House, where President Trump added fresh fuel to the fire in the controversy over whether and when to send kids back to school. Earlier i spoke with dr. Yvonne maldonado. Thank you for joining us this morning. At his briefing last night, President Trump said hed feel comfortable sending his son and grandkids back to school because he said kids dont transmit the coronavirus very easily. He also said they dont catch it easily. That seems to conflict with some of the research that weve seen just this week. I want to get your thoughts on that. Well, i dont think we really understand exactly whats going to happen with children. It does look like they are less likely to get sick, and maybe to transmit, than older children, and certainly adults. But we do need to have them go back to school very carefully and make sure that theyre socially distanced, that the older kids wear masks, and especially the teachers take all the precautions not to get infected. And the other big headline this morning is the u. S. Government spending nearly 2 billion on a potential vaccine being produced by pfizer, even though the vaccine isnt ready yet. Whats your take on this kind of early investment . Are they jumping the gun too soon . I do think its importa start tracking what vaccines are being developed. But well see. If the vaccine is not effective, will we get our money back . I hope so. In the meantime, there are other candidates out there vying for our market and the market around the world. When it comes to developing a vaccine, distribution is also potentially a problem. How would that work . The federal government currently has a task force in place that is trying to come up with an equitable way to decide how to distribute vaccines. There are many stakeholders involved, and its going to be a very important decision so that the vaccine can be shared equally among highrisk groups and among the entire population in a fair manner. One big issue we continue to hear is about the massive demand for testing right now. Because of long wait times, some colleges and universities that are trying to reopen are turning to athome saliva test kits. What have you heard about the accuracy of such tests . The saliva test kits in general are not as sensitive as the nasal tests. But in general the more tests we can get out, whatever kinds they are, are better than no tests at all, because we really want to make sure that students come back to school knowing that theyre not infected. So they just need to realize that those saliva tests may not be as accurate, may need to be retested. Our thanks to dr. Maldonado. Theres been stories about people getting reinfected and that has been frightening a lot of people, causing concern. At least one Health Expert from harvard says its unlikely that people are getting reinfected, whats likely happening is that its a drawnout case of the illness. Sounds promising there, too. Coming up, the new Playing Field for americas youngest generation of activists. Why tik tok is quickly becoming the goto space for political debate. The surfaces in your home in 24 hours. Try new microban 24. Spray on hard surfaces to kill 99. 9 of viruses and bacteria initially. Once dry, it forms a bacteria shield that keeps killing bacteria for 24 hours, even after multiple touches. Try new microban 24. Available in multipurpose, sanitizing, and bathroom sprays. This has been medifacts for microban 24. S you say you want a revolution well you know we all want to change the world generations of young people have wanted to change the world through revolution. Members of todays technologically savvy generation of activists are increasingly flocking to whats turning into the hottest space for political debate, tik tok. Heres abcs ashan singh. Im actually going to start with this over here. This is my storyboard. Reporter Taylor Cassidy is recording a tik tok. What is blaxploitation . Reporter this isnt one of those viral dances. Shes recording her latest post. An explainer on blackploitation on film. One of the first to show africanamericans as a superhero. Reporter for her nearly 2 million followers. At just 17 shes already got more than 38 million likes. And that blue check mark . Validation for the aspiring activist. Hundreds of thousands of people just started coming to this little black girls channel just to support her. I still cant fully fathom it, but im so thankful. Reporter director of tik toks Creative Community says the apps new role is an organic progression. People have really been opened up to be able to express their authentic voice and things that they also care about. Not just only having fun, but inspiring people, educating people, informing people. Reporter Taylor Cassidy quickly recognized its potential as a megaphone for social issues. In a series called fast black history. Reporter cassidy highlighted lesserknown black trailblazers or littleknown facts about black icons. Black history is your history. Reporter this post, her second one of the month, has more than 1 million views. I had found out about zelda winnvaldez a few months prior. She designed the playboy bunny costume. I was captivated that this black woman created such an iconic costume, i need to share this woman. Reporter the platform is also a hotbed of political commentary. Most notably conservative ones. You wanting this guy to fail is like wanting the pilot to crash the plane were all riding. There was a period of time i posted normal tik toks, like i tried to be funny or whatever on my personal account. It didnt really work out. Then i noticed i would start making trumprelated videos talking about what i agree with or disagree with and they were massively successful. Reporter 20yearold cam higbee is the founder of hype house account conservative hype house, a mix of likeminded tik tokers each contributing content. A warning to parents, not everything on the account is suitable for children. You know whats so funny about the left . The lack of loyalty they have for each other. They love to eat their own. Theres tons of rightwing content that performs incredibly well on tik tok. Part of the reason conservative hype house is so viral and massive is because people are constantly dunking on and refuting their videos. So i think that they post a lot