freezing rain. we're going to talk more specifically about the seriousness of the situation in florida coming up in another few minutes. fredricka? >> thank you so much, jacqui. appreciate that. . hello, again, everyone. i'm fredricka whitfield. we begin with video that just may enrage many. it shows the apparent double agent blamed for killing seven employees in afghanistan last month talking about the attack in advance. is he shown sitting next to the pakistani taliban essentially confirming the taliban's claim of responsibility for that attack. senior international correspondent nic robertson is standing by now in amman, jordan. nic? >> reporter: fredricka, until this video came out all that we knew is what the jordanian intelligence service and the cia knew about him, that he said he had gone to pakistan to train -- continue his draining as a doctor. he contacted intelligence services offering to help track down al qaeda leaders. now he's on this videotape filling in all of the blanks. he said what he actually did when he got to pakistan is went to the taliban, joined the taliban and told him what these intelligence agencies sent him there to do and then plotted this attack against the american cia base in afghanistan. then he shared a very clear warning for the cia and for the jordanian intelligence that somebody like him who has so much faith in god cannot be bought off, as he said, by millions of dollars. we have no idea if that is the real amount of money that he may or may not have been offered to help fight down al qaeda, but this, he said, was his answer to the united states to jordanian intelligence. also, we can see in this videotape that is sitting next to the current head of the pakistani taliban, and he said this attack was in part revenge for the u.s. in a drone attack last year killing the pakistani taliban leader at that time. so a multiple message here and another part of the message that's very, very clear is just how important the taliban have come in these sort of al qaeda-type operations here, taking this arab doctor and the taliban essentially being the front group, if you will, perpetrating what is essentially a very much al qaeda-type attack. fredricka? >> and so how might this video, you know, impact cia, jordanian intelligence gathering, sharing plans this point forward? >> you know, as much as what this doctor comes out and says he was a double act, went over to the taliban, according to an analyst here very familiar with operations in the middle east he said quite simply the united states, jordan intelligence, cia and all of the other intelligence agencies working to catch osama bin laden and the al qaeda leaders are going to have to re-evaluate all of their spies that they have working there. why? because they're going to want to know, are they really -- whose side are they on ideologically? taliban/al qaeda or are they helping the intelligence agencies? that is going to slow things down. it's going to mean time to readjust and that means catching osama bin laden is going to take that much longer, frederica. >> rick robenic robertson, than amman. one other word on al balawi -- >> translator: i'm proud of my husband. my husband accomplished a very big operation in such a war. if he's a martyr, may god accept his martyrdom. >> our ar rwa damon will have me on his taliban connection and the man sitting next to him in this video. that's 30 minutes straight ahead. the nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a northwest airlines plane on christmas day has pleaded not guilty. umar farouk abdulmutallab made his first court appearance yesterday in detroit. he told the judge that he understands the charges against him. at least one passenger from northwest flight 253 attended the arraignment. >> he looked the same but he had a little bit more actions. when i saw him on the plane, he was very blank. he didn't move. he didn't struggle. you know, he spoke in court today. he didn't say anything on the plane. so it was a little bit different. seeing him felt a little strange. i felt something sort of in my stomach and my heart. i think it was just a little bit of -- brought back the feeling of maybe what i felt on the 25th. >> so this week a grand jury indicted abdulmutallab on six charges. the most serious, attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, which could bring a life sentence. another nasty weekend in the deep freeze for much of the u.s. and it could be days before any leaf is in sight. jacqui does let us know it might feel a little less cold over the next few days in some places. temperatures are so cold right now that records have been following us as far south as florida. and the u.s./mexico border and in the great plains, it is dangerous to even be outside. it was 34 degrees below zero this morning in pol pollock, so dakota and far south of there, 8 degrees in waco, texas. these folks here in indiana have a lot of work ahead of them as they try to keep up with all of the snow that has fallen there. oh, gosh, that is the worst, isn't it, trying to shovel snow across the country? at least nine