it's monday, december 25th, 2017. merry christmas. this is the "cbs morning news." ♪ >> pope francis uses this christmas to remember those forced to flee their homes. it will be a white christmas for millions in the northeast. the snow comes at a cost, difficult travel conditions. president trump attends midnight mass after taking a shot at the fbi's director. good morning fm

news room at cbs news headquarters here in new york. good to be with you on this special morning. christmas, of course, is being celebrated around the world. at the vatican, pope francis led a solemn christmas mass at st. peter's basilica. he told thousands the birth of jesus in a manger changed us forever. he wants better treatment for migrants. we have the story. ♪ >> reporter: as the faithful gathers, the flight of the world's refugees. >> translator: so many footsteps are hidden in the footsteps of joseph and mary. we stee tracks of entire families forced to set out in our own day. >> reporter: the holy family went through a

be familiar for many in 2017. >> they had to leave their home and land. >> jesus was born in a manger because mary and joseph were turned away from everywhere else. >> translator: christmas is the time to turn the power of fear to reality. >> reporter: bethlehem, the historic place of jesus. >> i am here for the first time in the holy land. i hope to find something special. >> reporter: thousands converged on the square. turnout was somewhat smaller than in years past. it was scaled down by palestinian officials after president trump said the u.s. would recognize jerusalem as israel's capital. cbs news, new york. here at home, people are enjoying a white christmas this morning. snow and wind are causing

traveling. there are reports of hazardous travel conditions in new england and the great plains. heavy snow caused a traffic nightmare in colorado, bringing roads to a standstill. there were delays at airports, including bangor, maine. >> we had a friend coming from philly. their flight canceled earlier. >> for more weather, let's turn to meteorologist, rob ellis from our chicago station. >> heavy rain along the coast from new york up to boston. eventually, we will see snow wrapping around. this will add snow to the ground for those traveling on christmas day. 1-3, inland of new york. the totals go up for new england, up to a foot of snow or more for some locations. the snow bands have to deal with that. other locations picked up

as much as four inches of snow. who gets the white christmas? some of the locations you expect. we have snow on the ground in chicago. all the way to new england with that system for christmas day. a good portion of the northern rockies and locations that may not normally see a white christmas. seattle, the higher elevations. unfortunately, they have rainshowers that change to snow. that's going to make for snowy travel in here and the rockies. also when you head to the east, the snowy travel, not just if you are concerned about traveling by air, but also the roadways. once the snowy system moves out. bitterly cold air moves in for the year. >> meteorologist rob ellis in chicago. some breathed in the snow to get done with that holiday shopping. 6% of americans were looking for gifts on christmas eve. the number was higher in my

expected and could make for the best holiday season in years. president trump is celebrating christmas in florida. they attended midnight mass at a church in palm beach. they were married at the church in 2005. earlier, on christmas eve, the president praised members of the military, taking to twitter to chip reid is in florida with the president. >> i just wanted to wish everybody a very merry christmas. >> reporter: christmas greetings by teleconference to service members overseas. >> we are grateful for each of you spending this christmas away from your families. >> reporter: a different tone on twitter, lashing out at deputy fbi director, andrew mccabe. he had a supervisory role in the hillary clinton e-mail investigation and trump claims as

why? when his wife was running for senate, she received a donation from terry mcauliffe. he was using, allegedly, his fbi office e-mail to promote her campaign. mr. trump provided no evidence that mccabe actually did that. democrats say the president's attacks are an attempt to divert attention from special counsel, robert mueller's investigation into the russian contacts. cbs news learned mccabe decided to retire from the fbi by march. mark short was asked if it's helpful for the president to attack fbi officials. >> the president believes the american people have a right to know. >> reporter: we are told the president is still celebrating

