making news in america this morning, making history. pope francis arriving with a message. >> god bless america. >> his first visit to the u.s. kicking off with a visit to the white house. the encounter with a 5-year-old. the letter she gave to francis and today's schedule. we're live with the details. new feud. donald trump lashing out, this time aiming at fox news again, in full attack mode in a half-filled ballroom. breaking overnight, a pile of smoldering rubble where homes once stood. people surveying the damage this morning after a massive explosion. and caught on camera. emergency landing giving new meaning to flying through the intersection.

and we say good thursday morning to you and, of course, we're going to start with pope francis. a busy day ahead. traveling here to new york from the nation's capital. >> his first full day in the u.s. was filled with excitement and emotion. you can see it here as francis made his way to the altar of the nation's largest cathedral, the faithful reaching out to touch him. security guards trying to keep them out of the way. >> and some images from behind the scenes. take a look. pope francis and the president on the white house colonnade and the pope, president and first lady waving to the crowd from the blue room balcony, and also inside take a look at this, the pope officially meeting the entire obama family greeted here by first dogs bo and sunny, these images posted by the white house official photographer. and we want to give you a live picture now of the capitol building where this morning francis will become the first pope to ever address a joint

meeting of congress. lots of excitement in washington, d.c. stephanie ramos now is there for us. stephanie. >> reporter: good morning, kendis and reena. this is a highly anticipated event here in washington. nearly every member of congress will be in attendance for the pope's speech, and given what we've heard from the pope so far, we expect he'll challenge some of the beliefs and policies of both parties. this is the view the pope will have later this morning when appearing on the capitol balcony after his historic speech to congress. it will be another day of firsts for the pope. ♪ amid the fanfare for his arrival wednesday, the pope injects humility pulling up for his first visit to the white house in a tiny fiat. then giving his first speech to the american people in english. >> as the son of an immigrant family, i am happy to be a guest

in this country, which was largely built by such families. [ applause ] >> reporter: the holy father also called for tolerance and for action on climate change before heading into the oval office to meet with president obama. the pontiff then boards the popemobile, greeting the thousands lined up for hours just to catch a glimpse of him. some getting a little more. a kiss on the head for this baby boy. another little one, 5-year-old sophie cruz, makes her way through the barricade. as police move her back, the pope calls her over and then a kiss as she hands him a letter. how did it make you feel? >> happy. >> exciting. so excited. >> reporter: another massive crowd, at least 25,000, grt the pope at the country's largest cathedl for the first ever canonization mass in the u.s. the late spanish priest junipero serra is the first saint named on american soil. i was there at the basilica

yesterday, and you could just feel pure excitement and joy from the crowds that were there when pope francis arrived. now, later on this afternoon, pope francis will head to new york where he'll lead an evening prayer service at st. patrick's cathedral. reena, kendis. >> stephanie, we know that the members of the senate and house of representatives will be at the pope's speech, but what about the supreme court justices? >> reporter: well, we know six of the nine justices will be on hand. three of the most conservative and catholic members of the supreme court, justices scalia, thomas and alito, will not be attending. there was no reason given as to why they're not attending. back over to you. >> very interesting that the most conservative ones and the catholic ones aren't going to be there. all right, stephanie ramos live for us from washington, d.c., thank you. and, of course, the pope touches down in new york city this afternoon. 6,000 police officers are right now at the ready. >> the pope actually made it clear weeks ago he did not want those fences, but the secret service had the final word. fences are eight feet high, and

they're now surrounding venues where the pope will appear. that also includes a large section of central park, as well as st. patrick's cathedral. >> okay, so from the start here's what's in store for francis today. he starts this morning with that first ever speech by a pope to a joint session of congress. abc will have live coverage, and then he'll visit catholic charities of washington, d.c. and meet with hundreds of homeless people. this afternoon he flies to new york city. >> after arriving at jfk airport, he'll take a helicopter into manhattan. finally, francis will participate in an evening prayer ceremony at st. patrick's cathedral. well, the pope has closely monitored the growing refugee crisis in europe, even housing a syrian family at the vatican, and now european leaders are giving a billion dollars to relief organizations who help feed and provide shelter for the refugees. this morning, "the new york times" reports that the situation has grown so dire, that president obama will try to meet with russian president vladimir putin next week in new york. it will be their first

