christians around the world come together to celebrate the christmas holiday. thousands gather at the birthplace of jesus and at the vatican. terrifying moments at a north carolina mall. what prompted a deadly shooting that had last-minute christmas shoppers ducking for cover. good morning and merry christmas from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs headquarters in new york. thanks for joining us. i'm jamie yuccas in for anne-marie green. this christmas morning, at least 14 people are dead, killed by tornadoes and violent storms that ripped through the south. dozens of others are injured. the storms destroyed homes in mississippi, tennessee and arkansas. search teams are combing through the rubble for survivors. experts say the unseasonably warm weather contributed to the deadly conditions. in the west, two rare tornadoes touched down on christmas eve in california. don champion is here in new york. good morning, don. >> good morning, jamie. at least three tornadoes were

yesterday. in northern california, teams with the national weather service will head out to assess the strength of at least two twisters that touched down there._ >> reporter: on this holiday of giving, some people in northern california are taking stock of what's lost after an outbreak of tornadoes. >> seeing trees swirling like a blender, like they were in a blender, it was pretty scary. >> reporter: cell phone video captured the twisters roaring through el dorado coo*unty and modesto, bhuringing down power lines and uprooting trees. >> we've been here for 45 years, and we've never had anything like this before happen. >> reporter: mike churchill saw a tree crash down on his neighbor's car. a child was inside. >> the kid said hey, mom, stop and hit the back and just barely hit the car, the back end of the suv. >> reporter: the rare tornadoes in california come as people in the midwest and south continue cleaning up after an outbreak of deadly tornadoes there this week. pastor barry reynolds whose

structures destroyed in mississippi called it a test from god. he's testing how strong we're going to be. >> reporter: at thised c rss shelter in holly springs, donations of food, clothing and even christmas gifts have poured in. >> i've just not seen this kind of generosity in a single county anywhere i've worked. >> reporter: neighbors determined to keep the giving spirit alive in the face of so much loss. and the threat of more severe weather isn't over. people in texas, oklahoma, louisiana and arkansas face the threat of more storms through the ekend. jamie? >> we hope it's not that bad. don champion here in new york, thank you. heavy rain triggered widespread flooding in the deep south. families in parts of georgia had just minutes to escape flooding in their homes. georgia's governor declared a state of emergency in at least three counties. rising waters swamped communities and washed out roads in alabama.

alabama got ten inches of rain. in the east, unusually warm weather is sticking around after many cities broke records for high temperatures on christmas eve. a high of 60 is expected today in boston. the high already climbed to 66 in new york th morning. philadelphia will hit 68, and washington, 73. atlanta will have a high of 75 gk' degrees. christians around the world this morning are celebrating christmas. in the holy land, the faithful packed the nativity church in bethlehem to celebrate midnight mass. bethlehem is considered the traditional birthplace of jesus. major square is deck out in lights for religious pilgrims. at the vatican, pope francis will deliver his traditional christmas speech this morning. anna matranga reports from st. peter's square. >> reporter: thousands of pilgrims packed st. peter's basilica for pope francis's christmas eve mass. he ued the faithful to shun pleasure, wealth and

the essential values of life. he said, "our style of life should be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy." the pope's words resonate with catholics and non-catholics alike. >> he gives the message that we all need to hear, the message ofg0 love. and that's something this world needs more of. >> reporter: children from around the world played a large role in the christmas celebration. many journeyed from countries that francis has visited since he became pe.po security here at the vatican was very high. all of the surrounding streets were blocked off to traffic, and anyone entering st. peter's square has to go through a metal detector.w4 including this family. 17 of them aged 8 to 86 traveled from the u.s. to see the pope. >> it seemed like a natural place for someone to target, to \ pinpoint for an event, so we were nervous.

christmas >> reporter: anna matranga, cbs news, vatican city. the trip home from chrtmas could be rough for millions of americans from the southwest into the plains and midwest. starting saturday, a major storm will bring heavy snow, ice and flooding rain. rough weather and new tsa screening rules took a toll on travelers across the country. thousands of airline passengers were stranded thursday by delayed and canceled flights. a record 91 million americans are driving for the holidays. gas prices average about $2 a gallon. one person is dead after gunfire erupted during last-minute christmas shopping in a north carolina mall. charlotte police say an argument broke out, and someone fired shots. an off-duty police officer shot and killed the gunman. shoppers say they were forced to take cover inside stores. >> i was walking back out. he was, like, somebody has a gun. and so everybody started running to the deck. and it was, like, he's in the store!

