household. >> are we concerned? >> thank you for joining us everybody. >> we begin with a fox news alert. the president-elect considering the final picks to round out his cabinet as he prepares to go to two critical states that got him elected. mr. trump's schedule lighter on the meetings. he is going to pennsylvania, florida, and alabama in a few

days from now to continue the thank you tour. good afternoon. >> reporter: in some way the story here at trump tower is more about what is not happening rather than what is. today was supposed to be the day he held a news conference to talk about the transition away from running his business. instead we got a tweet from them. he says the media tries to hard to make my move to the white house as it pertains to my businesses so complex, when it actually isn't. i asked if there would been something then. the issue is that more time is needed to make transitions away from the business. they also said there is internal considerations in terms of family members taking over. his two holder sons are set to

do so. but they say they need the time to join them. they say they plan to introduce a bill in january that would require the president and the vice president to disclose or d divest any potential conflicts of interest. one of the positions not yet field, and pete was here earlier today, known to fox fans as a company day tor on this network. he is a ceo for concerned veterans for america. we have been told by transition officials that he was not offered the job today. that leads you to believe that some others, including former senator scott brown, could also be in the running still as well.

>> a lot to watch there. president-elect trump continuing his thank you tour. kellyanne conway defending the choice of the selection of mr. tillerson. >> this is what trump has called "a world class player." someone that has done these deals, is familiar with yemen, russia, active in 50 countries. >> and we have a political consultant for fire house strategies. i was reading a report that charged that he did not require a review of excessive background

information. >> i know that the trump administration is doing a thorough vet of all of the people he is putting forward, but the senate would have to confirm all of these nominations and will also look at their beco backgrounds. nobody will be put forward. >> who is most controversial in the group? >> you have seen republican senators speak out the most about rex tillerson. his close relationships with vladimir putin and russia. my former boss said he had serious concerns. >> let me stop you right there. what question could they ask him. what could they ask him about the nature of his relationship.

it makes sense that he did business with the guy. vladimir putin controls a ton of oil, that makes sense. how do you satisfy the nation of the relationship? >> tillerson received an award saying he was a friend of russia -- >> but that's not really for being a friend. that is a completed deal. >> of course, but others have serious concerns about what is the u.s. policy towards russia. russia was helping the assad regime massacre civilians. what is their response to these allegation that's putin ordered a signer hacking. these are the questions that will be raised. it is the questions that tillerson has good answers for. >> some of the people raising

points leek that, he didn't sign any renewing sanctions, and they're participating in the very same conflict that you're talking about in syria on the same side. >> i think it is an utter disaster. it will have be a stain on obama's legacy. i think this was the worst week about obama's presidency, and the fact that the president of the united states has not gone in front of cameras to condemn it is shocking and appalling to all americans. i don't think they have any grounding to criticize the claims that trimp is making at this point. >> whoever will be secretary of sta

state. the kremlin calling reports that president pew tin was personally behind efforts to influence the presidential election is nonsense. >> the impact of this operation is not in doubt. it's not in doubt. it benefitted the trump campaign. and it hurt the clinton campaign. that's why the republican nominee was hoping they would do more of it. interesting. >> katherine harris has more on this story from washington. what about the reports accuracy, what do you think? >> fox news has shown that they could only proceed with the blessing of their senior most official. we have not confirmed there is intelligence directly

implicating the president. the white house secretary was also pushed on putin's involvement would require a more robust response. >> we have known fr soor some t that senior officials were involved. the u.s. intelligence community recognized from the beginning how serious this one. >> that is after the statement saying that russia deliberately left out putin's name. they are not comments on the world, citing the report from the president. >> last night, the republican chairman of the house intelligence community issues this statement saying they would not send a briefer to capitol hill. devin nunez write that's in

sharing negligence with congress they can enable the manipulation of congress for political purposes. the committee will continue their efforts and will incest that we receive all necessary cooperation from the relevant leaders of the intelligence community. a short time ago, a member spoke out on the kelly file. >> it is almost as if people in the intelligence community are carrying out a disinformation campaign against the president-elect. it is disgraceful. if we're not doing it, there must be someone in the house or the senate leaking false information and there should be a full investigation of this. >> the nation's spy chief put out a statement late last night saying there would be no briefing for the hill until this review for the president is complete, and that has to come before the 20th. there will be a lot of pressure

to declassify as much of that briefing as possible. and especially if there is new intelligence or what is happening right now is they're looking at hindsight, at the d body of intelligence, and reaching a different conclusion. >> thank you for sorting it out, we appreciate it. president-elect trump will have another new position to fell next month. this after tom wheeler announcing he plans to step down as federal communications commission chairman on january 20th which is inauguration. his fife-year term would have ended in 2018, but it's common for the allegatiogencies top ofo step down sooner when a different party is in the white house. he can revote broadcast licenses and regulate internet providers.

