making news in america this morning -- >> 11th hour negotiations. it's a race against the clock, as oval office meetings to stop a government shutdown go late into the night. and overnight jobs numbers, showing more americans are back at work. a falling unemployment rate in many states. but will that progress continue? and asleep again. a new case of a drowsy air traffic controller. seven planes land with no one in the tower. good morning. i'm peggy bunker. >> and i'm mike marusarz in for rob nelson. a late-night oval office meeting did not end with a budget agreement. >> both sides say they are closer to a deal. and they are working around the

clock to get there. but there might not be enough time before tomorrow night's deadline. >> emily schmidt has the overnight developments from washington. good morning, emily. >> reporter: mike and peggy, good morning. budget negotiators say they've narrowed the issues. they've made some progress. but at this point, that is not enough to keep the government running past tomorrow. in washington, no budget agreement now means no sleep for staff trying to hammer out a deal. >> my expectation is, that folks are going to work through the night. >> reporter: president obama called budget negotiators to the white house last night, for the second meeting there in two days. after 90 minutes, still no agreement. >> i do think we made some progress. but i want to reiterate, there's no agreement on a number. and there's no agreement on the policy. >> i have confidence we can get this done. we're not there yet. but hope lies eternal. >> reporter: for 800,000 federal workers, even u.s. troops, there's more than hope on the line. there's a paycheck. national parks won't open.

tax refunds mailed in could be delayed. and that's money a kentucky family is banking on. >> we put off paying bills because we've been expecting this. and we thought this money was going to hit right about now. >> reporter: j.t. henderson's family was waiting for an adoption credit on this year's return to help pay student loans and adoption costs. he told abc news, he wants politicians to stop grandstanding. >> there's real-life consequences for people like my family. >> reporter: late last night, president obama said he understood. >> there's no reason why we should have a government shutdown. unless we've made a decision that politics are more important than folks like j.t. henderson. >> reporter: even if a deal is worked out overnight, it will be very tough to beat friday's deadline. that's because house policy now gives lawmakers three days to review any bill before there's a vote. mike and peggy? >> really coming down to the

wire here. congress has passed two stopgap spending bills. it's the third up for debate. what's holding up the larger deal? >> reporter: after the meeting last nights, you saw these key negotiators come out. they said they have a better idea of some of the things holding this up. but they would not give details about the specific sticking point. so, at this point, we don't know how many billions of dollars are really messing things up. we don't know specific policies. we only know that president obama said if things aren't worked out overnight, they're going to go back at it again today. mike and peggy? >> all right. emily schmidt, in washington, thanks to much. now, to libya, where nato is stepping up its air strikes, prompting libyan strongman moammar gadhafi to send a new message to presidents obama. in a rambling, three-page later, he asks the president to withdraw and leave libya to the libyans. but he also wrote that obama would always remain, quote, our son. and he wished him victory in his re-election campaign. the ivory -- the italian coast guard has now rescued 48 libyans after their boat capsized in the mediterranean.

survivors say more than 200 other people are still missing. many could not swim. the group was fleeing the chaos in western libya. thousands of people have reached italy's shores since the popular uprising began in north africa in january. secretary of defense robert gates will discuss troop withdrawals in meetings in iraq today. it's his third trip to the region in a month. yesterday, he was in saudi arabia. iraqi officials insist they can handle their own security when u.s. troops leave at the end of the year. gates would like some troops to stay for training and embassy security. and in california, a navy fighter jet has crashed near fresno, killing the two-man crew. the f-18 superhornet went down in a farm field about half a mile from the air base. officials there have not identified the victims or speculated on what caused the crash. a deadly shooting at an alabama community college was solved when the shooter returned to the scene and confessed. police say the suspect calmly

walked up to journalists in the blood-stained parking lot and told them he was the killer. thomas franklin was quickly arrested and now charged with murder. a 63-year-old woman was killed in the attack, which police say was the result of a domestic dispute. one of president obama's long-time friends has been arrested in a prostitution sting in honolulu. robert titcomb is accused of trying to solicit sex from an undercover officer that he met through a fake escort website. he was released on $500 bail. now, titcomb has known the president since elementary school. they still golf and dine together when the president is in hawaii. nfl players and owners met face-to-face in a minnesota courtroom yesterday for the first time since contract talks failed last month. but still, no deal. the players had asked the judge to lift the lockout imposed by the owners. but she said it would be weeks before she issued a decision. some football fans are beginning to lose hope that there even will be a season. >> i never thought this would happen because football makes so

