CNN news 2012-01-06 加文本

cnn news 2012-01-06

AZUZ: The president of South Korea says he`s willing to work with officials in North Korea to start what he calls a new era for the two countries. President Lee Myung-bak said South Korea could offer economic help to North Korea, but only if the north gives up its controversial nuclear program.

AZUZ (voice-over): This is a sensitive time for North Korea, because that country and its more than 20 million citizens are about to start their own new era. It`s one when Kim Jong-Il is no longer their leader. The dictator died last month, reportedly from a heart attack. He ran North Korea`s secretive communist government for 17 years.

Under his control, the nation suffered a devastating famine while it built up a massive army and developed its nuclear program. Thousands of North Koreans gathered for memorials to Kim Jong-Il. Officials in Pyongyang said his, quote, "great achievements will shine forever."

The ceremonies in North Korea also focused on the country`s new leader. You`re about to see Kim Jong-Un. There he is. He`s the youngest son of Kim Jong-Il. Some experts wondered how much support this new leader might get, since he`s fairly young and relatively inexperienced.

The North Korean officials have promised to defend Kim Jong-Un. The change in leadership hasn`t brought any signs of change in the tension between North and South Korea. So that offer to start a new era between the countries may not get anywhere.

AZUZ: Well, NASA`s got a mission up and running: two research probes that launched back in September moved into orbit around the moon over the weekend. It took three days for the first astronauts to get to the moon.

AZUZ (voice-over): It took these probes more than three months. That`s because they had to get into best position they could to study the moon. They`re going to help scientists examine the moon`s gravitational field.

The program is not cheap. It costs hundreds of millions of dollars, but NASA`s experts think it could provide some clues about what goes on under the moon`s surface and maybe even about how the Earth formed.

AZUZ: Authorities in California are investigating a string of fires that have hit around the Los Angeles area. More than 50 fires have occurred since Friday, and L.A.`s mayor says there`s reason to believe that most of them were set by the same person or group of people.

AZUZ (voice-over): The suspected arson has caused more than $2 million in damage. So far, no one has been killed or seriously injured. Police say that in a lot of these situations, the fires are started in cars, and then they spread to nearby homes and buildings.

Officials arrested a man in connection with the fires early yesterday. The suspect was changed with arson later on in the day.