12/24: CBS Evening News

" I AM ALL ALONE-- POOR ME-- IN THE WHITE HOUSE WAITING FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO COME BACK AND MAKE A DEAL ON DESPERATELY NEEDED BORDER SECURITY ." BUT THERE'S NO EVIDENCE THE TWO SIDES ARE EVEN CLOSE TO A DEAL ON ENDING THE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THE PRESIDENT WANTS $ 5 BILLION FROM CONGRESS TO HELP BUILD A WALL-- OR AT LEAST A STEEL SLAT FENCE-- ON THE MEXICAN BORDER. DEMOCRATS OFFERED $ 1. 3 BILLION FOR BORDER SECURITY, BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE IT WOULD BE USED FOR A WALL. REPUBLICANS REJECTED THE OFFER. DEMOCRATS ARE DIGGING IN THEIR HEELS, TOO .>> YOU MUST ABANDON THE WALL .>> Reporter: IN A STATEMENT TODAY, SENATOR LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER AND HOUSE LEADER NANCY PELOSI ACCUSED THE PRESIDENT OF " CONTINUING THE TRUMP SHUTDOWN JUST TO PLEASE RIGHT- WING RADIO AND TV HOSTS ." IN THE MEANTIME, 380, 000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN TOLD TO STAY HOME WITHOUT PAY, LEAVING MANY FEDERAL FACILITIES CLOSED, INCLUDING SOME NATIONAL PARKS, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, AND THE NASA GIFT SHOP IN WASHINGTON. 420, 000 OTHER WORKERS, INCLUDING T. S. A. AGENTS, THE BORDER PATROL, AND SOME CONGRESSIONAL EMPLOYEES ARE DEEMED ESSENTIAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK, BUT AT LEAST FOR NOW, WITHOUT GETTING PAID .>> Quijano: SO CHIP, WILL THOSE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT GETTING PAID NOW EVENTUALLY GET THEIR MONEY ?>> Reporter: YES, THEY PROBABLY WILL. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST AFTER GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS IS THAT CONGRESS HAS AUTHORIZED THOSE PEOPLE TO BE PAID RETROACTIVELY, AND THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS CASE, TOO. ELAINE ?>> Quijano: CHIP REID, THANK YOU. THE PRESIDENT SAYS DEFENSE SECRETARY JAMES MATTIS WILL LEAVE OFFICE JANUARY 1, TWO MONTHS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED. MATTIS RESIGNED AFTER MR. TRUMP ANNOUNCED HE WAS WITHDRAWING ALL U. S. TROOPS FROM SYRIA. MATTIS' DEPUTY, PATRICK SHANAHAN, WILL BECOME ACTING SECRETARY. SHANAHAN IS A FORMER EXECUTIVE WITH BOEING. LATER THIS WEEK, U. S. MILITARY OFFICIALS WILL VISIT TURKEY TO DISCUSS DETAILS OF THE AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL FROM SYRIA, AND TURKEY'S PLANS TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE THERE. ACTOR KEVIN SPACEY FACES A FELONY CHARGE OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A TEENAGER IN MASSACHUSETTS; A DISTRICT ATTORNEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY. AND SOON AFTER, SPACEY BROKE HIS SILENCE, POSTING A BIZARRE VIDEO TO SOCIAL MEDIA. ANNA WERNER IS FOLLOWING THIS .>> Reporter: KEVIN SPACEY WILL BE ARRAIGNED ON THE SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES NEXT MONTH. PROSECUTORS SAY THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN A NANTUCKET, MASSACHUSETTS BAR IN JULY OF 2016. FORMER BOSTON TV NEWS ANCHOR, HEATHER UNRUH, SAID IN A NEWS CONFERENCE EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THE MAN SPACEY ASSAULTED WAS HER THEN 18- YEAR- OLD SON .