good morning, america. and breaking news, president obama meeting pope francis for the first time in an historic meeting. d the clock still ticking. we have the latest on the search from australia. plus, buried alive amid tragedy in the washington mudslide. a man's incredible survival story. >> i could see a little light, and i shoved that sucker up through there. >> bruised and battered. this morning how this man fought his way through feet of mud. wicked weather. new video of a funnel cloud surfaces overnight in a place you wouldn't expect it. and drone dentist. one dad's unique approach to pulling out his son's loose tooth.

good thursday morning. it's a great one, in fact, as we welcome back diana perez from maternity leave. you look fantastic. >> thank you. i'm excited to be back. i miss my boys. big kiss to them. i'm happy to be back, though. >> you'll probably get more sleep now than you do before on maternity leave. >> i think you're right. let's get started. we begin now with the latest on the search for malaysia airlines flight 370. bad weather is once again keeping ships and planes from searching an area where a satellite picked up possible objects. >> abc's clayton sandell is in perth, australia, with the very latest. >> reporter: 11 aircraft and 5 ships were supposed to be searching the indian ocean off the australian coast here, but now bad weather has moved into the area temporarily cutting short the search for what malaysian authorities say is their best lead yet. new images from a french satellite show more than 120 pieces of something in the water in the indian ocean, but they haven't been found yet, and it's not clear if there's any connection to the missing airliner.

>> some objects were a meter in length, others were as much as 23 meters in length. some of the objects appeared to be bright. >> reporter: and finding those objects is now up to aircrews like the one we just flew with, the men and women from the royal new zealand air force, squadron number 5. they fly a p-3 orion plane that normally hunts for submarines but right now they're using all that technology to hunt for anything that might be traced back to malaysia 370. but, unfortunately, a lot of the so-called debris we thought we were looking at like this rather large piece big enough for a seagull to land on often turns out to be nothing more than seaweed. it happens over and over again, and it's an enormous letdown, but there was one moment where we had a promising lead. >> mark, mark, mark. light blue object. port side approximately two feet by three feet partially submerged. >> that would be pretty huge because it would give -- it would really be the first step in getting a lot of answers.

>> reporter: every object that is seen is reported to the command center which then will send a ship to take a closer look from the surface of the ocean. that search will resume as soon as the weather clears. clayton sandell, abc news, perth, australia. >> thank you, clayton. just learning about more possible debris found. a thai satellite has spotted it and has been handed over to investigators. in washington state crews found another body in that devastating mudslide. >> after five days with little progress it is taking a toll on everyone. abc's tahman bradley has the details. >> reporter: the powerful mudslide flattened homes and ruined lives. the victims are being remembered at vigils and prayer services. among them, christina jefferds, a mother of three, and john regelbrugge, a veteran navy commander who is still missing. >> we are all waiting for ones that haven't been found. >> reporter: this morning, we're learning harrowing stories of survival. mac mcpherson was with his wife

linda when the mudslide slammed into their home. debris flew everywhere. >> so i just kept digging and digging and digging with a stick until i could see a little light, and i shoved that sucker up through there and started waving it back and forth. >> reporter: rescuers saw the stick. mac lived. linda did not. the urgent search for survivors continues with national guard black hawk helicopters now on the case. on the ground, crews are using bulldozers and their bare hands to comb through debris. the terrain is treacherous, the mud like quicksand. >> when i flew over the area on sunday, i said that you needed to see it to believe it. now that i've seen it from the ground, i must tell you that i still can't believe what i saw. >> reporter: authorities have discovered at least 25 bodies, but say some may never be recovered. it's just too dangerous to dig them out. the small rural community north of seattle is only beginning to process this tragedy.

