ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - Aug. 18, 2026

David Muir, ABC's World News Tonight, America's most watched. newscast. Now streaming same day with all the breaking. news of the day on Disney+. Most watched, most trusted. Now on Disney+ every night. Tonight, breaking news, the new turn in the death of. actress Hayden Panettiere. ABC News tonight obtaining the police report about the. sudden death of the actress. The call to 911 authorities finding her on again, off again, boyfriend and his brother at the apartment.

building when they arrived. What they discovered at the scene and tonight her. mother breaking her silence and the father of Panettiere's. 11 year old daughter. and what he's now saying tonight. Also breaking in Philadelphia, chilling video tonight. showing a masked suspect chasing a female jogger. down a city street. That suspect accused of chasing multiple men and women. asking quote, "If they're ready to die.". A manhunt underway tonight and what police want you to know. Tonight, more than 85 million Americans. dealing with dangerous life-threatening heat.

Temperatures hitting triple digits. before you factor in humidity. Ginger Zee is here. Tonight, the deadly explosion, multiple tanks erupting, two. missing workers have been found dead. Tonight, authorities say these two young men, a Penn State. grad and a former Penn State student, were allegedly. leading a major cocaine ring for students, where. they allegedly traveled to to get the cocaine. Tonight, outside Boston, the emotional testimony. at the Lindsay Clancy murder trial, accused.

of killing her three young children, her own mother-in-law. taking the stand for the defense at what she said. Tonight here dramatic images, multiple tourists. taking selfies, suddenly swept away by a raging. flash flood, and then the rescue effort that followed. Tonight the U.S. Navy and new concerns about conditions aboard. another warship for American sailors. A spokesperson telling ABC News the USS. Benfold, a guided missile destroyer, suffering a. power failure lasting four days.

Limited water, toilets and air conditioning. Tonight the FAA investigating two separate passenger. jets with blown tires on landing hours apart, both. at O'Hare Airport. The disturbing scene authorities. trying to get into this trailer, children crying. for help and what they found two children who'd. been kidnapped. Tonight here after we showed you. the humanoid robots on our trip to China this evening. that same company and what their latest robot they're. calling Superman can do jumping six and a half feet.

into the air and tonight the community losing their. high school football coach and his wife, a teacher, just. as the school year begins. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World. News Tonight with David Muir. Good evening. It's great to have you with us here in. a very busy Tuesday night. And we begin tonight with the new turn in the death of. actress Hayden Panettiere. ABC News tonight obtaining the police report about the sudden. death of the actress found in an apartment building.

in South Carolina. The call to 911 on the scene authorities finding her on. again off again boyfriend and his brother when they. arrived and what else they discovered while there. Tonight her mother breaking her silence and the. father of Panettiere's 11 year old daughter. and what he's now saying. ABC Stephanie Ramos leading us off tonight. Tonight, a police report obtained by ABC News. is revealing new details about the death of. 36-year-old Hayden Panettiere. The actress' on-and-off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and.

his brother, Zach, were inside the Greenville, South Carolina, apartment when police arrived after they called 911. Police reporting that the boyfriend's brother, Zach, was very emotional while EMS were working. on Hayden. The longtime boyfriend, Brian, did not become. emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased, showing the officer the bag of medication Hayden is currently. on. Panettiere's preliminary autopsy found. no signs of trauma, and police say there were.

no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. The couple had a troubling history that included. domestic violence. Hickerson was charged with multiple counts. of felony abuse and he pleaded no contest, serving 45 days in. jail. In her memoir, Panettiere wrote, "One night he busts. up my face so badly I don't leave the house for weeks,". later describing being locked in a cycle of abuse. The abuse, the fact that I allowed this person not only.

into my life, but for how long I put up with it. Here, reading her own journal, I realized. that I was more afraid of being alone than being abused. In a recent interview with TMZ, Hickerson said they. were still friends and acknowledged having regrets. went into such a dark place, man, drugs, alcohol, beauty, good God almighty, she's 5'2" on paper, 4'11" in.

