making news in america this morning, a crucial development in the russia investigation. new information on what special counsel robert mueller now wants to ask president trump and whether the president is willing to be interviewed by mueller in person. one of the most respected coaches in college football now sidelined, placed on leave. the scandal surrounding urban meyer and domestic abuse allegations a former staff member is facing. a move company bait and switch of the authorities bust what they call is a nationwide scam targeting homeowners whose possessions were allegedly held hostage. those stories plus the search for the priceless crown jewels stolen in broad daylight.

the thieves escaping by boat. where police are now looking for clues. also, an update on the homeless man who got a helping hand from police while shaving for his big job interview. and neither wind nor rain will stop her. we salute the woman committed to returning her shopping cart to its proper place. a good thursday morning, everyone. i'm diane macedo. >> and i'm ryan smith in for kendis gibson. and we begin with a major development in the russia investigation that reportedly has president trump furious. abc news has learned special counsel robert mueller wants to question the president about obstruction of justice and that has the president renewing calls for an immediate end to the investigation. stephanie ramos has the new details for us. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: hey, good morning, diane and ryan. you guys said it. sources tell abc news that when president trump found out that special counsel robert mueller wanted to interview him about

obstruction of justice, he was outraged and he tweeted about it. president trump clearly wants the investigation into russian interference in the 2016 presidential election to end. he tweeted, attorney general jeff sessions should stop this rigged witch-hunt right now before it continues to stain our country any further. sources tell abc news this tweet was blasted out after trump learned special counsel robert mueller wants to question him about obstruction of justice and wants the interview to be in writing and in person. trump has criticized the investigation before but not with this kind of public pressure on the nation's top law enforcement official to shut it all down. the tweet outraging democrats and even some members of the president's own party. republican senator susan collins from maine calling it totally inappropriate saying the president should not be talking about the investigation at all and the top democrat on the house intelligence committee,

adam schiff, was blunt. he says, this is an attempt to obstruct justice hiding in plain sight. >> if the president is innocent, he should act like it. >> reporter: trump's attorney offered a different take on cnn. >> he used the word should. he didn't use the word must, and there was no presidential directive that followed it. he didn't direct him to do it, and he's not going to direct him to do it. >> reporter: when the white house was asked was this pressure from the president to stop the investigation -- >> it's not an order. it's the president's opinion. the president is not obstructing. >> reporter: negotiations over what will be asked of trump by mueller's team has been going on for months, but according to a "new york times" report, president trump does want to meet with mueller. it's trump's lawyers who don't want the two to meet in person so trump doesn't, quote, legally expose himself. diane, ryan, back over to you. >> never a dull moment in that investigation. stephanie, thank you so much. overnight president trump thanked kim jong-un for

returning what are believed to be the remains of missing american soldiers from the korean war. vice president mike pence attended a ceremony in hawaii as the remains arrived in 55 cases. they'll now be identified through dna analysis. president trump tweeted to kim, i am not at all surprised that you took this kind of action -- this kind action, also thank you for your nice letter. look forward to seeing you soon. all right, let's turn to what's being called the miracle in mexico. newly released video shows the moments a passenger plane crashed during takeoff. we're hearing from more of the 103 people on board who say they're lucky to be alive. this is the terrifying view from inside the aeromexico flight seconds before the doomed takeoff. the plane smashes into a field in durango not even a mile from the end of the runway. >> devin, come on. >> reporter: you can see smoke billowing from the wreckage before it bursts into flames. but everyone on board had time to escape.

>> it was a strong, heavy bump that we could actually -- i could actually feel the landing gear buckle. >> reporter: at least 65 americans were on the flight including reverend ezekiel sanchez from chicago. he broke his arm and just had surgery, but his spirits are high. >> just one clean break or you've gotten -- >> a couple places. >> broken in a couple of spots. >> a couple spots, yeah, so i'll become the bionic padre. >> the bionic padre. >> reporter: darrellea martinez and nestor rivera were traveling with the reverend. >> i was able to jump through the window onto the wing and then from the wing i tried to go away but it was so slippery it kept pulling me back to the plane, so i jumped off from there. >> reporter: rivera said when she knew something was wrong, the first thing she did, she grabbed her daughter's hand. >> she was screaming and i was holding on to her. i looked back and all i saw was smoke and flames. looking at the plane where we were we said nobody made it and i saw the father and --

