defending the mission. president obama to address the nation to explain the united states' role in libya, as rebel forces continue gaining ground. radiation risk. levels at japan's crippled nuclear power plant reach record highs. and traces of radiation show up in massachusetts' rain water. and if the slipper fits. virginia commonwealth university makes a stunning cinderella run virginia commonwealth university makes a stunning cinderella run to the final four. captioning funded by cbs good morning, everybody, good to see you on this monday. i'm terrell brown in for betty nguyen. we begin in libya this morning,

under an umbrella of international air strikes, rebel forces are moving west this morning towards the capital of tripoli. allied air raids targeted moammar gadhafi's hometown sirte. there are unconfirmed reports that the city has fallen into rebel hands. earlier, rebel forces regained control of two key oil ports, ras lanuf and brega. nato is assuming command of all aerial operations in libya from the u.s. and tonight president obama will address the nation to discuss the u.s. mission in libya. joel brown is in washington with more. joel, good morning to you. >> terrell, good morning to you. white house officials say the president's speech will build on the case that he's been laying out for the last ten days or so. he'll argue that libya does matter when it comes to u.s. interests and that the administration's actions helped avert a catastrophe. tonight, president obama will try to convince a skeptical public and congress america's mission in libya is working. he'll deliver a nationally televised speech just a day after nato agreed to take full command of the operation. and at least one u.s. warship reportedly left the region.

>> i think the military mission has gone quite well. >> reporter: the obama administration touted progress. following another weekend of air strikes. coalition forces hit targets in tripoli, and for the first time, moammar gadhafi's hometown of sirte. since the attack started more than a week ago, rebel forces have been able to push west and regain control of several towns. the president's speech comes in amid growing complaints from both republicans, and some fellow democrats. critics say he never asked for congressional approval before taking military action, and still hasn't given them a clear plan. >> this policy has been characterized by confusion, indecision, and delay. >> there should have been a plan for what objectives were, a debate as to why this was in our vital interests. >> reporter: and while secretary of defense robert gates admits libya does not pose a direct threat to america -- >> i don't think it's vital interests for the united states. >> reporter: he insists what happens there could impact other

parts of the middle east, where the u.s. does have more at stake. also, president obama is sending his national security team to capitol hill to try to ease those congressional concerns. secretary of state clinton and secretary of defense gates will give lawmakers a classified briefing on wednesday afternoon. terrell? >> joel brown in washington for us this morning. joel, thank you. and a quick programming note, cbs news will have live coverage of the president's address tonight. he speaks at 7:30 eastern from the national defense university in washington. a deadly suicide bombing in eastern avz. the target of last night's attack was a construction company. government officials say at least 20 people were killed, some 50 others wounded when a large truck exploded. the attackers shot their way into the compound before exploding the bomb. to yemen now, president ali abdullah saleh has offered to step down by the end of the year. protesters have been calling for his immediate resignation. islamic militants are now taking

control of towns in southern yemen, including a weapons factory. negotiations on a transfer of power ended abruptly saturday evening. they're not expected to resume. saleh says there will be no more concessions to the opposition. japan was rocked by another earthquake early this morning. the quake measured 6.5. it hit japan's northeast coast, the same area battered by this month's massive quake. no damage or injury was reported. the quake prompted a brief tsunami alert but only small waves were generated. radiation levels at the crippled fukushima daiichi nuclear plant reached new levels. officials said again this morning that they believe it's because of a partial meltdown of reactor 2. radiation is spreading into the ocean north of the plant. officials admit it may take years to clean up the fukushima complex. lucy craft reports. >> reporter: panic at the plant. false radiation readings 10 million times higher than normal sent emergency workers scrambling from the fukushima daiichi nuclear plant on sunday.

