ABC News Live Prime Full Episode: Thu, Jul 9, 2026

[0:00] Tonight on ABC News Live Prime, tensions run high between the U.S. and Iran in the midst of [0:05] new rounds of attacks. The American assault on Iran intensifies with dozens of new strikes for [0:13] a third straight night. The already fragile ceasefire clearly broken. Our Martha Raddatz [0:18] with the latest reporting. Crucial testimony in the case against the man accused of killing [0:22] Charlie Kirk. A never-before-seen interview with the suspect's former romantic partner, [0:27] who prosecutors say received messages from Robinson containing a confession. [0:31] And I'm Kana Whitworth. More on what that partner said the suspect did just after the killing. [0:36] An urgent search for answers. The family of Nolan Wells, whose body was found after going missing [0:41] Fourth of July weekend, launches its own investigation into exactly what happened. [0:46] I'm Alex Perez. The family tonight pleading for information about the last time their [0:50] teenager was seen alive while on a beach trip with friends. Delta releases a new class of airfare, [0:56] business basic, promising the business class seat without any of the perks. Could this be a boon [1:02] for travelers or just another overpriced way to fly? Speaking of travelers, a missed connection at [1:08] the Cleveland airport between a passenger and an airport employee has gone viral for all the right [1:13] reasons. That passenger put out a call online to help find her crush. She's here to tell us what [1:18] happened next. From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is Prime with Lindsey Davis. [1:30] Good evening, everyone. I'm Lindsey Davis. Thank you so much for streaming with us. We begin with the [1:34] accused assassin of Charlie Kirk back in court today. We heard crucial testimony on the fourth day of the [1:40] preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, the suspect charged in the 2025 killing of the conservative [1:45] activist. Prosecutors played recorded testimony from Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, [1:50] who testified that Tyler allegedly said he wished he hadn't done it the day after the shooting. [1:56] Prosecutors also showed engraved bullets that Robinson allegedly said were for a hunting trip. [2:01] Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk's widow, Erica, who was in the courtroom, is calling for more transparency. [2:06] Arcana Wirtworth is in Utah and leads us off. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. [2:13] So help you God. Yes. At that critical hearing in Utah, a never-before-seen interview with witness [2:19] alleging Tyler Robinson expressed regret the day after Charlie Kirk was gunned down. [2:25] My name is Lance Twiggs. Lance Twiggs, the suspect's former roommate and romantic partner, [2:29] received messages from Robinson that prosecutors say contained a confession. [2:33] I just asked him in person if what he said was true the night before, and he said it was. [2:40] I started crying a little bit and said he wishes he hadn't done it, [2:44] and then kept going around and just doing stuff. [2:51] Prosecutors pointing to one note Twiggs says he found under a keyboard reading, [2:55] I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it. [2:59] Agent Davis. [3:00] An investigator reading text messages between the two. [3:03] Tyler says, I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can't be negotiated out. [3:07] I am sorry to involve you. [3:09] And then Lance replies, you weren't the one who did it right. [3:13] And Tyler says, I am, I'm sorry. [3:16] Robinson turning himself in 33 hours after the shooting. [3:20] You left understanding that he was going to turn himself in or go to his parents' house? [3:24] Yeah. [3:24] Portions of that interview redacted by the judge. [3:28] Kirk's widow, Erica, objecting. [3:30] She had been in court all week and wants the world to see the evidence. [3:34] The Kirk family's waited 10 months for this hearing. [3:36] And they have a right to be here, and they have a right to hear the evidence. [3:43] And Kena Whitworth joins us now. [3:44] So, Kena, do we know why portions of the roommate's interview were redacted by the judge? [3:49] Right. [3:50] There was a lot of argument about that, Lindsay, back and forth, especially from the defense here. [3:54] And the idea from the defense is that you don't want to have an alleged confession publicized to the public. [3:59] And one of the main things they kept sure that they redacted, Lindsay, was that note that was found underneath the keyboard. [4:06] They talked about what it said, but we didn't actually get to see it. [4:08] And which other parts of the interview with the roommate stood out to you? [4:13] You know, quite a bit, especially going through the text messages of the two from the day when he talked about them. [4:19] And one part in particular, Lindsay, was when they discussed the bullets and the engraving on the bullets. [4:24] We saw those for the first time. [4:25] And he had been engraving those bullets for at least a week prior to the shooting. [4:31] And then they asked, Twiggs asked him, do you need that gun? [4:34] Do you need to have it for your hunting trip with your dad? [4:37] And the reply in the text is, no, my dad wanted to use a high caliber rifle for the hunt. [4:42] Judging from today, I say Gramps' gun does just fine. [4:47] Cold, Lindsay. [4:48] It is indeed. [4:49] All right, Kena, thank you. [4:50] After a volley of strikes between the U.S. and Iran, there is some quiet tonight in the region. [4:55] The U.S. military hit at least nine towns in Iran last night. [4:58] And Tehran fired back unleashing attacks toward Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. [5:03] Our chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raddatz, has the latest. [5:10] Tonight, Iran bracing for more American attacks after two straight nights of bombing. [5:17] The ceasefire clearly broken. [5:19] President Trump saying it's over. [5:21] The U.S. now expanding its targets beyond military, hitting a railroad bridge in Iran [5:28] that Iran quickly repaired. [5:30] President Trump insists Iran wants to make a deal, a claim he's repeated throughout this war, [5:36] now five months long. [5:38] They want to make a deal so badly. [5:40] But Iran instead firing missiles and explosive