so i started running and crying. >> scary. police say the shooting stemmed from a long-running dispute. protesters in chicago renewed their call for the city's mayor to step down. they blocked storefronts and roads on thursday along the city's magnificent mile shopping district. demonstrors accuse city officials of covering up last year's deadly police shooting of a black teen. immigration advocates are speaking out against the obama administration's plan to deport hundreds of families in the country illegally. homeland security plans nationwide raids startg asin soon as next month. agents will round up and deport adults and children who have been ordered to leave by a judge. many are immigrantwho fled violence in central america since the start of 2014. >> we should deport criminals, you know, felons, people that are here because they are in our country to hurt. but they're not here to do that. they're asking for our protection, our care.

will target people who pose a threat to national security, public safety, and border security. overseas, a gas tanker truck exploded in nigeri, killing more than 100 people. the blast happened yesterday at a crowded industrial gas plant about 300 miles west of laga. it took hours to put out the fire. coming up, overdue compensation. congress takes action to deliver money to dozens of americans held hostage in iran more than three decades ago. this is the "cbs morning news." news."y... ...in bed all day... ...you need the power of... new theraflu expressmax. the power to feel better. ) aspartame free diet pepsi. just one sip [ahh]

still not feeling well? no...you know when i got sick my mom used to make me chicken noodle soup. aw, ok... you should call your mom. bye. campbell's chicken noodle soup. there when no one else is. campbell's. made for real, real life. discover card. how can i help you? oh, you're real? you know i'm real! at discover, we're always here to talk. good, 'cause i don't have time for machines. some companies just don't appreciate the power of conversation! you know, i like you! i like you too! at discover, we treat you like you'd treat you. get the it card and talk to a real person. when heartburn hits fight back fast tums smoothies starts dissolving the instant it touches your tongue and neutralizes stomach acid at the source tum, tum, tum, tum

a middle school lunch lady is offered her job back and compensation for the americans held hostage in iran more than 36 years ago. those are some of the headlines on the "morning newsstand." "the new york times" reports the americans held hostage in iran in 1979 will be compensated. each of the 53 hostages or their estates will receive up to $4.4

the decision was part of the spending bill approved last week. victims of other state-sponsored terror attacks are also eligible. the money comes from fines on a bank found to be doing business illegally with iran. "the guardian" reports on a deadly fire that swept through a saudi arabian hospital. the fire killed at least 25 people and injured more than 100 others. it broke out in the hospital's intensive care unit and maternity ward. the cause is under investigation. "the idaho state journal" reports on an update to the controversial firing of a middle school lunch lady. the school has offered bowden her job backck she was fired for giving a free lunch to a student who did not have any money. bowden says she has not decided whether she'll return. fedex will deliver packages and open up service centers today after not making all its christmas eve deliveries. the carrier blames last-minute shopping and severe weather in parts of the country. customs should check with

delivered or set aside at service centers for pickup. wall street is closed today for christmas, following a day of very light trading. thdow closed 50 pots lower. the s&p 500 was down 3 points. the nasdaq gained 2 points. the so-called sharing economy has transformed the taxi and lodging industries. experts predict it will continue to expand rapidly in the years to come. anthony mason reports on two young businessmen who embrace sharing to achieve their dreams. >> this was the very first k< product we made. >> reporter: when friends eric and sasha cohen launched their online clothing company, buck mason, in 2013, they barely had enough money to pull it off. >> we had really no experience with, like, raising capital from outside investors. so the thing that we only knew how to do is be scrappy. >> reporter: they both poured in all of their savings and quit their day jobs to focus on the compy.

but less cash to get by. kblo >> i came to sasha with this idea, like, what if i represent rent my place out and just slept on your couch? >> reporr: eric listed his l.a. apartment on airbnb. in less than four months, they /q raised the money they needed to kick start their business. >> this basically also freed up the time that it would take to earn that income, and that you can't put a price tag on that. >> reporter: there are now 17 billion-dollar companies in the share economy where resources are sold daily from person to person. last year, 155 million guests slept in an airbnb. that's 22% more than hilton hotels. uber gets more business travelers than taxis. and over the next ten years, the share economy will be worth an estimated $335 billion. 22 times what it's worth now.

