ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast - May 15, 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 massive explosion and fire at a lumber mill in Maine.Authorities declaring a mass casualty incident.At least one firefighter killed at least 10 more people injured.The chaotic scene overwhelming resources.Late details just coming in.

The powerful weather system fueling out of control wildfires and triggering a multi -day severe weather outbreak across the heartland.Strong storms, damaging winds, large hail and possible tornadoes spanning at least five days.Our weather team tracking it all.Also breaking tonight, the emergency landing and evacuation at the airport in Kansas City.A suspect charged with coordinating 20 attacks on American and Jewish targets around the world in just three months.A stabbing in London, an attempted arson at an American bank in the Netherlands.

Prosecutors accusing him of other plots in California, Arizona and New York.President Trump returning home from China where he was treated with pomp and ceremony, speaking at length about talks with President Xi.But with critical issues like the war in Iran, trade and the future of Taiwan, questions tonight about what the summit achieved.Sources tell ABC News that President Trump may drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS in exchange for a nearly $2 billion fund to compensate allies who claim they were wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration.Democrats calling it a political slush fund.The moment a small plane crashed into an Ohio home igniting a fireball.

The family racing to escape the house.The police chase ending in a rollover crash, a little boy climbing out of the wreckage.Afterward, the officer furious with the mom.Wayward Waymos, the robo taxis.a residential cul -de -sac with no passengers inside.What happened when neighbors tried to slow them down?

And the firefighter who helped deliver a baby 22 years ago, now traveling 600 miles to attend her graduation.America Strong.

From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir.

Good evening, thanks for joining us on this Friday night.I'm Whit Johnson, in for David as he travels back from China.And we begin with breaking news.A massive explosion and fire at a lumber company in Maine, triggering a mass casualty incident and now turning deadly.The company in Searsmont, Maine, a remote area about 90 minutes northeast of Portland, at least one firefighter killed, at least 10 more people injured.The smoke seen for miles.

Every fire company in the county rushing to the scene.ABC's Stephanie Ramos leads us on.with details just coming in.

Tonight, an apocalyptic scene after a catastrophic explosion and fire ripped through a lumber company in Maine.Late today, authorities confirming a firefighter was killed.Ten more people injured, several in critical condition.Dramatic drone video showing fierce flames ripping through Robbins Lumber Mill in Searsmont, about 90 minutes northeast of Portland.The roof of a large building collapsing, firefighters pouring water on the smoldering wreckage.Authorities sending every fire department in the county to the scene shortly after 10 a .

m.At least three fire trucks destroyed.

I walked up to this very chaotic scene initially because of the magnitude of the fire involvement and the amount of sheer buildings that werefire, faced with the limited resources the fire departments had.

Tonight, the owners of the company, which was founded in the late 1800s, devastated.

A hugely devastating day for the family.We feel for the first responders.the family, the employees.

And WIT crews are still on the scene battling hot spots.Investigators are now searching for the cause of that massive explosion.Authorities tonight say the focus is on the families of those injured.WIT.

Just an awful scene.Stephanie Ramos, thank you for that.Next tonight, millions are bracing for a severe weather outbreak expected to last for days.The system spawning critical fire danger across the country.Dozens of new wildfires.This railroad bridge in Texas destroyed.

Southern Kansas already getting a taste of what's coming to the heartland.ABC's senior meteorologist Lee Goldberg with the forecast in just a moment.But first, the images tonight.

Tonight, the same system fueling out -of -control wildfires in the Plains is setting off a dangerous multi -day severe weather outbreak for the Midwest.Parts of Iowa bracing for four dangerous nights in a row.We are looking at damaging wind gusts, large to potentially very large hail.and even a tornadic threat.Overnight, lightning and powerful winds slamming parts of southern Kansas.And multiple wildfires breaking out in the Texas panhandle.

South of Amarillo, ranchers rushing horses to safety as the Hungate Fire exploded.Vehicles and structures burned, winds howling as it grew to more than 14 ,000 acres.Near Canyon, Texas, this railroad trestle completely destroyed.The bone dry conditions combined with the wind fueling dust storms from Texas to Montana This massive tornado of dirt churning not far from the Canada border earlier this week.

Meteorologist Lee Goldberg joining us now.And Lee, a dangerous weekend ahead for the middle of the country.

And the planes in the Midwest taking off.over the next several days into early next week.Sunday and Monday, probably the biggest day is maybe an outbreak day.One of those two.We're already seeing storms across Texas tonight.That threat tonight goes all the way up to Wisconsin, watching Iowa for a level three out of five risk.

Into tomorrow, the threat shifts south and west into eastern Colorado and central Iowa.By Sunday, now we're really ramping it up from north central Oklahoma out to Minnesota.By Monday, another active day with severe storms from north Texas all the way to the western Great Lakes, watching cities like Wichita and Omaha, over to Des Moines.The threat will linger into Tuesday.Heat out ahead of the storm right here in New York, Witt, 90s by Tuesday and Wednesday.

