we know susan land, in the seat of longman, is hosting a -- espousing a policy that would refer backo the disaster under labor. under the labour party, under the labour party they would undo each of the successful pillars of operation sovereign borders that have seen children no longer drowning at sea, drowning -- in detention. we have closed those centers. and susan land and others should start to be honest with the people of longman, that the labour party is promising a policy with multiple restarts, where kids will be back in detention. that is the reality of what labor is promising. mr. speaker, the facade the labour party has put up no longer stands. the left is taking control, and it is clear in the opposition they have lost control of border protection and the people of longman get it. they know trevor is the only candidate in the election that stands for strong border protection. is an eye watering figure. how much the international space agency is worth overall but australia doesn't have one, no official government agency anyway. the government wants to tap into that and cre

james longman with us tonight. james, our thanks to you. and one more headline on this tonight, the parents. we learned today that they have not been able to see their children yet, the ones that have been rescued already. hard to imagine waiting this long, even after your child has been pulled out. so, let's bring in matt gutman, also on the scene for us tonight. and matt, i read today for these parents, the agonizing wait continues. there was also word of perhaps a glass wall being put up so they can actually see their children inside the hospital? >> reporter: there's an enormous concern for infection, david. these boys have been in that cave for so long that their immune systems have been compromised. so right now, they're being quarantined, sequestered from their parents, and even as they were brought out of the cave, thai navy s.e.a.l.s told us they had masks on their face to prevent any of the rescue teams from infecting them from any other diseases. now, that agonizing wait continues, as the parents are told that possibly at some po

matt gutman, james longman. our thanks to our entire team on the ground and the heroic work of all of those divers. tonight, right here, step by step, this triumphant rescue, 18 days. and the boys, their families and how they ended up at that cave in the first place. a remarkable special edition of "20/20" tonight, 9:00 p.m. eastern. i'll see you then. >>> but in the meantime, we're going to move to the other breaking news at this hour. from los angeles tonight, a plume of smoke hovering over parts of that city. the fire breaking out late today, forcing the evacuation of the famous griffith park observatory. you can see flames burning close, actually, to the crowds who were right there in the popular park. but again, we've learned that observatory has been shut down tonight. this comes amid the intense heat in the west. so, let's get right to chief meteorologist ginger zee, she's tracking the fire, the conditions and the tropical storm that became a hurricane today off the east coast. but ginger, first, the fire

matt gutman, james longman. incredit skrecredit shl work fr there. we want you to know, we have a special "20/20" tomorrow night, 9:00 p.m. eastern, right here. the world watching and hoping as the final rescues are now under way. >>> but we do turn to the other major story tonight. president trump's primetime announcement, just a short time from now. his pick for the supreme court. the president preparing to reveal his nominee, filling the seat vacated by justice anthony kennedy. president trump believed to have their roped the list to four possible contenders, reaching his final decision just today. if confirmed, and there is little the democrats could do, it could shift the court for a generation. abc's terry moran standing by at the supreme court tonight. >> reporter: president trump took it right down to the wire. calling trusted aides and friends even this morning after admitting to reporters yesterday he was still mulling over his supreme court pick. >> let's saw it's the four people, but they're excellent. every one. you can't go wrong. but i

matt gutman, james longman. our thanks to the team on the ground and the heroic work of all the divers. tonight, step by step, this rescue, the boys and their families and how they ended up in that cave in the first place. a remarkable version of "20/20" tonight, 9:00 p.m. eastern. i'll see you then. >>> breaking news tonight from los angeles. a plume of smoke hovering over parts of that city. the fire breaking out late today, forcing the evacuation of the famous griffith park observatory. blames burning close to the crowds. we've learned that observatory has been shut down tonight. this comes amid the intense heat in the west. so, let's get right to chief meteorologist ginger zee, tracking the fire, the conditions and the tropical storm that became a hurricane today off the east coast. but ginger, first, the fire and that heat. >> reporter: yes, intense heat and very dry conditions. david, let's look right at the maps. the relative humidity we have plotted on here, that brown and white, extremely dry. bakersfie

and james longman who has been outside that cave since the beginning. tonight, you're seeing something new outside the cave? >> reporter: that's right, tom. something feels very different here tonight. you can see new green covers outside the cave entrance, there are police patrolling for the first time and they have penned off the press. it's impossible to know what this means. but it does feel like a new sense of urgency here tonight. tom. >> james longman with that increased activity out there tonight. james, thank you. >>> and we move on to those high-level talks between north korea and the u.s. appearing to hit a major snag tonight. north korea slamming talks with u.s. secretary of state mike pompeo as deeply regrettable and cancerous, accusing washington of making gangster-like demands, those are their words, on its nuclear weapons program. but pompeo characterizing the talks as, quote, productive. abc's tara palmeri reporting from the region tonight. >> reporter: there were signs of trouble for secretary of state mike pompeo when the latest nucle