of videos that people feel are racist or people feel they disagree with. Reporter higbee says he embraces backlash. I would like it if people that disagree with us saw our content, because thats sort of my goal. I want to display my ideas to people who disagree with me so i can have conversation with them. Reporter higbee and cassidy find tik tok is an important place for people to express their ideologies. Its better that people on both the right and left get into politics when theyre younger. Because by the time theyre an adult, maybe theyll actually know what is happening. A politically savvy generation as well. Anything i have to say about tik tok will make me sound like the old guy that i am. So i will tell you that secretary of state mike pompeo has been calling tik tok a National Security threat because its a chineseowned company. Tik tok sent a statement, theres a lot of misinformation out there. Tik tok has an american ceo. It has a u. S. Team that works diligently to develop a best in class security infrastructure. It reminds us that tik toks user data is stored in the u. S. And singapore. You heard that, people in the back. Weird science on a thursday for you. Apparently weve been living on this continent, north america, for quite some time. Yeah, about 30,000 years, to be exact, or at least according to some researchers. Yeah, they found some tools excavated from a cave in central mexico. They say its all evidence that humans were living in north america that long ago. Thats 15 years earlier than previously thought, according to the scientists. Wow. They found some tools. I dont know what tool that is. Maybe its a little hammer. It looks like a rock to me, but thats why im not an archaeologist. A wrench, i dont know what a wrench looks like. Phillips head . A lot of people came here a few years ago. In the 70s, we sailed the high seas. Right, right, right. Bats got a bad rap this year. Some are blaming bats for being linked to the start of the coronavirus. But apparently this whole social distancing thing that some of us cant get right, they got it on lock. Scientists found out, i assume its scientists, researchers . Yeah, theyre scientists, its weird science. The scientists found out that bats apparently, when theyre not feeling well, will isolate themselves. Oh they wont interact, they wont even do that squeaking noise they do because they dont want to spread the germs. They said, leave me alone, im hanging upside down, minding my own business, dont blame me for corona, had nothing to do with it. Just in case, staying six feet apart. Still trying to figure that out, right . Yeah, yeah. Allegedly. Yeah. The gondolas in venice, ive actually had the pleasure. Oh because im fancy culture. Well traveled. To go to venice, ride the gondolas. So you would think that they would lower the capacity there, restrict the number of people on the gondolas because of coronavirus. Right. Social distancing and whatnot. Right. Mona, its not because of that. What . What could it be . Because people have gained yeah, apparently the last ten years, were not as skinny as we used to be. No. Imagine whats going to happen after this pandemic. So from six people to five. Because they say too many people, too many pounds on the boat can make it take on water so theyve got to be careful there. Titanic. They said its easier than having people step on a scale. We dont shame people around here. Finally in weird science, how about a mask thats for all of us . One that can keep the coronavirus out of your face. Subtle mask. Not too in your face. But apparently it keeps out pathogens, allergens, and other air pollutants. Yes, created by a team of torontobased inventors, biovisor. It goes well with a cardigan. This morning on world news now, coronavirus concerns at the white house. Were learning overnight that a worker has tested positive. What it means for the president s staff. Plus cases in california surging. Will los angeles shut down again . The bright spot for sports fans, baseball begins today. Its the latest clash between china and the u. S. The chinese consulate in houston abruptly ordered to close tomorrow. The u. S. Accusing the chinese of spying. We hear from chinas representative in houston. The neighborhood dispute that ended with a garage cut in ha wan electric saw. What led to this and the lesson these homeowners say theyve now learned. And the coronavirus is forcing some Business Owners to get creative. Like one states first drivethru strip club. Its thursday, july 23rd. You know what you forgot to say . What . It is july 23rd, 2020. Yeah. Thats why this doesnt surprise me anymore. It doesnt. Because yesterday we told you that people are attracted to alexa. So whats a drivethru strip club in 2020 . What you going to order in that drivethru . Not wings. Maybe see . No, no. Mona, youre not going to do it to me, im not going to do it. No, no. Whatever it is, to go. Keep pushing. Weve got to get to the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic. Abc news has learned that two cafeterias in the white house complex are now shut down after a worker tested positive for the virus. An email to staffers says Contact Tracing is under way, but no quarantines are necessary at this time. President trump is now pointing to increased like those on memorial day as one reason for the current surge in coronavirus cases, yet those gatherings came weeks after trump began his push for states to reopen. Los angeles mayor Eric Garcetti is easing up on his warning that another lockdown may be necessary. He now says that no Additional Closures are planned, at least for the time being. Major league baseballs coronavirusshortened season finally gets under way today with two matchups. The nationals host the yankees and the dodgers take on the giants, both airing on espn. All this as the u. S. Closes in on 4 million cases of coronavirus and more than 143,000 deaths. Abcs Victor Oquendo begins oure reporter coronavirus cases soaring to new records in california, surpassing new york state, now with the most cases in the country four months into the pandemic. 