>> that safety, that security, that feeling of comfort has been shaken. >> reporter: before residents can put their lives back together, they've got to find the missing people. tahman bradley, abc news, washington. to boston now where firefighters worked through the night at the scene of a fire that took the lives of two of their own. fierce wind off the charles river fanned the fire being compared now to a blowtorch. 150 firefighters battled the nine-alarm blaze. lieutenant ed walsh, a father of three young children, died at the scene. firefighter mike kennedy died later at the hospital. >> we lost two heroes here today. it makes me proud to be mayor of the city of boston after watching the way that the men and women of the boston fire department worked today. these two heroes ran into a burning building, got people out of the building. >> 13 other firefighters were also injured. but crews were able to rescue a number of people who have been

trapped on the upper floors of the building, and now everyone is accounted for. well, the first stop on president obama's itinerary today, the vatican. this morning it's the first meeting for the president and pope francis. before the meeting the white house said the president planned to thank the pontiff for his leadership. cuba, u.s. immigration and the mideast peace process may also be topics of discussion. well, here at home president obama's signature health care law is facing fresh criticism on capitol hill. house speaker john boehner ridiculed the obama administration for softening its deadline for americans to comply with obamacare. on tuesday the administration announced individuals may obtain health insurance after march 31st as long as they claim to have attempted to enroll before the deadline. >> you know, he hasn't put enough loopholes into the law already, the administration is now resorting to an honor system to enforce it. what the hell is this? a joke? >> the joke i say to my dear friend, john boehner, is him having more than 60 votes over

there to terminate obamacare. >> reid defended the administration saying there's no hiccup or delay but that hundreds of thousands of people have tried to sign up, and they just couldn't get through, and they just need a little extra time. all right, new this morning, one possible reason so many people have apparently been slipping past security at new york's new world trade center. caught on camera by "the new york post," check it out. 65-year-old security guard abdul basher half blind sleeping on the job and the only security guard stationed on the entire ground floor. basher was named security officer of the year last year. he was fired on the spot. the photo comes just days after a teenager climbed to the top of the building spire and three skydivers pulled off breathtaking jumps from the top of the tower back in september. well, the tsa warns to put armed police officers at airport checkpoints during peak hours. now, the proposal is in response to the shooting death of a tsa officer in los angeles last november.

assigning police to airports will depend on local priorities and funding. northern california having some very rough weather this week. >> about 90 miles north of sacramento, a funnel cloud was spotted yesterday followed by a hailstorm. now, it's not known if the funnel cloud ever actually touched down. another was seen nearby the day before. and that part of the state on up into oregon will see heavy rain today with rain showers in the landslide area in washington, as well. there will also be rain or snow for a good part of the nation's midsection. >> it will be surprisingly cool in the southwest but for the 80s in the texas area. cities up near the canadian border, they'll be in the 40s. and now we have some breaking interplanetary news. a potential new planet is our solar system. that's right, astronomers have announced the newfound planetoid orbits the sun at its closest point 80 times the distance of the earth. >> the planet takes well over 4,000 years to orbit. wow. compared to the earth's 12 months. it's been named planet biden for the vice president because its official name is vp113.

>> that's kind of cool. >> so we'd just be days old there on that planet. babies. >> minutes old. >> yes. upscale at the drive-through which fast food chain is now selling $12 burgers. >> and we showed you his wild rescue. now the construction worker who was saved from a fire just in the nick of time is talking about the ordeal. and ghostly encounter. workers at a store insisting that their building is haunted, and they say they have the surveillance video to prove it.

this is your computer. let's go on the internet. let's go. ok. she's going to love me all over again now. jamaica, here you come!

here we go. ha ha! good job. all right. and welcome back. general motors is actively trying to counter the bad

publicity from a deadly ignition switch defect. five videos on the gm website feature ceo mary barra answering customers' questions about the problem and next week she will answer the government's questions at a congressional hearing. the defect is linked to at least 12 deaths. there is yet another major recall in the auto industry. nissan says there's a problem with the air bag software in nearly a million vehicles. it may not be able to tell if someone is sitting in the front passenger seat. the recall is for cars that are made last year and this year. well, bank of america is spending more than $9 billion to settle a dispute with federal mortgage agencies. the second largest u.s. bank had been accused of selling faulty mortgage bonds to fannie mae and freddie mac. bank of america is only 1 of 18 financial institutions involved. and a $12 hamburger at mcdonald's. that is the price of the prime, a new sandwich in switzerland. >> ooh, it's a 6.3-ounce patty with what's called rustic mountain cheese, whatever that