drones at U.S. bases in Bahrain and Kuwait, [5:47] with the U.S. embassy in Jordan warning all Americans to seek cover. [5:52] Those strikes intercepted, but Iran tightening its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. [5:58] That's causing the cost of oil to rise. [6:01] And here at home, gas prices, which had started to fall during the ceasefire, [6:06] now ticking back up to $3.83 a gallon. [6:10] Tonight, the endgame unclear. [6:13] And Trump supporters like podcaster Joe Rogan, [6:16] sounding increasingly dismayed the president led the country into this war. [6:20] Most people are horrified by the idea because Trump was elected. [6:25] One of the pillars that he stood for, apparently, was that he doesn't want any more wars. [6:32] Lindsay, it was just three weeks ago that President Trump was celebrating the deal [6:35] that would open the Strait and start to bring gas prices down. [6:39] But tonight, not only are gas prices rising again, the fear of all-out war is rising as well. [6:46] Lindsay? [6:47] Martha, thank you. [6:48] There's an all-out scramble in Maine tonight to replace Graham Plattner, the Democrat, in the race for Senate. [6:53] In the past 24 hours, a number of candidates have thrown their hat in the ring [6:57] to go up against longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins. [7:00] It's a race that could determine who controls the Senate. [7:03] Here's Joe Bryant. [7:03] Tonight, Maine Democrats scrambling to turn the page after Graham Plattner flamed out as their nominee [7:11] in the nation's most closely watched Senate race. [7:15] We believe that for the movement to continue, it can't be made. [7:23] Seven candidates already running to replace him. [7:26] Some like former state Senate President Troy Jackson, a logger hoping to inherit Plattner's working-class mantle. [7:33] You know, what they consider a pickup truck progressive. [7:35] Democrats already eager to shift their focus from Plattner's scandals to Republican Senator Susan Collins. [7:42] But Plattner not making it easy, blaming his campaign's implosion on, quote, [7:46] large forces working against him, not the sexual assault allegations he has denied. [7:51] Those in power who have the ability to do so are using these allegations as an excuse [7:58] to take away all of the things that we need to run a campaign. [8:02] And though Plattner has suspended his campaign, sources say he's waiting until the very last minute, [8:08] Monday's deadline, to officially remove his name from the ballot. [8:12] Lindsey, that's the Senate race in Maine. [8:15] But one more story I wanted to update you, Juan. [8:17] Senator Mitch McConnell and the questions swirling around him. [8:20] He was last seen at the Capitol 28 days ago. [8:22] He was later admitted to the hospital for an unknown medical condition on June 14th. [8:27] The governor of Kentucky now sending a letter to McConnell's office demanding answers about his health. [8:33] McConnell's staff insists that he's recovering and he continues to work on Senate business. [8:38] But he's been in the hospital, Lindsey, for three and a half weeks. [8:41] President Trump now even saying he doesn't know the status of McConnell's condition. [8:46] Lindsey. [8:46] Jay, thank you. [8:47] Mexico is planning to file criminal complaints about deaths of Mexican citizens either in ICE custody [8:53] or as part of ICE operations, including a man shot and killed by ICE in Houston. [8:57] 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's family says that he was on his way to a work site with other laborers. [9:04] ICE officials say they were trying to stop his car as part of a targeted enforcement operation. [9:08] John Quinonez spoke with Araujo's sons. [9:11] Hi, John. [9:13] Well, Lindsey, I'm standing on Canal Street in East Houston. [9:16] Behind me is a makeshift memorial that's been set up to pay tribute to that man who was shot and killed [9:22] by an ICE agent near that spot, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the 52-year-old immigrant from Mexico [9:28] who had been in this country almost 35 years with three sons who were born and raised here. [9:34] This afternoon, I interviewed two of those sons. [9:37] The interview was touching and heartbreaking. [9:40] I would like for all America to know that people here in this community and this, like my father, [9:51] people here in this community, in this city, that undocumented migrants are humans. [9:57] I just want all Americans to know that my dad was a hardworking man, a family man, [10:02] who wanted nothing more than to put food on the table and to watch his sons achieve the American dream. [10:09] Those two sons and the rest of their family say they've been given very little information [10:14] from DHS or ICE about exactly what happened here. [10:18] But the Harris County District Attorney's office has now been conducting its own investigation. [10:24] We saw investigators go into some of these homes. [10:26] They're looking at surveillance video from some of these houses. [10:29] So they will do their own investigation. [10:31] And also, there were three other men in that van that crashed into the ICE vehicle. [10:35] They're being held in detention right now. [10:38] But when they're released, what they have to say might indeed be very revealing. [10:43] Lindsay? [10:44] I will ask you to keep us posted on that, John. [10:46] Thank you. [10:48] Joining us now is Democratic Representative from Virginia, James Walkinshaw, [10:52] who also sits on the House Oversight Committee. [10:54] Representative Walkinshaw, so good to have you tonight. [10:57] You also sit on the Homeland Security Committee responsible for overseeing ICE. [11:01] We just heard our John Quinones report on the death of Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. [11:07] The FBI says that they're treating the case as an assault on law enforcement officers. [11:12] Have you seen any evidence so far that says otherwise? [11:15] The administration ICE, DHS, FBI have presented not one ounce of evidence to support their description of the events. [11:26] And I think it's incumbent upon them to do so. [11:29] We know in previous incidents that when camera footage has come out, when eyewitness footage has come out, [11:36] this administration, this Department of Homeland Security, has been found to have lied over and over