captioning funded by cbs captioning funded by cbs ♪ pope francis celebrates his celebrates his first christmas mass as leader of the roman catholic church. two astronauts fix a faulty cooling system on the international space station. >> you got yourself a new pump module. and a christmas eve surprise for a las vegas cabbie. this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, december 25th, 2013. good morning. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. and merry christmas. we begin with an attack on a u.s. diplomatic post. early this morning, the u.s. embassy in kabul, afghanistan came under fire.

two rockets struck the compound before dawn. the attack sent hundreds scrambling and embassy officials say there are no injuries. the taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. but it is christmas and christians around the world are celebrating this morning. in the holy land, thousands of pilgrims are in bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of jesus. a christmas tree lights up manger square and a marching band performed. the latin patriarch led midnight mass. alphonso van marsh reports. >> reporter: pope francis was greeted with a sea of smartphones. hundreds tried to capture an image of the new pontiff during his first christmas eve mass. the pontiff may be a celebrity, but his emphasis still remains on the poor. he noted jesus' humble beginnings. >> translator: you are rich and you made yourself poor.

>> reporter: this christmas eve provides another first for the church. having two popes living in the vatican at the same time on the holy day. earlier this week, pope francis visited with his predecessor who resigned in february. people come from around the world to be part of his first christmas as pope and those that couldn't get inside the basilica have gathered here at st. peters square. this boston resident brought her daughter here. >> what he believes in and the barriers he's breaking, it's just something i want to believe in again. >> reporter: pope francis has built a reputation for doing things his own way. but this christmas eve, the catholic church's newest pontiff kept with the traditions carried out for hundreds of years. alphonso van marsh, the vatican. thousands of troops are far away from home. in afghanistan, they sang hymns

and prayed. in the u.s., about a half million families are still in the dark this christmas. the power is down for customers from michigan to maine and into canada this morning. the weekend ice storm knocked out electricity. repair crews are working around the clock to turn the lights on, but utilities say it could take a couple more days to restore power. it forced some families to change plans. >> we took our big christmas dinner over to some family and cooked at their place. they're only a few blocks away and they have power and we don't. >> the storm is responsible for at least 14 deaths. this morning forecasters say more snow is expected to roll into the great lakes and midwest. and life is slowly returning to normal aboard the international space station this morning. astronauts successfully completed a rare christmas eve spacewalk to fix a cooling system and mission control has

activated the pump. as bill whitaker reports, it was their second spacewalk in just four days. >> reporter: traveling almost 18,000 miles per hour, 260 miles above the earth, astronauts stepped outside the international space station to make the urgent repairs. >> mike hopkins taking a special sleigh ride holding the 780-pound pump module. >> reporter: they installed the refrigerator sized pump. it took more than 7 hours. it was difficult and dazzling. bill harwood is cbs news space consultant. >> working in these spaces is not easy. almost like you're wearing multilayer clothes in the wintertime, so much so that it's hard to move. >> reporter: while connecting one hose, the astronauts' suits were sprayed with ammonia ice crystals, it's used to keep the

noxious chemicals out of the station, they had to stay out long enough for it to evaporate in the sun. >> we do not want to bring ammonia back inside the ship. >> reporter: this retired astronaut took two walks outside the space station. >> the environment in space is harsher than most people think. in the shade, it's minus a couple hundred degrees. in the sun, it's plus 300 degrees. so we don't go outside unless there is a good reason. >> reporter: with the cooling system down, astronauts had to power down all but the bare essentials so they wouldn't overtax the remaining system. initial tests show the new pump is working. >> you got yourself a new pump module. >> we'll be able to get everything powered back on inside, all of the experiments back up and running. it will be a nice christmas present for everyone. >> reporter: it will take a couple of days before all operations are completely recovered. bill whitaker, cbs news, los angeles. the last minute rush to sign up for health care coverage yesterday appears to have gone

smoothly. the white house says 2 million americans logged on to healthcare.gov on monday and traffic was heavy on tuesday. that was the deadline to enroll and have coverage take effect on january 1st. those who sign up now can't get coverage until february 1st. tourists on board an antarctic-bound cruise ship will spend christmas waiting for rescue. the russian-made ship is wedged in sheets of ice in a remote location about 1500 nautical miles south of hobart. the passengers don't face immediate danger. australia has sent three ships, but it will take at least two days to get there. president obama is on vacation in hawaii, but he's getting daily briefings on the fighting in sudan. there is a fear it could become a full blown civil war. susan mcginnis is in washington. good morning.

