good evening. and we begin tonight with several major developments in the race for president. just a short time ago, president obama with very pointed words about donald trump. the president was asked about trump, who has said the election this november could be rigged. the president was also asked if donald trump can be trusted with the nuclear codes. and the president was asked whether donald trump is ready to receive classified briefings that the national security team gives to presidential candides every four years. those briefings, set to begin soon. and all of this, just as a new poll is out tonight, showing hillary clinton with a 15-point lead now. another poll showing her lead at nine points. abc's tom llamas with what the president said, just moments ago, about donald trump. >> reporter: tonight, president obama, mocking donald trump's claim that the election is rigged. >> of course the elections will that theme all week. >> i'm afraid the election is going to be rigged. i have to be honest. people are going to walk in, they're going to vote ten times, maybe, who knows? >> reporter: but the president now dismissing that as nonsense. >> if mr. trump is suggesting that there is a conspiracy theory that is being propagated across the country, that's ridiculous. that doesn't make any sense. >> reporter: the president, going even further, eluding to the new polls just out tonight. >> if mr. trump is up 10 or 15 points on election day and ends up losing, then, you know, maybe he can raise some questions. that doesn't seem to be the case at the moment. >> reporter: as president obama again takes on trump, clinton is embracing their relationship. >> have a great time. here she comes. here she comes. >> reporter: her campaign releasing this behind the scenes video. clinton walking out onto that convention stage to hug the man and as democrats highlight their unity, for republicans, it's just the opposite. leaders like house speaker paul ryan, now complaining trump has been off-message since his convention. >> he's had a pretty strange run since the convention. you would think you ought to be focusing on hillary clinton, on all of her deficiencies. she is such a weak candidate, and it is distressing that that's not what we're talking about these days. >> reporter: some concerned that trump refuses to let things go. five days after this speech -- >> have you even read the united states constitution? >> reporter: -- trump was still lashing out at the gold star family. >> i was viciously attacked, so, i think i have the right. do whatever you want. >> reporter: today, trump's rally interrupted by protesters, waving the constitution. also today, hillary clinton, interrupted by protesters, as well. secret service agents climbing onto the stage. you handled it. we're not going anywhere. >> reporter: the hecklers? animal rights activists. clinton taking the opportunity to hit trump and his sons. >> apparently these people are here to protest trump, because trump and his kids have killed a lot of animals, so -- thank you for making that point. >> reporter: she's referring to photos like these. that have gone viral. don junior and eric trump, who are avid hunters, have been criticized for hunting and posing with some of their big game kills. >> that moment playing out late today. tom tom, back to the president, because he was also asked if he was concerned about the classified briefings on national security that are given every four years to the candidates, if he's concerned about classified information soon to be shared with mr. trump. >> reporter: david, he didn't reference mr. trump directly, but he did say this -- "if they want to be president, they have to start acting like president. that means being able to receive these briefings and not spread them around." david? >> tom llamas leading us off tonight. tom, thanks, as always. himself, about the headline this week, revealing a $400 million cash payment to iran, as though those four americans were released. the president adamantly saying it was not ransom for american hostages. abc's mary bruce asking the president this -- >> reporter: what is your response to critics who say the $400 million in cash that you sent to iran was a ransom payment? was it really simply a pure coincidence that a sum that was -- a payment that was held up for almost four suddenly sent at the exact same time that the american prisoners were released? and can you assure the american people that none of that money went to support terrorism? >> it's been interesting to watch this story surface. this wasn't some nefarious deal. we do not pay ransom. we didn't here and we don't -- we won't in the future. >> let's get right to abc's chief white house correspondent jonathan karl. you were watching this with me. and you've been asking the white house about these payouts for months now, and the president reiterating that point, say, we manufactured outrage. >> reporter: david, i asked pointed questions about this back in january, but what we did not know back then is that $400 million of the money went over in cash at precisely the moment that iran released four american prisoners. and if you notice, the president did not answer mary's second question, which is, can you assure the american people that that money didn't go to support terrorism? david, the state department itself, just two months ago, put out a report saying iran remains the foremost state sponsor of terrorism. >> all right, jon karl and mary bruce at the pentagon today, thanks to you both. there are also major new developments tonight after that attack on americans in london. the knife attack turning deadly, and we're learning more about the florida wife who did not survive. we have new