Top Local News Stories for Shavano Park, Texas.

Top San Antonio Area Local News Stories

Sandusky can see grandkids, judge rules

The former Penn State assistant football coach currently awaiting trial on child sex assault charges can visit with some of his grandchildren, a judge ruled Monday. The decision by Judge John Cleland eases some conditions of Jerry Sandusky's house arrest, which had forbidden contact with his 11 grandchildren. Sandusky will be allowed to visit with eight of his grandchildren under parental supervision, the judge ruled. But another judge in a custody case involving three of the grandchildren should decide whether Sandusky can visit with them, Cleland ruled. The mother of those children has strongly objected to them having contact with Sandusky. In his ruling Monday, Cleland denied the Pennsylvania attorney general's request that Sandusky be required to stay indoors during his house arrest because of fears from neighbors and teachers at a nearby elementary school. Prosecutors did not present any evidence showing that Sandusky had tried to contact children at the school, Cleland said. The state "failed to present any evidence whatsoever that (Sandusky) presents a clearly defined threat to any student at the adjoining elementary school simply by being on his deck," Monday's the ruling says. Cleland also ruled Monday that Sandusky would be allowed to have visits from adult friends and leave his home for meetings with attorneys and private investigators aiding in his defense, provided that a probation coordinator approves. Sandusky has been under house arrest since December, when he was charged with sexually abusing young boys over a 15-year period, allegations that led to the firing of the Nittany Lions' heralded head football coach Joe Paterno only months before he died of complications from lung cancer. Sandusky has pleaded innocent to the charges. Cleland has said he is aiming for a May 14 trial for Sandusky. On Monday, the judge denied a prosecution request that jurors be selected from outside the county where the former coach is being prosecuted. Sandusky said last week that people were turning on him, and it was "difficult to understand." "I'm associated with thousands of young people over the years," Sandusky said. "And now, all of a sudden, these people turn on me when they've been in my home with their kids." State Attorney General Linda Kelly blasted Sandusky's request to see his grandchildren, saying in a motion this month that he was fortunate to be granted house arrest when "he is alleged to have committed 52 sexual offenses." "He has been granted the privilege of being confined in his home, which is spacious and private, and where he can eat food of his own preference and sleep in his bed at night," the motion said.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:03:45 GMT

Obama unveils $3.8T budget

President Barack Obama unveiled a $3.8 trillion budget request Monday that hikes taxes on the rich, spends new money on infrastructure and education, but does little to reform the entitlement programs that pose the biggest long-term threat to the federal budget. "We built this budget around the idea that our country has always done best when everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share and everyone plays by the same rules," Obama said in his budget message. But the budget forecasts a deficit for fiscal year 2012 that will top $1.3 trillion, before falling in 2013 to $901 billion, or 5.5 percent of gross domestic product. The deficit projections, which have hovered near $1 trillion for each year of the Obama presidency, mean that Obama will not satisfy his 2009 promise to half the deficit by the end of his first term. White House officials described the budget as a continuation of two major speeches given recently by the president -- one in Kansas where he promised Americans a "fair shot," and last month's State of the Union. The budget also offers fresh insight into how the White House plans to comply with last year's Budget Control Act, which allowed Congress to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for caps on discretionary spending accounts. Many of the high profile recommendations made in the budget were first floated by the administration last year as part of a deficit reduction plan rolled out in September.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:50:12 GMT

Poll: Santorum edges out Romney in Mich.

It's the state where Mitt Romney grew up and where his father served as governor in the 1960's, but a new poll in Michigan indicates that Rick Santorum is on top in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. According to an American Research Group survey released Monday, 33% of likely Michigan GOP primary voters say they are backing Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania, with 27% supporting Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. Twenty-one percent are backing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, 12% are supporting Rep. Ron Paul of Texas and 6% are undecided. Santorum's advantage is technically within the poll's sampling error. Michigan and Arizona are next up in the primary and caucus calendar, with both states holding primaries on February 28. The 30 delegates up for grabs in Michigan will be divided proportionally, while the 29 delegates at stake in Arizona are winner take all. Romney won the 2008 Republican contest in Michigan, edging out eventual GOP nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona by nine points. But four years later, the Santorum campaign feels they can be competitive in Michigan, as well as Ohio, which votes on Super Tuesday on March 6. Both states are considered part of the Rust Belt, with larger working class populations and strong Catholic communities, which may favor Santorum over Romney. According to the poll, 37% of self-described supporters of the tea party movement say they support Santorum, with 29% backing Gingrich, 17% supporting Romney and 11% backing Paul. Among people who are not backers of the tea party, or who are unsure about the movement, 35% back Romney, with Santorum at 30%, Gingrich at 14% and Paul at 13%. The survey indicates that Santorum edges out Romney 33%-28% among male voters, with Romney topping Santorum 39%-33% among female voters. The American Research Group poll was conducted February 11-12, with 600 likely Michigan GOP primary voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:46:23 GMT