a correction soon followed. as did the inevitable apology. "i'm sorry for causing so much alarm. the number was wrong" this tepco official says. "the real reading is still high, 100,000 times higher than normal, and came from a pool of water in unit two. two workers had to be hospitalized on thursday for burns, after stepping in similar pools of contaminated water. those pools are a problem in four of the complex's six reactors. primarily because no one knows what's causing them. top government officials suspect the seepage is from a cracked reactor core in one of the units. "the prospects are not improving in a straight line, and these expected twists and turns" chief cab yet secretary yukio edano says. and contaminated water is one of them. safety officials had planned to pump the contaminated water to holding tanks inside the reactor, but they are full. and until the radioactive water is removed from the plant's

floor, workers cannot run new electric cables that are essential to restarting the reactor's cooling system. meanwhile, the human and economic cost of the twin disasters that sparked the nuclear catastrophe continues to climb. the price tag for the disaster now tops $300 billion. making it the world's most expensive natural disaster. lucy craft, cbs news, tokyo. health officials say radioactive iodine 131, most likely from the fukushima power plant, has been discovered in one sample of massachusetts rain water. it's in very low concentrations. officials say it poses no public health risk. >> we want to emphasize that the sampling results indicate no risk to the state drinking water supply. the drinking water supply in massachusetts is unaffected by this short-term slight elevation in radiation. >> nevada, california, hawaii,

colorado and washington have also reported small amounts of radiation from the japanese accident. back here in this country, sailboat capsized in san diego bay. the boat flipped over for no apparent reason yesterday near shelter island and then sank. eight others were thrown into the water and injured. none of their injures appear to be life threatening. most of those on board were members of the same family. near san francisco, the bomb squad was called in after a man was injured by an explosive hidden in a sunday newspaper. he reached for the paper yesterday morning in his driveway, then the bomb went off. it's unclear whether the attack was random or if the man was targeted. the extent of his injuries are unknown. just ahead on the "morning news" on this monday, how social media sites could be giving your kids facebook depression. plus, watch your step, the hunt for a poisonous snake at a world famous zoo. this is the "cbs morning news."

new guidelines this morning

for children's problems with social media. the american academy of pediatrics says parents need to be aware of the possible dangers of facebook and other social media sites. the group's first report on the subject warned about facebook depression. which could affect kids who can't connect with friends online. other problems include cyber bullying, spreading hostile information, inappropriate content that may harm self-esteem, and sexting, sending or receiving sexually explicit messages or images. former white house press secretary robert gibbs may soon have an important status update. gibbs left the white house job last month. "the new york times" reports that he's taking or rather talking to facebook about a communications job. gibbs had been planning to work for president obama's re-election campaign, but facebook wants him to start them before they go public next year. on the "cbs moneywatch," toyota back in production, and nintendo goes 3-d without the glasses. say what? ashley morrison here in new york with that and more.

good morning to you. >> good morning to you, terrell. the asian markets slipped slightly this morning. tokyo's nikkei fell a fraction as did hong kong's hang seng and oil prices are down just a little to over $105 a barrel. today, wall street gets the february income and spending report, and the latest look at home sales. last week stocks rallied for their best week since july. the dow gained 3% while the nasdaq jumped almost 4%. toyota resumed production this morning at some of the hardest-hit factories in japan. the plants that opened today mostly mike hybrid vehicles like the best-selling prius and had been closed since the earthquake. still analysts warn in the weeks ahead consumer options for japanese vehicles will grow limited here at home. buyers may have a hard time finding the model they want in certain colors, as supply lines run short. social security recipients will not be getting much help from the government next year. while a slight cost of living adjust is projected, the first

since 2009, rising medicare premiums should wipe out any increase. about 45 million people receive both. add wells fargo to the list of banks cutting back on its debit rewards program. on friday, they announced they'd stop enrolling new customers. customers who are already enrolled will keep earning points, though, jpmorgan chase cut its program last week while other big banks are considering similar moves. at the movies, a knockout punch from the wimpy kid. the family sequel "dairy of a wimpy kid: roderick rules," debuted in the top spot in a bit of a surprise taking in nearly $24.5 million. the girl power action fantasy "sucker punch" opened at number two with last weekend's top flick "limitless" slipping to third place. and nintendo is betting big on 3-d. on sunday they announced the nintendo 3-ds, a handheld 3-d gaming system that doesn't require you to wear those clunky