Witt?All right, some big changes.Lee Goldberg, we appreciate it.Now to the suspect charged with coordinating 20 terror attacks on American and Jewish targets around the world, and also accused of plotting other attacks in California, Arizona, and New York.Here's ABC's chief investigative correspondent, Aaron Koturski.

Tonight, an Iraqi national is in US custody accused of orchestrating terror attacks like these, taking aim at American and Jewish targets around the world in retaliation for the war in Iran.Federal prosecutors charging Mohammad Al -Sadi with a slew of terror -related crimes, alleging he coordinated 20 terror attacks in Europe and Canada in the last three months and eyed additional attacks in the US, identifying targets in California, Arizona, and New York City.

He has been trying to inspire jihad.around the world through the Internet.

Al -Sadi was apprehended this week in Turkey.In court today, he claimed he's a political prisoner being persecuted for his ties to Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, the military commander killed by a U .S.airstrike in 2020.

He'sHe's essentially being subjected to a political prosecution that he's a prisoner of war and should be treated as such.

But with federal prosecutors portrayed al -Sadi as a terrorist mastermind who they said successfully coordinated attacks overseas and paid undercover agents to carry out more attacks in this country.

Aaron Koterski for us tonight.Thank you.We move on now to President Trump returning from the summit in China where President Xi gave him VIP treatment, including a rare visit to a rose garden inside Communist Party headquarters.But questions remain about what the summit achieved on critical issues like the war in Iran, trade, and the future of Taiwan.Here's ABC's Rachel Scott.

President Trump returning to the US tonight after China gave him the red carpet treatment.Chinese leader Xi Jinping taking President Trump to the garden of Communist Party headquarters, where high government officials live.The president stopping to ask, do other world leaders get this treatment?

Very few, she responded.

It's still extremely rare.Apart from the lavish welcome, it's unclear what President Trump got out of this summit.He had hoped to persuade Xi to pressure China's ally Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Americans grapple with soaring gas prices.

We feel very similar to Iran.We want that to end.We don't want them to have a nuclear weapon.We want the Straits open.

But Xi made no promise to intervene in the war Trump launched, China's foreign ministry calling it a war that should not have happened.The president claims he made fantastic trade deals, that China agreed to buy soybeans and 200 Boeing planes.But no specifics yet.

He said, I think it was a commitment.Sort of like a statement, but I think it was a commitment.It's a great thing.

For his part, Xi came to the summit with a warning.The U .S.-China relationship would enter a very dangerous situation if President Trump interferes with China's goal of seizing Taiwan, an independent island democracy.And tonight, President Trump would not say whether he will approve a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan.

I'll be making decisions.But you know, I think the last thing we need right now is a war that's 9 ,500 miles away.

Boeing confirms that China agreed to buy those 200 jets, saying they do expect further commitments to follow.But there's still a lot of unanswered questions about this summit as the president arrives back home with.

All right, Rachel Scott, thanks so much.We are following more breaking news from Kansas City.An American Airlines flight declaring an emergency.Passengers evacuating on the tarmac.Let's get right to ABC's Matt Rivers.

Matt, what more are you learning?with passengers evacuating from that American Airlines flight earlier today at Kansas City International Airport.American Eagle Flight 5318 was coming from Washington, D .C.The plane landed safely, but pilots declared an emergency as they landed.The FAA saying the crew reported smoke in the cabin.

76 on board, including Congressman Tracy Mann from Kansas, who posted these images of people on the tarmac.Normal operations at the airport have since returned.No one was reported injured in the evacuation.

Okay, Matt Rivers, our thanks to you.Now to the new ethics concerns over President Trump seeking payments from government agencies he oversees.Sources tell ABC News that he's expected to make a deal that would create a nearly $2 billion fund to compensate his allies who say they were victimized by the Biden Justice Department.Here's ABC's Chief Justice Correspondent, Pierre Thomas.

Tonight, sources tell ABC News President Trump is poised to strike a deal with his own government to settle a $10 billion lawsuit he brought against the IRS.And he plans to do that.the money to pay allies who claim they were mistreated by what he called the, quote, weaponized Biden Justice Department, a group that could include those who stormed the Capitol on January 6.Trump filed a lawsuit against the IRS in the early days of his second term over the leak of some of his tax returns several years before.And he filed for $230 million in claims against the Justice Department for investigating him.He acknowledged the unprecedented situation, an American president suing his own administration.

It's interesting, because I'm the one that makes the decision, right?And, you know, that decision would have to go across my desk.And it's awfully strange to make a decision where I'm paying myself.

