>> sister andrea. andrea: i wouldn't go that far. harris: merry christmas. we'll be back on tv noon eastern. >> fox news alert. the death toll roached ten from the severe storms ripping through the southeast. >> survivors are salvaging what is left of their homes. severe weather spawning a number of tornados. >> ten dead and more are missing. i am jon scott. >> i am lea gabriel. >> cars and homes damaged or destroyed. trees ripped up and power lines are ripped up. and dozens of injuries were reported over seven states

including arkansas, alabama, georgia and illinois and mississippi and tennessee. and the threat of severe weather is not over on. johnathon is in atlanta and we begin with rick in the extreme weather center. >> we are still not done with. it threat of severe weather not as significant. and the dynamics are not in there. and we could see severe storms and rain is heavy. and this is a 24 hour lop. and now it is training over on the same spot. we have flash flooding that is going o. we can can see travel delays because of the low cloud. and really still dealing with problems from the storm. it is incredibly warm.

look right now. 70 degrees in new york city on christmas eve and 58 in los angeles. sunny l.a. and not what you you generally see. and next couple of days. we'll remain warm. cold air in the west. notice the big storm in west texas. 26 for a high. and still in the 60s and monday the bottom drops off in the northern half here. we'll turn our attention in the west though. we had a lot of snow. and the snow pack is where we need. but interstate 90 was closed overnight and causing travel problems. and airports seeing delays. good news for the skieres. and weekend snow storm in parts of texas and we will see blizzard condition can .

>> and rick, thank you. >> you bet. in the meantime power is out from mississippi to michigan. searchers are are looking for missing people. this is usually a day full of gift wrapping and last-minute christmas shopping. johnathon, how is it looking from where you are standing? >> reporter: you can see the high winds. caused trees to go down. they are looking at rising water levels on lake murray. they will give resident three hour notices if they need to open the flood gates. in mississippi tornadoxd

remains of a couple. a neighbor described what it was like when the storm hit. >> we were in the house and dashed out to the storm shelter and when we walked out it was all gone. >> and there are elderly folks who live down here and two of them on oxygen. a concerned neighbor checked in on them and calling the utility

and explaining the experience of getting the power back on. and power was restored back in two hours. >> thank you for that report in atlanta. >> reporter: certainly. new revelations on the obama communication with syria. they tried to convince bashar al- assad to step down. kevin has more. >> reporter: good day to you, jon. we have seen it play out before in conversation cans with cuba and maybe in a smaller way with iran. we are talking about back channel communication. there is a interesting report in the wall street journal that detailed secret communication. and help them not only in the bloody civil war but to usher him out of pour in an organized

fashion that help the syrian people. this is part of the article in the junior willal and they wanted to look for cracks in the regime that would incent voice people to abandon assad. he used barrel bombs and the journal reports that the communications date back to 2011. and they are talking about small discreet issues and the messages were consistent and limited. they used russian and iranian intermediaries. one of them is a u.n. official. samantha power, it was reported she was one would warn the syrians if there were american forces in an area. that is the sort of responsible

communication to make sure the syrians are not where american forces would be. there are only interests, and so the back channel communication will continue as long as there is an interest to it getting assad ought of power. >> something that the russians don't want to see. >> kevin corke traveling with the president in hawaii. people tightening the areas after a threat against westerners. armed officers. and the roads leading into the embassy are closed. authorities taking security seriously in the wake of recent terror attacks. >> paris is one of the target.

and now belgian officials say the ringleader's cousin contacted them after the attack. the cousin was killed in a police raid. the belgian citizen is held on charges of taking part in terrorist murders. his name has not yet been released. new information on a man accused of killing throw people in a planned parent hood clinic. robert gear demanded he be allowed to move forward and representing himself. they are reporting live from denver. what are we seeing there. >> hi, lea. >> the district drug is ordering a comtency evaluation. he enterrupted the judge and saying, the question is, do i

have a constitutional right to defend myself. it is not a constitutional right and you can't take that away from them. and he will represent himself. king works with the colorado public defender's office on. and dear will be examined. and under the law, the case may not move forward until he is restoired to comp tensy. >> the judge asked the defendant if they happen the proceedings and charges and coptwith the attorney. he was facing challengers and thee people killed and others injured. and a hearing two weeks ago. dear made a doze know outburst.

