i can't explain what it is. >> reporter: perfection gabe gutierrez, nbc news, the white house. >> he still jam. we thank gabe for that story. that's "nightly news" for this tuesday thank you so much for watching i'm tom llamas for all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. >>> right now on "nbc bay area news tonight," here we go again. two more storms are headed our way. this time they're bringing more than just rain. we are tracking it all. >>> plus, gift cards are super popular during the holidays, both with gift gives and with thieves. our consumer investigator breaks down what you need to watch out for. >>>he

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, the white house. >> well, today marks the beginning of the kwanzaa holiday,n of african-american heritage it was created in 1966 and is a time to reflect on the past and share hope for the future vice president kamala harris shared a kwanzaa message. >>> coming up on the "today" show, one giant leap into 2024 tau tom costello will tell us what to expect in the space race. and here's al roker with what else is coming up this morning >> on the third hour of "today" some impressive moms, an inspiring mountain-climbing mom of seven, then the mom who created her own hair care line rooted in her latinx heritage. and a green thumb at a plant store. all this and more coming up on the thir >>> the white house making a diplomatic push in the gaza conflict, advisors meeting with israeli officials in the

lester >> all right, gabe gutierrez starting us off, thanks. let's bring in nbc's keir simmons in moscow keir, russia clearly watching all this very closely. >> reporter: that's right, lester. the kremlin and the biden administration agree on one thing tonight. events in congress are pivotal. kremlin spokesperson dmitry peskov telling reporters today, we're following zelenskyy's visit very closely, saying tens of billions more dollars to ukraine will not, quote, change the battlefield. president putin hoping the tide is turning, saying he will stand for election next year, while trying to project a global image, visiting countries like saudi arabia meanwhile, jailed opposition leader alexei navalny has disappeared for seven days, not appearing in court via a video link his supporters say it may not be a coincidence at such a crucial time for the kremlin. lester >> keir simmons, thank you. >>> now to our new reporting tonight that israel is flooding hamas tunnels, all as president biden had blunt words today rebuking what he calls indiscriminate

gabe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: ten americans are on their way home, among them, six people the state department says were wrongfully detained in venezuela. the biden administration striking a deal with the country's socialist government led by president nicolas maduro. >> we have no higher priority than the release of detained, americans held hostage >> reporter: venezuela is sending back a fugitive. leonard francis, better known as fat leonard was behind one of the worst navy scandals in history and fled before his sentencing in return, the u.s. is releasing a colombian businessman, a madur maduro ally. this is the latest swap mediated by the qatari government among the detain americans, joseph cristela. we spoke with his mother who said her son was being used as a bargaining chip. >> it's just been a horrendous journey, and it's finally come to an end. >> and our thanks to gabe gutierrez for that report. >>> texas governor greg abbott is turning up the heat on his border fight with northern states by charterering a flighto more than a hundred migrants to chicago. it's the fir

here's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: tonight, a new battle over the border is erupting on capitol hill sources familiar with the discussions tell nbc news that democratic lawmakers and the white house are considering agreeing to a republican demand that would allow for more expulsions of migrants from the u.s it's one of several border policy changes republicans want before they'll approve more aid for ukraine >> i like the idea of having something like title 42. >> reporter: title 42 was the covid-era border restriction implemented by former president trump. one immigration advocacy group is calling the new proposal title 42 on steroids sources familiar with the discussions tell nbc news, a significant expansion of migrant detention and deportation is on the table, as well as stricter asylum laws >> it is unconscionable that is not the way to fix our immigration system. >> reporter: president biden says he's willing to compromise, but he's also slamming republicans. >> holding ukraine funding hostage in an attempt to force through an extreme republican partisan agenda on the border is

people if they are ready to give up their children to terrorists i think no >> and our thanks to gabe gutierrez. >>> turning now to the israel-hamas war the u.n. general assembly has voted 153-10 to demand a humanitarian cease-fire in gaza. the resolution is non-binding, carrying less weight than those made in the security council before the vote, israel's u.n. ambassador warned that a cease-fire would only ensure the survival of hamas. >> president biden delivered his harshest criticism yet of the israeli government's military offensive in gaza. on tuesday the president said israel is beginning to lose support around the world due to the indiscriminate bombing that is taking place. he said that prime minister benjamin netanyahu's government has to change and that you cannot say there is no palestinian state in the future. >> meanwhile, a u.s. official tells nbc news that israel is pumping seawater in to flood hamas tunnels in limited areas of gaza, saying it is unclear if the effort will work president biden said there are assertions that there are no hostages in the tunnels, but he doesn't kn

i can't explain what it is. >> reporter: perfection gabe gutierrez, nbc news, the white house. >> he still jam. we thank gabe for that story. that's "nightly news" for this tuesday thank you so much for watching i'm tom llamas for all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. [cheers and applause] ♪ ♪ ♪♪ everybody's happy ♪ ♪ snow is falling down ♪ ♪ prayers are being answered ♪ ♪ miracles all around ♪ ♪ from afar i've loved you ♪ ♪ but never let it show ♪ ♪ and every year another ♪ ♪ december comes and goes ♪ ♪ always watching ♪ ♪ never reaching ♪ ♪ but ♪ ♪ this christmas ♪ ♪ i'm gonna risk it all ♪ ♪ this christmas ♪ ♪ i'm not afraid to fall ♪ ♪ so i'm at your door with nothing more ♪ ♪ than words i've never said ♪ ♪ in all this white you'll see me like ♪ ♪ you've never seen me yet ♪ ♪ wrapped in red (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh) ♪ ♪ [bridge] ♪ ♪ i'll never feel you ♪ ♪ if i don't tell you ♪ ♪ this christmas ♪ ♪ i'm gonna risk it all ♪ ♪ this christmas ♪ ♪ i'm not afraid to fall ♪ ♪ so i'm at your door with nothing more ♪ ♪ than words i've never said ♪ ♪ in all this white you'll see me like