>> james longman for us tonight. james, thank you. >>> back here in the state us, to the neighborhood on lockdown in a suburb of kansas city. people told to lock your doors. heavily armed police tracking down a gunman who shot two coworkers and then car jacked an suv. police say it all began with an argument at a construction site at a school that spiraled out of control, and tonight, one of those workers is dead. here's abc's alex perez. >> reporter: just outside kansas city today, moments of chaos and panic. >> advising a shooting, possibly two patients. >> reporter: after a construction crew working on this elementary school playground got into a disagreement. one of the workers pulling out a gun, firing at two other workers. one of them in critical condition tonight, the other, later, dying. >> there was an argument that took place, and then, next thing you know, there was some shooting. >> reporter: the gunman, identified by police as anthony grable, fleeing, leading police on a frantic manhunt. unsuccessfully t

james longman back with us again tonight. you're outside the hospital there, james. we saw the images, relatives looking through the glass. hard to believe they're still waiting to hug those boys. but you learned today that they were at least able to get a little closer? >> reporter: that's right, david. but they're still only able to get as close as six feet. and when their mothers saw them, they had to wear protective clothing. we are told the boys are still working their way towards solid food and they'll be here at the hospital for at least another five days. david? >> all right, just amazing reporting from you, james, and the entire team there. we thank you again tonight. >>> in the meantime, back here at home now, and to the deadly gas explosion in downtown sun prairie, wisconsin. arst responders had already th.elineut lk the massive blast occurred, killing a fire captain there and injuring several others. tonight, nearly the entire block is now gone, and families are being told at this hour it is still unsafe to return. abc's alex perez from the scene tonight.

and abc news reporter james longman is on the scene. low clouds are moved in just next to the cave. rain started to fall hard. clear why they are begun the rescue now. keep the boys in your thoughts athey begin the long journey to freedom. and breaking developments on the rescue mission. >>> developing news on the wildfires burning across the state. three of the largest destruck tif right now in san diego county, and county. >> you are looking at a map of 12 fires burning today in the state. the fires combined have charred 199 square miles of land. the only one in the bay area is the county fire that is now 55% contained tonight. wildfires have destroyed 85 buildings, including several homes and one person died near the oregon border. >> the hope the conditions will improve to form. >> cornell bernard on how they are assisting the effort. >> reporter: a major firefighter is on where the fire has burned 33 square miles marching across state lines in oregon. >> active fire behavior yesterday and the fire more than doubled in size yesterday. a very significant omt of smoke. >> reporter

abc's james longman is in thailand. >> reporter: if freedom tastes like anything here, it's kentuckyspices. >> we have the special kfc. >> reporter: that's what 14-year-old adil dreamed about while trapped in the cave, hoping to be rescued. he says every night before going to sleep he got on his knees. here in the small baptist church he grew up in, it seems his and so many others' prayers were answered. ♪ since the end of a big celebration here, boys all over this area, their families are welcoming them home. just an extraordinary atmosphere. all over town last night, those 12 young boys who were separated from their families, stuck in a dank, dark cave for almost three weeks, finally going home. the boy nicknamed tee, swarmed by relatives, sleepy but strong. >> hello, how are you? you're happy? >> yes. >> how are you feeling? >> reporter: hours earlier flashing wide grins. clad in their uniforms, the wild boars soccer team suited up at long last. triumphally walking through the halls of the hospital that's been their home over a week, saying good-byes to the staff that carefully nu

abc's james longman is at the cave site in thailand. >> how many of you?>> 13. >> reporter: images everyone hoped but no one expected to see. 12 boys and their found alive inside this cave in thailand. >> we're coming. it's okay. many people are coming. we are the first. many people come. >> reporter: the boys, ranging in age from 11 to 16, had been feared dead after they went soccer coach in the tham luang nang non cave in the mountains of northern thailand. now the world watched in disbelief as the group, still in their soccer jerseys, huddled together two miles inside the caves. someone in the group asks how long they've been down there. >> you have been here ten days. ten days. you are very strong. very strong. >> reporter: the sound of water and the darkness of the video an indication of just how far and how deep into the earth the team of english divers had to go to find them. those divers reassuring them that more help is on the way. >> we're coming. we're coming. navy s.e.a.l.s are coming with food and doctor and everything. >> we're very happy. >>