much money. so much money. it's so much that you can't believe this is going on. >> i'm hoping that it will be settled and everything else. but i got my doubts. >> well, the players and owners are negotiating on how to divvy up $9 billion -- yes, billion -- in revenue. >> lots of cash at stake. taking a look this morning at the weather around the country. showers and thunderstorms from denver to chicago. heaviest around kansas city, northern missouri and des moines. up to a foot of snow in the rockies, cascades and sierra nevada. and heavy rain from seattle to san francisco, a few sprinkles all the way down to l.a. >> wet 58 in sacramento. 69 in albuquerque. 81 in phoenix. 60s from minneapolis to kansas city. dallas, new orleans and miami climb into the 80s. 52 here in new york. and 46 in boston. coming up, could another major network anchor be giving up the morning grind? plus, a minivan driving mom

and her young son, victims of road rage because she delayed when the light turned green. and deja vu. another air traffic controller asleep on the job. medicare. it doesn't cover everything.

and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- it's the only one of its kind endorsed by aarp; see if it's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you keep your own doctor, or hospital that accepts medicare. there are no networks and no referrals needed. help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay... and save up to thousands of dollars in potential...

out-of-pocket expenses with an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. call this toll-free number on your screen now... for this free information kit, including this... medicare guide and customized rate quote. there's fresh evidence of the growing strength of the recovering job market. unemployment rates fell in more than three-quarters of the nation's largest metro areas in february. the broad drop is a sign that recent gains are widespread and

not just limited to a few, healthy regions. no big movers in overseas stock markets this morning. tokyo's nikkei average inched up less than 0.1% today. hong kong's hang seng is slightly higher. in london, the ftse opened slightly lower. and wall street, the dow rose nearly 33 points yesterday. the nasdaq was up eight. as gas prices have soared, sales of the toyota prius have accelerated. a strong first quarter helped the hybrid pass major milestone. in the u.s., 1 million have been sold. the prius first went on sale in 2000 in this country. youtube will go ahead with broadcast and cable tv. it is planning an overhaul to organize its videos around channels such as arts and sports. "the wall street journal" reports that youtube is also planning to spend big on videos produced exclusively for the site. the changes will begin to appear before the end of the year. could the "today" show be looking for two, new anchors? there have been some reports

that matt lauer would be looking to exit his krot which expires late next year. we learned yesterday that some reports say co-anchor meredith vieira might be stepping down from her position as soon as this september. and glenn beck is moving on from his talk show on the fox news channel. the show's ratings have tanked lately. and suffered from a boycott by more than 400 advertisers. beck will still be seen on fox. he's working on documentaries, which the channel will show. coming up next on this thursday, rising prices impacting every driver in america. and it's not just gas. >> isn't that the truth? also, an inspiring story. once homeless, this student now has his choice of ivy league schools. oh wow, look at that. [ shrek ] calm down donkey. it's vacation time! ohhhhh, who says ogres can't surf? nice moves fiona! ha, ha, ha, i love 3d. wooo hooooo! [ shrek ] gingy!

[ laughs ] hey do the roar. roooooar! yeah! marty, what's shrek doing on a cruise ship? looks like he's having fun! [ female announcer ] join the dreamworks experience for the ultimate vacation, only on royal caribbean. but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, soit can be absorbed ith or without food. citracal. >> going to a job interview, i make sure i've got the right guidance. it's the same with my taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step-by-step. and calculations are guaranteed 100% accurate. they even offer audit support. and help me reach my maximum refund, guaranteed. >> man: try turbotax now. ♪ good morning

♪ good morning [ male announcer ] there are sixteen fresh-picked oranges squeezed into each carton of tropicana pure premium and absolutely no space for added sugar, water or preservatives. tropicana -- we put the good in morning. in suburban houston, more than a dozen families are making repairs after a suspect in a police cruiser tore through their backyards, smashing fence

after fence. police say the suspect was handcuffed and wearing a seat belt when he jumped from the backseat and made off with his car. >> look out for that possible scene. wet on i-70 from kansas city to indianapolis. and i-80 from omaha to chicago. rain also makes for a slick ride on i-5, from seattle to l.a. icy on i-15, 84 and 90 in the rockies. and then, on the east coast, wet on i-95, from new york to providence. >> and if you're heading to the airport today, some delays can be possible in san francisco, los angeles, salt lake, denver and kansas city. well, many of you are about to begin this early morning with a lengthy commute to work. a commute that's just about to get under way here in new york. >> taking a local look there. even if you carpool or drive a few miles, you've no doubt seen your commuting costs explode. that's not just because of gas prices. barbara pinto has the brand-new numbers from chicago. >> reporter: for karen slimmens,

