15/07/2014 ABC World News with Diane Sawyer

seen across the United States a couple of hours ago, in ABC World

News with David Muir. Welcome. Tonight, the violent

storms. 80 million Americans in the path. The confirmed tornado, a

deadly lightning. And the close call. The father and daughter

rescued from the floods. Also developing, the American soldier

held captive by the Taliban. You remember him squinting in the

sunlight. Tonight, where is he now. For some, the outrage.

The horrific crash. The first pictures of the survivor. Comedian

Tracy Morgan. Now the major lawsuit. What he says about Walmart. And we

are in the water tonight. The exploding number of great white

sharks. Why so many this summer and where they are most concerned.

Tonight. Gripping. It's great to have you

with us. `` good evening. Millions of Americans are driving home from

work, many bracing for severe weather. The radar says it all.

Nearly 20 states under watches and warnings for flash floods,

thunderstorms and more lightning, some of it deadly. This image, a

bolt in Washington, DC. Tonight, they have confirmed tornado in

upstate New York went 100 mph. Tornado concerns agaves even in from

Baltimore, through to Philadelphia and up to New York. A meteorologist

has been tracking this. There are around six severe thunderstorm

watchers. `` watches. I'm truly storms breaking out across the

nation tonight. " With lightning in Oregon. `` a close call. Amanda

rushed to get her horses to safety when lightning knocked her father to

the ground. And a fresh rating on the tornado in New York. An EF1 con

firmed. Winds of more than 100 mph. Its been a vicious 24 hours. Today,

heavy rain shutting down southbound lanes of an Atlantic Highway, with

chain reaction crashes, injuring at least nine people. In central

Illinois, a foot and a half of rain submerging neighbours. And in the

south`west, monsoon storms knocking down trees, flipping tractor

trailers and forcing water rescues. Almost one inch falling in just

eight minutes. Behind that severe weather, an enthusiastic jetstream

and a major push the cold air. October chill bringing out the

autumn jackets from Minnesota to Wisconsin. Temperatures dropping

into the 40s for some by tomorrow morning. That cold front is one of

the factors driving more severe storms. As a cold front passes

without them is called a, the warm air rises up, creating storms. ``

cold air. The greater the distance over the cabbages, the more fuel.

Look at Minneapolis. 64. `` temperatures. St Louis was almost

90. What are we facing tonight? That

severe storm area, especially along the east coast, you mentioned

earlier there have already been tornado rescues north`east of

Baltimore. You can see the pockets of orange. Here, damaging winds from

New York, Connecticut, back through Arkansas. Then it doesn't move much

tomorrow. Big cities like Philadelphia, New York City and

Washington, DC need to be on alert, especially tomorrow afternoon. How

deep are these cold cabbages? If you are sitting in Tennessee, it won't

get here. `` temperatures. These are tomorrow's high cabbages. The cold

front pushing all the way, making Dallas go to 86 by Thursday. ``

temperatures. 86 will feel good for them in Dallas. Thank you. One other

with a headline. These pictures coming in from the west. Wildfires

in Oregon. Homes were destroyed, more than 100 people evacuated.

Firefighters scrambling. Lightning strikes may have sparked the fires.

There is concern for the animals. There are wildfires also in Northern

California. All of this weather comes as millions take some

vacations. For drivers this evening, welcome news. Gas prices are finally

going down. The prices have been climbing for 12 days straight. We

look at what's behind the drop. Good evening. We can consider this a

vacation from that pain at the pump. These numbers came out this evening.

The national average is down to: That's 4 cents cheaper than it was

one week ago. Why are these prices coming down?

The cost the price of wheel is dropping. Libya is producing more.

Iraq was expected to impact that. `` price of oil. This is good news for

drivers. Drivers in 13 states are paying less than everybody. You can

see it. Less than $3 50 per gallon. Will these prices stick? Analysts

say there is always the possibility that something will happen in the

Middle East to impact prices. The potential for a hurricane in the

summer. But analysts say these prices will be dropping by as much

as 10 cents over the next couple of weeks.

That is welcome news. Thank you. Around the world and to the Middle

East, where international pressure is mounting for Israel and Hamas to

reach a ceasefire. Each of is offering to broker the deal. We

learnt the drone being used by Hamas has been shot out of the sky.

