breaking overnight, a plan to get back on schedule. >> it is the news frequent fliers have been begging for. relief to the nation's delay-plagued airports, since staffing cuts started days ago. we're live in washington. next target times square. were the accused boston bombers bound for the big apple? new details as the parents speak out about their sons' innocence. a sports fishing excursion turns into a vacation nightmare, when their boat sinks eight miles offshore. and the impromptu concert by the crooner for some big city commuters. ♪ don't you know i

and good morning. we begin with relief on the way for frustrated air travelers across the country. just days after faa furloughs kicked in, leading to throws of flight delays. >> the senate has just approved a plan to end those furloughs and get the air traffic control system back up to speed. abc's devin dwyer's in washington. good morning, devin. >> reporter: good morning, diana and john. it was an ugly week for air travelers, with triple the delays than at this point last year. the faa says almost half were thanks to controller furloughs. a fix for frustrated fliers could be about to take off. overnight, the senate voted to let the faa and furloughs for thousands of air traffic controllers, hit by the automatic budget cuts. >> that should prevent the onerous delays that have been occurring and were only going to get worse. >> reporter: the cuts would cost a daily shortage of 1,500 controllers at the nation's airports. and threatened to close 149 control towers.

with fewer eyes on the sky, the planes have been spaced farther apart, slowing the system and down frustrating flyers. on wednesday alone, 863 delays were linked to the cuts. >> they're putting people's lives at risk. >> reporter: the faa bill heads to the house today. if it doesn't pass, officials say things will get much worse. >> we did not take into account thunderstorms or other kinds of weather activities. these delays could get extended beyond the 60 to 90 minutes. >> reporter: even if congress acts, there's new pain for passengers. united airlines this week quietly increased its ticket change fee from $150 to $200. a move matched yesterday by u.s. air. >> no empty middle fees. lots of fees. people should get used to this particular model. it's frustrating. you can feel like you're nickelled and dimed. but you have to deal with it. >> reporter: congress is taking up the faa furloughs before a week of vacation, when many

lawmakers plan to fly out of town and could get a taste of some of the airport delays. diana? >> i'm sure that's not what they wanted. devin dwyer in washington for us. thank you. now, to boston and chilling news in the investigation of the marathon bombing. we're learning that the suspects planned more attacks. >> at this early hour, times square is a busy place. the fbi has revealed it was the tsaranev brothers next target. here's tahman bradley. >> reporter: it appears boston was just the beginning. authorities say dzhokhar and tamerlan tsaranev had their sights on new york city. >> new york city remains a prime target for those who hate america and want to kill americans. >> reporter: investigators say dzhokhar said he and his older brother planned to go to new york city to party. but then, changed his story. >> the two brothers had at their disposal six improvised explosive devices. one was a pressure cooker bomb,

similar to the two that had exploded at the marathon.ím oth. >> reporter: their plan went offtrack, authorities say, when the owner of the vehicle they carjacked managed to escape. this morning, the fbi searched a landfill in new bedford, massachusetts. a stash of fireworks was discovered yesterday in watertown. and officials leave tamerlan planned to use the gun powder from them to make more explos e explosives. some members of congress are frustrated that the fbi and the cia were warned by the russians two years ago about tamerlan becoming an islamic radical. >> boston is becoming to me, a case study in system failure. dzhokhar's parents could arrive in the u.s. any day now. his mother says she can't believe tamerlan would carry out a terror plot. >> he was very nice and very -- he never -- just because they are americans. >> reporter: tahman bradley, abc news, washington.

the tsaranev brothers plan to bomb times square is being backed up by a man from china who calls himself danny. the suspects carjacked his mercedes. and he tells today's "boston globe," he was sure he would die. when they stopped for gas, he ez caped to a mobile station across the street. the white house says it won't be taking any action against syria anytime soon, despite recently uncovered evidence that chemical weapons may have been used in the civil war. just last month, president obama warned syria that the government using chemical weapons against civilians would be a game-changer. but the white house now says, for now anyway, the evidence is not solid enough for the u.s. to get involved. horror overnight outside of moscow. a fire sweeping through a psychiatric hospital, that killed 36 people. many in their beds. only three people managed to escape the flames.

back here at home, president obama offered the nation's support to the people of west, texas. that came at a memorial service, where the 12 first responders killed in last week's explosion were honored. president obama said those men forgot their fears when they arrived on the scene. >> we need people that so love their naboeighbors as themselve that they're willing to lay down their lives for them. america needs towns like west. that's what makes this country great. is towns like west. >> nearly 10,000 people attended that event. by the way, that's more than three-times the entire population of west, texas, itself. the opening of a presidential library is one of the few times politicians sometimes at odds come together in harmony and respect. president obama joined the four living ex-presidents for the opening of the george w. bush presidential library. usually, the older president bush gets emotional.

