Matt Rivers reports on the air traffic controllers that lost radar and communications with passenger planes, leaving them unable to see, hear or talk to pilots coming in and out of Newark Airport for 60-90 seconds, ABC News has learned; Trevor Ault has the latest on the urgent search for survivors after a wave flipped a suspected human smuggling boat carrying at least 16 people off the coast of San Diego, California, killing at least three people; Mary Bruce reports on Pres. Trump’s new plan offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 and a plane ticket to self-deport from the U.S., and suggested they could have a future path to return; and more on tonight’s broadcast of World News Tonight with David Muir.
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00:00Tonight, breaking news, the alarming breakdown at a major airport.
00:03ABC News now learning air traffic control lost communications with packed passenger jets for up to 90 seconds as they approached and took off from Newark Airport.
00:13Sources telling ABC News air traffic controllers lost radar contact and communications, controllers unable to see, hear or talk to pilots.
00:21A major airline now warning of chaos at the airport. What's going on?
00:25Also on this Monday night, disturbing video coming in showing a large wave flipping a suspected human smuggling boat right off the U.S. coast.
00:33Authorities fighting three bodies and multiple survivors. There is still a frantic search underway.
00:38Tonight, President Trump's new effort to speed up his mass deportation plan.
00:42The administration now offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 in taxpayer money and a free flight if they self-deport.
00:50And tonight, President Trump wants to reopen Alcatraz, calling the prison horrible and beautiful.
00:57Here in New York, jury selection underway in the high profile Sean Diddy Combs trial.
01:01Potential jurors asked about that disturbing hotel surveillance video showing Combs dragging and kicking his former girlfriend.
01:07And they were asked about other celebrities whose names might emerge in this trial.
01:11Overseas tonight, Israel signaling a new military escalation to possibly seize the entire Gaza Strip, unless there's a hostage deal by next week with President Trump overseas.
01:23Tonight, the secret conclave set to begin at the Vatican and perhaps a very telling moment with our James Longman today.
01:30What a cardinal told him just before this conclave begins.
01:34Back in the U.S. tonight, authorities investigating a suspected deadly bear attack.
01:38A man and his dog have been found dead. Neighbors are now being warned.
01:42A truck driver's harrowing call to 911 as his truck dangles from a bridge, telling the operator, I don't want to die.
01:49The chilling new details tonight involving the alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga's historic concert.
01:54There is also breaking news coming in tonight.
01:56There's been an incident at actress Jennifer Aniston's home, what we've learned at this hour.
02:00And we're tracking storms right now.
02:0240 million Americans from New Mexico to Florida, all the way up to the Northeast.
02:08From ABC News World Headquarters in New York, this is World News Tonight with David Muir.
02:18Good evening. It is great to start another week with all of you at home.
02:20We do begin tonight with new reporting here, what appeared to have been a major communications breakdown at Newark Airport.
02:25Sources telling ABC News Tonight air traffic control computer screens went dark for up to 90 seconds.
02:30This was last Monday. Controllers losing communications with packed passenger planes approaching for landing and planes taking off.
02:36Unable to see, hear or talk to the pilots of the aircraft they were monitoring.
02:41Pilots could be heard learning of the outage over the radio.
02:43A number of controllers on duty during that outage so shaken they've now taken medical leave.
02:48The air traffic control system already chronically understaffed.
02:52There have been delays at Newark Airport for eight straight days now.
02:54Arrivals averaging four-hour delays.
02:56Now a major airline tonight, warning about the chaos there.
03:00Newark is, of course, one of the country's busiest airports.
03:02And now comes this new reporting that air traffic controllers suddenly had no way to communicate with the passenger jets that they were monitoring in the air.
03:10ABC's Matt Rivers leading us off tonight.
03:12He's at Newark Airport.
03:14Growing alarm at Newark's Liberty Airport tonight.