and over again. [11:41] So we have to assume that's the case here until they can produce evidence otherwise. [11:45] We also heard from our Jay O'Brien reporting on how the main Democratic Party will replace Graham Plattner on the ballot. [11:51] Clearly, it's a bad look when a candidate drops out so late. [11:54] How can your party prevent this from happening again? [11:56] Well, look, I think a lot of folks are going to need to be honest with themselves about their role in recruiting and supporting Graham Plattner, [12:06] despite what was known about him. [12:08] But at the end of the day, look, I think Democrats are going to come out of this in a stronger position with a candidate who doesn't have the baggage that he had. [12:17] It's going to be a challenge to make that happen between now and July 27th. [12:22] But that candidate will have an opportunity between July 27th and November to make the case that Suzanne Collins has been Susan Collins has been a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. [12:31] I think they'll be able to do that without the baggage that Plattner clearly has. [12:35] And moving on to the war with Iran on Tuesday, the president doubled down, pushing Republican leadership to pass his Save America Act and pair it with a tremendous increase in defense spending. [12:45] He's asking for one point one trillion dollars for the Department of Defense, an increase of three hundred fifty billion dollars in part to help his war efforts in Iran. [12:54] Your thoughts on that? [12:57] Yeah, the American people are struggling right now to make ends meet. [12:59] They can't afford health care because of the Republican cuts. [13:02] They can't afford groceries because of Trump's tariffs. [13:04] They can't afford gas because of Trump's war in Iran. [13:07] We need to be focusing our time, our energy and our resources on solving the problems of the American people, [13:12] not continuing this reckless, failed war in Iran that, as we speak, is raging once again. [13:20] And lastly, the Secret Service yesterday urged the president to depart the NATO summit in Turkey on an old Air Force One plane, [13:27] ditching the new one that he flew in on that was gifted by Qatar. [13:31] It was a security precaution given the escalation with Iran. [13:34] Does the security of the new Air Force One plane concern you? [13:39] Clearly, I think we need to be concerned about that. [13:41] And this highlights that there was no practical reason, no national security reason for the president to accept this four hundred million dollar Qatari gift. [13:51] He accepted it because he wanted it. [13:54] He wants to keep it after he leaves the Oval Office. [13:57] The American people have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to renovate it. [14:01] It clearly still isn't up to the security standards that he or a future president need. [14:06] Representative Walkinshaw, so appreciate your time. [14:09] Thanks for joining us. [14:10] Now to the urgent search for answers in the death of Nolan Wells. [14:15] His family launched their own investigation into the 18-year-old who died during a Fourth of July trip with his friends. [14:21] I spoke with the family's attorney, Ben Crump, about the investigation last night. [14:25] Here's a portion of what he had to say. [14:27] The fact that then when the family gets the cell phone back, Lindsay, they're saying they are trying to understand why they're deleted messages. [14:36] And so this is very concerning to them. [14:39] ABC's Alex Perez joins us now with more. [14:42] So, Alex, what's the latest in the investigation? [14:46] Well, Lindsay, we haven't heard from investigators really since Monday of this week. [14:50] That was the last time the sheriff actually did an on-camera interview. [14:54] And it was an interview with ABC News, and that's when he said that he had not seen anything at that point that indicated a crime was committed. [15:02] Well, we now know that comment has led to a firestorm of criticism on social media and online. [15:07] Many arguing the law enforcement there in Mississippi is not handling this case the way they should. [15:13] But authorities insist they believe in the integrity of their investigation, and they're handling this case the same way they would any other suspicious death case. [15:23] Lindsay, and authorities have this week solicited help from the public asking for any video or images from people who were there on Horn Island over the Fourth of July weekend, hoping that will help them piece together what happened to Nolan Wells in those last hours of his life. [15:39] And what about Nolan's friends and their family members? Are we hearing from them? [15:46] Yeah, Lindsay, you know, we've seen those pictures of Nolan with friends on that Fourth of July holiday. [15:51] And for the first time, we're hearing from the mother of one of the boys that was there with him. [15:56] She posted on social media. Her name is Ashley Cole. She works as a chancery judge there in Mississippi. [16:01] And she said on her social media that she was posting to dispel some rumors with facts. [16:07] She wrote, our son Warren loved Nolan dearly. Now, Ashley Cole had deactivated her account as her son and other friends were facing scrutiny after Wells' death. [16:18] But when she returned to Facebook, she wrote, Warren was interviewed, that's her son, by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and cooperated fully. [16:26] She also says her son left Nolan Wells before returning to the mainland because the boat was taking on water and had a mechanical issue. [16:35] Nolan, she said, made a decision to stay on the island and return inland later with another group of friends. [16:43] As we know now, Nolan Wells never made it back home. Still a lot of unanswered questions in this case, Lindsay. [16:50] All right, Alex Perez for us. Alex, thank you. [16:53] The shocking moments on board a small plane overseas. [16:56] A student pilot was left on her own when her flight instructor jumped to his death, what she then did to save her own life. [17:02] Here's our Victor Kendo. [17:03] Tonight, the frightening incident for a student pilot in Argentina, forced to land a Cessna 150 during a training exercise after her instructor jumped to his death midair. [17:16] Authorities say 42-year-old Leandro Bertazzo had been working as a flight instructor