he told a group of wealthy people at his exclusive mar-a-lago estate, you all just got a lot richer. chip reid, cbs news, west palm beach, florida. one of the key figures in the investigation is michael flynn. cbs justice correspondent gave his take on flynn and the investigation yesterday on "face the nation." >> the question is, i know the white house is interested in this. when will it all wrap up? it doesn't seem like there's an end in sight right now. you have mike flynn given this plea deal. >> reporter: he is a figure that straddles the campaign and white house. if he's cooperating you have a clearer look at what they are looking at, at least according to the people i know who have worked with mueller in the past. they know how he builds his cases. he tries to

witnesses, which he has now with flynn and papadopoulos. he also took a plea deal. wrap up these witnesses. don't tip your hand, according to the people who work with mueller to what the main charges are going to be at the end. that's the question, when will this end and what are investigators trying to get out of mike flynn? administration ban on some refugees. the american civil liberties urged the judge to ban it. they said to process certain refugee applications, but not those without a bonified relationship with someone in the u.s. north korea's ministers say the sanctio

economic blockade and say it's a pipe dream for the u.s. to think this country will give up its nuclear webs. friday, they approved new sanctions in response to north korea's latest launch of missiles. thousands of people in the philippines sent their christmas out of their homes. more than 150 are missing as rescuers search for survivors. the suicide bombing in afghanistan killed six people. the bomber approached an office in kabul and detonated a suicide vest. islamic state claimed responsibility. a strong smelling gift with a political message. how a delivery to the treasury secretary started an investigation. this is the "cbs morning news."

i'll text you in 4 hours when your cough returns. one pill lasts 12 hours, so... looks like i'm good all night. ah! david, please, listen. still not coughing. not fair you guys! waffles are my favorite! ah! why take 4-hour cough medicine? just one mucinex lasts 12 hours. start the relief. ditch the misery. let's end this. but when we brought our daughter home, that was it. now i have nicoderm cq. the nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release technology helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. it's the best thing that ever happened to me. every great why needs a great how.

for 100 years, heritage and innovation have made gillette the #1 shave in america. now get gillette quality at lower prices -- every day. brought to you by 1200 workers in boston -- we're proud of giving you our best. gillette. the best a man can get. when food is good and clean and real, it's ok to crave. and with panera catering, there's more to go around. panera. food as it should be. right. in. your. stomach! watch this!... >>yikes, that ice cream was messing with you, wasn't it? try lactaid, it's real ice cream, without that annoying lactose. lactaid. it's the milk that doesn't mess with you.

u.p.s. turns to its accounting staff to deliver last minute packages in a prank that sends the secretary a pungent gift. those are the headlines. "the new york times" reports authorities in los angeles are investigating after a box of horse manure was sent to treasury secretary steve mnuchin. it was covered in christmas wrapping and dropped off at a neighbor's house. a bach squad was called to open it. it was from, quote, the american people. big changes on the miss america organization. the ceo, sam haskell and two other top leaders are out, forced to resign. it comes after leaked e-mails were published showing them ridiculing past pageant winners based on intellect and sex lives. they report on more changes in the retail industry.

data shows tens of thousands of women lost jobs in that sector while men gained them. it's not clear what sparked the shift. points out 73% of cashiers are women and many of those jobs have been cut by automation. "the wall street journal" says u.p.s. called on reinforcement to get packages delivered. they asked hundreds of accountants and office workers to stop what they were doing and help make the deliveries. a surge in orders coupled with a tight market made the shift in roles necessary. international business times reports a pennsylvania woman got quite a shock after checking her electric bill. get it, shocked? they charged her more than $284 billion. the decimal point was in the wrong spot. the actual balance was $284. still a high bill.

helicopters that fly themselves. how the emerging technology could change the way future wars are fought. fibromyalgia may be invisible to others, but my pain is real. fibromyalgia is thought to be caused by overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i'm glad my doctor prescribed lyrica. for some, lyrica delivers effective relief for moderate to even severe fibromyalgia pain. and improves function. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions, suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worse depression, unusual changes in mood or behavior, swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or blurry vision. common side effects: dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who've had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can do more with my family.