>> reporter: good morning. civilians are now not just casualties, but actual targets of ethnic violence in this conflict. just as u.s. and u.n. negotiators are getting closer toward peace talks, a gruesome discovery is made. u.n. officials have discovered a mass grave with dozens of bodies inside. the discovery comes as the country teeters on the brink of civil war. the fighting falls mostly along ethnic lines with government troops loyal to the president and rebel troops backing the former vice president. secretary of state john kerry spent time on christmas eve talking by phone with the two leaders trying to convince them to end the violence and begin peace talks. tuesday, the pentagon repositioned 50 marines to uganda. they're on standby to protect americans if needed.

as the united nations voted to nearly double the size of peacekeepers in the country to protect civilians. >> military resources are now fully engulfed. and even that is not adequate everywhere. >> reporter: thousands have fled their homes looking for safety. the u.n. secretary general warned in a news conference that targeted attacks against civilians or u.n. personnel could constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. >> susan mcginnis in washington. thank you. a judge in california ruled a 13-year-old girl can be taken off life support. jahi mcmath was declared brain dead after suffering complications following a tonsillectomy. her family says there is still time for a miracle. the judge has given them six days to file an appeal. she'll stay on life support at children's hospital of oakland until then.

and utah is running out of legal options. same-sex couples there continue to marry after a federal appeals court refused to step in. it is the fourth court loss for utah in recent days. the state's last chance to temporarily stop the marriages is the u.s. supreme court. about 700 couples have obtained licenses in utah since friday. coming up on the morning news, the christmas eve pile up in cleveland that shut down an interstate. d but not your nasal congestion, you may be muddling through allergies. try zyrtec-d®. powerful relief of nasal congestion and other allergy symptoms -- all in one pill. zyrtec-d®. at the pharmacy counter. [ chicken caws ] [ male announcer ] when your favorite food starts a fight, fight back fast with tums. heartburn relief that neutralizes acid on contact and goes to work in seconds. ♪ tum, tum tum tum tums!

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the delivery company says the volume of packages was more than it could handle. most will arrive tomorrow. the company wouldn't say how many were affected, but the problem is nationwide. and stock up on the forever stamps because the prices are going up in the new year. the cost of a first class stamp will increase by three cents to 49 cents on january 26th. the independent board approved the hike yesterday, but it will be temporary, lasting no more than two years. no rest for weary retailers. businesses big and small are having after christmas mega sales trying to make up for all the bad weather that kept shoppers away. anna werner reports. >> reporter: this boutique saw a steady stream of customers today. allison young says they need to make up for the ice storm.

>> we had to close about a day and a half and they were two of our biggest days. so they set us back and we've been trying to make the sales figures up. >> reporter: the ice storm made the mall general manager nervous. >> we were a little concerned when we lost the first weekend in december due to snow and ice, but some have recovered and sales are up. >> reporter: she thinks the last minute spike may be due to the holiday schedule this year. >> saturday was our busiest traffic day all year. >> reporter: why do you think your business picked up so much? >> we had fewer days between thanksgiving and christmas, but people still have the same shopping list. >> reporter: many retailers wish they could say the same. overall sales are down nationwide especially in brick and mortar stores. last week, sales were down by 3% compared to last year while online sales jumped 37%.

and here is a sign of the season this year. some retailers are so anxious to boost their sales, they're already running their after christmas sales. anna werner, cbs news, dallas. on wall street, the markets are closed today, but yesterday they ended on a positive note. the dow closed up nearly 63 points when the closing bell was rung at 1:00. nasdaq finished 6.5 ahead. straight ahead, more americans are going hungry. we'll look at the clever way some food banks are meeting the growing demand. some food banks are meeting the growing demand. he loves me. he loves me not. ♪ he loves me! that's right. [ mom ] warm and flaky in 15, everyone loves pillsbury grands! [ girl ] make dinner pop! ♪

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here is a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. new york will be mostly cloudy today, 29 degrees the high. miami, expect showers. no showers in chicago. sunny in dallas and sunny in los angeles. and time now for a check of the national forecast. folks from michigan to maine will be enjoying a white christmas today. 1 to 4 inches is expected from the plains to new england with areas near the great lakes getting as much as a foot of snow. temperatures will be about 10 to 15 degrees below normal in the northeast and mid-atlantic states. south and west will stay mostly dry. more than 46 million americans live in poverty, and many rely on food banks to provide meals for their families. and that used to mean canned goods. adriana diaz reports on a new

trend to bring fresh produce to the hungry. >> reporter: tina brought along her daughter, brittany, to shop at a food bank in pennsylvania. >> when i first came here, i wasn't sure what to expect because it's a new experience for me. >> reporter: she was pleasantly surprised to find fresh produce. >> it's very important because the kids enjoy what i bring home. >> reporter: when an accident took her husband out of the workforce, they joined 10% of american families struggling to put food on the table. larry welsh says demand is higher than ever and the recent cut in food stamp benefits is making it worse. who are the new families coming into your food bank? >> it's the working poor. folks who have a job that we've never seen before. >> reporter: in a survey of 25 cities, 21 reported demand for food assistance is up. welsh wants to be sure what he offers his 40,000 needy families is as healthy as possible. which is why the food bank raises its own produce in a

farming operation that continues to expand. for the first time ever, the food bank is growing its own produce in the winter, even in snowy conditions, they can grow kale, spinach and collard greens. >> there is still a lot in the field. people think it's a lot, but the demand is endless. >> reporter: 20 food banks nationwide are now farming produce, helping to bring families a little more green in time for the holidays. when we return, another look at this morning's top stories. and a las vegas taxi driver found something in the back of his cab that could have put him on easy street. cab that could have hhave put on easy street. [ male announcer ] even ragu users a.