so let's go to james longman.ames, we were listening to matt talk there about this rescue in process. while it is great news that two boys, we have confirmed -- abc news has confirmed, have been brought out alive, what makes this news even cheerier, is we've been told that they're starting with the weakest boys. so if they're able to get the weakest boys out, doesn't that give us some optimism about the rest of the team and the coach? >> reporter: absolutely, dan. that is the thing that everyone here is thinking. i can't tell you the anticipation we have been feeling here in the jungle watching this road behind me. when those ambulances came out, the shock here was just extraordinary. we knew it was coming. but remember, when we first arrived here in thailand, we thought these boys were missing, presumed dead, now the weakest among them, as you say, have now been found. we watched as the ambulances flickered through the night, the first and second very slowly to in this case sure their precious cargo was okay insi

abc's james longman on the scene for us again tonight. >> reporter: tonight, the time for waiting is over. originally ruled out as too dangerous, rescuers now believe they may have no choice but to dive the trapped boys through the maze of flooded passageways. the new danger, low oxygen levels in that cave posing a significant threat to their survival. officials say there is a limited amount of time to get the boys and their coach out with flooding rains closing in. >> the storm is coming. now, you have a more dangerous because of you have a lot of water inside. >> reporter: thai navy s.e.a.l.s propose to use a buddy dive system, one experienced diver paired with one boy, guiding them on that treacherous journey. nearly three miles to the mouth of the cave, extended distances are completely understood war. the risky operation could begin n internal us government port obtained by abc news. the u.s., part of the international effort on the ground. the death of a former thai navy s.e.a.l. overnight, a stark reminder of the perils they will face. 38-year-old saman kunan losing consciousn

abc's james longman is in thailand at the cavesite to lead us off. >> reporter: the pictures the world was holding its breath for. >> how many of you? >> 13. >> 13? brilliant. >> reporter: and the voices they'd waited to hear. >> thank you! >> reporter: 12 school boys, aged 11 to 16, and their soccer coach, found alive tonight on their tenth day in a flooded thai cave. >> we are coming. it's okay. >> it's okay. >> many people are coming. >> many, many, people. >> we are the first. many people coming. >> reporter: rescue flashlights breaking their long darkness. the boys with no idea how long they'd been underground. >> what day is it? >> monday. >> okay, one week -- and monday. you have been here ten days. ten days. you are very strong. very strong. >> reporter: strong in spirit, but physically, they're weak. some are able to stand, though. "thank you, thank you," the boys repeat. outside, the word spread quickly. we've just got the news that the boys have been found. it's incredible news. thailand's prayers have paid off. their parents had sat waiting at the cave entrance for days. to

abc's james longman has the latest. >> reporter: one at a time the trapped boys introduced themselveso the world. and send a message. my health is good. they all say. this young boy making sure he gets his turn. hey, me too he says. a big smile though it's now their 12th day underground. their parents gathering to watch their children. this mother saying i'm dying to see him. i miss my son. a team of navy s.e.a.l.s including doctors volunteering to stay with the boys. in this video we see them huddled under warming blankets as medics tend to cuts on their legs and feet. hanging in there, a volunteer asks. a sign, "v for victory but the battle is not over yet. the challenge, keeping them healthy, mentally and physically until rescue teams come up with a plan to get them out. you can hear a small voice asking what time will we get to eat? you take a look. you can see those thai navy s.e.a.l.s who have come back with their oxygen tanks. there are hundreds involved going in and out of that cave every day. placing extra oxygen tanks along the route. one possibility stwiping the boys out. a

abc's james longman was there for the boys' emotional homecoming. >> reporter: if freedom tastes like anything here in mai sai, it's kentucky fried chicken's 11 herbs and spices. >> so tonight we have special gifts. >> reporter: that's what 14-year-old adul dreamed about while trapped in the cave hoping to be rescued. he says every night before going to sleep, he got on his knees. and here in the small baptist church he grew up in, it seems his and so many others' prayers were answered. ♪ hallelujah this is the end of a big celebration here and the boys all over this area, their families are welcoming home. it's just such an extraordinary atmosphere. those 12 young boys separated from their families stuck in a dank, dark cave for almost three weeks finally going home. tea swarmed by his relatives, sleepy. but strong. >> hello. how are you? you're happy. >> yeah. >> how are you feeling? [ speaking a foreign language ] >> reporter: just hours earlier flashing wide grins, clad in their uniforms, the wild boars soccer team suited up at long last. triumphantly walking through the halls of

