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Al-Balawi Promises Revenge for Taliban Death; Christmas Day Bomb Suspect in Court; Shelters Offers Protection from Cold; New Year, New Focus on Passing Health Care Bill; First "Stand-up Economist" Finds Comedy Gold
Aired January 09, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, stay with us. All the video you see this hour will be accurate this hour, folks. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM for this Saturday, day or the night. Hello to you all. I am the blushing T.J. Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, I'm already worn out. Hello everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen. It's 11 a.m. here in the East, 8 a.m. on the West Coast. All right. We are going to pull this together because we do have some serious news to bring you.
A newly released video sheds more light on the man believed to be the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA workers in Afghanistan. I want you to listen very carefully as Humam Al-Balawi promises to avenge the death of a Taliban leader.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUMAM KHALIL AL-BELAWI, TERRORISM SUSPECT: This highly attack will be the first of operations against the Americans and their drawn teams outside the Pakistani borders. After they killed the Aamir Khan of Pakistan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson has been talking with the suspected bomber's family. He joins us now from Amman, Jordan. What can you tell us about this guy and the fact that we're seeing this videotape now?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There are several things about it, Betty. I mean, for the family, its final confirmation that this really is their son and this is what he set out to do, and he explains to them in the video. I mean, he really is dead, when I talked to his father, and he said he was very, very sad.
When I pushed him about what he thought about it, he said that he was angry about the people that had done this so his son. And he wouldn't be explicit, but what he meant was the intelligence agencies. He's holding them responsible for taking his son and putting him in a position where he ended up getting involved in this suicide bombing.
But what we have heard in this video is a very clear warning, if you will, for the CIA and for the Jordanian Intelligence Operatives that money is not going to buy off ideological people like Humam Al- Balawi here. He said that he did this in the name of God. It's interesting, as well, this Arab doctor coming from the Middle East to Pakistan, joining the Pakistani Taliban in this operation, a Pakistani Taliban flag operation.
Nevertheless, the outcome very, very deadly, and it's according to analysts here. He certainly going to mean a re-evaluation for intelligence operatives in the region about how they operate and how they can trust the people they're using to run down al Qaeda -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Along with the bombing suspect in that video, if we can pull it up for our viewers, there was another man in there, and it's important to note who he is. Talk to us about him.
ROBERTSON: Yes. He is Hakimullah Mehsud, he is the head of the Pakistani Taliban, the TTP. He replaced Baitullah Mehsud, the TTP Commander who was killed last year, the one who thought to be Al- Balawi says, he is avenging his death.
So, what you're looking at here is the head of a big Taliban organization repeatedly perhaps as many as 20,000 loyal fighters following him, not sure that he can call on all of them at the same time, but a man heading a big Taliban operation. And now it seems sort of acting really in concert with al Qaeda. Almost as sort of a front operation for al Qaeda, getting operatives like Dr. Al-Balawi to the front lines and then putting them on target that al Qaeda wants to hit -- Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Nic Robertson joining us live today. Nic, thank you so much for that information.
Well, the man who allegedly triggered Sunday's havoc at the Newark, New Jersey, airport has now been arrested. You're seeing video of him there. The Port Authority Police called with a 23-year- old, his name is Haisong Jiang, last night, that was in Piscataway. Police say he caused an hours-long delay of the terminal, shutdown of that terminal, re-screening for thousands of passengers had to take place.
He's been charged with defiant trespassing, he was released from police custody early this morning. Now, in the video you see him deep under and greet a woman. His roommate actually tells the press that he was just anxious to see his girlfriend, just give her a hug and a kiss, simple as that, but still got him arrested and he could now be fined as well up to $500.
NGUYEN: The 23-year-old Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a Christmas Day flight bound to Detroit made his first court appearance on Friday on charges including attempted murder and the attempted use of a weapon of mass distraction.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick has the latest now on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Abdulmutallab waking today in a small Michigan jail cell. Yesterday he was here at the federal court in Detroit. He entered the courtroom very slowly surrounded by U.S. Marshals. He was walking with some difficulty. The alleged suicide bomber had suffered second- and third-degree wounds self- inflicted after detonating that device on board the plane. Now, his feet were shackled. He appeared thin, almost frail.
His lawyer entered a plea of not guilty for the 23-year-old Nigerian grad student. The judge asked whether he'd taken any medications within the last 24 hours. He did reply that, yes, he was taking pain medication. Now, his lawyer says despite that he does understand the charges against him. Those include attempting to destroy that U.S. Jetliner and kill all 290 people on board the plane.
Now, the hearing took just a couple of minutes. When it was over again he was le led out of that courtroom surrounded by U.S. Marshals. His lawyer did not fight the detention, although the judge said, he does have the option to revisit it at a later date. Abdulmutallab's long journey from Ghana and Yemen, Nigeria then Amsterdam in the U.S. And he now in a blaze of glory he thought it would but in a small Michigan jail cell.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Detroit, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. Oh, you see this time and time again. You listen to that crunch there. But the snow and the black ice still affecting a lot of folks, especially here in Atlanta. This is where some of this video is coming from. That black ice is still around, and they call it that for a reason. If the ice is black, you can't see it driving out there.