>> what was that moment like? >> we just all cried and hugged each other. we just said thank god. >> reporter: while the investigation continues, this is how father sanchez sums it up. >> i couldn't identify it in any other way except a miracle. >> now, passengers described whiteout conditions when the plane took off. authorities have recovered the plane's black boxes, which they hope will explain why the pilots decided to fly in that bad storm. one of the most respected coaches in college football is now at the center of a domestic abuse scandal. ohio state's urban meyer has been placed on paid administrative leave as the school investigates whether he knew about abuse allegations against his former assistant coach zach smith in 2015. smith's ex-wife believes meyer's wife told him about the allegations. >> with shelley meyer being aware of everything that was going on and saying that she was going to have to tell urban, do you think that he knows about all of this?

>> i believe he does. >> did he ever directly talk to you about what was going on in your marriage or between you and zach? >> not the abuse. he never spoke to me about the physical abuse, but he had, you know, made a couple of comments to me, and we had had a couple of conversations, very brief, how are you guys doing? everything okay? >> coach meyer denied knowing about the 2015 case but says he did address a previous incident in 2009 and recommended counseling for the couple. smith was fired last week after a protective order was issued. and we may hear from cbs chairman les moonves for the first time today since that bombshell report on his alleged sexual misconduct. now, moonves could speak on an earnings call with investors this afternoon. cbs has now hired two law firms to investigate harassment and assault claims made by at least six women. government forecasters have a grim prediction about those wildfires in the west. they're now forecasting above average temperatures across the region for the next three months.

california's governor is warning about what he calls a new normal as 16 large fires burn across the state covering 500 square miles. and now let's take a look at your forecast for this thursday morning. good morning. downpours continue for thursday from boston to new york, d.c., raleigh, atlanta, all the way down towards orlando. we're looking for local heavy severe thunderstorms as well as flash flooding and travel disruptions for thursday and going into friday with more flash flooding and travel delays from new york, raleigh down towards atlanta including d.c. the heat persists in the southwest. hazy and hot for california, so the fire problem will continue, and in the northwest we'll have relief along the coast, but that's it. i'm accuweather meteorologist paul williams. coming up, would you give up driving your car for 500 bucks a month? the intriguing offer being made this morning. but first a phone battery bursting into flames on a plane

triggering panic. just how dangerous one battery can be. and new details about the brazen daytime heist. thieves stealing the crown jewels of sweden. see where police are now looking for clues. - ( phone ringing ) - big button, and volume-enhanced phones. get details on this state program. visit right now

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take a look at the crown jewels of sweden and now imagine that they're stolen from a church in broad daylight. the thieves smashed into the display case and made off with two crowns and an orb. >> they took off on a bike then on a boat. now an international search is under way. divers are hunting for clues in the lake nearby. experts say the jewels are so recognizable, they'd be nearly impossible to sell.

and back in this country federal authorities have busted a gang of computer hackers that allegedly stole credit card data from the customers of several fast food chains. now, prosecutors say that three ukrainians now under arrest stole the data of more than 15 million credit and debit cards. their hacking campaign allegedly targeted dozens of american businesses including chili's, arby's and chipotle. >> one reason why they've been so efficient and effective is because they're constantly studying security measures being used to stop hacking, and they then very quickly are able to figure out ways to circumvent those security measures. >> officials say the hackers used email attachments to access the networks of those companies and then sold the data. now, experts say to protect yourself from hackers, closely inspect your monthly statements for unusual purchases. we're seeing another example of the danger of lithium ion batteries on airplanes. ryanair flight 2431 had to be evacuated after a cell phone

exploded as it was being charged by a lithium ion battery pack. now, the plane was still on the ground in barcelona, spain, and passengers were able to evacuate safely with the inflatable slides, but a new study finds just one overheated battery could potentially bring down a plane. anthony bourdain's travel series will be returning this fall. cnn has announced that seven new episodes will continue bourdain's legacy. only one show, which was filmed in kenya, was completed before his death, but other episodes will use audio bourdain gathered on location. people in chicago are being asked to give up their cars for cash. the ride-sharing company lyft is offering $550 in credit to people who give up driving their own cars for a month. it's part of a promotion highlights how expensive it is to maintain your car. they will go to 100 people who sign up online. >> sounds like a plan. well, coming up, the parking lot video you have to see. one woman goes above and beyond to return her shopping cart. >> got to get it into the pile.

but first the alleged bait and switch scheme involving more than a dozen moving companies. and next the 20-year grudge that may have been the motive for killing a famous cardiologist. but allstate actually helps you drive safely... with drivewise. it lets you know when you go too fast... ...and brake too hard. with feedback to help you drive safer. giving you the power to actually lower your cost. unfortunately, it can't do anything about that. now that you know the truth... are you in good hands? you wouldn't accept an incomplete job from any one else. why accept it from your allergy pills? most pills don't finish the job because they don't relieve nasal congestion.