>> KEVIN SPACEY BOUGHT HIM DRINK AFTER DRINK AFTER DRINK, AND WHEN MY SON WAS DRUNK, SPACEY MADE HIS MOVE. SPACEY STUCK HIS HANDS INSIDE MY SON'S PANTS AND GRABBED HIS GENITALS .>> Reporter: MEANWHILE, THE ACTOR POSTED THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE TODAY .>> I KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. YOU WANT ME BACK .>> Reporter: SEEMINGLY IN CHARACTER AS FRANK UNDERWOOD, FROM HIS FORMER SERIES, " HOUSE OF CARDS .">> AND YOU TRUSTED ME, EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW YOU SHOULDN'T .>> Reporter: SPACEY WAS RELEASED FROM THE SHOW BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS. LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROSECUTORS ARE REVIEWING A CASE. ACTOR ANTHONY RAPP WAS THE FIRST TO COME FORWARD LAST SUMMER, ALLEGING A THEN- 26 YEAR OLD SPACEY ASSAULTED HIM WHEN HE WAS JUST 14. SPACEY EARLIER SAID ON TWITTER HE DID NOT REMEMBER THE INCIDENT, BUT APOLOGIZED TO RAPP .>> THEY HAD ME DECLARE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID WAS TRUE .>> Reporter: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE ACADEMY AWARD- WINNER HAS POSTED PUBLICLY IN MORE THAN A YEAR. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER SPACEY KNEW ABOUT TODAY'S CHARGE IN MASSACHUSETTS WHEN HE POSTED THE VIDEO SAYING, IN PART :>> BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE THE WORST WITHOUT EVIDENCE, WOULD YOU? YOU WOULDN'T RUSH TO JUDGMENTS WITHOUT FACTS, WOULD YOU ?>> Reporter: SPACEY'S REPRESENTATIVES DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR COMMENT TODAY. THE L. A. COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S SPOKESPERSON CONFIRMED TODAY THAT A FIRST CASE FROM 1992 WAS DROPPED BECAUSE OF THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS, BUT IT'S A SECOND CASE THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW. ELAINE .>> Quijano: ALL RIGHT, ANNA, THANK YOU. OVERSEAS, THE SEARCH FOR VICTIMS CONTINUES IN INDONESIA. A TSUNAMI SATURDAY NIGHT KILLED AT LEAST 373 PEOPLE. 128 OTHERS ARE MISSING. MORE THAN 1400 WERE HURT. BARRY PETERSEN REPORTS MEMBERS OF A POPULAR BAND WERE AMONG THE VICTIMS .>> Reporter: THE BAND, SEVENTEEN, HAD BEEN TOGETHER ALMOST 20 YEARS. THEN, THE OCEAN ROARED IN AND DEATH CAME WITHOUT WARNING .(\ SCREAMING \) LEAD SINGER, IFAN, SAID HE WAS SUCKED OUT TO SEA, FOUND A FLOATING BOX, AND GOT BACK TO SHORE. BUT THE REST OF HIS BAND AND MEMBERS OF THE CREW ALL KILLED. ACROSS THIS REGION, THERE WERE MANY TEARS FOR THE DEAD AND FRANTIC SEARCHES FOR SURVIVORS. LIKE FIVE- YEAR- OLD ALI, WHO HAD BEEN TRAPPED IN A CAR. INDONESIAN OFFICIALS BLAME THIS VOLCANO, NEAR THE INFAMOUS KRAKATOA, THAT HAS BEEN ERUPTING FOR MONTHS. A LANDSLIDE MAY HAVE TRIGGERED THE TSUNAMI, BUT ALERT SYSTEMS ONLY WORK AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE. AND, WORSE, THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN DOWN SINCE 2012, BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS AND VANDALISM. THOSE WHO FOUND SAFETY, MANY OF THEM POOR, ARE NOW HOMELESS. AND OTHERS COULD STILL BE ALIVE, SAYS RED CROSS WORKER, KATHY MUELLER .