60 of cases in Los Angeles County are among young adults with the National Daily death toll topping 1,000 for the first time in two weeks. More states now making masks mandatory to try to stop the spread. The governors of ohio, indiana, and minnesota joining a growing list of at least 31 states announcing new orders. With this mask mandate and with the things that we have done previously to this, i think it is very possible for us to not have the darker days behind us, but for us to start moving forward. Reporter President Trump refusing to issue a nationwide mask order, holding a Coronavirus Briefing for the second day in a row, urging americans wear a mask, socially distance, repeatedly wash your hands. You have to do this, you have to look at it differently. Reporter the president making an appeal to younger americans. We want Young Americans to avoid packed bars and other crowded indoor gatherings, and were all in this together. And as americans, were going to get this complete, were going to do it properly. Reporter 24 hours after the president said the virus would disappear, dr. Anthony fauci disagreeing. I dont see this disappearing. We are certainly not at the end of the game. Im not even sure were halfway through. Reporter nine states setting records for hospitalizations, including florida, where icus are filling up, hospitals are forced to find extra space for incoming covid patients. So its been a daily process of converting regular beds into icu beds . Some of the beds in our hospital were converted into icu beds so that we can move our patients around. Reporter in houston, these Young Brothers suffering unimaginable loss, losing both their parents in two weeks. I didnt get to say goodbye to my mom or my dad. Thats what hurts me the most. Reporter with testing a major problem in more than a dozen states, our abc news 538 report revealing the disparity minorities face finding scarcity of testing in minority neighborhoods. And they are often understaffed, leading to longer wait times. A new study looked at 34 patients who developed antibodies and found in many cases antibodies wore off in 90 days. They acknowledge more research is needed. Victor oquendo, abc news, miami beach. Our thanks to victor there. Now, to breaking news from portland, oregon. Another night of unrest that has turned into a riot. Federal officers fired teargas into demonstrators. The mayor had joined the crowd. He said he saw nothing to invoke that response. Protesters set off fireworks and set fires. We have a crew on the ground there. Well stay on top of the situation in houston. The chinese consul general of houston says he was shocked to learn the u. S. Is shutting them down and kicking the diplomats out. The u. S. Says the chinese are spying but the consul general tells our houston affiliate no facts have been presented to support that accusation. Reporter the clock is ticking at the chinese consulate in houston. A new front of the battle between the worlds two biggest economies. The Trump Administration giving the Chinese Government 72 hours to leave the consulate theyve occupied since 1979. To protect the countrys intellectual property and the private information of americans. Videos posted anonymously to social media show an orange glow and smoke rising from the compound. Chinese officials burning sensitive materials in large bins in the courtyard. When i attempted to make entry, they were denied access to the facility. As part of international agreement, we do not enter without consent. Reporter the order to vacate coming after the u. S. Indicted two chinese nationals accusing them of hacking and trying to steal information from Companies Fighting the coronavirus. President trump has said, enough. Were not going to allow this to continue to happen. Reporter senator marco rubio calling the consulate a spy shop. The central node of a massive spy operation. To influence agents and influence congress. Its long overdue that it be closed. Reporter chinese officials calling the u. S. Move a political provocation which sabotages china u. S. Relations. The early thinking is in retaliation, china could look to wuhan, which had reduced staffing because of the pandemic. Most expect china to respond and for this decadeslong tit for tat between the two countries to continue. Marcus moore, abc news, houston. Marcus, thank you. The house has overwhelmingly approved a bill that calls for removing statues honoring confederate figures from the capitol. The final vote was 305113. All those who voted against the legislation are republicans. The bill goes to the gopcontrolled senate, where its unclear if it will ever be acted upon. A bipartisan effort to make juneteenth a federal holiday failed in the senate. Republican senator ron johnson torpedoed the bill, saying he supported celebrating the end of slavery but the measure was too expensive. He estimated the holiday would cost the private sector up to 600 million a year. Support for a federal holiday gained momentum following protests over the death of george floyd. Tropical storm gonzalo is strengthening and expected to become a hurricane today. The fastmoving storm is on with 50milephouwinds and ern heavy rain. Itecast to weaken again toa trie Dominican Republic early next week. In the gulf of mexico, tropical depression 8 will move toward the texas coast this weekend. Well keep a watch on this one. A developing headline from some areas of this country. Theres a beer shortage. Yeah, and distributors say beer supplies that are up to the ceiling are now not even close. They say there are several reasons for the shortage. One is that people are buying more beer and drinking at home instead of at bars. Another reason is aluminum cans. Apparentlyhesh w augsome br s u supply and demand. Some brands are harder to come by because, mona, a lot of people are drinking them. Hm. I wonder why. I could see it now, people are going to start hoarding beer and toilet paper instead of milk and bread. I think they were yeah, they were definitely doing that at the top of this pandemic. Pour it up, pour it up. I hear the sound effects, pete, in the audio. Coming up, the 4yearold who just landed a book deal. But first, a growing controversy surrounding President Trump allegedly trying to persuade the British Government to play the british open at a trump resort in scotland. The terrifying incident here in new york city involving a pickup truck and a curbside dining