here's james longman. >> reporter: with monsoon rains closing in, the race is on.in that thai cave drilling through rock, laying pipes, constructing a dam to divert water, and that could make a crucial difference. it will remove drastically more water than the pumps alone. the goal is to reduce the water level inside to give the boys a chance to escape. areas in front of the cave previously only accessible by drivers now passable by foot. but part of that maze includes chambers filled to the ceiling with water. narrow areas they will try to expand. right now diving is off the table, the fear that they can panic. the danger too great. look how rough the current is. this professional fighting to hang onto guide ropes, the latest plan is to float the boys out when the water recedes. they must work quickly. the heavy rain could begin in the next 24 hours, five to eight inches forecast in the region. >> when the rain come, the water in the cave is going to fill up, okay. and it's going to be hard for the navy s.e.a.l. to try to take the kid out. >> reporter: we travel t

james longman, abc news, thailand. >> james, thank you. incredible story. >>> and now to a health alert this morning about cervical cancer screening. a new study finds hpv tests may be better than pap smears at catching cervical cancer in its early stages. researchers say the less common hpv test is simpler and nearly 95% accurate, however, many experts are skeptical about relying only on one testing for the human papillomavirus. they say using the hpv test in addition to the pap smear is still preferred. >>> the world cup resumes friday after a dramatic second round. sweden got a little luck scoring a deflected goal right there against switzerland. that was actually all they needed. sweden won it, 1-0. and then it was england and colombia going to a penalty kick shootout. oh, man, the goalie there with the save of his life then england scoring right here. the winner sparking a wild celebration on the field and back home where the beer was flowing on a 24-hour basis. >> the beer was flowing into people's mouths and also all over them. >> e

james longman joins us now from outside that cave. and james, we heard in your report about that forecast, more rain coming. and the risk of that cave flooding again? >> reporter: yes, tom. remember, these boys got stuck in that cave because of flash flooding in the first place. so, authorities here are watching the weather closely. anymore water in that cave is very dangerous. it could destroy the progress they've made and threaten those boys still sitting on that muddy bank. tom? >> so many will be monitoring that incoming weather there in thailand. james, thank you. >>> back here at home, and we're tracking our own weather. heat alerts in 20 states at this hour, from maine to california. temperatures rising in the west, where dozens of wildfires are now burning. the newest, near aspen, colorado, ballooning in the past 24 hours. more neighborhoods evacuated this morning. and across the region, thousands of people have been forced from their homes. abc's clayton sandell is in the fire zone in colorado tonight. >> reporter: tonight, t

and james longman joins us now from outside that cave in northern thailand. james, we've reported they were there for ten days. how did those boys manage to survive for so long? >> well, tom, experts tell us, they managed to survive because of the sheer heat in that cave. about 100 degrees inside. which means they didn't have to worry about hypothermia. also, they were able to drink, because of fresh water seeping through cracks in the rock. >> incredible, the heat actually saved them. and james, i understand a doctor was part of that dive team and is now treating them inside the cave? >> reporter: that's right. the medic is a trained scuba diver, and he is now spending the night with the group inside, tending to their needs, making sure that they can build up their strength, because it is a long trek to get back out of that cave tonight. tom? >> such an incredible moment there. james, thank you to you and your team for your reporting. >>> now to the abc news exclusive, george stephanopoulos one-on-one with president trump's former long-time personal attorney

abc's james longman is there. >> reporter: hope is growing in thailand tonight, more than a week after a soccer coach and his team went missing. less rain is allowing rescuers to go deeper into the flooded tunnels where the group is believed to have vanished. as soldiers stage practice runs of what a rescue operation might look like, engineers today doubling the number of pumps bringing out water. 60 of them now working to clear the cave. and this is the aim. there are four known caverns immediately inside the complex. the fourth is believed to be higher than the water level, and where they hope the team is stranded. if the rain holds, that's where rescuers want to get to tomorrow, although it's a lot further inside. but every possibility is being explored in this massive operation that includes a u.s. military search and rescue team. all over these mountains, small groups of scouts like these have been sent ahead to find openings to the caves from above because they have been so badly flooded down below. this geologist told me his team can scan 200 yards down into the earth, looking f

james longman is there. >> reporter: one at a time, the trapped boys introduce themselves to the worldsend a message. my health is good, they all say. this young boy making sure he gets his turn. hey, me too, he says, a big smile. it's now their 12th day underground. their parents gathering to watch their children. this mother saying i'm dying to see him. i miss my son. a team of navy s.e.a.l.s., including doctors volunteering to stay with the boys. in this video, we see them huddled under blanket as medics tend to cuts on their feet. this sign, v for victory. but it is not over yet for the boys and their soccer coach, the challenge, keeping them healthy, mentally and physically until rescue crews come up with a way to get them out. you can hear a sll voiceki wt t eat? you see those thai navy s.e.a.l.s. you can see them there with their oxygen tanks. there are hundreds going in and out every day. they're placing extra oxygen tanks across the route. one possibility, swimming the boys out. it's a perilous trip even for the most experienced divers. there's concern that the boys who don't