03:17ABC News learning air traffic controllers lost radar and communications with planes packed with passengers for 60 to 90 seconds last week.
03:26A system-wide outage last Monday at a Philadelphia facility that manages the airspace around Newark Airport caused controllers to lose the ability to see, hear or talk to all arriving and departing aircraft at one of the busiest airports in the country.
03:41Pilots can be heard learning of the outage over the radio.
03:44I just got told that the approach lost all their radars.
03:47Three of their four radar screens went black and they have no frequencies.
03:51Controllers from another tower advising pilots that radio frequencies have failed.
03:55And they want you to be advised that they may not be able to radar contact you because of the radar issues and they may lose you on for certain times of when you're flying.
04:03In a statement, the union saying many controllers took medical leave, citing, quote, a traumatic event.
04:10United Airlines, which has a major hub at Newark, accusing the controllers of, quote, walking off the job.
04:16But no matter the reason, the result has been chaos.
04:19For the eighth day in a row, delays and cancellations mounting.
04:23And tonight, the average delay on some arrivals, nearly four hours.
04:27Nobody knows what's next and if my flight's getting delayed more.
04:32The FAA has already warned that runway construction and a shortage of controllers would disrupt the number of planes scheduled to fly in or out.
04:40United Airlines cutting at least 35 round trip flights per day, saying without more air traffic controllers, they have no choice.
04:48And, David, the real concern here, those roughly 90 seconds where air traffic controllers were essentially cut off from all those planes.
04:56And tonight, a budget proposal in the House calling for some 15 billion dollars to modernize the nation's air traffic control systems.
05:04David.
05:05All right. Matt Rivers leading us off from Newark tonight.
05:07Matt, thank you.
05:08We turn now to the urgent search after a boat capsized right off the U.S. coast in San Diego.
05:13Disturbing video tonight capturing the moment.
05:15The boat was caught in the waves, turning over, throwing those on board right into the water.
05:20Four survivors have been recovered tonight, but at least three people have been found dead, many still missing.
05:25At least 16 people believed to have been on board.
05:28And authorities suspect tonight this was a human smuggling boat.
05:31ABC's Trevor Rall from California tonight.
05:35This is the moment a wave flipped a suspected human smuggling boat carrying at least 16 people off the California coast.
05:42The boat washing ashore around 6.30 this morning on Torrey Pine State Beach near San Diego.
05:49A frantic search for survivors now underway.
05:52We see a bunch of helicopters, border patrol, cops.
05:57Authorities say at least three people were killed.
05:59Four more rushed to the hospital.
06:01First responders searching for at least nine missing.
06:04We do have air resources that are sweeping lateral north and south of the beach.
06:08We do have lifeguards in the water on boats and jet skis.
06:11The 12-foot vessel is called a panga boat.
06:14It's designed for fishing, but commonly used by smugglers slipping people past the border.
06:19Right there, you can see the beginning of the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
06:24The Coast Guard telling our Matt Gutman in February they encounter about 350 migrants a month in these same waters off San Diego.
06:31The operators of the vessels have very little regard for their safety, for the safety of the individuals that are on board their vessels.
06:39David, the medical examiner's office says the people who died in this incident were all men.
06:44The Coast Guard says smuggling operations along the San Diego coast have increased 400 percent since 2018.
06:51David, Trevor Ault reporting in tonight.
06:53Trevor, thank you.
06:54We turn next this evening to President Trump's new effort to speed up his mass deportation plan.
06:59He's now offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 in taxpayer money at a free flight if they self-deport.
07:06And tonight, President Trump now says he wants to reopen Alcatraz, calling the prison horrible and beautiful.
07:12Here's our Chief White House Correspondent, Mary Bruce.
07:15Tonight, in an attempt to accelerate his mass deportation efforts, President Trump unveiling a new plan,
07:21offering undocumented immigrants $1,000 in taxpayer money and a plane ticket to self-deport.
07:28We're going to pay each one a certain amount of money, and we're going to get them a beautiful flight back to where they came from.