area. Well tell you what happened next. Is skincare from around the wobetter than olay . Olay regenerist faced 131 premium products, from 12 countries, over 10 years. Olays hydration was unbeaten every time. Olay, face anything. We are back with a scary incident. A pickup truck plowing into a curbside dining area in brooklyn, new york. A surveillance camera caught the tuesday evening incident. Three patrons suffered nonserious injuries. The truck driver was charged for driving without a license. A couple of weeks ago i was at a restaurant eating outside here in new york city, and i was right by the road. And i remember thinking, this is going to be dangerous. And obviously theres so many restaurants that are just trying to stay alive. But people got to slow down, and obviously safetys got to be in mind as we have so many people doing outdoor eating now. President trump denies he ever talked to his ambassador to britain about trying to persuade the British Government about playing the british open at a trump resort in scotland. That seems to contradict reported statements from the ambassador, Woody Johnson, himself. Abcs rachel scott reports. Reporter new questions about whether the president tried to convince the u. K. To move the british open to his turnberry golf resort in scotland. Everybody comes here, they all want to come to turnberry. Reporter the New York Times reports in 2018, the president s ambassador to the u. K. , billionaire Woody Johnson, told multiple colleagues trump pressured him to try and make the move happen. Johnsons former deputy tells abc news, he warned the ambassador, it would be unethical for the president to use his office for personal profit. Lukens says johnson still pitched the idea to scotlands secretary of state david mendel. A spokesperson for the British Government says that conversation never happened. No, i never spoke to Woody Johnson about that, turnberrys a highly respected course as you know, one of the best in the world. Reporter but the president has not been shy about using his stature to promote his own properties. Just last year he chose his doral resort in miami to hold the g7 summit. We have a series of magnificent buildings, we call them bungalows. They each hold from 50 to 70 very luxurious rooms with magnificent views. Reporter eventually facing withering criticism, the president reversed course. The ambassador to the u. K. , Woody Johnson, is also under fire, accused of making racist and sexist reports. One report claiming he said he prefers to work with women because they are cheaper and work harder than men. Three people have been arrested in connection with the brutal murders of Three Friends at a florida fishing spot. The Polk County Sheriffs Office says t. J. Wiggins pulled the trigger. The sheriff called him pure evil in the flesh. Wiggins brother and girlfriend have also been charged. Authorities say a massacre was the result of a dispute over a truck engine. In maine, a land dispute has been resolved with a saw. A man in doverfoxcroft sawed his neighbors garage in half, removing the part that was on his land. It was built when the neighboring families got along, but recently not so much. They called out Land Surveyors who agreed the Property Line was in the middle of the garage. The wife of the man who sawed the garage says they planned to put up a big fence. She says thats the lesson theyve learned, fences make good neighbors. Yikes. A lot of disputes start with that Property Line. Right. Theres just also in the history of man, but a lot of disputes over land. Yeah. That is ue and with them, they figured it out. One way or another, right . Half of a car. Yikes, can you imagine that . That is fate on site. Coming up in our next half hour, a raging fire in an Apartment Building forcing two children to be dropped from a thirdstory window. First, Kim Kardashian opening up about her husband, kanye west. What shes saying this morning about his bipolar diagnosis. Stop struggling to clean tough messes with sprays. Try clean freak it has three times the cleaning power to dissolve kitchen grease on contact. It works great on bathtubs. And even stainless steel. Try clean freak from mr. Clean. Welcome back. Rapper kanye west has been blanketing the headlines. But is it a publicity stunt or could it be Something Else altogether . Our own will ganss is here now to break that down for us. Good morning, will. Good morning. Kim kardashian west breaking her silence this morning, saying she feels compelled to speak out because of the stigma and misconceptions about Mental Health. Following kanye wests Emotional Campaign rally in South Carolina and a slew of tweets directed at his family, Kim Kardashian west speaking out about her husbands bipolar diagnosis for the very first time. Kim writing in part, those that understand Mental Illness or even compulsive behavior know the family is powerless unless the member is a minor. People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help, no matter how hard family and friends try. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 4. 4 of u. S. Adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives. Kanye has been open about his diagnosis in the past and revealed that he stopped taking his medications in 2018, tweeting, six months off meds, i can feel me again. Those diagnosed with bipolar disorder than experience episodes of both depression and episodes of mania. What it typically means is the persons moods is abnormally elevated, irritable, hyperactive, grand thoughts, they may become compulsive and risktaking. Put those things together over a sustained period, it can cause a lot of harm to the person and family members. Reporter this latest round of seemingly erratic behavior from kanye west drawing criticism. Oh, this is promotion for an album, trying to drum up a new storyline for keeping up with the kardashians. But this is a man who is unwell, and we have to take this seriously. So, if kanye doesnt get the treatment he needs, and if we keep gaslighting this and saying hes acting out, this could be the modernday story of a donny hathaway, whitney houston, amy winehouse. Reporter kim saying, we as society talk about giving grace to the issue of Mental Health as a whole, however, we should also give