minivan driver and mother of four, her morning drive was a wake-up call. >> i did have sticker shock. it was $76 to fill up the tank of gas. >> reporter: that's almost as >> reporter: gas prices in chicago and across the nation are up nearly a dollar over a year ago. but a new report from aaa found the high price of driving goes well beyond filling the tank. tires are more expensive. the cost of rubber and raw materials up 15%. and something we rarely think about -- depreciation is up almost 5% this year, as gas-guzzlers are quickly losing value. add insurance and maintenance, and aaa says driving now costs you an average of 59 cents a mile. >> when you put it into dollars, it really resonates with people. they understand and they look and they consider that almost $9,000 to annually maintain and own your vehicle. that's a lot of money. >> reporter: the president said his plan to lower gas prices is no quick fix. >> that's going to take a couple of years to have serious

effects. if you are complaining about the price of gas and you're only getting eight miles a gallon, you may want to think about a trade-in. >> reporter: or leaving your car at home. that's what steve mazor is doing in southern california. he's calculated his gasoline use down to the penny. >> the cost of per mile for gasoline has been as low as 8 cents. and these days it's running over 20 cents. >> reporter: that means his 140-mile-a-day commute now costs nearly $400 a month. now, to save money, steve tells us he is now working from home two days a week. with gas prices this high, that's an option many more commuters are probably wishing they had. barbara pinto, abc news, chicago. the hunt is on this morning for a gunman at the center of a senseless road rage accident and incident in atlanta. he's accused of opening fire on a minivan with a mother driving her 4-year-old children. 4-year-old korde bailey was shot as he sat in his car seat. luckily he only suffered a minor injury when the bullet hit his

rear-end. >> the man shoot me. >> you feel better now? okay. that's good. >> korda's mother says the driver became enraged when she took too long to accelerate after the light turned green. a nationwide investigation into air traffic controllers sleeping on the job has now uncovered another serious case. this happened in february in knoxville, tennessee. the faa says that the controller working the midnight shift intentionally took a nap for several hours, leaving another controller with a different job to help seven planes land. now, the agency is taking steps to fire that controller. golf's most prestigious tournament tees off today. the masters gets under way in augusta, georgia. three-time winner, phil mickelson, is the favorite to win it this year. as for last night's sports action, here's cole wright with espn news. >> good morning. cole wright here with your espn news update.

things not well in boston. 0-4. they sent daisuke to the hill. and sin shoo choo, going deep. bottom of the sixth, two on, one out. cabrera is doing the hit. first long ball of the season. indians win this one. 8-4, the final count. mariners and rangers. felix hernandez pitched a complete game his first start of the season. doubled off the kings. past a diving justin smoltz. rangers cruise to the win, 7-3. hardcourt time. dwyane wade did not play in this one. a thigh bruise. late third quarter, the kings hitting the triple over delfino. game tied at 61-61. early in the fourth, bucks down four. nice dish to corey maggette for the lay-in. bucks under a pair. game tied at 73-73. the kings, chris bosh, knocking

down the "j." heat up two. ensuing boston possession. the king says, how about i rip? and then i roll. gets the steal. with the jam. heat up four. lebron had 29 and 8 on this evening. bogut, crosscourt to delfino. he can shoot that triple. back up to the bucks. delfino again, picking up the pace. the bucks win this one, 90-85. that will do it for your espn news update. for the latest, be sure to tune into "the highlight express." until then, i'm cole wright. lebron james may have been a loser on the court last night. but he was a winner off it. becoming a team owner. he signed a long-term marketing and sponsorship deal that gives him a small stake in the liverpool soccer team. one of the most famous teams in the world. a florida teenager who was once homeless is mulling over acceptance letters from several ivy league schools. >> six years ago, leonardo leal

didn't speak any english. he had no stable place to stay when he came to the u.s. from mexico illegally at the age of 12. but he got his food and his school supplies from a program aimed at helping homeless students. >> i want to show people that even though you may be poor or you may not have parents or you might not have the support you need, that those things don't matter. >> amazing. before heading off to a top university, carrera will earn his high school diploma and associate s degree. that will happen in may. >> cool stuff. up next, the latest efforts to avoid a federal government shutdown. and a huge powerball jackpot. overnight, we learned where the only winner lives. [ male announcer ] there's a place where everyone feels at home. where the company, the conversation, and the food make all who enter feel welcome.

a place that feels as warm with a crowd... as it does with just a friend. it's a place you'll find town house crackers. because they're part of what makes your place the place. ♪ welcome to town house. where good times reside. get an extra ten percent off mattresses already half off. and instant savings up to four hundred dollars on select mattresses. head to sears to talk with our mattress experts, or shop our largest selection online. hurry. it's all on now! sears. here' to my pants not eaving marks on m waist. achieve small wins with a healthy lifestyle and dannon light & fit. the light fresh yogurt with 80 calories vs. 100 in the other leading brand. here's o 80 calories tasting crazy good. live light and fit. and i wondered what it was. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia,

thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can do more with the ones i love. [ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior or any swelling or affected breathing, or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. ♪ then i found lyrica. hurry in and load up on great savings during the petsmart # anniversarysae. this weekend only, save up to 50% on select items.