07:35And they have a period of time.
07:37And if they make it, we're going to work with them so that maybe someday, with a little work, they can come back in if they're good people.
07:44The Trump administration says they've deported 150,000 people since January, far short of the pace needed to remove the tens of millions the president promised.
07:54Trump today blaming required immigration hearings for slowing down his plan.
07:58The courts have all of a sudden, out of nowhere, they said, maybe you have to have trials, trials.
08:06We're going to have five million trials? Doesn't work. Doesn't work.
08:10In a remarkable statement, the president refusing to say whether he believes he needs to uphold the Constitution and the right to due process.
08:18Don't you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?
08:21I don't know. I have to respond by saying again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me,
08:28and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.
08:33Tonight, the administration insisting Trump's new self-deportation plan won't just jumpstart deportations.
08:38It will also save money, noting the average cost to arrest, detain, and remove an undocumented immigrant is more than $17,000.
08:47They say one person has already taken up their offer, booking a flight from Chicago to Honduras.
08:52And tonight, Trump, who has sent hundreds of undocumented migrants to a notorious prison in El Salvador without any due process,
08:59is now talking about reopening one of America's most infamous prisons, Alcatraz.
09:04Known as The Rock, perched on a rugged, hard-to-reach island off San Francisco,
09:10it closed over 60 years ago because its remote location made it too expensive to operate.
09:15Now, Trump wants to bring it back, saying he's instructing the Bureau of Prisons to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt Alcatraz
09:23to house America's most ruthless and violent offenders.
09:26But it sort of represents something that's both horrible and beautiful and strong and miserable, weak.
09:36It's got a lot of qualities that are interesting, and I think they make a point.
09:41And back to the self-deportation plan tonight.
09:43The administration insists this is the safest way to leave the U.S. and avoid arrest.
09:48Officials stressing if undocumented immigrants don't leave on their own, they will come after them and remove them.
09:54The president saying if you don't self-deport, you will never get a path to come back in.
09:59David.
10:00Mary Bruce at the White House tonight for us.
10:02Mary, thank you as always.
10:03Tonight, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering steep cuts to military leadership,
10:07calling for a 20 percent reduction of four-star general officers
10:10and a similar reduction of top positions in the National Guard.
10:14These cuts, he says, are to streamline the armed forces.
10:17Secretary Hegseth has already fired a number of generals, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
10:22In New York City tonight, jury selection now underway.
10:25The high-profile Sean Diddy Combs trial.
10:27Potential jurors asked about that disturbing hotel surveillance video showing Combs dragging and kicking his former girlfriend
10:33and about other celebrities whose names might emerge in this trial.
10:38ABC's chief investigative correspondent, Aaron Katursky, at the courthouse tonight.
10:42Tonight, jury selection is underway in the most anticipated trial of the year,
10:46the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs.
10:50Federal prosecutors are trying to prove Combs used his power, wealth, and fame
10:54to force women into drug-fueled orgies known as freak-offs and then threaten them into silence.
10:59Many of the prospective jurors signaled they're familiar with the case
11:02and this potentially damning piece of evidence.
11:05Video, first obtained by CNN, showing Combs chasing then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura
11:09down a hotel hallway in 2016, knocking her to the floor and kicking her.
11:14One woman called the video disturbing, telling the judge,
11:17it was upsetting to watch, but I don't know the full story, so I can listen to the facts.
11:22The defense wanted her to be dismissed, but the judge allowed her to remain in the jury pool.
11:26Jurors filling out this written questionnaire, saying there may be graphic and sexually explicit
11:31evidence in connection with the case and asking if there's anything that would make it difficult
11:35for you to be fair and impartial.
11:37Many prospective jurors also saying they recognize the names of other celebrities that might come up at trial.
11:42The judge tried to keep things moving, so when the defense asked for a bathroom break,
11:46Combs apologized, saying, sorry, judge, I'm a little nervous today.