since 2022. [17:22] On Saturday, the student taking off with Bertazzo from the Flying Parrot Cordoba School. [17:27] An official from the flight school telling ABC News, the instructor told the student, you know what to do. [17:33] Then he unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door, and jumped out of the plane. [17:37] This was a remarkable breach of trust between an instructor and a student, putting her in a very dangerous situation. [17:44] The 22-year-old student alerting the flight school and managing to land the plane safely. [17:49] The student actually had her license. [17:51] She just didn't have the number of hours that were required to use that license. [17:55] Police locating Bertazzo's body in the Toledo district around 6 p.m. [18:00] According to a school official, Bertazzo's family says the pilot had gone to see a psychiatrist last week. [18:07] Lindsay, that student, still in shock after landing, saying she initially thought her instructor was joking. [18:13] The federal prosecutor's office is investigating. [18:16] Lindsay? [18:17] Shock, we can imagine. [18:18] All right, Victor, thank you. [18:19] Now to terrifying images from the Brooklyn Bridge high over the East River here in New York City. [18:23] A person was found climbing the bridge's support cables, and an elite team from the NYPD was then sent in to save them. [18:30] Our Aaron Katursky has a story. [18:35] This is the moment one of New York City's finest came face-to-face with a woman precariously perched on the Brooklyn Bridge high above the East River. [18:42] My name is Chris. [18:43] What's your name? [18:44] The woman had been seen walking the suspension cables before sitting, legs dangling. [18:50] Horrified pedestrians watched helplessly below, while traffic between Manhattan and Brooklyn stopped. [18:55] Officers from the NYPD's emergency service unit locked their carabiners and began their ascent. [19:01] Listen to how they tried to talk her down. [19:03] It's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. [19:06] It really is. [19:07] They stayed with her nearly an hour as the sun set. [19:10] Don't do it. [19:11] Don't do it. [19:11] Please. [19:12] Please. [19:15] I got you. [19:15] You can't be up here. [19:17] The officers are from the same highly trained unit that arrested those two urban climbers who [19:21] unfurled a banner on top of the Empire State Building just last week. [19:25] The woman here at the Brooklyn Bridge was not arrested or charged. [19:29] And, Lindsay, the NYPD said that officer you heard talking her down, Chris, had just graduated from specialized training last week. [19:37] If you or someone you know, mental health issues or thinking about suicide, call the National Lifeline at 988. [19:44] Lindsay? [19:45] Aaron, thank you for that. [19:46] Now to the Idaho mother, a vaccine denier who claimed that a flu shot killed her twin toddlers. [19:51] But tonight, officials are accusing her of murder. [19:54] Here's Melissa. [19:54] Don. [19:57] Tonight, an Idaho mother who once appeared on an anti-vaccine podcast blaming flu shots for the deaths of her 18-month-old twins, [20:05] now charged with murder. [20:06] 23-year-old Andrea Shaw is accused of suffocating her twins, Dallas and Tyson, last year after she called 911, [20:15] claiming she found them dead in a shared bed. [20:18] Police were suspicious from the start. [20:21] Obviously, it's extremely unusual for two infants to be found deceased and be believed to have passed at the same time. [20:28] Just days later, Shaw and her husband went on this show run by Children's Health Defense linking the twins' death to the vaccine. [20:35] Shaw said police didn't buy her story. [20:39] It made me feel crazy because I was telling them my truth and they were getting into my head that I had done it and I know I hadn't. [20:49] Medical experts warn groups like this one spread disinformation, pointing out childhood vaccines have been widely studied [20:55] and are considered safe with no evidence linking them to suffocation or sudden death. [21:02] Shaw was arrested five days after giving birth to a third child. [21:05] Now, she's not entered a plea, but her lawyer says she's innocent. [21:09] If convicted in Idaho, she could face life in prison or the death penalty by firing squad. [21:15] Lindsay? [21:15] Our thanks to Melissa. [21:17] Don, the cost of homes in America at an all-time high. [21:21] The National Association of Realtors says that the national median sales price increased to $440,000, 1.8% jump from June of last year. [21:29] This is the highest it's been when looking back at data going all the way back to 1999. [21:34] Data also shows that home sales fell 2.4% between May and June and mortgage rates are getting higher. [21:41] The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022 when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. [21:48] Life-threatening heat and dangerous humidity will take hold in a large portion of the country. [21:52] Sam Champion is tracking that for us. [21:54] So, Sam, how long will it last this time? [21:58] Well, Lindsay, we're building a whole new heat dome out west, and that's going to take its time to move a little bit across the country. [22:03] We have heat that has been going on and never really stopped in the south. [22:06] But I want to begin a little bit with some rain in some very heavy storms tonight. [22:10] Because, Lindsay, we've got some flooding rain in these, and they have been popping up, these flood warnings, all the way from New Jersey well into Philadelphia. [22:17] I want you to follow our maps a little bit down to the south when you get into that severe thunderstorm watch. [22:22] Because Baltimore, Washington, D.C., already a line of storms moving through there with up to 2 inches of rain per hour, and there's more back off to the west. [22:30] This will go along the I-95 corridor for the evening well into the night. [22:34] I want you to look toward Louisville and Bowling Green in Kentucky here because this is a setup for, really, the next 48 hours after tomorrow into Saturday. [22:42] I'm concerned about some heavy rain moving into this area because we had those flash flood emergencies there just two weeks ago. [22:50] Now, into that heat, into the deep south, and you get no break from Charleston to Jacksonville to Fort Lauderdale. [22:55] Those heat index