the fed announcing a rate hike just before the president-elect goes to the white house. will it hamstring the trump bump on wall street. and can it hamstring his economic agenda. who is set to get hit next? (war drums beating)

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officials revealing traces of explosives have been found on victims of egyptair flight 804. they say already that smoke

detectors went off in the flights final moments. no group has claims responsibility. so far, the dow it still soars. the average price is $2.23 according to triple a. that is a bargain. the senior correspondent for the fox business network is joining me now, what do you think about this? >> i will immediately start a good fight for you. what is kind of -- what is that gesture you do with your hands. that is -- i didn't really want you to do it. that is to donald trump on the

way in? are they making his life hard, are they being mean? >> during the whole campaign, i said the fed will someday raise rates if donald trump gets elected. we're off the bottom. i don't even care. a quarter of a basis point. very low, it will marginally increase credit card rates and things like that. i don't think you have zero percent interest and market publ bubbles. the dow is going up to 20,000, they are saying free market capitalism, lower taxes, less regulations is very, very good for the market and the economy.

don't look short term, look at the 10 and 30 year bonds. they are sparking. they're saying it could blow up the deficit, cause massive inflation, and those interest rates are going up -- >> but that is illinformed. they don't believe how he is going to -- >> that is what markets are for. listen, we're not saying that is what will happen. i'm telling you what the market is saying. and if he comes out with a marginal infrastructure deal, not like what he promised, and he says there is a public and private partnership, we'll take the onus off of the treasury, and one of the plans is taking money from that big corporations that they have overseas and putting that in a bond that will -- equity investment.

>> if you can do that, the long bond will not be -- the rates on the long bond will not be spiking up. and the rally that he has will not will snuffed out. one way to snuff it out is higher interest rates. >> he thinks this is the beginning of that and this is the fed sticking it to him, listen to what he had to say about it. >> any increase at all will be a very small increase because you know they want to keep the market up so that obama goes out and let the new guy, whoever that new -- let's call it the new guy, because i like the sound of that better, the new person that becomes president, let him raise interest rates, or her, and watch what happens to the stock market. >> we were almost to 20%. janet yellin said there would be three rate hikes -- >> the market went down, it went up, it was on an amazing run.

this is a good thing. i think he should be happy with what janet yellin said. she basically said we might have to raise rates. i don't necessarily believe he will inflate the economy that much -- >> she said we have so much uncertainty. she is casting all kinds of -- >> i heard the -- she was, here is her thing. you're miss interpreting it. his biggest problem is bond traders. he was told that bond traders control the world and control said a bunch of f-ing guys on washington will determine it? and they said yes. the next man is not inflationary. >> i wish i could disagree with

you, but you're right about that part. >> get off of the set. >> you make me curse constantly. >> military officials say a second wave of civilians and rebels are streaming out of war-torn aleppo. will a cease fire continue to hold as this humanitarian crisis rages on? and closing arguments wrapping up in charleston as the life of the killer now hangs in the balance. [ crowd noise ]

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a powerful winter weather system gripping parts of the u.s. this week.

heavy lake effect snow pummelling several cities in the last 24 hours including buffalo where wind gusts, snow, and freezing temperatures are making driving nearly impossible. in the west, a rare snowstorm in portland, oregon bringing that city to a halt as thousands of commuters hoping to beat the storm were stranded on the road. some even abandoning their cars. windchills in western wisconsin could make it feel like 30 blow zero. yikes. a fox news alert jury under way in the hate crime trial of dylann roof who is accused of shooting nine parishioners at a bible study at a church in south

carolina. jonathan is live with more on this one. >> jurors were left with very strong final impressions in this trial. during closing arguments, the prosecution contrasted his proprofepr professed hate with the goodness of the nine people that he gunned down last year. they say the defendant chose to take their lives, break their body, but he does not get to choose who they were. there is videotapes of his entering and exiting the church, and him recording racist comments. they urged him to consider questions why did he do this. he said testimony from an fbi agent suggested the government showed signs of mental illness enflaws in how he perceived