real life, I mean, come on. In a new interview, Panettiere's mother says, "This person. in her life that we have been trying to get rid of her quite. some time was with her at her death, and that was Brian. Hickerson. But tonight, again, police say they found nothing. suspicious. Panettiere's mother calling Hayden. an amazingly talented person, adding, "I. think young people who grow up in the entertainment. industry, it is a struggle.". Meanwhile, Ukrainian boxer of Vladimir Klitschko, Panettiere's former fiance and the father.

of her daughter, Kaya, is honoring her, writing, "She built an incredible career through immense. talent while also facing the darker sides of a. very demanding industry. To our daughter, Kaya, I will always speak. of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the. person she was.". And David, We have reached out to Brian. Hickerson through his attorney for comment, but we have not. heard back. Tonight, there are growing tributes to Hayden. Panettiere, fans remembering all of her beloved. roles and the joy that she brought to so many.

David. Stephanie Ramos leading. us off here tonight. Steph, thank you. Also breaking in Philadelphia tonight, a manhunt. underway at this hour. A suspect seen chasing a woman. They say he has chased others too. The chilling video right here tonight showing the. suspect wearing a disturbing Halloween doll faced mask. seen here chasing a female jogger down a city street. The suspect accused of chasing multiple men and. women and asking if they're, quote, ready to die. Here's Rhiannon Ally. And tonight, a growing search for this masked.

attacker who Philadelphia police say is terrorizing. people across the city. Chilling video released by investigators show a man wearing. a disturbing doll face mask, normally seen at Halloween, chasing a female jogger near City Hall around 5.30 a.m. He's actively engaged in running up to people. It looks like he's attempting to scare or antagonize them. Watch as a woman jogs before sunrise. Seconds later, the suspect appears behind her, following her step for step as they disappear.

out of frame. Police believe he's threatened or chased at. least half a dozen people. While he was harassing that jogger, the suspect. held up a cell phone and said just five words. that terrified the woman. He's holding a cell phone up in front of her, at which time. he asks her, "Are you ready to die. Jameika says when that suspect turned his attention. to her, she screamed and kicked the attacker in the. chest. I blocked my face, made sure that my center line. was protected. And then he also started to put his hands.

up. But I could tell that he had never been in a fight. before. Police say the suspect is seen using a cell phone, appearing to film the terrifying encounters. Intelligence units now scouring social media. He's also observed, which is a tell, holding a cell. phone in his left hand, and the screen appears to be lit. David police say the suspect, who they believe is between. 16 and 20 years old, will face multiple charges including.

harassment and assault when they find him. Rhiannon Ally, tonight. Rhiannon, thank you. This evening, more than 85 million Americans under heat. alerts, oppressive triple digit. Heat Warnings. Hi, David. Miami hit 100 degrees today, something they've. only ever done one other time since records began in 1895.

So this is hotter than just summer. And that's why you see extreme heat warnings. tomorrow from Wilmington to Jacksonville, back to. Oklahoma City and Little Rock. Charleston has had 95 degrees or higher for the. last nine days in a row. That's something they've only done three other. times in recorded history. We're going to stay this way through the. weekend for most folks. There's a lot of heat in the southwest too, but. there are also storms firing up overnight tonight. Kansas City could see damaging winds by tomorrow. St. Louis, David. Ginger, we'll see you first thing in the morning on GMA.

Thank you, Ginger. Tonight, the deadly explosion at an industrial. facility in Toledo, Ohio. Two missing workers were killed. Multiple blasts tearing through that plant. Authorities say it stored cleaning chemicals, flames more. than 100 feet into the air. The building partially collapsing. Fire officials say 12 workers did make it out, most of. them with minor injuries. Tonight, authorities say two young men, a Penn State grad. and a former Penn State student, were the leaders of a. cocaine ring for students. Authorities say they traveled to Philadelphia and New York.

City to get their cocaine haul. Here's Matt Rivers tonight. Tonight, officials say you're looking at the faces of the. two alleged ringleaders accused accused of running a. major cocaine operation through multiple Penn State. frat houses, allegedly making trips to New York. City and Philadelphia to refill their supplies. Agostino Abatiello, a Penn State grad, turning. himself in this morning. Police say he and former student Thomas Robinson. brought in kilos of cocaine at a time in 2023. and 2024. There was nothing junior or childlike about.

this type of conduct. This was an upper-level trafficking organization for. this region in Pennsylvania. Officials say Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi frat houses, both off-campus, were used to package the drugs, part. of what authorities called a hazing ritual. In fact, we found a pattern of events that showed cutting. and bagging cocaine was, for some pledges, an indoctrination. into the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities.