glasses. the unit also takes 3-d photos. early reviews have been pretty good. the 3-ds costs about $250. and terrell, i'm still trying to understand how it works without the glasses. >> right. that's what i was thinking. sounds like something that will give me a headache. >> i'll have to check it out. >> ashley morrison in new york. thank you so much. by the way, there's a snake on the loose at the world famous bronx zoo here in new york. poisonous 20 inch long egyptian cobra like this one that you're about to see disappeared friday afternoon. zoo officials say it probably hasn't gone too far. they closed the reptile house and searched for the cobra. the attendants say it's not in a public area. when the snake gets hungry or thirsty enough to leave its hiding place, workers hope to find it. hope to find it. what's it going to eat when it gets hungry, by the way? i'm just saying. coming up we'll have your weather on this monday morning. and in sports, a bracket busting upset. another underdog heads to the final four. we'll be right back.

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southeast and the northwest. later today, look for wet weather from the mid-atlantic states to florida. cooler than normal from the northeast to the plains, and some light rain along the pacific northwest coast. in sports this morning the most improbable final four led by the biggest march madness upset in years. 11th ranked vcu took on top-ranked kansas. the underdog rams unstoppable, hitting threes all over the place and taking it to the hoop. in the end they stunned the jayhawks. vcu to the final four. >> we weren't 35-2 coming into this game. but we're playing our best basketball when it matters most. and that's why i'm sitting up here right now with a net around my neck. >> and another big upset, number 4 kentucky faces off against second ranked north carolina, the tar heels. some great shots. not quite enough, though, in the closing minutes. the wildcats hit the clutch three pointer to topple unc 76-69. this is kentucky's first trip to the final four in 13 years. so here are the final four.

fourth ranked kentucky will play number three uconn. and in the battle of the underdogs, number 8 butler takes on 11th ranked vcu. you can see the games this saturday, april 2nd, right here on cbs. and by the way, just to give you an idea of how unlikely this year's final four is. of the nearly 6 million people that submitted brackets to espn.com. just two, two picked all four teams to make it this far. take a quick break on this monday morning. when we come back, a look at this morning's top stories. and inside three mile island. a look at america's worst nuclear crisis 32 years later. sports sponsored by touch of gray. gets rid of some gray. never all.

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area neighborhood. the search for more explosives this morning. a state of emergency in capitola. the financial aid on the way, and why some business owners say they'll never fully recover. and mystery aboard a disney cruise. a crew member's sudden disappearance. join us for cbs 5 ,,,, on the "cbs morning news," here's a look at today's weather. cool, unseasonable air from the northern plains and into the northeast. strong thunderstorms will roll

through florida. much of the west coast will see breaks in the showers while the south stays sunny and dry. here's another look at this morning's top stories. allied aircraft have targeted moammar gadhafi's hometown. there are unconfirmed reports that rib forces have already taken control of sirte. president obama explains u.s. actions in libya during a televised address tonight. and another earthquake struck northeastern japan this morning. no reports of injury or damage. meanwhile, radiation levels at the crippled nuclear power plant have reached 100,000 times higher than normal. the radiation crisis in japan is worse than the most serious nuclear accident in this country. in 1979, there was a partial meltdown in the reactor at the three mile island power plant near harrisburg, pennsylvania. it raised fear about the dangers of nuclear power and it happened 32 years ago today. elaine quijano reports. >> reporter: at 4:00 a.m. on a

