Planning to take him on tonight. Cruise ship chaos. Dozens of new cases of coronavirus confirmed on the diamond princess just as passengers are finally released. And now another american who was evacuated from that boat testing positive for the virus back here in the u. S. As the death toll from the outbreak tops 2,000. Breaking overnight, a major update after this horrifying daytona 500 crash. What were now learning about driver ryan newmans condition. Royal rejection . The queen on the verge of a major decision that could cost prince harry and duchess meghan their royal brand and possibly millions. And extraordinary earth. This morning the launch of our new series. Come with us as we explore 20 incredible places in 2020 that will change the way you think about our planet. Ginger is right there getting ready to take us into one of the words most beautiful natural wonders. Wow, that is impressive. And reveal an Important Message coming from halfway around the world. Gma is live from africas Victoria Falls. Good morning, america. Its great to have you with us on this wednesday morning as we kick off our new series, extraordinary earth counting down to the 50th anniversary of earth day. We begin with an extraordinary sight live in zimbabwe at Victoria Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world. You see it right there. So magnificent and theres ginger. Shes standing by. These images caught our eye. Take a look at this right here. This was Victoria Falls a few months ago. Completely dried up right there but now it is back to its full power. But that photo right there helps explain why so many experts say we need to Pay Attention to whats happening there and ginger will explain it all. She will this morning. But we begin with President Trumps pardons. The former illinois governor released from prison back home this morning. 1 of 11 people who were either pardoned or had their sentence commuted by President Trump. Most are white collar criminals with personal or financial ties to the president. Cecilia vega starts us off. Shes there at the white house for us. Good morning, cecilia. Reporter robin, good morning to you. President trump is hardly the first to make a controversial pardon but the number of highprofile names who have ties to the president s inner circle and who have made some pretty big donations to his campaign is raising eyebrows this morning. Among them, you said it, Rod Blagojevich, who is now out of prison years ahead of schedule and is slated to hold a press conference later this morning. Overnight, disgraced former illinois governor Rod Blagojevich released from federal prison in colorado. Hello, nice seeing you guys. Reporter cameras catching up to him before he boarded a flight back home. You had no inkling at all this was about to happen . Not today, no, i did not. I did not. You had no warning . No warning, no. Reporter part of President Trumps pardon spree that granted clemency to a whos who of big name white collar criminals. Ill do anything legal and ethical and honest. Money money money reporter the one time apprentice contestant served eight of his 14year sentence for attempting to sell Barack Obamas former senate seat the crime caught on tape. Ive got this thing and its [ bleep ] golden. And im just not going giving it up for [ bleep ] nothing. Reporter blagojevich overnight defiant. But i didnt break any laws. I crossed no lines and this was routine politics and the people that did it are the ones that broke the laws and the ones who, frankly, should meet and face some accountability. Reporter his wife appealing directly to the president on fox news. The president is about justice and fairness and, you know, we hope that he looks at rod. Reporter and President Trump took notice. I watched his wife on television. I dont know him very well. I met him a couple of times. Reporter President Trump bypassing Traditional Justice Department pardon procedures and relying on recommendations from friends and associates like personal attorney Rudy Giuliani whose former new York City Police commissioner bernie kerik convicted of tax fraud received a pardon. Same for San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie Debartolo jr. Who pleaded guilty to concealing an alleged extortion plot. He cohosted a preinauguration party before President Trump took office. Also pardoned a construction magnate who pleaded guilty to underpaying taxes. He and his family donating more than 200,000 to republicans and the president s reelection campaign. This as President Trump faces fresh scrutiny for tweeting about ongoing criminal cases even after his attorney general said the president s tweets make his job, quote, impossible. President trump insisting he has the right to intervene if he wants to. Im allowed to be totally involved. Im actually, i guess, the chief Law Enforcement officer of the country. Reporter so President Trump was also asked if he plans to pardon his longtime friend and confidant roger stone. He says he hasnt given it any thought but that he, quote, also said stone has been treated unfairly. Stone, george, is set to be sentenced tomorrow. Yeah, that is coming up tomorrow. Cecilia, thanks very much. The president s determination to intervene and tweet about Justice Department cases is causing new tension with attorney general william barr. He is telling people close to the president hes considering quitting if the president doesnt back off. Our chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas is tracking the latest. Good morning, pierre. Reporter george, good morning. Barrs relationship with the president is facing stress, perhaps its first real test. Overnight sources confirming to abc news that barr told associates of President Trump hes considering