no surrender. a defiant moammar gadhafi rallies his supporters, and promises victory, even as air strikes continue pounding libya. contamination concerns. dangerous levels of radiation are found in tokyo's water supply, as the u.s. bans the import of some japanese foods. >> right there. right there! >> and too close for comfort. a kayaker in florida meets a >> and too close for comfort. a kayaker in florida meets a monster of the deep. captioning funded by cbs good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us, i'm betty nguyen.

we will not surrender. those words, the defiant libyan leader moammar gadhafi, who made his first public appearance in a week. despite the allied-imposed no-fly zone, libyan troops continued their unrelenting attacks against rebel-held cities where conditions are described as desperate. the u.s. military says it is considering all options. explosions were heard in tripoli this morning. and susan mcginnis is in washington with more on this story. good morning, susan. >> hi, good morning, betty. the mission in libya is accomplishing its goal, including grounding gadhafi's air force. but as criticism of the operation grows, along with the cost, the u.s. is looking to hand off control. despite a fourth night of allied air strikes pounding libya, leader moammar gadhafi refuses to back down. appearing for the first time since the attacks began, he delivered a defiant speech tuesday, calling his enemies, quote, crazed fascists who will go down in the dust bin of history.

the libyans are laughing at these rockets, gadhafi told cheering supporters. we will defeat them by any methods. overnight, government forces reportedly used snipers and tanks to terrorize civilians in misrata, the last major western city still in rebel hands. witnesses say attacks there earlier this week left dozens dead. president obama cut his latin america trip a few hours short to deal with the crisis. he'll meet with his national security team at his hotel before returning to the white house tonight. >> we will continue to support the efforts to protect the libyan people. but, we will not be in the lead. >> reporter: tuesday, he promised the u.s. would hand over control of the mission within days. he also called the leaders of britain and france and agreed nato would play a key role. >> it is not going to be our planes that are maintaining the no-fly zone. that's precisely what the other coalition partners are going to do.

>> reporter: and it's not just western countries. warplanes from qatar landed in greece yesterday. they'll begin patrolling the skies over libya this weekend. the first arab nation to directly participate. and possible evidence gadhafi may be looking for a way out. secretary of state hillary clinton told reporters that some allies of gadhafi are reaching out on his behalf, asking questions like, how do we get out of this? clinton did not say exile is one of those options. betty? >> all right, susan mcginnis in washington for us. thanks for joining us. we're also learning more about the crash of an american fighter jet in libya and the rescue of its crew. the f-15 crashed monday night about 25 miles east of the rebel stronghold of benghazi. that plane came down in a field. both crewmen safely ejected. one landed on a farm. the other in a nearby field. pentagon officials say mechanical failure is to blame. the pilot was picked up by a marine aircraft. libyans took the weapons officer to benghazi and he eventually was returned to u.s. forces.

in syria, government troops killed at least six anti-government protesters today. the protests, calling for political freedom, were held at a mosque in southern syria. their main demand is an end to what they call repression by the secret police. before the government troops attacked, electricity and phone service was cut off to the area. in yemen, crowds cheered the arrival of the government troops. anti-government protesters there have called for a mass rally friday to demand that u.s.-backed president ali abdullah saleh step down immediately. the growing unrest in the middle east and north africa, and now the military operation in libya, has raised questions about just what the u.s. role should be. wyatt andrews has that part of the story. >> reporter: america is fighting in yet another muslim country. but this time, with the unusual support of most of the arab world. >> the arab public, for the

first time, is open to american intervention. >> reporter: university of maryland professor shibley telhami takes opinion polls in arab countries, because gadhafi threatens and embarrasses most arabs, telhami calls this a one of a kind moment for the president to build arab goodwill. >> success in libya is essential. and it does mean, in the end, seeing the gadhafi regime change. >> reporter: regime change in libya is also important to the protest marchers on every arab street. after peaceful protests took down two dictators, first in tunisia, then in egypt, gadhafi changed tactics and made war on the crowds. since then, shooting the protesters has been the rule. many fear that if gadhafi survives and clings to power, his way wins. >> because what will happen is, that a lot of other governments may draw the same lessons as gadhafi, which is shoot the people. >> reporter: but confronting