>> IT IS THE RAINY SEASON HERE, SO THERE IS ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT IF SOMEONE IS TRAPPED THAT THE RAIN IS TRICKLING THROUGH AND THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE RAINDROPS OF WATER THAT ARE COMING THROUGH .>> Reporter: THE VOLCANO IS STILL ERUPTING, WHICH MEANS THE AREA NOW CROWDED WITH RESCUE TEAMS COULD BE HIT AGAIN. ELAINE .>> Quijano: ALL RIGHT, BARRY PETERSON, THANK YOU. A FEDERAL JUDGE IN WASHINGTON TODAY ORDERED NORTH KOREA TO PAY THE PARENTS OF OTTO WARMBIER MORE THAN $ 500 MILLION FOR WRONGFUL DEATH. WARMBIER, AN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT, WAS ARRESTED FOR STEALING A PROPAGANDA POSTER IN NORTH KOREA. HE WAS RETURNED TO THE U. S. LAST YEAR IN A COMA, AND DIED SOON AFTER. THERE IS NO PROCESS TO FORCE NORTH KOREA TO PAY. AT THE VATICAN, POPE FRANCIS CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS EVE MASS AT SAINT PETER'S BASILICA. THE POPE URGED CHRISTIANS TO SHUN MATERIALISM AND FOCUS ON THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT OF SIMPLICITY, CHARITY, AND LOVE. PILGRIMS ARE GATHERING IN BETHLEHEM, THE WEST BANK CITY, WHERE CHRISTIANS BELIEVE JESUS WAS BORN. 10, 000 ARE EXPECTED THERE FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS IN YEARS. TIME IS JUST ABOUT UP FOR ANYONE WITH CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TO DO. AND MARK PHILLIPS FOUND A NEW TREND. SOME FOLKS ARE BUYING GIFTS, NOT JUST FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT FOR COMPLETE STRANGERS .>> Reporter: IT'S THAT LAST- MINUTE- GIFT- SHOPPING TIME OF YEAR, WHERE THE CHOICE IS OFTEN BETWEEN THINGS PEOPLE DON'T WANT AND THINGS PEOPLE DON'T NEED. BUT ON THE FRENZIED SHOPPING STREETS OF LONDON AND NEW YORK, THERE IS A CHOICE OF GIFTS SOME PEOPLE NEED VERY MUCH. HOW ABOUT THE LATEST IN LIFE JACKETS? OR SLEEPING BAGS? OR TENTS? OR MEDICAL SUPPLIES? GIFTS NOT FOR THE WELL- FED AND WELL- HOUSED, BUT BOUGHT BY THEM FOR THOSE STUCK IN REFUGEE CAMPS AROUND THE WORLD. THE SIGN EXPLAINS THE CHOICE .>> IT'S REALLY TANGIBLE TO JUST COME IN, HOLD THE ITEMS, AND THINK ABOUT A PERSON SOMEWHERE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THAT THING .>> Reporter: IT'S THE IDEA OF MUSIC INDUSTRY EXECUTIVE TURNED CHARITY SHOP OPERATOR, JOSIE NAUGHTON. AND FOR SHOPPERS LIKE JULIE SMITH AND HER DAUGHTER HANNAH, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GIVING, IT'S ABOUT FEELING .>> IT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE ACTUALLY WHEN I SAW THAT LITTLE BABY GOWN AND JACKET, YOU CAN ACTUALLY-- YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE PART OF IT .>> Reporter: THEY DIVIDED THE GIFTS UP INTO EVOCATIVE PACKAGES. FOR THOSE WHO SURVIVED THOSE DANGEROUS VOYAGES IN SMALL BOATS, THE

$ 30. FOR THOSE WHO MAKE IT TO THE CAMPS, THE SHELTER

80 BUCKS. FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE, THE