face-to-face in nearly a year. well, today president obama meets with another top leader, the president of china. near seattle yesterday xi jinping met with facebook's mark zuckerberg and other top tech executives. breaking news in saudi arabia. at least 220 people have died in a stampede at the hajj pilgrimage outside mecca. the country's civil defense tweeted images of injured pilgrims. the event draws millions of muslims. okay, we move now to politics now, and donald trump back on offense boycotting fox news after the cable network canceled his upcoming interview on "the o'reilly factor." trump says that he's being treated unfairly especially considering he's the front-runner. >> they don't even put me in the headline, and i'm crushing it, so you'll all figure that out. the press is very dishonest, not all of it, but much of it. >> also on wednesday a rare scene for trump. look at this.

speaking to a half-filled room, the campaign claiming it was just a speaking event, not like trump's event later that night that attracted more than 2,000 people. on the democratic side, the latest poll numbers show joe biden gaining support even though he has not decided whether to run for president. the bloomberg poll finds clinton with 33%, biden, 25% and bernie sanders at 24%. still ahead here for us, apple fan also not be able to walk into a store and buy the new iphone in certain states. plus, ducking for cover. people at a gas station in the line of fire. the wild shootout caught on camera. and strange sight. drivers in traffic and a plane riding by.

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♪ a gorgeous look there at the u.s. capitol. in a few hours pope francis will be there to deliver the first ever papal address before a joint meeting of congress. house speaker john boehner has told lawmakers that the pope transcends politics. he's asking them to be receptive of the pope's message. well, breaking overnight a quiet neighborhood in columbia, maryland, is rocked by a massive explosion. one town house completely collapsed, and the fire spread to three other homes leaving them totally destroyed or badly damaged. the blast briefly trapped several residents and sent glass and debris flying 50 feet across the parking lot. two people were injured including an inspector who was looking into a complaint about a natural gas odor. volkswagen's board of directors is set to meet tomorrow to consider potential replacements for its ceo who of course stepped down in the wake of the smog test cheating scandal, and more heads are likely to roll in the coming days.

the scandal is also taking a huge toll on angry car dealers with inventory they just can't sell and frustrated owners stuck with vehicles they don't want anymore. well, the hack attack on the government personnel office was worse than thought. the fingerprints of 5.6 million people who applied or received a federal security clearance were stolen, not 1 million as first reported. it's believed the chinese were behind the attack. the white house has said it's going to discuss cybersecurity with the chinese president when he visits today. well, the latest iphone is hitting the shelves tomorrow but not in every state. apple is not allowing walk-in purchases of the iphone 6s or 6s plus in four states without sales tax. that means people in alaska, delaware, new hampshire and oregon will have to wait for their new phones unless they've preordered. well, apparently we'll be spending a lot less on halloween this year. the national retail federation says americans will spend about $74 on halloween.

that's compared to 77 bucks last year, and total halloween spending is projected to be nearly $7 billion. i like the little thunderstorm. >> we spent a lot on that. that sound effect. all right, when we come back a hunter stuck in the woods for days with a bad injury, crawling for miles, how he was finally discovered. and what a picture. you see here, that's a professor holding a toddler, the mother in class, so why is this image going viral? with the pain and swelling of my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis... ordinary objects often seemed... intimidating. doing something simple... meant enduring a lot of pain. if ra is changing your view of everyday things orencia may help. orencia works differently by targeting a source of ra early in the inflammation process. for many, orencia provides long-term relief of ra symptoms. it's helped new ra patients

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new york's empire state building lit up in the blue and white stripes to honor the late yankees catcher yogi berra who died tuesday night at the age of 90. well, tonight berra will be honored with a moment of silence before the yankees game against the white sox. and it's time to check out this morning's road conditions. the main trouble spots are in the southeast stretching to the gulf coast where it's a bit slippery, and from kansas to wisconsin, well, you'll run into very heavy rain. >> okay, so say you're flying, well, delays are possible in minneapolis, miami and atlanta. in the meantime, in phoenix that area has been on edge since a serial sniper started terrorizing drivers along an eight-mile stretch of highway. >> at least 11 separate incidents are under investigation, and a suspect is in custody. but now we're just learning how frightening it was for those in the sniper's crosshairs.