james longman has been in thailand since news broke the boys were trapped.. >> reporter: we're ready the today is d-day for the operation. facing depleted air supply and monsoon rains, they entered the cave saturday night. it will take five hours to reach the boys and six to bring them back, including an hour's break. each of the boys will go on what's called a buddy dive, hauled one by one. using a jackhammer, crews have avoid the boys putting their heads under the sawyer turface. the first leg is the most challenging. thai officials saying the boys know this is a dangerous journey and their parents know the risks as well. to think these kids -- we thought they were dead. i mean, i'm sorry it's just -- you know, we arrived here thinking there was no way they were going to get these boys out. we were in that camp in the blazing sunday after day.day.da. the parents were in a tent nearby, waiting, many of them crouched around the television that was in there hoping to see their boys. and i've got to tell you, when a lot of us arrived, the international types w

james longman, abc news, thailand. >> you can only imagine the excitement of those parents now.al rescue mission wrapped up just in the nick of time. >> officials say a crucial pump failed after the coach was pulled out of that cave, and the remaining divers had to flee as water gushed into it. matt gutman with these details. >> reporter: according to the thai military officials who were directly involved in the operation, after those navy s.e.a.l.s. and the other rescuers got the other boys, coach and s.e.a.l.s. out of the cave, other rescuers and about 80 or 90 thai s.e.a.l.s. were in there picking up equipment when suddenly the main pump that had been taking out hundreds of millions of gallons gave way. suddenly the third cavern began to fill with water, then the second and the first. and they had to flee for their lives and abandon all of their equipment, leaving hundreds of air tanks behind. they said it was incredibly harrowing and a disaster narrowly averted. >> we're also learning this morning that they're each going to get a health card that they can carry with them to

. >> abc news foreign correspondent james longman has been in thailand since news broke the boys wereissing. james explains why the boys and their soccer coach went to that cave in the first place. >> reporter: this was a place where many people in thailand, in this part of thailand, come. it was a place that this particular soccer team and their coach liked to come to hang out, to see how far and then come back. as you say, 2.9 miles. and then the flash floods came. they went in there when it was dry. if you think about the land, when it is dry and compact earth like that, there is no rain, then suddenly it comes straight down and runs into the tunnels, and in two hours it flooded. they found themselves in that cave unable to get out. for days and days no one knew where they were, they didn't have any idea that they were alive. the press when those two british divers popped up in the cavern where they were, on the muddy bank, we saw the amazing images of the boys sitting cross-legged on the bank, looking at them and smili. there was jubilation but then real concern because the water

>> james longman, we appreciate it.nk you. >>> we turn to matt gutman who is also in thailand and you spoke with some of those boys' teammates who did not go into the cave. >> reporter: that's right. but first i just want to give you a sense of where we are. that soccer field behind me is where this team used to practice a couple of times a week. and it's also from where they left on that ill-fated trip to the cave. now you can see behind me it's where two helicopters are based here as a landing pad for those rescue choppers behind me. those team members said they were only not in the cave with their friends right now in the cold and damp because one got sick and the other was up all night watching the world cup. but what is chilling about this is that they say they have been in that cave multiple times, one of them going three miles in farther than those boys are right now. and literally in those very same caverns. but they always seem to come out. one thing i mentioned is that they would stay in there for six hours at

thanks to james longman and the rest of the team in thailand. we want to tell you that we here at abc news will continue the cover the story throughout the day right here on abc news and abc news.com. we want to move on right now to another big story this morning. it involves new developments in the nuclear talks with north korea. >> secretary of state mike pompeo spoke to reporters overnight responding to harsh charges from the north koreans after holding high-level talks with top officials. tara palmeri is traveling with the secretary in vietnam this morning. >> reporter: secretary of state mike pompeo firing back after the north koreans accused him of being quote gangster-like in his demands for denuclearization. >> if those requests were gangster-like, the world is a gangster. >> reporter: calling the talks deeply regrettable. pompeo claiming the thort koreans were negotiating in god faith. saying they never pushed back. >> let me make clear, north korea reaffirmed its commitment to complete denuclearization. >> reporter: it's the first high