but this time, it was the son. >> whatever challenges come before us, i will always believe our nation's best days lie ahead. >> george w. bush library museum opens to the public next wednesday. and a lighter note from the history day. this photo getting a lot of attention online overnight. the snapshot at the unfortunate moment that makes you wonder what was going on there. >> i'm sure it's completely innocent. >> absolutely. >> poor president obama. time, now, for the weather across the nation. mostly dry and warming up across the board. the exceptions are texas, oklahoma and arkansas, where it's going to be stormy and windy. >> temperatures mostly in the 60s and 70s, with some 80s across the south. and the first time this year, minneapolis, fargo and the surrounding areas will see 60-plus-degree temperature readings. new developments on the plan to tax the stuff you buy online.

plus, a sweet summer. icon treats are making their return. and the game show surprise. a prize like no other. we're going to show you what it is, coming up in "the pulse."

boeing's troubled 787 dreamliner is close to carrying passengers again. overnight, japan green lit airlines there to resume passenger flights. though, it's unclear when they will fly the planes. battery problems grounded the fleet in january. it united airlines says it will start the dreamliner service in

may. senators from four states with no sales tax opposed the idea. that's forcing a final vote next month. the bill will allow states to require online retailers to collect state and local taxes. while it faces an uncertain fate in the house, president obama says he would sign the bill. good news for junk food lovers. the new owner of the hostess brand says the sweet treats will be on store shelves by july. a labor dispute caused the company to shut down late last year. the restart means 3,000 new jobs. an interest is set for a 15-year fixed mortgage. for those who qualify, you'll pay 2.61%. and a 30-year fixed dropped to 3.40%. get a mortgage. what's not going down is the cost of the high school prom. on average, more than $1,200

will be spent this spring. that's up 40% from two years. covers tuxedo, flowers, dress. the northeast spends the most. followed by families on the west coast. folks in the midwest pay the least. that's crazy. >> yeah. apparently part of the cost is two pairs of shoes. that's the cute shoes and a comfortable shoes. it's not a wedding, guys. when we come back, the siblings on a sinking boat far from shore. the incredible effort to save their lives. caught in the act, neighbors take action to catch a mail thief. the crimes caught on tape. ♪

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statue-sized head bobbing in the river. they dragged the 1,000-pound head out of the river. and are waiting for someone to come claim it. for now, it's living outside of the campus boat house. part of a statue, apparently, right? >> yeah. hopefully drivers won't find anything like that this morning. the road conditions look normal. plan on slow going in parts of the middle south, in cities like little rock, oklahoma city, and knoxville. >> if you're flying, those same storm conditions could cause delays in dallas, kansas city and memphis. this morning, a brother and sister are coming home back to the united states. after their vacation turned into a brush with death. >> the boat they chartered began to sink. the siblings began swimming for 14 hour, after dark, fighting off images of shark movies like "open water" for the whole time. they finally did reach dry land. and a farmer called for help. they were dehydrated and

otherwise okay. they will reunite with their dad tomorrow. nearly six months after hurricane sandy battered the northeast, survivors trying to get back on their feet face a new burden. looters. police believe that special anti-looting patrols along parts of the jersey shore have kept thefts to a minimum. but this week, officers picked up a man who was accused of breaking into a garage and taking piping. a florida woman is under arrest, accused of stealing mail from her neighbors. police say she was caught red-handed in this surveillance video. she is accused of dressing in disguise and taking letters and money from mailboxes in south daytona since january. dozens of people not even know their mail was taken. the death of a 24-year-old intern mauled by a lion at a california zoo has been ruled an unfortunate accident. the fresno county sheriff department ruled that she failed to secure the door to a cage where the lion was confined

while cleaning the enclosure. the lion broke hanson's neck and was killed by authorities. this elk in colorado, she's had a tire around her neck for weeks. it's not getting in the way of her everyday activities, like eating and breathing. they think she might be pregnant so they can't tranquilize her to remove the tire. the first round of the nfl draft is now in the books. the first player picked last night by the kansas city chiefs was defensive tackle eric fischer from central michigan university. also, some draft history last night. picks 9 through 11, all came from the university of alabama. the first time a college team has supplied three-straight first-rounders. not bad. one player not picked yet, this guy. linebacker mantei taio. some believe the scandal over his exotic girlfriend may have cost him millions.

there are just two nhl playoff spots left to be claimed. as the league enters its final weekend of the regular season. as for the nba playoffs, highlights from espn. >> i'm hakem dermish with your "sportscenter" update. it was game three last night between the grizzlies and clippers. marc gasol, received his defensive player of the year award. gasol knows how to play some offense. 16 points in the game for him. little later, mike conley, driving, dishing to zach randolph. grizzlies up by three early on. looking strong. fourth quarter, now. conley, to jerryd bayless. under four minutes left. randolph there for the offensive rebound. sticks with it. 27 points, 11 rebounds. grizzlies win it, 94-82. the clippers lead the series, 2-1 games. game three between the heat and the bucks. 35 seconds to go in the first. mike dunleavy, for three.

