final farewell. north korea bids fairwell to kim jong-il. a very cranky croc. a crocodile down under with a taste for heavy machinery. captioning funded by cbs this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, december 28th, 2011. good morning, everybody. thanks for joining us. i'm whit johnson. it's a cold and snowy morning in north korea where mourners are saying an emotional farewell to their long time leader kim jong-il.

duarte is in washington with the latest. >> reporter: most of the images funneled through state media, as such parted of a well choreographed morning ritual. tens of thousands line the streets of pyongyang as they say good-bye to kim jong-il. sobbing uncontrollably, they waited for a glimpse of their dear leader's kaskt. at one point, state tv showed mourners following to their knees. kim who ruled the nation with an iron fist died earlier this month of a heart attack. his youngest son kim jong-un led the military profession. it's only been days since kim's death answership and his son is being hailed as the next leader. some analyst believe the transition could mark a turning point for the country and its

relationship with the rest of the world. >> it may very well be a moment of opportunity for north korea. on the other hand, they are a nuclear power and they have tested this nuclear power. >> reporter: for now, north korea's focus on grieving the loss of its late leader. today's funeral comes after a week of mourning and like much of kim's life, it had been shroude in mystery. intelligence analysts in washington are carefully reviewing that footage to see if they can get more information about north korea's power structure. duarte geraldino thank you. the taliban claimed responsibility for the attack saying the target was a u.s. military convoy. the trial of former egyptian president hosni mubarak resumed today. mubarak is on trial for murder involving the deathshormuz.

about 40% of the world's oil passes through the narrow strait which connects the we arion gulf and the gulf of amman. the u.s. and other western nations want to limit iran's oil business. in iran, an american accused of spying for the u.s. is on trial. amir heck madi was arrested last month. in a taped interview he admits he worked for the cia but said he had no intention of harming iran. spying in iran is punishable by death. meanwhile, iraq has released three security contractors, including two americans from custody. they have been held for more than two weeks, but were not charged with any crimes. in this country, the final push for votes in iowa has newt gingrich fighting back. gingrich and the other

republican presidential hopefuls in their final week of campaigning prior to the january 3rd caucuses. gingrich has slipped in recent polls. he admits he has been hurt by the negative ads hurled his way by the mitt romney campaign questioning his personal values. >> i'd like to have him says that to face and back up his negative ads and back up the things his staff have been putting out. if he wants to prove he can debate barack obama, he ought to have the courage to stand on the same stage with me. >> for his part, romney begins a three-day bus tour in iowa pooh the defendant romney was in new hampshire yesterday get enough signatures to qualify for virginia's ballot. romney referred to a comment by a gingrich aide. >> was it pearl harbor? i think it's more like lucille ball at the chocolate factory.

you got to get it organized. >> danielle nottingham has more on the iowa campaign. >> reporter: mitt romney returned to iowa tuesday evening with one mission -- convince undecided voters to support his campaign. >> if you want a president who believes america can do better and americans deserve better, then i hope i can count on your support. >> reporter: politics has been the special of the day at the machine shed restaurant in urbandale iowa, for weeks. there is less than a week to go before the caucuses and republican presidential candidates are canvassing the state to dissuade undecided voters like janet kelly . those casting the first votes in the 2012 presidential race are looking for someone to stand out. >> every candidate has a great point. just haven't decided on one yet. >> reporter: chuck wilson has been unemployed about a year. the person getting his votes

must be one that shares his status. >> whoever convinces me they are going to help unemployment and get people back to work and cut government spending. >> reporter: mitt romney spent much of the day campaigning as if he were the nominee, aiming his comments at president obama, barely mentioning his gop rivals. >> you don't have to settle for washington and wall street insiders who supported the wall street bailout. >> reporter: rick perry is taking his case directly to his opponents and the voters in iowa. >> thank you. >> reporter: some of whom have just about seen it all. >> i personally have shaken every one of their hands except for rick perry and i will see him tomorrow morning. >> reporter: danielle nottingham, cbs news, des moines, iowa. previously, perry had said abortion was acceptable in cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life was in danger. perry says he now opposes all abortions, no matter what the circumstances.

two-term democratic senator ben nelson of nebraska says he is going to retyre. nebraska is heavily

tall advertising banner high over times square. nobody was hurt. coming up on "the morning news," bill mar's controversial tweet about tebow. forrest gump joins the all-time classic list of movie winners. we will tell you about the others. this is the "cbs morning news." . nicorette mini helps relieve cravings in minutes. so you can quit one cigarette at a time. until you reach your goal. nicorette mini. quit one cigarette at a time. ♪ ...there are no sick days. ♪

vicks dayquil. defeats 5 cold & flu symptoms. [ snoring ] [ indistinct talking on tv ] [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] vicks nyquil cold and flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. ♪ when bp made a commitment to the gulf, we knew it would take time, but we were determined to see it through. today, while our work continues, i want to update you on the progress: bp has set aside 20 billion dollars to fund economic and environmental recovery. we're paying for all spill- related clean-up costs. and we've established a 500 million dollar fund so independent scientists can study the gulf's wildlife and environment for ten years. thousands of environmental samples from across the gulf have been analyzed by independent labs under the direction of the us coast guard. i'm glad to report all beaches and waters are open for everyone to enjoy.