These are insurance seminars on the roadways, people call them. It's knifing its way to better cold now through the Florida crops. Farmers struggling to save their crops down there. Also the deadly arctic blast gripping so much of the nation blamed for at least nine deaths. Wind chills in many areas are well below that freezing mark.
NGUYEN: All right. So we're going to get any kind of a warm-up sometime soon? Our Bonnie Schneider is in the CNN Weather Center tracking all the cold temperatures out there. And much of the nation Bonnie is looking to you saying, hey, can I get some relief?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, I guess, I'm so happy I'm the one who gets to say it.
NGUYEN: Yes, the bearer of goods news.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, finally. All week long, though, my weather colleagues have been telling you that this cold is just going to keep on coming, and it is because we still have it through the weekend. But Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday you will see relief, just not this morning. Check out the record low temperatures in Aberdeen, South Dakota, negative 31. That's not the wind chill factor. That's the actual temperature.
It plummeted that far down below zero. Waco, Texas, eight degrees. It's been 20 years since Waco, Texas, has dropped down into this single digits. So, incredible numbers there across much of the region and we're still tracking, of course, some very chilly conditions there, as well.
You know, we've also been watching the weather in Florida. And just to let you know that we are looking at snow that's accumulated not even on the windshield. Look at this tweak peak. This is from green eyed gem on twitter. And this looks like sand on a wind chilled but it's actually snow.
So, snow in Ocala, Florida. And it is also has been very cold this morning in Orlando, Florida, no snow there but in Florida we've had some sleet. Look how cold it is. There's actually a half marathon happening right now in Orlando.
We're expecting the marathon to bring 55,000 runners after today 7,500 and yes, we are definitely looking at very cold conditions there across the region. So, some very cold temperatures in Florida.
Sleet now has subsided in Daytona Beach, but we did have reports of it earlier on. Orlando, the temperature is right now at about 37 degrees but relief is coming in the terms of warmer air. It's frigid right now, but here's the relief. Monday and Tuesday, less cold, all this warm air will start to slide to the east and we will see changes for the better.
I'll have more on that coming up.
NGYUEN: All right, Bonnie. We're looking forward to that. Thank you.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
NGUYEN: So, you know we go the extra mile to make sure you're well informed of the news of the day, everything is going on well.
HOLMES: Yes, every single day. Every single day. Sometimes you have to go this far. Sometimes ...
NGUYEN: Do you really? Come on.
HOLMES: It hurts sometimes, Betty. The news can hurt.
NGUYEN: In more ways than one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Sometimes you just got to see it to believe it. Really? A reporter out in Oregon throwing caution to the wind, literally, to tell her story.
HOLMES: Her name is Keely Chalmers. She was out there with her TV crew trying to report on the wind. And the wind became the star of the show. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEELY CHALMERS, HOOD RIVER, OREGON: Sustained winds blowing 60 to 70 miles per hour out here. But the -- the wind chill, it is just painful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: She go on, and there's the tumble. All right.
NGUYEN: They both went down.
HOLMES: Wind, one, Keely, zero.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: No. Everybody's fine. Good note here that no real reports of damage and no injuries at all in the area with all that wind but...
NGUYEN: So wild. I mean, can you tell just by -- I mean, look, hey, I'm in the business. I get it, too. But couldn't you look out the window and see that the trees are blowing, it's awfully windy out there?
HOLMES: She's trying to bring the viewers into ...
NGUYEN: I understand completely.
HOLMES: Give them an idea of what it's really like out there.
NGUYEN: And look where it got her. She's OK, though.
HOLMES: She's OK.
NGUYEN: Right. Good job. Hey, you made CNN, right?
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: There you go.
HOLMES: Well, wind there, the bitter cold also rearing its ugly head in a lot of places and Icy tentacles if you will on so much of the nation. And it's been deadly in some places, including in the Deep South. People simply aren't used to dealing with all this cold weather. Now, homeless shelters also trying to help out here, as well. They have been busier.
Our Catherine Callaway is at one, the gateway shelter in Atlanta. We talked to you a little earlier, and no doubt they're a little busier than they have been.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We had the breakfast crowd, but believe it or not, most of the people haven't left. And what the director here told me earlier was that usually they eat, they come, and they go, but they're staying and they're trying to take advantage of that opportunity by getting some of these homeless people into the programs that they offer here.
And we spoke with one individual whose name is Andre Hall (ph). He goes by soldier. He was homeless about a year and a half ago. They were able to eventually get him his own place. Unfortunately this cold weather, T.J., his pipes busted, his water pipes busted, and he found himself back here this week to try and stay warm. And he says it's a good place to come, though, because there are so many programs to help the homeless.
Listen to what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDRE HALL, HOMELESS GUY: All type of opportunities start here. Just got to reach out and grab it. So, you can't just come and sit down. If you just come and sit down, you cannot grab it like that. You have to reach out for it, you know. Reach out, or you'll never get it.
