ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast -… — Transcript

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 Plus. Most watched, most trusted. Now on Disney Plus every night.

Breaking tonight, a significant escalation as thousands more American ground troops arrive in the Middle East, as Iran now threatens to attack Israeli and American colleges in the region, and with paychecks on the way, when will those endless airport security lines finally ease up?

We begin with the war in Iran, now in its fifth week, 3,500 Marines and sailors have arrived.

50,000 troops now in the region, the Pentagon is reportedly mulling options, President Trump has not yet decided whether to launch a ground invasion, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on how long the war could last, will it be weeks or months?

Plus, the latest on new talks in Pakistan to end the fighting, Iran now reeling from strikes on schools in Tehran and suggesting attacks on American universities in the Middle East.

And there's new concern that Iranian allies may try to block the Red Sea, another vital shipping route, we have team coverage.

Also tonight, those excruciating security lines at the airport, TSA agents are calling out in record numbers after going without pay for more than a month, with the checks finally coming, will the delays ease up?

An alleged bombing plot thwarted, a new photo of the device left outside the Bank of America in Paris, and what the investigation has turned up.

Tiger Woods out of jail after that serious accident, and now facing a charge of driving under the influence, how this will impact his latest comeback.

The horrific school bus crash, two children killed, parents describe the awful scene.

NASA's return to the moon, the countdown to Artemis II, why the mission is so important, and what they've done to fix a stubborn hydrogen leak.

The brazen chocolate theft, one week before Easter, who stole 12 tons of Kit Kats?

And America Strong tonight, how she went from hospital janitor to doctor at the same hospital.

Good evening, everyone, thanks so much for joining us all this Sunday, I'm Lindsey Davis.

We begin tonight with the war in Iran, now entering its fifth week, more than 50,000 American troops are now in the Middle East.

This is 3,500 Marines and sailors have arrived in the region, President Trump is said to be considering his next options, including a ground invasion or seizing an island.

Tehran launching its air defense systems amid an unrelenting assault by U.S. and Israeli strikes, and Iran is threatening retaliatory strikes on Israeli and American universities in the region, this after an Israeli air strike hit Iran's University of Science and Technology campus.

Pope Leo with harsh words about the war on this Palm Sunday, saying God, quote, does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.

And a sobering reminder of the cost of this war, more than 3,000 people have been killed across the region, including 13 American service members.

We have team coverage tonight, ABC's Senior White House Correspondent Selina Wang leads us off.

Tonight, growing concern the U.S. could soon put boots on the ground for military operations inside Iran.

The mounting questions come as the first U.S. ground troops arrive in the Middle East, 3,500 sailors and Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, equipped with transport and strike fighter aircraft, and amphibious assault capabilities.

A second Marine unit is on its way and expected to arrive by May.

An additional 1,500 soldiers from the Army's elite 82nd Airborne also preparing to deploy, those troops trained to parachute behind enemy lines.

The U.S. now has 50,000 troops stationed in the Middle East.

The Pentagon says they're giving the President, who has not ruled out using ground troops, more options, lawmakers, including from the President's own party, urging Trump to consult Congress first.

If we're going to do a conventional ground operation with Marines and 82nd Airborne, that is a ground war that I believe Congress should have a say and we should be briefed on.

As the war passes its one-month mark, sources tell ABC News, Secretary Rubio privately told G7 allies the war would continue for another two to four weeks.

U.S. and Israeli attacks lighting up the night sky in Tehran with a missile onslaught this weekend.

These videos show first responders in Iran searching through the rubble in Tehran, several buildings nearby at a university also damaged.

And now Iran is warning it will consider American universities with campuses in the region legitimate targets.

This comes as the number of Americans wounded grows, now more than 300, 13 American service members have died.

At least 15 Americans were wounded on Friday in an Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Saudi Arabia, which also reportedly destroyed a critical drone surveillance and reconnaissance plane used by the Air Force, according to the Wall Street Journal.

And Lindsey, President Trump is projecting optimism about diplomacy, and tonight the mission of those troops remains unclear, though Secretary Rubio insists the U.S. can still reach its goals without boots on the ground, Lindsey, a lot of apprehension about how that will end, Selina, thank you.

