ABC News Live Prime: Wed, Apr 8, 2026

[0:04] Good evening, everyone. I'm Lindsay Davis. Thanks so much for streaming with us. We begin tonight [0:08] with breaking news. There is a verdict in the trial of the doctor accused of trying to kill [0:12] his wife on a hiking trail in Hawaii. A jury has found Dr. Gerhard Koenig guilty of attempted [0:18] manslaughter. Here's our Jacqueline Lee. Yeah, that's right, Lindsay. The jury deliberating for [0:22] essentially less than a day. They started deliberating yesterday afternoon, already [0:27] coming to a verdict today, finding him guilty of second degree attempted manslaughter. Now, [0:32] the doctor, Dr. Gerhard Koenig, he said this was self-defense. He said that he was fighting for [0:38] his own life, that his wife actually tried to attack him first, and this was all about an affair. [0:45] Ultimately, though, the jury coming back, asking the judge a question earlier today, asking for office [0:50] supplies, things like a whiteboard, markers, colored markers. And so then eventually the jury did come [0:57] back later this afternoon saying they did find this doctor guilty of second degree [1:02] attempted manslaughter. Lindsay. All right, Jacqueline Lee, our thanks to you. And now to [1:07] the tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran already being tested hours after President Trump [1:12] announced the ceasefire deal. Iran says it closed the Strait of Hormuz. The White House is now [1:16] demanding Iran immediately reopen the passageway. Overnight, Israel unleashed a wave of assaults in [1:22] Lebanon, but President Trump says Lebanon is not included in the deal, calling it, quote, [1:26] a separate skirmish. Vice President J.D. Vance says it's a misunderstanding. The vice president [1:31] will lead the negotiating team this weekend in Islamabad in the hopes of reaching a permanent [1:35] end to the war. Back here at home tonight, a gallon of gas is now at $4.16 a gallon, up $1.22 [1:42] since the war began. ABC's Mary Bruce reports from the White House. The White House says the, [1:49] quote, fragile ceasefire with Iran is holding. But tonight, President Trump's key condition [1:54] remains unmet. Iran refusing to reopen traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Still, Vice President [2:00] J.D. Vance, who is now leading negotiations, insists, quote, fundamentally, we're in a good [2:06] spot. No ceasefire ever goes without a little bit of choppiness. Iran says it will not reopen the [2:13] Strait because they say the U.S. has gone back on what they claim was a key element of the truce, [2:18] that Iran would stop bombarding Iranian-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Today, Israel unleashing [2:28] a sprawling barrage of more than 100 attacks on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, the most since the [2:33] war began, killing at least 180 people, more than 1.2 million people displaced in the conflict. [2:41] Iran's foreign minister declaring the world sees the massacres in Lebanon. The ball is in the U.S. [2:47] court and the world is watching whether it will act on its commitments. But Vance today saying [2:52] Lebanon was never part of the ceasefire deal. I think this comes from a legitimate misunderstanding. [2:58] I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon, and it just didn't. We never [3:04] made that promise. We never indicated that was going to be the case. One thing is clear. Iran still [3:09] controls the Strait. Before the war, ships could pass through free of charge. But President Trump now [3:15] telling Arjan Carl the U.S. and Iran could work together one day to collect tolls, saying we're thinking [3:22] of doing it as a joint venture. Any arrangement like that seems a long way off. And tonight, [3:27] the strait remains closed. The national average price for a gallon of gas now at $4.16, up $1.22 [3:35] since the war began. Economists say it could take months to fall once the strait reopens. [3:42] Today, the administration also pressed to explain the president's plan for halting Iran's nuclear [3:47] program and moving their more than 900 pounds of enriched uranium out of the country. [3:53] They will either give it to us, which the president has laid out. They'll give it to us voluntarily. [3:58] We'll get it. We'll take it. We'll take it out. Or if we have to do something else ourselves, [4:02] like we did in Midnight Hammer or something like that, we reserve that opportunity. [4:05] Our chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce joins us now from the White House. So, Mary, [4:11] what more can you tell us about those negotiations? [4:13] Well, Lindsay, these talks led by the vice president are set to begin in earnest this weekend [4:17] in Islamabad, Pakistan. But the two sides are still far apart on a host of issues. And tonight, [4:23] Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. And that, of course, was President Trump's top demand [4:29] when he agreed to this ceasefire. Lindsay? [4:31] All right. Mary Bruce from the White House. Thanks so much, Mary. [4:34] Thank you. For more now, we are joined by Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. [4:39] Senator, thank you so much for joining us. So, the president says the U.S. won total and [4:44] complete victory after the ceasefire deal. Iran, of course, has disputed that. And right now, [4:48] the Strait of Hormuz is, by all accounts, not open. So, what's happening with the ceasefire, [4:53] to the best of your understanding? So, Lindsay, good to be with you. I would point out it's not just [4:59] Iran that is saying that Israel stopping its attacks on Lebanon are part of the deal. [5:05] The government of Pakistan that brokered this agreement have said the same thing. [5:11] Look, we are in a much