>> there he accused the attorneysment >> i not going to dproe agree to the mental health evaluations and so i can't talk. >> and lea, everyone is scheduled back in court so the judge can get a status on how the evaluation. right now dear said he will not participate. >> thank you. revolutionary research to help scientist find a cure for cancer. it is called gene editing. >> and struggling campaigns and playing the guilt card in an effort to derail support for donald trump.

will that strategy pay off. canned che

fox is america's election head quart ares. een the last republican debate for 2015. and jeb bush and chris christie are embracing a new strategy. they are playing the guilt card in the first primary state and praising the granite voters as sober minded people who understand the importance of policy and saying that the entire country relying on them to choose wise withly. we'll talk to our fox news contributor. if you go there and say you are important and need to make the right choice here. is it going to boshing. >> it is no more pervayer of

guilt than hillary clinton who is playing the woman card and trying to discredit her critics. when it comes to republicans, what christie and bush is trying to appeal to the voters. you have a traditional role to be serious and caring about policy depth and retail campaigning and that subtest reject the flood the zone jumpism. we'll see if it helps bush and christie. >> why is donald trump doing well? >> he is sucking up the anyoning and energy. and a lot of republicans and senate and voters share

a distain. he's tapping in to it but not difficult to draw the line of what he's doing and how he's doing in the polls. >> it is not looking like he will win iowa. ted cruz is in front. if donald trump coming out of ohio and new hampshire without a victory what is the issue? >> a lot of them say how could he be stopped. if cruz wins in iowa. not a sure bet. and if new hampshire goes to christie or rubio. then the auran of winning and power and success that emanates from donald trump and voters say it was a bit of a mirage and moving on to south carolina and nevada and beyond.

>> here is a jeb bush. >> you are the answer. will new hampshire support a guy that might tarnish the rep you have. you make people walk through the hot coals and where you challenge people. pretty effective. >> good luck with you that. i am jeb bush looking at the polls and maybe he is make the case for himself rather than playing in the whole thing and saying you brlt not do it with trump. i am skeptical that that will work. somebody who was in solid second place and down there with the jeb bush. dr. bep carson. he has said that his campaign is undergoing a big shake-up and then comes back.

no, i trust my team and we'll tweet some things. >> what is it? >> i don't know. we are seeing an inexperienced candidate melting a bit under the presidential campaign. there is chaos there in his campaign. look at iowa. that is a state he must win. in the end of october. and he was at 32 percent and leading in that state. he dipped in the real clear in single digits on support there. and my suspicion it is not because of his team, i think a lot of voters woke up in a post paris and post san bernardino world and said this is a guy who we like and incredible life story and we are not confident he is prepared to be commander

in chief. i think that is what happen to ben carson. >> foreign policy is dominating their moipds. >> merry christmas to you, jon. >> merry christmas to you. a woman with died after being forcibly removed from the hospital. and doctors getting a revolutionary new weapon in the fight against cancer, we'll tell you what it is, next. ear! no one burns on my watch! try alka-seltzer heartburn reliefchews. they work fast and don't taste chalky. mmm...amazing. i have heartburn. alka-seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief.

>> the doctor is in with a revolutionary technique in the fight against cancer. it is a gene treatment that transforms semis in cancer fighting weapons.

dr. seagull. you are a chief financial officers and it is great to have me today. >> the doctors told the parents that it was it for her. the leukemia, but this therapy changed it? >> not a patient of mine, but it was in philadelphia. but the excitement, is that an unfortunate situation with a child of rounds of leak leak. and what was interesting to her, first of its kind experimental therapy. it is therapy and reprogramming

her immune system to fight the cancer. in her case that is the outcome. see from what i am understanding. it is detecting and kill off cancer, is that correct. we think of our immune systems and we call them t- cells and fight off foreign things like cancer and infection. the idea is to reprom those sales to identify cancer and put them back in to the body. and so that the army has

expanded the early results are promising. and can we have seen mella noma. and studies are getting started in ovarian cancer and breast and pancreatic cancer. and we in our center from nashville. >> what takes it to get it approved. >> 90 percent of the patients with difficult situations. it is hard not to get the treatments out there right away. >> it will take more studies to understand the tumor settings and these therapies can have side affects and they have to be manageded carefully and studied and released in a broader level.

what are we learning from this new study. we have always known there is a genetic link. it is leading to the development of cancer the one that caught a lot of attention is the blacko dncan alterations that lead to increase of breast cancer. if you have this at birth or later in life will that lead to cancer. it is a combination of those risks and environmental. and researchers in the washington university of

medicine in st. louis. found time to a patient's germ line. >> that is a term for genes or dna. and that was not picked up from a related sun damage or smoking. that's what they were born with. and that is in every sell in the body. that's what the term needs. and hopefully leads to a lot more people in the future. >> thank you, lea. >> jon? >> we learned that four palestinians were killed as the west bank grappled with ongoing blood shed. >> they died after attacks with israeli soldiers. >> pilgrims tried to mark

christmas eve. protestors trying to put a dent in shopping. ongoing demonstrations in america's heartland. and captain chuck nash talks to us about whoo is winning and losing in iraq and afghanistan.