Friend: Whitney Houston 'upbeat and joyful' 2 days before death

A singer who participated in an impromptu duet with Whitney Houston at a party two days before Houston's death said Monday she noticed nothing amiss and the superstar was "upbeat and joyful." "She did not seem disheveled. She was dancing, she was laughing. ... We were having a good time," said Kelly Price. "What I saw on Thursday night was not erratic behavior. I didn't see someone who was high." Price said the party was held to celebrate her Grammy nominations. During the party, Houston took the stage unexpectedly and sang a hoarse rendition of "Jesus Loves Me" with Price. Price said Houston's voice is "naturally raspy," but "she sounded good on Thursday night." She acknowledged that Houston did have champagne, which "was flowing" at the party, and said she was glad to see her friend happy. "It was a genuine moment of celebration," she said. "She was in good spirits leaving the club," Price said. "Yes, she was a little messy, as I was, as every other person was at 2, 3, 3:30 ... in the morning after having sung half the night, danced half the night." Price said she never expected to receive the call Saturday that Houston, 48, was found dead in her suite at the upscale Beverly Hilton, just hours before she was to attend another pre-Grammys party at the hotel. "It doesn't resonate to anything that happened on Thursday," Price said. There were more questions than answers Monday about Houston's sudden death, as authorities were offering few details. The singer's soaring voice and impressive talent had taken a back seat in recent years to her struggles with drug addiction. An autopsy was completed on Houston Sunday, but authorities have not released a cause of death pending toxicology tests. Speaking to reporters Monday, Ed Winter, assistant chief of the Los Angeles county coroner's office, refused to speculate on a cause of death, saying testing is ongoing. Beverly Hills police have requested a "security hold" on the coroner's report, a common practice in high-profile cases that limits what can be revealed about a probe while it is ongoing. Winter on Sunday said no additional details, including what was discovered in Houston's room, would be released. Asked Monday whether authorities know the cause of death and are barred from releasing it by the security hold, Winter said, "We do not know (the cause) yet." When it is known, the coroner's office will notify police and Houston's family, he said. Asked how long Houston had been dead before she was found, he said she was seen by someone -- a family member or someone at the hotel -- within an hour of her death. The security hold does not restrict the release of Houston's body to her family, he said, but he said he did not know when the body would be picked up or what arrangements were being made. Winter declined to release the coroner's initial finding of cause of death, saying lab results were expected in six to eight weeks. "I know there are reports that she maybe was drowned or did she overdose, but we won't make a final determination until all the tests are in," he said. Winter ruled out foul play and said there were no injuries to her body. Winter confirmed reports that Houston was found in the bathtub of her hotel room. "I believe somebody removed her from the bathtub and the paramedics did CPR on her," he said Sunday. Entertainment news website TMZ, citing "informed sources," reported pill bottles were found in Houston's room. CNN could not immediately confirm the TMZ report and Winter declined to comment. As late as Monday morning, remembrances continued to pour in from around the world. Nelson Mandela issued a statement extending his condolences to Houston's family and friends. He recalled how she dedicated her performance of "Greatest Love Of All" to him during a White House dinner in his honor in October 1994. "May she rest in peace," the statement said. Songstress Celine Dion, speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America," admitted she stays away from the "show business" scene because of its risks. "It's just very unfortunate that drugs and, I don't know, bad people or bad influence, took over," Dion said. "It took over her dreams, it took over love and motherhood. ... When you, you know, you think about Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe and Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse, I mean, to get into drugs like that for whatever reason ... . What happens when you have the love, the support, family, motherhood, you have responsibilities of a mother and then something happens and it destroys everything? "There's something that happens that I don't understand," she said, "and that's why I'm so scared. I'm scared of show business. I'm scared of drugs. I'm scared of hanging out. And that's why I don't do parties, and that's why I don't hang out. That's why I'm not part of show business, because we have to be afraid." Whatever the exact cause, the grief over the death of Houston was evident Sunday at the Grammy Awards. Host LL Cool J began his Grammy monologue by acknowledging "we've had a death in our family" and offering a prayer thanking God "for sharing our sister Whitney with us." "Although she's gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit and to have her lasting legacy of music to cherish and share forever," the rapper and actor said. Toward the end of the show, under a bright, solitary spotlight, Jennifer Hudson took to the stage at the Staples Center to perform Houston's mega-hit "I Will Always Love You." Accompanied by a piano, Hudson delivered a searing, heartfelt performance that brought the audience to its feet, ending the song with one new line: "Whitney, we love you." Earlier, on the red carpet, gospel singer Kim Burrell told CNN she'd exchanged voice mails with her good friend Houston shortly before her death, describing her as being "in great spirits, as always." She said she always thought of Houston as a "fighter" and a "survivor," which made the idea of her passing all the more difficult to comprehend. "She's my sister and she'll always be my sister," said an emotional Burrell. "I love her dearly." Burrell told CNN Monday she is comforted by the knowledge that Houston had a solid religious foundation. She said she and Houston spoke weekly for 13 years, sometimes praying over the phone. "Whitney knew to go to God. Whitney knew how to pray," a tearful Burrell said Monday. "... I'm very confident that whatever her last moments were, she knew that God could be there for her. ... She's with him today." Burrell said she'd flown to California to join Houston in attending a pre-Grammy party Saturday night hosted by the songstress' longtime mentor, Clive Davis. Houston died a few hours before the party took place. On Houston's last voice mail, left as Burrell was on the plane, she said gospel music was playing in the background. "It's just very hard today to see all of this," she said. "It's very surreal, but I'm trying very hard to be strong for her." Amid the outpouring of grief, Beverly Hills police said Houston's 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was taken to Los Angeles' Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Sunday morning. Details of her condition were not disclosed. A source close to the family told CNN that by late Sunday afternoon the teenager was out of the hospital and would be heading back to New Jersey, possibly as early as that night. She was expected to go to the home of her grandmother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, in New Jersey, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. Burrell said she was with the teenager late Saturday, admitting the girl had felt "overwhelmed" while expressing confidence that "she'll pull through." Bobbi Kristina Brown was born during Houston's marriage to Bobby Brown, which ended in divorce in 2007. Her father was swarmed by media when he arrived at Los Angeles International Airport Sunday night after pulling out of a performance with New Edition in Nashville, Tennessee, in the wake of the death. Brown did not take any questions, and was quickly whisked into a waiting limousine. The night Houston died, he was openly emotional during a concert in Southaven, Mississippi, said attendee and CNN iReporter Moshiu Knox, at one point asking people to say a prayer for his daughter, for his mother and "for me, because I'm going to need it." "Bobby was crying during his performance and at one point had to walk off stage," Knox said. Houston's family issued a statement Sunday saying, "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends." Funeral arrangements for Houston were pending.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:36:19 GMT

