ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - Aug. 20, 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. Breaking news tonight, tornado warnings and. watches in the northeast. Moments ago, a possible tornado in Pennsylvania. Rain pouring into New York's Penn Station up. to five inches possible. Severe storms from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia to New York.

Lee Goldberg timing it all out. Also breaking, chilling new video showing the. deadly collision involving a police helicopter. blindsided by a small plane. One trooper pulling another out of the wreckage and. what we've just learned. Tonight the FBI says it foiled a terror plot targeting the New. York State Capitol in Albany. A 35-year-old woman allegedly wanted to bomb the building, killing as many lawmakers as possible. Tonight, amid reports of deteriorating conditions. on board, the USS Abraham Lincoln is finally.

heading home following its record-long deployment. It comes as President Trump threatens Iran with what. he's calling economic D-Day. The bombshell decision rocking the U.K., Prince Harry and. Meghan Markle making their surprise return. What's behind their sudden move? Developing tonight, the DEA joining the investigation. into the sudden death of actress Hayden Panettiere. New details on the suspect seen wearing a chilling mask, stalking men and women in the Northeast. Who's behind the mask and what authorities are saying tonight?

The FBI searching the home of disgraced former Democratic. Congressman Eric Swalwell, seizing his electronic devices. Disturbing video allegedly showing a mailman. attacking a peacock. Two fishermen rescued after spending five days. adrift in a large cooler. And America strong tonight, the five-year-old dog falling 120. feet down the side of a cliff and the daring. rescue to save him. [MUSIC].

>> From ABC News World Headquarters in New. York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir. >> Good evening, I'm Wade Johnson, and for David tonight, we begin with breaking news. Tornado warnings and watches across the. Northeast at this hour. Moments ago, a possible tornado reported in. Columbia, Pennsylvania. Here in New York City, rain pouring into a very busy Penn. Station and heavy rain coming down in the Baltimore area, snarling the commute home. We're tracking severe storms throughout the region,

tornado and flood watches from Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, to New York. Hundreds of flights already canceled. ABC's senior meteorologist Lee Goldberg leads us off. with the images coming in. Tonight, powerful storms targeting the I-95 corridor. from D.C. to New York to Philly. Rain pouring into Penn Station. This funnel cloud spotted churning outside Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Our Philly station, WPVI, tracking.

tornado warnings over Atlantic City and over. Delaware late today. You want to get into the lowest levels of. your home and also the interior sections of your homes. This massive water spot looming over. Lake Erie in Sandusky, Ohio. Overnight, powerful heat fueled microbursts in. the Florida panhandle. And in Alabama, this sunroom destroyed by a. burst of rain and wind. The storms targeting the I-95 corridor after pummeling. the Midwest yet again. Our Alex Perez in Gary, Indiana, where families.

have been without electricity or running water. for nearly 10 days. There are still down trees and power lines across. Gary and Northwest Indiana. The utility company doesn't anticipate being able to fully. restore power until Tuesday, a full two weeks. since the storms hit. Power crews trying to repair months worth of. damage in just weeks. So let's get right to Lee Goldberg to time this all out. Lee, these dangerous storms are moving in right now. We're under a flash flood warning here in New York City,

drenching downpours out here right now. In fact, there was a large confirmed tornado. near Dover, Delaware. You're in the Little Creek area. And finally, we have a storm that is still tornado-worn. We have tornado watches and severe thunderstorm watches. They're up and down the I-95 corridor, damaging winds of. 75 miles an hour. This goes from New York City all the way. to eastern North Carolina. This flash flood threat, this is the second highest level. for flooding, upwards of 3 inches an hour, potentially. more than a half foot of rain in some places. We're timing this out. The worst is now through the early evening hours. Straight line winds and heavy downpours. It'll start to push offshore later tonight, lingering downpours Long Island and southeastern New England.

