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STORES AGAIN TODAY. MANY SHOWED UP THIS TIME TO RETURN UNWANTED GIFTS AND SEARCH FOR POST-CHRISTMAS DEALS. TY SHESKY IS LIVE AT THE CORONADO CENTER WITH MORE. JOE... THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS CAN BE A BLESSING OR A CURSE FOR AREA RETAILERS. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST SHOPPING DAYS OF THE YEAR. STORES SLASH PRICES AND OPEN EARLIER TO LURE SHOPPERS IN. AND IT'S ALSO THE DAY FOR THE MOST RETURNS. WE FOUND A FULL PARKING LOT AT CORONADO CENTER WITH CARS BACKED- UP ALONG THE STREETS. AND THE MALLS WERE EVEN MORE CROWDED ON THE INSIDE. BUT MOST SHOPPERS WE TALKED TO SAY THEY ARE HERE TO FIND DEALS THIS YEAR... NOT RETURN GIFTS. 59:41'We're just kind-of looking for the deals and getting belated Christmas gifts.' 55:44 'We're hoping not to get too many returns back, but through the seasons we've learned that some returns do end-up coming back.' RETURNED HOLIDAY GIFTS ARE ON A DOWNWARD TREND. 62-PERCENT OF SHOPPERS DID RETURN HOLIDAY GIFTS IN 2005 ACCORDING TO A NATIONAL SURVEY. ONLY 36-PERCENT RETURNED GIFTS IN 2006. THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION SAYS MORE GIFT- CARD GIVING IS THE REASON FOR FEWER RETURNS. REPORTING LIVE IN ALBUQUERQUE, TY SHESKY, EWN-4. RETAILERS ARE MAKING IT HARDER FOR YOU TO RETURN THOSE UNWANTED GIFTS. STORES ARE CRACKING DOWN ON RETURN FRAUD... SOMETHING THE 'NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION' SAYS COSTS STORES 11 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. 'We're talking about wardrobing, where consumers are actually wearing the merchandise for an event the night before and then bringing it back the next day.' MANY STORES NOW CHARGE A RESTOCKING FEE ON ELECTRONICS THAT HAVE BEEN OPENED. OTHERS LIMIT THE NUMBER OF RETURNS YOU CAN MAKE WITHOUT A RECEIPT. SO HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS FROM BECOMING A DISASTER? CHECK THE RETURN POLICY BEFORE YOU BUY, HANG ONTO THE RECEIPT OR GIVE A GIFT RECEIPT, AND DON'T OPEN A GIFT YOU MAY NOT KEEP. AN ALBUQUERQUE BUSINESS OWNER FACES TWO COUNTS OF MEDICAID FRAUD. ISRAEL KEPPEL IS ACCUSED OF SUBMITTING FALSE BILLING TO THE NEW MEXICO MEDICAID PROGRAM IN 2005. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. IF CONVICTED, KEPPEL FACES UP TO 18 MONTHS IN PRISON AND/OR A FIVE- THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE. A ROSWELL MAN IS ACCUSED OF STEALING COPPER WIRING FROM A WIND FARM NEAR ELIDA. CHAVES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES TOOK 50-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL ROBERTSON INTO CUSTODY EARLIER THIS WEEK. AUTHORITIES SAY THEFTS OF WIRING FROM UTILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION SITES HAVE INCREASED SHARPLY BECAUSE OF A RECENT SPIKE IN COPPER PRICES. LAST MONTH THIEVES TOOK 6- AND-A-HALF MILES OF COPPER WIRE FROM A RAIL RUNNER EXPRESS TRACK BETWEEN ALBUQUERQUE AND SANTA FE. SANTA FE POLICE SAY FRIGID OVERNIGHT CONDITIONS MAY HAVE KILLED A MAN. HIS BODY WAS DISCOVERED IN A REMOTE FIELD. THE BODY OF 51- YEAR OLD GERONIMO GARCIA WAS FOUND AROUND EIGHT THIS MORNING BEHIND 'FAIRVIEW CEMETERY' OFF CERRILLOS ROAD. POLICE SAY HE MAY HAVE BEEN HOMELESS. HIS BODY WAS FOUND WRAPPED IN A THIN BLANKET NOT FAR FROM A HOMELESS SHELTER. THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF FOUL PLAY. