that's the zaidan family. "we were living here in peace when we just demanded freedom and to be able to earn our daily bread. the assad regime started bombing us." mohammed saeed zaidan and his wife nihal have lived here two years. when you came back here after the shelling, what did you see? what did you think? "we couldn't hold back our tears when we came back here. we're not nomads, but what could we do?" no electricity. no running water. 15 families in the zaidan building alone. six flights up 70-year-old nadia zaidan burns rags to cook. there's no fuel. no trees. the ceiling looks exhausted. and winter comes this week. we'd like to show you the

immensity, but we can't because the ruins run for miles in every direction. and this is what you would see in most every syrian city. to stay in power assad left his people to starve. so mohammed zaidan built a furrow from broken bricks to farm radishes, spring onions and coriander. when you first heard that assad was gone, could you believe it? "we felt like everyone else. like we were in a bad dream and finally woke up." she said, "we're still in shock. is he gone for real?" on the road the signposts of history tell the backstory. hafez al assad, the father, ruled from 1970. the bullet holes give you a sense of how he's remembered.

then in the year 2000 the son, bashar, continued the brutal police state. peeve been covering the civil war for 12 years. it began with an exodus of millions. at the time the greatest humanitarian catastrophe since world war ii. this berm marks the border between syria and jordan. the refugees that we ran into were coming across the top of the berm and turning themselves in to the safety of the jordanian border officers here. we reported on the relentless bombardment of civilians. and the rescue work of syrians known as the white helmets. they're civil defense volunteers who have given thousands a second chance at life.

we covered assad's 2013 nerve gas and chemical attacks that killed an estimated 1,400 civilians. by 2015 russia and iran had joined the war to prop up assad's forces. russian airstrikes saved assad. and we saw bombed hospitals in rebel territory. a war crime. everyone's afraid of being beside a hospital because they know the hospital is going to be a target in an airstrike. and with half a million syrians dead we met a generation of orphans. last year we reported on syrians left destitute by a massive earthquake in rebel territory. until this fall the rebels had been cornered in the north. assad had all but won the war. but this month his allies

abandoned him. vladimir putin had exhausted russian forces in ukraine. iran was fighting israel. so three weeks ago the rebels saw the chance and swept through the major cities to damascus. assad's army, hollowed out by corruption, simply ran away. the dictator fled to moscow. we found nearly all you need to know about assad's rule in examination room 2 at damascus hospital. these corpses are assad's prisoners from a notorious jail. dr. ayman nasser told us that he received 35 bodies. "there is one with severe signs of torture," he said. many of the bodies show signs of

malnutrition or lack of oxygen from overcrowding in the places where they were kept. the cause of death was most liely multiple organ failure caused by malnutrition. starved to death in a prison they were the last to die of untold thousands of political opponents who vanished into assad's jails over the decades. when word spread on facebook that 35 were here, the desperate came searching for the damned. who are you looking for? faiza hussein al ali's son was arrested. "there are so many like my son. from our village alone about 70 prisoners. we are drowning in sorrow. our hearts are burning. i am like every mother here.

crushed by pain every day. the regime killed two of my sons. one was killed by a sniper for no reason. the other died rescuing survivors from airstrikes when planes bombed them again. and he had a girl and a boy." who are you looking for? "my son." susan al tunji told us. like many, she received a death certificate from the prison years ago, but no body. no proof. >> how long has he been missing? "12 years. i pray i find him. even if he's dead, it's okay. just give me the body.

all i want is to find some rest." forensic pathologists compare photos and teeth. this doctor asks a relative, "do you have a picture of him smiling?" who is this? show me. this is your brother? what is his name? >> reporter: in 2012 her brother was arrested on his way to a store. "they gave us his i.d. card and told my mother never to ask about him again. they're a bunch of butchers." >> who is this? >> my brother. >> and how long has he been missing? >> 13 years now. >> 13 years. >> saydnaya. >> in the prison. you did not find him here. >> no. >> do you have hope that you will find him? "we do have hope," he said. "god willing." hope and apprehension are spilling into the streets of damascus. most of this city of about 2.5 million people is intact because this was the dictator's stronghold. no one under the age of 54 has ever known freedom, has ever been able to speak of politics