pain from a headache whcan make this...ld, ...feel like this. all-in-one cold symptom relief from tylenol®, the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand. tylenol®. kohl's intimates stock-up with 25 to 40% off all bras. kohl's has the biggest assortment from the best brands. so now is the best time to stock up for the new year. at kohl's intimates stock-up sale, going on now. kohl's. here is a look at your christmas forecast in cities around the country. theec

sexual misconduct is having a wide ranging impact, including during the holidays. the girl scouts started a conversation about hugging, encouraging girls to set their own physical boundaries, even with family. >> reporter: girl scouts of usa have a new message, girls don't owe anyone a hug, not even during the holidays, when surrounded by family and friends. >> we want them to trust their gut. >> reporter: she says the conversation was driven by the increasing number of stories on sexual misconduct allegations by high-profile men. recently, girl scouts posted an article outlining the importance of setting physical boundaries saying, telling your child she owes someone a hug just because she hasn't seen this person in a while or because they gave her a gift can question whether she owes another person any type of

go, it's just a hug, not a big deal. it's not a one-to-one. people take things literally. girls have decision making power around how they demonstrate efection. >> when i came out with it -- >> reporter: she was 9 when her stepfather started molesting her. the abuse went on two years. she is the author of "my body is special." it's a story about a little girl who learns that no one should touch her private parts and learns what to do if anyone does. >> even if kindergarten or first grade, the fireman comes to the school and we learn to stop, drop and roll. that is universal language. my prayer is this becomes universal language for our children. they know to stop, run and scream, go to a safe place and tell any adult you

is a common place in the military. now the technology is spreading to helicopters. david martin got a look at a chopper that doesn't need a pilot on board or on ground. >> reporter: this helicopter has been around since vietnam. this one could be the start of a revolution. it's flying itself. that pilot in the cockpit is a safety observer, keeping his hands close to, but not on the controls. the person telling it what to do is a marine sergeant. >> when i unload the stuff i need, i get permission to leave and i leave. it's that simple. >> reporter: he is not flying the helicopter. he has no remote. a tablet to issue basic instructions, no prior experience required. >> 15 minutes training with the

it's easy. >> reporter: they are placing a large bet that autonomous aircraft can take the place of humans. this is the computer that turns it into a self-flying aircraft. took nine years to develop and can be installed on any helicopter. that pod on the nose is constantly scanning for o obstacles. it will deliver supplies to marines in the field, freeing up pilots for other missions. this will fly into the future when it starts training with marines in california this spring. david martin, cbs news, virginia. still ahead, stranded in the french alps. we'll show you the dramatic helicopter rescue of skiers trapped high above the ground. r ship in juice from overseas.

grows all of our oranges in florida. great taste. naturally. you're gaining something from meeting mr. adderley. it's a calling to not only everybody in this neighborhood in miami, but to the nation how great we are. and how great we can be. ♪ ♪ i'll stand by you. ♪ i'll stand by you. ♪ and i'll never desert you. ♪ i'll stand by you. feel the power of thenew power...smax. ...to fight back theraflu's powerful new formula to defeat 7 cold and flu symptoms... fast. so you can play on. theraflu expressmax. new power.

this holiday season get a deal that will save you money for the next two years guaranteed. get the 100% fiber optic network with the fastest internet available. plus up to 200 channels, plus phone, plus showtime for two years, plus multi-room dvr service for two years, plus a 2-year price guarantee. all for just $79.99 per month online, with a 2-year agreement. that's a lot of pluses, and over $800 in savings. get it all with fios and the 100% fiber-optic network. go to getfios.com.