Tonight, sources telling us that Trump is looking to drop his suit in exchange for the creation of a $1 .7 billion fund to settle claims from anyone who says they were wrong by the Biden DOJ.The fund would be run by a commission whose members Trump could fire at any time.It would not be required to disclose how it runs or makes decisions.Today, even some Republican lawmakers stunned.I don't even know how that's allowable.to happen.

Democrats are calling it a slush fund and grift, financed by taxpayer money.

Donald Trump is setting up a $1 .7 billion political slush fund for the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers and his other political lieutenants and hangers -on.

And with tonight, the former leader of the Proud Boys is celebrating.Enrique Tarrio was pardoned by Trump for his involvement in January 6.Tonight, he's sharing news of the president's proposed fund on social media.

Peter Thomas, thank you.The CDC confirming there are zero Americans diagnosed with Hanta virus from the outbreak on the cruise ship docked in Spain.This includes the passenger who replaced the ship doctor and initially tested positive.He says tests show thathe was never infected despite the results.He and 17 others are in quarantine in Nebraska.

Health authorities are monitoring 41 Americans overall for the virus, including 16 who were never on that ship, some potentially exposed to a cruise ship passenger who got on a plane.Next night, the U .S.could announce an indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro as soon as next week.on the 1996 shootdown of planes that were operated by the humanitarian group Brothers to the Rescue.Tensions are rising as the U .

S.oil embargo on Cuba has led to worsening blackouts across the island nation.When we come back, new video of a small plane crashing into a home, the doorbell camera capturing the moment of impact.Plus, a little boy survives and climbs out of a rollover crash, the stern words a deputy had for the driver.And Waymo cars circling a cul -de -sac the driverless traffic jam that's upsetting neighbors, and the firefighter going the distance for a special bond, the celebration 22 years in the making.Next tonight, jarring new video shows the moment a plane crashed into a home in Akron, Ohio.

A doorbell camera captured the fiery crash that sent flames racing through this home on Thursday.Two people in that small plane were killed.The family inside the home made it out safely.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.A high -speed police chase takes a shocking turn when a toddler walks away from the scene of a rollover crash.Troopers in Arkansas pulled a maneuver on the road to stop this red car and cause it to overturn right there.

Officers approached and a little boy emerged from the backseat running into the trooper's arms.The trooper didn't mince words for the boy's mom.

That was the stupidest thing you've ever done in your life.Today was the stupidest decision you've ever made.

The little boy appeared to be unhurt.His mom is in custody.When we come back, the driverless car is causing headaches.What led to this Waymo traffic jam in one Atlanta neighborhood?To the index now, a judge declared a mistrial in Harvey Weinstein's rape retrial, the decision after a jury in Manhattan could not reach a unanimous verdict following three days of deliberations.This was the third time Weinstein was tried on accusations he raped an aspiring actress in a hotel room in 2013.

Weinstein's lawyers argued the sexual encounter was consensual.A hearing next month could determine if there will be a fourth trial.Dozens of driverless vehicles on the roam, causing a nuisance for neighbors in one Atlanta community.People have spotted one Waymo after another, circling this cul -de -sac here and driving back and forth down the same street.Neighbors say at least 50 of these empty cars are rolling through the street at all hours of the day, some clogging the road while trying to turn around.In a statement, Waymo says it has addressed this routing issue.

Still ahead, the firefighter who helped deliver a baby 22 years ago going the distance to celebrate a special milestone.Finally tonight, America Strong.22 years after a firefighter helped deliver a baby, the special bond and the reunion.You're looking at a treasured family photograph.A firefighter holding the baby he helped deliver.The beginning of an incredible decades long bond.

And you're about to see what he's just done for her again all these years later.Back in 2004, Colorado Springs firefighter Alan Kent was responding to a call.Mom Stacey Huddle had gone into early labor at home.Her husband called 911 and firefighter Alan arriving just in time helping deliver baby Chloe.Mom and dadwere both okay.

And a few weeks later, they went to the fire station to thank that firefighter.And a special connection, a friendship, quickly developed.They would stay in touch.Every single year, Chloe would go back to that fire station and celebrate her birthday, that firefighter right by her side.There she is on her fourth birthday.her 5th birthday, her 8th, 10th, and her 15th birthday.

Chloe growing before that firefighter's eyes.This year, Chloe, now 22, is graduating college.And firefighter Alan, now retired, was right there again, celebrating the milestone.Traveling 600 miles to cheer for her on graduation day at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.Tonight, Alan telling us he is so proud.

She's been an amazing person to follow and watch her grow up, to see the beautiful woman that she is today.I've been honored.It's been a privilege to be part of her family.

And joining us too, Chloe, with her message for the firefighter she calls family.

Not every kid gets their own firefighter.To have them there for every single milestone, it just shows that promises can be kept over time and that friends can just turn into family.

her own firefighter, pretty cool.And congratulations.I'm Wade Johnson in New York.Have a great night.