deaths are being blamed on the snow and the ice and the cold. so the big question is -- when is that warmup going to happen? when will it feel next cold, jacqui jeras? >> early next week. >> cracks me up. >> i know. have you to put it in perspective. it's winter, right. this is impacting so many people. this is two-thirds of the country, easily 60% plus of the population. when we're not hitting a lot of records, we could start seeing some records for having a prolonged period of cold weather in places like maybe gainesville, florida and across much of the deep south. so today our big focus of the cold weather and the arctic air mass is what's happening across florida. and this is hitting at places that don't see this all that often. and you're just not prepared for this whatsoever. check out some of this pink that we've been seeing across central florida. oh, yeah, that's exactly what you think it is. that's a little bit of some of that snow. let's go ahead and show you what's been happening in orlando. these are pictures from just a couple of hours ago and what you see there on that car, yeah, that's sleep. sleet is ice pellets so it's rain. liquid precipitation freezes before it reaches the ground, so that's what you see bouncing off. it wasn't really enough to cause problems, i guess, on the roadways from what i'm understanding. central florida does get cold but it's pretty rare to see something like that. we're going to continue to see this across central and southern florida as that front passes on through. in fact, we can even see sleet in ft. myers later this evening as well as west palm beach. miami, i think for the most part you will be okay. temperatures tonight are getting cold. you can see you're 43 degrees at this hour. tomorrow morning you should be waking up to temperatures in the middle 30s. but we think the precip's going to cut off. hopefully you won't have that threat. here comes some of those warmer temperatures as they move on up into the 60s. and we're going to see people having temperatures more like, you know, 20 degrees instead of 20 below, for example, in minneapolis. that is a big swing. 20's still cold but it's a whole lot better. >> right now i get the whole less cold. that is still cold. all right, thank you, jacqui. the economic crisis is taking a toll on american families in so much different ways. we take a look now at how some states are slashing social programs and how families are actually being affected. (pipe woman) then you could treat yourself to a night out with fewer urges or a day with fewer leaks or a trip with fewer overactive bladder problems. (pipe doctor) once daily vesicare can help control your bladder muscle and is proven to reduce frequent, sudden urges and leaks day and night. if you have certain stomach or glaucoma problems, or trouble emptying your bladder, do not take vesicare. tell your doctor right away if you have a serious allergic reaction, severe abdominal pain, or become constipated for three or more days. vesicare may cause blurred vision so use caution while driving or doing unsafe tasks. common side effects are dry mouth, constipation, and indigestion. (pipe woman) so, you could treat yourself to more time with friends and family or more of whatever you like to do with fewer urges and leaks. ask your doctor today about taking care with vesicare. doesn't mean they're protected. oh, ladies. let's say you have osteoporosis. i do. you could be losing bone strength. can i get it back? (announcer) ask your doctor how to help treat osteoporosis with once-a-month actonel. actonel is clinically proven to help reverse bone loss and can help@i increase bone strength to help prevent fractures. so you can get back some of what you lost. do not take actonel if you have low blood calcium, severe kidney disease, or cannot sit or stand for 30 minutes. follow all dosing instructions. stop taking actonel and tell your doctor if you experience difficult or painful swallowing, chest pain or severe or continuing heartburn. these may be signs of serious upper digestive problems. promptly tell your doctor if you develop severe bone, joint or muscle pain, or if you develop dental problems, as serious jawbone problems have been reported rarely. to get a free trial offer of once-a-month actonel visit actonel.com. and ask your doctor how once-a-month-actonel can help you reverse bone loss. president bush said the economic recovery is still on track despite the numbers. 