. >> reporter: my colleague, james longman, spoke to a rescue worker. >> maybe one or two days and theproblem with the flood in the cave. >> will they move them before the storm? >> yes. >> definitely? >> yes. >> reporter: inside the cave, the dire issue of oxygen. there's about 400 rescuers at any given time. the air supply is diminishing rapidly. >> we have to try to set the plan and find which plan is the best for the front line. >> reporter: now they are racing against time. clearing obstacles, draining water in the cave to give the boys a fighting chance to escape. they're laying pipes, building a dam. this area between the second and third chamber now passable on foot. and they're even drilling through rock. officials saying they're taking some of their cues from the 2010 rescue of the chilean miners. that rescue took over a month to complete. this week one of those who was rescued, mario sepulveda known as super mario, sent well wishes to the team. >> reporter: at this school where six of the boys studied, morning meditation for a safe rescue. what you're seeing right now is a p

. >> reporter: my colleague james longman among the first foreign journalists to witness the massivemission. >> there were rescuers and volunteers everywhere. if you look up there,oxygen tan stacked outside the entrance to the cave. those are for the divers. >> reporter: by midweek nearly 50 pumps brought in, at this point working furiously to drain the cave. in one cavern ceilings soar like a buddhist temple, in the next, nothing more than a crawl space. somewhere in this six-mile labyrinth, the missing teens. on day nine an electrifying discovery. those british divers surface deep inside the mountain -- >> how many of you? 13? brilliant. >> reporter: all 12 long-lost boys and their coach gather together, exhausted, hungry, but alive. >> many people are coming. >> reporter: the families outside the cave are overjoyed. now a new mission begins. getting them out before coming rains fill the already submerged cavern. the worlware surprisingly find them in relatively good health. >> my health is good. >> reporter: of the many options considered, the most viable one was having the boys s

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james longman has been on the scene since the rescue operation began. >> reporter: rescuers said from the beginning they did not want to have the boys fully submerge themselves for extended period of time. they used the underwater jackhammer to break down the rock. >> reporter: but rescuers teaching the boys to swim and dive just in case. the governor saying the rescue operation is going better than expected. the royal thai navy s.e.a.l.s confident of success bothing the imagine on facebook saying we will bring the wild bore team how many. officials say the boys and their parents are aware this is a dangerous journey. >> here's a brief history. they went missing on june 23rd hiking in the cave following the game. it's part of a team initiation. they were not located until 10 days later, stranded in the dark tunnels by a sudden and continuous downpour. by friday, oxygen levels were dropping and that moved the rescue mission into high gear. >> abc 7 news reporter cornell bernard joins us live in studio with more. >> you better believe lots of good thoughts and prayers sent to that rescu

james longman has more. >> reporter: four down, nine to go.stage of that rescue operation a success. this new video showing army medics loading the boys into an ambulance on a stretcher. teams urgently resupplying those tunnels with oxygen so divers can begin another trek to bring more of those trapped soccer players to safety. the first signs the day had come, a flurry of activity. we've seen more and more personnel arriving. moments later, the governor with the word. 10:00 a.m., the mission had begun. divers had entered the cave for the first evacuations. these children are strong, he said. they've been briefed on the plan and are ready to come out. the frenzied preparations, helicopters in nearby fields. ambulances up the mountain, gurneys lined up. 18 divers making their way through that maze of rocky caverns and flooded passageways. the world watching this dirt road, listening for sirens. the first ambulances are moving forward. that is the first ambulance. the whole world has been waiting to see this. the whole country. we believe that t

the first boys have been brought to safety and abc's james longman is tracking all the latest. good morning, james. >> reporter: good morning, george. it was quite a moment just about an hour ago when we saw two ambulances thread in a road behind me. i know it's dark now but we saw them thread between the hills here because the cave is just about 500, 600 meters behind me here away from that cave. the first two boys leaving there and have made their way now to the hospital by helicopter. so we understand that the entire operation decided to focus on the weakest of the boys first and so that really does give us hope that the rest of the boys and their coach who remain in that cave could come out just as easily but of course we have a long way to go. the operation consisted of boys in small groups with masks affixed over their whole face with a diver in front and a diver behind of each boy and then they were brought out along the surface. they did not want at any point for those boys to have to dunk their heads under the water and that was the whole debate the whole way through t

