it's friday, december 27, 2024. this is "cbs news mornings." >> oh, my god. look. that is it. >> severe storms. tornados break out across part of texas while another round of heavy rain drenches the west. the impact to the post-holiday

travel rush. zeroing in on a cause. why investigators believe a russian defense system may have taken down a passenger jet after russia blamed the crash on birds. and how did it happen again? a stow away sneaks onto a delta plane without a ticket, the second incident in a month. good morning, i'm michael george. well, we start with the weather. a wave of storms is moving across parts of the country spawning tornados, flooding roads, and snarling what's set to be a record holiday travel season. thousands of flights were delayed. nearly 800 canceled yesterday, according to the website flight aware. cbs' bradley blackburn joins us from new york's la guardia airport. bradley, the timing of these storms just couldn't be worse. >> reporter: yeah, michael, not great for an already stressed system. here at laguardia flights are already on time this morning, but across the country dozens of flights have already been

canceled. with a wintery mix of a little weather and loads of passengers, travel troubles are a holiday tradition. storms and wet weather put a damper on holiday travel for drivers and flyers in texas on thursday. >> it's been pretty stressful and trying to get home. >> reporter: more than 260 flights were canceled at dallas-fort worth international airport yesterday. another 500 plus flights delayed. the severe weather also spawned tornadoess including the one blamed for tearing through this wharton county farm. >> i couldn't believe it. i'd never seen a tornado, you know, and just hurricanes is all we get down here. >> reporter: in the pacific north west heavy snowfall caused temporary road closures and spin outs. >> one person can ruin it for a whole lot of people. >> reporter: in new york the port authority says more than 5 million travelers are expected to pass through area airports over the holiday season. and while the busiest travel days are already behind us, a big jump in airport traffic is expected now through the new

year. >> it's a little bit crowded but i'll get through it. >> reporter: several passengers at new york's la guardia airport told us they're prepared for the holiday rush. several others told us they're making the best of the holiday hiccups. >> delays make great adventures and you never know who you're going to meet. >> reporter: federal guidelines now require airlines to give travelers a refund for canceled flights. and the national weather service says more storms are expected to move across the country through the weekend, dumping even more rain and in some places snow. so, michael, the message for passengers who are still trying to get home, buckle up. >> all right, good luck to all those travelers. bradley blackburn, thanks. well, more airport security concerns after another stow away snuck onto a delta airlines plane without a ticket. this time it happened on a christmas eve flight from seattle to honolulu. the tsa says the person did go through the standard screening but somehow managed to

bypass the identity verification and boarding status stations. the suspect was discovered while the plane was taxiing onto the runway. the plane returned to the gate and the person was arrested. you'll remember last month a woman was arrested after sneaking onto a new york to paris delta flight without a boarding pass. we're learning new information about what may have caused a passenger plane to fall from the sky and burst into flames in kazakhstan killing 38 people onboard. a u.s. official tells cbs news there are preliminary indications that a russian anti-aircraft system may have hit the plane. and this isn't the first time something like this has happened. cbs' chris livesay has the latest on the investigation. >> reporter: new footage shows holes in an azerbaijan fuselage suggesting shrapnel and not a flock of birds brought down the passenger jet. >> the most likely hypothesis we see is that it was struck by an air defense missile almost certainly russian in the area over grozny.

>> reporter: the azerbaijan airlines flight left for grozny, russia. due to dense fog the passenger jet was diverted into the caspian sea before crashing some 250 miles east. along the way its gps was reportedly jammed, leading to significant deviations. some survivors say they heard an explosion. cellphone footage shows oxygen masks down and visible damage. it's an area known for clashes in russia's war on ukraine, as recently as the same morning as the crash -- >> ukrainian drones were active at the time and this is commensurate with everything we see in the pilot's communication with air traffic control, and currently it's the only thing that fully fits the fact we know. >> reporter: haunting clues that recall the malaysian airlines flight 17 when russian forces shot down that passenger jet over eastern ukraine in 2014, killing all 298 people onboard.

the kremlin is warning not to jump to conclusions. russia, azerbaijan and kazakhstan have all opened investigations into what caused the crash about 2 miles shy of the runway. this survivor looking for answers. the plane crashed, my wife was sitting next to me, he said. i haven't seen my wife since. now investigators have already recovered both black boxes from the crash site. experts are on their way from brazil, the country where this jet was made, to help examine that crash data. chris livesay, cbs news, italy. the iran-backed houthi rebels show no signs of letting up its attacks on israel despite israel's latest retaliation. those are air-raid sirens sounding for the fifth night of the last eight across central israel including in tel aviv. the idf says the missile was intercepted.

