Is reaching followers here in this country. Selfie stick rescue. A teenage girl and her father sucked into the ocean by a powerful rip current fighting to swim back to shore. Their entire frightening ordeal caught on a gopro camera. The girl refuses to let go of the selfie stick. They say it saved their lives. And good morning, america. A lot going on this thursday morning. We want to get right to that historic vote in South Carolina. Youre looking live at the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse. That Confederate Flag right there will not be flying much longer. It could come down as early as today. And we want to take a look at the scene on the floor of the house after that vote to remove it. As you can see so many people so emotional, some people see the flag as a symbol of hate. Others argued it was part of their southern heritage. It was a bitter battle to the very end and Abcs Steve Osunsami starts us off at columbia, South Carolina. Good morning, steve. Reporter good morning to you, robin. People who oppose the flag behind me say its part of americas shame. Put here in 1961 to protest Court Ordered desegregation. Removing it is a significant moment for the state and many across the country and it could come down as early as today. House will come to order. Gallery will please come to order. Reporter in a vote overnight many thought would never happen South Carolina lawmakers move to bring down the battle flag at the statehouse and debated for nearly 14 hours passionately, some with tears in their eyes. I cannot believe that we do not have the heart in this body to do something meaningful such as take a symbol of hate off these grounds on friday. Reporter lawmakers defending the battle flag argued for something, some nod to the history of so many. I grew up with that flag as a heritage. I didnt see issue and i dont see issue now. Reporter but the deaths of nine People Killed at Emanuel Ame Church in charleston last month loomed large over the statehouse. I attended the funeral of senator Clementa Pinckney and the people of charleston deserve removal of that flag from this grounds. Reporter the feeling here is those deaths should be honored using law to remove the sting of these pictures, the alleged gunman seen holding a gun in one hand and a Confederate Flag in the other. We have the ability to set a new image for South Carolina in the world. Reporter the governor who was working behind the scenes has promised to sign this law saying in a statement overnight it is a new day in South Carolina, a day we can all be proud of. Im one of the people who was skeptical that lawmakers would ever agree to this. 15 years ago i stood in this very same spot reporting on the boycotts this state faced as a result of this battle flag. Boycotts that have continued until this very day. George and robin. Boy, steve is exactly right. That debate had been going on so long been so bitter but the flag still flew. Not anymore. As he reported the governor saying a new day, a new day in South Carolina. Okay. Were going to move on to that wave of computer problems across america yesterday. Halting trading on the New York Stock Exchange grounding United Airline flights and shutting down the wall street journals website all blamed on glitches not cyberattacks but many worry that it was not a coincidence. Abcs chief investigative correspondent brian ross here with the story. Good morning, brian. Reporter good morning, george. U. S. Officials say they have no evidence that the computer breakdowns were the result of a massive coordinated cyberattack but some cyberterror experts say it is still far too soon to know that for sure. The official version is it was just a computer glitch that grounded all those United Airlines flights. Let me apologize for the Technology Issues we had this morning. Reporter and that it was just a coincidence when another computer glitch shut down trading at the New York Stock Exchange forcing its president on to the air to calm nerves. It was not external. It was an internal technical problem. Reporter and when a third computer glitch blocked access to the wall street journal that it was just a coincidence. Coincidences do happen but its the job of the government to verify whether or not it really was a coincidence or malicious activity designed to look like a coincidence. Reporter both the Stock Exchange and Major Airlines are designated as critical infrastructure. Right now anybody who says they know for sure what happened before the forensic work has been done is kidding themselves. Reporter the disruptions were serious enough for the president to be briefed. Our Security Posture is continually evolving to reflect the current threat environment. Reporter theres no doubt the cyberworld is an increasingly dangerous place. And whatever happened here and it could take weeks to find out yesterdays computer chaos underscored the fragility of the systems that we rely on and take for granted in everyday life. It does, thank you. A different type of technology concern now. A warning from james comey. He says isis is becoming more sophisticated sending secret messages making it harder to track the thousands of suspected followers in this country. Abcs Pierre Thomas is in washington with more on that. Good morning, pierre. Reporter good morning, robin. The fbi director was unusually blunt, sober even making the case hes facing a new unprecedented threat. The fbi director giving congress this chilling warning about how new technology is helping isis. I dont want to scare people by saying im certain people