above a whisper. that's a tough memory to break. one man told us, "we got assad out of syria. now we have to get him out of us." >> and we'll have the rest of our report after this. you're watching "cbs news roundup." when a tough cough finds you on the go, a syrup would be... silly! woo! hey! try new robitussin soft chews. packed with the power of robitussin... in every bite. easy to take cough relief, anywhere. chew on relief, chew on a ♪ robitussin ♪ the holidays are a time for making lists. but the most special list of all is the list of children with critical illnesses who are waiting for you to grant their wishes. 5-year-old brantley knows what it's like to wait for hope. he has spent his holidays in the hospital listening to beeping monitors instead of jingle bells. any time he's in a room, he'll make you smile.

a lot of people can't tell from the outside that he has a heart condition. brantley's wish was to see snow for the very first time. so make-a-wish brought him and his family to their own winter wonderland. snowmans are my favorite. but for every wish we grant, three more children like brantley are waiting for someone just like you. call or go online right now. for $20 a month, just 67 cents a day, you can grant wishes for waiting kids. brantley went from imagining a snowman to building one. his wish snowballed into a life changing holiday experience. this is so cool. call or go online right now. the wishes you grant today can replace sadness with joy and be a turning point in a child's recovery. every 20 minutes, another child is diagnosed

with a critical illness. for as little as 67 cents a day, you can grant wishes and give waiting children hope and strength. and when you use your credit card to make your monthly gift of $20, we'll send you this free make-a-wish t-shirt to show you are transforming lives one wish at a time™. any time you can help a child out that has an illness, they deserve it. please add waiting wish kids to your holiday list. call or go online to grantwishes.org to grant wishes and give joy today.

amid the death and destruction in syria there is now hope for a brighter tomorrow. here's the rest of scott pelley's "60 minutes" report. >> reporter: there was joy in the crowd headed for friday prayers. 75% of syrians are from the largest branch of islam, the sunnis. and the rebel leaders are sunni fundamentalists. but no one knows yet how minority muslim sects and christians will be protected. the leader of the rebels is 42-year-old ahmed al sharaa. in 2013 the u.s. named him a terrorist and later put a $10 million bounty on his head. but so far al sharaa has kept order. there's little sign of destruction, looting or reprisals. and government workers are on the job. the people do not know yet how they will be governed.

peace seems to be in the hearts of many. but the shooting hasn't stopped entirely. israel last week grabbed the chance to bomb what's left of syria's military. the u.s. is hitting remnants of isis terrorists in central syria. as for russia, satellite pictures of its major naval base on syria's mediterranean coast now reveal that the ships are gone. back where we began, in the damascus suburb ein tarma, we saw the immensity of what lies ahead. it will take hundreds of billions of dollars to rebuild syria, and syria is destitute. mohammed zaidan and his wife are resigned to live here. besides, a new home is not what they want the most. they want their 39-year-old son.

in 2012 he was stopped at an assad regime checkpoint, and they never heard from him again. >> what does that mean for your lives now? that assad is gone. "this feels like a new birth, a new beginning. though my hair's turned gray and my time is passed, we feel thank god young again." "we hope by the hands of our young people, god willing, it will be better than it was before." a new syria is likely to be built by the kind of people who look out on despair and somehow see a future. experience tells syrians they have no reason to hope that free m will last.

there is an organization in california that gives at-risk youngsters some real-life experience this time of the year helping send the joys of christmas around the country. joy benedict has the story. ♪ jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rock ♪ >> reporter: like a flurry of elves spreading holiday cheer the dello robia wreaths were being crafted, sprayed, boxed and delivered. but the true gift of this event isn't in the decoration. it's in the purpose of the production. >> we love the work that boys republic does. so we bring a group of people down every year. >> reporter: volunteers start the show, followed by seasonal workers. and then the stars of the event, the at-risk youth learning warehousing skills as they ship the holiday staple all over the u.s. >> this is a program to actively work on yourself and become a better person. >> reporter: jason moore is a dreamt director at boys republic, a school and farm for at-risk teens in chino hills,