gadhafi also highlights what some see as a double standard. the u.s. is protecting the civilians in libya, but not the protesters against allied regimes in yemen and bahrain. the u.s. is staying close to yemen, because the same regime that's killing protesters is keeping the lid on al qaeda. overall, the administration wants to be in front of the arab awakening, and the quickest way there is through the showdown with gadhafi. wyatt andrews, cbs news, washington. now to japan. the united states became the first nation to block the import of dairy products and produce from the areas surrounding the crippled nuclear power plant. japanese foods make up less than 4% of all u.s. imports. and it is unclear how much of that comes from the fukushima area. the fda says it expects no radiation risk to the u.s. food supply. officials in tokyo say infants should not be given tap water. radioactive iodine in tokyo's tap water is twice the recommended limit for infants. and another earthquake hit northern japan this morning.

workers at one of the fukushima reactors had to be pulled out because of a radiation spike. the japanese government says the cost of the earthquake and tsunami could reach $309 billion. charlie d'agata has more. >> reporter: electricity has been restored to the fukushima daiichi nuclear power plant, but workers have to check all the equipment for damage before switching on the cooling systems. that process could take days or even weeks. and, there's the continued concern of radiation leaks. >> the question is, is where exactly is that coming from? is it coming from the reactor units, the primary containment vessels, or from the spent fuel pools? >> reporter: tepco's vice president visited an emergency shelter, housing about 800 evacuees from the exclusion zone. he apologized and said the utility is considering offering compensation. >> translator: our expectations were based on a scientific

basis. but, our expectations were incorrect. >> reporter: few would have expected an earthquake and tsunami disaster of this magnitude. it left whole towns unrecognizable, and the international community and japanese government, scrambling to help survivors. with a death toll approaching 10,000, some of the deceased are being buried in mass graves. until family members can exhume, cremate, and lay them to rest later. this monk says there are too many bodies to cremate, and they needed to be buried quickly. still, there are signs that life goes on. classes resumed at an elementary school, even though it's being used as a shelter. the students sang songs after class to entertain the evacuees, many of them elderly. this man says, i'm touched. i feel a lot better now. i feel stronger. strong enough to carry on. charlie d'agata, cbs news, japan. just ahead on the "morning news," tornadoes and golf ball size hail hammer the midwest.

plus, going dutch. why attractive women say their dates should pay. this is the "cbs morning news." [ female announcer ] all you need for sensitive skin. all you expect from the number-one

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don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. take a look at this. in iowa, a funnel cloud was caught on video in creston, which is southwest of des moines. there were multiple funnel clouds reported tuesday afternoon in parts of iowa and nebraska. the severe weather also carried some large hail. there were no injuries. but some scattered damage was reported. south dakota is the first state to require a three-day waiting period for women seeking an abortion. the new law also compels women to undergo counseling aimed at convincing them not to go through with the procedure. the state governor signed the bill into law tuesday. it goes into effect july 1st. abortion rights groups plan to challenge the measure. well, today, marks one year since president obama signed

health care reform into law. polls show americans remain deeply divided on the issue, falling sharply among party lines. the law faces a number of legal challenges on the state level. most analysts expect it to ultimately end up at the supreme court. on the "cbs moneywatch," google's universal library hits a roadblock. and it may be the time to buy a new car. ashley morrison is here in new york with that and much more. good morning, ashley. >> good morning to you, betty. well, another tough day for asian markets. tokyo's nikkei lost just over 1.5%, while hong kong's hang seng lost a fraction, and oil prices hovered near $105 a barrel. today, wall street gets the very latest check on the housing market. on tuesday, stocks broke a three-day rally. the dow dipped 17 points while the nasdaq gave back 8. the supreme court is making it easier to haul businesses into court. in a case filed against a drug company the justices ruled to allow investors to sue a company for purposely withholding

damaging information about a product. the ruling is expected to open the door to more lawsuits. google's plan for a universal library has been shelved. tuesday, citing antitrust concerns, a new york judge rejected a deal between the web giant and the book industry that would have put millions of volumes online available for everyone. the door is still open to a possible deal. google has already scanned more than 15 million books for the project. well, if you're in the market to buy a new car, now may be the time. in the coming weeks, prices are expected to rise because of the crisis in japan. toyota and honda announced they're extending their plant shutdowns in japan through this weekend. and let's go dutch, or not. a british study has found that women who consider themselves attractive are less likely to offer to help pay for a date. meanwhile, less attractive women were more likely to dig into their pockets. researchers also found that men were more likely to fork over the cash for a attractive woman.

