battle ahead could take many more months. plus, just hours from now secretary of state antony blinken and homeland security secretary alejandro mayorkas are set to meet with mexican president just as thousands of central american migrants make their way to the united states southern border. we ll break down what this means and the key issues up for discussion. and also ahead the detroit pistons made nba history but for all the wrong reasons. the record they just broke that has everyone talking. good morning and welcome to way too early on this wednesday, december 27th. i m jonathan lemire. thanks for starting your day with us. we get right to the news and the israeli military has expanded its ground offensive into urban refugee camps in central gaza. the idf is also focusing on southern gaza s largest city as part of its stated mission to destroy hamas. officials say progress has been made in the north and that troops will continue to, quote, preserve and intensify t
retaliatory strikes against iranian-backed militant groups. the latest on the rising tensions in the region, plus, trump s christmas message lashing out at special counsel jack smith as the former president tries to get his election interference case thrown out. so, is the former commander in chief immune from criminal prosecution? we ll see. we ll talk about that coming up. and later on, the presents opened and the cookies devoured, millions of americans set to travel today in the post christmas rush. i m going to speak to a travel expert about some travel tips to help you survive the misery. hey, everybody. good morning to you. merry post christmas. we begin this hour with the breaking news out of the middle east. president biden ordering retaliatory strikes against iranian-backed militia groups in iraq after three u.s. service members were injured in a drone attack in northern iraq on monday. since october 17th, there have now been at least 103 separate attacks on u.s.
And what will the long awaited Special Grand Jury report reveal, a very big week, coming up. And just what the doctor ordered, the Biden Administration moves to lower Prescription Drug costs for millions of older americans. Big pharma is promising a big fight. Domestic Policy Adviser to President Biden joins me live to discuss. All of that and more is coming up. And a good Sunday Morning to you all. I am katie phang. We begin with a look at the week ahead on capitol hill. The senate is back in session on tuesday and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is making his First Priority crystal clear, funding the government. In a letter to his colleagues, he says that the country, quote, cannot afford the brinkmanship or hostage taking we saw from House Republicans earlier this year. But that could prove to be difficult, with some republicans of the house already tightening or threatening with a shutdown, while also pushing for an Impeachment Inquiry into President Biden. And once again, Congress N
Mitchell reports, more drama on the house floor this hour. Louisiana republican mike johnson, an Lection Denier who helped craft the objections on january 6, he is next in line, chosen last night by the republicans in a private meeting when a more experienced lawmaker, tom emmer, failed just because of Donald Trumps opposition. In the israel hamas war, back channel negotiations continue for the terror group to free more of the 200 hostages still being held. International pressure is growing on israel for humanitarian ceasefire to stop air strikes. Jordans Foreign Minister from a speech at the u. N. Will join me as well as israels government advisor. President biden hosting a state visitor. The Prime Minister of australia, a major u. S. Military and intelligence ally, with a red carpet welcome on the south lawn and a News Conference this afternoon. We are starting with israel against hamas terrorism. We are standing with ukraine against putins tyranny. Democracy can deliver. Good day, e
See you soon. Welcome to the beat. I am ari melber. A lot going on. We begin reporting on two major Breaking News stories. Hamas is releasing two american hostages. They are safely back inside israel. Also, Breaking News from the trump coup rico case. A key architect of the trump coup plot Pleading Guilty in a georgia courtroom. This is the second trump lawyer in as many days to be convicted. We have joyce vance standing by as we follow this story, and we also have a reporter coming up from the mideast region on the major breakthrough on those hostages. First, we begin with what were learning in the United States in one of the biggest cases to ever come down the pike in any court, state or federal, accusing a former president and aided by his lawyers of a coup. So a Top Trump Lawyer who is linked to that coup for the first time today Pleading Guilty. We had begun our jury Selection Process this morning, but ive been informed there is a change of plea. How do you plea to count 15, consp