58,000 lost jobs in december and 4.2 million jobs lost in 2009. the unemployment remains at 10%. still, president bush said he remains firmly committed to doing all can he to turn things around. a year ago when i took office in the midst of the worse recession since the great depression, i promised you two things -- the first was that there would be better days ahead. the second was that the road to recovery would be long and sometimes bumpy. that was brought home again yesterday. we learned that in november the economy saw its first month of job gains in nearly two years but last month we lost more than we gained. now we know that no single month makes a trend. in job losses for the final quarter of 2009 were .1 of what they were in the first quarter. but until we see a trend of good, sustainable job creation, we will be relentless in our efforts to put america back to work. >> the economic crisis is also causing many states to cut their budgets. for example, maryland has slashed $30 million from some programs, including one that provides health to families with children and special needs. cnn's kate bolduan reports. >> mommy found toys. >> reporter: 4-year-old carson brewster has a rare chromosomal disorder. her mother michelle left a contracting job four years ago to care for carson full time. >> she can't care for herself. you know, we've got to change her clothes. she gets fed through a tube. she's got over 22 doctors, so -- >> reporter: 22 doctors? >> yes. >> reporter: with $13,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses last year alone, brewster said supplemental funds from the state of maryland have been essential to her family's financial survival for years. but the economy has struck even this vulnerable seg tment of th population. faced with a $700 million budget shortfall, maryland cut nearly $30 million from the state's developmental disabilities administration. >> it's okay. >> reporter: for the brewsters, that means painful decisions. the extra help for things like diapers, medication and physical therapy dropped from $2,500 to just $300. what does that really mean for you guys? >> a struggle. a struggle to figure out how we're going to help -- how to help our daughter and make sure that we have the moneys to make sure our other children get too. mom and dad, me and my husband, we can wait. our daughters can't. that's what it's all about. >> reporter: outraged by the action, advocates for the developmentally disabilitied launched a statewide campaign, holding town halls to fight the budget cut. >> don't think people realize how this can just totally devastate your family. >> reporter: state officials say they understand, especially in this sluggish economy, every cut hurts someone but they defend the governor's budget decision. >> he was able to protect services for people with disabilities throughout most of the budget-cutting rounds. but the choices are getting much more difficult to make. it's not easy anymore. >> reporter: and not easy for states across the country. a recent report by the pugh center said state's budget troubles are having far greater impacts on residents. >> as they reach severe troubles, the public is going to feel it. they'll pay more taxes. they'll pay higher fees. >> reporter: with a $2 billion budget shortfall projected in maryland for 2011, brewster said she has no idea what's in store for her family's financial future. she only hopes more cuts aren't on the horizon for her daughter and so many others. >> they didn't ask to be disabled. we're not asking for hands out. we're just asking for a little bit of help. that's it. >> reporter: kate bolduan, cnn, frederick county, maryland. while i was building my friendships, my family, while i was building my life, my high cholesterol was contributing to plaque buildup in my arteries. that's why my doctor prescribed crestor. she said plaque buildup in arteries is a real reason to lower cholesterol. and that along with diet, crestor does more than lower bad cholesterol, it raises good. crestor is also proven to slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. crestor isn't for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems. you should tell your doctor about other medicines you are taking, or if you have muscle pain or weakness. that could be a sign of serious side effects. while you've been building your life, plaque may have been building in your arteries. find out more about slowing the buildup of plaque at crestor.com. then ask your doctor if it's time for crestor. announcer: if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. an apology today from the senate majority leader for disparaging remarks he made about barack obama during the presidential campaign. and just a few minutes ago, the president also issued a response. just to keep you up to date now on what is at issue here. in a new book mark halperin and john hellmann say he could be elected because his light skin and speaking patterns with no negro dialect, end quote. in a statement today, reid said he deeply regrets, quote, using such a poor quote of words. he goes on to say in his written statement -- and then just moments ago, this now from the president of the united states, saying, quote -- that comment coming from the president. a newly released video shows the jordanian doctor who killed seven cia officers in a suicide attack in afghanistan. well, he says the attack was in revenge for the killing of a pakistan taliban leader last year. cnn's arwa damon has more on the man and his connection to the taliban in pakistan. >> reporter: the video was released in pakistan on saturday. in it you see a man speaking on the right. that is the alleged cia bomber, mulal balawi. in this video he stated the attack