Greece cleans up after night of rioting

Anger over Greece's austerity measures exploded in the streets of Athens early Monday as tens of thousands of protesters clashed with police in riots that left 106 police officers and dozens of civilians injured, according to police. The riot, widely described as one of the worst in Athens since Greece began dealing with its crippling debt crisis in 2010, broke out after the Greek Parliament approved a new package of austerity measures in return for a new eurozone bailout of the debt-stricken country. Protesters hurled rocks and firebombs towards police. Officers responded with teargas. At least 74 people were arrested, police said. Police said investigators were still tallying property damages, but the Athens News Agency said more than 45 buildings were damaged by fire and numerous others were looted. Among the damaged buildings were a bank, cafes and a movie theater, the news agency reported. The violent protests reflect increasing angst in Greece over crushing economic problems, said CNN iReporter Thanasis Trompoukis. "They are protesting because they feel that there is no end in their financial suffering. More and more (people) every day are getting poorer and become homeless in Greece, and especially Athens," he said. The package, which includes deep cuts in government spending, wages and pensions, will help pave the way for eurozone finance ministers to sign off on the new €130 billion ($172.6 billion) bailout deal. It passed Parliament in a 199-74 vote. Greece needs the funds in order to meet €14.5 billion in debt repayments due next month. Speaking before the vote, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos called for calm. "This vandalism, violence, they have no place in a democracy and will not be tolerated," he told lawmakers, urging them to approve the deal. "At this critical time, we don't have the luxury of such conflicts," he said. Echoing comments he made in a speech to the Cabinet Saturday evening, Papademos warned lawmakers the government would not be able to pay salaries, cover services or import basic goods if the plan was not approved. He spoke about the possibility of "catastrophic bankruptcy." "It's a hard program, a tough program, which also envisages some painful sacrifices," he said, adding that the plan would put Greece back on "stable ground." Protesters criticizing the program have demonstrated for days. On Saturday, some isolated scuffles broke out as protesters rallied in Syntagma Square, in front of the Parliament building, but the mood was calmer than a day earlier. Friday's protest dispersed after youths smashed pavements and began throwing stones and pieces of marble, as well as Molotov cocktails, at the police, who responded with stun grenades and teargas. Monday's protests are being widely described as some of the worst since the Greek debt crisis began in 2010. In May of that year, three people died when a fire bomb hit a bank in central Athens during protests over austerity measures. Even though the sweeping reform package agreed to by Greece and the so-called troika -- made up of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund -- was approved in Parliament, Greek lawmakers must still do more. Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg and head of the Eurogroup, which brings together euro-area finance ministers, said Thursday that other assurances were also needed from Athens before the bailout could be paid out. Greece's political leaders must pledge that they will continue to implement the measures after upcoming elections, he said. Athens must also find a further €325 million in "structural expenditure" cuts for 2012, Juncker added. The bailout deal, which would result in significant losses for bondholders, is intended to help reduce Greece's debts to 120% of gross domestic product by 2020, from about 160% currently. Greece, which owes some €330 billion, has come close to default before. The nation has struggled to follow through on austerity measures and economic reforms that were a condition of its 2010 bailout package. At the same time, the Greek economy has been in recession for years and many analysts warn that additional austerity could make the situation worse. U.S. and European stocks were higher Monday morning following passage of the austerity package. Stock markets have been anxious about the potential impact of a Greek default on the European and world economies.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:11:39 GMT

Murdoch faces U.S. heat on phone hacking

The British lawyer for alleged victims of phone-hacking by newspapers said Monday he is flying to the United States within weeks to meet lawyers amid reports he may take legal action against media magnate Rupert Murdoch. Mark Lewis, who is representing dozens of individuals who say their phones were hacked by Murdoch's UK titles, confirmed to CNN he would meet lawyers, but declined to comment on the reports he planned to sue Murdoch. Lewis said the purpose of his planned visit was "as always to represent my clients properly." His clients include the family of Milly Dowler, a missing teenager whose voice mail was allegedly hacked by News of The World before she was found murdered. Public outrage over the allegations led News International to shut down the tabloid in July. Police in London are investigating the hacking claims as well as suspected corruption involving public officials. As part of this investigation, officers on Saturday arrested five senior journalists at Murdoch's top-selling tabloid The Sun over allegations of improper payments to police and officials. A police officer, an employee of the Ministry of Defence and a member of the armed forces were also detained. Last year Lewis told CNN he was "looking to pursue legal action on the basis of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in the United States, whereby a holding company can be liable for practices outside the jurisdiction where the offence is said to have taken place." "Proceedings will be issued in the U.S. where we will seek information from the company's directors about those issues and about corporate governance." The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, enacted in 1977, makes it illegal for a U.S. person or company to pay foreign officials to obtain or retain business. Potential liability flows from journalists at News of the World to its parent, News International, and to that company's parent, News Corp., which is a publicly held company in the United States, and runs Fox News. Meanwhile, Murdoch is flying to London this week in what News International described as a scheduled visit. But his trip comes days after he issued a personal assurance to one of his executives to continue to own and publish The Sun newspaper, according to an internal staff memo sent by News International Chief Executive Tom Mockridge. Mockridge said he was "very saddened" by the arrests of deputy editor Geoff Webster, picture editor John Edwards, chief reporter John Kay, chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker, and John Sturgis, who is a news editor. The five journalists were arrested at their homes, police said. "I understand the pressure many of you are under and have the greatest admiration for everyone's continued professionalism," Mockridge wrote. An editorial in The Sun on Monday said police dawn raids against its journalists were part of a "witch-hunt" that had left Britain behind former Soviet states on press freedom. "The Sun is not a 'swamp' that needs draining," wrote associate editor Trevor Kavanagh. "Nor are those other great News International titles, The Times and The Sunday Times," he added. "Yet in what would at any other time cause uproar in parliament and among civil liberty and human rights campaigners, its journalists are being treated like members of an organized crime gang." Other journalists also expressed concern about the arrests. Tony Parsons, a columnist on the Daily Mirror tweeted: "In any other country, having the police rounding up journalists at dawn is seen as a sign of repression. Why is it meant to be healthy here?" The publisher of News of the World tabloid last week paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds to settle lawsuits over phone hacking, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman. The publisher apologized for intercepting phone messages of Alastair Campbell, the Blair aide, and agreed to pay costs and damages, Campbell said in a statement. He did not say how much the settlement was worth. With Wednesday's settlements, News Group Newspapers has settled 59 of the 60 lawsuits against it. But former child singing star Charlotte Church, who has testified publicly about the damage phone hacking did to her personal life, has refused to settle. Her case is expected to go to court as soon as this month. Comic actor Steve Coogan, who settled for £40,000 ($63,000) and legal costs, echoed the words of many who have sued over phone hacking. "This has never been about money," he said. "Like other people who have sued, I was determined to do my part to show the depths to which the press can sink in pursuit of private information." British Prime Minister David Cameron set up an independent inquiry into press ethics and practices in response to the scandal, and police are carrying out three separate investigations into elements of it. Two parliamentary committees are also investigating the scandal.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:08:22 GMT

