s a america's news headquarters reports to you live, here's some of the stories making headlines right now. just eight days left until a possible government showdown. no one is blinking so far in washington. strong obamacare opponents, senator ted cruz, is speaking out in an exclusive interview with fox news. a major search and rescue operation underway at this hour. after a u.s. navy helicopter crashed into the red sea. five people on board. >> the president joins loved one asks navy yard officials to remember those lost a week ago

tomorrow, the shooting rampage there. you're looking live as that ceremony gets set to start. we'll have complete coverage when that memorial begins. >> we begin with a fox news alert. kenyan security ofs say the standoff, quote, will end tonight. they're seven hours ahead of us u.s. eastern time. we got word the special forces moved in to the shopping mall in nairobi. it's been two hours now, with reports of sporadic gunfire coming from inside the shopping center. the government forces trying to rescue an unnope number of hostages and capture or kill the terrorists holding them. those killers claim to be from the al-shabab network, linked to al qaeda. we have been reporting, all of this since it first unfolded yesterday. they stormed a crowded shopping mall, killed at least 68 people, 175 more wounded.

those numbers have started to really grow this afternoon, and we'll update you as they change. unfortunately. >> in a vicious massacre, congressmen peter king says that is reminiscent of past u.s. embassy attacks. >> this is a particularly brutal attack, and it's almost seems as if the terror world was coming full cycle. one of the first major attacks on the united states was on the embassy in 1998, and now 15 years later, a massacre, really a well-coordinated, horrific massacre. they attacked at the busiest time of the week and day. they knew what they were doing. they tack the hostages. >> of course, one of those embassies was located in nairobi. our u.s. diplomatic post there. conor powell is live in jerusalem. bring us up to speed.

>> elite kenyan soldiers began storming the shopping mall several hours ago. the latest word is that the assault is still ongoing, it's far from over. but kenyan northerlies are promising this will be wrapped up, quote, tonight. when that will actually be is anyone's guess. kenyan officials believe that 10 to 15 al-shabab attackers are barricaded in the shopping mall. the assault began several hours ago. the authorities say they're going slowly through the building. they want to try to save as men lives as possible. there are an unknown number of f hostaged believed to be held, anywhere from 20 to 50 to 100 possible hostages are believed to be in there. it started 24 hours when al-shabab gunmen stormed the shopping mall with ak-47s and grenades. they were firing rifles into public areas, even telling

nonmuslims and westerners to stay while allowing muslims to leave the area. it's clear they were targeting westerners, and muslim -- and nonmuslims and christians. the death toll so far has been rising steadily. tonight the latest number is 68. but kenyan authorities say this might actually increase because there is the fear that before this assault is over, the gunmen may actually start executing their hostages. >> we're also getting a better idea how crowded that mall was. i understand the kenyans are getting extra help for the operation. >> there are a lot of countries offering support and assistance, and fox news has learned that israel is actually sent small team of advisers to nairobi to help with this standoff. now, security officials there say they israelis are not taking part in the assault, just there for planning and strategy. of course, israel has a long history with telling with this type of terrorism. there are conflicting reports about what the israelis are

actually doing there. but right now what we understand is they're there in an advise and consult role, and united states and england and other countryes offered support and assistance but the heavy lifting, the people assaulting the building and the shopping mall, are the kenyan elite forces, and right now the operation is in their hands. how long it will take to wrap up is a very big question. but they are staying, making progress. it just takes time. >> they israelis helping out in an advisory role, and i know the building itself is owned by an israeli businessman as well. so we would have some details to give his countrymen to help out. conor powell, we'll check back with you. >> the effects of this, being felt around the world. we know of our own americans caught up in this. and injuries there. there are nine other countries grieving the loss of their citizens. including united kingdom, our

ally, at least three britts killed. that country expects the number of its people as casualties unfinancial to go up two french women died as well as a woman who is dutch. two canadians killed, including one of its tip diplomats to kenya. the attacks faking countries as far as india and china, and african nations ofna, south africa, and kenya, who the attack occurred. family members, close family members and friends of the president there -- we learn from him yesterday were caught up in this, we now, as the rest of the world must wait until the standoff is over to learn more about who is actually carrying this out and who is at the mercy of those killers. families and loved ones waiting around the world to hear. the group claiming responsibility for this attack, i mentioned, is the somalia based al-shabab, connected to

al qaeda. kenyan troops have been helping the somali government and they want the troops to leave and that triggered the standoff at the shopping mall. congressman peter king who held a hearing on the network says this group has plenty of ties here at home. >> it's extremely deadly organization. very well-trained, and it's one of the only al qaeda affiliates which actually has actively recruited here in the ute. there's at least 40 to 50 somali americans have gone from the united states to somalia to be trained, and a number of them have been killed but others still alive. so i assume the fbi and local law enforcement are working into this somali american communities today and getting any leads or indicators and using their sources and resources, to make sure there's no followup attachment here in the united states. >> we'll report to you any changes in at the story.