Now to the new diplomatic push to end the war between the U.S. and Iran, top Middle East officials held a meeting today without representatives from the warring nations.

Let's bring in ABC's Matt Rivers in Doha, Qatar tonight, and Matt, what can you tell us about this meeting?

Well, Lindsey, the foreign ministers for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan all met in Islamabad today to try and lay out a roadmap for peace, but not present, the U.S., Iran, or Israel. Still, the Pakistani foreign minister says he thinks the U.S. and Iran will meet, quote, in the coming days, as thousands of U.S. troops are still headed this way. This as a new entrance into the war emerges, the Houthis in Yemen, firing a missile toward Israel over the weekend, a reminder that country could cause major havoc should they try and close the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb in the Red Sea. Any disruption in the Red Sea would of course be catastrophic for global oil supplies. And finally, as Israel continues its war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, a 22-year-old Israeli-American soldier from Connecticut was killed, Lindsey.

So many lives cut short by this war, Matt, thank you.

Now to the nation's travel chaos, paychecks are on the way for TSA workers, but wait times at some airports are still long today, nearly 3,000 officers, more than 10% called out on Saturday, and it's unclear if tomorrow will be any better.

Here's ABC's Mola Lenghi.

Tonight, officials at airports across the country hoping scenes like this fade fast.

The sooner they get paid, I mean, I'm sure that'll help all of us get through these lines quick.

With TSA paychecks finally on the way after President Trump signed a memo late Friday, ordering the Department of Homeland Security to restore pay to TSA workers.

The money can't come fast enough for Jill DeJanovich.

This single mother of four has gone without pay for more than a month.

I think we're going to be stuck in this position for a long time.

And it's aggravating, it's frustrating, and this is just so ridiculous at this point.

Nearly 3,000 TSA agents, that's just over 10% of the workforce, called out Saturday, with airports in Texas and Maryland hit hardest.

Meanwhile, the standoff over funding the Department of Homeland Security is not budging, House Republicans, before leaving town for a two-week congressional break, rejected a Senate deal to restore funding.

Pushing their own stopgap plan instead.

Trump administration borders are Tom Homan says, with the war in Iran escalating, funding the agency is more critical than ever.

In a time we have a heightened threat, you know, posture right now in this country because of what's going on in the world, we got to keep the airport safe, we got to keep the American people, you know, going through those lines.

And on Friday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, seen at Reagan National Airport.

Fox News asking if the House is going to do their job? Well, we'll see, we, uh, we made some, uh, temporary headway, but we got a lot of work to do still.

Well, lines here at BWI have improved significantly since this morning, whether it stays that way, likely depends on whether those TSA agents who have been calling out will return to work on Monday, when President Trump promises they'll finally get paid, Lindsey.

Hopefully we'll see some improvement.

Mola, thank you.

Now to those No Kings protests across the country, music legend Bruce Springsteen performed at the flagship demonstration in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Millions attended rallies across the nation voicing their opposition to the Trump administration's policies.

Organizers say it was the largest single day of non-violent protests in modern American history, here's ABC's Melissa Adan.

Across the country, from New York, Dallas to San Francisco, millions of people out for the No Kings protests.

Demonstrators calling out President Donald Trump and his administration's policies.

In Minnesota, Bruce Springsteen performing Streets of Minneapolis.

On the streets of Minneapolis.

The state's governor calling out the Trump administration for going too far with their immigration crackdown.

When democracy itself seems to be at risk, it was Minnesota who said, not on our watch.

Organizers say 3,000 separate rallies on Saturday marked the largest single day demonstration in the nation.

And it's not just big cities, smaller municipalities, including Buffalo, New York, saw demonstrators taking to the streets.

It's time to speak up, I don't want to be a bystander to this.

Out west, crowds marched down the streets of San Diego.

And in Los Angeles, there was isolated violence, federal law enforcement deploying what appeared to be tear gas, outside of a federal detention center, police ordering dispersals, the LAPD arresting 75 people.

Lindsey, President Trump has not commented on these latest rounds of protest, now last fall, Trump did say he is not a king, Lindsey.