and the economy is showing progress with many areas on the gulf coast having their best tourism seasons in years. i was born here, i'm still here and so is bp. we're committed to the gulf for everyone who loves it, and everyone who calls it home. films added to this year's national film registry. also making the list this year, the disney animated classic bambi and "silence of the lambs" from 1991 and the original 1953 version of "the war of the

worlds." well, on to the cbs "moneywatch" today. stocks in asian markets fell today in trading. drew levinson is here with that and much more in new york. >> asian markets finished mostly lower today on mixed economic news. hong kong's hang sang off about 1%. tokyo's nikkei edged down a fraxion and oil rebounded and it's now trading at more than $101 a barrel. light trading is expected today on wall street. tuesday, stocks finished mostly flat, despite a jump in consumer confidence. the dow lost two points. the nasdaq gained six. sears stock plunged 23% to $35 a share on the news that the retailer will close more than a hundred sears and k-mart locations across the u.s. around 10,000 jobs will be affected. no word yet on which locations will be closed. analysts say target and walmart have the most to gain from that. home prices keep drifting

lower. big cities hardest hit with foreclosures flooding the marketed. fell 3.4%. in atlanta dropped by 11.8% and minneapolis 8.4% and los angeles 4.9%. since the housing bubble burst five years ago, homes have lost roughly 33% of their value, dropping the prices not seen in some places since 2003. well, the rough economy is literally giving some people heartburn. a new blookberg study finds sales of acid reflux medications have a 93% correlation with the unemployment rate over the past five years. when unemployment goes up, so do sells of products like tum and rolaids. the megamillions jackpot numbers were drawn last night. the numbers are 23, 32, 33, 39, and 43.

with the megaball number 8, the jackpot, $206 million, and i guarantee you, whit, you and i didn't get it because we are here at 4:00 a.m. >> i am checking my numbers. we will see. i have to go back and double-check. drew levinson in new york, thank you. bill mar is taking " against the jazz looking for their first win.

60% off fleece and sweaters. 60% off pajamas and robes for the whole family. plus its the big denim savings event! for serious after-christmas savings, get to sears! thanks, man! that's what i'm here for. ( palms slap ) man: do your simple return with the turbotax federal free edition, and now, get our free, one-on-one, expert tax advice, live by phone or chat. get the federal free edition, at turbotax.com.

here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. time now for a check on the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows cloudy skies over the northeast but clearing rapidly. clear skies span the southeast and southern plains, with a few passing fair weather clouds in

the southwest. a storm system is moving out of the northwest, bringing rain and snow to the northern rockies. later today, rain and snow showers will continue in the northwest and northern rockies. cold air will bring lake-effect snow showers to western new york, pennsylvania, and ohio. conditions will remain mild and fair in the southeast. southern california will be fair and mild. in sports, the heat almost blew a 20-point lead at home against the celtics. it wasn't lebron james who saved the day but rookie norris cole. he scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to help miami get past boston 115-107. in los angeles, well, take a listen. >> ho ho! >> yes, that is ron test new name, metta world peace. the lakers pounded utah 96-71.

in the nfl of the patriots and 49ers dominated the pro bowl picks. each team has eight players going to the game in hawaii next month. new england's tom brady will be the starting quarterback for the afc, while green bay's aaron rodgers will start for the nfc. in college football, purdue gambled big against western michigan and little cesar's pizza bowl. the boiler makers tried their second onside kick and look. it worked. that led to the lead in the half. a great one-handed grab in the third, there it is in slow mow. in the end, it was purdue over the broncos 37-32. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories. and meet elvis, the australian crocodile. show him a lawn mower and he sees a snack! [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons.

and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. new pronamel iso-active is a toothpaste in a can. the gel transforms into a foam and surrounds your teeth. pronamel iso-active helps protect against the effects of acid erosion. raids...the rallies....and the massive tent cities set up by occupy protesters. next - where they set up tents for a new occupy camp.