Are we any closer to a ceasefire? Things are happening fast tonight

but there are some indications that Hamas is considering taking part in

ceasefire talks, talks that could not come soon enough.

Today, after more than 1000 rockets launched from Gaza, an ominous turn.

Hamas claiming that a flock of drones, like this one in a Hamas

video, would be deployed deep into Israel. The first launched today.

Then shut down by Israel using a Patriot missile. The latest in an

aerosol. Israel says Hamas has stockpiled 10,000 weapons. `` in an

air assault. Some can reach Israel's megacities. The two sides,

Israel and Hamas, the militant group that now patrols the Palestinian

territory of Gaza, locked in this deadly fight. Any shred of hope that

a broader peace, something the US has pushed so hard for, lapsing.

Instead, civilians in Gaza, where the death toll is rising, worry

Israel will move ahead with the massive ground assault. All

across`the`board area with Gaza, you can see is really tanks building up.

30,000 is really observers have already been called up. This remains

the question tonight. Even though there are those who pose as his

tired `` ceasefire talks, the exchange of fire is as intense as

ever. You can find reporting throughout

the night on the website. Meantime, back here at home, to a developing

headline involving an American sergeant rescued from the Taliban.

Bowe Bergdahl was released six weeks ago. That dramatic handover was

recorded on tape, he was blinking in the sun, one of his captors lent

in, and the American team padding him down before he boarded the

helicopter. After 45 days of treatment, we learned of a new post,

they are putting him back on regular duty, and some are outraged.

Today, a new chapter for Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. Just a little over

six weeks since the dramatic prisoner swap in the Afghan desert.

It ended his five years in captivity at the hands of the Taliban. This

morning, the army announced that he has been return to regular duty and

given a desk job in Houston. After completing what military

psychologist said would be his reintegration process. In captivity,

fundamental decisions are taken away. Then we can increase his

choices. During his long captivity, his parents were tireless in their

efforts to gain his freedom. I pray this video may be shown to our only

son. Army officials today said that Bowe Bergdahl did not meet with his

parents during the transition period. My name is Bowe Bergdahl.

His return to regular duty also means that the army can begin the

most sensitive part of this investigation, questioning him about

how he became a Taliban prisoner in the first place. Since his release,

the Taliban posted this propaganda photo online. It showed a smiling

Bowe Bergdahl with the Taliban leader who has since been killed.

The Taliban did not release any pictures of the metal cage in which

Bowe Bergdahl said he was held after trying to escape. The Pentagon today

said that he did not engage illegal conduct. He is due to complete this

post in a month. You spoke about his parents, what more do we know about

the communication or lack of it between his parents? After five

years, he did not ours to be put in contact with his parents at any

point during this period. `` ask. To the waters of Italy, a high`stakes

mission under way to salvage the Costa Concordia, the cruise liner

that run aground two years ago. We showed you the images here on World

News taking you through the wreckage, and tonight the boat has

been righted. The giant ship on the move and I were correspondent is

reporting now. Rush hour. This is a huge operation, nothing like it has

ever been attempted. `` our. Today, after two and a half years, nearly

$1 billion, the giant wreck of the Costa Concordia, twice the size of

the Titanic, was lifted off the seabed, refloated for a final

journey to the scrapyard. To raise the stricken ship, air was pumped

into 30 giant metal containers attached to the sides of the vessel,

raising it by only six feet, a tense operation with toxic fuel and waste

possibly being spilt if she broke apart. 32 people died that night she

ran aground off the coast of Italy `` spilt. Decay is setting in. The

Costa Concordia will now be slowly towed to the Italian port of Genova,

and there it will be scrapped. All that will be left is the memory of

the tragedy. A triumph here at home to report

tonight, this family photo was posted by our friends in Boston, and

is trending online. A Boston Marathon bombing survivor lost both

legs in the attack, and today at his fiancee are introducing us to their

newborn daughter. We love seeing that. More ahead on World News this

Monday night, the deadly crash involving the Walmart truck, some of

the first pictures to night of comedian Tracy Morgan since

surviving up riding accident. And, the major lawsuit that he is now

saying about Walmart. And, tracking the number of great whites,

scientists have discovered more about tracking them, are they coming

to a beach near you? `` since surviving that accident.

