thank you michelle phillips just so. it's not just the stuff. calling the road with our superheroes my mission is clear. and to make sure leashed explored germany. they died in a wreck of everything out there is a lot going on in. germany tried and tested again. w. . do we really know our past. or are recollections just a memory. images in our mind. and have a life of their own. the latest in brain research one memory sometimes placed. in 45 minutes on d w. w's crime fighters are back at the capital africa's most successful radio drama series continues in the olympus odes are available online course you can share and discuss on w. africa's facebook page and other social media platforms to crime fighters to mindanao. it's impossible to overlook the holiday season is in full swing there are sparkling lights all over berlin but that's about the only thing that's just like years past and the run up to christmas and times of covert 90. there are hardly any tourists and the grand bowl of ours may be merry and bright but there are a few people around t

i'm michelle fisher. >> and i'm phillip mena. "time" magazine has named its person of the year i should be people of the year because it's joe biden and kamala harris. >> they show for changing the american story, showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furries of division. >>> gretathunberg was in 2019. 2018 was dedicated to the journalist whose work cost them their lives. >> president trump graced the cover in 2016. >> mr. trump was a finalist this year but did not make the cut. one cut he did make was loser of the year that was according to a german magazine in a scathing article the magazine criticized his response to the pandemic and refusal to accept an election defeat. >>> approval for the pfizer vaccine could come within days or even hours. they voted toget the endorsement yesterday. pfizer plans to ship nearly 3 million doses in the first week once they get the go-ahead the need is growing more urgent. the u.s. just set new single-day records for new cases and deaths on thursday as the death toll inches c

. >> reporter: michelle and phillip, good morning to you both. we have a storm system making its way across the great lakes. it's a bigger weather story that will play out all week long for the southwest to the west, we're dealing with that rain and snow mixture. this will be a coast-to-coast system that will impact the plains first before heading into the east coast. that's why winter weather alerts expand from thedwest. fargo a little bit of sunshine this afternoon. high of 14. we'll take a look at that week ahead coming up. >> looking forward to it, janessa. talk to you in a bit. >>> with 2021 just days away, workers are preparing times square's iconic crystal balanl r the big drop. this year 194 waterford crystals will adorn the ball called the gift of happiness. >>> a wish for 2021 can become a part of the festivities. you have until the end of the day to submit that so it can be printed on confetti. >> we all have wishes for 2021, i'm sure. >>> the baseball world mourning edo loss of the king of thespict the complete shutdown of a highway i

i want to bring in young americans for liberty spokesman emma michelle phillips. been a long time.reat seeing you. joe biden's in a squeeze here. he wants to do $10,000 per person or whatever it would be. aoc, bernie sanders, chuck schumer and a whole lot of others are saying no, go $50,000. i think both are wrong but what are your thoughts? >> i don't think biden will be able to go extreme enough on this to ever please aoc and the squad and the socialist types that are cropping up within the democratic party. i'm glad that he wants to cap it at $10,000 but i'm also fearful he's going to become a complete pushover if and when he takes office in january. so i think there's no number that will appease them. they want to cancel rent, they want to cancel mortgages. ilhan omar is pushing that now. i don't think any number will make them happy. here's the thing. this would be a wealth transfer. let's call it what it is. a wealth transfer from the working class to highly educated people who tend to be in the upper middle class. that is unfair. it's an insult and frankly, it's making peopl

i'm michelle fisher. >> and i'm phillip mena.ure to follow ous >>> it's the final monday of 2020, and late last night president trump reversed course on the coronavirus relief bill, but when will millions of americans in desperate need see that money we're live in washington new details surrounding the e. christmas day explosion that rocked downtown nashville. >>> in the wake of a shopping season like no other, the wave of returns is about to begin we've got the tips that will save you time and money. >>> the playoff picture becomes more clear after a big week 16 in the nfl.

i'm phillip mena. >> and i'm michell - [announcer] the following program is a presentation of the interfaithtmas from marble collegiate church in new york city. this christmas, we invite you to worship with us on this day of good news and great joy when we celebrate jesus's birth. since 1628, the collegiate churches have been serving and uplifting the wonderfully diverse people of new york city. although marble stands just steps from the empire state building on the corner of 29th street and 5th avenue, we have a national and global congregation.

special christmas edition of "early today" starts right now >>> good morning to you it, i'm michelle fisher. >> i'm phillip mena. this christmas, the covid relief package desperately needed by millions hangs in the hands of president trump. the legislation is still awaiting the president's signature following his calls on congress to allot more cash for americans. democrats tried to oblige, but republicans blocked their effort now speaker nancy pelosi is calling the house back into session on monday to vote on a stand-alone bill that would boost direct payments to $2,000 per person nbc's garrett haque has more >> reporter: d.c. bartender athena fultz has been struggling to make ends meet for months she's one of millions desperate for help going into the dark of winter >> we're going to have to pay taxes in april it's like, for what? what -- what have they done for us nothing. >> reporter: the president demanding congress boost direct payments from the $600 his administration had supported to $2,000 now >> apply only to the minority leader - >> reporter: a democratic effort to do just that blocked by house

good morning i'm michelle fisher. >> and i'm phillip mena.uckle up for a bumpy ride on capitol hill today in a stunning rebuke, the house voted to vote. as senate minority leader chuck schumer gears up to present it toward the senate floor, this is going to be a test for majority leader mitch mcconnell who is against overspending joining us is chris pollone. >> reporter: good morning. you never know what's going to happen on the hill, but you can be sure the democrats will do everything they can to get the stimulus check from $600 to $2,000 it's because the republicans are in a weird spot. most of them finding themselves on the opposite side of their leader president trump he wants to see the stimulus check raised to $2,000 from $600, but most republicans oppose the increase saying it's too costly and unnecessary now, you mentioned senate minority leader chuck schumer will try to pass this today by unanimous objection. after the override that passed the house yesterday of the defense authorization act, senator bernie sanders, the independent

phillip mena. >> and i'm michelle fisher. >>> breaking out overnight, the president granted 20 more pardons includinga first for a family member and several more for longtime alleys convicted in the robert mueller investigation. nbc's chris pollone joins us with more on that. more crucial names on that, right? >> that's right. the president gave full part on the charles kushner. if that sounds familiar, that's the father of his son-in-law jared kushner who pleaded guilty in 2004 for making illegal campaign donations in another rebuke, president pardoned paul manafort he also gave a full pardon to longtime campaign adviser roger stone. you might remember the president commuted his sentence previously stone was convicted last year on charges of making false statements, obstruction, and witness tampering. on tuesday the president granted clemency to more than a dozen other people meanwhile mr. trump has taken action on one spending bill while leaving another in limbo the fate of that bill is uncertain. he left for florida without signing it he wants to see direct stimulus payments increased from $600 to

michelle luhan-grisham and california attorney general javier. there are people holding him to his vows that he made before to have his cabinet look like america. >> arlette saenz, thank you for that. abby phillipsor more diversity, the left wants more progressives and republicans pushing moderates. >> that's right. some of this is what you would expect from any presidential transition, where there's a lot of jockeying for these positions. biden is in a unique position because he has made this promise to make his cabinet very diverse and also the constituencies that brought him to the white house, namely black voters and also hispanic voters as well, are looking for evidence within his cabinet that they're going to have voices at the table. at the same time, you're hearing paradoxically in some ways from republicans, saying we want input, too, so we know you can get these folks through in terms of senate confirmation. biden is used to this, obviously, pam. this is something that he has been dealing with in washington for about 40 years now. so i'm sure this is not unexpected. but the pressure is certainly intense, especially the nonwhite people of color in the democratic coalition are speaking o