reality. this was the last opportunity to present mitigating evidence not so much on their immediate decision, but the later choice they have to make on whether or not he should face the death penalty for his roof plans to serve as his own lawyer in the death penalty phase. >> there is a lot that he was trying to put out and he wasn't able to. i think there is a lot there and i don't think she going to put that forward in the sentencing phase. >> it is something that the jury is deliberated right now. >> thank you for that report. president obama taking a silent stand on the new iran sanctions.

what does it mean for donald trump? tens of thousands of civilians and rebel fighters streaming out of aleppo at this hour as a new cease fire seems to be taking hold. what it means for the ongoing conflict and prospect for peace. see me. see me. don't stare at me. see me. see me. see me to know that psoriasis is just something that i have. i'm not contagious. see me to know that... ...i won't stop

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a tennessee judge sending the case of a school bus driver

involved in a crash that killed six kids to a grand jury. also, dolly parton raising $9 million in a telethon to help those impacted by the devastating wild fires. 14 people were killed in those recent fires. >> britain's prime minister uninvited to a summit. teresa may was kicked off of the list so other officials could discuss brexit without her. we're waiting to hear from the secretary of state to address the crisis in syria, and tens of thousands of evacuees

storm out of syria. as we have seen, just one small spark could ignite the violence all over again. that is what happened yesterday. but a regnawed cease fire went into effect. now a convoy of buses an ambulances shuttled people out of aleppo today. u.n. officials say the sick and wounded wednesday first. addly it was followed by lebl fighters. they have been granted amnesty and safe passage. they were supposed to start yesterday, it started today, but it seems to be holding at this point. >> thank you so much. >> a fox news alert for you now.

this is the briefing of the state department getting under way. secretary of state john kerry talking about syria. >> there is absolutely no justification for the savage brutality against civilians shown by regime and by their russian and iranian allies now the position of the united states remains clear and i have reiterated that in past weeks and in the past 24 hours. and with senior officials from

russia, ka -- qatar, egypt. what united states has been warking towards for some period of time now, under difficult circumstances, that if some parties don't want to move in that direction, it becomes very hard to secure a cease fire. what we want in aleppo right now, the precursor to move to other thing social security an immediate, verifiable, durable cessation of hostilities that includes all attacks by the regime, allies, and other combatants in aleppo. we have been working for hard on that. we worked on that in hamburg where we reached some measure of agreement. considerable measure of agreement, but were not able to secure every component of what

was needed in order to move forward. we want safe passage, corridors for evacuation, that were beginning today to see take shape. but we want to see those for both civilians and fighters who choose to evacuate the city. we want full access for the delivery of humanitarian supplies for people in need throughout syria. and with these steps, we're convinced the killing and the suffering in syria could stop, and it could stop very, very quickly if russia and the regime made the decision to do so. this morning, i was encouraged by reports that after a number of things that we worked on in paris, that were picked up on informed conversations, that e

with were told they're talking about the same thing with the same template, there are individual cease fires being worked out, individual arrangements with armed opposition group commanders, and it appears for some period of time, at least, we don't know yet if it will hold or where it is, that air strikes and shelling have stopped and it may be taking hold. buses and convoys are beginning to move. my understanding is the first group of 21 buses and 19 ambulances reached their check point. this convoy includes more than 1,000 people on their way to the turkish border. however, and this is a big however, we also heard reports that a convoy of injured people

was fired on by forces of the regime or their allies. and we're hearing reports of syrian men, between the ages of 18 and 40 who have been detailed or forced into military service when trying to pass through government check points, and some of them went missing days or weeks ago, and we still don't have -- families and loved ones don't have accountability for what happened to them. these actions are despicable and contrary to the laws of war and to basic human decency. now more positively, we have finally received pledges from russia that it will assist in the monitoring of evacuations that the international red cross and the syrian arab crescent

will also be allowed access, in order to be able to try to help with the monitoring. the u.n. is prepared to receive evacuees, and the emergency sights have been prepositioned. medical assistance is also going to be available. the government of turkey is prepared to get more for treatment. so it appears the implementation of the process continues to be dependent on the actions of the regime and their allies on the ground. let me emphasize, we're going to continue to do our part. the united states of america will continue to try to push the parties towards a resolution. as president obama said the other day in giving us all