worse position today than we were when Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu [5:19] started this war. The Strait of Hormuz remains closed. And in fact, we also know, as Iran has [5:27] established, they can control the Strait of Iran. And they're talking about imposing tolls on ships [5:33] through. They're something that did not exist. They could not do and did not do before this war [5:38] started. And of course, we've also seen a regime in Iran come to power that's even more extreme [5:46] after Israel and the United States took out the top layer of the Iranian leadership. We've lost 13 [5:53] Americans killed, thousands of civilians wounded. And this is costing us dearly every day. [5:59] I'm glad you brought up those tolls. As you may know, our Jonathan Karl spoke with President Trump [6:03] this morning. He told them that he was thinking of doing a joint venture with the Iranians in [6:07] response to John's question about whether he would allow the Iranians to charge a toll for ships to [6:12] pass through. Your response at that, the potential for that to happen? [6:19] Well, look, Donald Trump has been lying and misrepresenting the facts for a long time. But [6:24] this would be the first time that we all allowed or the world said to Iran that we're going to be [6:31] willing to pay tolls through the Strait of Hormuz. That obviously would be a boon for Iran. They would get [6:37] more toll money, something they've not had before. Look, the big winners here, Lindsay, are Russia and Putin [6:45] because oil prices has gone through the roof. They're raking in their profits as they continue to attack [6:50] the people of Ukraine. And the United States and our allies are worse off today and less safe than [6:57] we were when all of this started. So what would you like to see ultimately come of the talks later [7:02] this week? I would like to see this war brought to an immediate end. You know, Donald Trump and [7:09] Prime Minister Netanyahu started it. They need to stop it. It is not advancing our interests. It has set [7:15] the region on fire once again. And it's costing American taxpayers $2 billion a day, plus the increases in [7:23] oil and gas and other prices. So Donald Trump said three weeks ago that we won. I mean, this is what the [7:29] president of the United States said. And so the question is, if we won three weeks ago, what the hell are we [7:35] doing still there? We've seen the markets react favorably to the ceasefire. But economists say that it could be [7:42] months, even if the strait fully reopens until gas prices fall. Is there anything that Democrats and [7:48] Congress can do to try to get these prices down? Well, the prices have gone up, of course, because of [7:54] Donald Trump's war. The best way to get them down on a permanent basis is to end the war. I think a lot [8:02] of the uncertainty that we're seeing today with, you know, Iran first allowing two ships to go through [8:07] the strait, but then saying that the United States and Israel are violating the terms of the ceasefire, [8:12] that's going to create even more uncertainty. So, Lindsay, the only way to really bring down [8:18] oil and gas prices and other prices that they're driving up is to end this illegal war of choice [8:27] and to do it now. Congress will, of course, be back in session next week. It's our understanding [8:32] that Democrats will try at that point to force another war powers vote in the Senate. Senate [8:37] Democrats have already forced a number of these unsuccessful votes. Any sense that this time will [8:41] be different? Well, I have to see. I think that a lot of Republicans were at least quietly very [8:50] concerned with the president's completely unhinged remarks the other day about, you know, committing [8:56] massive war crimes against the Iranian people, ending the Iranian civilization. But, you know, [9:04] when the president of the United States makes remarks like that, you would expect and hope Republicans [9:09] to actually speak up publicly and not just quietly. So far, they've entirely shirked their constitutional [9:16] duties. They've given this president a blank check just to go off and launch a war, even though Article [9:23] 1 provides Congress with that authority. Whether that will change, Lindsay, when we get back, I don't [9:29] know. I hope that those members are hearing from their constituents because we know that Americans [9:34] across the political spectrum are opposed to this war. Senator Van Hollen, we thank you so much for [9:40] joining us. Appreciate your time. Thank you. Our next guest is a journalist who has lived and worked [9:46] in Iran. Jason Rezaian was imprisoned in the country on false espionage charges in 2014 and held [9:52] for 544 days. More than a decade later, he remains an advocate for press freedom and fights for others who [10:00] are wrongly imprisoned. Jason Rezaian joins us now. And thank you so much for doing so, sir. I know that [10:05] you and your wife lived and worked in Iran. You have a family and friends there. What are you hearing [10:11] about from Iranians in particular about this ceasefire? And has the bombing indeed stopped? [10:18] Lindsay, what I'm hearing first and foremost is anxiety and confusion. For the past six weeks, [10:24] the people of Iran have been subjected to what Senator Van Hollen rightfully called the war of [10:31] choice, which was intended, according to the President of the United States, to liberate them [10:39] from the yoke of the Islamic Republic, a regime that's ruled over them repressively for 47 years. [10:45] Not only was that regime not toppled, as Donald Trump claimed would happen and claimed did happen, [10:54] it's become even more entrenched. And while the country's air defenses and its ability to defend [11:01] itself from external attacks, like the ones that have been going on all these weeks, has been [11:07] diminished greatly, the repressive response to Iranian protesters inside the country, people who [11:14] protested and gave their lives for the hope of a freer future, has only tightened. And that's to be [11:21] expected, because that's what this regime has done for almost half a century. [11:25] And what are you hearing about how people's lives have changed in the last 40 days since the start [11:29] of the war? Well, the prices have skyrocketed in that time. Most food is about twice more expensive [11:40] than when the war started. Medications are harder to come by. People are having to travel great distances [11:47] to get things like insulin or do dialysis. Hospitals have been targeted. Schools have been targeted. [11:55] There's been hundreds, thousands of casualties in the country. Many people are displaced. But there has been [12:03] this sense of hope that the United States of America, which many Iranians for decades have placed a lot of [12:12] trust and faith in as an honest broker in the world, that it would come through to help them to a freer future. [12:20] Nothing like that is materializing right now. And this ceasefire, if we look at the proposed points [12:27] on both sides, there's no mention of the Iranian people. There's no mention of human rights. There's [12:31] no mention of political prisoners. And that is a deeply concerning reality for all Iranians. [12:38] Is the United States still considered at this point an honest broker by many of the Iranians? [12:44] I think that there are people who want to believe that we will come through. But in the earlier [12:50] segment, when you showed the vice president talking about how this must just be a misunderstanding, [12:56] that Lebanon was never part of the deal and the Iranians honestly thought it was. And Secretary of [13:04] Defense Hegseth talking about the many different ways that we are going to rid Iran of its nuclear [13:10] materials. These are not serious people. It's a very serious situation. It's a conflict that has [13:16] been brewing for many years. But the people at the helm of the United States government are not fit for [13:22] this job. [13:22] What do you believe the future holds for Iran and its people? [13:27] I've always been bullish on the future of Iran. I've seen with my own eyes, lived in that country for [13:34] many years, worked in that country for years, the ingenuity, the great civilization that's been [13:40] developed over thousands of years, the same one that President Trump threatened to obliterate just [13:45] over the weekend. They have a strong future ahead of them. And this 47 years of Islamic Republic [13:51] will ultimately be a blip on the radar screen of that country's history. But I've also seen that [13:58] we've hamstrung their efforts for a freer future again and again through coercive actions, [14:04] through a war of choice right now that, as I said, was built to liberate them, but seems to be setting [14:11] them back in their quest for freedom. [14:13] Jason Rezaian, such a pleasure to talk with you. Thank you so much. [14:17] Thanks for having me. [14:19] Tonight, tensions in Lebanon are deepening. The country is preparing to observe a national day of [14:23] mourning tomorrow following a week of escalating violence after a barrage of attacks from Israel aimed at [14:28] Hezbollah. Regarding the fragile ceasefire with Iran, Vice President Vann says the U.S. never once [14:33] considered Lebanon part of the current ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran. Iran, though, is [14:38] saying otherwise. Meanwhile, the humanitarian toll on the ground in Lebanon is staggering. One in five [14:43] people have been displaced, with humanitarian organizations saying civilians are bearing the [14:48] brunt of the conflict. Our chief foreign correspondent Ian Pannell reports from the region. [14:52] Despite a ceasefire with Iran, no such peace in Lebanon. Israeli strikes on Hezbollah targets in [15:01] Lebanon escalating, with airstrikes and cross-border fire, and entire Lebanese villages reduced to [15:08] rubble. And now, Israel pounding the country with its heaviest airstrikes of the war in an attempt to [15:15] weaken the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist group. In the past 24 hours, [15:21] the IDF saying fresh airstrikes have hit more than 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites in [15:28] Beirut, the Beqar Valley, and the south, with at least 180 dead and almost 900 wounded today alone, [15:35] according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Since the fighting began in early March, [15:40] more than 1,500 people have been killed. Tonight, Iran warning that if the attacks in Lebanon continue, [15:46] there'll be a regretful response. Israel says the U.S.-Iran brokered ceasefire doesn't apply [15:53] to its campaign in Lebanon, and strikes are continuing. Today, the White House confirming [15:58] those claims. Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire. That has been relayed to all parties involved in [16:03] the ceasefire. One in five people in Lebanon have been displaced in the last five weeks, [16:08] according to the U.N., as villages empty out and critical infrastructure collapses. Those who remain [16:15] faced dwindling food, fuel shortages, and limited access to care. [16:23] And in a potential threat to the ceasefire, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reports that [16:30] Iran has again halted ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil route, [16:36] in response to Israel's continued barrage of attacks on Lebanon. In a statement posted on X, [16:43] responding to the attacks, Lebanon's president saying, [16:46] while we condemn this crime in the strongest terms, we emphasize the necessity for the [16:51] international community to assume its responsibilities to stop these repeated attacks [16:56] and put an end to this aggressive approach that threatens security and stability in the region. [17:02] Diplomatic efforts continue, but with competing interpretations of the ceasefire, [17:07] the risk of further escalation remains high. Now, a country already in crisis is pushed deeper into [17:15] instability, where each day brings more uncertainty and fewer places to turn. [17:21] Our thanks to Ian Pannell. And tonight, a late-breaking update in the criminal investigation [17:26] into the disappearance of an American woman who fell overboard in the Bahamas. [17:30] Police in the Bahamas confirmed that the woman's husband, Brian Hooker, [17:33] was taken into custody in connection with the matter. [17:36] Lynette Hooker was reported missing by her husband. He told authorities that his wife fell [17:40] off their small boat. In a statement before the arrest, Brian wrote in part, [17:44] I am heartbroken over the recent boat accident that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small [17:49] dingy, adding that he made desperate attempts to reach her and that the ongoing search for her [17:55] is his sole focus. Here in New York, a chilling confession in the horrific case of a serial killer [17:59] on Long Island. In a courtroom today, Rex Heuerman pleaded guilty to murdering eight women over 17 [18:05] years. Our chief investigating correspondent, Aaron Katursky, was in the courtroom. [18:11] Coming out, judge. [18:12] Tonight, with the families of his victims in the courtroom and his ex-wife of 27 years and [18:16] daughter watching, Rex Heuerman, leaving no doubt he is the Gilgo Beach serial killer who terrorized [18:22] neighborhoods outside New York City. [18:23] You feel it's in your best interest to plead guilty rather than go to trial? [18:26] Yes, your honor. [18:27] The suburban dad who worked as an architect on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. [18:31] I'm an architectural consultant. [18:32] Admitting he lived a double life, pleading guilty to murdering eight women and burying their bodies [18:37] on Long Island, some found dismembered and wrapped in burlap near the beach. Heuerman strangled his [18:42] victims, who he hired as escorts, in a nearly two-decade killing spree starting in 1993. [18:47] This defendant walked among us, play-acting as a normal suburban dad, when in reality, [18:54] all along, he was obsessively targeting innocent women for death. [18:59] Heuerman was finally tracked down and arrested in 2023 after his DNA was retrieved from pizza [19:04] crust in the trash outside his office and linked to hair samples found on the victims. [19:09] Detectives scouring Heuerman's home in a storage unit, amassing a mountain of evidence, [19:13] including a chilling collection of news articles about the murders and what prosecutors called [19:18] his blueprint, with locations of dump sites and reminders to dispose of tools and devices [19:23] and burn gloves. Today outside court, the woman married to him for nearly three decades. [19:29] She says she never wanted to believe it was true. [19:32] My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Their loss is immeasurable, [19:39] and the focus should be on them at this time and moment. [19:45] The families of victims never gave up hope the killer would be caught. [19:50] Missy Kahn, whose sister Maureen was killed in 2007, with this message to her today. [19:55] I would never stop searching for justice for you. Through every year, every setback, every unanswered [20:04] question, I carried you with me, and I kept that promise. And today, it has been done. [20:11] An emotional day, certainly, for a number of families. And Aaron joins us now. So, Aaron, [20:15] what's next for Heumerman? He's going to be sentenced in June, [20:20] Lindsay, and he will serve three consecutive life sentences, just an absurd amount of time for [20:26] somebody who is 62 years old. So, he's never going to leave prison. And he must cooperate with [20:32] the FBI to sit for an interview so they can study the mind of this monstrous serial killer. [20:38] I was in court today, Lindsay, as he was uttering guilty over and over with this slight smirk it [20:45] appeared on his face. And the DA told me here a moment ago, Lindsay, he thinks Heumerman just got [20:52] tired of fighting. Lindsay? Aaron Katursky for us. Our thanks to you, Aaron. [20:56] The woman known as the Ketamine Queen has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for providing [21:01] the ketamine that contributed to at least two deaths, including that of actor Matthew Perry. [21:07] The sentencing comes after 42-year-old Jasveen Sangha admitted in a plea agreement to working [21:12] with another dealer to provide the Friendstar with dozens of vials of the drug, including the [21:17] dose that led to his death in October of 2023. Sangha has been in federal prison since August of 2024 [21:23] and had faced a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison. New images are coming in tonight. Part of [21:29] the investigation into that massive fire at a warehouse in California. Authorities say the images [21:34] show one employee starting the blaze. Our Trevor Ault has more. Tonight, an arson investigation into this [21:41] massive fire that destroyed a warehouse yesterday morning outside Los Angeles. The flames seen for [21:46] miles as firefighters battled the blaze, burning through this 1.2 million square foot distribution [21:52] center for Kimberly Clark. The roof collapsing. As officials say about 20 employees were inside at the [21:58] time. Police have now arrested 