levels are still near that 110 level all the way back into New Orleans. [23:00] But we're building this heat west, and as we told you yesterday, this is our new heat dome in Powell. [23:05] We've got it with five states under extreme heat watches now, and these are some of our northernmost states. [23:10] Check out Billings, going to 108 with a heat index by the time we get into Sunday. [23:14] And if you cruise south, we're still in it. [23:16] Vegas, Palm Springs, all the way to Phoenix. [23:18] We really don't get relief here. [23:20] We're getting into summertime heat, but it does get a little bit better as this heat dome moves into the middle of the country starting next week. [23:26] But until then, triple digits all over the map. [23:29] All right, Sam, thanks so much. [23:32] Head singer Bonnie Tyler has passed away at 75 years old. [23:35] Tyler was known for her powerhouse voice in timeless songs like Total Eclipse of the Heart. [23:40] World News Tonight anchor David Muir takes a look back at her legendary career. [23:45] Singer Bonnie Tyler with her distinctive powerhouse voice soaring to number one in 1983 with Total Eclipse of the Heart. [24:00] Beloved by generations of fans, that song selling more than six million copies. [24:05] More than 1.3 billion views on YouTube. [24:08] There's nothing I can do. [24:10] A total eclipse of the heart. [24:13] Bonnie Tyler sang over the years. [24:15] She never got tired of singing that song. [24:17] And one year later, in 1984, her second big hit, Holding Out for a Hero, originally written for the Footloose soundtrack. [24:34] Tonight, her family says they're heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away last night in a hospital in Portugal. [24:40] As a result of the illness that she was being treated for. [24:44] Bonnie Tyler was 75. [24:46] And we remember just a few years back on the air with the Eclipse coverage. [24:50] Bonnie joining us. [24:52] I want to bring in on the phone as we're looking at these pictures, Bonnie Tyler. [24:55] Because last I checked, Bonnie, your song from the 1980s was the number one song right now on iTunes. [25:05] Fabulous. [25:06] And we loved it when she told everyone around her to join in. [25:09] This is one of those moments, this natural wonder we're experiencing, and me in a split screen with Bonnie Tyler is something I never thought I would witness. [25:17] A fun time with her that day. [25:23] Our thanks to David for that coming up. [25:24] The man who found himself charged by a bear but got out of it will tell you how. [25:30] Love is in the air, or in this case, the airport. [25:33] The misconnection between a passenger and airport employee that's going viral. [25:37] And would you ever choose to fly Business Basic? [25:41] The new option from Delta as airfares continue to rise. [25:44] Look at that issue by the numbers. [25:45] Stay with us. [25:51] Welcome back, everyone. [25:52] Delta Airlines is making premium travel a bit more basic. [25:55] The airline introduced Business Basic, a new class of ticket that allows passengers to fly in business class at a lower fare, but without some of the usual perks. [26:04] All this comes amid rising airfares during the height of summer travel season. [26:08] Let's explore these elevated airfares by the numbers. [26:11] The price of an airline ticket has increased by 8.2% since February. [26:15] That's according to inflation data released by the Department of Labor. [26:18] The average price of a domestic flight in June was $366 compared to $265 during the same period last year. [26:26] For international flights, the average price for a ticket was more than $900 last year. [26:31] That price was lower, averaging $741. [26:34] These rising costs have some people scaling back on their summer travel. [26:38] During this last Fourth of July holiday weekend, more than 7 million people went through U.S. airport security checkpoints. [26:44] That's actually down 2.3% from the same period last year, according to TSA data. [26:50] So it goes without saying that flyers are facing some sticker shock and why more airlines like Delta and United are offering cheaper basic fares for premium cabins. [27:01] And with more on all this, let's bring in Sean Cudahy, senior aviation reporter for The Points Guy. [27:05] Thank you so much for joining us. [27:07] So let's talk more about Delta's basic fare options. [27:11] What do they mean? [27:12] Yeah, so essentially we've seen this for years in Coach, right? [27:16] You have had basic economy where you pay a little less, but you face some pretty tough restrictions. [27:21] Now you could potentially have that option on a ticket where you've spent $5,000 for a fancy live flat seat over the Atlantic Ocean. [27:29] That is essentially what we're talking about right here. [27:31] And by the way, it's not just basic business class. [27:32] There's now a basic premium economy and there's a basic domestic first class ticket as well. [27:38] So really Delta kind of leaning into this basic concept across the board. [27:42] And so what are the perks and the downsides of this Delta basic business? [27:47] Yeah, so the perk, the idea is that in theory you would pay a little less and kind of incur some of these extra restrictions in the process. [27:54] The big one, Delta has these really, really fancy Delta One lounges. [27:59] So if you buy one of their really upscale tickets, you can go into these facilities at several different airports across the country. [28:05] You will not be allowed to do that if you go with this basic fare. [28:09] You're also not allowed to actually pick which of the live flat seats that you would fly in. [28:15] So essentially, you trade off some of the perks that are included, but in theory you would pay a little bit less. [28:21] And so what's the price difference? [28:23] Is this significant? [28:25] Yeah, we're going to see. [28:26] Delta is just starting to roll this out right now and, you know, usually it takes a little while to get a good sense of what the actual difference could be. [28:34] When you're talking about a domestic, like a basic economy ticket versus a regular, it could be anywhere from 20 bucks on a really short flight to even, you know, $100 or so on a longer flight. [28:44] I imagine that the gaps will be bigger since you're talking about bigger dollar amounts. [28:48] And how do these less