We get a break tomorrow. We'll be back with more weather. Thank you for watching. start to push offshore later tonight lingering downpours. Long Island and southeastern New England. We get a break tomorrow, but unfortunately, it's an unsettled. weekend and the rain only getting harder here in New York. Yep, it's all just getting started. Okay, Lee, we appreciate it. Also breaking tonight, chilling new video showing the. deadly midair crash involving a state police helicopter. and a small plane near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The helicopter seen hovering just 10 feet above the ground, the plane appearing to slam.

A plane's pilot killed a trooper and colonel inside. the helicopter, both injured. Here's ABC's Aaron Katersky. Tonight's startling new video shows the moment. a small plane crashed midair with a Pennsylvania. State Police helicopter, killing the plane's pilot and. injuring two state troopers. The plane suddenly veering right off the runway during landing, blindsiding the helicopter The plane crashed into a. helicopter as it hovered just feet off the ground. The pilots would not have been able to even. see that airplane approaching them.

That plane shearing off the helicopter's rotor blades. and tail before breaking apart. It was a very violent crash. That plane was cut into a lot of pieces. One trooper managed to pull his bloodied colleague out. of the wreckage. The collision Wednesday happened during a. state police training exercise at the Carlisle Airport near. Harrisburg. The Cessna came in straight and level, suddenly. increased its pitch, and Mitch, severe nose up, did a. left turn, leveled off again, and then flew into the back of. the helicopter.

Tonight, authorities identifying the plane's. pilot as Paul Sokolowski, a respected emergency. room doctor who became a flight instructor in February. Incredibly, the two state troopers aboard the helicopter. walked away with relatively minor injuries. Witnesses said the plane pilot was conducting some maintenance. on the aircraft before the fatal flight and investigators. tonight are working to determine whether that had anything. to do with the crash. Witt. Truly incredible video. Okay, Aaron, thank you. We move on now to the FBI saying it's foiled an alarming.

terror plot targeting the New York State Capitol. building in Albany. A 35-year-old woman allegedly pledging allegiance to ISIS. Authorities say she was seen buying bomb-making materials. from a hardware store. Here's ABC's Chief Justice Correspondent, Pierre Thomas. The FBI says the woman in this photograph was. conducting surveillance on the state capitol. in Albany, New York, as part of a plan to bomb the building. and kill as many state senators as she could. The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing.

Jessica Bowie is charged with providing material. support to ISIS, allegedly seen here at Home. Depot buying items for a bomb, including a large bin of nails, electrical tape, and batteries. And the FBI claims she conducted surveillance on the Capitol. at least five times, allegedly seen here with her cell phone. They say this is the DoorDash bag she allegedly. told informants she planned to use to smuggle. The FBI is investigating a possible Islamic radical who. tried to tackle a bomb inside the Capitol. FBI officials say they became aware of Bowie. after she was active on social media, allegedly.

posting increasingly radical comments. They say on May 28th, Bowie allegedly swore allegiance to. the leader of ISIS, becoming a member. And then the FBI set up a sting where at least three undercover. informants, posing as Islamic radicals, say they made. contact with Bowie. She allegedly discussed executing the plot, including what would happen if she encountered. police. She requested a gun she intended. to use on any law enforcement officer who tried to stop. her. When Bowie was arrested.

yesterday, authorities claimed that she had. that gun and a bomb she did not know was fake. All right, Pierre Thomas for us tonight. Next year, President Trump escalating the pressure on Iran, threatening what he calls economic D-Day and vowing. economic warfare on an unprecedented scale. The warning coming as the USS Abraham Lincoln heads home. from its record deployment. Here's ABC's Rachel Scott. Tonight, after 272 days at sea, the 5,000 sailors and.

Marines on the USS Lincoln are finally heading home. As the war dragged on, conditions on. board deteriorating. Sailors' family members telling the Military Times at least two. sailors tried to jump overboard. President Trump has dismissed concerns. The war now about to enter month seven. The president threatening economic D-Day, demanding that. allies cut off business with Iran.

Trump warning any country that allows its. financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to. Iran will itself face tremendous economic consequences. No word yet on how any of this would work or whether the. president is ready to punish Iran's top trading. partner, China. Tonight Vice President J.D.