CALLAWAY: And there are programs here to help get people back.
HALL: Yes, there is.
REPORTER: And it helped you, didn't it?
HALL: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLAWAY: Yes. They helped him, they help him find his own home. We're hoping that the pipes will be repaired soon and he'll be able to move back into his home, but he's looking for a job and he thinks he may have found someone to help him. While he was here, he ran into a city councilman here in Atlanta whose name is Kwanza Hall, and he's joining me now. Interesting man, soldier, says he wants to be, what, a bodyguard?
KWANZA HALL, ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL: Yes. He was actually a bouncer at a nightclub in New York for many, many years. And I think with all the night life we have here in Atlanta, we should definitely be able to find an opportunity for him here in the city.
CALLAWAY: So many stories like soldier here, so many opportunities out there that we'd like to connect people to. When you come here, do you find that there are things that you can do to help some of these people?
K. HALL: Absolutely. And it encourages me to want to redouble our efforts. We really need to continue to work together, bring more people to do things right to help the citizens here who want to get on their feet.
CALLAWAY: And before we leave, we are going to show you some of the volunteers that Councilman Hall brought here from a program that is a community collaboration effort with the University of Wisconsin. These young people that you see in the green bandannas are here volunteering.
They were here for another program, but the cold weather actually -- they had to cancel. They were here for a habitat for humanity program and they're now here helping with some of the families playing with the children, talking with the mothers, and it has been a moving sight to see today, the interaction between these young people and some of the children here -- T.J.
HOLMES: You know, you're absolutely right. You look at most of those folks and see them interacting there, they didn't look like they have a problem or a care in the world. So, if nothing else goes with the fellowship.
CALLAWAY: Yes.
HOLMES: Catherine Callaway, we appreciate you this morning, again from the Gateway Center in Atlanta. Thanks so much.
NGUYEN: You know, you wouldn't think of the economy as being a laughing matter ahead at this point, but Josh Levs has a story of a guy who has turned the recession into a stand-up routine. What's so funny about this, Josh?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, people go wild over it. He's calling himself the first ever stand-up economist. He is this new comedian on the scene. We'll show you what he's saying that's getting crowds in these videos into hysterics.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Some of our top stories to keep an eye this morning. We're seeing a video, we're just getting a look at this morning. What you've seeing here is the man on the right side of the screen there. His name is Humam Al-Balawi. He's the Jordanian doctor accused in that suicide attack on CIA employees and contractors that happened last month in Afghanistan. Seven CIA employees were killed along with a Jordanian.
Again, we're just getting a look at this morning. He talked about a motive in this video, talking about the attack, revenge essentially for the killing of a top Taliban leader in Pakistan. He also said that his faith cannot be bought. That's a reference apparently to the U.S. and Jordanian Intelligence Agencies courting him as an informant.
NGUYEN: Funeral arrangements are being made for the mother of Vice President Joe Biden who died yesterday after a brief illness. Catherine Eugenia "Jean" Finnegan Biden was 92-years-old. Vice President Biden says, his mother passed away at her home in Wilmington, Delaware with family by her side. We will have more of our top stories in just 20 minutes.
HOLMES: Health care reform by next month, maybe? Could be ready for President Obama's signature if he gets his way. NGUYEN: What still needs to happen, though, as a big question there. Our Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser is taking a look at that.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Betty, T.J., Democratic negotiators form the senate of the house are working on merging two different health care reform bills merging into one. President Obama talked with the top four Democrats in congress this past week.
In the next few days he meets with the entire house Democratic delegation, so expect the white house to stay very involved in the health care talks. Congressional Democrats would love to have a finished and approved bill in the president's desk by the time Mr. Obama gives his State of The Union address, that's mostly early next month.
That could be tough, why? Because, the two bills have a lot of important differences to overcome. And rather than go the traditional route of holding a conference committee, both Democrats and Republicans from the two chambers, congressional Democrats are going it alone.
They say they're doing that to prevent Republicans from using parliamentary rules to slow down the final drive for passage. Republicans are crying foul, and they're backing a push by c-span to allow cameras in any negotiations. They point out that presidential candidate Barack Obama promised to have such important negotiations televised on C-Span.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, what we will do is we'll have the negotiations televised on c-span. So, people can see who is making arguments on behalf of their constituents and who are making arguments on behalf of the drug companies or the insurance companies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: While Democrats don't appear to be taking c-span up on their offer, they do say the entire process has been transparent, and they add that whatever's agreed upon behind closed doors will be made public. If or when the Democrats come to agreement, both chambers then have to vote again on the combined bill before it makes its way to the white house.
And even the if the bill becomes a law next month, the fight over health care is far from over. Some Republicans say parts of the bill are unconstitutional and they are threatening legal challenges in court. And expect the bill or law to be a very big issue in this year's crucial midterm elections -- Betty, T.J.
HOLMES: And we appreciate as always our Paul Steinhauser. And don't forget the Dolans will be the guests today as they are every Saturday at 2:00. NGUYEN: This week they are going to tell you how health care reform could affect your family budget.