Fresh attacks in Syria ahead of U.N. vote

Syrian towns and cities were under fresh attack Monday as the United Nations prepared to vote on a resolution strongly condemning human rights violations by Syrian authorities. The vote by the U.N. General Assembly would be non-binding but would be the strongest statement yet on the violence, which has dramatically worsened since the popular uprising against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad began 11 months ago. After a pause in fighting in the southern city of Zabadani broke down Sunday night, Syrian troops made door-to-door raids and took people away and shelling began, according to an activist with detailed knowledge of the situation. There had been dialogue between the Syrian troops and the rebel Free Syrian Army in the city, but the pause lasted not much more than a day. A military convoy of 45 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and military trucks rolled through another town in the northwest province of Idlib, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human rights, an opposition activist group. Four people in the city of Idlib were wounded by gunfire from Syrian security forces, the group said. And in the city of Homs -- which has endured nine days of heavy attacks by Syrian forces, according to residents -- two civilians were killed by shelling in the hard-hit neighborhood of Baba Amr, the group said. Three soldiers were killed elsewhere in Homs province after a failed attempt by the army to storm a town, the Observatory said. Members of the U.N. General Assembly were expected to consider a three-page draft resolution Monday brought forth by Saudi Arabia that would "strongly condemn" Syrian human rights violations. It cites "the use of force against civilians, arbitrary executions, killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children." The text was provided to CNN by a diplomatic source on the condition that it not be posted in full because it could be amended. Russia, which has vetoed previous U.N. attempts to denounce Syria over the violence, indicated a possible shift in its position Monday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his country is ready to promote dialogue and a "regional security agreement" between Gulf countries and permanent members of the U.N. Security Council. It remained unclear, however, whether Lavrov's statement meant Russia would support Monday's resolution. Lavrov made his remarks after meeting with the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister, who attended a Sunday's Arab League meeting in Cairo. The Arab League called for a joint peacekeeping mission with the United Nations and urged member states to provide political and financial support the Syrian opposition, and also cut ties with Damascus. Such a mission would oversee the aftermath of a cease-fire, the Cairo-based Arab League announced Sunday. The Syrian government quickly shot down the Arab League's efforts, saying any decision made without it "is not binding." More than 680 people died last week in Syria, most of whom were killed in Homs, according to the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists. CNN cannot independently confirm details of the events in Syria because the government has severely limited the access of international journalists. But despite denials by the Syrian regime, virtually all reports from within the country indicate al-Assad's forces are slaughtering protesters and other civilians en masse. The destruction by al-Assad forces has also yielded a humanitarian crisis. Residents in Homs report scarce or nonexistent access to food, water and electricity. Syrian Arab Red Crescent volunteers distributed food, blankets and other supplies to Homs and refugees in the city of Bhudan over the weekend thanks to a four-hour cease-fire, the ICRC said. The besieged Baba Amr neighborhood of Homs proved too dangerous for aid workers to enter, however. The agency said it will try Tuesday to deliver supplies to other areas. U.N. officials estimate at least 6,000 people have died since protests seeking al-Assad's ouster began nearly a year ago. The LCC says the toll has far exceeded 7,000. The Syrian regime has insisted "armed terrorist groups" are responsible for the violence.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:12:25 GMT

Cruise industry adopts new safety policy

Cruise lines are now required to conduct passenger safety drills before leaving port, under a rule announced by three cruise industry associations. The new policy is the first to come out of an internal cruise industry review announced last month in response to the Costa Concordia disaster. At least 16 people died and 16 are still missing following the ship's January 13 collision with rocks close to the shore of the Italian island of Giglio. Holding muster drills before leaving port goes beyond the existing legal requirement that passengers participate in the safety drills within 24 hours of embarking. "There are various means of delivering passenger safety instructions and abandon ship instructions, but we believe ... the existing international requirement that we provide this instruction within 24 hours can be bettered by doing it immediately upon (passenger) boarding," said Michael Crye, executive vice president of Cruise Lines International Association. CLIA -- the largest cruise industry organization in North America, according to its website -- the European Cruise Council and the UK-based Passenger Shipping Association all have adopted the new policy, effective immediately. Passengers who arrive after drills are held will receive prompt individual or group safety briefings. About 600 of more than 3,000 Corcordia passengers had not participated in the muster drill because they got on the ship within hours of the accident. "The official investigation will make a determination as to whether this briefing would have been helpful in that regard," Crye said. The organizations will consider the findings of the official Concordia investigation when they are released and make further recommendations based on those details, Crye said.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:32:58 GMT