Vance saying the war with Iran is now in a new phase. This is a delicate dance because we apply economic pressure. to them, they're going to try to apply economic. pressure to us. And Whit, amid all this uncertainty, oil. prices are rising. Gas now averaging about $4.10 a gallon, and over on Wall. Street, the markets are reeling. The Dow plunging more than 700 points. Rachel Scott at the White House, thank you. Tonight, sources telling ABC News the FBI has searched. the home of former Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell.

Agents seizing his electronic devices. ABC's Perry Russum joins us now. So Perry, what more are you learning on this? Yeah, with sources telling ABC News, former Congressman Eric. Swalwell was served a warrant by federal agents Saturday. night at San Francisco International Airport. They seized his laptop and his iPhone. The next day, agents searched his home in Washington, D.C. The California Democrat, once a rising star, resigned in disgrace amid accusations of sexual. misconduct. Sources tell ABC News the. criminal investigation centers around allegations.

of sexual assault Swalwell has denied ever. assaulting anybody with. All right, Perry Russell with those new details. Thank you. We move on now to the bombshell decision rocking the U.K. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle revealing their surprise return. to Britain, but with no plans to resume their royal duties. And tonight, there is no shortage of reaction. to their decision. ABC's chief international correspondent, James. Longman, in London tonight. Shockwaves through Britain tonight at Harry and. Meghan's return to the UK. After moving to California six years ago for what the world.

assumed would be for good, they're coming back. There's just been complete shock to this news because it. feels like a complete U-turn on everything that Harry and. Meghan have said since they left six years ago. It was just a year ago that Harry said this. I can't see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and. children back to the UK at this point. Two years after the wedding, their fairy tale turned into. a nightmare, the British press and Hounding the Couple. The family fled to California,

sitting down for that bombshell interview with Oprah. Meghan opened up about having had suicidal. thoughts, and the couple alleged racism inside. the palace walls. The royal family pushed back. Can you just let me know, is the royal family. a racist family, sir? We're very much not a racist family. Harry's book, Spare, also opened up sensitive wounds. Speaking to our Michael Strahan in. and the 2023. I genuinely believe that if me and my family.

can reconcile, can put our differences behind us, but first. there needs to be conversation and accountability. But now they will return, and soon, in time for seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet. to enrol in school, although they will not be working royals. Local reports say they'll keep their homes in Montecito. and Portugal, but will find a private home outside of London. I think he's lonely. I think he's missing his family. They've built a lovely life together. And sadly, I think that no matter where they live, they're going to get vilified. So they just ought to go wherever makes them happiest.

Wit, Harry has long argued that the British government. should pay for his family's security. The government says they only pay for the. security of working royals. And so tonight it is still an open question whether. that can be resolved, even if they come back to live. in the United Kingdom. All right, James Longman, thank you for that. Tonight, sources tell ABC News the DEA is joining the. investigation into the death of actress Hayden Panettiere. A police report shows investigators have not.

determined if drugs or alcohol played a role. in her death. Authorities say her long-term boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother showed officers a bag containing her medication. Hickerson's attorney releasing a statement. saying, "Hayden's death remains under investigation. and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.". Now to the new developments in the urgent manhunt for a. mass suspect terrorizing people In Philadelphia, authorities. say they have now identified a 22-year-old man accused of.

chasing men and women while wearing a chilling mask and. asking, "Are you ready to die?". He remains on the loose. Here's ABC's Rhiannon Ally. Tonight, authorities in Philadelphia are asking. the public to help them find the masked man. terrorizing people across the city, now identifying him. as 22-year-old Zymir Hughes. If Zymir Hughes was trying to scare people, make. them run, who's scared now?