is in the revenge for the u.s. drone strike that killed former pakistani leader baital massoud in august. sitting to his left is the current leader of the pakistan, who in october vowed to avenge batula's death. >> it's very clear that there is no real distinction between the taliban on this side of the border and that side of the border. that this is now international at least not extent that it is something that crosses between the pakistan and afghan borders. but then it draws strength from jordan. it draws strength from iraq, and there is a fusion of iraq, of the iraqi al qaeda with the al qaeda here in pakistan. so all of this is getting tied together by one single thing, and that is a common world view and a common ideology. >> reporter: until now the pakistani taliban commonly focused on domestic attacks. what we're seeing now is carrying out a strike across the border in afghanistan, the operative that it september an arab, a very startling development that is sure to see even more pressure being put on pakistan to target all militant groups operating within its boarders and that could further threaten the already fragile stability in this country. arwa damon, cnn, islamabad. our top stories right now. a new jersey man accused of touching off a massive airport security scare is due in court next week. police say 28-year-old haisung jang du jang ducked under a security tape yesterday. he was charged with defiant trespassing. and a man was accused of conspiracy to commit murder. he's 25 years old and received military-type training from al qaeda. a new york taxi driver has been indicted on charges of lying to federal agents about trips he took to pakistan and afghanistan. both cases are linked to the investigation of naji bull zazi, the airport driver from colorado who allegedly conspired to use weapons of mass destruction in new york on september 11 of last year. record-breaking cold will keep much of the u.s. shivering through the weekend. in atlanta icy roads have triggered numerous accidents. the city woke up to a temperature of 14 degrees with the windchill factor near zero. so you think you're having a hard time coping with the cold? well, wait until you hear what the animals are doing. welcome to idaho, where the world's best potatoes come from. some people say it's the rich, volcanic soil that makes our potatoes so special. or maybe the pure water. whatever it is, idaho potatoes are a delicious part of a healthy diet. with zero fat or cholesterol, and only 110 calories, and they taste great. a great value, only about ¢.25 each. always look for the grown in idaho seal. genuine idaho potatoes, from the best earth on earth. walgreens invites you to stay well this new year. ♪ with the centers for disease control and prevention saying... that vaccination is still your best protection, walgreens and take care clinics... now offer h1n1 flu vaccinations... every day at our more than 7000 locations nationwide... for just $18.00. so stop in today. walgreens. there's a way to stay well. so, at national, i go right past the counter... and you get to choose any car in the aisle. choose any car? you cannot be serious! okay. seriously, you choose. go national. go like a pro. ooh, that hurts. slipping and sliding in the deep south. this week's winter storm still causing problems after coating roads and highways with ice and snow from mississippi to the carolinas. atlanta is one area still coping with a lot of slick spots as you see right here. folks not really sure how to maneuver once they hit that slick spot. take a look at these buses in nebraska. it's enough to make you shiver just thinking about spending any time outdoors. is that not incredible? so far at least nine deaths are being blamed on this cold wave. oh, my gosh, that is incredible. the depths of that nice. >> i know. you know why those buses got iced over like that, by the way? >> why? don't tell me a sprinkler system was going -- >> sort of. they were parked behind a bowling alley and there was a fire at the bowling alley so it was from the spray hose, firehose. >> oh, okay. >> not just winter doing that but still cold nonetheless. >> absolutely. >> in order to cause that freezing. >> i can't imagine how long it's going to take for them to get those doors open. you know the omaha area, which is where that was, is going to start to see some warmer temperatures. this is some good news. we're still under this trough, which just allows all of that arctic air from the north to spill in, and that's why we've been so cold for so long. our jet stream pattern is going to start to shift now in the upcoming days and when you start to see these ridges like that, that's a high pressure system which has compressing air and when air gets compressed, it heats up. we like heating up, right? we'll be less cold by monday. it's going to be a gradual process of moderating and getting this all across the u.s. temperatures are going to be near normal across parts of the east, where we've been seeing these frigid conditions by the middle of the week. so we are on our way to it. in the meantime, you know, we're