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>> a florida hospital faces a wrong. death lawsuit. the woman was having breathing problems. she collapsed when the police took her away. she had a blood clot in her lung, phil? >> reporter: the family blamed the er and the police for barbara dawson dies. the hospital said she was good enough to go home and created a chaotic situation. she was suffering from breathing difficulties and stomach pains. she went to the hospital and 12 hours later she is discharged and she refused to leave. and she collapsed in the parking

lot next to the cop car. and the family attorney said that neither the hospital or staffer providing aid. >> they treated her less than a human being. >> we don't see them led out in cuffs. >> reporter: her death was ruled natural caused by a blood clot and due to morbid obesity. >> we ask a patient to leave only when we are concerned over our other patient's care. >> reporter: according to the police chief. the officer made multiple request. and she refused to cooperate at this time and the officer took her in to custody.

taoson was being charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. due to the concern of her death, the florida department of law enforcement is investigating everything surrounding this, jon. >> phil, thank you. and protestors disrupt the busiest shopping day of the year. supporters marched in the mall of america and protesting the deadly shooting of jammar clark. they took the march to the airport snarling traffic and some went in the terminal and security checkpoints were closed and leading to flight delays. 15 civilians were killed in iraq. troops are closing in on the

militants, but the snipers and bombs and booby traps are slowing their progress. regaining ramadi would be a blow with isis. we'll talk to chuck nash. and how important is ramadi. >> it is a big deal, jon. and the reason is, iraqi security forces need a win. and they have been beaten down and scared out of a lot of places. and the united states put a lot of effort back into it. and our special forces are working with the sunni tribes. if they take ramadi. fallujah would be next and spring time take back mosul and that would be a defeat for isis. >> one of the problems is the

religion. that is one that ramadi. shia, who are running the government now are not necessarily. they don't trust that government? >> that's a fact. as everybody pretty much knows. that the iranians have too much sway in what happens in baghdad. and that was the opening for isis to gain control in iraq in the first place. it was the sunni distrust of them. and they were abusive to the sunni villages and towns. and given a choice between isis and sunni. and shiit militia they chose isis. it looks like a political deal was made to get the tribes back on the step and spear.

the baghdad government is keeping the militias out of the fight. >> what about afghanistan? there is a lot of warnings that there will not be a lull in the fighting. things are going from bad to worse there? >> we have been clear in telling our enemy when we leave. it they will press. it their desired narrative. i think it is going to be we the taliban scared off and fought off the western invaders who backed the illegitimate government. and we will have peace and prosperity and sharia law to the afghan people. >> we went there to desuppose the taliban. it is not going to work? >> jon, jon, we have spent so much blood and treasure in iraq

and afghanistan, and to see it all unravel like this is disheartening. very disheartening. >> afghanistan is the longest war and maintaining more troops for another 2 or 5 years, is that the answer? >> not without a strategy and long- term goal and you line out what it is that you are trying to accomplish. we are sending young people over there, to train and advise. and train and advise what? >> how much longer do we think that the afghan government will stay in power, you not only have taliban but the isis and the new korasan province that is an al-qaeda split off. it is turning into a joint mess inside afghanistan. as if it was not a giant messes

all along. >> and so much blood and treasure was there. enjoy the day. >> merry christmas to you, january. >> just in time for the holiday travels. tsan is rolling out new tsa procedure. mounting back lash over ted cruz's children can. and why our next guest called it puzzling.

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there was no radio communication and the crash is under investigation. well, the tsan is tightening up the screening policy. they can make passengers undergo a full body scan even if they opt for a pat down again. americans are more concerned about terrorist threats. >> a travel a lot internationally. >> and the tsa said the scanner is better than a pat down when it comes to detecting weapons. ted cruz in a media fire storm after a washington post mocked him in a political cartoon has cruz was a organ grinder and his children as monkeys. the post editor said in

a statement, it is generally the policy to leave children out of. it i failed to look at the cartoon before it was published and i thought an exception to the policy was warranted but i do not agree with the artist that sketched it. joining me is howard kurtz. >> now, you saw the media's reaction is puzzling, explain that >> you refer to a fire storm but the reaction is muted considering it is a outrage. and not a gray area. depicting a presidential depicting his young daughters as animals has no place in journalism. and a lot of stories are saying this is a gift to ted cruz as one columnist said it. and what is missing is the human

element. cruz is a dad and his daughters are 7 and 4 years old and he was genuinely offended by this. >> it is never appropriate to depict someone's children as animals. but the artist said when he uses his children as props, they are fair game. she is referring to where cruz had a seven-year-old daughter saying a line. >> that was pretty lame. all politicians virtually use their kids in family photos and conventions and rallies. these kids didn't ask to be on the firing line. you can question the senator's judgment, but that opened the door for the mockery. but there was no apology.