it to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it most. This is a message and a moment that people can learn about Mental Health and fight to help a man save his life. So according to doctors, the best ways to manage bipolar disorder are through medication in place, having a Good Relationship with a doctor, and a support system in their life that can be a family member, a loved one, or a friend, or even a guardian. Thats great advice, will. A lot of people were essentially putting blame on Kim Kardashian for not speaking up as soon as possible. But in her statement, i think she did an excellent job kind of explaining what is going on without excusing it, but also explaining that compassion is what is needed right now. But a lot of people are pointing to the fact that he said some disparaging things, things they say are racist, misogynistic, and it is a disservice to say that that is because of his diagnosis, that the things all those things are separate. Yes, he does have a bipolar disorder, but he did say some out of line things as well. Issues involving Mental Health are serious, and we should definitely remember that. For bathroom odors that linger try febreze small spaces. Just press firmly and it continuously eliminates odors in the air and on soft surfaces. For 45 days. groans hmph. food grunting menacingly when the food you love doesnt love you back, stay smooth and fight heartburn fast with tums smoothies. Tum tumtum tum tums time for the mix. We have a special 4yearold to tell you about. What were you doing at 4 . Picking boogers . I dont know. Not writing a book. Just trying to have a dry night of sleep. One of those we have a 4yearold with a book deal. This 4yearold poet, shell be the youngestever writer to land a book deal after signing on with a publishing company, walker books. Her kate clanchy, wellknown, awardwinning poet and writer, shares the work of her students on twitter, uses the platform for that, shes using it to put out nadim, this 4yearold poet, talking about important feelings like love and loneliness and finds the perfect words. Theyre simple, inspirational, have a wisdom all of their own. She draws from her life experience. Right. All 3 1 2, 4 years. Congratulations to nadim. Texas. Oh. Texas is a lot, period. Houston, texas. But im not surprised this is a houston then. Apparently because of the pandemic some strip clubs in houston decided to get a little creative by establishing a drivethru format. Yeah. In a makeshift tent. Strippers drop low and patrons make it rain from their car. They can park for a twosong limit. What is happening on those platforms . They can order the wings. We really cut the video. Okay, we cant show it. Even though this is world news now, Early Morning hours, they took that video off real fast. Hand over to those women. Listen, get your money, honey. If anything, they get to dance without having to worry about being touched. Oh. So they get to make their money. Everyones trying to be innovative around this time. Yes. What i love is that customers cati bottlofirl. Friends ride, not the driver. I dont want no scrubs. Be careful when youre running out to go catch those ones, though. I question priorities, though, i will say. That is the only judgment i will cast. Then you can hit the dollar menu at your wendys. Or do that and then go to the strip club. Need the ones. How about this crustacean, very rare, and its orange. There are people in new jersey trying to save this rare lobster from being put on the dinner plate right there. I will say when i saw the title orange lobster i thought that was a rival restaurant. Can we show you this dog thats the rebound dog . Helping its owner rebound every single time, air bud. This morning on world news now, a worker at the white house tests positive for the coronavirus. President trump making a bold claim that children dont transmit the virus very easily. A top Health Adviser checking that claim. Plus inside one of the first classrooms to reopen for the new school year. The harrowing experience for one hiker stuck in a National Park with a broken leg for nearly two days. The incredible moments two children are saved from a burning building. Its the photo thats heating up social media this morning. 78yearold Martha Stewart posing seductively in her swimming pool. Why its getting so much attention, including from chelsea handler, later this half hour in the skinny. It is thursday, july 23rd. Oh, martha. Whats a little thirst trap in july . Hm, lips half open . I see you, girl. Go ahead, girl. Lets get to the latest developments on the pandemic. Cases of coronavirus here in the u. S. Are approaching the 4 million mark with upwards of 140,000 people dead. This as Infectious Disease expert dr. Anthony fauci says he believes the virus will be controlled eventually, but not eradicated. The nfl says that as soon as fans are cleared to attend Upcoming Season games, they must wear masks. And President Trump tells fox news hed gladly volunteer to be the first person to take a coronavirus vaccine, or the last. This morning, a coronavirus scare hitting close to the white house. Sources confirming to abc news overnight that two of the cafeterias on the white house campus are now shut down after a worker tested positive for covid19. The cafeterias are in two buildings next to the white house. Officials say staff at both facilities have been Wearing Masks and gloves and theres no need for any white house staff to selfquarantine. It comes as the u. S. Closes in on 4 million coronavirus cases. And the grim new statistic showing deaths in the u. S. Last week rose 12 compared to the previous week. The former fda commissioner says we could surpass 300,000 deaths by the end of the year. If we continue on the current p. So if we dont change that trajectory, you could do the math and see where we are. On the same day dr. Anthony fauci acknowledged, we are not winning the battle to contain the virus. Three more states ohio, indiana, minnesota, along with washington, d. C. Announced mandatory mask orders. That makes 31 states where masks are mandatory in public. The surge in cases coming as stooev though its still july. They are so excited to get back to being in school with their friends and with their teachers. Reporter