from those newly released 911 calls. >> i think my window just got shot. >> okay, are you injured? >> i don't feel anything because i just got so scared because i just heard a big bang and the window shattered. >> the suspect, leslie merritt jr. charged with 16 felony counts and continues to insist police have arrested the wrong man. well, police near atlanta are trying to track down two gunmen after a wild shootout was caught on camera. the men opened fire on a car in the middle of a gas station sending people ducking for cover. as bullets flew by the pumps and a tanker, one man was caught in the cross fire shot in the foot. police are hoping someone recognizes the shooters from this surveillance video and it's a frightening scene there. the two texas football players who tackled a referee during a game have been given their punishment. the players have been assigned to an alternative school for 75 days. they won't be able to participate in any other school activities.

a coach at the school now admits he told the young athletes to attack the ref. we may learn more about his fate after a hearing today. well, a hunter in idaho is sharing the gripping details of his near-death experience after surviving days injured in the wilderness. john sain was alone in the woods when he fell and broke his leg. he had no cell service, so he used sticks to make a splint then he crawled three miles over nearly four days in so much pain he considered shooting himself but he had a change of heart when he started to write a good-bye letter to his wife and kids. >> that's it. write the letter to my family and that just -- that settled it. i said, there's no way i'm doing this. i will get out of here. >> sain was so motivated that he kept crawling and praying and that's when he was spotted by a group of bikers who called for help. well, rush hour tough enough but nobody needs a plane, yeah, zooming right through an intersection landing on a busy street. that's what happened in the southern california city of irvine last night. engine trouble. that's what forced this small plane to make an emergency

landing, which was caught on dash cam. amazingly, it touched down safely without anyone getting hit. >> and without getting a speeding ticket. that's clearly a 25-mile-an-hour zone there. we move on now to some sports. week three of the nfl gets under way tonight with an nfc east battle, the redskins versus the giants. >> and as for last night's baseball, some highlights from espn. he's stan. i'm neil. i left the coat unbuttoned so you get the full effect of the tie. >> o. i'm just going to let that breathe for a minute. >> thank you. >> let's move on to baseball. yankees wearing a number 8 patch on their sleeves as they remember yogi berra. a moment of silence in toronto as the yankees took on the blue jays, bottom six, kevin pilar with a base hit. russell martin scores. blue jays take a 1-0 lead and came in with a 2 1/2-game lead on new york in the a.l. east. bottom seven, martin at the plate. one-two count. andrew bailey thought

that was strike three. he was wrong. he was wrong with his placement there, and martin touching him up for a three-run home run, his 21st of the season. give him some more love. jays win it, 4-0. the lead is 3 1/2 now. so the rangers control their own destiny if you believe in destiny. they are in oakland, and elvis andrus -- >> he got his blue suede shoes on. >> that's a new one? yeah. >> felix doubront, his seventh of the season, which is a career high and look at him. he's just happy. handshakes. >> look at that. look at that. this is why baseball is cool. look. this is why the rangers are doing so good, man, they're a loose bunch. adrian beltre, he homers a two three-run shot, not as loose. rangers win 10-3. >> we've taken too long in that inning. >> feel free to touch my hair. >> back to you. >> i loved he wanted us to get

the full effect of his tie. >> see what i'm putting out there. the pope's visit, tailgating nuns and the staggering amount francis' autograph is selling for online. and it's good. the extra point that was needed. a little help from a referee's head. ut of the hospital after a dvt blood clot. what about my family? my li'l buddy? and what if this happened again? i was given warfarin in the hospital but i wondered if this was the right treatment for me. then my doctor told me about eliquis. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. not only does eliquis treat dvt and pe blood clots, but eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. knowing eliquis had both... turned around my thinking. don't stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. if you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling,