it was exactly this time yesterday we learned they let at least five hostages go from the mall and because of that seven-hour time difference between there and the east coast, sometimes during the night you will see changes. now let's go to pakistan, where the timing of this is interesting. no connection but just considering some of the things that happened in the last 48 hours. you can count this among them. another terror attack killed at least 75 people. taliban, bombers, setting off their devices at a church as christians left sunday services. the gunmen in kenya called out for nonmuslims, and that's who they were targeting. not a connection but the timing is interesting. what you're looking at now, the deadliest attack ever on a christian minority in pakistan. 110 people wounded in this explosion. the taliban says the attack was in retaliation for u.s. drone strikes in pakistan's remote tribal region.

>> and now let's talk about what is happening on capitol hill. obamacare in the center of the fight. the threat of a government shutdown looming in eight days. the house votes to defun the president's signature healthcare program as part of a budget bill. national correspondent is live in washington, dc. steve? >> chances of that bill passing once it gets to the senate are not great. senate majority leader harry reid plans to kill the defunding of obama care through procedural moves, and republican senator ted cruz said it's actually democrats who are threatening to shut down the federal government. >> i believe we should stand our ground and i don't think harry reid and barack obama should shut town the federal government. the house voted last week to fund the federal government. if harry reid kills that, harry reid is responsible for shutting down the go and should listen to the american people, fund the government, but don't fund obamacare because it's hurting the american people. it's not working.

>> but not everyone is on board. other high-profile republicans, like senator rand paul of kentucky, and senator tom coburn of oklahoma, are saying the g.o.p. just done have the ability to stop or defund obamacare. >> we heard a lot of tough talk going into the weekend, and of course we heard some fresh reaction. what are the president and his allies saying about the measure to defund the healthcare law. >> they say the republicans want to deny health care coverage to millions of people. the president him saying the g.o.p. defund egg effort, quote, it is not going to happen. this in spite of polls showing the majority of american people do oppose obamacare. >> i'm not surprised there's confusion. these guys have one running around the country, demagoguing, scare mongering on this issue. they're not afraid it's going to be unsuccessful. they're afraid it's going to be successful. >> u.s. senate expected to act sometime this week. harris and.

>> steve, thank you. >> iran's new president, changed his tune a bit. now he is talking tough. remember last week's term offensive and how nice he was and we'll meet with you and blah blah blah. now he has a new message for the west and it's just ahead of his trip to the unitees nations general assembly convening next week. we're awaiting a memorial to begin at the washington navy yard. as a nation we're all mourning the 12 lives lost on monday of last week ask those injured as well are in our thoughts and prayers. we'll watch this together as it starts live. president obama set to speak in that ceremony honoring the victims of that rampage. we'll be live for it all in washington. stay close. [ female announcer ] a classic macaroni & cheese from stouffer's starts with freshly-made pasta, and 100% real cheddar cheese. but what makes stouffer's mac n' cheese best of all.

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>> we're watching these stories develop among them a u.s. navy helicopter has plunged into the red sea. the status of the five personnel on board being determine. chancellor angela merckle's conservatives may triumph in germany. they could even win the first single party majority in more than 50 years. >> putting off the arrival of a cargo ship in the international pace station. the company behind the larynx working on -- behind the launch is working on the situation. >> a bit of old iran began surfacing today after the recent flowery words from the nation's new leader. president hassan rouhani talked about resolving the standoff with the west peacefully. now on the eve of this trip to

the united nations in new york city, he is reiterating iran's stance, it has a right to continue enriching uranium for its nuclear program, which he says are for peaceful purposes. rick is a former spokesman for the last four u.s. ambassadors to the expugn a fox news contributor, rick, good to see you today. you, too. >> among some of the things that rouhani said recently is wishing a well yom kippur to people in israel and jews around the world who toe show he is different from ahmadinejad who threatened to annihilate all jews. he has flipped the switch. why. >> he never flipped the switch. sending out a couple of tweets is not changing policy. i don't know who people are watching, but it's quite clear what iran has to do. the u.n. security council has

said multiple times, it's not like we have a communications problem with iran. it's not like the united states hasn't been clear going back the other way, to tell them exactly what has happen. look at the multiple security council resolutions that simply say, iran must stop enriching all uranium. doesn't say you get to enrich some uranium or up to 20%, which journalists are pretending like there's a deal to be cut. look, the simple fact is, the international community is quite clear. iran must stop enriching all uranium, any tweet or positive note coming from the president, who is out in in charge of the-- -- who is not in charge of the number clear portfolio should be pushed aside. we know exactly what they need to do. >> rick in looking just recently at some of the things rouhani said, this is he first time we

