the same thing happened in nigeria last christmas day. we'll get you the update about what happened just a little while ago. also, this news is coming as pope benedict delivers his annual message from the vatican. it just so happens he's talking about violence around the world. we will let you hear part of his message. but let's start with those two christian churches in two cities in nigeria, both bombed today, christmas day, during holiday worship services. an eyewitness to the second explosion says he counted at least 19 people dead, many others are injured. this was happening, and not long after that, another bomb took place in another city of madala. i spoke to someone who was on the scene of that bombing. >> yeah. it's been a terrible event this morning. we have, from my count, 19 dead as of the time of this report. we do not know yet how many are in hospital as of about 8:00 a.m. it was about 10:30 where police officer was injured in a multiple bomb blast inside a church. >> these bombings reminiscent of what we saw really last christmas, same thing. suspected islamist extremists bomb churches there in nigeria. dozens of people killed in those attacks. now thousands also gathering in rome today. they are there to hear and see pope benedict. he's delivering his annual christmas day message. the 84-year-old pontiff presiding over his seventh christmas mass. themes this year focusing on the essence of the holiday rather than the commercial holiday it has become. all the publicity on the need to find peace in an increasingly violent world. >> translator: at this hour, when the world is continually threatened by violence in so many places and in so many different ways, when over and over again there are oppressors' rods and blood-stained cloaks, we cry out to the lord, almighty god, you have appeared as a child and you have revealed yourself to us as the one who loves us, the one through whom love will triumph. and you have shown us that we must be peacemakers with you. >> and part of the pope's message, another part of it on this christmas -- you don't hear that much about the birth of jesus this time of year, do you? you are hearing so much about the celebration of shopping. listen. >> translator: today christmas has become a commercial celebration whose bright lights hide the mystery of god's humility which in turn calls us to humility and simplicity. help us, lord, see through the superficial glitter of the season and to discover behind it the child in the stable in bethlehem so as to define true joy and true light. >> stick around. in just a couple minutes, nadia bilchik with our "morning passport" showing us some of the unique christmas traditions around the world. got to talk a little politics here because we are getting some react after newt gingrich and rick perry failed to get on the virginia primary ballot. yesterday gingrich's team announced they'd launch an aggressive write-in campaign. part of the statement from the campaign saying only a failed system excludes 4 out of the 6 major candidates seeking access to the ballot. voters deserve the right to vote for any top contender especially leading candidates who will work with the republican party of virginia who will pursue an aggressive write-in campaign to assure all of the voters of virginia are able to vote for the candidate. their choice. sounds fine. one problem -- virginia law specifically prohibits write-ins for the primary. the gingrich says it is "evaluating" options. let me bring in our dear friend of cnn saturday and sunday morning, patricia murphy of citizen jane politics, also the daily beast. good to have you here on christmas. merry christmas. >> merry christmas to you! not to newt gingrich! >> what a horrible ending. is this going to have a tangible effect on the race or does this just kind of look back, a little embarrassing. his home state right now technical technically, he lives there. >> how embarrassing is this? you're from virginia, you can't get on your own state's ballot. it just looks bad and reinforces the narrative that he doesn't have the professional operation to actually become president. is he another bubble candidate. that's what this sort of reenforces. if it does get to super tuesday when virginia votes, there are 50 delegates at stake and if this is a close race, everybody needs every delegate they can get. right now it won't have a huge logistical impact but it does reinforce a very negative narrative. >> could this turn off some potential donors? >> donors? absolutely. voters, probably not. a voter in iowa, a voter in new hampshire -- what? who cares. virginia, i've never even been there. but donors are thinking i've got $1 million to give to somebody, i'd like to see that million dollars spent properly. i want to have it to an operation that's going to take my money, put it where they can use it and know what they're doing every step of the way. this says i don't know what i'm doing. >> we have a couple polls we can put up here. he has been holding pretty steady. if it were held today, we were asking folks here if the republican primary was held today, newt gingrich still coming out on top. at 30%. romney at 25%. he can never really break that threshold. how is romney holding on? >> steady as she goes. the difference what we're seeing now in mitt romney, we're actually seeing mitt romney. he had been in sort of a hidy hole, almost a witness protection program, not doing any interviews, not showing up anywhere. now is he coming out, holding interviews and hitting newt gingrich hard. finally mitt romney is becoming a presidential candidate and not a minute too late. >> what happens if ron paul wins iowa? how does that shake up the race? >> well, i think right now the expectations are being raised that ron paul will win iowa. so if he does win, all it will do is meet expectations. will certainly energize his base of support that is huge, voracious, very, very strong. but i don't know that it will take him a lot further than iowa. i think also it will knock newt gingrich down a few notches in case ron paul wins. it will not have an effect on