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES ARE ANGRY ABOUT A PLAN TO MOVE THE AGENCY'S SANTA FE STAFF TO A HISTORICAL BUILDING. THE FEDERAL AGENCY PLANS TO CUT ITS STAFF IN SANTA FE AND MOVE THE REMAINING 70 EMPLOYEES INTO ITS HISTORIC BUILDING ON OLD SANTA FE TRAIL. THE PARK SERVICE IS DISPUTING CLAIMS THAT BY DOING SO, IT WILL DAMAGE THE BUILDING OR THAT VALUABLE ARTIFACTS WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE STAFF. NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY COULD SOON SEE A HOTEL RIGHT ON CAMPUS. NEARLY FOUR ACRES OF PROPERTY AT N-M-S-U HAVE SET ASIDE FOR THE HOTEL CONSTRUCTION. THE SCHOOL'S REGENTS APPROVED THE LAND DEAL EARLIER THIS MONTH. THEY SAY THE 30 MILLION-DOLLAR HOTEL WILL INCLUDE 180 GUEST ROOMS, A RESTAURANT AND A CONFERENCE CENTER. AN EVENT CENTER ALSO IS PLANNED NEAR THE HOTEL. THE SCHOOL SAYS CONSTRUCTION WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS. A MAN IS DEAD AND TWO OTHERS CRITICALLY INJURED AFTER A TIGER SOMEHOW ESCAPED FROM ITS ENCLOSURE AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO --- AND WENT ON THE ATTACK. AS NBC'S JINAH KIM REPORTS-- THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS AS TO HOW IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. at 1:08-1:13 THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO IS OPEN 365 DAYS A YEAR. BUT ON WEDNESDAY, IT WAS CLOSED AS POLICE AND ZOO OFFICIALS COMBED THE GROUNDS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW A SIBERIAN TIGER WAS ABLE TO ATTACK 3 VISITORS. 'We don't know, as of yet, exactly how it occurred in terms of, number one, how the tiger got out, number two, the sequence. That's something that we're trying to piece together.' ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT, JUST AS THE ZOO WAS CLOSING, THE 350-POUND ANIMAL SOMEHOW ESCAPED FROM ITS ENCLOSED PEN AND WENT ON THE ATTACK, KILLING A YOUNG MAN AND CRITICALLY INJURING A SECOND. IT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAULING A THIRD MAN WHEN POLICE FOUND HER. 'The tiger re-engaged the victim, as the officers moved in closer, the tiger focused its attention on the officers and started coming toward the officers. That's when the officers fired.' WITH TATIANA DEAD, POLICE SEARCHED ALL NIGHT TO MAKE SURE OTHER ANIMALS HADN'T ESCAPED - AND THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY MORE VICTIMS. NONE HAVE BEEN FOUND - AND THE TWO SURVIVING VICTIMS ARE EXPECTED TO LIVE. 'By the time they got here, they were very stable, not close to death. Really it was just a matter of washing out theirwounds.' TATIANA HAS HARMED BEFORE - TEARING A ZOOKEEPER'S ARM A YEAR AGO. 'To watch their ability to jump, their ability to hold onto things, their power is immense, it's almost beyond description.' THE ZOO IS CONFIDENT TATIANA DID NOT LEAVE THROUGH AN OPEN DOOR.. AND THE TIGER'S PEN IS SURROUNDED BY A 15-FOOT WIDE MOAT AND A 20-FOOT HIGH WALL. HOW SHE ESCAPED - AND WHY SHE WENT ON A RAMPAGE - IS A MYSTERY. JINAH KIM, NBC NEWS. GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON IS BACK ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. HE'S STUMPING IN IOWA JUST EIGHT DAYS BEFORE THAT STATE'S CAUCUS. RECENT POLLS SHOW THE GOVERNOR IN FOURTH PLACE AMONG VOTERS. AND IT SEEMS HILLARY CLINTON IS LOSING HER LEAD TO BARACK OBAMA WHO IS SURGING AHEAD IN IOWA. 'If Obama wins Iowa, you can really see how the momentum from that victory would pull him and carry him to victory in those other crucial states.'G-O-P CONTENDER MIKE HUCKABEE WAS OUT IN IOWA HUNTING FOR VOTES TODAY. HUCKABEE'S POPULARITY HAS INCREASED WITH REPUBLICAN VOTERS AS OF RECENT... AND HE'S CLOSING IN ON MITT ROMNEY'S LEAD IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. A 'BOSTON GLOBE' POLL TODAY SHOWS ROMNEY IN A VIRTUAL TIE WITH JOHN MCCAIN, 3 POINTS APART. THE HOBBS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DONATING USED EQUIPMENT TO IRAQI POLICE. A SOUTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO SOLDIER STATIONED IN IRAQ REQUESTED THE DONATION. EUNICE NATIVE ARMY MAJOR BRANDON ROBBINS SUGGESTED THAT SOME U-S TROOPS MIGHT COME HOME SOONER IF IRAQI OFFICERS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME UP WITH ENOUGH BODY ARMOR PANELS TO MAKE 69 BULLETPROOF VESTS AND DOZENS OF PANTS. HOBBS CITY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE DONATION LAST WEEK, AND NOW THE EQUIPMENT JUST NEEDS TO BE SHIPPED TO IRAQ. PRESIDENT BUSH SIGNED A BILL TODAY KEEPING THE GOVERNMENT AND IRAQ WAR FUNDED. THE 555- BILLION DOLLAR BILL WILL KEEP GOVERNMENT