flu viruses, including the covid-19 virus, on more surfaces than lysol disinfectant spray. lysol. what it takes to protect. breaking overnight critical covid relief awaiting the flick of the president's plan congress pass as long overdue $900 billion aid package. when that money will go to families and businesses. the world sprinting to stop the spread of a more contagious new strain of coronavirus discovered in the uk just as the busy holiday travel season gets under way. waitle for the apple iride

the new car. good morning and welcome to "early today." i'm frances rivera. the $900 billion covid relief package is now headed to the president's desk the senate passed it clearing the way for more stimulus checks and unemployment benefits and more money for vaccines, the senate's approval coming hours after the house signed off on the len lags nbc's chris pollone joins us with the details good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this came down to the wire with the senate passing the relief bill shortly before momenients. what does this bill do we've been talking about it for a couple of days now we're getting to see what exactly is in the bill it calls for about $600 in stimulus checks going to people

who make less than $75,000 a year dependent children will also get $600 $300 a week extra for people who are collecting unemployment. there are billions of dollars for small business loans that can be forgiven. colleges and schools, money in there to purchase vaccines to help distribute them to help the u.s. get out of the pandemic and people paying rent or mortgage garages, the eviction moratorium continues this is what the leaders had to say once the deal was done. >> this package must be viewed only as a down payment most of us can hardly wait to begin the new year with a new hope. >> it doesn't go all the way, but it takes us down the path, a first step. >> a big majority recognize the amount of good it can do. >> reporter: because a bill of

this nature can't go to straight to the president like others, people say you can start to see the stimulus checks arriving by direct depossible fit they have your banking information next week back to you. >> thank you, and not a moment too soon. coronavirus throws another curveball as mutations has the world on edge. europe has closed its borders to the uk as the world faces a new stras. it looks like new york is also taking precautions. >> reporter: good morning, frances. indeed after governor cuomo discussed it, several airlines companies including delta and british airways have decided they'll require their passengers test negative before boarding a flight other places have gone further dozens of countries including

italy where i have have decided to effectively close the borders by grounding all flights coming into the uk. meantime the scientists are starting to discover the differences. because it's more contagious than the previous one, it doesn't mean it's more deadly. the question is have the vaccines that have already been approved in the u.s. effective against the new virus. they appear to be confident it is, but it will take days to weeks to confirm all in all, this is not the christmas present we were hoping for. frances? >> it is not claudio, thank you. after rolling out the first batches of the moderna vaccine, there are new batches. >> reporter: the most high-profile endorsement yet of

the covid vaccine. the president-elect and jill biden getting their shotting in delaware. >> i'm doing this to demonstrate that people should be prepared when it's available to take the vaccine. there's nothing to worry about. >> reporter: nationwide, a new battle amid-a deadly enemy fedex and u.p.s. delivering to the front lines. >> i'm very proud to be part of this historic moment i'm thrilled. >> reporter: at baptist health in miami, the first doses arrive chief pharmacy officer madelyn taking the first delivery. across the country, 6 million moderna doses and 2 million pfizer doses are shipping this week. >> excited to be the first one >> sure. >> reporter: in san antonio paramedics rolled up their sleeves. in bridgeport, connecticut, nursing home residents both are in group 1a

beginning in february the cdc says group 1b should include 75 and oil older and essential works, more emergency worker, teachers, public transportation, postal workers, and those working in the food supply chain. group 1c will include 65 to 74-year-olds phase 2 will involve those 16 and older recommended for vaccination. >> we believe in late february, early march, we'll see more general vaccinations >> reporter: in remote craig, colorado, the moderna vaccine arrives this week. >> we're up to almost 600 in the last couple of months, so it's exploded in our community. >> reporter: dr. fauci along with other top leaders will

receive the moderna vaccine. he turns 80 on christmas eve so he's not only a frontline medical worker but in this older age group. with just days until christmas, health officials are warning of a covid surge there are currently over 18 million americans who have been infected, and the number of lives lost has surpassed 320,000. despite these numbers, millions of people are still flying our miguel almaguer has more. >> reporter: across the country, hospitals are in need of a lifeline with 18 million americans infected a year. icus are at 94% capacity in texas, hospitalizations have tripled since olkt while 10,000 are getting sick every day in tennessee. but doctors believe california is becoming the new epicenter, averaging nearly 44,000 new cases a day. the "washington post" capturing scenes of covid patients

struggling to breathe. hospitals may soon need to ration care. first meeting those with the best odds of survival. >> if christmas were the holidays or any repeat of thanksgiving, we're going be in a world of heart. >> reporter: parking lots have turned into field hospitals. over the weekend 2 million americans flew many of the newly infected could end up here if there's room. the death toll since thanksgiving has now reached 54,000, roughly the same number of people who could fill the stands at dodger stadium shaun and brandon black well will spend their first christmas without their parents. >> israel, and it hit home and it hit us. and we want everybody out there to know you need to do your part or you're going to end up being in the same position as us. >> a season of joy overshadowed by a year of sorrow. miguel almaguer, nbc news.