heard him talk about the nuclear program, and he is not the person who would have anything to do with changing policy there. it would be the mull -- mullahs, the religious leaders inside iran. how do they view him? >> they have not changed. the ayatollah has not changed. so it's the same person who has been in charge all along who has denied that they're enriching uranium to 20%, or on some sort of post to get a nuclear weapon. and the simple issue here is that the president has changed and seems to be saying some positive things, but the guys that are controlling the policy haven't changed so the policy hasn't changed. >> our president reportedly sent rouhani a letter and they were talking about maybe get together on the sidelines of the general assembly next week to maybe shake hands. i'm just wondering if behind he

scenes the conversation, though, has been, remind them of who we are. would that be the case likely? >> well, maybe. i mean, we're very troubled by president obama's foreign policy across the board. so whenever we hear he is sending secret letters to the iranians, i get nervous, a lot of people get nervous. i go back to the fact that the security council has made it very clear what iran has to do. president obama wants to cut a deal, he is going to have to come in and change the u.n. he has to be weaker than the u.n. if you're weaker than the u.n., there's a problem. so have something sort of meetings at the u.n. next week, on the side, when they both speak on tuesday, president obama is going to speak in the morning, around 9:30 on tuesday, and president rouhani around 4:00. if they're going to meet tuesday afternoon, let's hope that president obama says, hey, here's the resolution that says,

stop enreaching all uranium. this is how clear we'll be. you have to comply. we're not going to water down the resolutions. >> it will be interesting to see what happen. we'll talk to you when it all unfolds. thank you for joining us. a nation grieving together on a sunday as weçó

awesome better day for those 12 gun down in cold blood at the naval yard at a mass shooting on monday. as they gather, they are praying together and holding each other, again, president obama acting as consoler-in-chief when he speaks as he has done many times before when our nation has been plunged into darkness as it was on monday. here with me now is father jonathan morris,çó religion contributor. we call on you to give us a ray of hope, not just only the right words in the moment but the right words for the future. >>guest: the first step after a situationñi like this, the family, the friends are just

going through shock is to be with them. i am sure that the president is going to do that, the government is doing that, but, also, their family and friends who are gathered with them today are just going to be by their side. there is no that nation at the beginning of a process like this, that will all of a sudden make people feel better but as you said, praying, if someone has faith, and asking god for comfort and asking god for strength, as well. also, the human touch. a hug from a friend. i am glad as a country we are taking seriously this memorial service. azamat tazhayakov -- as you speak i will tell through going on time. we have a scheduled program printed in front of us at 4:55 and the first lady would gather in the front row here at the

marine barracks at the naval yard in washington, dc. in the first couple of rows are the families and the closest friends and co-workers to the people who perished on monday and who were injured in the attack. as the program goes on you will see a captain at the podium and in moments he will give the indication and father morris is just giving us a flavor of finding the right worded, also, just being there is key. >>guest: içó remember when my grandmother passed and a very different situation obviously but as a kid i remember my dad saying to us as we were going to see my grandfather, you don't have to find the right words. just be there. say something. be there and say something. that is what the country is doing today. we areçó accompanying the loved ones of the victims of this tragedy and we are saying

something, we are saying whatever we can to give some sort of sense to what is going on here. >> as the program gets started we will watch with the rest of nation as it plays out live. let's watch and listen. >> let us pray. almighty god, whose way is in the sea, whose path is in the great waters whose command is 4z thank you for ther never extraordinary men and women who died as a result, the tragedy at the washington navy yard.çó they died in service to their country. if may their spirits return in peace to you the god who gives everlasting life. in your holy word you warned us there would be moments where we would not understand why good

people seem to die before their time but you promise when they die, no calamity can hurt them, they would find peace as they live forever with you, you promise that your love for them and theirs for you and for each of us wouldñr never die. that not even death itself can take from us that which is eternal. comfort their families as theñr nation pauses, pauses to honor the ones they dearly love, pauses to remember sacred stories of how they cherish life, faith, family, friendship, freedom and the joy of life. proclaimed to the world that although our colleague may now rest from their slaves -- lives

their deeds will live through each of us and through all those they wereçóçóñi blessedñr to to. we joined with the families whoi are recovering, physically and emotionally. we are forever grateful to all who responded and for the outpouring of love andçó suppor. now, lord god, speak to us. give us hope that is beyond our grief. grant us your grace, strength and the gift of your peace that surpasses all understanding, in your holy name, i pray.

we are watching the memorial service that has kickoff. we only bring in some something huge happened in the situation in kenya and we have learned that met of the hostages taking by the al-qaeda linked groups, perhaps americans among them, have been freed. we will go right arrest, now, to conor powell watching this veryó closely. conor? >> in the past few minutes we have word from kenyan military authorities that most of the shopping mall that now is under criminal of the military and they are saying most of the hostages are free. what we are not hearing is how much longer it will take to free the rest of the hostages, how many have actually been freed and how many are it will being held hostage. a lot of questions right now but this is the first indication we have gotten from the kenyan authorities in the past few hours that this assault by the kenya military forces on the building, on this facility, is starting to