is, coleslaw, bacon, arugula and a special sauce, of course. the prime was developed with the help of local cooking show hosts. >> sorry, there are no plans to bring it here. isn't like everything in switzerland cost a fortune? i wonder if it's the same price. >> you bring it here and it's only like $1.50. >> the special sauce puts it over the top and special mountain cheese. >> the mountain cheese. >> i want one anyway. brir it on. >> it does look good. when we come back, call of the gladiators, why a main actor in the show -- abc show "scandal" is under arrest now. plus, on the edge, incredible pictures from the grand canyon where it's just another day at the office.

before using her new bank of america credit card, which rewards her for responsibly managing her card balance. before receiving $25 toward her balance each quarter for making more than her minimum payment on time each month. tracey got the bankamericard better balance rewards credit card, which fits nicely with everything else in life she has to balance. that's the benefit of responsibility. apply online or visit a bank of america near you. i've quit for 75 days. 15 days, but not in a row. for the first time, you can use nicorette even if you slip up, so you can reach your goal. now, quit on your own terms with nicorette or nicoderm cq. makes everything algood even better...ilk from the bowls of cereal you make... to all the delicious recipes you bake.

because inside every carton is the goodness of blue diamond almonds. almond breeze. almondiciously good! they blur one into the next. microwave dinners. we lose ourselves in the fog of everyday life, and drift away from what matters. but like a beacon in the night, it finds us. the light of more than 100 lighthouses, burning through that fog, and beckoning us back to what's real and true. this light shines for us all. this light is pure michigan. your trip begins at michigan.org. windy weather in southern california causing problems. a brownout instead of a whiteout. sandstorms in the palm springs area closed at least one road and made driving dangerous on others. on interstate 10 and other highways police are slowing down drivers because of the reduced visibility.

in northern california on up watch for wet roads today and possibly more mudslides in washington. roads will also be wet from the gulf coast right up into the great lakes, and watch out for slippery conditions in the rockies. >> and if you're flying, airport delays are possible in kansas city. well, it was high winds in houston that turned a small construction site fire into a devastating inferno. >> we're learning more now about the incredible moments when curtis reissig there was trapped on the fifth floor balcony. the flames grew so fierce behind him that he could feel his skin burning. he knew he had to do something to stay alive. and that's when he bent down and dropped below to the balcony. watch this move. does a little swing. no railing on that balcony and makes it. this morning he reveals what was on his mind in those desperate moments. >> i just said, i'm going to die right here. and i said, god, you got to help me. you got to help me out here. the only choice i have to survive is go ahead and drop down to the patio below. that was the only option. that was the only option. >> that is one cool customer. the danger wasn't over then.

the fire department got the ladder pretty near him, but he still had to make a jump and then parts of the building came crashing down as soon as he got on that ladder. wow, in the end the fire didn't injure anyone. well, now a health alert this morning. fewer patients are getting infections during their hospital stay, but there's still a lot of room for improvement. the cdc says 1 in 25 patients was infected in the hospital in 2011. that's more than 700,000 people. health experts blame it on preventible factors such as improperly washed hands or dirty equipment. well, an actor on the hit tv show "scandal" has been charged with a brutal attack in los angeles. columbus short arrested yesterday accused of knocking a man unconscious during an argument in a restaurant. the 31-year-old star has since been released on bail. he has a history of violence including arrests for allegedly hitting his wife and punching a man on a los angeles basketball court. well, a blockbuster labor ruling could change the face of college sports. a federal labor board says northwestern university's football players can form a union. it's because the school acts

just as an employer exerting control over employees. the players say it's not about the money but about health issues. the school plans to appeal to the full national labor relations board. all right, time now for sports. things getting physical between the pacers and the heat. >> and tim duncan puts on another show. here are our friends at espn with nba highlights. can't sleep, can you? well, that's why we're here to entertain. welcome. good morning, america. jay harris, kenny mayne from the espn "sportscenter" studios in bristol, connecticut. >> did you know that nicaraguan volcano sledding is a real sport? >> i did not know that. >> it is. but it's not like this sport. lebron james and the heat taking on the pacers. oh, it got physical. lance stephenson and dwyane wade getting after each other. james got a bloody nose. james then gave roy hibbert the elbow. was it intentional? who knows. well, the officials thought it was because they gave him a flagrant one. hibbert got back into the action. pacers up one, david west, what is that, his fourth three