So, join Fredricka Whitfield right here on CNN with the Dolans.
OK. So, you know, we told you that the economy -- or if we did if that the economy was hilarious, you'd probably grab the remote and click because there's nothing funny about people being without a job, right?
HOLMES: Not at all, but somebody has found, apparently found some humor in this all. The stand-up comedian who's turned business into comedy gold.
Josh Levs to tell us and introduce us to this guy.
NGUYEN: Yes, explain how the recession is funny.
LEVS: Yes, it's interesting. Sometimes you have to find a laugh out of it. What do you do if you are this guy? If you have this love and skill for standup comedy and an understanding of all the complexities of what's going on in our economy? Well, you smash them together into a surprising and successful package.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YORAM BAUMAN, STAND-UP ECONOMISTS: Due to the recession, Americans are eating cheap, unhealthy, fatty foods.
LEVS: Sure the late-night kings can joke about the economy.
BAUMAN: So, apparently the recession started in 1957.
LEVS: But who can do this?
BAUMAN: You might be an economist if you're an expert on money and you dress like a flood victim. If you refuse to sell your children because you think they might be worth more later, you might be an economist.
LEVS: Yoram Bauman, PHD declares himself, the world's first and only stand-up economist. While his fellow number crunchers have been busy processing the effects of the recession, Bauman shows up at meetings and conventions to lighten the mood.
BAUMAN: My dad told me I was crazy, you can't be a stand-up economist. There's no demand.
LEVS: How did you start doing this? Where did you come from?
BAUMAN: Well, while I was in graduate school, I wrote a parody of an economics textbook and I started performing it live and one thing led to another. It just kind of developed.
BAUMAN: I only have a couple things going for me as a stand-up economist. One of them is low expectations. It takes a little bit to loosen up and it's hard sometimes because they don't drink a whole lot, necessarily.
LEVS: All right, yes. That goes.
BAUMAN: So that's another disadvantage. But you try. And, you know, because they don't get so many opportunities to laugh I think it's easier to make them laugh once you try.
BAUMAN: Economists are people who are wrong about specific things.
LEVS: His shtick can also help make fun and sense of economics for the rest of us.
BAUMAN: All have the exact same translation, namely blah, blah, blah.
BAUMAN: You remember jokes a lot longer than you remember diagrams, equations, and lectures.
LEVS: That's why his new book "The Cartoon Introduction to Economics" is packed with his kind of humor.
BAUMAN: Economists go into Chinese restaurants and open up their fortune cookies and instead of putting "In bed" their fortune cookie, they put "At the margin" at the other portion cookie. That's the jiggy junk. I just throw stuff out, you know and eventually, you're going to find something that sticks, it's kind of like what the treasury department has been doing for the last year and a half or so. Just keep trying things until you find something that works.
LEVS: And he isn't afraid of bombing on stage.
BAUMAN: People always ask me if I'm afraid of failure. I'm like, afraid of failure? I used to teach introductory microeconomics at 8:00 in the morning. In Walla Walla, Washington.
If I do comedy and half of the audience is still awake at the end, I'm, like, yes, I killed. I killed them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: All right. We put a story online about him and we've been hearing from so many people around the country that said they want to book him. I think, you know, in the middle of all the struggle, it's nice to find someone who can make everybody laugh about all this, cnn.com/josh.
Some of the blogs, Facebook and Twitter, Josh Levs, CNN, you can see more of his routines, you can see more of the interview. You can hopefully find a smile for yourself amid all the economic struggles we've all been facing as a country.
So, Betty and T.J., there you go. That's how this one guy managed to do the unlikely, blend these two worlds. NGUYEN: Hey, I guess it can be funny.
LEVS: It's something.
NGUYEN: OK. He's making a living at it, he is not doing too bad at this, right?
LEVS: Not too bad actually, he said it's a significant minority of his income right now but he said, it's growing and more and more places want to book him. And we met him at a convention of 8,000 people. So, clearly, he's getting more gigs. I think he is awesome.
NGUYEN: I will agree with that. A significant minority of his income right now.
LEVS: Economic terminology.
NGUYEN: Nice. OK. Thank you, Josh.
LEVS: You got it, guys.
HOLMES: Well, some not really concerned about your privacy. England airports now ready to use body scanners for a much closer look at passengers but not just for increased security, however.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, we've got some new developments this morning in that CIA suicide bomber story. Here's the new images we got this morning, actually, a video -- a new video has emerged showing the suspected bomber promising to avenge the death of a Taliban leader with a martyr attack.
Seven CIA workers were killed in last week's attack on a US base in Afghanistan. Now, on this tape, Humam al-Balawi says they, "can't forget the blood of our leader." Also says his faith, quote, "cannot be sold to bidders." Now, that is believed to be the apparent (ph) message from the double agent to intelligence officials that they failed to win his allegiance.