Bobbi Kristina Brown taken to hospital; later released

As the world was grieving and looking for answers in the death of Whitney Houston, Houston's 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, police said. Beverly Hills police said Sunday the teen was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center at about 11:15 a.m. She was released later Sunday and was expected to head to New Jersey, where her grandmother lives, as early as Sunday night, a source close to the family told CNN. Singer Kim Burrell, a family friend, told CNN on Sunday afternoon from the Grammy Awards' red carpet that she was with the teenager on Saturday at the Beverly Hilton Hotel after Houston died. This was a few hours after Burrell said she'd exchanged messages with her close friend, Houston, after she arrived in Los Angeles for the festivities. "As to be expected, she's overwhelmed -- it's her mother. She knows how much her mother meant to the world. And Bobbi Kristina has a huge heart, just like her mother," said Burrell, adding that that Bobbi Kristina affectionately refers to her as "Auntie Kim." "She loves hard," Burrell said of Bobbi Kristina. "She's going to be OK, and we're going to see to it." Bobbi Kristina Brown was born in 1993, during Houston's marriage to R&B singer Bobby Brown, which ended in divorce in 2007. The daughter of music royalty became publicly known during the mid-2000s reality show "Being Bobby Brown," where she frequently appeared alongside her parents and often had a front-row seat to their marital fireworks. Houston once said of her only child, "She encourages me and inspires me. When I look at her eyes and I see myself, I go, 'Okay. I can do this. I can do this.'" Mother and daughter even performed together on national TV in 2009, when the two sang "My Love Is Your Love" in Central Park on ABC's "Good Morning America." Bobbi Kristina Brown proved she could do it on her own when she posted a video on Twitter of herself singing Adele's "Someone Like You" last September. So far the video has been viewed more than 100,000 times on YouTube. Bobbi Kristina Brown has previously given insight into her relationship with her mother, stating on Twitter, "I love my family so much ... I'm so thankful for (my mother). Thank you so much lord for blessing me with an Phenomenal family and incredibly phenomenal mother." Less than 24 hours after Whitney Houston's death stunned fans and the entertainment world, her admirers became tearful and worried again Sunday upon hearing the news that Houston's daughter was taken to the hospital. "Really, oh my gosh," said Trudy Hunchar, a flight attendant who was accompanied by her 12-year-old daughter, Quinn. On Sunday afternoon, the mom and daughter were paying their last respects to Houston outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the 48-year-old singer died the day before. The parent and child came to the hotel to add a light-pink rose to a growing sidewalk memorial of flowers and candles created by fans. "I'm just hoping it's anxiety or a panic attack or hurt," Hunchar said of the daughter's hospital visit. Then Hunchar expressed concern about the entertainment industry because the Denver family was visiting Los Angeles so that 12-year-old Quinn, an aspiring actress with a movie credit, could meet with an agent and manager about an acting career. "With her coming into this business," Hunchar said, pointing to her daughter, "I'll have a tough hand on her. She's got a strong head. She's pretty smart. This business is tough, and as best as I can, I'll have a hand on her."

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:57:51 GMT

Was there a second RFK gunman?