will die, what im certain of is on the current course, current course and speed my ability to discharge my number one responsibility will be materially diminished. Reporter hes worried because the slick social Media Campaign by isis has come full circle with 21,000 English Speaking followers worldwide including many inside the u. S. The social Media Campaigns message. Theyre pushing this through twitter. So there is a device, almost a devil on their shoulder all day long saying, kill, kill, kill, kill. Reporter and comey warned that isis now has found a way to hide its communications. If they find someone interested in this, we will see them give them directions to a mobile messaging app that is endtoend encrypted and tell them contact me here, and they disappear. Reporter authorities call it going dark. The result they say of new technology on smartphones and computers which can make them immune to surveillance even with a court order. Comby co appeared worried plots are developing in the shad does and that the fbi could miss something. George . Boy, that was such striking testimony, pierre. Okay, thanks very much. Its time for your voice, your vote and more headlines for donald trump. President ial candidate takes a call from the head of the Republican Party as jeb bush scrambles to clarify his latest comments about work in america. Tom llamas covering it and joins us now. Reporter good morning to you. Some of the republican candidates are learning this morning the power of words. Donald trump not backing down and jeb bush now involved in a twitter battle with the Hillary Clinton campaign over something he said yesterday. This morning, abc news has learned the chairman of the Republican National committee is telling donald trump to curb his comments on undocumented immigrants because it will hurt the entire party. Just last night, trump making these comments on cnn. Mexico pushes back people across the border that are criminals, that are drug dealers. Reporter trump also claiming there are 34 million undocumented immigrants in the u. S. The Pew Research Center says that number is closer to 11 million and several studies showed there is no evidence immigrants commit more crimes than native born americans. When pressed about a report in the Washington Post claiming some construction workers at his d. C. Hotel project are undocumented immigrants trump said if its true hed fire them on the spot. You havent shown us anything. I wish theyd give us the names. We would get rid of them immediately. Reporter trump tripling down on his immigration rhetoric as its costing him big bucks. Univision, nbc, espn, the nascar, macys, sealy, all cutting ties with the donald, this as jeb bush on the defense after making this statement in new hampshire. Workforce participation has to rise from its alltime modern lows, it means that people need to work longer hours. Reporter the democratic National Committee pouncing on the longer hours comment saying its one of the most out of touch comments this cycle but bush firing back saying he was talking about the underemployed, parttime workers, not full time employees. People are struggling so giving people a chance to work longer hours is part of the answer. Reporter even the campaign of fellow republican ted cruz says bush should avoid the comments that led voters to believe that governor romney was out of touch with the economic struggles Many Americans are facing george . Economy always front and center in president ial campaigns. Thanks very much. Now to the mystery surrounding new york giants star Jason Pierrepaul who was injured in a fireworks accident on july 4th. But this morning were learning it was worse than first thought. One of his fingers had to be amputated. Abcs ryan smith is here with more on that. Good morning, ryan. Good morning to you, robin. Two nfl players becoming a cautionary tale for what happens when you mess with fireworks and with Training Camps weeks away, fireworks accidents involving giants, Jason Pierre Paul and buccaneers c. J. Wilson not only costing them their fingers but leaving their playing status in doubt. In football a blairs hands are their livelihood. This morning, two nfl players, new york giants star defensive end jason per paul and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback c. J. Wilson both putting those prime assets in jeopardy. Both losing fingers in firework mishaps over the fourth of july weekend. Pierre paul severely injuring both hands, reportedly while attempting to light fireworks in florida remains hospitalized. Medical charts reportedly showing the twotime pro bowler had his right index finger amputated on wednesday. Before the incident, pierrepaul posted this video to Instagram Holding an infant. Talk about fireworks on the ground. He went ahead with this surgery because he thought it would be the quicker way to heal and get on the field this season. Reporter as for wilson, the twoyear pro reportedly losing two fingers during a celebration with family and friends. At one of the friends house a bunch of them got together just shooting off a bunch of fireworks. Had one explode while he was holding it in his hands. Reporter wilsons agent declining to talk about specifics. His team telling abc news our primary concern at the moment is for his longterm health. Now both players injuries could cost them not only on the field but off it. For pierrepaul, the setback could be a financially costly one. He was offered a 14. 