betty, which i guess isn't exactly earth-shattering news. >> no, no, not at all. have you had to pay for -- >> i have not been on a date in 13 years, so i don't know, betty. >> good answer. you know, that was a safe answer. thank you, ashley. joining us live here in new york. straight ahead your wednesday morning weather. and in sports, it was raining threes as the bulls try to clip the hawks. you're watching the "cbs morning news." [ female announcer ] sometimes you need tomorrow

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here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. new york, it's going to be rainy and snowy in some parts. 40 degrees. miami, sunny, 84. chicago, rain, windy there, 40 degrees. dallas, sunny, 83. and l.a., 60. time now for a check of the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows snow clouds in the northern plains, while thunderstorms move through the ohio river valley. later today, severe weather will move from tennessee up through new england. clear, but windy conditions spread through the plains toward the rockies. and the west coast has more rain and snow on the way. in sports, the bulls put on quite a show against atlanta. chicago's derrick rose does a nifty behind-the-back move and hits the floater, then c.j. watson spins away from the defender and nails the tough reverse lay-up. flushes the hawks 114-81. and another blowout as the portland trail blazers demolish

the wizards. the only highlight for washington was an amazing block by mcgee. other than that, though, it was all blazers. they crushed washington 111-76. and a thrilling triple overtime game in los angeles. with just 24 seconds left in the third o.t., vince carter misses a three pointer that would have put the suns ahead. kobe bryant seals the victory with a nice floater. the lakers outlast the suns 139-137. and some big changes in the nfl for next year. the owners voted to move kickoffs from the 30 yard line to the 35. the change is expected to hurt teams with strong return games. another big change, all scoring plays will be reviewable by instant replay. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories. and slugger barry bonds goes on trial and his lawyer comes out swinging. know the stain. after an alpaca? i have. it was awesome. ♪ call 1-800-steemer

[ female announcer ] all you need for sensitive skin. all you expect from the number-one recommended detergent by dermatologists. all free clear is free of dyes and perfumes. and has powerful stainlifters to help get your whole wash clean. it's all good.

a live look at hi-def doppler.. the bay area getting soaked for the morning commute. where it's raining hardest, and the chance of thunderstorms. plus.. flooding and landslides.. a big concern. team coverage on the trouble spots.. and the new challenge for stranded homeowners in santa cruz county. a blast from barry bond's past. the key witnesses who could provide damaging testimony today. and.. a spike in radiation in japan's food supply. join us for cbs 5 early edit,,,,

on the "cbs morning news" here's a look at today's weather. a wintry mix of snow and rain is spreading outward from the great lakes into the northeast. light showers are heading toward the southeast. and over in the west, cool air and wet conditions abound. here's another look at this morning's top stories. moammar gadhafi made his first public appearance in a week. denouncing the allied raids against libya, and promising victory. the u.s. military is considering all options. and another earthquake hit northeastern japan this morning, and the u.s. has banned the import of dairy products and produce from areas around the crippled nuclear power plant. the trial of baseball star barry bonds resumes in san francisco today, with the first full day of testimony. in opening statements tuesday, lawyers for bonds claimed that he did not lie to a grand jury investigating steroid use by athletes.