the Alcoa School District in tennessee became one of the first in the country to welcome students back for inperson classes wednesday. Students will be in the building one day a week, and classes will have no more than ten students. These administrators and teachers love our children just as much as we do, and so i have no doubt they have put in place every precaution and measure possible. Reporter in Los Angeles County, where covid19 is on the verge of becoming the leading cause of death, county officials are now exploring using parks and libraries as classrooms. I would like to see the schools open, open 100 , and well do it safely. Well do it carefully. Reporter at his briefing last night, President Trump again pushed for schools to reopen, claiming children do not transmit the coronavirus very easily. A lot of people are saying they dont transmit, and were looking at that. Were studying very hard that particular subject that they dont bring it home with them. Reporter dr. Deborah birx from the White House Coronavirus task force appeared on fox news just moments later and was asked whether that claim is true. Theres still open questions there. Thats why the president concluded with were studying this very hard. Reporter in the meantime, a story of survival in new york from a man whos earned the nickname miracle larry. It happened so fast. I was an early case. Reporter this morning larry is home after spending four months in the hospital. 51 of those days on a ventilator. I was so overwhelmed by how many prayers and thoughts. And i know that had part of it. The American Red Cross is once again pleading for donations, saying it has what it calls an emergency shortage of plasma used to treat covid19 patients. Theres plenty of disagreement about the future of federal Unemployment Benefits. They were part of an economic stimulus package that became law in march. But now those benefits are about to expire. Abcs mary bruce reports. Reporter with millions of americans unemployed, congress is divided over whether to continue giving them an extra boost in their Unemployment Benefits. Right now 25 million americans are getting an extra 600 a week to help make ends meet. That benefit stops this weekend unless washington acts. We really need help these times, its very hard. Its not easy. Reporter republicans are torn over whether to keep that extra check coming. They say that people wont have an incentive to go back to work. Some republicans pointing out that Many Americans receiving these checks are now bringing in more money than they would if they were working. Eventually we get to a place where people arent being made more not to work than to work. Reporter in new orleans, cindy says she needs this extra money because her business relies on tourism and there are no tourists coming now. 600 is important to a lot of households. Especially to my household that cannot go back to work. Reporter some republicans are calling for a shortterm extension of the 600 while they work this out. President trump, do you agree with Senate Republicans discussing the possibility of extending shortterm Unemployment Insurance today so that they prevent benefits from expiring . Well, i think a lot of politicians are discussing that, republicans, democrats, and right now a lot of my representatives are on the hill. We expect to have something over a period of time, over the appropriate period of time. Reporter republicans are now trying to bargain down those checks from 600 to something closer to 400. But democrats say that they want that 600 check to continue. They say republicans have wasted precious negotiating time, and they do not want to do this in a piecemeal fashion. Mary bruce, abc news, washington. Mary, thank you. President trump is again boasting about his performance on a cognitive test. He and his team frequently attack the Mental Fitness of presumptive challenger, former Vice President joe biden. In at least three interviews the president has brought up how well he says he did on a test thats designed to detect dementia. In an interview on fox news the president talked about what he said was the hardest part of the test, repeating five words in order, then after a few request and repe tn you do it . And you go, person, woman, man, camera, tv. They say, thats amazing. How did you do that . I do it because i have, like, a good memory. Because im cognitively there. The president says biden should take the test. Health experts say the test is not an indicator of i. Q. But of any mental impairment. Tributes for three civil rights icons in the nations capital, members of the house of representatives honor the legacy of late congressman john lewis. Funeral services for c. T. Vivian are today. On wednesday the activist laid. Hes believed to be the first civilian black man to be honored this way. Civil rights leader Charles Evers died wednesday of natural causes. He was the older brother of medgar evers who was assassinated in 1963. Charles evers made history in 1969 when he was elected mayor of fayette, mississippi, the first black mayor in that state. He was 97, and we appreciate their contributions, and we thank them for their service to this nation, to this society. On a much less somber note, we are about to show you how not, i repeat, how not to deal with certain situations. In this case, a guys exgirlfriend was refusing to have lunch with him. So heres what he did. Yep, he drove his car right into the womans Apartment Building. Whoa, wow. This happened on monday in the czech republic. Police say the guy was drunk. Oh, you wouldnt say. After he climbed out of the wreckage, he went to a bar where he was found and arrested. Hes facing charges that could land him behind bars for three years. This is some serious toxic masculinity. Yeah. Like, you wow. Yeah. So that is harassment at its finest. Right. Classic textbook harassment. Moving on, coming up, two children drop three stories from a burning building. A hiker rescued after being stranded in a National Park for nearly two days with a broken leg. Later in the skinny, why so much excitement is building around one direction. Were heading that direction later in the skinny. Want to take it slow you just want to take me home yeah yeah and let me kiss you zack is into