gabe gutierrez reports now from the white house. >> reporter: tonight, ten americans are on their way home, some just landing in san antonio. six people the state department says were wrongfully detained in venezuela. the biden administration striking a deal with the country's socialist government led by president nicolas maduro >> we have no higher priority than the release of the detained and/or hostages, americans being held hostage >> reporter: venezuela is also releasing 20 political prisoners and sending back a fugitive, leonard francis, better known as fat leonard was behind one of the worst bribery scandals in u.s. navy history and fled to venezuela last year before his sentencing in return, the u.s. is releasing colombian businessman alex saab, a maduro ally, who is accused of bribery and money laundering. with negotiations over hostages in gaza ongoing, and tense talks with russia under way over its detainees, this is the latest swap mediated by the qatari government. among the wrongfully detained americans, joseph cristella >> what was your reaction today when you heard tha

gabe gutierrez, nbc news, the white house. >> he can still jam. we thank gabe for that story.ank you so much for watching. i'm tom llamas. for all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. ♪♪ >>> home prices are expected to drop sharply in san jose. the latest prediction and what it means. >> good afternoon.

nbc's gabe gutierrez is at the white house. tim miller is former communications director for jeb bush's 2016 campaign. and writer at large for "the bulwark." the vice president's first event is january 22nd, which would have been the 51st anniversary of roe v. wade. what more can you tell us about this plan, this tour? >> reporter: as you mentioned, this newly announced tour is an effort for the biden campaign to really try and mobilize young voters. the plan is for vice president to highlight what the administration sees as the harm being done by abortion bans across the country. and to tout the administration's effort to protect healthcare across the country. and a word we're hearing more and more, chris, not just from the campaign but also from the white house, is this word extremism. the biden campaign trying to paint what they see as republican extremism when it comes to the abortion issue. you mentioned those polling numbers as well, chris. and the biden white house struggling with younger voters. this newly announced tou

nbc's gabe gutierrez is following that story for us.eal. >> reporter: hi there, chris. we're actually just getting a written statement from president biden as well that, yes, as you said, ten americans are coming home. you see the statement right there. the president saying ten americans who have been detained in venezuela have been released and are coming home, including six wrongfully detained americans. as you know, chris, that is a designation that the state department gives out. so a short time ago, we heard from a senior administration official giving us a little bit more details here. venezuela and venezuela's government led my nicolas maduro. venezuela agreed to release ten americans, six which were wrongfully detained, as well as 20 political prisoners and notably, a fugitive from the u.s., now, that fugitive, leonard francis, better known as fat leonard who was allegedly behind one of the worst bribery scandals in u.s. navy history. he fled to venezuela last year, weeks before his sentencing after cutting off his ankle monitor

it's where we begin tonight with senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: tonight, with the war raging and a brutal winter fast approaching, ukrainian president zelenskyy is making an urgent plea to congress and president biden. >> in ukraine, we are fighting for our country and freedom. >> reporter: the u.s. has already sent $111 billion in military and humanitarian aid to ukraine since russia's invasion began. that money is running out. the biden administration has been urging congress to approve a new $106 billion package that includes roughly $60 billion for ukraine, as well as support for israel and money to strengthen the u.s.-mexico border. >> putin is banking on the united states failing to deliver for ukraine. we must, we must, we must prove him wrong. >> reporter: zelenskyy's hastily planned u.s. trip is a dramatic difference from his first wartime visit last year. where he arrived to a hero's welcome. today zelenskyy met with lawmakers behind closed doors. skeptical republicans want to overhaul immigration policies at the u.s. southern border before they

our own gabe gutierrez has more. >> tonight, with the war waging and a brutal winter fast approaching, ukrainian president zelenskyy is making an urgent plea to congress and president biden. >> in ukraine, we are fighting for our country and freedom. >> the u.s. has already sent 111 billion dollars in humanitarian aid to ukraine since russia's invasion began. but that money is running out. the biden administration has been urging congress to approve a new 106 billion dollar package that includes roughly 60 billion dollars for ukraine, as well as support for israel and money to strengthen the u. s. mexico border. >> putin is banking on the united states failing to deliver for ukraine. we must -- we must, we must -- prove him wrong. >> we need an explanation on this one. so, let's welcome admiral james stavridis. he is a 30 year navy veteran, who retired with four stars on his shoulders. he is also head of the u.s. southern command, and former supreme allied commander of nato. i'm really glad you are here, because how is it that one year ago, i stand with ukraine was ringing through the

nbc senior white house correspondent gabe gutierrez has the very latest. hey, gabe. good morning. >> reporter: hey, hoda. good morning. it's not every day you see a collision with the president of the united states. thankfully, both of them are safe and were not hurt. overnight, president biden eating a dinner at his campaign headquarters in delaware. >> mr. president, why are you losing to trump in the polls? >> they're the wrong polls. >> reporter: when all of a sudden, a car plowed into a vehicle that was part of his secret service detail. the president appeared startled by the collision before secret service agents hustled him into an armored suv. additional agents drew their guns on the driver, who put his hands up. the president and the first lady were not hurt in what appears to be an accident. the unusual security scare coming as the 2024 campaign heats up, less than a month before the iowa caucuses. over the weekend, republican front-runner donald trump in nevada and new hampshire, where he made controversial comments about undocumented immigrants. >> they'r