now, that comes hours after israel carried out air strikes on multiple houthi targets across yemen including ports, power stations, and the sunau international airport. the head of the world health organization says he was about to board a plane when the airport came under attack. by the way, he's in yemen to negotiate the release of u.n. staffers who are being held hostage by the houthis. israel says it was unaware he was at the airport at the time. well, back home there's some troubling news about bird flu. the cdc says samples from the first person in the u.s. to become severely ill from infected poultry in louisiana shows the virus mutated in a way that may help it bind to cells in the upper airways of humans. a similar case was seen in a teenager in canada who became critically ill after contracting bird flu. now, the cdc says the risk to the public remains low. coming up, deportation details. how the incoming trump administration plans to carry out the largest deportation operation in u.s. history.

and grounded. why it's lights out on a massive new year's eve drone show planned in new york city. i'll be home for christmas. you can count on me. please have snow and mistletoe and presents under 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 it's only possible because of the monthly support of people just 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. 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 right now on your phone or computer. 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 online right now with your monthly gift.

and when you become a monthly donor, your first gift will be tripled. thank you for giving. well, a new year's eve drone show planned for runners participating in the central night run in new york city has been canceled. organizers say the fleet of 500 drones was grounded after drones fell from the sky during a holiday show in orlando last weekend. a 7-year-old boy was hit by one and needed heart surgery, according to his parents. president-elect donald trump has promised repeatedly to begin the largest deportation operation in american history on his first day returning to office. and now his incoming border czar is detailing how that will play out including what may happen to some children of undocumented immigrants, kids who are american citizens. cbs' lilia luciano reports. >> reporter: in the new jersey city of engelwood mayor michael

j. wildes who's also an attorney says members of his community are on edge. >> people are very concerned, even people who already achieved the golden grail, a green card or citizenship, are worried that there's somebody in their home. >> reporter: somebody who's undocumented and subject to a mass deportation campaign. tom holman, president-elect trump's so-called border czar told "the washington post" the administration will build tent structures capable of holding thousands of migrants at any given time. >> we need at least 100,000 beds, but i'm not going to put a limit on the minimum of 100,000 beds because we've got a big population to look for. >> reporter: it would detain families and give undocumented parents the choice of leaving children born in the united states behind or being deported with them. >> we're dealing here with american citizens who can't speak for themselves. >> reporter: is it constitutional? >> i don't think so. the administration is going to say we're not going to separate moms and dads.

mom and dad, it's their privilege if they want to leave with their child. it's a cute way of saying we don't care. >> reporter: there would be workplace raids, which will upset employers, holman says. and the mass deportation plan would cost roughly ten times i.c.e.'s annual budget. >> $86 billion is a start. we need at least that to do this operation. we got to buy beds, flights, and ground transportation and medical care. >> reporter: holman who oversaw the policy that resulted in the separation of some 4,000 children from their parents during the first trump administration said that the deportations, this mass deportation campaign is set to begin on day one of the new trump administration. lilia luciano, cbs news, new york. still ahead, retailers rejoice. the holiday shopping numbers are in, so how did things stack up even with higher prices? gher pr? .

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here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. overnight nasa announcing its parker solar probe was safe and operating normally after completing the closest approach ever to the sun by a human-made object. the spacecraft flew thu the into the sun's outer atmosphere called the corona passing about 3.8 million miles from the surface on tuesday. researchers in maryland received a signal from the probe just before midnight after days of no contact. well, you might as well call mega millions megabillions. and the holiday shopping season ending on a high note. here's wendy gillette with today's "moneywatch." it was a mixed day on wall street after the holiday break. the dow gained 28 points, the nasdaq slipped 10, and the s&p 500 lost 2.

retailers had their christmas wish granted with a boost of holiday sales compared to last year. sales from november through christmas eve rose 3.8%, according to master card's spending pulse, which tracks payments. the increase came despite higher prices for items like groceries and five fewer days between thanksgiving and christmas compared to 2023. mortgage rates ended the year on the rise. certainly not what borrowers want. freddie mack data showed the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage increased to 6.85% despite several interest rate cuts this year from the fed. rates peaked in may at 7.22%. and you could win a whopper of a prize tonight if you hit the mega millions jackpot. it's worth an estimated $1.15 billion, one of the top five largest jackpots in the game's history. odds of winning are 1 in 302 million.