Most Americans know of the Zapruder film of the JFK assassination -- the one and only visual recording of the killing of an American president. Less known is another controversial recording -- this one an audio tape -- of the other Kennedy assassination, that of the president's younger brother. It is the one and only sound tape of the RFK murder in 1968. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot in a Los Angeles hotel while making his own bid for the White House five years after President John F. Kennedy's murder. That long-forgotten sound recording -- uncovered by a CNN International senior writer and highlighted on CNN BackStory in 2009 -- is now at the heart of an ongoing court effort by convicted RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan to win a new trial or freedom. In their first in-depth court filing, prosecutors this month addressed the existence of the tape and a controversial analysis of it by an audio expert: the sounds of 13 shots can be counted on the tape, even though there were only eight bullets in Sirhan's sole gun, which he had no opportunity to reload. So, was there a second gunman involved in RFK's assassination? Just as the Zapruder film raised questions in some theorists' minds about whether a second gunman was involved in JFK's death, the audio tape is being used as evidence in Sirhan's new legal effort to assert a second assassin was involved in RFK's murder. In documents filed this month in federal court, California Attorney General Kamala Harris acknowledged the existence of the recording of the RFK shooting made by freelance reporter Stanislaw Pruszynski, who was covering Kennedy's presidential campaign and was about 40 feet away from the hotel kitchen pantry shooting. Acoustic expert Philip Van Praag, featured in the CNN BackStory program, said his analysis of the tape concluded that at least 13 shots were fired. That meant a second gun had to be involved, according to his analysis. In her overall legal argument, Harris dismissed the second-gun assertion, citing "debunking" evidence. But California's top prosecutor was finally forced to engage the second-gun analysis, and that legal development marked a new chapter in one of America's great political tragedies -- RFK's death -- and the case of the man convicted of his assassination, according to Sirhan's attorneys. Prosecutors' engagement of the second-gun argument was stated clearly in court papers, when the California attorney general said about Sirhan's petition: "Petitioner at most has shown that, according to Van Praag, two guns could be heard firing 13 shots in an audiotape of the shooting." At another point, Harris stated: "The mere possibility that more than one firearm was discharged during the assassination does not dismantle the prosecution's case." William F. Pepper, a New York attorney now representing Sirhan, said this month's court filing raised public "recognition" of a second gunman now being advanced by Sirhan and his attorneys. Mindful of a nation's pain surrounding the Kennedy assassinations, Pepper is careful to note he was a political supporter of RFK in the 1960s. He adds that in 1999, he represented Rev. Martin Luther King's family in a wrongful death lawsuit concerning King's April 4, 1968, murder and successfully persuaded a Memphis, Tennessee, jury to find Lloyd Jowers responsible as an accomplice in the King assassination. Pepper believes Sirhan was hypno-programmed to be a diversion gunman for the real assassin in RFK's murder. "What is of interest is that there now seems to be more recognition of the fact that there was a second shooter, well positioned to put three bullets into the Senator from close powder burn range behind him, whilst Sirhan was always some distance in front of him," Pepper said in an e-mail to CNN. Sirhan's insistence on the presence of a second gunman is highly controversial -- and it is questioned by some, such as legal expert Robert Shapiro, the defense attorney who gained prominence for successfully defending O.J. Simpson in the 1990s. In fact, when Shapiro was in his last year of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1968, he was at the Ambassador Hotel where RFK was shot. Shapiro had just heard Kennedy's speech after winning the California primary for the Democratic presidential nomination, but Shapiro said he was in a room next to the pantry where Kennedy was fatally wounded and Shapiro only heard, not saw, the gunfire, he said. "So let's say that there was a second gun. Does that relieve him of any responsibility?" Shapiro said of Sirhan. "Even if there is a second, third or fourth gun, it's irrelevant to his claim that he's not responsible." Shapiro remembers the night of RFK's assassination as "horrifying and one that you'll never forget." "That's like 44 years ago. Unbelievable. I remember it vividly," Shapiro said. "I think about it now when I go by there and see a school being built there," on the site of the old Ambassador Hotel. "It's interesting, but conspiracy theories will come out on every single case imaginable," he added. Shapiro isn't a party in the latest court action. In rebutting Sirhan's contentions, Harris criticizes the method of analysis used by the acoustic expert. "As reflected in Van Praag's declaration, his conclusions depend on numerous assumptions he made in recreating the shooting, such as the location of Pruszynski's recorder, the make and model of the 'second' gun, the location of this second gun during the shooting, and the number of shots fired by petitioner before he was grabbed by others," Harris wrote in court papers. "Moreover, Van Praag's tests necessarily involved his own personal interpretation of whether impulse sounds in the recording were actually gunshots. In turn, there is no dispute herein that Van Praag's interpretation or opinion about the number of shots and firearms is not universally accepted by acoustics experts and that the opinions of qualified experts are available to rebut or challenge Van Praag's controversial opinions," Harris said. Harris further stated that even if it could be proven "that a second gunman successfully shot Senator Kennedy, (Sirhan) would still be guilty of the charged crimes" under California law. Countering that, Sirhan's defense argues he was hypno-programmed to be the diversion, and that is based on a psychological examination by Daniel Brown, an associate clinical professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School who has interviewed Sirhan for 60 hours over three years, Pepper said. "The inescapable conclusion was that Sirhan was subject to hypno-programming which involved the use of drugs and hypnosis," Pepper said in an e-mail. "Consequently, he was not in control of his actions on that night and cannot be legally responsible for them. "I mention, as well, that Dan Brown's conclusion was precisely the same as that of Dr. (Edward) Simson-Kallas, who extensively examined and worked with Sirhan when he was in prison right after the trial," Pepper said. Simson-Kallas was a prison psychologist, according to court papers. "That these techniques were developed and used by the CIA over a 50-year period was also well documented, in our brief, by Professor Alan Scheflin, the leading expert on these practices," Pepper wrote to CNN. Scheflin, of the Santa Clara University School of Law, is an expert in the field of mind and behavior control. Because Sirhan was under the mind control of conspirators, he wasn't legally responsible for his actions, and he should be freed or given a new trial, his attorneys contend. The attorney general, however, said the psychological evaluation of Sirhan is undermined by a failure to provide "any concrete evidence ... about when, where and how (Sirhan) was programmed, about the identity of the 'malevolent hypnotist,' or about how the hypnotist happened to find (Sirhan) as his or her ideal subject for mind control. "Without any independent evidence that (Sirhan) was actually hypno-programmed against his will to write about his intention to kill Senator Kennedy, to plan the murder, and to shoot Senator Kennedy on June 5, 1968, Brown's opinions about the possibility of mind control are insufficient evidence of actual innocence," Harris wrote. Sirhan and his legal team have until February 22 to file in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles their response to the attorney general, Pepper said.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:39:14 GMT

Israeli strike called off

Israeli labor leaders and government officials announced Sunday they have reached an agreement, ending a nationwide general strike that paralyzed the public sector for days. The four-day strike aimed to improve employment conditions for workers in various sectors affected the operation of Israeli airports, railways, hospitals, banks and government ministries. Overnight negotiations between Israel's trade union organization, Histadrut, and the ministry of finance led to a deal that raises monthly wages and social benefits for thousands of Israeli workers. "Israel is the only member country of the OECD who strengthens weak workers at this time of global (financial) crisis," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the new deal at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting. "This (agreement) is a highly important achievement that fixes decades of injustices," he said. Last week, Netanyahu warned of the potential economic cost of the labor action. "The Israeli economy is at a sensitive position and this is not the time to jeopardize the stability we have achieved through hard work and cooperation between the government and the labor federation at a time when leading economies around the world have crashed," the prime minister said. Histadrut officials said there are up to 400,000 Israelis who work as subcontractors (in both the private and the public sectors) many paid less and eligible for fewer benefits than regularly employed union members. Union officials wanted to see conditions for these workers improved, including full employment rights. Israel's finance ministry has agreed to improve wages and benefits for these workers, but declined to allow full employment rights for all as demanded by union officials. The union reached a tentative deal last week with an employers organization to allow for more subcontracted workers to become regular full time employees, but no agreement could be reached for those workers subcontracted by the government before the strike. As a result of the new agreement, 1,000 subcontracted workers of the public sector will become fully employed by the state and 80,000 others, mainly security and cleaning workers will enjoy an improved salary of 4,500 Shekels (about $1,200) in addition to improved social benefits such as larger employer participation in pension's savings, holiday gifts and subsidized meals. The damage to the Israeli economy for each of the four days of strike is estimated at 2.4 billion shekels (about $648 million).