11:50His lawyers are aiming to convince the jury the government is trying to police consensual sex
11:55by a swinger who they say invited others into his bedroom.
11:58No juror has been seated yet.
12:00David, jury selection resumes here in the morning.
12:02David.
12:03All right, Aaron Katursky, who will be covering this trial for us.
12:05Aaron, thank you.
12:06Overseas tonight, Israel approving plans to seize all of the Gaza Strip, with a major call-up
12:11of thousands of reserve troops.
12:13The plan calls for moving all Palestinians into southern Gaza, unless there's a hostage
12:18deal by next week with President Trump overseas.
12:21Here's our chief foreign correspondent, Ian Pannel, tonight.
12:24Tonight, in a major escalation, Israel approving plans to seize control of the entire Gaza Strip,
12:31calling up tens of thousands of reservists and massive military mobilization.
12:35A senior Israeli official saying, if no hostage and ceasefire deals reach by the time President
12:40Trump finishes his trip to the Middle East next week, a new offensive will begin.
12:45All civilians will be forced to move to southern Gaza, with scenes of desperation playing out
12:50right now.
12:53Israel also saying it will deliver desperately needed food and medicine amid its punishing
12:58blockade of vital humanitarian aid, now more than two months in.
13:03Our team getting access inside Gaza's NASA hospital.
13:08At just four months old, Siwar only weighs five pounds, less than half of what she should.
13:14If she can't get food soon, her doctor fears she'll die.
13:17Siwar is facing severe, severe critical situation.
13:23David, with Hamas holding more than 50 hostages, including five Americans, growing concerns tonight,
13:30this war could escalate further.
13:32David?
13:33Our chief foreign correspondent, Ian Pannel, reporting in.
13:35Ian, thank you.
13:36We turn now to the Vatican tonight.
13:37Final preparations underway for the secret conclave, where the cardinals, of course, will elect the
13:42next pope.
13:43And tonight, what could be a telling moment right here, what one cardinal told our James
13:48Longman with the conclave about to begin.
13:51James reporting in from the Vatican tonight.
13:53With just under 48 hours until the first votes are cast, the most powerful men of the Catholic
13:59Church are focusing their minds and mostly keeping their silence.
14:03Eminence, hello.
14:04Buenas tardes.
14:04How was today's meeting?
14:06Hello, Eminence.
14:08How was today's meeting?
14:10It's the daily dance of the cardinals and the journalists.
14:12But the countdown is on.
14:14But the Archbishop of Jakarta, Indonesia, did stop to offer a clue.
14:18He's one of the 133 cardinals who will choose the next pope.
14:22What kind of leader would you like?
14:25Many cardinals are mentioning Pope Francis.
14:30I think that this is an indication.
14:33Why?
14:34His style or his faith, his doctrine?
14:38His simplicity.
14:39And today, we got a closer look at the outfit the new pope will be wearing.
14:43The vestments for the next pope.
14:44From tailor to the pope, Ranieri Mancinelli.
14:47Nona aldeza.
14:48We've made a small, medium and large, he says, for the waist, but not the height.
14:5333 buttons, each one for every year that Christ lived.
14:57But the tailor has made only one zucchetto, the pope's famous white cap.
15:01David, tomorrow, the cardinals will move into the Santa Marta residence and slowly out of the world's gaze.
15:08On Wednesday, they will take their oath of secrecy and conclave will begin.
15:12David.
15:13All right.
15:13James Longman right there at the Vatican again tonight for us, James.
15:15Thanks, as always.
15:16I'll be right there with James at the Vatican starting tomorrow night right here.
15:20We'll be there reporting as the conclave begins.
15:22And as soon as we see the white smoke, along with the rest of the world, we'll be right here on the air with the naming of the new pope.
15:27I'll see you tomorrow night from the Vatican.
15:29In the meantime, when we come back here tonight, here at home, the deadly bear attack.