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and for chocolate lovers, try rich, creamy lactaid chocolate milk. we're back with a frightening scene near seattle. a worker was taking his 5-year-old son on a ride in a lift bucket when they hit the power lines. the boy is now recovering from serious burns. the father could face charges. and the suspect on the run in the killing of a famous cardiologist has now been identified. >> our houston station reports joseph pappas tried to sell ammunition online just days after the murder of dr. mark hausknecht. abc's danya bacchus has more on the 20-year grudge that police say was behind the murder. >> here is a photo of the suspect. >> reporter: after nearly two weeks of investigating. >> it's important for people to be on the lookout for this man. he's very dangerous. >> reporter: houston police have identified the prime suspect in the death of prominent houston doctor,

mark hausknecht. the 65-year-old who once treated former president george h.w. bush was gunned down on july 20th as he rode his bike to work. police say joseph pappas seen here moments after the shooting may have held a 20-year grudge against the doctor. >> the suspect's mother was a patient of the doctor and died during surgery over 20 years ago. >> reporter: wednesday police raiding a home linked to pappas but finding no sign of him. neighbors say he never did anything suspicious. >> just a regular guy, quiet, okay, kind of stayed to himself as far as i know. >> reporter: investigators say it's possible he once worked in law enforcement, which could explain the suspect's brazen alleged crime. >> there was a lot of planning and sadly some skill. >> reporter: investigators say pappas has been missing for about two days and is possibly suicidal. it's also possible he is on the same bike he allegedly used during the murder. danya bacchus, abc news, los angeles. an investigation is under way outside denver after police

responding to a home invasion ended up killing the homeowner. investigators say 73-year-old gary black who shot a man who had broken into his home but when police arrived they apparently thought he might be an intruder and opened fire. his son now says his father is a hero. >> he lived a hero. he died a hero. i'd be dead. my son would be done. my mom, my daughter, we'd all be dead if it wasn't for him. >> police have confirmed that the same officer who killed black also shot and killed a fleeing suspect just a month ago. missing iowa college student mollie tibbetts has been reportedly spotted at a truck stop north of kansas city. the 20-year-old has been missing for more than two weeks. the sighting was reported more than 200 miles from where tibbetts was last seen. authorities say they have not ruled out anything in this case. and at least 12 people have been indicted in connection with a moving company scam in ten states. hundreds of victims have been reported. prosecutors say the scammers would shut down once they

received complaints and then open another moving company with a different name. they would offer rock bottom prices, then hike up the price once the homeowner's possessions were actually loaded onto the truck. >> well, bbb encourages people whenever possible to have an estimator come to their home and give them a quote based on what they're seeing in the home. they should be giving a pretty accurate quote. >> some of the companies are accused of stealing their customers' belongings and even threatening to auction them off if they didn't get more money. now, here's a woman who did the right thing despite some awful weather conditions. here she is right there putting her groceries into her suv as a powerful storm rages around her, but look at what she does. she puts the cart back in the parking lot corral, mind you, with the trunk open. i don't understand that but she actually may be used to this rough weather. this happened in the small city of hurcane, west virginia. i am not making this up. >> she's being a good citizen.

>> close that trunk. all right, coming up, the next big tv reboot. the furry friend from the '80s that may be making a comeback. also ahead, the key to true happiness, and it's got nothing to do with money. and we check in with the homeless man who was seen shaving in a parking lot before a job interview and got a little help from a police officer. well, he's got a great new story to tell. well, he's got a great new story to tell. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than seven and maintained it. oh! under seven? (vo) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. oh! up to 12 pounds? (vo) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. oh! no increased risk? ♪ ozempic®! ♪ ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes,