william barr has held his final press conference as the nation's attorney general before his res igation takes effect tomorrow that meeting marked a break from president trump and talked about new charges in a terrorist matter >> reporter: no doubt further disappointing president trump, the attorney general said there's no need for a new prosecutor to oversee the investigation of hunter biden, which has been going on for two years. >> i have not seen a reason to appoint a special counsel, and i have no plan to do so before i leave. >> reporter: and no need, he said, for one to look at the elections to say there's no evidence of widespread fraud in his last news conference, barr announced new charges in the 1988 terror bombing of pam am flight 103. it killed all 259 people onboard including 190 americans, most of them on their way home for christmas. a former libyan intelligence

operative now in custody in libya on unrelated charms was accused of building the baltimore that blew the plane apart after it left london for new york. >> at long last this man responsible for killing americans and many others will be subject to justice for his crimes. >> reporter: prosecutors said the evidence including tiny fragments of timer for the bomb concealed in a tape player and massoud's intear giggs recently turn oefrd to the u.s. in which he admitted to building the bomb two. other libyans were previously charged in scotland, one convicted, the other acquitted. >> bar said he's willing to send mao saud to the u.s. for a trial here. last-minute errands, holiday shopping all of those loose ends mig might mean a little trouble. here's bill karins. >> this one is mostly going go a

rain and wind event, then the snow on the back side. we're going to time this out today's not that bad we'll fast forward to tomorrow that's when we watch the rain breaking out light rain, no severe weather or anything like that that will be a little snow back toward minneapolis, nothing that be cause too many head cakes we'll see a band of heavy rain, maybe some thunderstorms with it this is going to be over the areas that just got the 2, 3, 4 feet of snow in some cases we're worried about the roof collapses, rapid snow melt in addition to the heavy rain and flash flooding and by kroimt morning we watch thm weeping morning, quite seasonal.

30s and 40s. beautiful day through the southeast. no problems florida to texas we'll give you that complete christmas eve and christmas forecast coming up. >> looking forward to it thank you, bill. week 15 of nfl action was a weird one and it ended with a massive upset on monday night foochblt did you watch this game the bengals hosting the steelers there was some violence. this forced a fumble one of three pittsburgh turnovers on the night and since his first career start, ryan findley made division leaders pay in the air and on the ground the bengals hand pittsburgh its third straight loss, 27-17. all right. when we come back, dozens of cadets accused in what's being called the worst cheating scandal at west point in 45 years. "early today" is back in two b.

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welcome back to "early today. dozens of cadets are facing disciplinary action for violating the military's honor code. >> reporter: in what could be the biggest honor code violation in decades, more than 70 west point cadets are accused of cheating on a math exam while learning remotely last spring. the cadets, 72 freshmen and one sophomore caught when they all made the same mistake on one part of the calculus exam. two have been honor rated, four have left the academy, and the rest face probation. a cadet will not lie, cheat, nor steal, nor tolerate those who do in a statement a spokesperson for the academy said cadets are being held accountable for

breaking the code whil >> when these kids are graduated they go into the army and they're responsible for everything in the lives of maybe 40 people. very much different than graduating from a civilian institution. >> courtney kube, nbc news, washington. still to come, say thanks but no thanks this christmas the new return policy from walmart. does apple have its eye on the road new signs the giant could be taking on tesla. for 24 hours, even after multiple touches. try microban. brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. listerine® cleans virtually 100%. helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. never settle for 25%. always go for 100. bring out the bold™ good mormore treatment? we're going to try something different today.