california. moore supervises the young people who ship the wreaths. because they were sentenced to be here we won't show you their faces. >> not everybody's going to go to college. school's not for everybody. but everybody can be good at something. >> reporter: which is where boys republic steps in, selling eucalyptus pine cones, fresh fruit and more. it's a tradition that started back in 1907. >> there's a little brochure in there that they learn about boys republic, they tell somebody else and then we get more donations. >> reporter: in all boys republic makes about 30,000 wreaths each and every year, and all of the money earned comes back to boys republic to help fund more than a dozen vocational programs. from farming, landscaping, welding and baking. >> really just, you know, having the opportunities to try a little bit of everything to figure out what works for you. >> reporter: moore should know. he was sentenced here when he was 16 for burglarizing a home. he got his g.e.d. while living here, went to college and came back. >> it was life changing. >> reporter: and he hopes the program does the same for every

young person here as they work to box up a little holiday cheer. and hopefully give themselves the gift of a better life. joy benedict, cbs news, chino hills, california. >> a really nice way to end this half hour. and that is today's "cbs news roundup." for some of you the news continues. for others tune in later for "cbs mornings" and follow us online anytime at cbsnews.com. reporting from the cbs broadcast center in new york city, i'm chris welch. ♪

♪ hello and thanks for staying up with us. i'm chris welch in new york, and here are the top stories on "cbs news roundup." another school shooting tragedy. police say a teenage student in madison, wisconsin opened fire, killing one teacher and a fellow student. president-elect donald trump throws his full support behind controversial cabinet pick robert f. kennedy jr. and we have an exclusive look at how american-backed troops in syria are keeping isis at bay. we are learning new details about yet another school shooting in america. this time in madison, wisconsin. just ten days before christmas. police say a teenage student opened fire in a study hall, killing a teacher and another student. the shooter was later found dead in the school. unusual in tragedies like this, madison police say the suspected shooter was a 15-year-old

female. this happened at abundant life christian, a private k through 12 school. two critically wounded students are now in stable condition, while four others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. cbs's ian lee is in madison with the very latest. >> reporter: ambulances and police rushed to a private christian school in madison, wisconsin just before 11:00 a.m. following reports of an active shooter. >> had a call come in at abundant life christian church. advising someone was shot. >> reporter: police say victims included a teenage student and a teacher who were killed. >> it's sad. you know, to be home and somebody call you and said your kid's school in lockdown and shooting and you didn't know where they are. >> reporter: police say the shooter was a 15-year-old girl who attended the school and that she appears to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot. cbs news has learned she was carrying a 9-millimeter pistol.

police are still working to determine a possible motive. >> today truly is a sad day for madison and for our country. it is a day that i believe will live in our collective minds for a very, very long time. >> reporter: the school's former principal shared his pain about the shooting. >> my heart grieves beyond words with them. >> reporter: this chart shows how school shootings have increased in the u.s. in recent years. >> our community is better than this. our country is better than this. we cannot continue. >> reporter: saturday marked 12 years since the shooting at sandy hook elementary school, where 20 first-graders were shot to death. ian lee, cbs news, madison, wisconsin. well, now to the trump transition. and the president-elect's wide-ranging news conference on monday covering everything from the economy to vaccines. cbs's caitlin huey-burns was at mar-a-lago. >> reporter: in his first press conference since winning the election last month president-elect donald trump

defended his choice of vaccine skeptic robert f. kennedy jr. to lead the department of health and human services. >> i think he's going to be much less radical than you would think. >> reporter: kennedy, a former democrat, would oversee the fda and the cdc. his attorney and adviser had petitioned the fda in 2022 to revoke the polio vaccine. in a statement republican senator mitch mcconnell, a polio survivor, issued a warning to kennedy, calling any effort to undermine confidence in the vaccine dangerous. >> do you want rfk jr. to revoke any vaccine? >> no, i want him to come back with a report as to what he thinks. you're not going to lose the polio vaccine. that's not going to happen. >> reporter: kennedy echoed trump as he arrived on capitol hill to meet with senators. as kennedy and other cabinet picks curry support on capitol hill this week trump suggested he could support primary challenges to republicans who

opposed his selections. >> if they're unreasonable, if they're opposing somebody for political reasons or stupid reasons, i would say it has nothing to do with me. i would say they probably would be primaried. >> reporter: at his mar-a-lago resort trump joined softbank ceo mass yashi sun to announce the japanese company will invest $100 billion in american projects. >> and he's doing this because he feels very optimistic about our country since the election. >> reporter: sun is the latest tech leader to visit trump in florida. the ceos of apple and google met with trump in recent days. and amazon ceo jeff bezos is slated to visit later this week. and on foreign policy trump said ukrainian president zelenskyy should be prepared to make a deal with russian president putin to end the war. though he wouldn't say whether ukraine should give up any of its territory. caitlin huey-burns, cbs news, west palm beach, florida.