kendis gibson reports. >> reporter: barry bonds arrived for the first day of his perjury trial looking much slimmer than he did during his playing days. the baseball legend is on trial, not for taking steroids, but for lying about it. seven years ago, he told a grand jury he never knowingly took steroids, and thought he was given natural sub elements. in opening statements, prosecutors called bonds' denial ridiculous and unbelievable. during his playing career, bonds' body changed dramatically. >> he swings -- there's a long one. >> reporter: as he packed on muscle he also hit more home runs. breaking hank aaron's record when he hit his 756th. >> he has hit more home runs than anyone who has ever played the game. >> reporter: while bonds was making history, federal authorities launched an investigation into balco laboratories for distribution of undetectable steroids. prosecutors say bonds received balco products from his personal trainer greg anderson. anderson was called to testify, but refused to take the stand.

the judge ordered him jailed for contempt of court. he will be held in custody for the duration of the trial. it is the second time anderson has gone to jail for refusing to testify. during his career, bonds denied using performance-enhancing drugs. his defense attorneys now admit their client took balco's designer steroids, but he did so unwittingly. making him innocent. if he is con >> tie city beach. look at that thing. and it came this close to a man in a 14-foot kayak. witnesses were concerned, but, it appears the kayaker apparently knew that basking sharks eat plankton and krill and not humans. he actually got in the water with the shark. those sharks are not usually seen in florida's gulf coast waters.

this morning on "the early show," expert tips on not sabotaging your diet. i'm betty nguyen. this is the "cbs morning news." [ sneezes ] allergies? you think i have allergies? you're sneezing. i'm allergic to you. doubtful, you love me. hey, you can't take allegra with fruit juice. what? yeah, it's on the label. really? here, there's nothing about juice on the zyrtec® label. what? labels are meant to be read. i'd be lost without you. i knew you weren't allergic to me. [ sneezes ] you know, you can't take allegra with orange juice.

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listen to these numbers. the u.s. ranks ninth in the world, with 42% of its students graduating from college. korea is number one. with 58%. yesterday vice president joe biden announced plans to help states improve their graduation rates. and as michelle miller reports, some colleges are already tackling the problem. >> there's russell shepherd -- >> reporter: russell shepherd, a wide receiver at louisiana state university, answers to about a dozen coaches on the field. off the field -- >> how many of you gentlemen are prepared? >> reporter: his coaching staff is even larger. >> glucose, which is an energy -- >> you know, the learning specialists, the strategy coaches we have, they keep us on task. >> reporter: but many lsu students steer off course.

only 59% make it to the goal line and graduate. >> for an institution like that to get only six out of ten of them through is insane. >> reporter: katie haycock heads up a research organization that tracks college graduation rates. >> they assume their responsibility ends at letting students in and if students figure out what to do, then they'll succeed, and if they don't, they don't. >> reporter: lsu is hardly alone. graduation rates are equally low at hundreds of other well-known schools, including schools in the pacific ten, the southeastern conference, and the big 12. would you call this a crisis? >> absolutely. >> reporter: dr. sandra mcguire is a vice chancellor in charge of academics at lsu. she says some kids are dropping out for financial and personal reasons. but says, there's a bigger problem. >> they don't have study skills, learning strategies specifically, and unfortunately, so many of them give up when they encounter difficulties.

>> institutions that really succeed do that, they don't just track their graduation rates. they track what's happening to students in the first weeks. in the first months. when their attendance falls off, or when their homework doesn't get turned in. they act aggressively in that moment. >> reporter: the university of maryland used that approach to significantly raise their graduation rate over the last decade. from 60% to 82%. it happened with smaller class sizes, mandatory tutors, and courses tailored to their students' needs. >> our job is to provide students with degrees. it's not to weed out those we don't think are capable of doing it. >> reporter: it's the kind of help russell shepherd received as a football player at lsu. >> my mom told me don't come back home without a degree. you can come back home not playing football, but don't come back to houston, texas, without a degree. >> reporter: michelle miller, cbs news, baton rouge, louisiana. and coming up a little bit later on "the early show," the latest on the allied forces'

battle to stop moammar gadhafi. plus saving children's lives. the fight to get a new law putting backup cameras in most vehicles. and now that spring is here, teens obsessed with using dangerous tanning beds. and what parents can do about it. that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching, everyone. i'm betty nguyen. have a great day. ,,,,,,