wednesday, water pumps for the cooling system inside three mile island's unit two stopped. the nuclear reactor automatically shuts down. >> the station emergency alarm was going on and on. >> reporter: as 27-year-old systems operator tom kauffman arrived for his 6:30 shift, pressure inside the reactor is rising. >> when i went in to the control room, it was all business. there was no panic. there was no fear. >> reporter: but because of mechanical and human errors, a release valve is left open. forcing out cooling water and causing the reactor core to overheat. >> the temperature kept building up and building up to the point where about half of the fuel in the nuclear reactor got too hot, it melted. >> reporter: by late morning small amounts of radioactive gases are detected off site. at the nuclear regulatory commission in suburban washington, harold denton was monitoring the incident. >> radiation levels were increasing throughout the plant. >> please stay indoors with your windows closed. >> reporter: in nearby

middletown, shops and schools closed. pennsylvania governor dick thornburgh orders pregnant women and preschool aged children within a five-mile radius to evacuate. that night, denton breaks the news, a partial meltdown has occurred. >> we are concerned, though, about the status of the fuel in the core. there's extensive fuel damage. >> reporter: eventually, denton's team concludes there's no danger of an explosion. though on sunday, president jimmy carter toured the plant with denton. after 21 days managing the crisis, denton left. tom kauffman stayed with the plant 23 years, and is now with the industry's main lobbying group. >> 32 years later, there's absolutely no medical or scientific evidence that shows anyone outside the plant was harmed. >> reporter: still, public confidence in nuclear power was shaken then, as it's being shaken now. elaine quijano, cbs news, new york. this morning on "the early show," the latest on the crisis in libya, and a preview of tonight's speech by president

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stella! >> it would have to be happening in new orleans, of course. for the first time a woman has won the annual stella shouting contest. participants try to imitate marlon brando in a street car named desire yelling out stella's name. it's all part of the annual festival in honor of playwright tennessee williams. and while that is one of the film's most memorable scenes many of us have a hard time with our own memories. but not the people you're about to meet. the grand masters of memory. jim axelrod now, with a story to remember. >> and you may begin. >> reporter: name a competition to determine who's strongest, that has nothing to do with sports. >> one minute remaining. >> reporter: 42 participants, aged 14 to 64, memorize 120 names and faces. a deck of playing cards.

a string of 500 random numbers. and that's just the first task. >> time is up. >> reporter: this year ronnie white trained hard to defend his title. as two-time usa memory champion. >> i memorized a deck of cards 30 times a day. i'll get a computer program that generates random numbers and i'll do 200 digits at a time. >> reporter: the 37-year-old has met his match. >> good job, man. >> reporter: in younger upstart nelson dellis, 27 who memorizes the old of an entire deck of cards in 1 minute and 3 seconds. when he puts a second deck in the exact same order. he set the national record. >> we've got a new record set by nelson. >> i'm looking at numbers. i'm looking at decks of cards, poetry, names, and i turn those pieces of information into pictures that i can see in my mind. >> reporter: long before the championships, each contestant prepares by matching a picture to every number and playing card. >> i see a roller coaster over

there so i know that must be 45, i see mickey mouse over there, that must be 37. >> reporter: the pictures form a story. the crazier the story, the easier it is to remember. >> the flower patch where steve jobs was there, and he was shopping -- >> anne frank taking a bath with a guitar. >> johnny depp balancing a fence on his nose. >> reporter: eight finalists whittled down to mental ironmen white and dellis. >> king of clubs. >> reporter: finally, white is stumped. >> oh, i would just like to be the first one to congratulate the new usa champion nelson dellis. >> reporter: memory has a new american champion. a moment nelson dellis will not forget. jim axelrod, cbs news, new york. >> i can't remember what i had for dinner last night. coming up a little bit later on "the early show," the latest on rebels advancing in libya, and president obama's address to the nation tonight. plus, adoption scam. a cbs news undercover investigation exposes a woman who cons innocent parents into believing she's pregnant.

and a one-month countdown to the royal wedding between prince william and kate middleton. all of that and more coming up a little bit later on on "the early show." for now, that will do it for the "cbs morning news" on this monday. i'm terrell brown. take care, everybody, have a great day. ve a great day.