expensive tickets potentially impact those of us paying full price? [28:53] I think the concern – so if you're paying full price, you know, the idea is that nothing changes. [28:59] I do think a lot of frequent flyers are pretty skeptical, though, that, you know, a ticket that they buy today that has a certain number of perks that, you know, tomorrow it'll cost the same, but they'll have more restrictions. [29:10] I think that's the big fear with this. [29:11] But does it make it less likely that you'll get a free upgrade because more people are potentially buying these less expensive fares? [29:19] You know, we are seeing a lot of trouble. [29:22] Travelers that have elite status that are eligible for these complementary upgrades, that was already really difficult. [29:28] Delta has basically acknowledged that over the last 10 years, the number of complementary upgrades that they're giving to travelers has shrunk and shrunk and shrunk because so many travelers are already willing to buy these seats. [29:38] Something like 75 percent of travelers, I think, that are flying in the first-class cabin on a flight today actually paid full price for that ticket versus a decade ago most of those travelers were free upgrades. [29:49] And we're right in the middle of the busy summer travel season. [29:52] Any tips for those who are looking to book a last-minute vacation? [29:56] Yeah, look in August if you can. [29:58] Well, we saw the numbers there just a minute ago. [30:00] Obviously, airfare more expensive than last summer. [30:02] However, we are seeing some good points deals in August right now, and we've seen August prices actually, ticket prices, come down a little bit from where they were in May. [30:11] So while it's certainly, I wouldn't call it good news, it is better news than we were looking at, at least for August a few weeks ago. [30:18] We'll take it. [30:18] We could use some better news. [30:20] All right, Sean Cudahy, we thank you so much for bringing us that. [30:24] Coming up, a scary moment for beachgoers in California with some sea lions. [30:27] We've got a little territorial and a major recall to alert you about with regard to a popular prescription eyedrop. [30:34] We have those details coming up. [30:41] Welcome back to Prime. [30:42] Here's a look at the stories making headlines right now. [30:44] A critical hearing today for Tyler Robinson, the man charged in the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. [30:51] The video played today in the Utah courtroom in which Robinson's roommate claimed that Robinson confessed to the shooting. [30:57] Robinson is charged with aggravated murder. [30:59] He has yet to enter a plea. [31:01] Democrats are scrambling to replace Graham Plattner after he suspended his campaign in the Maine Senate race in the midst of sexual assault allegations that he denies. [31:10] Top Democrats, like Senator Bernie Sanders, pushed Plattner to drop out. [31:14] Many had previously stuck by him when other alleged parts of Plattner's past came to light, [31:18] including a former girlfriend who accused him of abusive behavior, which he's also denied. [31:23] Former Olympian David Hearn has pleaded not guilty today on charges that he deliberately damaged the reflecting pool near the Lincoln Memorial. [31:32] Hearn faces one felony count of property destruction. [31:35] He denies tampering with the pool in any way. [31:37] His attorney says the case is politically charged. [31:40] Trump and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro had blamed vandals for the damage to the $16 million project. [31:45] Frightening moments on the beach when two sea lions charged a crowd of people in San Diego. [31:50] Video shows one sea lion emerging from the water, gunning toward a group along the shore at La Jolla Cove on Monday. [31:58] Another sea lion was then seen joining in. [32:01] People ran and laughed as the sea lions closed in. [32:03] The duo eventually dove back into the water and swam away. [32:07] Still ahead, modern misconnection. [32:10] The airport love story that's getting off the ground thanks to social media. [32:13] Plus, to be monogamous or not to be monogamous? [32:18] That is the question posed in the invite. [32:20] We sit down with the screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormick to talk about the thrilling new movie. [32:30] It all started with a look and a smile. [32:33] And now a misconnection at the Cleveland airport between a passenger and an airport employee has gone viral for all the right reasons. [32:40] Joining us now is that passenger, Grace Rombach, to talk about how this potential love story all came together. [32:48] So, Grace, tell us all the interesting details. [32:52] It's been a whirlwind 24 hours for you. [32:55] Give us a sense of what happened yesterday at the Cleveland airport. [33:00] Well, I got to the airport. [33:01] I actually almost got there late. [33:04] My best friend called me, got me up. [33:06] I ran in the airport, got there barely on time. [33:11] Everybody started boarding the plane. [33:13] And I noticed, like, a couple of maintenance people kind of got on and they were walking to the back of the plane. [33:18] And I looked up and I saw a very handsome man. [33:23] And so I was going to say something to him. [33:27] He was standing right next to me. [33:29] I kind of smiled. [33:29] We made eye contact. [33:31] And then he walked right past me. [33:32] And so as he was walking back, I was going to kind of grab him and say, hey, like, is there anything, you know, can I get your number? [33:41] But he had a kind of bandage or like a bag wrapped around his hand. [33:47] And I think he got hurt a little bit while he was, you know, fixing something. [33:52] And so I figured my shot was gone. [33:56] And then we ended up having an even further delay. [33:59] And so we were sitting there for about an extra 40 minutes. [34:04] And as we were sitting there, I was like, you know, I bet I could probably figure out a way to find this guy. [34:11] So I went ahead. [34:12] I went to the Cleveland subreddit. [34:13] I frequent it kind of often. [34:15] And I posted exactly what happened. [34:18] I was like, I explained what happened and who I was looking for. [34:22] And then 20 minutes later, we took off. [34:24] I wasn't really expecting anything at all. [34:29] Honestly, I thought I was going to get maybe