Melissa, thank you.

Overseas now to French police thwarting an alleged bombing attack outside the Bank of America building in Paris, let's bring in ABC's Marcus Moore.

Marcus, what's the latest with this investigation?

Well, Lindsey, police in France have now arrested three people in connection with the alleged terror attack, and ABC News has obtained this image of the device that police say the suspects tried to detonate.

We have also learned tonight that all of the suspects are younger than 18, anti-terror authorities say they tried to detonate the device outside a Bank of America building around 3:30 Saturday morning, it's described as flammable liquid in a container taped to a fireworks tube.

Police say they thwarted the alleged attack as one suspect was using a lighter to set off the device, another suspect was recording the alleged attack and was later arrested.

All of this comes at a time of heightened alert at U.S.-affiliated businesses and facilities across the globe, Lindsey.

So many on edge, Marcus, thank you.

Now to the countdown to NASA's historic moon mission, Artemis II is scheduled for launch on Wednesday, April 1st, it's the first human moon mission in more than 50 years.

ABC's Perry Russom is here with the new details coming in tonight.

With days to go until NASA's historic launch sending astronauts around the moon, tonight the Artemis II crew speaking out ahead of their mission.

So at this point, we can safely say, the crew's ready, the rocket's ready, the spaceship's ready, ground systems are ready, and we only need to have the weather to cooperate.

The team is in quarantine at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, final preparations underway, Artemis II is a test flight, a 685,000-mile journey, slingshotting four astronauts around the moon, coming back to Earth about 10 days later.

They'll go deeper into space than any human has ever gone before.

It's a critical step in NASA's multi-billion dollar project to land humans back on the moon, build a lunar base, and send future astronauts to Mars.

We have the opportunity to answer the question that could be the question of our lifetime, which is, are we alone?

The mission, years in the making, has been plagued by delays, from hydrogen fuel leaks to an interruption of helium flow in the rocket.

I will tell you the four of us, we are ready to go, the team is ready to go, and the vehicle is ready to go.

The team includes Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, the mission is filled with firsts, including Glover, set to become the first black man to be sent near the moon.

Young brown boys and girls can look at me and go, hey, he looks like me and he's doing what?

And that's great, I love that.

NASA says right now they are forecast to be an 80% go for Wednesday, that is when this launch window opens, Lindsey.

Perry, thank you.

And tune into ABC News Live for coverage of Artemis II Mission to the Moon on Wednesday, April 1st.

Now to a heartbreaking tragedy in Tennessee, two students are killed and several others injured after a school bus crash, the Kenwood Middle School students were on a field trip, one official called this a parent's worst nightmare, the community clearly devastated.

Here's ABC's Reena Roy.

An emotional visual in Tennessee this weekend, as loved ones gathered to remember these two young girls who were killed when their school bus crashed during a field trip.

Newly released videos shows the bus colliding with a dump truck and SUV in Carroll County on Friday, with more than two dozen middle school students and adults on board.

School bus into a car. School bus into a car.

One of those students calling his mom immediately.

He went to turn, uh, the camera in FaceTime and that's when I saw the bus and that's where the panic kind of set in.

You can see emergency responders rushing the stretcher from the scene and a helicopter taking the injured to nearby hospitals moments after the deadly accident.

This is a parent's worst nightmare and we recognize that.

The community now coming together to support the families grieving their sudden losses.

I ask for everybody to continue to keep those families in your prayers, and I ask that you also keep all our first responders in your prayers because they've witnessed some stuff today that they'll remember for the rest of their lives.

Now, officials say this is still an ongoing investigation and troopers are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding this tragic crash, Lindsey.

Keeping that community in our thoughts and prayers, Reena, thank you.

Next tonight, Tiger Woods is out of jail and facing questions about his future, the golfing legend was preparing for yet another comeback and a possible appearance at the Masters, when he was charged with a DUI after a rollover crash in Florida, here's ABC's Andrew Dymbert.

Tonight, new questions about Tiger Woods's future after the 15-time major champion was arrested and charged with DUI, following a rollover crash near his home on Jupiter Island, Florida.