$ 54. THE CHARITY DELIVERS THE GIFTS TO WHERE THE REFUGEES ARE IN 11 COUNTRIES. AND THE LONDON AND NEW YORK STORES HAVE RAISED WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS SO FAR. IS THIS THE ULTIMATE FEEL GOOD PRESENT ?>> I THINK IT MIGHT JUST BE THE ULTIMATE FEEL GOOD PRESENT. YEAH! AND THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING IN, THERE ARE FAMILIES BURSTING INTO TEARS, THERE ARE CHILDREN COMING IN SPENDING THEIR POCKET MONEY OR GIVING UP ONE OF THEIR PRESENTS TO BUY ONE FOR ANOTHER CHILD, AND, YEAH, IT'S JUST A REALLY EMOTIONAL, LOVELY PLACE .>> Reporter: SPREADING THE HOLIDAY CHEER TO PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE HOLIDAYS ARE NO HOLIDAY. MARK PHILLIPS, CBS NEWS, LONDON .>> Quijano: THE JOY OF GIVING. COMING UP NEXT ON THE " CBS EVENING NEWS ," A YOUNG WRESTLER WAS FORCED TO MAKE A DIFFICULT DECISION ABOUT HIS HAIR. WERE HIS CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATED? LATER, HOW BAD WEATHER HELPED GET TWO FISHERMEN RESCUED .>> Quijano: A NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL REFEREE IS NOW THE FOCUS OF A CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION, AFTER ORDERING A MULTI- RACIAL WRESTLER TO CUT HIS DREADLOCKS OR FORFEIT HIS MATCH. HERE'S DeMARCO MORGAN .>> Rerporter: THE ENTIRE GYM LOOKED ON LAST WEDNESDAY AS ANDREW JOHNSON'S DREADS WERE CUT BY THE HANDFUL. REFEREE, ALAN MALONEY, GAVE HIM THE ULTIMATUM: CUT THE LOCKS OR FORFEIT THE MATCH. TODAY, A LAWYER FOR JOHNSON's PARENTS ISSUED A STATEMENT, SAYING, " THE BLAME HERE RESTS PRIMARILY WITH THE REFEREE AND THOSE THAT PERMITTED HIM TO CONTINUE IN THAT ROLE DESPITE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WHAT SHOULD BE A DISQUALIFYING RACE- RELATED TRANSGRESSION ." THE WRESTLING RULES STATE IF AN ATHLETE'S HAIR IS LONGER THAN THE EARLOBE, IT MUST BE CONTAINED. BUT JOHNSON HAD COMPETED BEFORE WITH HIS DREADLOCKS IN A HEAD COVERING AND PASSED THE PRE- MATCHUP APPEARANCE INSPECTION .>> I'VE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD TO CUT THEIR HAIR ON THE MAT .>>\ THIS WAS INCREDIBLE !>> Reporter: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST AND FOUR TIME- TIME WORLD WRESTLING CHAMPION, JORDAN BURROUGHS, THINKS THE REFEREE SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED .>> THERE'S NO WAY THAT SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE THIS MUCH CONTROL OVER AN INDIVIDUAL'S IDENTITY WITHIN A SPORT .>> Reporter: BUT JOHNSON DIDN'T LET THE INCIDENT DISTRACT HIM, HE WON THE MATCH .>> IT WAS PRETTY COURAGEOUS TO SEE HIM DO WHAT HE DID. I THINK IT WAS TRULY A SELFLESS ACT IN THAT MOMENT, BECAUSE IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT FOR HIM TO WIN THE DUEL FOR HIS TEAM THAN IT WAS FOR HIM TO KEEP HIS HAIR .>> Reporter: THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF CIVIL RIGHTS IS INVESTIGATING THIS INCIDENT. AND THE REF, ALAN MALONEY, HAS BEEN PULLED FROM WORKING ANY MORE MATCHES. WE REACHED OUT TO MALONEY FOR COMMENT, BUT HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. ELAINE .>> Quijano: ALL RIGHT, DEMARCO, A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN THIS STORY, THANK YOU. STILL AHEAD, SPECTACULAR ERUPTIONS FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ACTIVE VOLCANOES .>> Quijano: EUROPE'S MOST ACTIVE VOLCANO IS ERUPTING AGAIN. A MASSIVE PLUME OF STEAM AND ASH SHOT UP FROM MOUNT ETNA IN SICILY THIS MORNING. AT LEAST 130 TREMORS WERE FELT TODAY. THE STRONGEST WAS MAGNITUDE- 4. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN REPORTED. AND NO EVACUATIONS ORDERED. SOME ARE CALLING IT A " CHRISTMAS MIRACLE" IN THE CARIBBEAN. TWO FISHERMEN FROM COSTA RICA WERE STRANDED AT SEA FOR THREE WEEKS UNTIL A CRUISE SHIP RESCUED THEM FRIDAY NIGHT BETWEEN GRAND CAYMAN ISLAND AND JAMAICA. THE SHIP WASN'T SCHEDULED TO BE IN THE AREA. BAD WEATHER FORCED IT TO TAKE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE AND, IN TURN, MAKE THE RESCUE. WELL, DESPITE THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, NORAD'S SANTA TRACKER IS IN FULL SWING TONIGHT WITH 1500 VOLUNTEERS. THIS IS THE 63rd CHRISTMAS THE COMMAND IS TRACKING SANTA'S JOURNEY. THE TRADITION BEGAN WHEN A BOY TRYING TO REACH SANTA MISTAKENLY CALLED A COLORADO COMMAND ASSIGNED TO MONITOR FOR A NUCLEAR ATTACK. WELL, SANTA'S NOT THE ONLY ONE MAKING DELIVERIES. NEXT, BRINGING CHRISTMAS CHEER TO TROOPS ALL OVER THE WORLD .>> Quijano: HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF U. S. MILITARY PERSONNEL ARE SERVING IN EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD THIS CHRISTMAS. THOUGH THEY CAN'T BE HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, A BIT OF HOME HAS COME TO THEM. ONCE AGAIN, HERE'S BARRY PETERSEN .>> THERE'S RUDOLPH RIGHT HERE .>> Reporter: THIS IS

WITH ABBY AND HER FAMILY DECORATING THEIR CHRISTMAS TREE. BUT

AT CHRISTMAS TREE FARMS LIKE THIS ONE IN PENNSYLVANIA. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, A $ 25 DONATION TO A PROGRAM CALLED " TREES FOR TROOPS" CAN BUY A TREE FOR A MILITARY FAMILY. THIS SEASON, NEARLY 17, 000 TREES WERE DELIVERED TO 71 MILITARY BASES. FROM GUAM TO GEORGIA, WHERE EXCITED FAMILIES AT FORT BENNING LINED UP TO SEE THEIR FREE TREES ARRIVE. EACH HAS A MESSAGE, MANY WRITTEN BY DONORS, ONE SAID, " THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY ." SERGEANT TYLER POWER IS JUST BACK FROM AFGHANISTAN, WHERE SOME COMRADES WERE KILLED .>> THIS WAR HAS GONE ON FOR A LONG TIME, SO, I THINK OVER TIME PEOPLE KIND OF GET NUMB TO IT, BUT ...>> Reporter: THESE PEOPLE REMEMBERED .>> YEAH .>> Reporter: RETIRED ARMY SERGEANT MARVIN HILL NOW WORKS AT FEDEX OVERSEEING THE DELIVERIES, INSPIRED BY THE TREE HE ONCE GOT WHILE SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN .>> IT'S THE THING THAT KEEPS YOU GOING. IT'S A TASTE OF HOME .>> THAT ONE ?>> NO .>> Reporter: SEVEN- YEAR- OLD ABBY REYES LED BROTHER NOAH AND MOM HEATHER TO A TREE SO PERFECT IT LEFT HER SPEECHLESS .>> SO THIS IS THE ONE ?>> Reporter: THE TAG HAD A CANDY CANE, A TREE... AND A MESSAGE. TELL ME WHAT THAT SAYS ?>> THANK YOU .>> Reporter: DAD, PATRICK, IS AN INFANTRY STAFF SERGEANT HERE ON BASE .>> JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS .>> Reporter: THEY DECORATED WITH A LITTLE HOMEGROWN MUSIC. THE ORNAMENTS ARE ALL SPECIAL. FAMILY GIFTS OR PLACES THEY HAVE VISITED. AND WHEN THEY TOPPED THIS YEAR'S TREE ...>> ALL THE WAY UP .>> Reporter: .. THEY ADDED ONE SPECIAL ORNAMENT MORE, ABOUT A GIFT FROM THOSE WHO REMEMBER TO THOSE WHO SERVE. BARRY PETERSEN, CBS NEWS, FORT BENNING, GEORGIA .>> Quijano: TRUE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON. THAT'S THE " CBS EVENING NEWS ." FOR JEFF GLOR, I'M ELAINE QUIJANO. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOOD NIGHT.