29-year-old Shamil Abdul Kareem, an employee of a third-party [22:04] distributor for the company. All you had to do was pay us enough to live. And they're now [22:09] investigating this video posted on a Facebook account that, according to a co-worker, appears [22:13] to be associated with the suspect. There goes your inventory. The warehouse was filled with paper [22:19] products from Scott to Kleenex to Huggies diapers, and all that inventory further fueled the fire. [22:24] Every possible piece of information or anything of evidentiary value is certainly going to be [22:30] taken into consideration for the investigation. Our thanks to Trevor Ault. Greece will ban access [22:35] to social media for children under the age of 15 beginning January 1st of 2027. The country's [22:40] prime minister cited rising anxiety, sleep problems, and possible addiction to online platforms as [22:46] reasons for the ban. Starting next year, platforms will need to be able to restrict users or face fines. [22:51] Australia became the world's first country to ban social media for children under 16 this past [22:56] December. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Poland, Denmark, Malaysia, and France, [23:01] are also considering bans or are in the process of legislating them. And still ahead, the two MLB [23:07] players facing consequences after throwing haymakers in the middle of the game last night, [23:12] plus caught on camera the search for a driver who crashed into a school bus and fled the scene in [23:17] Mississippi and the voices of Iran. We hear from the people caught amid the violence in the Middle [23:22] East, looking to their daily lives, their fears, and their hopes. Welcome back, everyone. At the [23:31] 11th hour yesterday, President Trump said he would pull back on his threats to launch devastating [23:36] strikes on Iran. The U.S. and Iran have both claimed victory after a precarious two-week ceasefire was [23:41] reached. But this is not the first time the president has pushed back a deadline for Iran. So how did we get [23:47] here? Let's examine these deadlines and delays by the numbers. On March 21st, Trump said that the U.S. [23:53] would hit and obliterate Iranian power plants if it did not fully reopen the strait within 48 hours. [23:59] Two days later, on March 23rd, he extended the deadline by five days, citing productive talks with [24:05] Iran. On March 26th, President Trump again delayed the timeline. He extended it 10 days to April 6th and [24:11] said that negotiations were going very well. But the day before that deadline, President Trump, [24:16] in an expletive-filled post, once again pushed the cutoff point to April 7th at 8 p.m. He suggested [24:22] this would be final and said that he'd given Iran enough extensions. The war with Iran started 40 days [24:28] ago. When the United States and Israel launched strikes across Iran, peace talks between the two [24:33] countries are expected to take place on Friday. And still ahead, with a fragile ceasefire hanging in [24:39] the balance, we hear from people inside Iran with their reaction. And Pope Leo gets a crash course in [24:45] spinning a basketball. That story coming up. Welcome back to Prime, everyone. Here's a look [24:53] at the stories making headlines right now. The Strait of Hormuz is once again closed after Israel's [24:59] continued attacks on Lebanon. An Iranian official called the attacks massacres and urged the U.S. [25:04] to choose ceasefire or war. This comes as both President Trump and Vice President Vance say that [25:09] Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire to begin with. An Iranian parliamentary speaker claimed [25:14] multiple violations by the U.S. pointing to a drone that was shot down over the city of [25:18] Lar. At least one person is dead and two others are believed to be missing after a parking garage [25:24] partially collapsed in Philadelphia. Witnesses say at first they thought the sound of the collapse [25:28] was an earthquake. First responders on the scene are focusing their efforts on the lower level of [25:33] the structure. Officials have closed off the surrounding area to allow additional crews to bring in heavy [25:38] equipment to begin removing debris. Artemis 2 is about 48 hours away from splashdown. The crew has [25:44] exited the moon's gravitational pull and is starting their journey back home with all indications pointing [25:49] to a mild day for their eventual re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. Their splashdown location is [25:54] expected to be just off the coast of San Diego where the spacecraft will then use several parachutes to [26:00] slow down to about 17 miles an hour before landing in the Pacific. Dodgers legend and one of baseball's [26:06] premier base dealers Davey Lopes has died at 80 years old. Lopes was a four-time all-star during [26:13] his 10 years with the Dodgers. He played in four World Series winning in 1981 with the Dodgers and in [26:18] 1975 he recorded a then MLB record 38 consecutive steals without being caught and led the majors that [26:25] year with 77 steals. And coming up U.S. and Iran's two-week ceasefire is already on shaky ground. What people [26:32] inside Iran are saying about the uncertainty in what lies ahead and after her devastating Olympic [26:38] crash what Lindsey Vonn is saying about a skiing comeback. Welcome back everyone. As so many watch [26:47] this fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran unfold, people in Iran are still living in fear. [26:52] They're worried about the loss of life, of continued violence, concerned that thousands of years of [26:56] history in the form of bridges and towers and mosques could all be wiped away. Iranians on the ground [27:03] send to ABC News voice notes as they