AGENCIES RUNNING THROUGH SEPTEMBER AND FUND THE IRAQ WAR WELL INTO NEXT YEAR. HIS SIGNATURE CAPS A LONG- RUNNING BATTLE WITH CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS. AFTER SIGNING THE BILL AT CAMP DAVID, THE PRESIDENT AND THE FIRST LADY BOARDED AIR FORCE ONE FOR TEXAS. THEY'RE SPENDING THE NEXT WEEK AT THEIR RANCH IN CRAWFORD. THE PRESIDENT WILL THEN TAKE ONE OF THE MOST EXTENSIVE OVERSEAS TRIPS OF HIS PRESIDENCY, WITH STOPS IN SEVERAL MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES. THE TURKISH MILITARY SAYS ITS WARPLANES HAVE ONCE AGAIN STRUCK KURDISH REBEL TARGETS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. IT'S THE THIRD CONFIRMED AERIAL ASSAULT AGAINST THE REBELS SINCE MID-DECEMBER. THIS MORNING, FIGHTER JETS TARGETED EIGHT LOCATIONS BELIEVED TO BE REBEL HIDEOUTS. 'The PKK is a terrorist organization which is the common enemy of all of us, and at the same time we continue to urge that no one should do anything to destabilize the north.' NO CASUALTIES WERE REPORTED, BUT THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT SAYS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THEY'VE KILLED MORE THAN 150 REBELS AND TAKEN OUT MORE THAN 200 SITES. TWO OF THE U-S' CRITICAL ALLIES IN THE WAR ON TERROR HAVE MOVED TO IMPROVE RELATIONS AND ESCALATE THE FIGHT AGAINST MILITANTS. AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI AND PAKISTANI PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF SAY THEY'LL SHARE INTELLIGENCE AND TIGHTEN BORDER CONTROLS TO BATTLE MILITANTS FROM BOTH THE TALIBAN AND AL- QAEDA. 'People in both countries are suffering, suffering a lot and it is incumbent upon us to find ways to bring peace and stability to each home, each family, in both countries.'THE MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO LEADERS COMES AS PAKISTAN LAUNCHES AN OFFENSIVE IN ITS NORTHWEST BORDER REGION. THE SOLE SURVIVOR OF A PLANE CRASH IN PANAMA IS NOW IN A HOSPITAL. AUTHORITIES SAY 12-YEAR-OLD FRANCESCA LEWIS IS IN STABLE CONDITION, THREE DAYS AFTER THE PLANE CRASH. RESCUERS HAD TO TREK FIVE HOURS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS TO BRING THE CHILD TO SAFETY A CALIFORNIA FATHER AND DAUGHTER DIED IN THE CRASH ALONG WITH THE PANAMANIAN PILOT. RESCUE EFFORTS FOR LANDSLIDE VICTIMS IN INDONESIA ARE BEING HAMPERED BY BLOCKED ROADS. 78 PEOPLE ARE FEARED DEAD IN A SERIES OF LANDSLIDES TRIGGERED BY HEAVY RAINS IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY. AT LEAST 61 PEOPLE DIED WHEN THEY WERE HIT BY A LANDSLIDE WHILE EATING DINNER. A RESCUE OFFICIAL SAYS THEY HAD JUST CLEANED UP A MUD- COVERED HOUSE AND WERE CELEBRATING. THE NEW DISASTER STRIKES THREE YEARS TO THE DAY OF THE ASIAN TSUNAMI THAT KILLED NEARLY A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE IN A DOZEN NATIONS, MOST OF THEM IN INDONESIA. THE COUNTRY MARKED THE ANNIVERSARY WITH AN EARTHQUAKE DRILL. AUTHORITIES TESTED THE RESPONSE OF EMERGENCY RELIEF TEAMS. THE DRILL INCLUDED A MOCK CHEMICAL LEAK CAUSED BY AN EIGHT-POINT-FIVE MAGNITUDE QUAKE. THAILAND HELD A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY. SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES OF VICTIMS WERE INVITED TO A BEACH IN PHUKET TO LAY FLOWERS AND LIGHT CANDLES IN THE SAND. FATHER TIME IS IN NEW MEXICO-- TRYING TO MAKE A STATEMENT. ALBUQUERQUE DAD JOHN ALVAREZ WAS GETTING A LOT OF ATTENTION TODAY OUTSIDE FAMILY COURT. HE TOLD US HE'S TIRED OF WHAT HE CALLS A GROWING PROBLEM-- MOTHERS GETTING ALL THE LEVERAGE IN CUSTODY BATTLES-- NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I'm doing this for the other fathers out there, not only in albuquerque, not only in new mexico, but in the whole united states that go through this everyday. ALVAREZ SAYS HE GOT THE IDEA AFTER SEEING SIMILAR PROTESTS BY FATHERS IN ENGLAND-- FIGHTING FOR DAD'S RIGHTS. FATHER TIME WILL PATROL OUTSIDE FAMILY COURT-- THROUGH NEW YEARS DAY. MOST OF US AT ONE POINT HAVE PULLED SOMETHING OUT OF THE FRIDGE