israel tells troops to be ready for gaza ground war. the eyes of the world watching for the invasion that could happen at any moment as tension and the humanitarian crisis in

the region grows even more dire. after returning from a day in war-torn israel, president biden addressed the country, asking americans to be a beacon to the world calling to support our allies in israel and ukraine, including an unprecedented aid package to congress the site of one of america's deadliest mass shootings has a new future victims and loved ones fight to mor mem memorialize pulse what are the odds the best gymnast in the world make as appearance in paris? we've got the g.o.a.t.'s response to betting odds on her olympic future a missouri father helps his daughters live their dream one scoop at a time. go inside the grand opening of a very special ice cream shop.

"early today" starts right now good morning, i'm phillip mena >> i'm frances rivera. israel is poised to launch its ground invasion into gaza any day now. since hamas' brutal attacks nearly two weeks ago, israel has been bombing gaza relentlessly a ground invasion promises to be even more deadly >> let's go live to claudio lavanga who is following these developments for us. good morning what do we know at this hour >> reporter: good morning, guys. the greatest indication that a ground invasion may be imminent is a visit by several senior israeli officials yesterday to the many troops stationed at the border with gaza for many days now. as we mentioned, the defense minister of israel told the troops that they are seeing gaza

from afar now, but they will see it from the inside, promising that an order will come soon then another major israeli general told troops that a ground assault, a ground invasion will be long, difficult, and intense, but that india i israel will -- >> they're hoping -- >> reporter: since saturday, israeli military has said that israel will strike gaza with a land, air and sea assault. but so far, while they have been pounding gaza with airstrikes, tens of tanks have been lining up alongside the gaza border with guns pointed at it. but with their engines off, for a number of reasons, perhaps first of all, the visit by president biden to israel on wednesday. and then perhaps the concern

that a ground invasion could pose an even greater threat to the more than 200 hostages confirmed inside gaza, but also the concern that there could be a heavy casualty among israeli soldiers, too. because they would engage in urban warfare that hamas knows a lot better hthan them. and they can hide in houses and tunnels. but of course there's a lot of concern about the palestinian civilians as well, as you mentioned, more than 3,000 people have been killed so far in gaza, mainly killed by israeli airstrikes, but military analysts agree that that death toll will pale in comparison if the ground invasion will occur certainly would lead to a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions. phillip, frances >> it is a major fear that casualties will rise

thank you. president biden has made a prime time address to the nation from the oval office the commander in chief made the case for supporting both israel and ukraine. warning that failing to provide support could make americans less safe. nbc's chris pollones that this rosht. >> reporter: in a rare televised address from the oval office, president biden made the case that it's in america's best interest to continue supporting israel and ukraine in their respective wars. >> this just taught us that when terrorists don't pay a price for their terror, when dictators don't pay a price for their destruction, they cause more death and destruction. >> reporter: he's calling for $60 $40 billion for israel >> if we walk away and let putin

erase ukraine's independence, would-be aggressors around the world would be emboldened to try the same the risk of chaos could spread in other parts of the war. >> reporter: the funding request will be sent to congress the democratic-controlled senate is expected to act quickly, a move which could put pressure on house republicans to sort out their issues and end the legislative logjam in that chamber. but some of the president's allies feel that americans are growing weary of sending tax dollars overseas >> this is a very real conflict with good and evil and we need to stand with our ukr israeli ae and ukraine. the house will likely end another week in disarray the chamber is expected to hold a third vote on jim jordan's

nomination for speaker at 10:00 a.m. jordan is also expected to hold a press conference before the vote but is expected to remain in the race. this comes after a plan backed by jordan to temporarily empower interim speaker patrick mchenry collapsed. thursday, mcenhhenry threatened step down. tonight, once an attorney, then a co-defendant. k now a koopter. >> how do you plead to interference of election duties? >> guilty. >> reporter: sydney powell, one of 19 charges alongside the former president in a sprawling conspiracy to overturn the election results in georgia.

just as jury slexelection for hr trial was set to begin >> do you believe there are enough facts to support this plea of gill any. >> reporter: i do. >> i do >> reporter: often pushing conspiracy theories. >> president trump won b landslide. >> reporter: agreeing as part of the new plea deal with prosecutors to write an apology letter to the people of georgia, hand over documents to investigators and come clean about all that she knows about her former client as mr. trump continues to fight the charges against him. >> you're to testify truthfully against any and all co-defendants in this matter >> reporter: powell's testimony likely an asset for the fulton county d.a. who's now managed to secure two guilty pleas so far

the defense attorney in georgia is dismissing it as problematic saying it's favorable to his strategy, though it's unclear how that would work. ken chesebro is still scheduled to go to trial on monday >> thank you the world was stunned this week by that deadly blast at a gaza hospital. but a human rights group says health care facilities are no longer the safe havens they once wore the coalition found that in the first week of the israel-hamas war there were 94 attacks. 29 health care workers were killed the group says violence against health care facilities rose 45% last year with many of those attacks happening in ukraine nestle has announced it will close an infant formula factory in ireland reason there aren't enough babies to feed in china. the chinese birthrate has been