Now listen to -- now to al-Balawi as he vows revenge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUMAM KHALIL AL-BALAWI, CIA BOMBING SUSPECT (through translator): We will never forget the blood of our leader Baitullah Mehsud, may God have mercy on his soul. It will remain that we take revenge for his death in America and outside America. It is a trust on every person who left everything for the sake of God, whom Baitullah Mehsud supported.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, Baitullah Mehsud is that Pakistani Taliban leader who was killed in an air drone attack last August. Now, his family not the only one -- or his family is talking, as well. You don't just hear it from him.
We're hearing from his family members, al-Balawi's mother saying that his -- her son was actually a loner. Also, his wife is saying she was shocked to hear what he had done. However, she's proud of him for it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEFNE BAYRAK, WIDOW OF CIA SUICIDE BOMBING SUSPECT (through translator): In fact, I am proud of my husband. My husband accomplished a very big operation in such a war. If he is a martyr, may God accept his martyrdom.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now US and Jordanian officials say al-Balawi was recruited to help search for al Qaeda in spite of concerns about his extremist views.
NGUYEN: The Nigerian accused of trying to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day has pleaded not guilty. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was in federal court in Detroit yesterday, under extremely tight security. The hearing lasted all of 10 minutes.
The 23-year-old faces six federal charges, including attempted murder. There were 289 other people on board Flight 253, some of them credited with stopping him.
HOLMES: All right. How much of your privacy are you willing to give up in the name of safety in airports?
Now, there's some new technology out there that pretty much, when you go through security, going to scan you and it shows everything -- everything. Is that worth it to you?
Our Phil Black takes a pretty revealing look here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Manchester Airport wanted an alternative to the full-body frisk. The motivation was greater passenger comfort, not tighter security. But the attempted Christmas Day bombing has given its body scanner trial new urgency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning, sir. Will you step forward, please?
BLACK: The British government has said body scanners will be rolled out at all British airports despite strong concerns over privacy. To protect his identity, we wouldn't show you this man's face while we show you the image the machine produces.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A couple of items that I'd like to be highlighted up.
BLACK: In a nearby room, another security staff member can see through the man's clothes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Potentially threat items, obviously, but if there's anything that's interesting, it's going to show up. Anything that's metal or is dense on the body, I -- I prefer them to have a closer look at outside as a localized search. I definitely want a proper look at that one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see what we've got.
BLACK: Back at the scanner, this is how suspect areas are identified so security staff know where to look.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Your belt buckle's fine. OK, will you just turn around for me and show me what you've got in this...?
BLACK: The airport says it's all done with privacy in mind. Only one person looks at the images. They're never stored. The computer is bolted down and cameras, apart from the CCTV above, are usually forbidden in here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And if you just stand yourself on the -- the two rectangles that's facing that way.
BLACK: Passenger Patricia Gilchrist gave the scanner a try.
BLACK (on camera): You'd be happy to do that at pretty much any airport?
PATRICIA GILCHRIST, PASSENGER: Anytime, in and out. I don't mind, as long as security is done proper. What I object is when security is not done properly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, sir. If you can step out, please.
BLACK: Thank you.
I have used these machines in other parts of the world, and they are fast. They're not as intrusive as the full pat down. But in a room not far from here, there is someone right now looking at an image of me, well, pretty much naked, and there are people in Britain and across Europe who still have real concerns about those images.
BLACK (voice-over): Child protection advocates believe body scanner images are so revealing they may breach Britain's child pornography laws.
IAN DOWTY, ACTION ON RIGHTS FOR CHILDREN: Well, as far as anybody under the age of 18 is concerned, it's an offense to take an indecent image of any such person, and it is an offense whether or not consent is given.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And face this direction for me.
BLACK: And there are concerns about the scanners' effectiveness. British politician Ben Wallace used to work for a company that makes body scanners and he says they have weaknesses. BEN WALLACE, BRITISH PARLIAMENT: It doesn't really matter how many scanners you have around the world. It's not going to currently pick up what is being posed by al Qaeda, plastics and liquid and chemical bombs.
BLACK: Manchester Airport carried out a body scanner test using items the Christmas bomb suspect is accused of smuggling onto his flight. Its assessment -- the items probably would have been detected.
Phil Black, CNN, Manchester.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now, here are some key points of how security will be beefed up to better protect the flying public. The government will deploy another 300 full body scanners at US airports this year. Right now there are over 40 scattered around the country.
Also in the works, more bomb-sniffing dogs, more metal detectors and more technology to detect explosives. There will also be security enhancements on board airliners. Hundreds of law enforcement officers will be trained as federal air marshals.
NGUYEN: Well, he may have pled guilty, but the so-called "Balloon Boy's" dad says it wasn't a hoax. Hear what else he told our Larry King.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Time to check out our top stories right now.
In China, a fire in a coal mine has killed 12 people. Two miners were able to escape. Now, an initial investigation blames the fire on a short circuit of underground cables. Meanwhile, though, Chinese authorities have frozen the bank accounts of five mine shareholders and they're searching for executives who have reportedly fled the scene.