15:33A man and his dog found dead.
15:35Authorities are now warning the neighbors tonight.
15:37Also, the news breaking just as we came on this evening.
15:39There's word of an incident at the home of actress Jennifer Aniston.
15:43What we've learned so far and look at this tonight.
15:45A truck driver's harrowing call to 911 as his truck dangled from a bridge telling the operator, I don't want to die.
15:52We'll have more on this in a moment here.
15:56Tonight, authorities are investigating a suspected deadly bear attack in Collier County, Florida.
16:01The bodies of a man and his dog found in a wooded area near Everglades City.
16:05Residents and visitors in the area are being warned to be on alert.
16:08A truck driver making a harrowing 911 call while his rig was dangling over the side of a bridge.
16:14The semi-truck crashing.
16:15This is the Kennedy Bridge in Louisville, Kentucky.
16:17The driver trapped in his cab, hanging over the bridge.
16:19He made several calls to 911, pleading for help.
16:23I'm just hanging out over the bridge.
16:25I don't want to die.
16:27It took rescuers about 30 minutes to get him out.
16:30He was not hurt.
16:31When we come back here tonight, the breaking news this evening involving actress Jennifer Aniston from Friends.
16:36The alarming incident at her home.
16:38And we'll have more in a moment here.
16:41To the index of other news tonight.
16:43Police racing to the scene of actress Jennifer Aniston's home in Los Angeles.
16:46ABC News has learned a man crashed through the front gate.
16:48He was stopped by security guards and held until authorities arrived.
16:52Aniston was reportedly home at the time.
16:54Police are not sure yet if this was accidental or intentional.
16:58Tonight, we're tracking flood watches and severe thunderstorms across more than a dozen states.
17:02More than 40 million Americans on alert tonight for heavy rain, hail, damaging winds.
17:06As you can see, they're from New Mexico to Florida all the way up to the northeast.
17:10A major flash flooding threat tomorrow in Louisiana and the deep south.
17:13Eastern Texas bracing for another round of severe storms.
17:17There are chilling new details tonight about an alleged bomb plot targeting Lady Gaga's historic concert in Rio de Janeiro.
17:23About two and a half million people turning out for the free concert.
17:26The largest crowd ever for a female artist.
17:28Police believe the suspects were specifically targeting the LGBTQ community.
17:32Lady Gaga reportedly did not know about the threat until after the concert.
17:36When we come back here tonight, the father and his little girl at the Yankees game, a foul ball heading their way.
17:42And she covered his eyes just as he was trying to catch it.
17:45You have to see how this ended.
17:49Funny tonight here, America Strong.
17:51Catching a foul ball at the game is hard enough.
17:53Then the little girl giving her father quite the challenge.
17:56It was the incredible catch at Yankee Stadium and it didn't even happen on the field.
18:01Top of the second, New York Yankees versus the Tampa Bay Rays.
18:05A foul ball hit right into the stands and watch this.
18:08He's going to catch the ball.
18:09She covers his eyes.
18:10How about that?
18:11And he still caught it.
18:12It's dad power right there.
18:14That's impressive.
18:15A dad wearing a Yankees jersey catching the ball while his young daughter on his shoulders there covers his eyes.
18:22Afterward, dad handing the ball to his proud daughter.
18:25The MLB sharing the clip online, writing, Dads could really do anything.
18:28No word yet tonight on who the mystery dad is.
18:31While both Yankees and Rays fans cheer on that epic eye-covered catch.
18:36Making one young daughter very happy, dad will have a story to tell her when she grows up.
18:42It was quite something.
18:43Just wait until she grows up and hears that story.
18:45Thank you for watching here tonight.
18:47I'm David Muir.
18:47I'll see you tomorrow night from the Vatican.
18:49Until then, have a good evening.
18:51Good night.
18:52Thank you for making World News Tonight with David Muir, America's most watched newscast.