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:52:16 GMT

American women deported from Bahrain

Two American women arrested during a demonstration in Bahrain have been deported, the U.S. State Department said Sunday. Huwaida Arraf and Radhika Sainath left Bahrain on Sunday morning, said department spokesman Harry Edwards. The advocacy group Witness Bahrain said both women are human rights lawyers and were in the country as part of an effort to have more civilians from different nations on the ground to monitor the situation. Adam Shapiro, Arraf's husband, said he spoke with her by phone when she arrived at Heathrow Airport in London. She told him they were deported without their belongings and had their hands cuffed behind their backs the entire flight from Bahrain, Shapiro said, speaking from Ireland. The two women are expected to arrive in New York City on Sunday night. Arraf and Sainath arrived in Bahrain several days ago and obtained tourist visas, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency . They were arrested Saturday afternoon by authorities in Manama, the news agency and Witness Bahrain said. Shapiro said the two have been charged with being at an illegal gathering, because the protest they were at was not considered legal, as well as giving false reasons for entering the county. He based that account on talks with U.S. embassy officials. Arraf gave a statement to police in English that was written down in Arabic, her husband said. She refused to sign the statement because it was not translated back to English, according to Shapiro. Neither woman appeared to have suffered any sort of injuries, U.S. embassy officials told Shapiro. Sainath wrote a piece Friday for Witness Bahrain, saying, "Surely, the government would behave differently if Americans and Europeans were watching." "Our team came together: attorneys, human rights activists, social workers, journalists and others who had experience with nonviolent resistance and democracy movements in Mexico, Palestine, Pakistan and the United States," she said. Bahrain protests began February 14, 2011, following popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. But they failed to gain the traction of other Arab Spring uprisings following a crackdown that first month and then again in mid-March by Bahraini authorities -- backed by troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Demonstrators and Bahraini authorities have continued to clash, with the opposition accusing the government of being heavy handed in its crackdown.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:03:51 GMT

Lieberman calls for U.S. action in Syria

Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut called Sunday for the United States to provide direct assistance to the Syrian people in their struggle to oust President Bashar al-Assad. "It's time to try to help the brave Syrian freedom fighters to carry out a fair fight," he said on CNN's "State of the Union." U.N. officials estimate 6,000 people have died since protests seeking political reforms in Syria began nearly a year ago. So far, the Obama administration has recalled the U.S. ambassador to Syria and imposed sanctions, while pushing unsuccessfully for a U.N. Security Council resolution against the Assad regime. However, it has resisted calls by veteran Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona and some Republican presidential candidates to take a larger role in backing the Syrian opposition movement. Lieberman, who caucuses with the Democrats and chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, argued that any U.S. effort must be part of an international coalition, similar to the nation's involvement in Libya last year. He also suggested that U.S. assistance first come through medical help, then later through training, communications equipment, and ultimately, weapons. The United States has major security interests in aiding Syria, which gets support from Iran, Lieberman said. Pointing to the recent veto by Russia and China of a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at halting the violence, Lieberman said other countries and coalitions must get involved. "America ought to take the position that every option is on the table except doing nothing, because doing nothing means hundreds of more Syrians are killed and it means that Iran, which continues to give Assad the weapons with which he's killing his own people, will achieve a strategic victory over us," Lieberman told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:57:07 GMT

Thousands cheer Suu Kyi on campaign trail

Thousands of cheering people crammed the streets in a southern Myanmar district Saturday to catch a glimpse of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi on the historic first official day of her campaign. Supporters lined the streets of Kawhmu with the party flags of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy as the 66-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate's convoy of 40 cars and vans made its way south to Kawhmu. It was the first time Suu Kyi, hidden from her people for years under house arrest, has been able to openly campaign, the first time people have been able to publicly support her. One banner said: "We want peace and human rights by the people for the people." A year ago, the scene might have been unthinkable. No wonder then that Suu Kyi was greeted Saturday more like a rock star than a politician. She plans to hit the campaign trail for the next 50 days. Dressed in white, Suu Kyi popped out from the sunroof of her vehicle, clutching in her hand flowers that have come to symbolize defiance in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. She registered last month to run for a parliamentary seat in Kawhmu after Myanmar's autocratic regime agreed to negotiate with an ethnic rebel group and pardoned hundreds of political prisoners. National reconciliation has been a priority for Suu Kyi. The international community has applauded liberalization efforts in Myanmar, long secluded from the rest of the world since a military junta grabbed power in 1962. The generals began loosening their grip after international criticism for their country's abysmal human rights record. Western nations have recently extended an olive branch of sorts, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar in December, becoming the first top U.S. diplomat in the nation in more than five decades. Suu Kyi's party boycotted the 2010 elections that put the military-backed civilian government of President Thein Sein in place. But she can only hope to make a small dent in parliament. The National League for Democracy is putting up candidates for all 48 parliamentary seats that are being contested. Even if every National League for Democracy candidate wins, the party will have a sliver of votes in the 440-seat lower house. However, the symbolic importance of her run does not escape anyone. Excited supporters were talking about when Suu Kyi will be in parliament -- not if. The daughter of Gen. Aung San, a hero of Burmese independence, Suu Kyi herself became an inspiration with her fight for democracy. She quietly defied Myanmar's military junta for years from from the prison of her disintegrating Inya Lake villa in the former capital, Yangon. She was released from house arrest in November 2010.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:58:23 GMT