like 50% off select tropical fish only at petsmart. to talk about our blueberry juice drinks. they're made with my sweet, ripe blueberries, so they're good for you -- taste real good, too! let's whip up a sample. or just try this. [ chuckles ] now, a look ahead at the stories we'll be watching this thursday. with a government shutdown looming, lawmakers are working around the clock to come up with a budget agreement. after late-night oval office meetings, both sides say they are closer to a deal. but differences remain. japanese police are racing to find thousands of missing bodies in the areas of the evacuation zone around the damaged nuclear plant. radiation levels had been going down since saturday. and officials are hoping to find some of the missing before they are too decomposed to identify. and in space, three, new

space station crew members are getting used to weightlessness. they arrived yesterday. and next week, all six astronauts onboard the station will mark the 50th anniversary of the first human in space. a guilty plea is expected today in one of the nation's most notorious kidnappings. phillip garrido will likely spend the rest of his life in prison after admitting he snatched jaycee dugard and held her captive for 18 years. final arguments will be heard today in the perjury trial of slugger barry bonds. someone in the midwest is waking up as a new multimillionaire. we learned overnight that a single winning powerball ticket from last night's drawing was sold in indiana. by the way, it's worth $221 million. >> a lot of that going around these days. coming up later on "good morning america," are fish from japan safe to eat in the wake of the nuclear power plant disaster? we're going to put some tuna to the test on "gma." for some of you, your local news is next. >> for everyone else, a newborn gets 50 new moms.

okay, team! after age 40, we can start losing muscle -- 8% every 10 years. wow. wow. but you can help fight muscle loss with exercise and ensure muscle health. i've got revigor. what's revigor? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. [ female announcer ] ensure muscle health has revigor and protein to help protect, preserve, and promote muscle health. keeps you from getting soft. [ major nutrition ] ensure. nutrition in charge! you know what, tell me, what makes peter, peter ? well, i'm an avid catamaran sailor. i can my own homemade jam, apricot. and i really love my bank's raise your rate cd. i'm sorry, did you say you'd love a pay raise asap ? uh, actually, i said i love my bank's raise your rate cd. you spent 8 days lost at sea ? no, uh... you love watching your neighbors watch tv ? at ally, you'll love our raise your rate cd that offers a one-time rate increase if our current rates go up. ally. do you love your bank ?

but one is so clever that your skin looks better even after you take it off. neutrogena® healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% saw improved skin. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics. ♪ good morning [ male announcer ] there are sixteen fresh-picked oranges squeezed into each carton of tropicana pure premium and absolutely no space for added sugar, water or preservatives. tropicana -- we put the good in morning.

>> all new. oprah: her husband, her own children -- no one knew. >> oprah sits down with the fugitive mom. oprah: on the run for 32 years. after 20 years, you actually think you've gotten away with it. >> next "oprah." next at 4:30. one word expected in a northern california court that could have a dramatic effect on the jaycee dugard kidnapping trial. lisa argen has a windy and soggy forecast. >> colder air has arrived. it will be breezy and highs in the 50s today. >> join us next at 4:30. finally this morning, the power of a hug. nonstop cuddling, for one of the cutest baby girls in the world. >> that is for sure. her life got off to a rocky

start. but then, a lot of moms stepped in, offering one embrace after another. bill weir explains. >> reporter: will you get a load of that face. that ball of cuteness is an orangutan at 1 month old. who could possibly resist those eager eyes? that natural curiosity? sadly, her own mother. shortly after being born at the houston zoo, this newborn was rejected by her mother. a tragedy, considering most orangutans are devoted parents. and that rejection in the wild usually means imminent death. but fortunately for this little girl, in place of the one who left, are 50 surrogate mothers. zoo workers, pitching in, playing with the other one, each taking a shift 24 hours a day. >> we're using a surrogate orangutan doll in some cases, as well as just having the baby on us, for body heat and for comfort.

>> reporter: this might be the last generation of the species born to the wild. the front line in this battle is on the indonesian island of borneo, where 90% of the world's remaining orangutans live. in the local language, the word orangutan means forest people. but the forests are disappearing too fast. some 5,000 square miles will soon be gone, due to the worldwide demand for palm oil and wood. and these are the refugees. >> without a habitat, species like orangutans will not be able to survive in the wild. >> reporter: and it's a delicate balance, nursing them with affection. teaching them you to swing and climb. but at the same time, respecting their wildness. these are not pets being tamed. they work with the hope that the forest can somehow be saved. and these little ones can someday go home. >> oh. she's so sweet. i love the hair. it's kind of like this hair.