HOLMES: Two men are under arrest in connection with a New York City terror plot. One of them is a cabdriver. He was arraigned yesterday on a charge of lying to federal agents investigating the plot. The second suspect due in court today. It's part of the investigation into Najibullah Zazi who's accused of planning to set off an explosive last September 11th.
NGUYEN: A federal grand jury is now looking into the case of the White House party crashers. You remember the Salahis, who got into a White House dinner in November without being on the guest list? Well, "The Washington Post" says two hairstylists were called to testify. The Salahis have already said they plead the fifth.
HOLMES: Well, the man who led the whole country to believe his son was trapped in a balloon that was just heading right across the country, it seemed, well, he's heading to jail on Monday. He pleaded guilty, but in his first TV interview since his sentencing, Richard Heene told CNN's Larry King, despite what you think, despite what you think you may know, despite what you heard, it was not a hoax.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD HEENE, "BALLOON BOY'S" FATHER: I'm not disputing the fact that I did have to plead guilty, and when I say "have to," I had to do it to save my family and my wife.
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: How so?
HEENE: The threat of deportation was imminent.
KING: Deporting who?
HEENE: My wife.
KING: To where?
HEENE: Japan. We had applied years ago for some paperwork. Things got fouled up. We had to reapply, so -- she should have been an American citizen by now, but -- anyway, I can't -- I can't break up my family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: OK. Next hour, our legal guy, David Friedman, Richard Herman, they're going to weigh in on the Heenes' interview. Could it land him in even more trouble now?
NGUYEN: Well, more on that bitter cold weather that has so many of you bundled up against the elements. Do you know where it's really bad? And when can we expect some relief?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. It's cold.
NGUYEN: To say the least. Yes.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE), we're not used to this here, especially, Bonnie, in the South. Maybe a little cold, but just kind of mild winters.
NGUYEN: Yes. You can tell by as many car accidents that we -- that we've had over the past few days.
SCHNEIDER: You're right. (INAUDIBLE) we'll show you a video of that. But, yes -- no, we definitely have seen a lot of accidents and we've seen a lot of icy weather.
I want to show you an iReport from Knoxville, Tennessee. Heather Schoofs (ph) sent these in, and beautiful, pretty pictures. She says winter wonderland outside the window of her apartment complex. OK, it is beautiful, until you have to drive in it. If you've ever been in the South when there's ice, you know that the -- the actual -- definitely, the weather does not make for good conditions. All right, here's a look at what it looks like in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can see icy roads on Beaverton Road. Look at the hill up in the distance. All those cars could not get down that hill or they came down terribly fast and ended up at the bottom in a heap. So there's an example of some of those accidents that we are seeing across much of the South due to this tremendously treacherous weather.
All right. It is still snowing and sleeting, not in Tennessee, not in North Carolina, but in Florida. We have snow and sleet reported. Flagler Beach, just north of Daytona Beach, where we had sleet earlier, reporting right now sleet mixing with snow at times. That's right. This is Florida I'm talking about. The temperatures are cold enough to support it, but we wouldn't see it really sticking to the ground, just causing a bit of a problem out there.
Well, temperatures 10 to 30 degrees below normal. No doubt about that for this weekend. But luckily change is coming and it's going to bring welcome relief across the area. Notice this ridge of high pressure? Less cold by Monday, and what that means is even though temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees still below normal in the South, we're going to see some really big changes out there from today's high temperatures in the 20s, 29 in Atlanta, for example, today, once we get to Monday, we are going to see the changes build in all the way up to 41. And in Tampa, 59. So, that is some good news. So some big changes out there.
But, in the meantime, Florida, you are faced with snowy conditions. I think that's the first time I've ever said that.
NGUYEN: Well, they do have iguanas falling off of trees there because they've gotten so cold that they've gone into hibernation. Who knew?
HOLMES: This funny (ph) video. It's just funny to see. And, again, we're told they're not hurt and they're fine. This is natural. But...
NGUYEN: What a way to wake up, though.
SCHNEIDER: Falling iguanas. If it's raining iguanas you know it's cold.
HOLMES: Thanks, Bonnie.
NGUYEN: All right. Thanks, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
NGUYEN: So, the extreme cold has the Salvation Army just scrambling to get shelters for the homeless.
HOLMES: Yes. In San Antonio they delivered coffee and hot chocolate to people living under a bridge, then they offered to drive them to a local shelter for a hot meal, a shower and a bed. That offer is often met with some resistance, though, so this time the Salvation Army tried a little something different. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We decided not to hand out blankets on purpose, and -- and, because of that, we're having greater success getting them indoors today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We don't have enough blankets or whatever, and it's just hard being out here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Oh, that is interesting concept, or an interesting approach to do. Don't give them blankets and then they will come in and maybe get more of the help that they need. Well, unlike other visits (ph), the men and women were able to bring their stuff along to the shelter this time.
Well, a lot about the cold weather we've been talking about. Been tough on a lot of folks. We can all get inside, though. That doesn't work for a lot of animals stuck out in the freezing temperatures. This is what Betty and I were just making a reference to. It's raining iguanas.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, you know, it's not only humans who are shivering and running for shelter in this deep freeze.