five likes and that would be the end of it. [34:34] But I landed in Orlando like three hours later, more or less. [34:39] And I realized that that was not the case anymore. [34:42] What was it about him that you wanted to go through these lengths? [34:45] Well, he was very handsome. [34:48] And I love aviation. [34:51] I have a degree in aviation business. [34:54] And so I figured if he was working in maintenance, he probably also liked airplanes. [34:58] And I figured, you know, why not? [35:00] You know, it's summertime. [35:02] You know, everybody wants to find somebody. [35:05] Where do things stand now with the two of you? [35:08] So we did actually start talking on Instagram this morning. [35:12] It actually was kind of funny because I woke up at 4.30 in the morning for seemingly no reason. [35:18] And right as I woke up, I realized that I had gotten a message from someone. [35:24] And it was the guy who was trying to get me in contact with him. [35:28] And I then checked my requests. [35:30] And I had a message from the guy. [35:33] His name is Simon. [35:34] And he said, you called. [35:36] And I said, in a roundabout way, I did call. [35:39] Are you guys going to get together? [35:41] You and Simon? [35:42] We are. [35:43] We are. [35:44] We're talking about it right now. [35:45] Obviously, I'm not in Cleveland right now. [35:49] But once I come back, we are planning to go on a date and see where it goes. [35:55] We've been kind of chitchatting. [35:57] Very fun. [35:58] All right, Grace. [35:59] Keep us posted with you and Simon. [36:01] And thank God for that layover in Cleveland. [36:05] Yeah. [36:05] Thank you. [36:06] All right, Grace. [36:07] Thanks for joining us. [36:08] Coming up, a man brings a flaming propane tank into a restaurant and then pulls out [36:13] a knife. [36:14] What police say happens next. [36:16] Also ahead, when a married couple hosts a dinner party, secrets come out and loyalties [36:20] are tested. [36:21] Rashida Jones and Will McCormick tell us how they wrote this thoughtful and spicy comedy. [36:31] A man defends himself against a charging bear. [36:33] A suspect brings a flaming propane tank into a restaurant. [36:37] And a baby is born on the side of a highway. [36:39] These stories and much more in tonight's Rundown. [36:46] A wild face-off in California. [36:49] A bear charged at a man in Lake Tahoe. [36:51] You can see the bear rush Cortland Korowicz. [36:53] Luckily, he already had bear spray in hand, firing it off before the animal could get any [36:57] closer. [36:58] The cloud of orange spray hitting the bear in the face. [37:01] It quickly turns its tail and scurries away. [37:04] Cortland says this happened while he was at home on the 4th of July and went outside to [37:07] check for the bear after his daughter spotted it rummaging through a garbage can. [37:11] A shocking video out of Florida. [37:15] A man in Tampa faces arson charges after police found him inside a restaurant waving a flaming [37:21] propane tank. [37:23] You can see the man using a pan to break into the kitchen. [37:26] Witnesses say he threatened several people with a knife and then cut the gas line to the [37:29] grill before grabbing the tank. [37:31] Police took the man into custody and put out the fire. [37:36] Minneapolis police are giving full credit to drone technology for saving the life of a [37:41] missing elderly veteran. [37:43] Back in May, 82-year-old Bob Stewart disappeared during a walk in a heavily wooded area. [37:47] A newly released video shows how thermal imaging found him walking barefoot in a creek, holding [37:52] onto a tree limb after getting trapped. [37:54] Police and his wife say he probably wouldn't have been found without the drone. [38:00] Two and a half million bottles of prescription eye drops are under recall tonight. [38:04] Lupin Pharmaceuticals has issued a voluntary recall for its prednisolone acetate 1% drops. [38:10] The FDA says the recall is due to the potential presence of a foreign substance. [38:14] The recall impacts 5, 10, and 15-milliliter bottles. [38:18] More details can be found on our website. [38:22] A massive movie memorabilia auction is going on right now. [38:26] For example, the hoverboards from Back to the Future Part 2. [38:29] We basically have one of every configuration hoverboard that you saw in Back to the Future [38:35] 2. [38:36] Over the next week or so, Heritage Auctions is selling items like Willy Wonka's golden top [38:41] hat in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. [38:43] It currently has a bid for more than a quarter of a million dollars online. [38:47] It was from director Mel Stewart. [38:49] He saved it. [38:50] It was in his garage. [38:52] But an item expected to go into the millions is Luke Skywalker's lightsaber and more from [38:57] perhaps the most quoted scene in the history of our parent company, Disney's Star Wars. [39:02] Just before he's informed who his father is, Luke's hand is slashed off by Darth Vader. [39:10] And Heritage has the lightsaber, the fake hand, and the rig that Mark Hamill pulled for the [39:14] fake hand to fall into the depth of Cloud City. [39:19] So I think we were in the car for maybe 10 minutes and I said, this baby is coming now. [39:25] So much of life happens on the highway and sometimes life even starts on the side of the [39:30] highway three days before baby Archer was due, his parents had to pull over to the side of [39:35] a busy stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike. [39:37] The next thing I know, I get in the back seat and we're making sure she's comfortable. [39:40] And I look down and that baby's, he's almost here. [39:43] He's like, he's ready to go. [39:45] New Jersey State Trooper, Freddy Guacamaya, responded to the scene and helped safely deliver [39:49] the baby, clamping the umbilical cord with an iPhone cable. [39:53] And on the birth certificate, his exact birthplace right there, mile marker 113. [39:59] Oscar Wilde once wrote that one should always be in love. [40:07] That is the reason one should never marry. [40:09] But what does that look like in the form of a comedy? [40:12] The invite attempts to answer just that question. [40:15] Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde, who also directs the film, star as a married couple. [40:19] They host a dinner party for their perplexing upstairs neighbors, played by