Thirteen current and former students charged in total, five. with felony counts of corrupt organizations and conspiracy, the rest with misdemeanors. A 14th person, Pittsburgh-based attorney Paul Robinson, also. charged with interfering with the investigation. He's the father of the other alleged. leader, Thomas Robinson. David, Penn State University saying in part that they. are horrified by these accusations, adding quote. "criminal activity including hazing has no place. at our institution.". David? Matt Rivers tonight. Thank you, Matt. Tonight outside Boston, emotional testimony.

at the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. The mother accused of killing her. three young children. Her own mother-in-law taking. Taking the stand for the defense. Here's Aaron Katersky. Tonight Lindsay Clancy's mother-in-law testifying. the young mother was begging for help in the. weeks before she strangled her three children in the basement, then jumped from a second floor window, leaving. her paralyzed. Lindsay was struggling. We were all very concerned. Susan Clancy described her daughter-in-law as nurturing, loving, a wonderful mother who who confided that she.

had insomnia, was losing her appetite and was. growing anxious and sad. Did you find that Lindsay was interested at all times in. getting better and see doctors? Very much so. She was begging for help. Prosecutors questioned whether Lindsay Clancy was. really in such distress. Did the kids come to stay at your house overnight so that. she could get some sleep? No, they didn't. A psychologist who evaluated Lindsay Clancy after she killed. the children and tried to kill herself described a.

phone call she made to her husband from a hospital bed. She had said that she heard a male voice ordering her, telling. her that she didn't have any choice, but she had to kill her. children and then kill herself. But prosecutors argue Clancy knew what she was doing and. carefully planned the killings. If Clancy's convicted, David, she faces life in prison.

If not, she would be committed to a state psychiatric. hospital for treatment. David. Aaron Katersky on. this again tonight. Aaron, thank you. This evening, dramatic images showing multiple tourists taking. selfies suddenly swept away by a raging flash. flood in Thailand. Here's James Longman now. -Tonight, a terrifying flash flood. sweeping away tourists in Thailand. People shouting, a park official blowing a whistle, as usually calm water turns into raging rapids.

Watch as those trying to escape lose their footing. This man tries to pull another free, but his hand slips. Another man stuck in the middle of the river. as the water churns around him before he and another person. are taken by the current, eventually washing up. further downstream. The group had been taking selfies near the famous Mei. Tsao waterfall in Chiang Mai, a major attraction for. international visitors. Miraculously, authorities say everyone swept away survived.

Park officials say they alerted those there to the rising water, but the flood came in too quickly for some to escape. As that incredible video shows, David, this was. a horrendous ordeal. One person was taken to the hospital, but luckily, park officials say there were only minor injuries. David. Our chief international. correspondent, James Longman. Thanks, James. Tonight, there are new concerns about conditions aboard. another U.S. Navy warship. John Karl and what he's learned now. Tonight growing questions about whether the U.S.

Navy is now stretched too thin, after. new reports of grim living conditions aboard. a second massive ship. Some 300 sailors on the destroyer the USS Benfold, deployed in the South China Sea, went four days with limited. drinking water and no working toilets or air conditioning. after the ship suffered a complete loss of power. After four days adrift, the Benfold was towed. to the Philippines. A Navy spokesman cites problems with its generators, adding, "There were no injuries to the crew,

who demonstrated resilience, grit, professionalism and. unwavering steadiness.". The Benfold was part of the Carrier Strike Group heading. to the Middle East to relieve the USS Lincoln, whose crew. was bent at sea for more than 260 days as part of the war. Iran. Amid deteriorating conditions. on the Lincoln, some sailors' families told the Military Times. that at least two sailors tried to jump overboard. A U.S. official told ABC News that a sailor did go into.