resigning if the president does not stop tweeting about Justice Department criminal cases. Doj put out a statement saying addressing beltway rumors, the attorney general has no plans to resign. But all this comes after barr told abc news last week that trumps tweets about the case of his close ally roger stone and other prosecutions are making it impossible for him to do his job but there was the president yesterday tweeting about the stone case including commentary of an analyst raising questions about a juror and a judge in the case. Trump weighing in, as cecilia said, as stone is about to be sentenced tomorrow. And while the president praised barr yesterday he also made it clear that those tweets are not likely to stop and that he, not barr, is the nations chief Law Enforcement officer. George, this is a fluid situation and bears close, very close watching. It sure does. Pierre, thanks very much. Lets bring in our chief legal analyst dan abrams. Last week barr tells pierre the tweets make his job impossible. The tweets continued yesterday. Barr still in the job. So it raises the question how much of this is real and how much is posturing . I think its real posturing. I think that he means it, but i think hes trying to make a point. Look, this is personal now to barr. This is embarrassing for barr. Hes the one who has to report back to everyone who works at the department of justice, and i think that for him as a result, this isnt some broad matter of right and wrong and the rule of law. This is about the fact that in effect you are disrespecting me. But, remember, if barr is to resign, then what happens . Then what you probably see is an acting attorney general, someone not confirmed because no one can get confirmed this year. Correct. An acting attorney general not confirmed by the senate who is willing to play ball to some degree with the president. And so you may see someone who is even more politicized than what weve seen from bill barr. And, you know, when people are calling for bill barr to resign, thats something to think about. Meantime, its coming as we saw the president come out with this spree of pardons yesterday. Highly, highly unusual process. Well, and the process is whats unusual, right . There is a whole office within the department of justice that deals with pardons. Theyre the ones who sit there and they evaluate based on all these factors whether a pardon makes sense or doesnt make sense, et cetera and then they provide recommendations to the president and the president then has to make a decision. It seems none of that happened here and the president s just kind of winging it. Dan abrams, thanks very much. Michael . Thank you so much, george. We turn to the race for the white house. As the Democratic Candidates prepare to face off on the debate stage tonight, our new abc News Washington post poll shows Bernie Sanders on the rise, solidly in first place. Joe biden still in second but dropping. And Mike Bloomberg surging into third as he gets ready for his first debate tonight. Eva pilgrim is there in las vegas tracking it all this morning. Good morning, eva. Reporter good morning, michael. No question all eyes will be watching to see how Michael Bloomberg performs tonight. We know hes been prepping for several days using his Campaign Staff to play the roles of his fellow candidates. Tonight he faces off for the first time facetoface against his rivals. The gloves are off. Just hours to go until Michael Bloomberg makes his first debate appearance, the other democrats are ready to rumble. To all of those billionaires who think they can buy elections, we are a democracy, not an oligarchy. Youre not going to buy this election. Reporter the former new york city mayor has not been on a debate stage in more than a decade and hes never been on one this crowded. His rivals have been debating for months now. Do you think hes buying the race or do you think hes just trying to beat donald trump . No, hes definitely trying to buy the race. Here the thing, its not that simple. You have to actually be willing to look voters in the eyes to take questions. At some point you have to be ready to be challenged. Reporter bloombergs rivals making it clear tonight they are coming for him. Elizabeth warren tweeting at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on donald trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an ego maniac billionaire. Bloomberg, not the only candidate who will be feeling the pressure on the debate stage. Several others needing strong performances in nevada. Pete buttigieg who came out of iowa and New Hampshire riding high now facing his first test with minority voters. This as abc news has now learned in several instances we have reviewed the Buttigieg Campaign people identified as supporters later saying their interactions had either been misunderstood or misconstrued. And as for bloomberg he knows his money is going to be an issue on that debate stage tonight. His campaign trying to get ahead of that announcing that if he is elected president , he will immediately put his company into a blind trust and sell it, robin . All right, eva, thank you. We have now more on those issues, those issues hitting the south hard, the storm sweeping across the country bringing even more rain and flooding with the deep freeze headed to the midwest and northeast. Rob marciano in for ginger with the latest for us. Good morning, rob. Good morning, robin. Thats turned into snow including rochester, new york. About 3 1 2 inches plus freezing rain yesterday. Traffic issues on i395 that moved over to maine. I95 in maine, difficult commute there. When i95 freezes over you know its bad and flooding continues in the south. Jackson, mississippi, this is hardin county, tennessee, where