buries it. bucks up 30-21, after one. five seconds left in the half. lebron, beats the buzzer. miami within two at the break. three minutes to go in the third. shot clock running out. james knocks down the three. heat up. under 30 seconds to go. lebron, bucket and the foul. he finished with 22. later, ray allen knocks down the three. passes reggie miller for most threes in playoff history. heat win it 104-91. allen had 24 points. and the heat lead that series, 3-0. that's your "sportscenter" update. i'm hakem dermish, have a great day. quite a treat in new york for some unsuspecting subway commuters. >> check out who greeted them on the platform yesterday. ♪ all my life all my life ♪ ♪ all my life all my life ♪ ♪ i will not be lonely >> michael buble, with some

backup singers there. commuters captured it on the camera phones. and it happened at the stop closest to this studio. >> you wait for the subway and there's michael buble. coming up in "the pulse," meet the 5-year-old, jamie, who has been reading for years. and she meant well. but how did one florida woman and she meant well. but how did one florida woman end up swallowing a diamond? we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it.

with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, i'll bebooop. back. hi, listen i think you could do better. oh no, he's a nice guy. no i'm talking about your yogurt. see dannon oikos is so rich and thick and smooth. so smooth. in a national taste test dannon oikos fat free strawberry flavor beat chobani 2 to 1. mmmm. stamos? look babe - i'm doing better. she means the yogurt. join us babe. try it for yourself. dannon oikos greek nonfat yogurt. ♪ dannon

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>> people placed gems at the bottom of champagne glasses. and only one glass had a real diamond in it. a $5,000 diamond. and the 80-year-old woman who got the winning diamond, accidentally swallowed it. miriam tucker went to the doctor the very next day. and the diamond turned up. >> she came back with the diamond in a bag. in a medical bag. >> and the diamond is not even cleaned yet. >> touchdown. >> only one diamond and only one person swallows it. it happens to be the same person. >> tucker plans to keep the diamond in her family as an heirloom that comes with a great story. i still want to know the story behind swallowing the diamond. how did that happen? >> champagne, maybe there was a couple glasses involved. one of the newest members of mensa, the exclusive society with high i.q.s, turns out to be a kindergartner from illinois. gus dorman, 5 years old, already knows all of the elements in the periodic table, every country in the world. now learning long division. >> why not?

his parents didn't think it was unusual for a 4-year-old who could read entire books until a friend told them it was unusual. so, they had him tested. now, unfortunately, gus isn't doing so well in school because, you guessed it, it's just too easy. by the way, he has an i.q. of 147. the average adult, like john and i, is 100. that's it. >> give or take. >> you could test us out of the park. wow. this could be the best game show prize ever. "the price is right," offered a contestant a chance to win a new ferrari spider. look at that. sticker price, $285,000. >> she played the game called three strikes. and suffice to say, she struck out. the ferrari isn't going anywhere. >> of course not. i wonder if it's rigged. now, who is going to want the tax bill attached to that car? >> you'll find a way somehow. >> and never mind the insurance cost. >> i'd find a way somehow. >> you'd have to work to maintain that car. >> it put my daughter to work or something. i'd find a way. for some of you, your local news is next.

>> for everyone else, we're coming right back. is more than a savings card. it's a rewards card that gives you 500 rewards points every time you fill a prescription. points you can redeem in store or online for, well, almost anything. rack up points with each prescription you fill, right here. at the corner of happy and healthy. [ female announcer ] some prescriptions not eligible to earn points. restrictions apply. see website for details.

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>> live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. >> good friday morning at 4:28. thanks for joining us. >> say that again. >> it is friday morning. >> friday morning good morning now the weather forecast. mike? >> good morning. we have cloud cover. but not so thick as it was yesterday. live doppler 7 hd showing how dry it is. we will look at the forecast. we zoom down on oakland and we will have plenty of sunshine around the bay with temperatures at 61 in san francisco to 73 in fremont. as far as the bay we are going around 58 to 60 at the coast. we will have 68 to 80. it is getting warmer. i will show you how much in the seven-day outlook. don't make the weekend plans yet. leyla gulen? >> good morning, at 4:28, we

have a report of a fatality on surface street off 680 freeway. hill valley road shut down both directions. use the alternate. in oakland we have this report of a grenade found along international boulevard at a fire hydrant. international boulevard is shut down. the details are ahead. now, kristen and eric? >> we are following breaking news in san leandro where six brand new portable classrooms caught on fire at an elementary school at midnight at james madison elementary school. officials say the new classrooms were just delivered and pushed together to make a large classroom. officials say they had not been hooked up to power. abc7 news reporter cornell bernard has much more in the next half hour.

>> in san jose, a century old victorian is gutted and in dangerf collapse following a devastating fire. the building held a famous local business. abc7 news reporter amy hollyfield is in san jose with more. >> check out what is left of the beautiful old building, it is still standing, there is concern it could topple. it is standing this morning. you can see the inside is destroyed. it is just gone. look at what firefighters were up against last night, the call came at 9:30 at 7:02 south first street in san jose. firefighters say it took an hour to knock down the fire. the old two-story wooden building was built in 1884. >> they had a construction that allowed the fire to travel through the walls. it started on the first floor and traveled through thewa