CNN's John Zarrella reports from Florida that the apes are bundling up, the turtles are slower than ever and the iguanas -- well, check out what happens to the iguanas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just throw me a blanket, will you? Even with all that hair, Bonnie, the orangutan, wasted no time wrapping up against the cold at Miami's Metrozoo. Her buddy, Mango, sipped on a cup of hot chocolate -- vet approved
The tortoises, well, they're not too swift with their feet or their brains.
RON MAGILL, MIAMI METROZOO: We have to take actually plywood and lock them in there because they're not bright enough to know to stay in there. They'll go out and then they'll freeze and then they'll stop in are frozen (ph), and that's it.
ZARRELLA: In Florida, the animals are no more used to this kind of cold than people. Zoos are doing what they can to provide creature comforts -- space heaters for the parrots and the komodo dragons, boxes for the primates. This little guy shut his own door. Don't ever say dumb animals.
For bee keepers in Tallahassee, where the temperature has been in the teens, the only hope, save the queen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As long as the queen and some of the bees make it through the winter, then we're fine.
ZARRELLA: No, you're wrong. That's not protozoa under a microscope. They're manatees, 300 of them. The heating system at a power plant was turned on to warm the waters for them.
Sea turtles, lethargic and stunned by the cold are being rescued and brought to marine life sanctuaries, nearly 100 so far.
ZARRELLA (on camera): Now, to be honest, there are some animals here in Florida that just don't get and wouldn't get any love.
ZARRELLA (voice-over): So how do you feel about rats, maybe a foot long? They're not crazy about the cold either. Well, they're scrambling and slithering and squeezing their way into nice, warm homes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That kind of rat should be in -- in New York. It shouldn't be in Florida, and it certainly shouldn't in be my apartment with my kids.
ZARRELLA: And there are the iguanas, invasive species overrunning South Florida. The cold weather puts them literally in a state of suspended animation -- not good when you live in a tree.
Florida's version of Groundhog Day, when the iguana falls out of the tree, six more weeks of winter.
John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, the NEWSROOM does continue at the top of the hour with Fredricka Whitfield. It's warm enough in here that none of us are falling asleep.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Nice and toasty in here, but, oh my gosh, outside?
HOLMES: Yes. We're not used to this are we?
NGUYEN: It was in the teens this morning, coming in to work.
WHITFIELD: I know. I know. It was brutal and, you know, dangerous. That whole, you know, black ice thing. You got to be careful.
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: OK, what am I hearing about the...?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. So let's talk about Richard Heene. You guys have been talking about him this morning. He's going to be...
HOLMES: Not a hoax.
WHITFIELD: Yes, not a hoax -- or -- or is it? I don't know. I'm confused now on the whole thing, what he's saying.
And he talked with Larry King once again as he's getting ready to carry out his sentence. This is a little bit of what he had to say.
OK. I'm getting no sound. I keep thinking I'm hearing "Roll sound," but it's, "No sound."
All right. You're going to hear that sound, coming up in the noon Eastern hour. He's kind of changing his story, but might...
HOLMES: Did it for the family, he says.
WHITFIELD: Yes, but might that potentially jeopardize the legal hurdles that he may still have to encounter? Our legal guys are going to be delving into that.
And speaking of legal hurdles, Gilbert Arenas now in uncharted territory, or -- or is it?
NGUYEN: Right.
WHITFIELD: This is another one of those -- is it cut and dry or is it not?
HOLMES: That picture right there -- we were trying to get that on this morning, but that's him joking about it, like he's playing like he's shooting his teammates.
WHITFIELD: And that's exactly what upset David Sterns, commission of NBA who said, you know what? Now we're about to do something because it's one thing to, you know, find weapons or take weapons, whatever your story is, but now you're jokingly, you know, pointing the finger, you know, pulling the trigger with your teammates. Not so good.
So, our legal guys have an opinion or two about this as well, this case, what's next?
HOLMES: No matter what you think, what are you thinking right there? Oh!
WHITFIELD: And -- and it's, you know, a lot at stake.
HOLMES: $111 million.
WHITFIELD: His career, a lot of money and...
NGUYEN: And possibly jail time.
WHITFIELD: ... one might think you think about these things before you "pull the trigger," so to speak.
HOLMES: Yes, you do (ph). All right. We'll see you in just a second.
WHITFIELD: All right.
HOLMES: Happy New Year. I don't think we've...
WHITFIELD: Happy New Year! Oh, yes, we didn't say that. We just launched right into it.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: You see, we were here -- I was here last week when you guys weren't, so I, along with the rest of the nation watching, have already celebrated New Year's, but happy New Year's to you.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, then...
HOLMES: Happy New Year. Good to see you.
NGUYEN: So glad that you're here.
WHITFIELD: We've got many weeks in which to continue to call it the New Year.
NGUYEN: We do. That was so cute how you both come in saying Happy New Year. It's the 9th. OK.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you guys.