james longman, thank you. lot to talk about so let's bring in our chief medical correspondent, dr. jen ashton, along with navy s.e.a.l. and our contributor admiral robert harward. thank you for being here. jen, let me start with you. from a medical standpoint, what are you worried about the most now? >> well, really the basics. you want to know what their air quality is, what their oxygen supply is, hydration, temperature control. their psychological state, their mental and emotional state and their nutritional needs. they're breaking down a lot of muscle even though they're incredibly sedentary so we always want to get an assessment of their current situation, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. >> admiral, let's bring you in. a myriad of different rescue options are being considered. do you honestly feel scuba diving is the best way out? >> no, not necessarily at this point. there may be other means. as you know scuba, you have to carry a lot of equipment. they may be able to get just like the phon

amy. >> james longman, thank you for bringing it to us.ng. >>> a bit of sports history from last night. wnba all-star liz cambage set the league's single-game scoring record. 53 points. leading her dallas wings to a big win over the new york liberty. picture-perfect three-pointer from the top of the key to seal the deal. the hometown fans erupting. teammates celebrating. there it is, there it is. there it is. boom, that was it right there. >> three points. >> she's 6'8". 6'8". >> taller than the other very tall people on that court. >> she's quite a story. australian native. she was an all-star way back in like 2011, sat out for about five years, wasn't really crazy about the team that she was playing for at the time. and then decided to come back. and boy, did it work for her. >> did not lose her touch. >> no, not at all. >>> coming up here a royal reality show. that's what we're hearing duchess meghan's family may do and her father speaking out again after that bombshell interview. >>> and david spade is here with two big new projects an

james longman is back in thailand tonight. >> reporter: the wild boars, the team the whole world supported back in the game tonight trading hospital gowns for soccer jerseys. fit and healthy enough to play again. telling the world about their terrifying ordeal. they say they tried digging out of the cave. after two days, they say hunger set in. so they stayed still to conserve energy. we're learning tonight, despite what officials claimed, the boys do know how to swim. but the waters kept rising. adult here in the front describing the moment they were found. >> how many of you? >> reporter: he said, hearing the british divers was like a miracle. finally, after all this time, they can go home. we caught up with some of the boys. how are you feeling? thi telling us he's happy. and kentucky fried chicken is what he wanted. and this cleansing ceremony, a tradition here. welcoming their lost boy, finally home. when asked what they wanted to be as adults, some said soccer players, of course, but others said s.e.a.l.s, as a way of giving thanks for the thai navy s.e.a.l. who gave his life. david?

james longman, abc news, thailand. >> you know there will be a movie about those boys. >> it will beng if some of them do go on to be navy s.e.a.l.s. >> yes, absolutely. who will play them? scarlett johansson probably. >>> coming up in the next half hour, shark attacks on two children miles apart, where those attacks happened and what we're learning this morning about the kids' conditions. >>> but first, that magical mashup. celebrities and athletes, next on "world news now." on "world news now." lebrities and athletes, next on "world news now." . absorbs faster than the $100, $200, and even $400 cream. feels amazing. i really really love this. i will 100% swap up my moisturizer. can i have it? olay whips. >>> it all went south when she met that boy, he was a bad influence. a real piece of [ bleep ]. >> so do you like-like me? >> i think you're the prettiest girl in the world. >> no, you are. >> so that's a very funny, whoa, "i tonya" spoof starring danica patrick and aaron rodgers at the espy awards in los angeles. >> sports inspiring athletes and of course fashion. marci gonzalez w

james longman leads the coverage from outside the cave. >> reporter: four down. nine to go. tonight, the first critical stage of that rescue operation, a success. this new video showing army medics loading one of the boys into an ambulance on a stretcher. after 16 days trapped in that cave. teams urgently resupplying those tunnels with oxygen so divers can begin another grueling trek, to bring more of those trapped soccer players to safety. the first signs the day had finally come, a flurry of activity near the entrance clearing the camp. >> there's a real sense of momentum building now as we've seen more and more personnel arriving. moments later, the governor with the word. 10:00 a.m., the mission had begun. divers had entered the cave for the first evacuations. these children are strong, he said. they have been briefed on the plan and they are ready to come out. the frenzied preparations, helicopters in nearby fields. ambulances heading up the mountain. the hospital on standby. gurneys lined up. 18 divers making their way through that maze of rocky caverns and flooded pas

james longman is back in thailand tonight. >> reporter: the team the whole world supported. telling the world about their terrifying ordeal. they say they tried digging out of the cave. after two days, they say hunger set in. so they stayed still to conserve energy. we're learning tonight, the boys do know how to swim. but the waters kept rising. adul in front describing the moment they were found. >> how many of you? >> reporter: he said, hearing the british divers was like a miracle. finally, after all this time, they can go home. how are you feeling? tee telling us it's great to go home. and this cleansing ceremony, welcoming their lost boy finally home. when asked what they wanted to be as adults, some said soccer players, but others said s.e.a.l.s, as a way of giving thanks for the thai navy s.e.a.l. who gave his life. >>> and we're learning about the death of a secret serviceman, who suffered a stroke protecting the president. >>> there is still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this wednesday. the shark scare on the east coast. >>> also the plane crash, and the