over the past year. eric and cohen even built a physical store 20 feet from the apartment that helped make it all possible. >> i had to sleep on somebody's couch so that i could -- which gave me an opportunity to own my own business, you know? i'd take that every day.ctw i mean, that's a no-brainer. >> still less than 20% of americans have participated in the new sharing economy, but it's growing fastest with adults under 45 who are rethinking the value of ownership. anthony mason, cbs news, new york. >> boy, i wish i had that idea. airbnb. coming up in sports, can thexrz oakland raiders hold on for what could be the final football matchup in the northern california city? we'll show you the highlights ahead. aspartame free diet pepsi. just one sip [ahh]

3^ the flu virus. it's a really big deal. and with fever, aches, and chills, mom knows it needs a big solution: an antiviral. don't kid around with the flu, call your doctor within the first 48 hours of symptoms and ask about prescription tamiflu. attack the flu virus at its source with tamiflu, an antiviral that helps stop it from spreading in the body. tamiflu in liquid form is fda approved to treat the flu in people two weeks of age and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an vl`s allergic rea%8^ction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents

of seizures, confusion, or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. an -flu? go antiviral with tamiflu. here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. taking a look at sports now, in what may have been their last game in oakland the raiders held on for an overtime win against the san diego chargers. sebastian janikowski kicked a 31-yard field goal, and the raiders got a defensive stop to steal the 23-20 win. the raiders are one of three nfl

right to move to los angeles. even though those protesters don't want them to go. the nba and an anti-gun violence group will unveil new public service annncements today. some of the nba's biggest stars appear in the commercials which are sure to court some controversy. juliana goldman reports. >> my parents ju alwsts said bullet don't have a name on it. >> we can all make a difference. >> reporter: the ad campaign features nba stars carmelo anthony, joakim noah, chris paul and stephen curry, speaking in very personal terms about gun violence. >> i heard about a shooting involving a 3-year-old girl over the summer. my daughter, riley's, that age. >> reporter: while riley curry has stolen the show from the nba mvp, the public service announcement also features people who don't often grab headlines, victims of gun violence. >> in the united states, 88 people die of gun violence every day. >> reporter: the campaign was directed by spike lee and paid for by every town for gun safety, a group founded by

michael bloomberg, to push back against the national rifle association. >> it's heartbreaking. >> reporter: gun control is never directly mentioned, but the ad marks the nba's entry into the polarizing debate over guns, a first for a professional sports league and largely led by the players who are increasingly using their celebrity to draw attention to community violence. >> a gun should never be an option. >> reporter: like anthony, seen here marching with protesters in his hometown of baltimore last april following the death of freddie gray who suffered a spinal injury while in police custody. >> i've seen so many of my peers, so many of my friends lose their life to gun violence. s:o one day they're here. one day they're not due to gun violence, due to violence, period. and now i'm in a situation where my voice can be heard. >> reporter: juliana goldman, cbs news, washington. >> interesting concept. a reprieve for actor robert downey jr. why the "iron man" star could once again step into a voting

news." here's a little healthy advice. eat well, live well, and take of what makes you, you. right down to your skin with aveeno aveeno daily moisturizing lotion with the goodness of active naturals oat and 5 vital nutrients for healthier looking skin in just one day. healthy skin equals beautiful skin. and for shower softness, add the body wash, too! aveeno naturally beautiful results when cigarette cravings hit, all i can thinabout is getting relief. only nicorette mini has a patented fast-dissolving formula. it starts to relieve sudden cravings fast. i never know when i'll need relief. that's why i only choose nicorette mini. aspartame free diet pepsi. just one sip [ahh]

here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. here's another look at this morning's top stories. violent christmas evweather rolled through the country yesterday. at least 14 people have died across three states in the south. and two rare tornadoes touched down in northern california. toppling trees and power lines. christians around the world today are celebrating christmas. the faithful packed the nativity church in bethlehem to celebrate midnight mass. the city's manger square is decked out in lights for religious pilgrims. beautiful.