a request by president-elect trump that his so-called hush money conviction be dismissed has been rejected by a new york judge. the decision on monday evening denied trump's request that charges be thrown out based on presidential immunity. however, there are additional dismissal requests from trump's lawyers still pending. a jury convicted trump in may of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 payment in 2016 to porn actress stormy daniels. the u.s. conducted air strikes against isis camps in syria monday, killing at least a dozen suspected terrorists. it's all part of an ongoing mission to prevent the terror group from reforming after the fall of the syrian government. cbs's holly williams got a firsthand look at those challenges while on patrol with american-backed forces in the syrian city of raqqa, the former isis stronghold. >> reporter: the city of raqqa used to be the so-called isis capital. now it's patrolled by american-backed forces who've

brought stability to this region, around a quarter of syria's territory. >> raqqa city is the safest city in syria. >> reporter: mahmoud abdullah al ashqa works for raqqa's security service. but he told us he lived here under isis rule as a teenager. he took us to the place where he says he was forced to watch public beheadings. >> it was very violent, you know. there was blood everywhere. >> reporter: american-backed forces are still raiding isis sleeper cells and hideouts. they fear the toppling of the syrian regime could give isis an opportunity to stage a comeback. at this high-security jail the american-backed forces are holding thousands of isis prisoners. in 2022 isis attacked the prison, sparking a jail break and a ten-day battle to regain control. >> we're from cbs news, american

television. >> reporter: this prisoner claims to be a doctor from windsor, canada, captured six years ago. >> we all make mistakes, right? >> reporter: to the canadian government do you have a message? >> why haven't they come? why haven't they asked about me? >> reporter: the prison's warden told us they're not telling the inmates that the syrian regime in damascus has collapsed. it would create disobedience, he told us. after the fall of the regime iis has been mobilizing. holly williams, cbs news, in eastern syria. straight ahead on "cbs news roundup," for communities battered by summertime hurricanes and floods relief is long overdue. congress is expected to vote this week on billions of dollars in disaster funding. but people suffering in these disaster zones are tired of waiting for act

hi, i'm peyton manning and i am partnering with the american red cross this year to tackle blood shortages. giving blood's important because every two seconds someone actually needs blood, and unfortunately, only like three percent of the u.s. population donates. so, we have to step up to give and to make sure there's plenty of blood available for those in need. visit redcrossblood.org to get in the game and make an appointment to give. ♪ (ominous music) (shark roars) - whoa. (driver gasps) (car screeches) (pedestrian and driver gasping)

- [announcer] eyes forward. don't drive distracted. ♪♪ it's going to be ok. ♪♪ ♪♪ —mom! when are you coming home? as soon as i can honey. they really need me here right now. we just wanted to call to say good night. they're relying on her. i love you so much. we're relying on you. ♪♪ please help. for decades, i've taught you everything i know... but only you can prevent wildfires.

this is "cbs news roundup." i'm chris welch in new york. months after hurricane helene and other deadly storms left trails of destruction across the south thousands of americans are still waiting for the federal government to come to their aid. well, congress is expected to vote this week on billions of dollars in disaster funding. but those who've lost everything want to know what's taken so long. scott macfarlane reports. >> look. it's taken the whole house. >> reporter: amy french watched her home wash away. >> you never think you'll watch your house just float down the road. >> reporter: historic floods from the mountains pulverized damascus, virginia near the tennessee state line after hurricane helene. >> i grabbed my granddaughter and her diaper bag was already on my back. >> and took off. >> and i ran. >> it was underwater. >> reporter: ralph wilson's diner was gutted and shuttered. >> the scary part is our -- the