>> it is one thing to have a child hugging and held by the parents. it is another one to give the child a line. >> it was a satirical spoof and to me did not justify the mockery. and in the same time, you don't have to think hard to imagine what the media fire storm would have been like if it was aimed at president obama's children. we have an example a congressman who made fun of sasha and malia saying had she didn't like the way they were dressed and that woman lost her job. >> the liberal media are out to destroy him and there is a double standard when it is mockery aimed at republicans. >> some people say this plays in

cruz' campaign. his family and children are targeted and maybe this is good for him, because he is getting media attention that donald trump has going. >> cruz's advisor said we are raising money, but it doesn't cover the damage. this is not the first time ted cruz chose to run against the media. he blasted the questions he got from the moderators. he believes the press is unfair to the republicans and him. but can we all just agree right now. the children of republican candidates or democratic candidates and kids not choosing to be in public life. they are off limits.

>> it is an interesting response from ted cruz. he put out his cartoon and shows hillary clinton having the post and times on a leash. you can see it right here. hillary clinton and her lap dog. and punting it off to hillary. and does this type of thing take the campaigns and take it off national security and terrorism and things that people are so worried about? >> it is a huge distraction. and worry about the economy and isis. and in the case of hillary clinton, her campaign spokesman said the washington post was wrong to do this and they sympathize with ted cruz. cruz thinks that the press is soft on hillary clinton and not on republicans. this is a humorous on way to

turn it to his political advantage. >> i am sure you will see the darts thrown in the future. jon. >> santa will not need rudolph's nose to guide the sleigh tonight. he will have a full moon. 1977 was the last time it happen. and almost a decade earlier, a decade earlier from 1977. astronauts captured the first earth rise photo and this picture taken from apollo eight. that was the first astronauts to see it. they read aloud from the book of genesis as millions listened in. >> and a radio deejay locked

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hi, everyone. merry christmas. i'm gretchen carlson. coming up on "the real story." the weather making it difficult for a lot of you to get home for christmas. plus, low gas prices putting more cash in your pockets this

christmas. and fascinating legal case. one man suing his ex-wife over what she's writing on the alimony checks she's sending to him. join me at the top of the hour. a real life christmas story unfolding here in new york city after a newborn boy is found abandoned in a church nativity scene. chief religion correspondent lauren green has the story. ♪ >> reporter: at holy child jesus church in queens, new york, the nativity encompasses the very identity. the birth of another babe just a few weeks ago, had an updateded version of its namesake. a few days before thanksgiving, a baby boy barely two hours old was left in the church's manger. his single mother who told a reporter she was unable to care for him placed him here in god's hands. >> the manger was set.

the doors were open. that there was no one in the church at that time so she could come anonymously and drop her child. >> reporter: from the moment the child appeared he began to change the lives of those around him. for the handyman who found him, it's a wholehearted belief in divine intervention. it's a miracle in the sense it was the timing. the manger was just built. just there for a couple hours. >> reporter: for this new priest, a new vision of life. the surreal moment as the nurse from the parish school attended to him. >> to watch her tie the umbilical cord, something i have never seen. >> reporter: the baby left in a manger has not only transformed lives here at holy child jesus church but the modern day christmas story miracle has touched hearts and minds across the country and across the world. cards, e-mails and donations have poured into the church. hand knitted hats as well.

many asking to adopt the infant. and the event has inspired a bounty of christmas sermons as priests and pastors see the similarities between today's story and one more than 2,000 years ago. >> the humility of our savior to come as this helpless infant which would come to save the world. >> reporter: the baby is now in foster care. state authorities will decide who adopts him, but he already has a home in the hearts of thousands. in queens new york, lauren green, fox news.

an austrian radio deejay pranked his listeners by playing the same song 24 times in a row. he's about to pay the price. only so much wam a person can take. the deejay played the '80s pop group's "last christmas" two dozen times before his daughter called and begged him to stop. the station's programming

director admits it was kind of funny but there have to be consequences. so the dejay will now be playing on new year's eve. thanks for watching. have a merry christmas tomorrow. >> watch our special, 10:00 p.m. eastern tonight, "an american journey" with jenna and me. and "the real story" with gretchen starts now. hi, everyone. the christmas rush is on. tlnd thousands of people are trying to make their way home. this is "the real story." airlines adding dozens of flights today and to help passengers stranded by bad weather reach their destination. we have team coverage. jonathan covering the cleanup after some deadly tornados there. rick reichmuth and peter. let's go live to peter at reagan national airport outside washington, c.