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warner brothers. >> the show was about a friendly allen from the planet melmac who crash landed in california and moved in with the tanner family. it aired from '86 to '90. the reboard reportedly centers around alf returning to earth to join a new family. >> i just wonder what that pitch was like. >> hey, guys, let's bring back "alf." the key to happiness. >> yeah, apparently the best advice is to stop scheduling your free time. a professor who studies time management is out with a new study finding that when leisure activity is planned rather than spontaneous, we enjoy it less. >> all right, now he says that when we overschedule leisure activities, we end up treating fun time like it's another item on our to do list. now, a separate study also found that free unscheduled time is crucial for kids and helps their social and emotional development. now i agree with that but then how do you get everything done on your free time? >> exactly. we have to calm down with the calendars and updates. >> yeah, but still. >> maybe loosely scheduling. is that the compromise? >> maybe take a bunch of days off and see how it goes. >> ooh, i like that idea. all right, and now we have

an update on an act of kindness that went viral. >> this is a great story. tallahassee police officer tony carlson was spotted in a parking lot helping a homeless man shave his beard before a job interview at mcdonald's, and we're happy to report mission accomplished. >> yes. phil march is now working under the golden arches sporting his new clean-cut look. the officer presented him with a few gift cards and other goodies. phil will get a free meal every day in addition to his salary. >> i like that act of kindness. you want to see a great selfie. look at this eagle selfie. >> this is a security camera at >> security camera at denver's airport checking out a bald eagle checking out planes taking off. >> looking good, man. >> smile. that might help. show me the carfax. now the car you want and the history you need are easy to find. show me used trucks with one owner. pretty cool. [laughs] ah... ahem... show me the carfax.

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gentle means love. the new johnson's®. good morning, south bay. let's get up and get going. >> this is "abc 7 mornings." >> hi, everyone. good morning, it's thursday, august 2nd. >> i want to point out we dressed in the same color without consulting each other. >> i know. that is awesome. >> nice. >> it's lucky thursday. >> lottery tickets for everybody. >> i hope so. >> at least for us. sorry, guys. >> lottery ticket if you like clean air once again. i heard that, you're not going to share. we have to -- >> is that a purple shirt? >> you and i. >> we're coordinated too. >> in sync. >> okay. it's a purple -- looks kind of blue. >> thought you were special over there. my shirt is purple. >> the winds outside, a nice sea breeze once again. see where the clouds are. they are increasing and you will run into drizzle once again. you can see it hanging in the air from our roof cam.

here's a look at my accuweather 12-hour planner which you can download any time, our accuweather app it's free. temperatures in the 50s, same at the coast all day, 74 around the bay to 86 inland. not as warm as yesterday. here's alexis. >> good morning, mike. we are starting off very quiet on the roads. in fact, incident free. i don't see that very often, but we are starting off that way anyway, starting off with a little backup in the cash lanes here as well for the bay bridge toll plaza. so if you are cruising through with fastrack no issues there, little wait for cash and we should have about an hour to go until they turn the metering lights on. stop-and-go traffic out of tracy. 17 at 580 closer to altamont pass. >> thousands of fires are continuing to battle 19 wildfires across california. >> close to home, crews are struggling to gain ground on the mendocino complex fires which consist of the ranch fire and river fire. but now there's a new fire as well. the western fire broke out

yesterday afternoon off highway 101 south of hopland. the western fire has burned 45 acres and 50% contained. the mendocino sheriff's office is warning res dentz to be ready to evacuate if they feel unsafe. >> back to the mendocino complex fires. the ranch and river fires burned nearly 95,000 acres, the larger ranch fire is 15% contained, while the river fire is 38% contained. last night hundreds of evacuees gathered in kelseyville for a community meeting hoping to find out when they will go back home. >> what we don't want to do is put people back in their homes that have been evacuated for a week and have something go bad on the incident where we have to turn around and re-evacuate. >> i've always tried to be the strong one to not show how worried i am, you know, but we're getting by. >> 14 homes have burned so far. cal fire is hoping to have full containment by tuesday. >> and cal fire hopes to hold a

community meeting today to update neighbors affected by the deadly carr fire burning in shasta and trinity counties now scorching 121,000 acres of land. it's about the size of the city of san jose. cal fire says the carr fire is 35% contained as of this morning. the number of structures destroyed is still at 1400. all 60 people reported missing in the fire zone have been located. some evacuated residents were allowed back into their homes yesterday. the carr fire creating its own weather system making it a challenge for firefighters to really predict which way that fire is spreading. it's really been a challenge. >> let's go to our weather expert, meteorologist mike nicco. what do they face today? >> what they're facing right now is pretty calm conditions, at least the environmental weather is calm. but what happens during the day, and also at night the heat is