Edward Norton and [40:24] Penelope Cruz. [40:25] As the night goes on, secrets are revealed between the couples and Rogen and Wilde's characters. [40:29] The night could reignite their marriage or perhaps cause everything to come crumbling down. [40:35] I spoke with the co-writers of the film, Rashida Jones and Will McCormick. [40:41] Energy is what I was going for. [40:43] That's what I wanted. [40:44] Energy is great. [40:44] We talked a lot about how to capture energy as though that was a real thing we could do. [40:49] Energy is everything. [40:50] Really? [40:51] Kinetic, chemical, potential, nuclear, sexual. [40:55] You cannot really create it or destroy it, but you can find ways to shape it. [41:01] Beautiful. [41:02] Joining us now are the co-writers of the Invite Academy Award winner, Will McCormick, an Emmy [41:10] Award nominee, actress and filmmaker, Rashida Jones. [41:13] Thank you both so much for coming on Prime. [41:15] Thank you. [41:16] Thank you so much. [41:17] So you all really obviously have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the cast, but the [41:22] movie really takes place in just these four people in one apartment for the most part. [41:28] How did you really kind of tailor the script once you had the cast set? [41:32] Well, we were very lucky to work with original material that was based on a Spanish movie [41:39] written and directed by Cesc. [41:41] And so there was this great movie, a great Spanish movie that was perfectly culturally [41:47] right for Spain. [41:49] And we saw it and we're like, this is a great movie. [41:51] But we had so many ideas so quickly about how to make it kind of our own and talk about [41:57] relationship through our own lens and our own voice. [41:59] And then when this great cast came together, obviously, you know, you have to and want [42:05] to play to their strengths and all that, you know, that giant well of talent that they [42:12] have. [42:13] Yeah. [42:14] Well, we just had a very fruitful and exciting rehearsal process before we got to shoot the [42:19] movie. [42:19] And we were working with some of the best actors ever. [42:24] And they all brought, you know, their idiosyncrasies and their prodigious talent. [42:28] But they all the roles were tailored for their strengths. [42:31] And just lucky to work with a cast that incredible. [42:34] Rashida, you've said that you found yourself making pretty much daily revisions to the script [42:39] after having conversations with the cast. [42:42] What did that process look like? [42:43] It was, it was extremely immediate. [42:46] It was, it was kind of like ever changing and immediate. [42:49] And for that reason, exciting and, and, and very rare, you know, I mean, we were, it was [42:55] the week before filming and we were having these like big conversations about the shape of the [42:59] movie and people's characters. [43:00] And it was great. [43:01] It was like this conversation. [43:02] And, you know, Will and I had the opportunity to take all these great ideas and then do [43:08] what we could to sort of discern and take the best of the ideas and, and make sure it like [43:13] still fit well with the scaffolding and the emotionality of the movie. [43:18] How much of it was improv? [43:20] You know, we see like the moment there's a kiss and then there's like namaste, you know, [43:23] this is kind of like awkward, funny moment. [43:26] And you have these great actors. [43:28] Were there just moments that you said, Hey, that actually worked. [43:31] None of it is impromptu at all. [43:33] No, I'm just kidding. [43:35] No, I mean, you know, a screenplay is a blueprint for a film and, and with this process, all [43:42] of it being shot in on one set, in one room where we have this rehearsal process, it really [43:46] felt like a play. [43:48] And how did it work? [43:48] Cause we saw that Olivia Wilde initially read the script and was thinking about doing [43:53] this just as an actress. [43:55] And then you decide, Oh, Hey, this actually makes sense for you to direct it as well. [44:00] Well, yeah. [44:00] But yeah, originally, so it was set up in a different iteration with the different directors [44:05] and, and, and a different cast. [44:07] And I think she read it as an actress at first. [44:10] And then when that version didn't happen, we actually were like, we've known Olivia for [44:15] a really long time. [44:16] And so that the producers, like she would be great. [44:17] We love book smart and, and tonally it's, it's kind of similar in that it like is, you [44:23] know, emotional and it's funny. [44:25] And it's, and it's heartwarming and heartbreaking. [44:27] And she, it resonated with her and she had a lot, a lot to say and add to it. [44:32] Yeah. [44:33] And you said that this started out as, as a movie and what's actually been a play, but [44:37] it was a movie in Spain. [44:38] I think it was ultimately adapted also in Korea and Italy. [44:42] What do you think it is that it makes it so relatable across cultures? [44:48] Well, a lot of people are married. [44:51] And statistically in America, a lot of people get divorced. [44:55] And so it's on the ballot, like the, the, the, the possibility of staying together is even [45:01] if not, you know, a little less probable than the possibility of getting divorced. [45:06] And I think people are really fascinated by how we live in the modern era and how we [45:11] stay together. [45:11] And especially when you have kids, you have a kid, you, you know, you grow apart, you [45:16] grow together, you change, you still live together. [45:19] Like how do you reinvent your relationship after the sort of like big explosion of like, [45:25] you know, first love and first child and, and raising a child, you have a teenager. [45:30] Like I, I see this a lot with like friends and family members. [45:33] Like there's, you have to sort of recommit to a different version of, of each other. [45:39] I think that's very relatable. [45:41] Rashida will love the movie. [45:44] Thank you so much for coming on the show. [45:47] You can see the invite in theaters nationwide starting tomorrow. [45:51] And that is our show for this hour. [45:54] I'm Lindsay Davis. [45:55] Be sure to stay tuned to ABC News Live for more context. [45:57] An analysis of the day's top stories. [45:59] Thank you so much for streaming with us. [46:01] Have a great night.