face a rather uncertain future and a warning. Some accounts and [27:09] images you may see are graphic. Our Brit Clenet reports. In the darkness of night, U.S. bombs light [27:18] up the sky in Iran. Brick by brick, buildings crashing down, moment by moment, lives lost. There's now hope [27:34] that this sound, which has become a daily part of life in Iran, is on pause following President Trump's [27:42] announcement to suspend bombing for two weeks, contingent on Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz. [27:47] And while this break in attacks is providing a sliver of hope to Iranians, the fear of what could come [27:54] and what could happen to their people and their culture hasn't subsided. We ask ourselves what if [28:01] the war continues. When they hit Asaluyeh, everyone was feeling terrible. We wonder what to do if they [28:08] hit the infrastructure. They don't belong to the Islamic Republic. They are built by our own [28:14] children. They belong to Iran and the future of Iran. Despite the regime imposing a now 39-day [28:21] countrywide communications blackout, ABC News was able to contact people on the ground who responded [28:27] directly to President Trump's post on April 7th that said, a whole civilization will die tonight. [28:34] All voices have been altered because many fear the regime could target them for execution for [28:38] speaking out. While I may feel a sense of relief or even happiness about the death of Ali Khamenei, [28:45] I don't believe anyone can really be happy about innocent people being killed. Children losing their [28:51] lives or young soldiers who are forced into mandatory service with no real choice is not something that [28:58] anyone can celebrate. So far, the U.S.-based human rights activists' news agency predicts that over [29:06] 3,500 people have been killed since the start of the war, more than 200 of them children. [29:12] For hours, I remembered the children killed in this war, even children of our murderers who were killed [29:19] in this war. I felt that I could not be that bad person that wouldn't care about the death of [29:24] children, regardless of their parents' crimes. Yet my emotions refused to settle. Hatred and pity [29:31] surged and receded within me, rising and falling inside me. It is not like that Tehran looks like [29:37] Gaza, but when you drive in the city, you see more buildings have been destroyed. You wouldn't need to [29:43] look for destroyed buildings that are everywhere. Some schools, hospitals and residential buildings [29:49] have been decimated by bombs, upending the lives of civilians who are now grieving the people and [29:56] places lost forever. This is the bitter side of the war. We all know that war is not going to bring [30:03] us democracy and freedom, but we also never could defeat the regime and cut their hands off our lives. [30:09] It is not easy to express our feelings, and if we are happy or sad, we are full of contradictory [30:16] feelings and thoughts depending on what has happened on that day. Everything can change in the blink of [30:20] an eye. By no means do I agree with a foreign power destroying what has been built by my people, [30:27] for my people, and for the future of our children. So much despair and uncertainty. Our thanks to Brick [30:34] Lennett for that. Still ahead, our one-on-one with Dancing with the Stars, Mark Ballas now taking the [30:39] stage in one of Broadway's biggest shows. And award-winning actor Riz Ahmed joins us in studio. We heard all [30:44] about his new role in a reimagined classic Hamlet out in theaters this week. A Major League Baseball [30:53] brawl breaks out. The Artemis II crew increases some global music streams and an impatient pooch [30:58] waiting for its owner to return won't stop honking. These stories and more in tonight's rundown. [31:10] Baseballs and fists flew at the MLB game last night between Atlanta Braves pitcher Jorge Soler and [31:15] Los Angeles Angels hitter Reynaldo Lopez. Conflict began when Lopez threw a high pitch in the bottom of the [31:21] fifth inning. Soler, not happy with the pitch, charged the mound. Players from both teams tried [31:26] to break up the fight. The Braves manager even tackled Soler to help stop the chaos. [31:30] Soler later said he thought Lopez's pitch was intentional after getting hit with a 96-mile-per-hour [31:36] fastball in the third inning. Both players were ejected from the game. An incident caught on camera. [31:43] Police in Mississippi are now looking for the driver accused of crashing into a school bus [31:48] before fleeing the scene. Police say students were crossing the street at the time of the crash. [31:52] No injuries were reported. In her first on-camera interview since the Olympics, ski legend Lindsey [31:59] Vaughn says she would do it all again if she had the chance. Vaughn violently crashed in Cortina, [32:04] Italy during the Olympic downhill 13 seconds into the race. The five-time Olympia nearly lost her left [32:11] leg. I haven't made any determinations on the future because I still haven't even processed what's [32:17] happened in the past six weeks. Vaughn was the top-ranked downhill skier in the world heading [32:22] into the 2026 Olympics. NASA's Artemis II mission has been turning wake-up calls into cultural moments [32:30] and on Spotify, listeners are tuning in alongside the mission Sleepyhead by Young and Sick. The first [32:36] track played to wake up the crew of the Artemis II has seen a steady increase in global streams, [32:41] peaking at a 2100 percent increase on April 5th. In other space news, NASA confirms a fireball from [32:48] a meteor was spotted in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware yesterday afternoon. The space rock [32:53] traveled at 30,000 miles per hour before