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found injured on a recycling plant conveyer belt. join us for kpix 5 news this morning... beginning at 4:3 good morning. it's december 25th. merry christmas to so you made some bad decisions last night. make a good one this morning. get two biscuit sandwiches, with your choice of country grilled sausage, egg, and cheese, or bacon, egg, and cheese, both on my new southern style biscuits. you'll save some cash 'cause right now they're two for just three bucks. c'mon cody... let's get some breakfast. you drive. i traded the car for the tattoo. here is a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. washington,d.c., partly sunny today. 35 degrees.

atlanta, mostly sunny and partly sunny in st. louis. denver cloudy and mostly cloudy in seattle. and here is another look at this morning's top stories. christmas celebrations are under way around the world. christian pilgrims poured in to bethlehem. at the vatican, francis observed his first christmas as pope. and a half million customers from michigan to maine and into canada will spend christmas in the dark. utility crews are working to restore power following the ice storm. a las vegas poker player got very lucky twice. first he won big. and then got careless with his cash. but as bigad shaban tells us, he has an honest cabbie to thank. >> reporter: christmas almost came early for this taxi driver. he couldn't believe what he found. several stacks of 100 dollar bills.

>> i told my dispatcher there is money in my cab. and she was asking me how much. and i said $300,000. >> reporter: he says one of his passengers accidentally left more than just his $5 tip. he forgot a bag of cash believed to be winnings from a poker game. and the lucky streak didn't end since he turned the cash in, all $300,000. >> even though i don't get this money, i'm still happy because i did the right thing. >> reporter: his boss rewarded him with a check for $1,000. he said he only did what he thought was right. >> even though they call it sin city, but it's not. it's angel city. >> reporter: the money is now back with its rightful owner. he has yet to come forward publicly, but just might be one of the luckiest poker players in las vegas. bigad shaban, cbs news.

coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," cardinal dolan explains the true meaning of christmas. this is the "cbs morning news". meaning of christmas. this is the "cbs morning news". [ female announcer ] we eased your back pain... ♪ ready or not. [ female announcer ] ...so you can be up there. here i come! [ female announcer ] ...down there, around there... and under there for him. tylenol® provides strong pain relief and won't irritate your stomach the way aleve® or even advil® can.

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christmas week 1968. that was the week mankind's perception of the universe changed. three american astronauts were orbiting the moon and what they saw from nearly a quarter of a million miles away made everyone on earth just stop. dean reynolds spoke with jim lovell about the picture that changed the world. >> reporter: it had been a terrible year on earth. military conflicts, riots in the streets, and political assassinations. and then over christmas, 1968 -- >> we have liftoff. >> reporter: -- three humans circled the moon for the very first time. and briefly connected to people of this planet.

>> that's where i sat. >> reporter: apollo 8 was a scouting mission for the lunar landing the next year. it's estimated that a quarter of the earth's population heard them read from the book of genesis that christmas eve. >> in the beginning, god created the heaven and the earth. >> reporter: in addition to the words, though, it was the sight they beheld and the photographs they captured that resonate to this day. listen to anders describe what came to be known as earth rise. >> look at that earth coming up. wow that's pretty. >> reporter: anders was in charge of the photography, but had to wait as lovell searched for the right film while the earth slowly left the frame. seconds later, lovell saw it from his vantage point. >> i have it right here.

i have it very clearly. >> it's a beautiful shot. are you sure you got it? >> reporter: he got them. >> he did take the picture, but i was directing the photography. i told you the settings on the camera and how to -- of course it went viral. i mean, everybody published it. >> reporter: it went viral before there was going viral. >> that's right. >> reporter: lovell told us he has tried ever since to convey what the astronauts felt as they watched their world from afar that christmas eve. >> it's only when you can get away from it, 240 miles away, that you really understand, you really understand how insignificant we all are. >> reporter: and he said how fortunate. dean reynolds, cbs news, chicago. coming up on "cbs this morning," cardinal dolan will help celebrate christmas and discuss the new challenges

facing pope francis. also, something you rarely see. charlie rose on a vespa. he takes a tour of the vatican with a famous actor. and winston marsalis takes a look at two clashing professions that have a lot in common. that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a merry christmas. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

your realtime captioner is mrs. linda m. macdonald good morning. it is december, 25. merry christmas to those who celebrate. michelle is off today. i'm anne makovec. >> hi, everyone. i'm frank mallicoat. it is 4:30 on this christmas

day. and liz is off. roberta is in. and she is double dipping on this christmas morning. good morning. >> this could be interesting. >> we're looking forward to it. it will be a memorable christmas to say the least. good morning, everybody. it's memorable because today, temperatures are going to again be unseasonably mild and a direct result of the stagnant air mass is this is the 18th "spare the air" day of the winter season. hazy as highs are in the 60s and low 70s. right now, into the 30s and 40s and for some azy crreason you need to get out the door and jump in the car, a live look at the bay bridge on this christmas morning. 'tis the morning of christmas and all is quiet. there are a few cars out there. caltrans is off. there is absolutely no pothole roadwork today and if you need any kind of legitimate traffic information, i invite