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in today's "quick hits," virginia's statue of general robert e. lee has been removed from the capitol virginia's assembly has not confirmed a replacement. adam silver says the league will wait its turn for the staff to get the coronavirus vaccine he said he's confident in nba's health and safety protocol. and the numeral 20s 21 arrived in times square. that celebration is closed to the public this year, but about 40 invited frontline workers will be in attendance. walmart shoppers can make returns from home while apple says it wants to roll out a car in the next four years let's get to karen tso in

london. >> they're more concerned about the pandemic at this point when you saw the roller-coaster ride for the stocks yesterday stoxx improving from the biontech's ceo saying they need two weeks to see if the vaccine contains what's needed to fight the uk coronavirus walmart says shoppers can simply schedule free carrier service to pick up their products apple has long talked about a car. this would potentially be using breakthrough technology. it started back in 2014. but it's been stop/start a top field veteran returned to

am back in 2018 and has been overseeing the project but the fresh continue petition to tesla has hit that stock and it was included the s&p yesterday. what would bit called? the icar >> taking a ride on my apple we'll see. up next, bill karins joinings us with a look of our holiday forecast. high drama on a delta flight as two passengers force open a door and jump out while the plane is still taxiing our driver kristin came along in our most desperate hour. suzanne: bringing us home-cooked meals and gifts. andrew: day after day. we wanted to show you something. kristin: oh my god! andrew: kristin is the most uncommonly kind person that we've met. suzanne: thank you so much.

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so as if 2020 wasn't strange enough, mcdonald's is selling a new creation spam topped with crushed oreos, and on top of that you have mayonnaise on the bun. here's the thing it's only sold in china and on mondays as part of a members only promotion they plan to sell 400,000 of them they say it's a delicacy in parts of asia to crack open that can of spam. >> on mondays. garfield would be thrilled bill, would you eat one of these? >> look at his face. >> i would ben't touch that with a 10-foot pole it's horrible. delicacy for some. heavy rain arriving on the east coast we could see the possibility of

gusty winds and heavy snow off the lakes. it exists just in time for christmas eve and christmas. we'll be right back. ♪ lovely day, lovely day. lovely day. ♪ ♪ lovely day. ♪ lovely day, lovely day. ♪ no matter how you celebrate this year, make this holiday extra special with a gift from pandora jewelry. make this holiday extra special when they're sick, they get comfortable anywhere and spread germs everywhere. nothing kills more viruses, including the covid-19 virus, on more surfaces than lysol disinfectant spray. lysol. what it takes to protect. the #1 pediatrician recommended brand, pampers, helps keep baby's skin dry and healthy. so every touch is as comforting as the first. pampers. the #1 pediatrician recommended brand .

in today's top stories, potential trouble for rudy giuliani two federal prosecutors say they have spoken to the justice department about pursuing a legal request to gain access to giuliani's emails. the scope of the probe is unclear but in october of last year "the wall street journal" report they'd were reviewing the former new york mayor's bank records as part of his dealings in the ukraine. the chicago police officers who were involved in the 2019 bust of a woman's apartment

during a police raid have been taken off the streets. they'll be on desk duty and will remain there during the investigation of the raid which turned out to be the wrong address. the top attorney resigned after it was said they tried to keep the video from appearing on television. according to delta air lines, two unidentified passengers forced open the cabin door of the plane and fled down the emergency slide shortly before takeoff the plane which was headed toward atlanta was taxiing and returned to the gate the other passengers were placed on alt naive flights the couple were taken into custody. last night for the first time in nearly 800 year, jupiter and saturn appeared to merge into one big planet. here's nbc's harry smith.

>> reporter: if you've gazed at the southern sky as we have, you've caught quite the show jupiter and saturn getting closer and closer, so close they almost look like one, and, oh, wow, of the highest order and super rare jupiter is about 550 million miles from saturn, a billion miles. their orbits of the sun are much, much slower than ours. when you can see them like this, the last time for most of the planet was in the 13th century some have wondered could this be the christmas star, the star that led the magi to bethlehem not likely, but it's happening on the darkest day of the year, in a year most of us can remember well, we welcome the added light. behold harry smith, nbc news, new york. >> well said, harry. thanks for starting your day with us. i'm paul geraghty.

>> i'm frances rivera we want to honor those in your life share your photos on instagram we'll share some this week on the air. thank you for be wit your dog is your best friend. ♪ ♪ but your dog's best friend is your ex-girlfriend... because she always has irresistible pup-peroni. be your best friend's best friend. pup-peroni.

right now at 4:30, breaking news for you. a deadly shooting on a bay area freeway happening overnight. a live report on that investigation unfolding. plus, a dire fight for frontline workers. the hospitals across the state now being forced to turn in their parking lots into treatment areas for covid patients. and all of this playing out as a mutant strain is discovered in the uk. i believe intuitively it's already here. we learned this lesson the hard way. and we're not going to go through it again.