mitt romney. he is not expected to win iowa. >> is the president going to be sending thank you cards to the republicans in the house for that christmas gift they just gave him. >> that would be more like a kick in the teeth than a thank you card. going to hawaii with a smile on his face is all the republicans need right now. they need to go home, regroup, have a soul searching session, come back with a fresh face in january, hopefully with a different political game plan. >> maybe it will calm down a bit but it is about to be a heck of a year. >> enjoy the ride. >> thank you so much for being here on christmas day and also my last newscast here. >> i know. >> at cnn. i've been working with you for years and years. we just got you to atlanta to have you in studio, and i'm leaving. don't take it personally. >> i'm not taking you personally but i think you are a great talent and we're going to miss you. >> thank you so much. but we'll be in touch. patricia murphy, of course you'll see more of her on cnn. january 3rd, iowa caucuses. stay here with cnn for america's choice 2012, coverage of those caucuses 7:00 p.m. eastern time right here on cnn. eight minutes past the hour. we're getting news reports -- more reports of more explosions in nigeria. we were telling you that we got word of two churches being bombed there earlier today during church services. same thing happened last year. number of people were killed. getting reports that 19 people were killed and two bombings today, at least 19. but now we are being told that at least three more churches have been bombed, this would be a total now of five churches bombed on christmas day during some christmas services taking place there. again, this is news we are just getting. just taking place this morning on christmas day, unfortunately. but the death toll, according to some reports now, is up to 25. so a really sad, unfortunate story we have to bring you here on christmas day about churches being bombed. stay with me. we'll have the latest. 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[ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. i'm kimberly ryan, currently deployed in helmand province, afghanistan. i'd like to say happy holidays to my family back home in norwich, connecticut. 13 minutes past the hour on this christmas morning. time for a christmas edition of "cross-country." the man known as the secret santa of portland, maine, at it again for the second time. this holiday season he handed out cash to complete strangers. each envelope had $100 bill from it with a note that said "pay it forward." also in bellevue, washington, this mail carrier santa says he's going rogue. a co-worker complained about his santa suit but he decided, naughty or nice, he'd keep on wearing it anyway. spokane also, 60 special kids boarded alaska airlines flight 1225, also known as santa one for a magical flight to the north pole and a visit with santa. they were all chosen because they were especially good. lay-away angel was turned away from not one but two walmart stores? jennifer larue says she wanted to surprise some people by paying off their lay-away balances but she was told it violates walmart's privacy policy? walmart's regional vp though toll our affiliate kprc there is no policy against random acts of kindness. are you kidding me? she's just trying to do a nice thing. >> i know. that's one of those stories, right? well let's hope she finds someone else to help. >> just trying to do a good thing. we talk a lot of christmas talk today, rightly so. christmas around the world though. >> let's start with japan. japan has been through so much this year but during christmas, christmas in japan is synonymous with kentucky fried chicken. about 40 years ago what happened was foreigners didn't have any turkey so what they did was they used to eat kentucky fried chicken and kentucky fried chicken saw this as an unbelievable opportunity and now in japan, it is christmas with kentucky. and in south africa, remember, it is not winter. there is no white christmas, it is summer. you will be having christmas on the beach and with a barbecue. you'll be having a barbecue with sausage. in the ukraine, a rather beautiful tradition. you will have an artificial spider and spider web but the legend is so beautiful because there is a very poor widow and she couldn't afford either tree or decorations and a pine cone apparently dropped into her home and grew a tree and there were no money for decorations so what happened was the spider spun a web and with the glint of the sunlight created the most beautiful decoration -- >> is that a true story? >> supposed to bring you good luck. it is just a legend. now in true christmas tradition, i have a gift for you, a christmas gift and a parting gift because, 269 j., you've been such a wonderful part of my life. >> oh, wow. >> this is a peyton man ining se ball. you have shared your passion for american football. i've shared my passion for rugby. especially to t.j., a ball for you. so merry christmas, kwanzaa and hanukah, my friend, t.j. holmes. i have loved every moment on the set and off. >> you know as well we're big sports guys, me and reynolds both. we started this "morning passport" a while back -- >> it's been nearly a year-and-a-half. >> you've added so much to this show, some elegance that reynolds and i just cannot bring. we appreciate it. it is always interesting, always a pleasure. we are saying bye on the air but we don't have to say good-bye. >> well good-bye, good luck, and i know t.j., you are a star in every way. >> thank you so much. still got a little work to do here though. mike young has made it his mission to help more than 100 rescued dogs. he's not helping in the way you might think. you will you a meet this pilot's very special cargo. take a look. >> my dog's name was conan. he was a german shepherd. we paid good money to have the cancer treated. he was finally well from the chemo but his kidneys failed and that's ultimately why we had to put him to sleep. now i'm on pilot and paws which is a website that people have dogs that have to be