Who's running now? Police today releasing new video of their alleged suspect in. that disturbing doll face mask. They say he harassed 15 to 16 people on city. streets before allegedly chasing this female jogger. You think it's funny to scare people? Well, get ready to get scared by us, because we got the handcuffs, we got the jail cell. Officials say Hughes travels for work and could. be on the West Coast. WIT Police believe Hughes filmed these encounters.

for social media content. He is now facing harassment and assault charges. WIT. Rhiannon Ally for us tonight. A show of support today at the Lindsay Clancy murder trial. The mother accused of strangling her three young children. in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Hundreds of women wearing pink rallying outside. Plymouth Superior Court. They say the case is shining a spotlight on. maternal mental health. A defense arguing Clancy was suffering from a. postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings.

When we come back, the disturbing images from. a Pasadena neighborhood surveillance video showing. a mailman appearing to attack a wild peacock. Two fishermen lost at sea for five days. how they survived inside a cooler, a suspect. leads police on a wild dirt bike chase through. LA, how it ended, and the family dog stuck on a cliff. that daring rescue to bring him to safety. Next tonight, disturbing video shows a mailman.

appearing to attack a wild peacock in a Pasadena. neighborhood. Security video appears to show. the mailman throwing liquid on the bird and then an object. The white peacock was taken to a local shelter and. is expected to recover. The video is edited and you don't see the entire incident. The birds are known to roam freely in the neighborhood. and can be aggressive. The Postal Service says it's investigating. Two fishermen are back on dry land after spending. five days stranded at sea. They survived by climbing inside a large cooler and hanging on.

as they drifted in the Pacific. The Mexican Navy rescuing the men after an aircraft spotted. them, both men said to be in stable condition. When we come back, the dramatic police chase in LA, a man on. a dirt bike evading officers and the family dog stranded. on a cliff, the daring rescue. To the index now, a dirt bike rider leading police on a. chase through Los Angeles. Officers appear to corner him in a gas station, but he gets.

away with a hose still attached. He's then spotted in a park grabbing gasoline that. apparently had been left behind. Police tracking him all the way. After about an hour, the suspect reportedly falling off the. bike and attempting to hide in a trash can. It was eventually taken into custody. The FDA upgrading a recall of frozen blueberries. to its highest risk level over potential E. coli contamination. The voluntary recall involves four varieties of GreenWise. organic blueberries and mixed berries sold at Publix grocery.

stores across the country in 10 and 48-ounce bags. More on our website. still had the family dog that fell more than 100. feet down a cliff in the incredible effort to save him. Finally tonight, America Strong, the family that wouldn't. give up on their missing dog and the dramatic rescue. Tonight just outside Nashville, Tennessee, a brave, remarkable. rescue hundreds of feet down the side of a cliff to. save a family dog trapped and in desperate need.

The dog, five-year-old Karl, an Italian breed, had been swimming. in a creek and playing with other dogs before going missing. Karl's owners, along with friends and neighbors, all began. looking for Karl as night fell, searching for hours, not giving up. And incredibly, the next morning, a breakthrough. A neighbor using a drone spotting Karl on the. edge of a steep cliff, more than 100 feet down. There he is, looking over the edge, the rock. barely bigger than him. Two local firefighters repelling down the steep.

cliff, slowly and carefully making their way down. to Karl in harnesses. Gently approaching the dog, not to frighten him, reaching out for his collar and getting a grip. That firefighter picking him. up, placing him into a duffel bag, Karl's head. peeking out. He's okay. The firefighters zip him up and carry him back. up the cliff to safety. And look how far down they are. After 17 hours, Karl back in his family's arms and that owner.

Overjoyed, there he is holding Karl, the team of. firefighters and first responders surrounding them. Tonight, Karl back home and doing well with a. message of thanks to the brave team who saved him. This is Karl right here. Karl's doing great. All the first responders that came in to assist in getting. Karl out, it was really a bad situation. Thank you, guys. Amazing what those rescuers can do. Thanks so much for watching tonight. I'm Wade Johnson in New York. Have a great night.

David Muir, the most trusted, most watched. newscast in America. And now, ABC's World News Tonight has won the Emmy for. Best Live News Program for the fourth year in a row.