and unhealthy air quality hangs over the bay area. the fines in store for people who ignore the "spare the air alerts." plus - thousands of people crying in the street...paying their final respects to north korea's leader. what could be the turning point for that nation. join us for cbs 5 early edition ... beginning at 4:30. before the first big conte

on the "cbs morning news," here's a look at today's weather. a system is soaking washington and oregon. another storm is moving out of the nust. but will cause lake effect snow showers in the eastern great lakes. here is another look at this morning's top stories. funeral services were held today for long time north korean dictator kim jong-il. tens of thousands lined the streets of the capitol in the cold and snow to bid an emotional farewell. the final push in iowa. gop presidential candidates are grarvel life after

a primate. elvis is a salt water croc living in sydney, australia. as 10 news explains, elvis apparently has a thing for lawn mowers. >> reporter: elvis is placid for a crocodile. >> let it go! let it go! let it go! >> reporter: billy was mowing. >> the next second, he was attached to the end the mower and almost taking me into the drink with him. it happened that fast and was that scary, but glad to be alive. >> reporter: the mower was held hostage for several hours while the rangers decided how to retrieve it, luring elvis away with some real food. and apparently being on the other end of that stick isn't as scary. >> when i'm feeding him, i can see him coming but when you

focus on the mower and trying to dodge the tree and the water and, all of a sudden, taking off the end of the mower, my heart almost jumped out of my chest. >> reporter: it came out relatively unscathed and so did the operator, this time. >> i worry now he has this mower and he sat next to it in his pool for an hour. that is a problem for us because, to him, he just won. he just won a big game. >> reporter: elvis lost a couple of teeth. right now, elvis seems pretty content just chilling out in the sun there, but it will take a very brave person to get him here with a lawn mower next week. and i do have a stick. say hello to the new canute. given the same name is a bear given a stir in the zoo a year

ago. the new canute is a hit already on youtube. of course he is. i'm whit johnson. given a stir in the zoo a year ago. the new knut is a hit already on youtube. of course he is. i'm whit johnson. this is the "cbs morning news." 'w taking them down after all the fatty holiday food. but that's normal. what do you mean that's normal? it doesn't have to be. to me, normal, means feeling good inside. not slow. try some activia. activia helps with occasional irregularity, when eaten 3 times a day. keep a video diary and let me know about your new normal. love your new normal or it's free. get ready for sears happy new year's sale. use your savings pass to save over 65% on coats. over 65% on fleece and sweaters and over 65% on pajamas and robes for the whole family. plus it's the big denim event! get to sears. [ slap! slap! ] [ male announcer ] your favorite foods fighting you?

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this is a giant escalator in one of the poorest towns in colombia. they had to walk 35 minutes up a steep hillside and now they just ride to the top in just six minutes. the escalator is over a thousand feet long and cost almost $7 million to build. using it is free. but, right now, it only runs about three hours a day. three days from tonight, times square here in new york will be jammed with up to a million people welcoming in the new year of 2012. and the six-ton crystal ball that is lowered during new year's countdown is ready. it has nearly 2,700 crystal triangles and yesterday, workers replaced nearly 300 of them.

the theme of this year's times square celebration is let there be friendship. now that all of the holiday shopping is pretty much over, 'tis the season for gift return. the national federation estimates 4,600 billion gifts of holiday purchases will be returned to retailers this week. that is 10% of everything sold this holiday season. even if you're not returning anything, chances are not everything you found under your tree was on your wish list. scott rappaport from our new york station wcbs-tv hit the streets for a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly. >> reporter: what is the worst gift you got for the holidays? >> yeah. >> reporter: it is the unfortunate side of christmas gift giving. >> socks. >> a tie. >> i got a bird cage. >> reporter: wait. it gets better. >> with some kind of a homemade bird and when i got it, it was anging upside down like it was dead. >> reporter: ho, ho, ho? >> no, no. >> reporter: yes. despite the best intentions,

there will always be. >> terrible. >> boring. >> horrible. >> reporter: gifts we will always remember and not in a good way. >> i would be like, oh, my god, i love it! it's what i wanted! >> reporter: but you hate it. >> but i hate it. >> reporter: we want to know what is the worst holiday gift you got? dig deep. >> i'm mortified. >> reporter: yeah, we made them show us. >> oh, look at that! >> reporter: all-star sneakers. >> reporter: the gift that keeps on giving. >> this is a money purse. horrible. horrendous. >> these are my green sprinkles for sugar cookies. >> reporter: somebody gave you green sprinkles? >> yes. because she as treating me. >> reporter: the worst gift you got? >> a lottery ticket. >> reporter: well, you know what they say. >> i guess it's the thought that counts. >> reporter: you don't seem so sure. but if you think the grinch is everywhere. >> everything was good. really. everything was lovely. >> reporter: what is the best gift you got? >> a trip to new york from

australia. merry christmas. coming up on "the early show," with the iowa caucuses less than a week away, newt gingrich struggles to regain some momentum. and debris from the earthquake and tsunami that devastated japan starts washing up on the shore. that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm whit johnson. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com