all season? >> i think so. >> he got a chance, chris bosh has done it before. didn't do it this time and the pacers win it by a single point and they lead in the east three games. the spurs coming in having won 10 of their last 14 against the nuggets. second quarter, the lead is 17. tony parker to danny green nails a corner three at the buzzer. going into the half, he had 16 points, five threes in the first half, spurs up 20 at the break. under 40 seconds to go. tim duncan, pump fake, lays it in, he had 29. 11 in the fourth. also 13 rebounds, nice tidy double-double for him. spurs win, 108-103. >> glad to have helped. >> so go to sleep. >> yeah, no, wake up. there's news and information. >> wake up. >> staying on this program. >> thanks, guys. driving in the south this week has almost been like a drive-through buffet, really. corn dogs were free for the taking in louisiana after a tractor trailer overturned and spilled its load. >> we're going to relish this story. it's estimated there were

75,000 corn dogs on the ground. one report says passing motorists stopped and stocked up. coincidentally national corn dog was last saturday, and no one was hurt. >> very nice. and in central florida grapefruit was on the menu when straps holding the cargo snapped as the truck rounded an off-ramp. about three-fourths of the load was dumped into the roadway and other vehicles were unable to squeeze by. a aha. cops say the wrong type of cable was used and they gave the driver a ticket. once again, no one hurt. i think was on the menu too. grapefruit juice. to a cleanup job that is not for the faint of heart. window cleaners at the grand canyon. those workers dangling from ropes 4,000 feet above the colorado river, all to clean 40 panes there of glass that are underneath that skywalk that juts out from the edge of the canyon. they are no strangers to danger. they also repel down into the canyon to retrieve bottles and trash.

>> no thanks. >> no, not me either. i'm not even going to walk out on the glass thing as a tourist. >> take pictures from back here. yes. coming up next in "the pulse," the new ad campaign sure to get your attention. >> forget the pliers and the dentist. one dad has a unique approach to getting rid of that loose tooth. ♪ one dad has a unique approach to getting rid of that loose tooth. oh, i like that one. it's so quick! it's just like my car insurance. i saved 15% in just 15 minutes. i saved more than that in half the time. i unfriend you. that's not how it works. that's not how any of this works. [ male announcer ] 15 minutes for a quote isn't how it works anymore. with esurance, 7 1/2 minutes could save you on car insurance. welcome to the modern world. esurance. backed by allstate. click or call. ♪ [ male announcer ] bob's heart attack

didn't come with a warning. today his doctor has him on a bayer aspirin regimen to help reduce the risk of another one. if you've had a heart attack, be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. ♪ all right. time now to check "the pulse,"

and we're starting with the latest salvo in the fast food wars taking name dropping to an entirely new level. >> this issed goo. starting today taco bell elbows its way into the breakfast market like this, a waffle taco with a side of cinnabon delight, hash browns and coffee. >> and they're using none other than ronald mcdonald to promote their new breakfast. no, not the red-haired clown, the chain is running a series of ads featuring everyday men who just happen to be named ronald mcdonald. >> i like it. >> that's really cool. >> yeah, here we go. spooky surveillance video, talk of a town in new hampshire and some are convinced their country store is haunted. >> take a look at this footage right after the worker leaves the room, a glass dish slides across the counter and crashes. no strings attached and employees insist it is the work of a ghost. >> definitely no string. this is definitely not a staged act. this really happened and it's really kind of freaky. >> oh, i just got the

heebie-jeebies. the workers insist they've experienced other paranormal activity but skeptics say there must be a logical explanation, such as a small earthquake or a gust of wind. >> or a ghost. are you really scared? >> i really am. >> watch out. a man from ireland set a whole new standard for being a cool dad. take a look of the he's about to use a brand-new drone to pull his 8-year-old son adam's loose tooth out. he is connected there with a 30-foot line of dental floss. >> adam seems more excited than afraid and gives his dad a thumbs up. the drone takes off and in the blink of an eye that tooth is gone. >> man. >> wow. >> never found it, by the way, so the tooth fairy wasn't able to pay him a visit but with 78,000 views on youtube, adam is now an internet star. >> i'm not sold on that method. >> that's kind of like the new take on tie i had to the door, slam the door. >> yeah, that one also is a little barbaric for me. all's well that ends well. >> not a big fan.