video coming in of police arresting the 19-year-old suspect, following that stabbing spree in the heart of the city, packed with tourists. there were five injured, and that american woman who did not survive. she was planning on returning to abc's alex marquardt is in london. >> reporter: the knife-wielding attacker pinned to the ground by officers in that cell phone video, after his stabbing spree just after 10:30 on wednesday night. six people were wounded, including two americans by the time the police arrived. >> he was panicking. he wanted to get away. there was no way he was stopping. he was being shouted at by the police, "don't move, don't go any further, stop, stop where you are." >> reporter: the attack happened here in russell square in the heart of central lond, popular with tourists. the police responded within minutes of the rampage starting, and took the attacker down with a taser. an american woman, darlene horton, did not survive. the 64-year-old was the wife of an fsu professor, teaching in london for the summer. the couple, due to return home to tallahassee today. >> i realized, i looked at my arm and i saw that she was bleeding and then i realized that he stabbed me, also. >> reporter: the second american, a man, was also that suspect is being identified as a 19-year-old norwegian of somali origin. in a city on edge following a wave of european terror attacks, london police quickly made it clear, they believe the attacker has mental health issues. >> i emphasize that so far we have found no evidence of radicalization that would suggest that the man in our custody is in any way motivated by terrorism. >> reporter: london police put more officers on the streets today, joining the growing number of heavily armed police on patrol, as authorities here brace for a terror attack that they say is no if, but when. david? >> alex marquardt with us again tonight. thanks, alex. back here at home now, and to the severe storms on the move at this hour. this funnel cloud spotted above new orleans late today. at least three buildings collapsing. rescue teams racing to help the injured. and there are alerts tonight about heavy rain and flooding from the southwest all the way to the great lakes. let's get right to meteorologist rob marciano, tracking it all for us tonight. hey, rob. >> reporter: david, damage from that funnel cloud in new orleans, the national weather but here on the radar, you see that cluster of severe storms rolling across lake pontchartrain late in the afternoon, dying off now. but we had a wind gust measured at 60 miles an hour at the slidell airport, so, multiple areas of damage there. severe thunderstorm watch a little further north, into wisconsin and eastern parts of iowa until 10:00 and 11:00 tonight. and the monsoon flood watch through the four corners through at least tomorrow. look at this rain getting up into parts of colorado. so, we could see some flash flooding, potentially mudslides, as well. and like maybe a funnel cloud or damaging storms and more. david? >> tracking it right through the weekend. rob, thank you. and one more weather headline tonight. tropical storm earl losing strength now as it moves across central america. earl hit belize today as a category 1 hurricane, with flash floods and winds up to 80 miles per hour. homes and buildings there were badly damaged. the storm is losing speed now as it moves toward mexico. back in this country tonight, and to a sniper on the loose in phoenix. authorities say the suspect has struck again, and tonight, the urgent manhunt under way. linked to the case. investigators confirming the shots came from the suspect wanted for killing seven people so far. abc's clayton sandell is in phoenix. >> reporter: on the streets of phoenix tonight, a mystery gunman, now being blamed for a ninth serial shooting. police say this is their suspect. on july 11th, investigators believe he opened fire on a man and a 4-year-old boy in a car. they were not hurt. >> we're concerned because, he obviously doesn't even care who is in the car. >> reporter: it is the latest in a series of shootings that have terrified this community since march. seven people so far shot dead. the youngest victim, maleah ellis, was murdered june 12th while sitting in a car in front of her home. two women, including maleah's mother, were killed, too. >> my daughter did everything with her kids, they shopped, movies, whatever. they did it together. >> reporter: police believe the suspect is driving different cars, including a white cadillac or lincoln, and a black bmw. but the lack of more clues has investigators frustrated. though, is, we know somebody knows who is doing this. >> reporter: and tonight, agencies like the fbi are helping work this case 24 hours a day. they've also increased the reward here to $50,000. david? >> clayton sandell with us tonight from phoenix. clayton, thanks. we turn now to what authorities are calling a homegrown terror plot. the fbi is now arresting a suspect for allegedly trying to create his own sleeper cell in charlotte, north carolina. eric hendricks is accused of trying to recruit members for isis-inspired attacks, including military targets. authorities say he contacted several people, including an undercover agent, and one of the men involved in last year's attack in garland, texas. now, to new questions tonight, the investigation of that crash-landing overseas. the boeing 777 engulfed in smoke and then, a ball of fire after hitting the runway. and many now asking, after that video, why were passengers reaching for their luggage instead of being told to simply get off the plane? mass chaos inside the cabin. abc's david kerley tonight with more on the investigation. >> reporter: the remnants