i'm tom llamas in new york stay right there more news on the way more news oy back on american soil. those held in iran back with their families today a boat in flames, and no one hurt, including 30 people, children, leaping for their lives to escape the fire

how witnesses scrambled to get them to safety when was the last time you spoke to a human when it came to customer service even if you thought you were, it might have been a bot. why customers are fed up and how can you get a real person on the phone. o. olive oil crimes on the rise in europe. how the illegal evoo could impact your dinner angels in the outfields, but moms in the stands it's wednesday, september 20, "early today" starts right now >> good wednesday morning to you, i'm jessica layton. >> i'm frances rivera. we begin with moments of pure joy at a virginia army base where five americans were finally reunited with their families after spending as long as eight years detained in iranian custody. now president biden is sending new warnings to iran

our peter alexander has the latest [ applause ] >> reporter: the emotional homecoming five americans back on u.s. soil, touching down outside washington after a nearly 24-hour journey that brought them back from iran where the u.s. says they had been wrongry detained for years. >> five and a half years >> reporter: on the tarmac, tears of joy and relief. >> we've been apart for eight years, and finally we're together just completely unbelievable >> reporter: president biden hours later addressing the united nations, making mo mention of the freed americans but delivering this stern message to iran. >> iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon >> reporter: their return, after a controversial prisoner swap where the u.s. also unfroze $6 billion in iranian money that the white house says can only be spent on humanitarian needs. >> freedom >> reporter: republicans say it

was a ransom that will encourage more americans to be detained. here at the u.n., president biden with ukraine's president zelenskyy in attendance, warning of the consequences if world leaders don't stay united against russia >> we have to stand up to this negative aggression today and deter would-be aggressors tomorrow >> reporter: one poll shows the majority of americans oppose authorizing more military aid for ukraine and many republican lawmakers do, too. >> where's the accountability and the money we already spent what is the plan for victory i think that's what the american public wants to know >> reporter: but the president remains adamant. >> to allow ukraine to be carved up is the independence of any nation secure? i'd respectfully suggest the answer's no! >> reporter: note bably absent,

putin and xi. >> those children in russia are taught to hate ukraine, and all ties with their families are broken, and this is clearly a genocide >> our thanks to peter for that report in russia, a court has declined to consider the latest appeal from a detailed wall street journal reporter. evan gershkovich has been held in moscow for espionage. he denies any wrongdoing, a date has yet to be set for his trial. speaking to reporters, u.s. ambassador to russia lynne tracy called it unacceptable that he and fellow prisoner paul whelan remain detained on baseless charges, saying the u.s. will not rest until they are home safe

in a new court filing, lawyers for hunter biden say he will plead not guilty to felony gun charges. he was indicted last week on three counts the filing also requests that his arraignment be held virtually. attorney abe lowell wrote in the filing that biden is not seeking special treatment and wants to minimize the burden on government resources an in-person appearance would require. a date for the arraignment has not been set senator tommy tuberville is planning a one-time work around on his own hold on military nominations. later today, the republican from alabama will attempt to force a floor vote to confirm the new calm dau commandant for the marine courp.

chuck schumer has refused to put individual military nominees on the floor. arguing that it could set a damaging precedent for the chamber. a mexican transportation company says it is halting service on some trains due to the ongoing migrant crisis the railroad operator said it would shut down trains that travel north toward the u.s., as thousands of migrants hitch rides on the way to the u.s.-mexico border they cited a recent increase in migrant travel and this is intended to avoid accidents or loss of life at least half a dozen migrants have been injured or killed traveling on their trains in recent days. police are searching for answers after the shocking murder of an entire family near chicago. the victims have been identified as alberto larhone and the

family, with their dogs also killed the victims were all found sunday night investigators are asking for more help from the public, including doorbelllllllllllllllo that area. a high school band director in alabama is speaking out after be tased by police during a football game. they added text to the footage, which does include moments some may find disturbing. officers say they were trying to clear out a stadium but the director refused to stop his band from playing. things escalated as mims was taken into custody police say mims refused to put his hands behind his back. and video shows him be tased several times and falling to the ground he faces several charges including disorderly incumbent his lawyer says officers used excessive force and wrongfully arrested him

he is having trouble sleeping and his students are devastated. now to a dramatic rescue caught on camera in arizona. a houseboat on lake powell burst thoog g /*ing into flames with nearly 30 people on that boat everyone made it out alive >> reporter: a miracle rescue on the water. video shows a houseboat on arizona's lake powell engulfed in flames. nearly 30 people, including children as young as 2 months old on board the blaze consume the vessel a column of black smoke arising over the lake. jake and court ney cahoon were n a boat with their family nearby. people on board throwing themselves into the lake to escape the flames. >> jake realized we have to get as close as we can to get these people onto our boat but in the channel the water was really rough >> reporter: a patrol boat and others rushing to their aid,

pulling survivors from the choppy waters to safety. >> it could have been such a different outcome. it's so important to be there for each other, check on each other. >> reporter: the boat ultimately burning down to its hull and sinking. somehow though one was injured >> after it was all over we were very teary-eyed. >> reporter: investigators are working to find out why this floating home went up in flames. now to a little bit of summer sticking around for the great lakes. but down south storms are on the way. ang ji ang angie lassman has her eye on what's on the way. >> the 90s are a little farther south. dallas, 96 degrees we look at parts of the great lakes.