cut in half in the last seven years to a mere 9 million this year the company points to increased domestic production in china around 500 people work at the limerick county factory which will close in 2026 the u.s. is expediting israel's enfltrance into the via waiver program they were technically admitted in late september but the implementation was expected to take months until the surprise announcement it's unclear if this has anything to do with the war. several lawmakers, including bernie sanders objected because of israel's record of discrimination against arab americans. it's going to be another wet weekend in the northeast let's turn to angie lassman who is tracking it all >> there will be a couple of dry

sp sp spots for new york but we're going to be left with unsettled conditions notice all that rain moving out of the midwest folks are going to get a bit of a break if you live in michigan, illinois but poitnotice what happens to e northeast. there comes the rain maybe a couple thunderstorms possible we will watch this coastal low enhance that rainfall and make its way north. northern portions in new england have a better chance of seeing that high rainfall rate as we get through even sunday. we'll continue to see a couple of spots dealing with rain eventually that will pull out. we will be left with blustery and chilly conditions behind it. here's the spots where we expect to see the highest amounts of rain two inches per hour possible meanwhile, folks in the middle of the country, warm down to the

south but gorgeol end nupt l in the low 90s and that's a look at your forecast, guys, back over to you. >> all right, angie, thank you coming up, honoring 49 lives cut short. orlando takes a step unlike some others, it supports 7 brain health indicators, including mental alertness from one serving. to help keep me sharp. try new neuriva ultra. think bigger. i'm adding downy unstopables to my wash now. i'll be smelling fresh all day long. [sniffs] still fresh. still fresh! get 6 times longer-lasting freshness,

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reports, it's a major step towards healing seven years on >> i will never let him just become a name that floats away >> reporter: that's why lolly santiago leon sought to have the city purchase the property >> they are the roots to help our, to help what's going on >> reporter: this is where they tl lost their lives seven years ago. the site was supposed to be acquired by the one pulse foundation, a group that was formed with plans to create a memorial for the victims some families and survivors went to the city and county so that the memorial wouldn't go somewhere else the owners have agreed to sell pulse to the city of orlando for $2 million >> i cannot explain to you how much this means, and i know this is step one. and there's many to overcome

>> reporter: in a statement, the pulse owners said in part, the site will serve at permanent national memorial. our hope is that this sacred ground will become a space for healing. >> city wants to buy, now, it makes you think that what's under their sleeve what is the next step? >> reporter: brenda is the cousin of a pulse victim who died and two who survived. the costs behind the deal worries her. >> do you know how many survivors are in still in need of surgery >> reporter: she plans to go to a future doctor visit with a survivor in puerto rico. >> i have the bullet inside of me i have to go to emergency room to check me, because at the moment i have no insurance >> reporter: he wonders why the pulse deal took seven years long >> now the question is, now,

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i'm going to bet a hundred bucks, now i'm going to vegas. you won the world. >> yes >> how secure would my bet be if i were betting on you going to paris? >> yeah, i think you'd be pretty lucky, hoda. >> oh! >> the most decorated gymnast of all time, super star simone biles dropping hints about her future after an electric come back since returning to the sport in august. she won her sixth all-around title. she took a break from competing

in 2021 when she got the twisties, which makes it difficult to know where they are in the air she's married since then, only 26 years old, and oh, yeah, she's best ever. >> when things align, and you're meant nobody all that space, physically and mentally it's going to happen. billy joel was honored at home he was given a tekey to the tow. there is another chance to see him in concert a new show at madison square garden has been added for his 75th birthday, may 9 tickets go on sale october 29th. i know we say this is it when it comes to his residency if you haven't had a chance and you get to, it is something else >> this guy is a new york icon a new tiktok trend has sparked a debate online over what's called the girlfriend effect, when men appear to

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got its start. >> reporter: this isn't a story about an ice cream and candy shop it's about a dream one so sweet, when 10-year-old ariannefa woke up, she could still taste it >> i can see they dream. >> reporter: ariana and her 5-year-old sister have always been little entrepreneurs. ariana used to draw pictures and try to sell them for years they both dreamed of a's crea an ice cream shop of their own her dad made it a reality. >> her birthday came around. i tried to surprise her with a gift it wasn't about the money but making them happy. >> reporter: sweets make them happy. this store is her chance to share that >> to make people happy. >> reporter: for ariana, it's a taste of real small business work what she'd been craving. >> total is 26$26.01

>> reporter: what's your dream >> to make it a really bice plbusy place. >> they're doing it right. learning by hard work, entrepreneurship they get to do it with family, and i think best of all, especially if you're a kid, you get to be surrounded by all that candy and ice cream. >> that is a sweet life. there are massive pumpkins being grown in ohio, all from a secret ingredient. monica day from our columbus affiliate fills us in. >> my dad's famous for his giant pumpkins he has been growing pumpkins for around 30 years now. >> reporter: dave liggett who has worked at the columbus zoo has helped his dad become number one by slyinupplying him with nr

two. >> i do give him a lot of crap we talk to the head keeper here at the zoo at the pachyderms, and he suggested that we use rhin rh rr rhino poo instead. >> reporter: if his success is an indicator, it's working >> all the goodness of pop right there. thank foss anks to monica day forth t r

closure, one direction of a major south bay traffic corridor will be off limits all weekend. we have team coverage, including what you need to keep in mind ahead of those weekend plans. new devastation overnight in gaza, a