roads are collapsing. They have seen so much rain. Most spots at least twice the normal amount since the beginning of the year. Here comes another batch. Youll see another wave after the stationary front. Jackson, youll see more in the way of rain. Obviously all these rivers are swollen. Cant take any more. A little snow potentially during the day tomorrow in charlotte and raleigh, well update that a little later for you. George . Rob, thanks. The latest on the coronavirus emergency. Overnight passengers on the quarantined cruise ship in japan were finally allowed off but the americans on board are not free to return to the u. S. Yet and were learning of a new case involving one of the americans who already evacuated. Clayton sandell is tracking it all from omaha. Good morning, clayton. Reporter good morning, george. That new patient was evacuated from japan and arrived in california on monday. They had been on board that cruise ship during quarantine, but still got sick. This morning another american from the diamond princess cruise ship has developed coronavirus, at least the 15th case so far. Hes now being treated at a hospital near Travis Air Force base in california. Seems to be a pretty steady flow of passengers now. Reporter in japan overnight passengers went from boat to bus finally released from the ship after two weeks of a mandatory quarantine that failed to stop the coronavirus from spreading to at least 621 passengers. Wishing them support from our balcony, waving goodbye, good luck. Reporter a japanese doctor who was on board for one day says the ships Infection Control was woefully inadequate. No distinction between the green zone which is free of infection and the red zone which is potentially contaminated by virus. Reporter now the cdc is announcing a new travel restriction barring anyone who was on board the ship or in a hospital from entering the u. S. Until they are symptomfree for 14 days. The number of new infections in china has slowed for the last two days but overnight the death toll there topped 2,000 including the 51yearold head doctor treating coronavirus patients at a hospital near the outbreaks epicenter. In cambodia another cruise ship called the westerdamis allowing passengers to leave after all 781 tested negative. As a physician, it is best for all the passengers to do a selfquarantine when they get home to prevent any further spread. Reporter frank king was a performer on that ship. He says he broke quarantine and left his hotel flying back to seattle before getting his test results. How long is it going to take to get the results back . Nobody is moving until the results come back and i got an engagement the 20th of february. Reporter ken burnett was reunited with his family. His wife and kids out of a twoweek quarantine. Now here in omaha evacuees are just starting their quarantine and will be here at least two weeks. If any of them start to show symptoms they could be here much longer. Michael . All right, thank you so much, clayton. Now the latest on the Harvey Weinstein trial. Jurors are back in court this morning for a second day of deliberations after adjourning tuesday without a verdict but asking several questions. Stephanie ramos is at the courthouse here in manhattan with more. Good morning, stephanie. Reporter michael, good morning. Some 90 women have accused Harvey Weinstein of Sexual Assault or harassment. Here in new york, weinstein is charged with rape, predatory and criminal Sexual Assault. If convicted by that jury here, he could spend life in prison. This morning, Harvey Weinsteins fate is in the hands of the jury. During the trial, his defense team pointed to the fact his accusers continued to maintain contact with him after the alleged assault. Do you think that hurts their case . No. It shouldnt, it shouldnt. Because somebody gets tickets to a screening long after a Sexual Assault doesnt mean they werent sexually assaulted. Reporter just hours into deliberation tuesday, the jury sending two notes, first asking the judge for a Legal Definition of the charges and for clarification on how to navigate complicated charging instructions. And later requesting a blueprint of the movie producers soho apartment, the location of one of his alleged assaults back in 2006. But the courtroom not without drama on its first day of deliberation. The judge excoriating one of weinsteins attorneys, donna rotunno, after prosecutors claimed an oped penned by her was a bid to sway the jury. In the news week opinion she implored jurors to look past the headlines and to base their verdict solely on the facts, testimony and evidence presented to them in the courtroom. The judge telling weinstein i would caution you about the tentacles of your Public Relations juggernaut. Rotunno has been a controversial figure at times during the trial not shying away from the media spotlight. You have to know when you make certain choices there is a risk when you make those choices. A lot of people would say what you just said is victim blaming. Thats absolutely not true. If you dont want to be a victim dont go to the hotel. Reporter rotunno has been criticized for those statements. Weinstein has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. This entire case hinges on the accounts of the two main accusers. If jurors dont believe them, weinstein could be acquitted of all charges. Guys . Well see what happens. All right, stephanie, thank you. This morning we have an update, a good update on that nascar driver injured in the daytona 500. Ryan newmans team says he is now awake and speaking to his family and doctors. This after his car, as you saw, flipped in the fin lap of the race and was hit by two other vehicles on the track. We are so glad to hear that ryan is