among the 91 people pardoned by california governor jerry brown. downey spent nearly a year in prison in 1999 over a probation violation following his felony drug possession conviction. the pardon does not erase his conviction, though it restores his voting rights. the post office delivered countless letters to santa, and many of them wound up in north pole, alaska. santa's house in north pole welcomed visitors from as far away as costa rica yesterday. behind the house is a workshop where many letters are written to the jolly old man are kept. >> you've got a lot of funny letters. you know, you will see a lot that will say dear santa, please leave presents and take my brother. >> take my brother, oh, boy. the letters ask for toys and clothes while others had heartbreaking messages. some ask santa for a place to live. one boy asked him to take care of his mother. very sweet. hundreds of santas took in a day at the beach as part of the world's largest surfing santa

i love this. people dressed as santa rode the waves for charities yesterday in cocoa beach, florida. not everyone had a surfboard, though. not everyone could get up on the surfboard either. check that out. some parachuted in, dressed in their christmas best. got to love it. coming up after yor local news on "cbs this morning," kennedy center honoree rita moreno on her difficult path to stardom. i'm jamie yuccas. this is the "cbs morning news." this is the "cbs morning news." coughing...sniffling... and wishing you could stay in bed all day. when your cold is this bad... ...you need new theraflu expressmax.

maximum strength medicines available without a prescription... ...to fight your worst cold and flu symptoms... ...so you can feel better fast and get back to the job at hand. new theraflu expressmax. the power to feel better.tm aspartame free diet pepsi. just one sip [ahh]

[ a special christmas gift for some california residents. they're splitting a tax refund of more than $3 million. erin cerdan received a nearly $28,000 check yesterday from santa clara county. tax assessors had not classified her home as low income, so she was overcharged for more than a decade. she and her husband nearly lost their home as they struggled to

more than 200 other homeowners will also get refunds for being overtaxed. that's a nice christmas present. you would think a book that puts readers to sleep would be destined for the bargain bin. instead, it's on amazon's best-seller list. vinita nair shows us why it's a huge success. >> oh, no, we'll have to start all over! >> reporter: like most 2-year-olds, hudson cowen is not a big fan of naptime. >> that is one of the biggest issues for pents is how do i get the child to go to sleep? >> reporter: that's why his mom, bailey gaddis, is eager to try a book tha protses to soothe a >> i'm going to tell you a story that can make you feel very sleepy. >> reporter: it's called "the rabbit who wants to fall asleep." the yawns are written into the story. the characters have names like the heavy-eyed owl and the sleepy snail. there are even notes for when you should read slowly. >> allow yourself to fall asleep.

hudson. it's worked on so many kids that it's become an amazon best-seller in the u.s. and five other untrcos. that is rare for any book, let alone one that started out self-published with illustrations drawn by a friend. swedish author and behavioral scientist carl johan erlin says he came up with the idea watching his mom sleep in the car. >> i woke her up and i told her, i've got this great idea. we've got to write this down. we started to put paper everywhere. >> reporter: how did you test it? >> i went to preschools and asked them to read it when they had this group naptime, and they did for a week. they were pretty amazed. >> reporter: now, some people can fall asleep right away. i was curious if it would work on my own son. very tired now. it didn't happen immediately, but when i read it the second time, he fell asleep. but it doesn't work on every child. a quarter of the amazon reviews

"big fat freaking fail," writes one parent. "my 2-year-old hates this book and begs me not to read it," writes another.hy and it goes against the advice of many sleep experts who say kids need to learn to fall asleep on their own. but gaddis says it's been a life-saver for her family. >> it's really effective in putting him to sleep. >> reporter: and isn't that the dream of every parent? vinita nair, cbs news, new york. >> i need to get one of those books for me. coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," bishop t.j. jakes reflects on the decline of the number of americans who believe in god. we talk with trail blazing actress rita moreno as she receives a kennedy center honor, plus celebrating 20 years of pixar movies. that's "the cbs morning news" for this friday. thanks for watching. i'm jamie yuccas. have a great day.

have a great day.qh [ ...] >> announcer: the following is a paid program for the tummy tuck miracle slimming system, the non-surgical method that insttly erases inches from your tummy, slims fat off your belly without diet and exercise, burns belly fat faster than exercise alone and delivers results so shocking that at first, people don't believe it.