Woods seen leaving Martin County Jail late Friday night, now the all-pro golfer faces an uncertain future on the PGA Tour.

The way I look at it, there's got to be some sort of punishment or withdrawal or some sort of, uh, suspension from the game.

Authorities say Woods was speeding and overtook a truck on a two-lane road, Woods was not hurt in the crash and police say he passed a breathalyzer test, but refused to let officers take a blood or urine sample.

Suspecting Woods was impaired, investigators say he was placed under arrest.

It doesn't matter who you are, if you break the law, we're going to follow the law.

It's a troubling headline for Woods, and one we've seen before, now at least the fourth time he's been involved in a vehicle-related crash or arrest.

It's the second time he's been charged with DUI, and the second time he's been involved in a rollover crash, nearly losing his leg back in 2021, after his SUV he was driving rolled several times outside Los Angeles.

Lindsey, the PGA has yet to officially comment, and Woods's status for next week's Masters tournament is still unknown.

Andrew, thank you.

There's still much more ahead on World News Tonight this Sunday.

Including the brazen candy theft, 12 tons of chocolate bars stolen, and the dramatic body camera video, officers rush to rescue guests from a burning motel.

Next tonight, dramatic body camera video.

Shows police rushing to a burning motel near Fort Worth, Texas, one room was fully engulfed in flames when officers got there on Thursday, they pulled an unconscious man to safety, then went room by room warning people to get out, that one guest was rushed to a hospital with burns, two officers suffered minor smoke inhalation.

And tonight, the remarkable story of the Air Canada flight attendant who survived that deadly crash at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Solange Tremblay, seen here in her hospital bed, she was thrown more than 300 feet when her plane crashed into a fire truck while landing, Tremblay suffered two shattered legs and has undergone multiple surgeries, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for her care.

And we're tracking dangerous fire weather conditions across the country, red flag warnings are up in multiple states with high winds and low humidity.

The warm weather in the West is now expanding eastward, high temperatures this week will reach the upper 70s in the Northeast, and the low mid-80s in the South.

When we come back, how's your bracket looking?

Who's made it from the Elite Eight to the Final Four?

To the index, and a lot of chocolate lovers must be saying, give me a break.

Nestle says a truck loaded with nearly 414,000 Kit Kat bars was stolen this week in Europe, that's 12 tons of candy.

The bars made in Italy were shaped like race cars as part of a tie-in with Formula 1, they were being transported to Poland, but the truck disappeared somewhere along the 800-mile route.

On to March Madness now, the Final Four is coming into focus.

Michigan earned a spot after beating Tennessee 95 to 62, the Wolverines join Arizona and Illinois, those two are in the Final Four for the first time in more than two decades.

For the women, perennial favorite UConn is also on its way after beating Notre Dame by 18 points, another top seed, UCLA, ousted Duke 70 to 58.

When we come back, America Strong, she went from janitor to doctor at the same hospital.

Finally tonight, America Strong, the story of a woman who's proof of what persistence can build.

Shay Taylor Allen recently opened an envelope that would change her life.

The fourth-year Howard University medical student officially matching with Yale New Haven Hospital for her residency in anesthesiology.

A long road that's come full circle for the 32-year-old, who's about to head back to the very hospital where she once worked as a janitor, this time as a doctor.

I'm born and raised in New Haven, just my mom and my two brothers, she was a single mom of three.

Despite graduating in the top 10% of her high school class, Shay says she didn't know what would come next.

I started at Yale Hospital as a janitor at 18 years old, working there for a few years before I went to undergrad at Southern Connecticut.

And it wasn't until my sophomore year, my mom became ill that I realized that I wanted to become a doctor.

But she didn't know what that would entail.

I did not know the process, so I literally had to sit there and Google the whole process and everything that I need to go to to become a doctor.

Tonight, Shay shares what got her this far.

Keep going, you have to take the losses in order to get where you need to go.

You literally have to visualize it for yourself and keep moving.

So I'm like, I'm in a dream.

Because I could have never imagined that I would be going back to the same hospital that I was not only born at, but a janitor at, to be a doctor for my community.

Huge congrats.

Thanks for watching.

I'm Lindsey Davis, good night.