0 travel plans, now we're going into the holiday travel season for the next holiday. we're once again talking about major systems making its way across the country. it's a case of here we go again. as holiday travelers bombard the airports and roadways this weekend, a wicked weather system could derail travel plans with snow, freezing rain and severe thunderstorms across the country. according to aaa, the wide-ranging travel plans affecting 94 million americans. from the southed toment west, the risk of severe thunderstorms include damaging winds and even isolated tornadoes. up north, freezing rain will be the problem from chicago to wichita. holiday commuters will have to watch for icing on bridges and overpasses. snow's already caused issues for air travelers this holiday season. in wisconsin this week, a plane slid off the snow slicked runways. >> we didn't know what was happening and they said the airport was shut down. >> reporter: further east, up to 10 inches of rain could dampen holiday travel plans and once millions finally arrive to their destination, who will have a white christmas? right now it's looking like colorado and parts of the great lakes. just want to give you a quick picture of what it is we're expecting. heavy rain, icing, even threat for severe weather including tornadoes. we even have a moderate threat as we go in through saturday. we'll give you the details how all this pans out. the timing of it all. all that will be coming up in just a few minutes. >> thanks so much, indra. a night at the theater turning into a real live drama in london. it unfolded when an actor on stage shouted to the audience, watch out. seconds later, a huge chunk of the ceiling came crashing down. cnn's erin mclaughlin has the latest, live in london. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, kate, a very scary night for over 700 theatergoers here atland done's historic apollo theater, more than 70 injured, 7 seriously. after a section of a roof collapsed, sending members of the audience and actors alike running for cover. many saying they initially thought it was part of the performance. it was certainly not your typical thursday night at london's historic apollo theater. an audience of over 700 people, families and children had assembled for a performance of "the curious incident of the dog in the night time." and then -- >> a loud bang and the ceiling came down. >> it we thought it was sound effects of the theater and then, yes, we just looked up and the whole ceiling was like slow motion. >> reporter: parts of the roof started caving in. >> a lot of dust, chandelier, wood, all that sort of stuff, landed on about five or six rows. >> reporter: panic erupted inside the auditorium. >> i was right next to the steward. we were at the back. he looked at me and had panic. he said run, everybody get out. >> reporter: witnesses say people stayed calm and helped one another. quickly, everyone was out. injured people, bloody and in shock, were treated at the scene. some taken to the hospital, aboard a london bus. >> we don't want to go into too much detail about the why and what's happened. suffice to say there's been a collapse of heavy plaster from what appears to be the roof of the auditorium within the theater. >> reporter: british prime minister david cameron tweeted his thanks for the first responders. i'm grateful for the fast work of the emergency services and helping the injured. as for the cause of the collapse, that's still unclear. the police later saying, there is no suggestion at this stage that this was the result of a criminal act. however, at this stage, we are keeping an open mind. a spokesperson for the local council tells me this morning they believe this is an isolated incident. overnight they checked the roof. they say this morning that it's secure. more checks under way as they try to figure out how this happened. chris? >> all right. erin mclaughlin in london, thank you. u.s. forces have been deployed. president obama has sent a small military contingent to the south sudan. deadly ethnic clashes have erupted there, leaving at least 500 dead, including three u.n. peacekeepers. for now, the troops mission is to help secure the u.s. embassy. they are equipped for combat. joining us now is cnn's elise l labott in washington. >> sudan, the u.s. was instrumental in helping it move forward to independence in 2011. now the u.s. fears it's on the brink of a civil war with violence erupting, the u.s. along with britain have pulled out their diplomats, started to evacuate their citizens. state department warning all americans to leave the country. and now, after that attack on the u.n. base, u.s. growing even more concerned, in addition to the peacekeepers killed, thousands of civilians are seeking shelter from the fighting there. that prompted president obama to order about 45 military personnel to protect the embassy. officials are telling me this morning it's just a precautionary measure. they will be armed. we don't see them getting involved in the fighting but it does show how concerned the u.s. is about this new fragile nation. michaela? >> thank you. the senate overwhelming passing a defense bill late last night. it cracks down on sexual assaults in the military and provides protections for victims. this measure also calls for a 1% pay raise for military personnel. it's now on the president's desk awaiting his signature. the white house is now giving people who had their individual insurance policies canceled because of obamacare another option. the option to buy catastrophic coverage. the white house taking on critics saying far fewer people than they projected lost their insurance plans and failed to get new coverage since the rollout. outrage in chicago. after a 15-year-old girl was dragged, beaten and sexually assaulted on her way to school. angry residents crowding a community meeting thursday night demanding answers. that attack happened just a half block from aa so-called safe passage route for students. officials say the girl was walking in the early hours before the patrols began. she remains hospitalized with severe head injuries. health officials in california fear they may have a tuberculosis outbreak on their hands. more than 100 students who came in close contact with one student diagnosed with active