. >> he spoke with our james longman. >> reporter: a reunion nearly a month in the making. sisters jumping and shouting. titan is finally home! sitting next to his father, the youngest member of that soccer team telling me about the moment ur was rescued. dad was waiting for you outside? i thought my parents would be there, he says. were you surprised when you saw the whole world waiting for you? i was very surprised, yes, he says, with that big smile. the small boy, who joked that thinking about food while they were trapped only made him hungrier says he's eating a lot now. they are taking part in a buddhist ceremony in a temple near the cave. he showed me the holy threads tied on his wrist by the monks and his family to help relieve his spirit. and they are going to spend some time as monks themselves as a way of giving thanks. james longman, abc news, thailand. >>> most americans are getting ready to live it up on friday night and enjoying their weekend. >> in new zealand, workers at one company are already on their second day of happy hour. more than 200 employees of pe

abc's james longman is on the scene. >> reporter: one at a time, the trapped boys introduce themselves to the world. and send a message. "my health is good," they all say. this young boy, making sure he gets his turn. "hey, me, too," he says. a big smile, though it's now their 12th day underground. their parents gathering to watch their children. this mother saying, "i am dying to see him. i miss my son." a team of navy s.e.a.l.s, including doctors, volunteering to stay with the boys. in this video, we see them huddled under warming blankets as medics tend to cuts on their legs and feet. "hanging in there," a volunteer asks. a sign, v for victory. but the battle is not over yet for the 12 boys and their soccer coach. the challenge? keeping them healthy, mentally and physically, until rescue teams come up with a plan to get them out. you can hear a small voice asking, "what time will we get to eat?" if you take a look, you can see those thai navy s.e.a.l.s who have just come back from one of the dives. you can see them there with their oxygen tanks. there are hundreds of them involved,

. >> abc's james longman at the cave site. he spoke with a rescue diver who's been inside the cave. >> what's it been like in the cave? >> the first day was hard and i had very little hope in getting through because it was raining a lot and it was very hard and it was like pulling hand over hand and it was like diving in cafe latte. i had no hope of making it that far but as they installed more pumps and the rain got a little less and visibility got better and today the visibility was -- you could almost drink the water. >> family members are outside the cave entrance waiting for news and americans are part of the 1,000-person strong international rescue effort. >> we're going to come together to figure out what the best possible solution is and kind of be able to get the kids out as safely and quickly as possible. >> heavy rain expected any day now and that will make getting everyone out safely that much harder. and the rainy season in thailand lasts until september or october. that raises the possibility of having to send fo

the youngest survivor now sharing his story about his 18 days trapped in that cave with our james longman. >> reporter: a reunion nearly a month in the making. little brothers and sisters jumping and shouting, titan is finally home. sitting next to his father, the youngest member of that soccer team telling me about the moment he was rescued. >> you knew in your heart that your dad was waiting for you outside? >> translator: i thought my parents would be there, he says. >> were you surprised when you saw the whole world waiting for you? >> reporter: i was very surprised, yes, he says, with that big smile. the small boy who joked that thinking about food while they were trapped only made him hungrier, says he is eating a lot now, regaining his strength. today titan and his teammates taking part in a buddhist ceremony at a temple near the cave. a ritual, heaid, to help relieve his spirit. and david, titan and some of the other boys are preparing to spend some time as monks themselves as a way of giving thanks and moving on. david? >> great to hear from them. got a new friend, james. >>> the

james longman, abc news, thailand. >>> turning now to the nato summit jarred by the stinging criticismt the most loyal u.s. allies. >> melania trump was spotted chatting with angela merkel. you see them there. that was shortly after the president unleashed on germany, accusing that country of being totally controlled by russia and he asked outright, what good is nato, suggesting that member nations are freeloading off the u.s. and called on them to pay up. serena marshall has the details. >> reporter: president trump with a new demand of our nato allies, telling them they should double their investment in their own defense from 2% up to 4%. >> germany as far as i'm concerned is captive to russia. so we're supposed to protect germany. but they're getting their energy from russia. explain that. and it can't be explained, you know that. >> reporter: the president slamming germany's $12 billion gas pipeline deal with russia. nato's secretary-general playing peacekeeper. >> how can you be together when one country is getting its energy from the person you want protection against or from the