10 things you need to know today: December 24, 2013

1. Snowden says his mission is accomplished

Former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden told The Washington Post — in his first in-person interview since seeking asylum in Russia — that he had "already won" in his effort to expose what he felt was a surveillance system growing out of control. Since he began leaking top-secret NSA documents in April the government has come under intense pressure to curb the spying. "The mission's already accomplished," Snowden said. [Washington Post]

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2. ObamaCare signup extended by 24 hours after last-minute rush

The Obama administration extended the deadline to enroll for health coverage taking effect Jan. 1 by one day after people swamped HealthCare.gov in a last-minute rush to sign up. More than one million people had visited the ObamaCare website by 5 p.m., five times as many as the Monday before. The one-day grace period was the latest in a series of accommodations the administration has made to make up for the site's disastrous Oct. 1 launch. [New York Times]

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3. Obama signs up for ObamaCare insurance in a symbolic gesture

As the deadline to enroll for ObamaCare health coverage to begin Jan. 1 arrived, President Obama signed up for a new insurance plan through the Affordable Care Act's online exchange, the White House said Monday. Obama's enrollment in a Bronze plan on the Washington, D.C., exchange was just symbolic, though, because he receives care from the White House Medical Unit's military doctors. [TIME]

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4. Retailers get creative to get procrastinators into stores

Sales at brick-and-mortar stores fell by 2.1 percent last weekend compared to last year, according to data firm ShopperTrak. The dip on the final weekend of holiday shopping — the busiest of the year — followed a weak Thanksgiving weekend at the start of the season. Retailers are experimenting with new ways to lure in Christmas procrastinators, including expanding lists of items people can purchase online and pick up in stores. [Reuters]

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5. Judge refuses to delay his ruling allowing gay marriage in Utah

A judge in Utah declined to delay his own decision that gay marriages must be allowed in the state. U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby ruled last week that Utah's ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, making the state the 18th in the nation to allow same-sex couples to get married. Utah Governor Gary Herbert was trying to block the granting of marriage licenses while he appeals to a higher court. [Reuters]

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6. U.S. Marines prepare to enter South Sudan if necessary

The U.S. military has moved a force of 150 Marines to the Horn of Africa so they would be ready to enter South Sudan to help evacuate Americans and protect the U.S. Embassy if fighting between government forces and rebels gets worse, American officials said Monday. Some Americans have already been evacuated, but there are still many U.S. citizens in the world's newest country. [CNN]

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7. Family fights to keep girl on life support

The family of California teen Jahi McMath, who was declared brain dead on Dec. 12 after routine tonsil surgery, said she would probably be kept on life support through Christmas. The girl's mother, Nailah Winkfield, won a court restraining order barring the hospital from removing Jahi, 13, from her respirator. The hospital wants the restraining order lifted, but the family is fighting to keep the girl alive, hoping she'll recover. [ABC News]

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8. Egyptian government calls the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group

A car bombing killed 13 people and wounded 130 more at a police compound in Egypt's Nile Delta on Tuesday. It was one of the deadliest attacks since the military ousted president Mohamed Morsi in July. The army-backed government's cabinet responded by labeling the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, without specifically blaming the now-banned pro-Morsi Islamist group for the attack. The Muslim Brotherhood condemned the bombing, too. [Reuters, Ahram Online]

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9. The father of the AK-47 dies in Russia

Lt. Gen. Mikhail T. Kalashnikov, designer of a Soviet assault rifle that became the most widely used firearm ever, died Monday in the Russian republic of Udmurtia. He was 94. Kalashnikov was born a peasant and used self-taught mechanical skills to develop the now-ubiquitous guns with trademark curved magazines. His role in the AK-47's creation vaulted him to high positions in the Red Army and six terms on the Supreme Soviet legislative body. [New York Times]

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10. Auburn's Malzahn named AP's coach of the year

Auburn football coach Gus Malzahn has been named The Associated Press national coach of the year after taking a demoralized team coming off its worst season in decades and turning it into one of the best teams in the country. Malzahn, with his aggressive offense, led the second-ranked Tigers to a Southeastern Conference championship and into a Jan. 6 national championship game against No. 1 Florida State. [Associated Press]