exploring. Grammarly is into helping them Work Together on a project. Kiera suggests they use hands on circuitry. Sorry for the confusion, handson circuitry, while zack suggests they, uh, he suggests they encourage creativity through papercraft. There you go bell dings that is how they connect over a really good, no, perfect idea switch clicking and spark a brilliant working relationship. Grammarly, helping you connect. Go to grammarly. Com to download. Grammarly, helping you connect. Just press firmly and it continuously eliminates odors in the air and on soft surfaces. For 45 days. We are back with some real heroics during an Apartment Fire in france. Someone inside dropped two children from the thirdfloor window into the arms of people waiting below, incredible images. This happened in the city of grenoble. The mayor praised the residents involved and said the children were not hurt. Just incredible. Wow. Now to the dramatic rescue of a hiker in california stranded in joshua tree National Park with a broken leg. The 67yearold spent 40 hours in the desert in intense pain, waiting desperately for help. Abcs andrea fujii has the details. Help help reporter yelling for help was all robert ringo says he could do after he broke his leg while hiking alone in californias joshua tree National Park. Man, the next thing i knew, i was airborne and i landed right on my left hip. I cant move it for the pain. I cant move myself. Reporter stranded in near 100degree temperatures with no cell service, the 67yearold says he wanted to record himself, thinking it may help. Its about 4 30, 4 20. On thursday afternoon. Im up in i dont know if you get this or find it or something, i dont know. Reporter an experienced hiker and hunter, ringo says he planned for just a short walk. He brought two liters of water, but that proved too little. He says he managed to eat juniper berries he found on a tree. Its the first in my life i ever experienced no saliva. Reporter before he left, he told his family where hed be hiking. After he didnt come home, they called for help. Between the dehydration and the heatstroke, heat exhaustion and id just like to say, i had no idea that i was going to spend 40 hours in the desert on my back. Reporter finally, after nearly two days, on saturday morning he heard a search and rescue helicopter above and knew help had arrived. I never got to the point where i thought, im not going to make this. I just had a confidence and a faith. Reporter ringo says he cant thank his rescuers enough. Hes since had surgery on his leg and is expected to recover and says he will hike again. Kenneth and mona . Oh, andrea, thank you. That desert heat is no joke. No. Take a mini cell phone tower withne te you go out. Glad hes okay. When we come back, the vanilla ice movie. And why Martha Stewart is sending social media into a sizzle, ouch ice and sizzle . The skinny is next. Me. Could be all your soft surfaces . Odors get trapped in your homes fabrics and resurface over time. Febreze fabric refresher eliminates odors. Its waterbased formula safely penetrates fabrics where odors hide. Spray it on your rugs, your curtains, your furniture, all over your home to make it part of your tidying up routine. Febreze fabric refresher, for an allover freshness youll love. Baby, you light up my world like nobody else the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed okay. Time for the skinny. Come on, mona. Starting with the biggest aluminum anniversary ever. Youre beautiful thats what makes me beautiful. Guess what, theyre marking ten years today, yep. Who . The spectacularly successful boy band one direction. It was on this day, july 23rd, 2010, that the band formed. They went on hiatus five years later with most of the members going on to find solo success. So millennial of them. Five years in, we tired, we need to take a break. Those solo careers, definitely some of them wanted it more than others. Just yesterday the bands official twitter account tweeted for the first time in two years a tease, simply saying, ten years of one direction, you and me got a whole lot of history. Okay. Does that rhyme . No. Same announcement popped up on instagram. The groups first post there in four years. A p. R. Firm previously revealed that an anniversary website will launch featuring an immersive and interactive fan experience. Many fans are Still Holding out for a one direction reunion. Okay. Stay tuned. You want an update on their lives . Go ahead. Liams expecting a child with gigi hadid. Harry styles is on every magazine cover and is still gorgeous. The blond one you dont remember his name . No. Its lyles, isnt it . Something . No. Lyles . Whats other ones name . Liam and harry styles are the only two i know. No, does anybody know the name . In the control room . Stumped. Everybody up there, the average age of the control room just kidding, i love you. I love you. Oh i was going to quiz you before you started naming them what their names are . See, the thing is, and i was telling you this earlier, its weird that the boy band that you were already too old to listen to is zayn malik, okay. Is now dated. Zayn malik. Zayn is with gigi hadid . Who knows . Right now there are some people who are big one directioners who are like screaming at the television. I know. I can tell you all five members of nsync and the backstreet boys. Speaking of websites. Hello, 90s babies. You guys remember when you put the cd rom of nsyncs cd in the computer, you got an interactive fan website. Oldschool, dotcom era. Theyre playing ice ice baby because they wanted to move on. Next so some ice ice baby. On this National Vanilla Ice cream day, were hearing news about vanilla ice. He canceled his planned concert in austin, texas, were hearing about a new movie about the 90s rapper. Actor dave franco is reportedly set to star as the rapper in the biopic titled after the actors album to the extreme. The movie is set to focus on a young vanilla ice struggling with stardom, extortion attempts, and selling out as he makes music history. How about the older vanilla ice . Still struggling . Oh hey, next to a skinny thursday morning debate, sexy or not . It started with this selfie of Martha Stewart showing us all how to be fabulous how fabulous it is to be beautiful and rich in her pool in east hampton, new york. I dont know why thats a question. She is killing this. It is fire, honey. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Im definitely not going to sit here and shame or anything or be judgmental, because you do your thing, martha. Chelsea handler, she also couldnt resist duplicating marthas look in her own insta selfie saying, if i look this good at 78, i better still have a pool to show myself off in. Oh, im not going to ask you sexy or not . We know its sexy. Despite the jab, stewart kept the focus on her pool, describing it as chlorine free with a natural concrete finish, extra deep for diving. Right out of a lifestyle magazine. Love it. Next to a home run by kelly rowland. The coffee singer is sharing a new video of a classic song with her own twist. Take me out to the ball game take me out to the couch chill with my hubby and just kick back then watch some playbacks with charles and shaq root root root for the home team home or away we really dont care it is part of a new Bud Light Campaign celebrating the return of Major League Baseball plus the nba and other pro sports after our pandemic pause. Finally to a rare appearance across the pond. 99yearold Prince Philip stepping outside Windsor Castle at an event. It comes as philip and the queen prepare for their annual Summer Vacation at Balmoral Castle in the highlands of scotland. This man is 99, walking down the steps by himself. No help. Sin to bit never bothered me. Dust . Until i found out what it actually was. Dust mite droppings . Ewww. Dead skin cells . Gross so now, i grab my swiffer sweeper and heavy duty dusters. Dusters has three layers that grab, trap and lock away gross dust. And, for dust on my floors, i switch to my sweeper. The textured cloths grab, trap and lock dirt and hair. No matter where dust bunnies hide. No more heebie jeebies. Glad i stopped cleaning and started swiffering. Always have been. And always will be. Never letting anything get in my way. Not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. And certainly not arthritis. New voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. And it can help you too. Feel the joy of movement with voltaren. About the Colonial Penn program. Here to tell you feel the joy of movement if youre age 50 to 85, and looking to buy Life Insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three ps. What are the three ps . The three ps of Life Insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. A price you can afford, a price that cant increase, and a price that fits your budget. Im 54. Alex, whats my price . You can get coverage for 9. 95 a month. Im 65 and take medications. Whats my price . Also 9. 95 a month. I just turned 80. Whats my price . 9. 95 a month for you too. If youre age 50 to 85, call now about the 1 most popular whole Life Insurance plan, available through the Colonial Penn program. It has an affordable rate starting at 9. 95 a month. No medical exam, no health questions. Your acceptance is guaranteed. And this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. And ull also get thijustor calling. Yours. So call now. Piano man sing us a song tonight well were all in the mood for a melody and youve got us feeling all right as we see the beautiful skyline of boston there, a reallife piano man in boston is singing a brandnew song this morning. And it all started with a simple visit to an antique store. Heres abcs david muir. Reporter it all started with this moment. At the remarkable cleanouts antique shop in norwood, massachusetts. This young man asking a worker if he could play the piano that was for sale. She said, of course. And then started filming. Journeys dont stop believing. That worker said everyone in the store suddenly stopped. Just shot that short video and posted it on our Facebook Page as a feelgood story, and it just blew up. People wanted to buy it for him, and who was he . And i didnt know who he was, because he was just gone. Reporter that community helped track down that young piano man, 23yearold architecture student john capran. And the shop owner, mark waters, invited him back. It was like, who is this man . And reporter turns out the piano man is selftaught. And that owner had a surprise. See if you like this piano a little better. Reporter giving him not that old piano but a new one, a 3,000 steinway. How does it feel . Its amazing. The weight of the keys is perfect. I cannot turn that down. I definitely cannot turn that down. This will be the first piano ive ever owned. To see him cry made me cry. I wish i could do this every day. Come on, we can do this again tomorrow. Reporter this is john playing his new piano, john legends all of me. The shop owner on why he did it. To me its just a piano. To this gentleman, it was a new way of life. Somebodys going to tune it, somebodys going to refinish it for him reporter the young piano man, john, grateful. Very shocking. Very surprising. Im so happy that i made a difference. Im glad that during this time, i can make people smile, i can make people happy. Our thanks to david and our friends at wcvb, our boston affiliate there. The power of the internet. They were able to track him down just like that. Im glad it was for a good reason. And the owner of the store, he said, you know what, im a helper, a giver, i like to give. When i give to you, i smile. Your smile makes me smile. Its all about the journey. Facebook at wnnfans. Com. Right now on america this morning the battle over reopening schools. President trump says its safe and says children dont transmit the coronavirus very easily. This morning, we ask if thats true. Plus, word overnight that a worker on the white house campus has now tested positive. And this morning, what were learning about the Unemployment Benefits for millions of americans set to expire at the end of the month. Abc news exclusive, is china running a spy center in houston . We hear from the man in charge of the chinese consulate ordered to shut down by tomorrow. Just hours after his workers were seen burning documents in metal barrels. Th lightning, hail and major flooding hit several big cities in the east. Trees down, and overtight a Tropical Storm watch issued along the gulf coast. New this morning, stranded