8 million deal for next season and was negotiating a longterm deal with the team and that could be in jeopardy. While sources tell espn that he could return sooner than people think, its unclear when wilson will return to the field. Robin, george. Thank you very much. Michael, i know you want to weigh in. This is just unbelievable whats happening. Yeah, i mean ive never, of course, experienced anything like this but you need your hands. That is your business. Having a finger amputated, i think you could play without the finger, but its the sensitive of your hand but you never play at that position you dont need your hands. One of the most essential things. When youre a professional athlete arent you aware of putting yourself youre young. Youre a kid. You dont think its going to happen to you. Its a firework. It doesnt look that dangerous. You probably have done it since he was a kid. Having fun. For him, he was probably just having fun, the usual fun hes always had, and it went wrong. We were talking about the Bottle Rocket wars when we were kids now i think, what were we thinking . Its insane. Yeah, it was but we hope he makes a full recovery. Now to amy with the other top stories. A Southwest Airlines jet had to abort takeoff last night after a passenger saw this out the window. The engine catching fire. More than 140 passengers were on the flight. That was heading to boston. No one was injured and the plane is now being inspected. The passengers took another flight. Family and friends will gather today to remember kate steinle, the woman gunned down in San Francisco by that undocumented immigrant deported to mexico five times and now we are learning how the suspect ended back in San Francisco. The sheriff had been blaming federal authorities but a letter uncovered by abc station kgo shows the request for custody of Francisco Sanchez actually came from that same Sheriffs Department. Sanchez was facing a Marijuana Possession charge from 20 years ago. Community leaders in baltimore are applauding the mayors decision to fire the citys police commissioner. Baltimore has been in turmoil since the death of freddie gray while in Police Custody sparking days of riots in april. And overseas a stunning number, the u. N. Now says more than 4 Million People have fled the civil war in syria. It is the worst refugee crisis the world has seen in nearly a quarter century. There is some good news for stocks overnight. The markets in asia rebounded following wednesdays steep losses. Chinas government has taken new action to boost the market banning the largest investors from selling stock for six months. And finally it might be hard to imagine, but flying coach could get even more uncomfortable. One of the top airline seat manufacturers apparently figured out how to cram more people on to a plane so theyve released this sketch of a new seat configuration. Look closely. Every other seat faces the opposite direction. That means a lot of potentially uncomfortable facetoface time with your fellow passengers. Look at that. So far this is only a concept. Lets hope it stays that way but just in case it doesnt, theyre calling this the Economy Class hexagon cabin. So do not pick that seat. If you see that when youre picking hexagon, no. From the beginning when you said i heard ginger go huhuh. People without their shoes on, putting their feet up. Thats gross. The story just killed that idea. Lets move on right now. We turn to all those spills at the Tour De France. The worlds premiere bike race. This year dozens of riders have gone down in spectacular and scary Chain Reaction crashes. Abcs Neal Karlinsky has the story. Reporter this morning, the Tour De France is shedding riders and keeping ambulances on overtime. Bike mounted gopro cameras, a new addition to the tour this year offer a terrifying view of the carnage. Seven crashes on rain slick roads wednesday alone including this huge pileup. Last year overeager fans getting in the way taking selfies crashed riders. This year high speeds up to 40 miles per hour, rain and crosswinds, more than a half dozen riders already forced out with broken bones. Youve got everybody trying to get up to the front to be ahead of the inevitable crashes. Reporter earlier in the week this highspeed crash, riders famous for their refusal to ever give up flung from their bikes like rag dolls. Race leader Fabian Cancellara broke his back. Got on his bike and finished the race anyway only to be pulled out later. Australian michael matthewss that been racing with cracked ribs from repeated crashes but he wont give in. My ribs were jumping in and out of place a few times there. Reporter the danger is real. Riders literally putting their lives on the line with only lightweight helmets and skintight spandex for protection and theres still more than two weeks and 1500 miles to go. For Good Morning America, Neal Karlinsky, abc news, seattle. Thats not the only sporting event going on. Lara drew a very tough assignment this morning because shes at wimbledon. So good morning to you, lara spencer. I know. Michael, you know i love tennis and today i have to lower my voice. It is all about the ladies. Both ladies semifinals happening on centre court just over there today. But the one that everybody is talking about, of course, serena versus maria. This is a rivalry to be sure but a onesided rivalry a bit. Serena has taken down maria 16 out of 16 of their last outings. But i am telling you, her insiders tell me she does not take it for granted for a second. In fact, the espn analysts were telling me that this is a rivalry sort of in football terms, michael, like michigan versus ohio state. Kind of feel that . Thats what its going to