impressions and instructions we're going to be trying. every way we can, to try to save lives and push this to where it needs to get to. to date, we provided more than $$6 billion in food and medicine. let me be clear. i will say it once, i will say it again. what happened already is unconscionable. the last thing that anyone wants to see, and the world will be watching, is that something area returns so -- it is imperative that key actors step up, and i call on the entire international

community to kpet pressure on all parties to go forward with the process that has been laid out for some period of time now. to abide by the cessation of hostilities and bringle killing and cruelty, tarting with alsta aleppo, which lays the ground work. all of you know we have been engaged in a lot of talks over an extended period of time now. all of those talks have been geared towards trying to end the civil war in syria. in accept, after months of very tough negotiation, foreign minister lavrov and i were able to stand up late at night and make an announcement that we arrived in agreement. and that agreement required a number of days as everyone knows of calm, in order to indicate

the seriousness of purpose and then we were going to have joint cooperation. regrettably, for a number of different reasons, syrian troops that were accidentally bombed, humanitarian convoy that was not accidentally, but purposefully destroyed. it fell apart. and everybody feels the paint of the lost moment, the lost opportunity, for externalities that we didn't apparently have control over. we agreed on a serious of step that's could have produced a lasting cease fire. it has not been succeeded because of the continued, constant unwillingness of the regime to live by those agreements, to always break out,

to always try to gain more -- and break out, not for the willingness to negotiate, but always affirming in one brash statement after another, it's readiness to take back the whole country, to rush the opposition, and to do everything without regard for the real under lying concerns of many people who want to be part of a recent government, part of a limegitime process. that is what fuelled us and kept it going. so we have arrived now at a critical point, a critical jumpture. if aleppo falls completely, and people are slaughtered in that small area, it will be even harder to bring people around. and it are l not end the war. the fall of alep poe, should it

happen, would not end the war. it will continue. there is still a challenge of governing and reuniting the country and rebuilding the country. so provided we are able to, it is essential that we move forward at the earliest possible moment with a syrian led process, and going to a new and more representative government. and without that meaningful transition of power in which the voices of the syrian people are heard, the opposition will continue to fight. terrorists will continue to join the country, and millions of serians will be forced to flee their homes. i want to everyone side every

party i have spoken to, that in paris last week, and this week, as recently as this morning, every stakeholder tells me they're ready and willing to get back on the path to geneva, and that includes the legitimate syrian opposition, it includes turkey, qatar, the arab states. the only remaining question is whether or not the syrian machine with russia's support is willing to go to geneva prepared to negotiate constructively and whether or not they're willing to stop the slaughter of their own people. let's be crystal clear about who bears responsibility for what we have seen and what we are seeing, and continue to see in syria. it is the unleashing of a sectarian passion. allowing -- not allowing, the assad regime is allowing and

they are aiding and abetting and their carrying out nothing short of a massacre. we witnessed indiscriminate slaughter, not accidents of war, not collateral damage, but purposeful pb a cynical policy of terrorizing civilians. so we believe this is a moment where the syrian regime, and the russian military have an opportunity to make the decision. -- a strategic decision, for peace. twhaun will make it possible for a sesation of hostilities across syria that could flow out of this. every minister i spoke to says we're for a cease fire country

wide. but you to deal with aleppo to legitimatize getting to a country wide effort. everyone has reconfirmed to me their readiness to go to je knee va. so that is the only way that anyone that i have talked to with common sense or with a strategic vision. they have not taken place in all of these years, but all of the parties have now told me, with the exception of what we heard from assad, but trying to bring syria back together. that is the only way to make progress on a united and peaceful syria, as well as? the issg statements that include

russia and iran. hopefully people put actions where the words have been. >> do you response to the reports that russia was directly involved in the election related cyber attacks. >> look, i'm not going to start making comments on this. let me say today that i'm not going to comment on anonymous reports from intelligence and officials that are not fived,

that have -- i'm just not going to comment on that, but about your question earlier, folks -- we sad in the situation room in the white house with the president of the united states, and the president made the decision based on the input that was carefully vetted by the intelligence community and presented to everybody that he had an obligation to go out and give a warning. and he did so, back in october, he authorized the director of national intelligence to -- and the department of homeland security, together, to make a very clear daytime to this nation and our nation. they said they assessed with

high government they had compromised e-mails, and that the disclosures were intended to interfere with our election process. so the president understood and made clear it is a serious matter. i'm not going to kmeent on it further except to say that people need to remember that he issues a warning. he had to be careful that did not promote for or against the candidate or create unrealistic assessments of what was happening. thank you all very much.