tb were tested earlier in the week. 45 of them came back positive for possible exposure. an update for a story we've been watching here on "new day." ryan o'neill can indeed keep the andy warhol portrait of farrah fawcett. you might recall he was locked in a battle for the portrait with the university of texas at austin which claimed fawcett left it to the university in her will. the "duck dynasty" controversy is not dying down. the stars of the reality show seem to be threatening they won't return to the series without their patriarch phil robertson. he was suspended for making comments that many call home w homephobic and insensitive. >> the robertsons are backing the man they say is the head of their family. here's their official stance. they say, quote, we are disappointed that phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right. we have had a successful relationship with a & e but with a family, we can't imagine our show going forward without our patriarch at the helm. we are in discussions with a & e to determine what that mean for the future of "duck dynasty." talk about rocking the boat. just a day after a & e suspended phil robertson from his hit reality show "duck dynasty" for making anti-gay comments, a firestorm erupted. now as his critics and supporters are lining up, getting their ducks in a row, robertson's family addressed the controversy for the first time saying while some of phil's unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the bible. phil would never insight or encourage hate. now surfacing, a video from 2010, showing robertson in a pennsylvania pulpit preaching morality. >> women with women, men with men, they committed indecent acts with one another and they received in themself the due penalty for their perversion. they're full of murder, envy, strife. they are arrogant god haters. >> he has the right to say what he wants to say. a & e made a decision that those views are not american views and do not represent their brand as a network and they pulled him. >> reporter: now, coming out of the woodwork are robertson supporters, even pledging their support on twitter with the #standbyphil. ted cruz and sarah palin taking a stand behind the boys from the bayou as well. palin saying on her facebook page, free speech is an endangered species. those intolerance, hating and taking on the "duck dynasty" patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us. >> the left keep saying they're for tolerance except for people that disagree with them. it's stunning that miley cyrus would still be on tv and phil's the one getting kicked off. >> reporter: robertson supporters say they're fighting the good fight. critics say it's an old fight, likely to lose in a new world. >> now, a rep for a & e networks tells cnn they will not have any further comment on this matter. the show is scheduled to debut a new season on january 15th. reportedly, phil robertson will be in the initial episodes that have already been shot. >> we were talking about hot button issues. and i don't know, though, if people should be surprised this is what phil robertson feels and thinks. >> it's passionate. religion, we all know, religion is a subject and belief is a subject that's very, very passionate, homosexuality is a suggest that's passionate, whichever side you fall on it gets you heated. i saw that yesterday. i got a lot of heat yesterday from folks who agree with phil robertson. and i didn't say whether i agreed or disagreed. i put things out there. people are very passionate about this. >> it's okay to agree and disagree. i think that's the thing people go automatically from zero to 100 and attacking -- in attacking rather than -- it is okay if you don't agree with phil robertson. >> that's why this is the greatest country in the world. >> the part that's frustrating, though, i think we all agree we are allowed to have our own opinion but i think one thing i think all americans agree on, is that hateful speech is not acceptable. opinion is okay. >> they don't think it's hate. there's a lot of people who don't think it's hate speech. >> the video was helpful, because he wasn't commenting on what's in the bible. he appeared to be preaching. >> yes. >> that's one thing that will go on people's feelings about whether or not it was appropriate or inappropriate. i have a question, though. it's going to seem off point but maybe more relevant than anything else when we're looking at this. does a & e have a problem with them contractwise, ais there controversy going on? >> this is an easy out for a & e. >> not that the show is not doing well. even i know that. if they were fighting over money, if they are not as close kin, let's say, this may be an easier opportunity to separate. i just want -- do we know anything. >>? there have been rumblings about that. we haven't been able to confirm that. a & e is not going to speak to their contract situation. they also aren't saying -- because we asked yesterday as well. he's suspended at this point, but they're not shooting right now. what is he suspended from? >> i'm interested on what a & e's position is. he's off the show indefinitely but the episodes are still airing right now. >> i'm taking a little bit of a sidestep. >> no, it's not. i think that's relevant in the whole discussion of this. >> seeing the context of his comments is important. knowing what the context is for a & e's relationship is important. we'll talk about this a lot more on the show today, different ways, different guests. the main reason it's an important discussion is because it is confusing. we don't have rules in this society. we don't know what's okay. >> one standard to apply. >> we do have freedom of speech. >> yes. >> we do have freedom of speech in this country. >> 14 million viewers an episode, you have a lot of reach. >> we have free speech. we have the freedom that congress can't prescribe speech. it doesn't mean you can say whatever you want, wherever you want and not face consequences. >> continue the conversation among yourselves. when we come back on "new day," did sean penn help out in a jail break? a bizarre escape plan that helped someone make it back to the u.s. and tomorrow is super saturday. they are pulling out all the stops with deals galore. 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