disintegrating. Pope Leo took a basketball for a spin as he [33:01] welcomed the Harlem Globetrotters to St. Peter's Square. He was seen attempting one of the team's [33:06] classic trick, spinning their red, white, and blue basketball on a finger with some help from one of [33:11] the players. It's a move the late Pope Francis tried out back in 2015 with the team. The Harlem Globetrotters [33:16] have a long tradition of visiting the Vatican where they've performed for popes dating back to the [33:21] 1950s. And dogs, turns out they're a lot more like us than you might think. Look at this pooch in Ireland, [33:29] impatiently honking the car's horn as it appeared to be waiting very impatiently for its family to [33:35] return. The other dog next to it though, just seems to be happy to be there. He's an award-winning [33:44] actor known for roles in Nightcrawler, The Night Of, and The Sound of Metal, now Riz Ahmed, [33:49] is tackling Hamlet, Shakespeare's iconic play about a tormented Danish prince. But a very cool twist, [33:55] Ahmed's Hamlet is set in contemporary London. Let's take a look. [33:58] To be, or not to be, that is the question. It's nobler in a mind to suffer. Slings and arrows of [34:14] outrageous fortune ought to take arms against the sea of troubles. Love to see it done in that way. [34:23] Riz Ahmed, welcome to the studio. Thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for having me. [34:26] So you've described making Hamlet as something that was a dream of yours [34:30] from when you were 16 years old. What resonated with you so early on about Hamlet? [34:35] I think the same thing that resonates with so many people. It's, um, it's about family. It's about [34:41] love. It's about loss. It's about these universal timeless themes that people around the world have [34:46] been able to find themselves in for centuries now. Um, I think for me in particular, that time, [34:53] I was also feeling that I was waking up to the reality that the world is not a very fair place, [34:59] right? As a teenager, we often feel that way. And I recognize that feeling in Hamlet, [35:04] that that's the feeling that's running through the heart of the play. And I dare say, I think that is [35:09] how many of us are feeling now, right? We can all relate to this feeling that Hamlet is dealing with, [35:15] which is, has the world gone crazy or am I losing my mind? Um, that seems to be the thing that, [35:20] you know, I've held onto all those years and feels more relevant now than ever. [35:23] And for people who have not seen this, this is not traditional Hamlet. This is modern day [35:29] London. You're actually in, uh, London's South Asian community in particular. You're, as, [35:36] as people did just see in that clip, you're riding and driving your BMW in the street, as you're saying [35:42] the, uh, to be or not to be soliloquy, why the decision to, to make it as you did far from the, [35:51] the, the slings and arrows, as many may see of, of yesteryear? [35:56] You know, it just felt like such a modern story. You know, it's a story, as I said, about feeling [36:03] powerless in the face of injustice and trying to work out what our role is in the world. Do we try and [36:11] push back against that injustice, even if it comes at great personal costs and risks to us, [36:16] or do we just go along with it? It felt like it was really confronting, um, a lot of the things [36:22] that we are today. So it made sense to kind of bring it into the modern day. And, you know, [36:27] it's a timeless story because it always feels timely. And so, um, it, it felt like a no brainer [36:34] really. And particularly with the South Asian community. [36:36] Why pare it down so much? It really is, uh, stripped down from the, having a number of [36:44] soliloquies, for example. You know, it's really interesting because that full version that we [36:50] think of, of the play was very, was, at least it was not performed like that all the time. [36:55] Um, after Shakespeare died, they decided to get every different version of the play that had ever [37:00] been performed and kind of compile it. But very often when it was performed, it was chopped, [37:05] it was changed. Different speeches they'd be getting rid of. Different, you know, [37:09] an actor would be off sick or doing another play. So, um, actually the most Shakespearean [37:13] thing you can do is to edit it, to chop it, to change it. And it was something that he was doing. [37:20] Also, you're starring in Prime Video's new show, Bait. We have a clip of that. We're a struggling [37:25] actor auditioning to become the next James Bond. Let's take a look. [37:29] And similar to your character that you play in Hamlet, this one is also really racked by [37:52] indecision and, and fear. Give us a sense of how this season unfolds. [37:57] Well, um, Bait is about an out of work actor who gets through to the last round of auditions to play [38:03] the next James Bond. And when word gets out, he might be the next James Bond. People have strong [38:08] opinions about it. So much so that his life slowly kind of unravels and spins out of control, [38:14] as everyone has a hot take on it. And, and he's kind of chasing approval and validation and trying [38:20] to outrun his critics, both his inner critics and the ones out there on social media. And it's really [38:25] about how life can feel like one big audition. I think we can all relate to that. [38:30] Well, congratulations on both projects. Riz Ahmed, a pleasure to meet you and have the conversation. [38:35] Really appreciate the time. Thank you for having me. [38:38] And our viewers, you can see Hamlet in theaters on April 10th and Bait is available on Prime Video. [38:44] Actress Olivia Munn has dealt with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. We