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as we age, certain nutrients... longer than ever. ...become especially important. from the makers of one a day fifty-plus. new one a day proactive sixty-five plus. with high potency vitamin b12... ...and more vitamin d. ♪ it is the time for "the pulse," and we're going to start with some fun surrounding the pope's visit. it all starts with a group of ladies who are hanging out like they were at a football game. >> there they are. nuns tailgating before the pope's big mass in washington, d.c. they brought out the folding chairs, had a snack. the group is from georgetown visitation monastery. >> as the pope embarks on the second leg of his trip, a longtime friend says he's looking forward to enjoying a slice of new york city pizza. one pizzeria whipped up a

special pie in the pope's likeness. robe out of ricotta, staff, anchovies, and his face raspberry dressing. >> the hot item on ebay. the pope's autograph, one sold yesterday for $2300. >> wow, i knew i should have tried to get closer to him yesterday. >> well, what's the best rock song ever? >> something by guns n' roses. >> okay, usually a matter of opinion, better than taste. >> yeah, but british scientists have gone a step farther using special software to measure things like beats per minute and lyrical content and this, they say from these guys, is the most iconic song ever. ♪ with the lights out it's less dangerous here we are now entertain us ♪ >> oh, the song nirvana's "smells like teen spirit." fiat commissioned the study hoping to find the best song to sell its 500 car before the pope's fiat. an image going viral this morning, and it's really cute, a professor holding a toddler in his arms.

>> the little boy was brought to class by his mother when she couldn't find child care. she was worried about what the professor would say but obviously wasn't an issue. >> he went to my professor and put his arms up like that and without missing a beat my professor picked him up. >> we're all in this together. >> mom was moved to tears by the gesture. they've been -- there have been thousands of sympathetic messages on social media. and here's a high school football team in texas that really knows how to put some adventure into extra point attempts. this happened under the lights last friday night. >> yeah, high snap. the holder gets it down, the kick comes out a little low, it went off the ref's head, skimmed the crossbar and it went through the uprights. >> doesn't really matter how it goes in, right? >> no. just as long as it does. >> chalk up another point for the rebels of lehigh school in midland, texas. >> only the giants could sign up that kid. for some of you, your local news is next. >> for everyone else, "america this morning" continues. hey mcmellin' you gellin'?

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the apartment building where the fire was. when things like this happen, i think you find a new perspective on life. hi. red cross put us in a hotel so we were able to stay together. we're strong and, if we overcame that or if we can overcome that, we can overcome anything, so. [ sniffle ]

live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. >> good thursday morning at 4:28. i am kristen sze. >> i am eric thomas. >> it is almost friday. that get your juices flowing. how does the weather look? >> it is almost fall. but not really weather help wise. mother nature confused. when you step outside the clouds kept our temperatures up compared to yesterday morning. no harm, in foul, no low clouds at sutro tower. we are running around 54 to 62 so ten degrees warmer than yesterday. we will see a reverse in our cloud cover starting with high clouds and end up with sunshine in the afternoon. 68 to 82 with clouds and 4:00, 68 to 94 from the coast inland and 62 to 86, so, warm, inland by 7:00. the commute?

leyla? >> we start with a few cars waiting to pay cash to get into san francisco with quite a few stacked and packed away from the 880 transition road. first, if you have fast track you are in from shape. it is early, of course. here is a look at san mateo bridge and the drive is light headed between the 880 freeway and highway 101. drive time traffic so far, 580 is building offer the altamont pass tracy to dublin is 31 minutes and 101 in the north bay no delays. >> contra costa county firefighters are on the scene of a fire that destroyed a luxury home in alamo. amy hollyfield is on the scene. the home is gone. nothing is left. look at this video. firefighters arrived and fire was coming from every side home they knew they could not say it so they took a defensive stance

to keep it from spreading. it started at 1:30. we are on crest avenue in alamo, 3,000 square foot home. unknown how it started but the smoke owner was alerted by smoke detectors and exited without injury. the home was about to go on the market with the "coming soon," sign. when firefighters arrived there was a power line down so they had to be careful. another republican why they took the defensive stance but everyone is okay. no firefighters were hurt. they got the fire out. they are just mopping up and the red cross is here to help the william who lives here and was here at the time. we understand her husband was traveling. more breaking news from saudi arabia and a tragedy during e