mid-80s for minneapolis. chicago had head to the 80s later today as well. this will be something that we'll see stay in place in this region for a couple more days. upper 70s for milwaukee. indianapolis hits low 80s. even as we get into the weekend it will stay fairly mild nashville hangs out into the 80s. we've got strong storms possible in this same region and heavy rain, localized amounts of 2 to 4 inches and the potential for large hail later today and gusty winds centered around on okay and arkansas and we've got nigel off the coast of africa. we'll wait and see what happens with that system we're watching one off the southeast coasthat couldt

a steamy 98 for the high 93 in s in shreveport are you tired of talking to bots when it comes to customer service? >> yes, i am we have tips to get you talking to a real person coming up next. to a real person coming up next. . with two times more menthol per drop, and powerful vicks vapors to vaporize sore throat pain. vicks vapocool drops. vaporize sore throat pain. okay everyone, our mission is to provide complete balanced nutrition for strength and energy. woo hoo! ensure, complete balanced nutrition with 27 vitamins and minerals. and ensure complete with 30 grams of protein. ♪ ♪ [♪♪] with 30 grams of protein. did you know, sweat from stress is actually smellier than other kinds of sweat? that's why i use secret clinical antiperspirant. it provides 3x stress sweat protection.

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not his fault. but that's really the only way to get their attention >> reporter: customer service is becoming less human. >> the less organizations spend on service the more profitable they are >> reporter: and that's making the rest of us crazy he wrote a bock about it his research says -- >> just pre2020, customer dissatisfaction was about 56%. from 2021 on it's 66%. >> reporter: two out of three people are reporting dissatisfaction with customer service? >> that's correct. >> reporter: ticketmaster says they are ramping up support. but the problem remains. it's becoming harder to get help from a human >> when company reeseies remove0 number, they're saying we don't want you to call >> reporter: they have robot voices to answer calls and solve simple problems where they k

this canadian driver needed his cartowed and an agent dispatched a truck >> we expect a service vehicle to reach you within 39 minutes >> reporter: when i spoke with an agent about scheduling an eye appointment it mostly worked >> should i book that appointment for you? >> reporter: yes, but i'm 6'7" and i have a big head. will your equipment fit hme >> i have successfully booked your appointment >> reporter: so much for the big head, huh? >> we try not to fake being humans i just want to get out of way so the agents are able to deal with more complex issues. >> reporter: aren't we paying one way or another >> we pay a huge amount of administrative fees to them, but yet there's nobody, there are no people to talk to. >> reporter: some customer service systems truly are an

unbreakable jail still he recommends these tips that might get you a human on the phone. if there's a sales o sales obje th option. say you want to cancel your service. or press 9 repeatedly. when customer service fails you, vote with your wallet. don't buy from them again. >> so true we want to take a look at a different robot here marking a major milestone. nasa's cure kwiosity rover you can probably tell bit y the names, this is not easy terrain to traverse. it can get down to business

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released their nominees for the class of 2024. among the 173 names are nine first-timers those nine players in this first year of eligibility combined for 42 pro pole sebowl selections ae super bowl titles. >> we can study this right here until then o. we w we take to you tampa for this home run for the angels he didn't celebrate much, but watch his mom. there she is she celebrated she danced into the aisle after her son sent that ball into the bleachers. it is the first time the rookie played a major league game in his home state of florida as he walks out with a moment that his family will not forget a childhood dream to hit one of those right in front of his family n f

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that they had stolen two trucks worth of the oil system. >> reporter: local reports say thieves stole 13,000 gallons of olive oil, worth almost half a million dollars. and it comes after a string of messy olive oil-related crimes across the country earlier this year, mess caught someone transporting stolen olives, which led them to this illicit oil mill officials seized tans ks and arrested more than a dozen people and local media reporting another incident with olive oil spilled all over the floor, about $50,000 slipping away. so why is olive oil such a sizzling hot target now? because prices are burning up. spain is the world's biggest olive oil producer and exporter, with rising heat,ity orchards are parched. >> the olive tree is very sad,

very try adry and a great lack water. >> reporter: she owns an olive orclard in spain and says it's gotten worse and worse with years of drought >> the lower twigs have no olives just four olives in the top and the olive tree dry, as you can see. >> reporter: and not enough olives means not enough olive oil. spain's olive oil production so far this season is about half of what it was last year. and you can see global prices of olive oil shot up, reaching $8900 a ton this year, according to the u.s. department of agriculture. >> translator: it's not normal, the oil at this point because of the prices we have when they are normal like how they always are, it doesn't interest anyone to come and steal it >> reporter: and it's not just spain. dry weather across the mediterranean is driving higher prices with production expected to take

a spill in places like italy and greece, according to industry analysts plus, turkey is suspending bulk olive oil experts until november 1st to keep up its own supply. experts are already worried about next year's crop, with more hot and dry weather to come there's no end in sight. >> our thanks to claudio lavanga. we'll have to adjust our recipes, i useo much s

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