stuck with conditions that are still well below zero for a whole lot of people. particularly the upper midwest, where the worst of it has been. you're a little more used to it than a lot of the people in the southeast. that's why it's been so problematic with all of the accidents we saw in the atlanta area. people don't know how to drive in that. when temperatures get this cold in florida, people don't have the proper clothes for this either. i do want to show you my favorite i-report of the day in the winter weather, by the way. this is from our i-reporter stacey duncan from milton, florida. this is from the panhandle. temperatures there were in the 20s in the morning hours this week and so the sandbox turned into -- >> oh, no! >> -- the icebox! and ice skating rink. yeah, became an ice skating rink. mom said she put on the church shoes so she could have fun in the winter weather. send us your i-reports. >> i'm glad to see momma still holding her hand. that would hurt falling on that. >> be careful. >> jacqui, appreciate it. humans aren't the only ones shivering and running around trying to find shelter and stay warm and cozy. cnn's john zarrella reports from florida. apes are bundling up, turtles slower than ever. iguanas? just check it out. >> reporter: just throw me a blanket, will you? even with all of that hair, bonnie, the orangutan, waste nod time wrapping up against the cold at miami's metro zoo. her buddy, mango, sipped on a cup of hot chocolate, vet approved. the tortoises, they're not too swift with their feet or their brains. >> we have to take plywood and lock them in there because they're not bright enough to stay in there. they'll go out and freeze and stop and freeze and that's it. >> reporter: the animals are no more used to this 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 beekeepers in tallahassee, where the temperature has been in the teens, the only hope -- save the queen. >> as long as the queen and some of the bees make it through the winter, then we're fine. >> reporter: no, you're wrong. that's not proet 'zoia 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. now, to be honest, there are some animals here in florida that just don't get and won't get any love. 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. >> cow rats should be in new york. it shouldn't be in florida and it certainly shouldn't be in my apartment with my kids. >> reporter: and there are 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. >> yuck. all right, it's so cold that maybe now's a good time to cozy up at a movie or something. our film critic ben mankiewicz will be along to tell us what to check out. hey, ben. looking cozy from l.a., right? charles needs those contracts tomorrow morning. we should send them overnight with fedex. i already sent them. i didn't use fedex. better cross your fingers. [ man ] oh, yeah, the accident. well, you better knock on wood. remember, we did a green renovation in here, there's no wood. but russ bought a rabbit's foot. it's a bear claw. you could throw salt over your shoulder. actually, that's a salt substitute. but you should find dan -- i think he's a leprechaun. what is it about me that says leprechaun? can someone tell me please, someone? you should have used fedex. [ male announcer ] we understand. you need reliable overnight shipping. fedex. okay, so if you're wondering what to do this weekend, we've got the lowdown on the movies hitting the big screen. "daybreakers," "leap year" and "youth in revolt." they're all out this weekend. are they worth seeing? we turn to our film critic and host of turner classic movies, ben mankiewicz. he's in one of the few places of the country where it's not freezing cold. you lucky dog. how did you get l.a. this weekend? >> yeah, it's nice, although because it's note totally sunny, we still have a reason to complain here and complain we will. >> oh, really? does that mean will you complain about this first movie, "daybreakers," vampire flick? >> i'm not going to complain about it. i think people will complain because we've been overrun by vampire flicks but this is nothing, nothing at all like the original vampire movies. this is an original concept, set ten years from now, 20, 19 years from now, my goodness. and there are only 5% of the humans left. vampires have sort of taken over. but they lead fairly normal lives. they go to work but everything happens in reverse. everything happens at night as opposed to during the day. >> vampires have consumed everything. let's watch and listen. >> are you all right? >> get back! >> shoot him again! >> don't shoot me again! >> okay, she thinks he's a vampire. >> he is a vampire. everybody's a vampire. he's a vampire driving home from work and encounters humans. he's trying to come up with a synthetic blood substitute because we're running out of human blood. the sort of story develops from there is he going to go work with the humans and try to extend the human race? it's -- it's campy. it is blood gushing. it is disgusting this parts. but that said, i kind of liked it -- >> your kind of movie. >> and it's certainly