Next to night here, to some of the first pictures of Tracy Morgan since

the deadly truck accident that left him critically injured. Out of

hospital after a month, now he is selling Walmart for what happened in

New Jersey. How are you feeling? Though visibly weak while leaving

his New Jersey home today, Tracy Morgan spirits seem strong, flashing

a peace sign in some of the first images since being injured in a car

accident, even responding to photographers well`wishers. You look

great. Thank you. The 45`year`old comedian continues recovering after

spending five weeks in the hospital with a broken leg, nose, and several

ribs. He was injured when a Walmart truck driver allegedly fell asleep

behind the wheel, crashing into the van that the actor was riding in.

Now, Morgan is selling, claiming the following. `` suing. Experts say

that drivers falling asleep is one reason why large truck crashes are

so common on America's highways. In fact, recent numbers show an average

of 200 people are injured and 11 killed every day a large truck

crashes. These individuals are overworked, and if they take their

eye off the word `` road for a nanosecond, they could have a

horrific crash. In response to the lawsuit, Wall Street has said the

following `` Walmart. Tonight, the investigation is moving forward. As

is Tracy Morgan 's recovery. This evening, officials are studying a

new tape from the terror group accused of kidnapping 200

schoolgirls in Nigeria. Members of the group taking and making fun of

the campaign went viral around the globe. You will remember even the

first lady helped the cause, and tonight, they define new message and

the new champion joining the cause to bring home the girls. Malala. We

are in Nigeria now. They define new video message from Boko Haram,

mocking the international campaign to bring back the girls. More than

200 girls tonight are still in captivity. We travel to Nigeria to

meet with some of the girls who escaped , the drama still written on

their faces. This 18`year`old described how she got away by

jumping off a fast moving truck, badly injuring her leg. Can you tell

me what it was like after you escaped? I hid in the bushes of an

abandoned village, she said. This 15`year`old also jumped from a

truck, and slowly made her way back to the village. She did not eat for

a week. The girls have a new champion, another teenager, Malala,

who was shot just because she wanted an education.

She and her father wept as they sat down with the parents of the missing

girls. You will continue to speak out loud for them?

What do you want people back in the United States to know? What can we

do to help? The girls who escaped still have not return to school, and

they told me they do not want to go back to school until all of their

friends are back home safe and sound. Those girls have been missing

now offer 91 days. Back here, to the economy tonight, a

major settlement in the investigation into the collapse of

the housing market, we have learned Citigroup will pay $7 billion for

the role in offering risky mortgages to help fuel the recession. 2.5

billion will be used to help struggling families with their

mortgages. The instant index tonight, the white knuckle moment

for 313 people on a flight to India. Three minutes after leaving Newark

Airport, an engine overheated and set off alarms in the cockpit. The

pilot turned the plane around after shutting down the engine. A woman

snapped this picture from the ground, the plane was flying very

low. Nobody was injured as it landed. George W Bush is

recuperating tonight after a partial knee replacement on Saturday. On his

left knee. An outpatient procedure. Seven weeks ago he had the same

procedure on his right knee. 719,000 Americans have knee replacement

surgery every year, and last time the president said he was climbing

the stairs shortly after the procedure. He says he is looking

forward to getting back on his mountain bike. We wish him well.

Finally, many are asking whether this is the summer of the shark, the

great white at least. We have been tracking them up and down the coast.

Scientists are following them, and looking at how far they have gone

already. It seems like a shark summer. Last

week, this Californian swimmer was shocked by a great white. I was

staring at it. The attacks are a coincidence. The number of great

whites are up 42% since 1997. More than 2000 of the truck sized fish

are roaming the east coast alone. The good news is we know were a lot

of them are thanks to GPS. Scientists and fishermen are tagging

six of these per weekend. Over the last year, millions online tracking

a 2300 lb Shah called Catherine. `` shark. They are coming back due to

an increase in the number of seals, their favourite food. Not humans.

Off the Bahamas, they learned that some sharks crave affection, even

the hug of a reporter. Catherine has made a U`turn and is heading to

Florida. Who knows, she could be heading to a beach near you this

summer! We hope to see you here tomorrow

night, from all of us here, have a good evening.

We are going to get some heat this week across the country, but it

could trigger some thundery downpours. To start with, decent

sunny breaks around, but pleasant enough. The heat will build, and the

humidity, sparking dramatic thunderstorms at the end of the

week, good news for the gardens, but not great news if you are planning

to be outside for any length of time. We currently