NGUYEN: Well, the average need not apply. It is a website for the so-called beautiful people, and it's taking people to the curb for having too many Christmas cookies.
Also a 5-year-old hailed as a hero, able to lead rescuers right to her door.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Lots of hugs and kisses out there for a 5- year-old Indiana girl credited with saving her dad's life.
NGUYEN: Yes. Dad thought he was having a heart attack and called 911 but he was too sick to finish the call. So the little girl took over and talked to the dispatcher.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BONHAM, DISPATCHER: Every time I've listened to it, it's amazing because she just -- she's just a little person.
Keep him awake, OK?
SAVANNAH HENSLEY, 5-YEAR-OLD WHO SAVED HER FATHER'S LIFE: OK. He really needs oxygen.
BONHAM: He really needs oxygen? HENSLEY: Yes. Real bad. He looks like he's real shaky. I am real shaky, too.
BONHAM: They should be getting there any minute.
HENSLEY: OK. Like, how many minutes?
BONHAM: Probably only a couple.
HENSLEY: OK. You have to stay awake. It's OK, dad. It's OK.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness!
HOLMES: Oh, my goodness!
NGUYEN: Wow! OK, well, dad is in fact OK and was back at work a couple of days later.
Boy, that is a sharp little girl.
HOLMES: That is so cute. So -- comforting her dad. It's OK, daddy.
NGUYEN: I know. (INAUDIBLE) dad.
HOLMES: Saying, hold on. How many minutes? You guys get here now.
NGUYEN: OK. So, from that story to this one.
We've all put on a few pounds over the holidays -- that shouldn't say we all. Some haven't. I have. But that's why we make New Year's resolutions to lose the weight.
HOLMES: You -- you look great, as always, Betty.
But the people at one exclusive website don't buy that excuse. They say a few extra pounds aren't allowed if you want to be considered one of their beautiful people.
Our beautiful Jeanne Moos with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine you're a beautiful person on a dating website called BeautifulPeople, and all that holiday food was just too beautiful to resist and you gained a few pounds.
GREG HODGE, CO-FOUNDER, BEAUTIFULPEOPLE.COM: We had over 5,000 of our newly chubby members who have been removed from the site.
MOOS: Five thousand members dumped like a second helping. In the words of the founder of BeautifulPeople, "Letting fatties roam the site is a direct threat to our business model."
MIA AMBER DAVIS, CREATIVE EDITOR-AT-LARGE, PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE: It's a very ugly thing that they're doing. It's hideous.
MOOS: You can only become a member of BeautifulPeople with existing members of the opposite sex vote you on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're so vain...
MOOS: You probably think this website is about you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One eye in the mirror...
MOOS: Maybe both eyes. That's how we began a piece we did five years ago about the site.
MOOS (on camera): What we need is a guinea pig. Not him -- me!
MOOS (voice-over): But despite our best efforts...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excellent!
MOOS: ... the photo I submitted was rejected. I didn't stack up.
MOOS (on camera): At least I'm not alone. Four out of five applicants are rejected by BeautifulPeople.
MOOS (voice-over): Let them eat cake. Wait. Better not eat any cake, now that they say they're shedding BeautifulPeople who packed on a few pounds.
Members supposedly complained when they'd meet the actual person.
HODGE: And they hadn't looked as they'd represented themselves in their initial pictures.
MOOS (on camera): That's a shocker, huh?
HODGE: Yeah.
Is it elitist? Yes it is, because our members want it to be.
DAVIS: This is (INAUDIBLE).
MOSS (voice-over): Mia Amber Davis is a plus-size model who sees no pluses in this.
MOOS (on camera): As you look at the BeautifulPeople, is there anything you would like to say to the BeautifulPeople?
DAVIS: They all deserve each other. Get a life.
MOOS (voice-over): She and we wondered if it could all be just a publicity stunt. Co-founder Greg Hodge says, no. When he looks in the mirror, he sees this -- a 7.84. MOOS (on camera): How do you look at yourself in the mirror every morning when this is the kind of superficial thing you do?
HODGE: Look, is it politically correct? No, it's not. It's certainly very honest. People want to be with people they're attracted to.
MOOS (voice-over): Those kicked off the site can re-apply to be voted back on, but you think even a guinea pig wouldn't be a glutton for punishment.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: I love the way she puts her little spin on that, by my goodness! Really.
HOLMES: You know, at first, we -- you know, we kind of were laughing, having fun, but it's a little disturbing, that sucks.
NGUYEN: Elitist as they said. Yes, and then the one lady said hey, they deserve each other.
HOLMES: They always -- well, beautiful people, by all means, do your thing.
We hand it over to the beautiful Fredricka ...
NGUYEN: The beautiful ...
HOLMES: Oh my goodness, the beautiful ...
NGUYEN: I mean, a perfect 10.
HOLMES: Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And I mean affectionaly, you beautiful people. You all have a great day.
HOLMES: We'll see you, Fredricka.
NGUYEN: You too.
WHITFIELD: All right, take care.