transported. these are rescuers who pull them from high kill shelters, post on this website that they have dogs to move from point a to point b, and pilots like me get e-mails saying another request has been posted. and i scan through them to see if there's any rescue flights that are within my area that i could do. >> how's life treating you this fine day? >> we're doing good. >> save some more dogs! >> it's okay, bo. it's okay. they actually look like they know that they're about to be saved. this is different. there's people loving them. there's other dogs around them and they almost know that they're going to be going to their forever home. >> bo seems to want to be in the back seat. you know what? he just managed to get to the front. transporting dogs is one of the most important steps in saving dogs. you have to move them from rural areas typically to more urban areas where there's a higher probability that they're going to get rescued. >> come on, girl. >> she's beautiful! >> hi, sweetie! >> hi! >> what do you guys think of your new addition to your family? >> she's absolutely before! we love her! >> you look into the new owner's eyes for the first time they're going to get to hold their dog. >> you want to hold your buddy? >> and they just hold their dog like they had it forever and they were waiting forever for this dog. you know that dog's going to have a good life. >> have a merry christmas and a happy new year and thank you. you actually made our christmas. >> so how can i not spend my time an money giving to these dogs, giving the owners of these new dogs the opportunity to have the love that i have for these dogs? and really that's what it's all about. >> you can be sure to watch cnn's "giving in focus" special today at 4:30 eastern time hosted by tom foreman. santa's got a gift for you sports fans today. yeah. nba games. a lot of them. five key match-ups. also to my viewers an my followers on twitter, i've been teasing you all about my final guest that i would have. i gave you some hints. i said it would be a good friend of mine. said it would be a hall of famer. told you it was a multiple emmy winner as well. you recognize that guy? my final guest on cnn is next. >> i'm here in southwest asia. this greetings is going to my parents, family and friend in enterprise, alabama. happy holidays. i love you very much. [ woman ] my boyfriend and i were going on vacation, so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. 23 minutes past the hour now. let's just go ahead and take these two shots so the viewers can see who we got in the building today. chuck, how you doing? >> man, i'm glad to be back to work. i'm glad to be back to work. >> tell the truth, nba kicking off today, december 25th. yes, christmas day. but would have you preferred the lockout went a few more days so you didn't have to work christmas? >> not really. first of all of, i enjoy my free vacation time but there's so much collateral damage from the people who work at the arena, people who work for the teams, and also all the businesses around these arenas. so that's the thing that frustrated me the most. i wasn't worried about the players and owners because they're both greedy, but there's so much collateral damage, i'm glad to be getting back to work. >> you try to not just dog the players while it was all going on, but who really screwed up. you called everybody greedy but did the players play this one right? >> well, i thought the owners went overboard. they won the game and they were trying to run up the score. i was very disappointed in the owners. the players really tried to get a deal done much sooner but i thought the owners, they had the hammer and they really used it. >> is it all going to be forgiven and forgotten when today you kick off -- you all, tnt, 11:00 pre-game show, then you all have a game at noon, the knicks-celtics today. but all forgiven and forgotten once they get back on the court? >> i don't know what the fans are going to be. it would be presumptuous to say. but listen, it is business. sometimes it is uncomfortable when you're in business, when you're negotiating but i hope the fans come back. like i said, the players screwed up and the owners screwed up. that's the only way to look at it. but i'm just glad we're back to work. >> the heat going to lose this year? >> i think in the east miami and chicago are the two best games. boston had a chance before they lost jeff green. but boston -- that really killed boston's chances of winning a championship. but miami and chicago are the two best teams, by far. and the west, you got dallas, oklahoma city, and memphis to me are the three best teams in the west. and we got to figure out the rest of them. >> you didn't mention lakers. >> i did not mention the lakers. kobe bryant has been the greatest player for the last 10 to 15 years. but he's older. let me -- he's old. listen, his best days -- no disrespect to him -- are behind him. also i don't think their guard play is very slow with the efficient ron artest. they are not the defending champs. mavs are. >> you always say you figure out -- when you figure it out that it was time to retire is when guys -- >> when guys who can't play are kicking your behind. that's when it's time to give it up. >> you look at that guy and you know he's no good and he's beating you. >> yeah. and it is very frustrating. because your ego speaks for the player you used to be. kobe bryant's going to be a good player. but as far as his days of being the best player, those days are over. the best player now is probably lebron, dwight howard, dwyane wade, those are the best players. >> all right. we aren't done here with charles. many of you all know -- and may not know -- chuck has been one of my best friends since i've come to cnn. he's given me some guidance in this decision i made to be leaving cnn. we might get into that in a second. we'll leave basketball here for a moment. after the break we'll continue on a bunch of things, including weight watchers, also some political commentary. i'm going to get you to take back something you said last week. this is what i'm talki