that's your cbs moneywatch report this friday morning. i'm wendy gillette, cbs news, new york. coming up next the year in review. a look back at the biggest entertainment stories making headlines in 2024. entertainment headlines in 2024. (♪♪) (♪♪) start your day with nature made. and try new zero sugar gummies. i have relapsing ms, but i still want to spend my time, my way. i chose kesimpta because it works for me and my schedule. kesimpta is a b-cell treatment that gives you the power of proven results:... ...reduced relapses... ...and slowed disability progression. when it's ready, you can take it at home in one minute, once a month. don't take if you've had an allergic or life-threatening reaction to kesimpta or have hepatitis b. your doctor should test for hepatitis b before treatment. if you've had it, it could come back. serious side effects, including fatal infections can happen, especially if taken before or after other medicines that weaken the immune system.

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[music fades out] here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country.

♪ ♪ "wicked" is coming to a small screen near you. wasn't it just in theaters? well, universal pictures announced it'll release the blockbuster movie on various digital platforms on new year's eve. the streaming version of the movie will also include some exclusive content including deleted and extended scenes, a singalong version, and a 40-minute tour through oz. "wicked" has taken in nearly $580 million worldwide since its release just last month. and "wicked" is one of the stories that got a lot of buzz in the entertainment world in 2024 along with taylor swift and bombshell allegations against one of rap's biggest stars. cbs' danya bacchus takes a look back. >> reporter: shock waves reverberated through the entertainment industry when sean "diddy" combs was indicted and

arrested on racketeering, sex trafficking by force, and prostitution. more than 100 people have stepped forward accusing the rapper of inappropriate sexual conduct, and many also filed civil suits. comb has pleaded not guilty. his trial is set for may. this has been the most extraordinary experience of my entire life. >> taylor swift's five continent heiress tour wrapped up in vancouver after 149 performances. the singer canceled her vienna shows in august because of threats of terrorism. several people were arrested. swift became the most streamed artist in a single day after her double album "tortured poets department" broke the record for the most streamed album in a single day. beyonce went country. the grammy award winner released her "cowboy carter" album in march. the golden globes kicked off in january. oppenheimer was named best drama film. at the oscars omen hiemer walked

away with seven awards including best movie, director, actor, supporting actor, score, and technical awards. >> we wanted to make such a good first impression. >> 2024 was a another big year for movies. the animated film "inside out 2" was the highest grossing movie surpassing $1.6 billion at the worldwide box office. >> hi, peanut. >> reporter: while deadpool and wolverine followed with $1.34 billion. tv fans retreated to the emmy awards twice in 2024 after the broadcast was delayed because of the hollywood strikes. shogun, hacks, and the bear were big winners. miley cyrus' "flowers" claimed record of the year at the grammy awards. and billie eilish won a grammy for song of the year. victoria monet was named best new artist. stereophonic won best play. while "the outsiders" snagged

the award for best musical at the 77th tony awards. the death of liam payne stunned music fans around the world. the former one direction singer fell from a third floor balcony in argentina. the top rated cbs daytime drama "the young and the restless" aired its 13,000th episode in november. those are some of the year's top entertainment stories. danya bacchus, cbs news. coming up on cbs mornings, from underdogs to some of the best sled dogs in the world. the inspiring story of their rise to the top, and the family whose love led the way. f their rise to the top, and the family whose love led the way. but only lysol air sanitizer helps erase the trace, eliminating odor and killing 99.9% of viruses and bacteria in the air. scent can't sanitize. lysol can. emergen-c crystals pop and fizz when you throw them back. and who doesn't love a good throwback? ♪♪

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catherine depalma: in my lifetime, i did not come to know the lord until i was 43 years old, so i had an entire childhood and adulthood apart from the lord, knowing of god, but not knowing christ, not having a relationship with jesus. there's a lesson that i learned from dr. charles stanley. we think something's too small to bother asking god about, but every little detail of your life you should be checking with him on. so, don't only pray in the dark times, but pray when things are going good.

pray to think him, pray to worship him.

[office noises] ♪ i like it like that ♪ ♪♪ ♪ que rico, i like it like that ♪ ♪♪ ♪ i like it like that ♪ ♪ i've got soul, i want more ♪ ♪ i like it like that ♪ ♪ you gotta believe me when i tell you ♪ ♪♪

♪ que rico, i like it like that ♪

good morning on this final friday of 2024. welcome to "cbs mornings." i'm dana jacobson. >> i'm michelle miller. >> and i'm michael george. >> gayle, tony, and nate are off today, but we've got you covered. here's today's eye opener. your world in 90