here is another look at the christmas forecast in some cities around the country. authorities now confirmed in florida, a fifth person was killed in the crash of a twin engine plane. it happened in polk county. the cessna just took off in thick fog before crashing. everyone on board was killed. they are four members of the same family. happier ender in france. 150 people have been rescued after getting stuck on gondola's in the french alps. they were skiing when the lift broke. they used ropes to lower the stranded skiers to the ground. no one was hurt. the rescue operation took two hours. >

was celebrated off cocoa beach. that's where hundreds of surfing santas made waves for charity. there were 837 of them. this is the "cbs morning news." oh, look... another anti-wrinkle cream in no hurry to make anything happen. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair works in just one week. with the fastest retinol formula to visibly reduce wrinkles. neutrogena®. this holiday season... give the gift of effortlessly smooth feet... from amope. amope pedi perfect with diamond crystals. removes rough, hard skin effortlessly... for touchably smooth feet. salon quality results you can see... and feel immediately. new amope pedi perfect soft feet kit...

our list. exclusively at walmart. amope. love every step. and we'd like you to be part of ours.. so our chevy employee discount is now available to everyone.

not a cent more. we're so happy to share this with you. it's our way of saying happy holidays. and welcome to the family... the chevy family. use your employee discount for everyone and trade up to this silverado all star to get a total value of over eleven thousand dollars. find new roads at your local chevy dealer. while the snow looks pretty, it is creating difficult driving conditions. new england could get eight inches of snow from massachusetts, connecticut and rhode island. tis the season to eat too much and since overdoing it for the holidays, we asked for tips

stuffed. >> reporter: to talk about the tricks to avoid overeating, i sat down for a meal with a nutritionist. this time of year, most of us overeat. >> true. >> how can we overeat wisely? >> there are a few things we can do. we have three side plates here. i will start with the medium-sized plate for my meal. when i fill my plate up with a lot of food, i am going to feel that i have a nice, full-size plate. >> i'm starving. >> we are going to have some meat and a nice amount of stuffing here. >> that's good. >> we are going to do the same with the potatoes. >> all right. >> the first thing we are going to do is use a knife and fork and chew our food and eat slower. we are going to practice. chew. put down

the turkey is delicious. okay? >> it is delicious. i'm thinking about the next bite. >> i know. >> and the bite after that and the meal i had yesterday and tomorrow. >> this is going to help. >> reporter: as we concentrate and devour a lovely meal, the question becomes, how do we stop? >> i'm saying don't overdo it. when you feel satisfied, it's time to stop. let's have some wine, which is really good. when someone says they have a glass of wine, we don't know what size. >> it could be 4 ounces or 12 ounces. you have to be aware of the measurements. cheers. >> health and happiness and slower eating. >> salute. >> salute. coming up on "cbs this morning," find out how the first family is celebrating christmas in florida and how the president hasn't left washington

we are in studio 57 with a christmas message and the joseph have ever known. >> if someone is more traditional for a triangular tree, that's great. but it is really what the tree representatives. >> it is like people. it has the good years. bad years. but, you know, even when we thaw it wasn't going to make it. they were like, what are you going to do? can't get rid of the tree. this is our tree. >> while it looks more like a christmas bush with a little ltlc it thrives. >> i enjoy trimming it. go out there. spending time. oh you are doing good. >> a tree talker. >> tree talker now. >> he has repotted the tree four times and it survived a fire. the home's front door had to be doubled in size so the nearly 300 pound tree can still be rolled in. >> i mean there is no perfect life, no perfect tree. we like it that way. and the ornaments that we put on it. are not perfectly put in the perfect spot. but, they mean shi

jack: jack hanna's "into the wild" is brought to you by nationwide and the columbus zoo and aquarium. partners in conservation for over 30 years. hi, everyone, i'm jack hanna, coming to you from my home here at the columbus zoo. welcome to "into the wild." today we're going to the smoky mountains of tennessee to meet one dedicated conservationist and all the incredible creatures she cares for. lynne: this is the baby nursery. jack: this is unbelievable. look at them get out of that thing. look at them get out of this thing. come along as we see conservation in action, tennessee style. next, as we head "into the wild." hold on. let me--hold on. brent: you can set it down. jack: let me take a rest. brent: yeah. jack: gosh all mighty. today we're headed to eastern