original. willem dafoe is in it. he looks in every movie now that he just pulled a 12-year stretch for strong-armed robbery. but it's pretty good, intriguing. wraps itself up. i gave it a b-minus. >> campy is a good word, especially when i heard that little music. da-dum. that's campy. but we haven't seen ethan hawke and willem dafoe for a while. good to see them. how about "leap year"? >> "leap year" is being enormously poorly reviewed. this is amy adams, she goes to ireland because she wants to propose who she wants to be her fiance february 29th. a day women can apparently propose to men. i thought woman could propose at any time. >> in your world, yes. >> it's being very poorly reviewed. but it's right out of the romantic comedy playbook. >> you like romantic comediecom >> i do. you see everything coming a mile away. but they're engaging. i like amy adams a lot. it's not great, it's forgettable but it's harmless. i wrote down some romantic comedies from last year like "the proposal," "the ugly truth," "confessions of a shop hallock." it's better than all of those. >> i thought that "koss feconfe of a shopaholic" was cute. i liked it. >> that is dev staastating news. i'm crestfallen. >> how about "yung in revolt." let's listen to it a little bit before we talk is nick. i live with my charming mother. my broeth is pathological liar. he's a real tribe. >> what do you think? >> this is michael sarah playing a role that we have certainly see michael sarah play a lot. nobody plays him better than michael sarah. >> everybody loves him. >> he plays a teenager who is a virgin and he meets a girl who he likes a lot and wants to be with but he can't seem to get to her without sort of allowing his alterego bad-boy self to take over. so sarah kind of plays two roles here, nick and then francois, the bad boy self. this movie feels much more original, seems like it's going to be much more original than it is. it ends up feeling like we've seen this before. i was actually fairly disappointed in this movie. i'm going to give it a c-minus. by the way, i gave c-plus there if i didn't mention it to "leap year." this is a c-minus. this is disappointing. i would like to see michael branch out a bit. not that he cares what i want him to do in any way. >> maybe he's watching and listening. >> and one tip for all of the movie characters the teenage boys who have trouble meeting girls, buy a shirt made since the carter administration. that's just a little tip. it's a suggestion. take it or leave it. but -- >> just be a little fashion conscious, okay? we will talk about dvds, what's hitting the store shelves come this week and what you need to pick up. among them "the hurt locker." you'll be back, ben. and top stories. no escaping a cold, even in a state known for hot temperatures. martin savidge joins us from plantation, florida. not really the sunshine state these days. how threatening are the freezing temperatures, particularly to people not used to this and we're talking about produce as well growing in that state. >> yep, definitely. i mean, let me point out, fredricka, first of all what a difference a day makes for us. yesterday we were standing in st. louis, where with the combination of temperature and not to mention the snow on the ground and wind in the air, it felt like double digits below zero. now we come all the way down to south florida and i'm still freezing down here. in fact, it feels almost colder than it did up north. however, it is not technically freezing, at least, not in this part of florida. at least not now. temperatures probably in the low 40s but you've got overcast skies. you've got a strong, gusty wind that's blowing. there are windchill advisories that are out for south florida, and there are concerns, as you point out, the possibility of freezing. and that would be devastating, of course, to the vegetation. it would be very harmful depending on how cold it gets, perhaps for the citrus crop continue could also create a great deal of chaos for life in general down here. we ran into two types of people that are very busy today. first of all, the repairmen who fixes furnaces and heaters. they are in great demand. there are a lot of people who have not turned their heaters on down here for years. this week, when it started to get cold, they turn it on and much to their dissatisfaction, cold air came out. they've been putting in the emergency calls and emergency services going nearly around the clock. the other busy person down here, the person who delivers firewood. a lot of people down here have been stacking it up and storing it and using it in the fireplaces. there are in fact some houses that do not have heat. >> i know. >> fireplace is the one place they cuddle around as it gets cold, fred. >> in fact, i was going to ask you. i remember living in south florida, a remember a lot of folks, a lot of my neighbors there in miami, people did not have heat. whenever there was a little cold snap, folks were trying to get creative about how in the world to stay warm. >> they still remember you fondly down here. >> oh, that's nice to hear. martin