maybe the tooth fairy will still come and visit. >> i hope so. >> why not. by a heart valve problem. that puts jim at a greater risk of stroke. for years, jim's medicine tied him to a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. but now, with once-a-day xarelto jim's on the move. jim's doctor recommended xarelto. like warfarin, xarelto is proven effective to reduce afib-related stroke risk. but xarelto is the first and only once-a-day prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem that doesn't require routine blood monitoring. so jim's not tied to that monitoring routine. [ gps ] proceed to the designated route. not today. [ male announcer ] for patients currently well managed on warfarin there is limited information on how xarelto and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. xarelto is just one pill a day taken with the evening meal. plus, with no known dietary restrictions, jim can eat the healthy foods he likes.

do not stop taking xarelto, rivaroxaban, without talking to the doctor who prescribes it as this may increase the risk of having a stroke. get help right away if you develop any symptoms like bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. you may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take xarelto with aspirin products, nsaids, or blood thinners. talk to your doctor before taking xarelto if you have abnormal bleeding. xarelto can cause bleeding, which can be serious and rarely may lead to death. you are likely to bruise more easily on xarelto and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. tell your doctors you are taking xarelto before any planned medical or dental procedures. before starting xarelto, tell your doctor about any conditions such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. xarelto is not for patients with artificial heart valves. jim changed his routine. ask your doctor about xarelto. once-a-day xarelto means no regular blood monitoring -- no known dietary restrictions. for more information and savings options, call 1-888-xarelto or visit goxarelto.com.

for more information and savings options, nfc, afc, offensive lineman, defensive tackles, quarterbacks and cornerbacks are all living united. to ensure the academic success of millions of kids in our communities. all the way to graduation day. but that won't happen without you. so take the pledge at unitedway.org. make a difference in the life of a child. suit up like your favorite nfl players, and become a volunteer reader, tutor or mentor with united way.

live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. >> good morning on thursday at 4:28. i am kristen sze. >> i am matt keller. the rain will linger today. we will check with mike nicco meteorologist. >> i used the windshield wipers on the way to work. here is what is last of the showers through the east by headed through the caldecott tunnel, out marsh creek road from clayton to antioch and pittsburg and discovery bay, wet over the next 15 or 20 minutes. you can see the moist flow off the ocean so random showers will be in the forecast. 680 at walnut creek it just rained with spray coming up from the cars.

temperatures today are low-to-mid 60's but the coast upper 50's to low 60's. >> through vallejo and america's canyon we have an accident. we have a solo spinout on the transition road between southbound highway 29 to eastbound 37 so we have one lane blocked and the car is facing the wrong direction. be careful headed on to the roads because it is wet. as we look at the bay bridge toll plaza the traffic is empty with some construction in the westbound direction. it will last until 5:00 at the first tower and then we have a high wind advisory and if you thinning of takin mass transit, bart is on time. >> a dozen people are burned out of their homes after a fast moving apartment fire in livermore. one purpose has major injuries

with amy hollyfield on the scene. >> this happened at an apartment complex in livermore. the fire is out. they are trying to figure if they can find a place if everyone to stay. i am joined by the fire chief. can you tell us of the injuries to the person would was airlifted out of here. >> there was one male adult in the apartment of original gin with burns on his hands and face. he was airlifted to a burn center. >> everyone else was okay? >> yes, no other injuries. >> the building? what was the damage? >> a total of eight units affected by the fire. two were virtually destroyed. the other units have water damage or damage through ventilating the roof. >> you have the fire out and it is early. any ideas or indications what