of the emirates 777 are being cleared away, but tonight, still no clarity from the airline or its government owner on why the wide-body jet slammed into the ground with no landing gear, setting off an explosion. and moments earlier, chaos in the cabin. listen to the flight attendant. >> jump, jump, jump! leave your bags behind. >> reporter: still, some of the nearly 300 passengers are opening luggage bins. somebody pulling a roller out of the bin. >> yeah. this is maddening. >> reporter: it's a flight attendant's nightmare. bags cluttering aisles. possibly ripping an emergency slide. but in a survey of emergency evacuations, 50% of passengers say they did try to take a bag with them. jet makers have to prove their planes can be evacuated in 90 seconds, as this test shows. and that's without bags. >> those bins can get in the way, you're stopping people from getting off a burning aircraft, and potentially putting everyone's lives in danger. >> reporter: that's why the orders are to unbuckle your seat belt, leave your bags, find the closest exit and jump. david? >> david kerley with us tonight. david, thank you. news this evening about the accused killer behind the church massacre in charleston. authorities say dylann roof was attacked in jail by another inmate today. roof was outside his cell at the time. he was punched repeatedly and then treated for injuries. roof could face the death penalty for allegedly killing nine people at an there are major new concerns tonight about the zika virus. several confirmed cases involving more than 40 american troops now, including a pregnant servicewoman. this, as new spraying against mosquitos gets under way in that affected area of miami. at least 15 people contracting the virus locally there. president obama late today saying the u.s. does not expect to see the kind of widespread outbreak seen in other places, but that the u.s. cannot be complacent. the major health concern there on the eve of the summer olympics. tonight, we have the results of an abc news investigation. our testing of the contaminated water where 1,400 athletes are preparing now to compete. the findings would force many beaches here in the u.s. to close. abc's matt gutman, in rio for us tonight. >> reporter: on the eve of the opening ceremonies here, a reality check on that water. our chief medical editor dr. richard besser took samples along the shoreline bay and copacabana beach, where multiple events including swimming and beach volleyball will take place. our samples found the water teeming with organisms that would close many u.s. beaches. the sample at the bay found fecal bacteria more than 40 times higher than what would be considered contaminated in some u.s. states. >> my kids, i wouldn't let them go, enter these waters. >> reporter: so much of rio's shoreline looks like this, with nothing to hold back the garbage and the sewage, and, of course, and just around the bend from where we are right now, is where those athletes will be competing. athletes like volleyball player brooke sweat stoically shrugging off the threat. are you not concerned that the try us are might still be clinging to it, might get in your mouth, in your membranes? >> no. no. >> reporter: david, we reached out to the ioc comment, but they didn't get back to us. in the past, they've said that stadiums like the one behind me, and the water out there, are safe for competition. david? >> matt gutman covering the olympics in rio for us. matt, thank you. there is still much more ahead on "world news tonight" this thursday. the new images coming in now, after a home explosion rocking an american town. the house completely leveled. word that seven people were inside, including at least one child. and the early clues coming in right now. much more after the break. also, the reward tonight after a young jogger vanishes on a road. she is later found dead. and her father, a firefighter, is the one who made the tragic discovery. and then, later tonight, let and look at this. you have seen carpool karaoke before, but not from team usa. turns out, they've got some other talents, too. you got to hear this, coming up. . i have smoked foears and by taking chantix, i was able to quit in 3 months and that was amazing. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it absolutely reduced my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have heart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away use caution when driving or operating machinery. most common side-affect is nausea. i can't believe i did it. i quit smoking. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. after a long day, jen stops working, but her aleve doesn't. hey mom! because aleve can last 4 hours longer than tylenol 8 hour. what will you do with your aleve hours? 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>> important advice. all right, adrienne, thank you. when we come back here tonight, the moment a man was doin when lightning strikes right beside him. and you'll see it here. also, the desperate search for whoever killed this young jogger. her body, discovered by her own father, a new york firefighter. and john gotti back in the news tonight. not the teflon don there on the left, it ice it's the mobster's grandson, along with several others from famous crime families, who have been rounded up. ve my pain and protect my joints from further damage. this is humira helping me go further. humira works for many adults. it targets and helps to block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to ra symptoms. doctors have been prescribing humira for over 13 years. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. ready for a new chapter? 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