savidge, try to stay warm there in plantation, florida, as best you can. thanks so much. let's take a look at the stop stories right now if we can. a new video showing the man blamed for the deadly attack on a cia outpost in afghanistan sitting right next to the head of the pakistani taliban. it was apparently made ten days before the attack, and in the video, humam al balawi calls on attacks of u.s. citizens for target. and yesterday two other nato service members were killed, including a danish soldier who was hit by an explosive while on patrol. the nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a northwest airlines plane on christmas day has pleaded not guilty. umar farouk abdulmutallab made his first court appearance yesterday in detroit. a grand jury indicted him on six charges. the most serious, attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. and that could bring a life sentence. so for the past couple of weeks, we have been hearing about yemen, the danger, the poverty, the haven for terrorism. but there is more to this country. photographer and contributor to foreignpolicy.com, sandy choi, captured amazing pictures of what a day in the life is like there in yemen. sandy is joining us right now. so these pictures kind of depicting the yemen that you experienced. you were there in 2004, right? did you go there with kind of preconceived notions of what yemen might be? >> not really at all. >> no? >> this was my very first time in the middle east if you can believe it. quite a place to choose. normally -- i was there at a student, and usually people will go to cairo. they will go to amman. they will go to beirut. but yemen kind of struck me as someplace a little bit different. and someplace new. so that's kind of how i ended up there. >> it is those things. new and very different. and so you went to -- to study the arabic language. >> right. >> and as you snapped off photographs, your real objective was to show these pictures to friends and family back home. they got an idea of what you were seeing. so how did you see yemen? >> you know, it's funny looking back on these photos now, you're absolutely right. my objective was really just to share this experience with friends and family back home. and what i was trying to capture was the neighborhood i lived in, the people i would meet on a daily basis. i was lucky enough to do a little bit of traveling and see some of the places we're seeing on the screen now, to be able to share some of that with everyone back home and give them an idea of what it would be like. >> what did you find remarkable about the people, the place or maybe even unremarkable in some ways? >> well, for one thing, yemen is an incredibly beautiful country. you can see from the photos the architecture is spectacular and very unique to the country. life in the old city of sanaa where i was living was very normal. very sort of day to day, you go to work and stop at the baker on your way home, you buy your groceries. so even though i was living in a centuries' old house in this sort of ancient medina, it felt very normal in a way. >> so now you were there in 2004. this is after the "uss cole" attack, so to hear yemen being aindicated with or being associated with terrorism was not necessarily a foreign thing. it has stepped up that dialogue quite a bit in recent years. when you were there, how conscientious were you of that notion of it being a haven for terrorism? >> you know, it's funny, that was almost second to my concerns about being an american there and whether or not that would ever come up as an issue when i would stop and talk to people on the street. it was there in the back of my mind but it was never really a concern to me in my day-to-day life there. >> how much did you -- or how hard did you work against people learning that you were american for fear that you wouldn't be accepted, for fear that people wouldn't necessarily want to associate with you? >> not at all, to be perfectly honest. i realized it was a very uncomfortable time for a lot of foreigners who happened to be in the country. i decided i wasn't going to tell people i was a canadian. i was very proud to be who i was and where i was from. and if people didn't like that and some people didn't. some people just turned around and would walk away when i would talk to them. but others, they didn't have a problem with that. we exchanged view points. we had some really good discussions about what was going on and it was fine. >> so when you look at these images again. it was 2004, but you refreshed your memory on yemen by looking at these pictures, pulling thm o them out one more time, do you see yemen any differently today than you did in 2004 when you were living there? >> not really and certainly not as a result of the things we're hearing in the news. i mean, i do realize the seriousness of what's coming out of there. but at the same time it's -- it's still the yemen that i remember from when i was living there and the neighborhood that i lived in and the people that i knew. and if anything, it's actually more troubling to see how it's