that was secretary of state john kerry. he was initially talking about syria. do we want to listen in on this? can you follow -- back to the geneva, i assume -- >> talking about were that's where the first round of talks. >> the geneva understanding back in 2012. so i assume he's talking about that. what i want to -- if when you talk about a political process,

and united syria, if the regime -- al-assad chooses to be part of the process and run a fair and transparent election and so on, would he be allowed to? you have committed yourself in the past to the fact he lost the legitimacy to govern. >> well, think we still believe that. as we said before, thissing exactly the sorts of issues that need to be hammered out in political talks, what this transition looks like and what an election looks like. that's why it's so important to get the regime and the opposition together to talk. >> i understand -- >> we're note going into this -- laying out what it all has to look like before they've had a chance to talk. >> it is obvious that the regime, not necessarily al-assad presents a good portion of the syrian people. there are minorities that look

to them as leadership and so on, so want that kind of political entity to -- should the bay allowed as part of any critical process? >> who? >> the baathist regime. >> there nose question that the regime would be rented mr. political talks. they have to be represented as they were in the first two rounds. you talked about a large part of the syrian population that may be support of of regime. heat talk about larger portion of the senioran population that that been killed, injured, maimed, forted to flee -- >> this is state department spokesman john kirby who step in answer questions after the

secretary of state kerry talked about the cease fire in syria and is encouraging the parties to go to general have no ya -- geneva. he said he has spoken to himself instead of al-assad, which will be trucking. i went to binge -- bring in guy benson, and guy, you listen to the whole thing. john kerry going on and on about the savagery going not in syria, that everybody needs to pressure to parties to come to the table in five yearses there have been no negotiations and at peoples s is a moment that could happen. >> it's impossible not to share

his outaim but some feels empty to me given the track record of the administration in which secretary kerry is serving. how years ago the president of the united states said, assad must go and then said here's a red line he better not crossed and then the crossed it. we did nothing. there was a breakthrough and we'll take all of the wmds out of the run but they captain -- sent some and we did nothing. more tough talk from john kerry will bring anything. they don't take the united states' threat. >> richard, he's saying everybody come to the tablen and the very first question there for john kirby was this idea you said the assad regime isn't around so you invite them to the

table, why would they come? >> i agree officer guy on this and in the president mishandled the. we can't worry about the past and have to figure out how to stop the genocide. we cannot have another rwanda or sudan on hand. the final days of the obama administration we need to see real action, whether it be taking out assad or having a conversation or trying to find a way to counterbalance the russians here. the elephant in the room is the ill pact putin is wave -- having because they're allies. >> the president said he hasn't condemned russia for hack using because he is worried about having to negotiate with them on this front. you talk about not having more genocide. it's already happened. half a million people are dead. >> that who i we have to have a

really tough stance towards russia. and that's what makes this eye appointment as secretary of state rex tillerson. >> i don't know -- >> the prior -- eve -- [overlapping speakers] >> what about-at the talks about the other player, iran work the president has stood by and has removed sanctions on. that's ridiculous to talk about russia. >> and he did mention kerry did mention iran fleetingly, but iran is such a key player here, they're a key client of this regime doing all the killing but the administration won't do anything about iran. in fact the president just allowed new sanctions from congress to be implemented against iran by not signing the bill. he just let it automatically go into effect -- >> we have to go -- >> [overlapping speakers] >> a lot of blame to go around in this situation. we'll be right back with more.

it was jam packed hour. thank you for joining us. coming up next, here's shep. >> it's 3:00 on the east coast, 10'm in aleppo, syria, where a human slaughter just paused bet not before untold thousands have been murdered by their government with the help of the russians it minutes ago the secretary of state accused al assad carrying out a massacre. the secretary kerry promising to do whatever the u.s. can do to save syrian lives. the u.s. has been promising that for months and years with no apparent success. now that donald trump set to take over will washington give up on fighting the regime. could be one of this