sat down with her for [38:50] a wide ranging conversation about the newest season of her Apple TV show and her recovery from breast cancer. [38:57] You've experienced so much and I feel like there's so much wisdom that you could share. Is there one [39:04] piece of advice that has kept you sane or, or holding on through this time? [39:10] My oncologist was really pressing to me that I have to stay optimistic. She's like, [39:19] you have to have hope. Even when things seem really scary, even when there is incredible side effects that [39:26] are debilitating and you're in bed all day, you just have to have hope that it will get better. [39:31] So having hope is the most important thing about all of this, you know, it drives us, it creates [39:39] just a feeling of calm and it keeps the stress hormones away. [39:43] You can stream the full all access conversation with Olivia Munn on Hulu and Disney Plus. [39:48] All that jazz just got a little more electric. Multi-hyphenate dancer, Emmy-nominated choreographer, [39:55] musician and actor Mark Ballas is stepping out of the Dancing with the Stars Ballroom and into the [40:00] hit musical Chicago. One of the most iconic shows in Broadway history, taking on the role of Billy Flynn, [40:07] the smooth talking lawyer in the center of all the drama. Mark Ballas, kind enough to join us in studio. [40:13] Thank you so much for being here. Thanks for having me. [40:16] So for years, you've told stories really through dance on Dancing with the Stars. [40:21] How does that compare with doing a full scale musical where you're not just dancing, but you're [40:26] acting, you're singing? Well, actually, that's what started me in entertainment. I went to theater [40:30] school as a child. I went to theater college. This is my third Broadway show. I got to do Jersey Boys in [40:37] 2016, Kinky Boots 2018. And then back here now for one of the most iconic shows, like you said, Chicago. [40:44] Full circle moment for me. I actually auditioned for the show fresh out of college. I was 19. [40:50] I was in for the ensemble, doing the tap dance. And, you know, so this is to come back and be able [40:55] to play Billy Flynn is a full circle moment. Sounds like it for sure. And of course, [41:00] also kind of full circle because you and your partner, Whitney Levitt from the Secret Wives of [41:04] Mormon Wives. You made it so far together on Dancing with the Stars all the way to the semifinals. [41:11] And now she's co-starring along with you in Chicago. You must be so proud of her. [41:16] Yeah. I mean, not a lot shocks me on Dancing with the Stars because I've done so many seasons. But [41:21] with Whitney, I've found two firsts this time around. Like we got to still do our freestyle [41:26] performance together. And then we're getting to star on Broadway together. When we were putting [41:32] our Argentine tango together to sell block tango, I said to her, wow, I just have a feeling you're [41:36] going to be in this show. And then we're getting to do it together. So pretty, pretty cool. Dancing [41:41] with the Stars first. [41:42] And as you mentioned, this is not your first rodeo. You did Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots. [41:48] What do you think that audiences are going to see in this Chicago performance that they haven't seen [41:53] before? Well, I think what I'll say about Chicago and why it's ran for so long is because the piece [41:58] speaks for itself. The book, the music, candor and ebb, the writing is fantastic. This cast is electric. [42:05] While I was learning the show, I would go watch it every night. That's part of my process. And I will say, [42:09] like, it just looks like Chicago. Like, it just hits. The cast, the orchestra, and everyone who [42:15] puts the show on is first class. I think what will be exciting for people who have never seen it is [42:20] obviously they'll get to see Whitney and myself. But you're getting to see incredible Broadway [42:26] veterans and incredible talent delivering one of the best pieces of all time. And when we talk about [42:31] your character in particular, Billy Flynn is charismatic, really dynamic. People have seen [42:37] him played before by Patrick Swayze and Usher. What are you going to bring? What's the spice [42:42] that you think that you're going to, how are you going to make Billy Flynn your own? [42:45] A little different. Yeah. I think for me, the cool thing about Billy is he's slick. He's in control at [42:51] all times. He can kind of foresee what's going to happen, but he's also like comes from the wrong side [42:57] of the tracks. He's self-made and there is a, as much charisma and, you know, razzle-dazzle as he has, [43:03] there's a dark side to him too. Like you don't want to step out of line. So like, I feel like [43:07] there's a little bit of a darkness to him too. Many people obviously know you had an incredible [43:11] run on the traders as well. If you could bring any of your colleagues from the traders onto [43:17] Dancing with the Stars. Oh, wow. Who might that be? So many. I mean, I think Rob Roush should be [43:24] great. Rob, we figured you were going to say that. Maura Higgins would be great. Tara Lipinski, [43:29] man. I mean, Johnny already did it. I think, um, Monet exchange would be beautiful. Well, [43:34] we'll see perhaps if any of them, uh, come, come knocking on dancing. We'll see. All right, [43:39] Mark, thank you so much for joining us. All the best to you on Chicago. You can see Mark and Whitney [43:45] in Chicago on Broadway for a limited run until May 3rd. And that is our show for this hour. I'm [43:51] Lindsay Davis. Be sure to stay tuned to ABC News Live for more context and analysis of the day's top [43:55] stories. Thanks so much for streaming with us.