the water and was rescued. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who in a highly unusual move. for a defense secretary, was campaigning for Republicans. in Iowa this week has denied there's a problem. We make sure that every ship, every crew, every captain. has everything we can provide them at every single moment. And David, the power failure aboard the USS Benfold happened. more than three weeks ago. It's unclear why the Pentagon waited so long, waited.

so long to disclose it. John Karl live at the White House for us. John, thanks. Tonight, the FAA investigating two separate. passenger jets suffering blown tires landing just hours apart. at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. The planes coming down on separate runways, an. American Airlines flight arriving from New York, blew. out two tires yesterday. Then two hours later, a United flight out of Nebraska losing. its main left tire on touchdown. No one hurt in either landing. When we come back here tonight, the community losing their. high school football coach and his wife, a teacher, just as the school year begins, the horrible accident.

And the images coming in tonight, police trying to get. into this trailer right here, children crying for help. Authorities say they've been kidnapped. We'll be right back. Tonight here, the dramatic moment police in Atlanta. find two missing girls. The officers could hear their cries in a trailer. Abusing a cinder block and bolt cutters break in. Two young sisters were inside, four years old and. a baby, just 11 months old. A woman was arrested at the scene, the girl's mother telling. police she had just hired the woman as a babysitter, claiming.

she kidnapped the children. Tonight, outside Houston, a community mourning a high school. football coach and his wife, a teacher, both killed in a crash. Authorities say Jeremy and Brandi Jenkins were killed when. their car approached a curve and overturned on a highway. Brandi, a teacher in the East Bernard School District, Jeremy, the high school's head football coach. Their deaths just days into this new school year and just before. the start of football season. We're thinking about that community tonight. And when we come back right here. tonight, tributes this evening for the co-founder of ESPN. Also a passing to note a member of ZZ Top.

And we took you to China. You'll remember tonight that humanoid robot company is. back and what it can do now, jumping six and a half. feet into the air, beating the human record. And you'll see it in a moment. To the index of other news tonight, a passing to. note, Frank Beard, the drummer of ZZ Top, has died. Takes you right back. Beard brought a signature backbeat. to the band's blues rock sound for more than five decades. ZZ Top sharing on social media, Beard was in hospice.

care when he died Monday at his ranch in Texas. No official cause of death tonight. Frank Beard was 77. Tonight here, we also remember the co-founder. of ESPN, Bill Rasmussen. Rasmussen, alongside his son, fueled the launch. of ESPN back in 1979. He heralded the idea of an around the clock. cable sports network. Rasmussen died today at his home in Florida from. the effects of Parkinson's. Bill Rasmussen was 93. And what an impact he had when we come back here tonight. We took you to China. You'll remember this. Well, tonight, that company is back with their humanoid.

robot now able to jump six and a half feet into the air, breaking the human record. And you have to see it. ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, sponsored by Aleve. Finally tonight here, jumping to new heights, the. humanoid robot we showed you when we were in China. Well, tonight here, the new feat. Look what it's up to now. We took you to China in May, where the global race to lead. on artificial intelligence and robotics technology is on.

The Chinese humanoid robot company, Unitry, at the AI. Developer Conference there. Unitry has put their robots through extreme tests, walking through deep snow in northwestern China, freezing Arctic level temperatures 53. degrees below zero. That same robot on rollerblades and on ice skates doing flips. And look at this, 50 of those robots in unison. So this is the robot that you've seen. rollerblading, ice skating,

testing temperatures, Arctic level temperatures. You'll remember we went for a walk with the robot. It then performed martial arts and dance moves, too. Well, tonight, that same company, Unitry, unveiling. their latest robot they call Superman, they say. it can jump more than six and a half feet in the air. That's not all. Watch it run a top speed of. 28.3 miles per hour, faster than Olympic. champion Usain Bolt. And you remember what they showed us?

Unitary also programming robots to make beds, to help. clean the house, to do dishes. The people at that conference in China mesmerized. Tonight here, that humanoid robot called Superman and. his six and a half foot jump into the air. Now, it is something the racer is on. I'm David Muir. I'll see you right back here tomorrow. No robot, just me, at least not yet. We'll see you right back here tomorrow. Good night. David Muir, the most trusted and most watched. newscast in America. And now, World News Tonight has won the Emmy for Best Live.

News Program for the fourth year in a row.