people going to come back? >> reporter: for so many businesses and homeowners here the rebuilding is slow. but because of delays in washington it is slower than it's supposed to be. >> did it surprise you that they said we can't give you the money? >> i'd heard rumors that they were out of money, but i just didn't understand i guess the magnitude of it. >> reporter: cbs muse has learned wilson is one of tens of thousands of people who've applied for u.s. small business administration disaster loans after helene but who were told there was no money left. the agency warned the historic storms depleted their disaster loan fund in october and pleaded for more money urgently. but congress, gridlocked for two years on nearly every spending bill, returnd home for election day without acting. and still hasn't. >> this is the epitome of why people get so damn frustrated with the federal government. if you can't do this basic one on one help people in a moment of crisis. >> reporter: a bipartisan group of senators from storm-ravaged states say the inaction from their colleagues could force businesses to close. >> folks right now north

carolina, western north carolina, western virginia, they want to know that we're here doing our work and that help is on the way. >> reporter: for amy french washington's delay sends the worst message. worst message. >> do you worry (singing) i'll be home for christmas. you can plan on me. please have snow and mistletoe. and presents on the tree. right now all over the country kids at shriners hospitals for children™ are able to go home and be with their families for the holidays. and that's only possible because of the monthly donations from people like you.

thanks to a generous donor every dollar you give will go three times as far to help more kids. with your gift of just $19 a month, only $0.63 a day. we'll send you this adorable love to the rescue® blanket as a thank you. and a reminder of the care you'll be providing so kids can be with their families. (singing) christmas eve will find me. where the love light gleams. it only takes a moment to call the number on your screen. or you can visit loveshriners.org. your gift of $19 a month will have three times the impact in the lives of kids like me. because every child just wants to be home for the holidays, and your gift makes that possible. your call is the best gift of all. your gift will be my favorite christmas present this year.

please call the number on your screen or go to loveshriners.org to give whatever you can. and when you become a monthly donor your first gift will be tripled! thank you for giving! advil liqui-gels are faster and stronger than tylenol rapid release gels. ♪♪ also from advil, advil targeted relief, the only topical with 4 powerful pain fighting ingredients that start working on contact and lasts up to 8 hours. it'll come as no surprise to

learn the price of food continues to climb, especially if you enjoy holiday baking. last year the price of butter, for instance, was up 13% in november and december, and this year it's up even more. well, nancy chen visited a dairy farm near albany, new york to find out why. >> reporter: gingerbread houses, holiday pies, cookies for santa. they're the sweet treats of the season. but their prices are enough to make any baker a grinch. ♪ you're a mean one ♪ ♪ mr. grinch ♪ the price of baking essentials like flour, milk and sugar have all spiked in recent years. with eggs more than doubling in price and butter almost 30% more expensive today from five years ago. but those hikes are often not enough to offset the increased costs here. >> she was just born. >> yeah. she's less than 20 minutes old. >> reporter: where dairy farmers like nate chittenden in new york's hudson valley say the higher price of operating is

also squeezing more people out. because milk is priced by the government as a commodity, individual farms can't charge more to processors when their costs go up. >> between the increased cost of feed and the increased cost of labor, how difficult is it financially for you? >> it's a struggle every year. we are one big mistake away from being bankrupt. >> reporter: chittenden depends on being part of cabot cre creamery's co-op as a lifeline while taking care of nearly 1,000 cows. the third generation of his family to do so. this herd produces about 6,400 gallons of milk each day, with much of that churned into butter. and there's a big appetite for it. the average american consumes 6 1/2 pounds of butter last year alone. >> reporter: while demand continues to climb, the challenges for farmers nationwide do too. as they now also struggle with labor shortages, bird flu outbreaks and extreme weather. the most recent numbers show about 40% fewer dairy farms than just five years before. the most dramatic dip in 30

years. >> how concerned are you right now? >> it's hard to find an optimistic, sunny farmer. no matter how rough a day we have you get to the end of the day, you get home with your family and you say we're going to do better tomorrow. i don't need a pat on the back to do this job. you know. but i need people to understand what it takes to do this job. >> reporter: still chittenden says knowing the business for this family feeds into special traditions for other families keeps him going. >> when i go to the grocery store and i see products that i know started on my farm, there's pride there. not every dairy farmer can point to a product in the grocery store and know their milk is in it. that brand means everything to us. >> reporter: speaking of those special traditions, when it comes to saving money on your holiday dishes a little planning can go a long way. many baking ingredients like butter or even flour freeze well. so buy them when they go on sale and stock up for use year-round.