Arab League proposes peacekeeping force, support for Syrian rebels

Arab League members Sunday called for a joint peacekeeping mission in Syria with the United Nations and urged members to support the Syrian opposition as it faces a bloody government crackdown. The moves are aimed at putting additional pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, which has unleashed its army on a popular revolt. The proposed peacekeeping mission would oversee the aftermath of a cease-fire, the Cairo-based Arab League announced Sunday. But Syria quickly said it was not on board with the idea. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership in January, and the Syrian government announced that any decision made without it "is not binding." The proposal reflects "the state of hysteria affecting some Arab governments, especially Qatar and Saudi Arabia, after Qatar's failure to pass a U.N. resolution that allows foreign intervention in Syria," according the Syrian government. The league, which suspended Syria in January, said its members have decided to end the previous monitoring mission, which had been in Syria in December and January, to request a joint U.N.- Arab League peacekeeping mission. A communiqué issued after Sunday's meeting called on members to "open channels of communication" with Syrian opposition groups and provide "political and financial support." It urged members to cut diplomatic and economic ties with Damascus "except for those that directly affect Syrian citizens." And it warned, "The use of violence against Syrian civilians with this extreme cruelty, including the targeting of women and children, lies under the jurisdiction of the international criminal law and requires the punishment of its perpetrators." The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists, praised the Arab League for "making the decision to improve its performance in its national and humanitarian duty to the Syrian people." "We therefore appeal to brotherly and friendly nations, international organizations and non-governmental organizations around the world to expedite development and relief programs to help Syrians in overcoming the daily oppression and injustice under which they live," the LCC said. "We also call on all Syrian political and activist entities to coordinate their efforts under a consolidated framework to ensure that relief supplies and other assistance are delivered immediately to those who need them." U.N. officials say about 6,000 have been killed since last March, when al-Assad began cracking down on peaceful protests against his government. Syria has consistently blamed "armed terrorist groups" for the violence, and its allies, Russia and China, vetoed a U.N. resolution February 4 that was aimed at bringing an end to the strife. The Arab League said Sunday it would ask the United Nations to consider its initiative "as soon as possible," although the timetable for any action is unknown. And earlier, Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby signaled that he'd had recent communications with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicating that Moscow may alter its positions. In a written statement, Elaraby quoted a letter he said was written by Lavrov, stating that an end to "any violence must be the main pillar for any proposal." "We are ready to support an expanded monitoring mission and folding it under the joint care of the Arab League and the United Nations on the basis of an agreement from all involved parties," Elaraby quoted Lavrov. There was no immediate comment from Russia's government about the reported communication or any significant shift in that nation's position. Also Sunday, former Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul Ilah al-Khatib was named the league's envoy to Syria, Jordan's state news agency Petra reported. He will replace Lt. Gen. Mohammad Ahmad al-Dabi, of Sudan as head of the monitoring mission. The latest maneuvering came as opposition activists reported another day of shelling by Syrian forces around the city of Homs. One opposition activist said government forces are using detained civilians as human shields, placing them on tanks to prevent the opposition Free Syrian Army from fighting back. Residents say shelling rained on the city's Baba Amr neighborhood once again Sunday, for at least the eighth straight day. "My house is dancing. I am almost dead because of the siege," said the opposition activist, named Omar. CNN cannot independently confirm details of the fighting in Syria because the government has severely limited the access of international journalists. But despite denials by Syria, virtually all reports from within the country indicate al-Assad's forces are slaughtering protesters and other civilians en masse. In Damascus, meanwhile, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported that al-Assad has received a copy of a new constitution -- a development it said shows Syria's serious moves toward reform. "When the new constitution is approved, Syria will have passed the most important stage of laying down the constitutional and legal structure ... to take the country to a new era of cooperation with all spectrums of the Syrian people to achieve what we all aspire for in terms of developing our country to draw a brilliant future for next generations," SANA quoted al-Assad. But the LCC said at least 30 more people died Sunday, including a woman and two children. The dead included five in Homs and nine in Daraa, it said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another opposition activist group, reported different numbers, including 14 dead in Homs. That figure includes a child killed by a sniper in Daraa, three civilians killed in the Baba Amr shelling and a civilian shot dead near the town of Bab Houweid. The observatory also said a member of Syria's army was killed in Daraa and eight were killed in Hama, as were civilians in each city. Syria said Sunday, via SANA, that "martyrs" of two terrorist attacks in Aleppo were buried. The situation continues to draw commentary and proposals from prominent figures worldwide.One was al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri who, in a video posted online Saturday, characterized al-Assad "the butcher son of a butcher" and praising the Syrian people for waging "jihad." A U.S. official said "it is not a surprise that Zawahiri would try to appear relevant by releasing this new video," noting that he also tried to do so during Egypt's recent revolution. The official added there is no sense that Syrian opposition leaders favor their nation moving toward "extremism," if al-Assad is ousted. Then on Sunday, from St. Peter's Square in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI backed "legitimate aspirations" of the Syrian people and called on "everyone, and above all the political authorities in Syria, to favor the paths of dialogue, reconciliation and commitment to peace." The international community has repeatedly failed to convince al-Assad's regime to stop the massacre, so it's unclear what effect the Arab League proposal could have. Saudi Arabia is among the most outspoken nations, with Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal saying Sunday that "the Syrian leadership has chosen chaos." "It is killing its people and destroying the nation only to maintain its authority," he said. "What is happening in Syria leaves no doubt that it is not ethnic or sectarian war or urban warfare. It is a campaign of mass cleansing to punish the Syrian people and enforce the regime's authority without any humanitarian or ethical regards." The Saudis have brought forth a draft resolution that it expected to be considered Monday by U.N. diplomats. It will be submitted to the U.N. General Assembly, where vetoes are not allowed, but resolutions are not legally binding. Russia and China have vetoed previous U.N. Security Council attempts at passing a resolution condemning the Syrian regime. The latest, three-page draft "strongly condemns" the violations of human rights by Syrian authorities. It cites "the use of force against civilians, arbitrary executions, killing and persecution of protesters, human rights defenders and journalists, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, interference with access to medical treatment, torture, sexual violence and ill-treatment, including against children." The text was provided to CNN by a diplomatic source on the condition that it not be posted in full because it could be amended. U.N. officials estimate 6,000 people have died since protests seeking al-Assad's ouster began nearly a year ago. The LCC says the toll has far exceeded 7,000, with nearly 700 killed in the past week -- about two-thirds of them in Homs.

Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:23:25 GMT

ShavanoParkTexas.com HOTELS • REAL ESTATE • JOBS