIGHTSFrida Ghitis: We are standing by as Syria rips itself apart, thinking it's not our problemBeyond the tragedy in human terms, she says, the war damages global stabilityGhitis: Syria getting more and more radical, jeopardizing forces of democracyGhitis: Peace counts...

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Motor Racing: Button sets pace on second day of testing in Barcelona

  BARCELONA: Britain's Jenson Button, of McLaren, was quickest on a wet second morning of the final pre-season testing of the winter in Barcelona on Friday.Button, the 2009 world champion, was 0.216 seconds quicker than Germany's Adrian Sutil, driving for Force India in conditions that started off very wet before beginning to dry up.Sutil's impressive performance came a day after...

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Our unhealthy love of reality TV bullies

STORY HIGHLIGHTSReality TV shows twice the number of aggressive acts as other showsWatching aggressive acts on TV can influence viewers' behaviorAdult victims of bullying suffer from poor health as a result Editor's note: Don't miss the premiere of "The Bully Effect" on "AC360" at 10 p.m. ET tonight. (CNN) -- A red-faced Gordon Ramsay gets nose-to-nose with an older man and shouts, "Wake up!" He calls...

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With no pope, cardinals summoned for conclave

VATICAN CITY The Catholic Church has awoken with no pontiff following Benedict XVI's resignation, in which he pledged obedience to his successor and described himself as "simply a pilgrim" starting the final part of his life. Now begins a period known as the "sede vacante" or "vacant see" — the transition between the end of one papacy and the election of a new pope. During these few days — no more...

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Sequester Set to Trigger Billions in Cuts

Nobody likes the sequester.Even the word is enough to send shivers of fiscal panic, or sheer political malaise, down the spines of seasoned politicians and news reporters. And today, the sequester will almost certainly happen, a year and a half after its inception as an intentionally unpalatable event amid the stalemate of the debt-limit crisis in 2011.Automatic budget cuts will...

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US economy grows 0.1% in Q4

WASHINGTON: The US economy grew slightly in the fourth quarter last year, the government said Thursday, revising its prior estimate of a small contraction.Gross domestic product grew at an annual rate of 0.1 per cent in the October-December period, the Commerce Department said in its second official estimate. In its initial estimate in January, GDP contracted by 0.1 per cent.The revision...

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Cops: Bikini baristas too bare

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Five major psychiatric disorders linked in new study

(CBS News) An international group of scientists have identified genetic links between five major psychiatric disorders, including autism, ADHD, bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. Their study, published in the medical journal Lancet, could change how we understand and treat the illnesses. For the first time, researchers were able to see if there are any genetic variants that are linked...

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Benedict Pledges 'Obedience' to New Pope

In his farewell remarks to colleagues in the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI, the first pontiff to resign in nearly 600 years, promised "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his eventual successor.Benedict, in a morning meeting at the Vatican, urged the cardinals to act "like an orchestra" to find "harmony" moving forward.Benedict, 85, is spending a quiet final day...

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Study finds donkey meat in South African burgers

JOHANNESBURG: Unlike Europeans, South Africans do not unwittingly eat horsemeat in their beef burgers and sausages, but they do eat donkey, water buffalo and goat meat, according to a study by the Stellenbosch University.Over two thirds of meat products tested contained undeclared ingredients, according to a recent research study, prompted by revelations about food production in Europe."Our...

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Thousands say farewell to Pope Benedict

STORY HIGHLIGHTSNEW: Benedict XVI says there were "times when the Lord seemed to sleep" in past 8 yearsNEW: "I really felt all the support and all the love, the prayers," says a priest in the crowdBenedict: The Roman Catholic Church has been through stormy waters, but God won't let it sinkHe is to leave office at 8 p.m. Thursday for a life of seclusion and prayerRome (CNN) -- In front of rapt crowds,...

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Gun control fight entering final round in Senate

Senate lawmakers this week are beginning what appears to be their final push to pass gun control legislation in response to the deadly massacre at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school in December. On Wednesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is chairing a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the "Assault Weapons Ban of 2013," which she introduced last month. The following day, the Judiciary Committee...

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Pope Thanks Crowd in Final Address

On his final full day as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI thanked a huge crowd for respecting his historic decision to step down and told them that God will continue to guide the church."The decision I have made, after much prayer, is the fruit of a serene trust in God's will and a deep love of Christ's Church," Benedict said to cheers in his last public...

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Vatican 'Gay lobby'? Probably not

STORY HIGHLIGHTSBenedict XVI not stepping down under pressure from 'gay lobby,' Allen saysAllen: Benedict is a man who prefers the life of the mind to the nuts and bolts of government However, he says, much of the pope's time has been spent putting out firesEditor's note: John L. Allen Jr. is CNN's senior Vatican analyst and senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.(CNN) -- Suffice...

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Mobile makers set sights on grandparents

BARCELONA: As smartphone giants Apple and Samsung battle for the wallets of tech-savvy youngsters, a growing number of manufacturers is trying to lure a fast-growing new market: their grandparents.Handset makers at the world's biggest mobile fair in Barcelona, Spain, showed off a slew of new devices aimed at the hundreds of millions of older people put off by the complexity of the latest...

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Could your child be a bully?

Boys and girls use physical violence to exert their power, researchers say. STORY HIGHLIGHTSA sociologist describes bullying in schools as "social combat"Students are fighting to improve their social status through violence or rumorsBullies are often bullied themselves as they fight to the top, experts sayEditor's note: Don't miss the premiere of "The Bully Effect" on "AC360" at 10 p.m. ET Thursday,...

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