you can also consider substitutions like yogurt or even apple sauce instead of

patients who have sensitive teeth but also want whiter teeth, they have to make a choice- one versus the other. new sensodyne clinical white, it provides 2 shades whiter teeth as well as providing 24/7 sensitivity protection. patients are going to love to see sensodyne on the shelf. there is a little town in south dakota that comes alive this time of year with the sounds of christmas. here's david begnaud. >> reporter: nestled in nora, south dakota, population 2, sits

a defunct general store that comes alive once a year. at christmas. >> second verse! ♪ >> reporter: nearly 40 years ago mike pettersson, one of the two people who lives here, purchased this building and fulfilled a lifelong dream. to restore a pipe organ. >> now what am i going to do with it? i'm a bachelor. i don't have a wife and kids to come down and listen to dad serenade them. >> reporter: so mike put an ad in the local paper, inviting people to join him in singing christmas carols while he played the newly rebuilt organ. >> they looked at me like you goofy guy. who's going to do that? well, the rest is history.

>> reporter: from nearby towns across south dakota to neighbor's states like minnesota, nebraska and iowa -- >> welcome to nora. >> reporter: -- tens of thousands of people have joined mike to share the joy of holiday music. ♪ jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way ♪ >> reporter: mike and his pipe organ have performed every christmas here for the past 35 years. and thanks to dylan munson, whose parents first brought him and his brothers here to the nora store back in 2015, we can take you back in prime. you see, after those early years of coming to the nora store christmas with his family dylan went on to south dakota state university and majored in broadcast journalism. and guess what he covered as his college assignment. ♪ joy to the world ♪ >> you've probably never heard of the town of nora, south

dakota. but around christmas time something magical happens. since 1989 mike peterson has been hosting what has come to be known as nora christmas. and it all started with an organ. >> so i told my buddies later when they come back, i said hey, guys, let's hurry up and get this thing done. he this said whaz the hurry? we've got all winter. no, i said we don't. i want to put an ad in the paper and see if anyone would come to nora and sing christmas carols with me. well, they looked at me like i was absolutely goofy. last year we had around 3,500 people come through those doors to celebrate the reason for the season. >> this is christmas. the way i grew up. it's like coming home. >> musicians come from all around and visitors simply shout out a song from the book and away they go. >> 81. >> i have been humbled lately to realize how many people's lives have been touched by it.

and it's not me that touches their lives. i'm just the caretaker. but when the room fills up with people, you get a sense of unconditional love. don't you feel that, people, when you're here? the best way to describe nora christmas is the fact that it's kind of like meeting me, it's something you can't describe, it's just something you have to experience. so merry christmas. >> reporter: among those who keep coming back year after year is dylan's dad, rob, who first e-mailed our dear david team about this gem of a story in the heart of america. >> i've told people, i said when you come here it's like stepping into a norman rockwell picture. just everything, the small little town, the country store, the potbelly stove, just everything that's here is just a time that we don't have anymore. >> reporter: the nora store hasn't sold a single item since 1962. but mike's on a mission to preserve this historic building. with a few donations and his time. because there's no nora christmas without mike. ♪ frosty the snowman ♪ it's why he postponed his

much-needed hip replacement surgery until after christmas. he wanted to again serve that hot apple cider to the carolers, who delivered the sweetest of surprises. no, not the treats. ♪ rudolph the red n-nosed reindeer ♪ their presence in this town of two. >> and then i have what i call open keyboard. i let anybody come and play. and i get volunteers to come up. some of them exceptional. some you've just -- well, you kind of hope they give it up, you know. ♪ >> reporter: well, mike, here's hoping you never give it up. >> well, i said by god's grace as long as i'm living at nora i'll do this. ♪ >> that was

it is inevitable. chloe! hey dad. they will grow up. [cheering] silly face, ready? discover who they are. [playing music] what they want from this world.

and how they will make it better. and while parenting has changed, how much you care has not. that's why instagram is introducing teen accounts. automatic protections for who can contact them and the content they can see. ♪♪ it's tuesday, december 17th, 2024. this