been portrayed for the most part in the media as this terrorist haven, as if it didn't have this rich cultural history and population that lived there. >> sandy choy, photographer, contributor for foreignpolicy.com. thank you so much for sharing those stories and sharing those beautiful images as well and letting us see a different side of yemen. >> thanks for having me. some muslim-american women say they are being singled out for airport searches. is that discrimination? we'll look into it. t is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier than ever with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. plus i can pick it up for free. perfect because we have to get that outta this house. c'mon, it's not that... gahh, oh yeah that's gotta go... priority mail flat rate shipping starts at $4.95 only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship and return. perhaps you don't like ice and snow and going to the movies. instead you want to bring movies to your home. can you do that by picking up the next few dvds released this week. "the hurt locker" is one. and the "moon" are coming out. have you of irneither one of th? film critic and host of turner classic movies ben mankiewicz, have you to school me on these flikz here, soon to be out on dvd. why haven't i heard of "the work locker." >> because you were watching "the shopaholic" nine times. >> i saw it once. i thought it was cute. that's just me. >> indefensible. >> make we should watch a little bit and then you can tell me more about it. >> okay. >> put your gun down! >> advance, advance. keep your hands up. >> okay. >> ooh, this looks intense. ralph fiennes, guy pierce. tell me more. >> yeah, this is very intense. directed by kathryn bigelow. last week when i was doing the top 11 list for you guys, this came in number three for me. >> i'm sorry, i was out that day. >> that's all right. you're allowed to take a vacation once in a while. this is very dramatic stuff. the cameo, there are extended cameos for ralph finnes, guy pierce. you saw jeremy remmer, brian geraghty. the three main stars of this film. they play members of a bomb squad in iraq. it's about the iraq war. it's a big canvas but this is a small, personal story. it is intense throughout. it is believable throughout. it is credible. kathryn bigelow really keeps it moving along. it came out some months ago but i don't think it will be forgotten when the academy award nominations come out. it's a really terrific movie. really outstanding film. best iraq war movie so far. >> oh, okay. "moon." >> "moon" is an interesting movie. it's from a first-time director duncan jones, who certainly has some creative talents in his blood lines. david bowie is his father. >> get out. >> it's a really impressive debut film. it's really just sam rockwell in this movie. he plays an astronaut on the far side of the moon on a three-year mission to help mine the moon for a big corporation to mine it for an energy source that we need on earth. but the satellite has gone down so he has no communication with any other humans during this three-year time there. and then all of a sudden after he has an accident on the moon, he encounters a meaner, angrier version of himself and we're left to wonder exactly what's happening. i'm not sure i totally figured out what was happening, but it certainly -- it certain is intriguing and it will stay with you and it's a very impressive performance from rockwell. it's some thoughtful science fiction. i give an "a" to the hurt locker and "b" to this movie. some critics loved this movie. i merely liked it. i think it's seeing for sci-fi fans or sam rockwell fans. >> these are dude flikz. not to say girls are not going to like it. chicks can dig it too but definitely dude flicks. >> yeah, put good movies are good movies. i don't know what it means. >> oh, yes you do. >> i liked "leap year" for crying out loud. that's definitely a chick flick. i'm basically a guy, yeah. >> all right, good. so "moon" and "the hurt locker," dvds that could be coming to your home any moment now come tuesday, right? ben mankiewicz, thanks so much. enjoy sunny l.a. >> i will. thank you, fred. >> okay. all right. a controversial billboard featuring president barack obama will soon be removed from new york's times square. why? a clothing company created the billboard using a news photo of the president wearing one of its jackets. but it didn't get permission from the white house to put him in this big old ad. so the company is now agreeing to actually take the billboard down after having what a spokesman described as a rather cordial conversation with a white house attorney. for many muslim-american women, the head scarf is an important part of the religious identity. but is it a red flag for airport screeners? we'll find out. some muslims say they're being profiled in the tighter security that followed the failed christmas day attack on a u.s.-bound jetliner. well, cnn's alina cho has more on that now. >> reporter: nadia hasan is a frequent flier. so imagine her surprise when she arrived at the security checkpoint at washington's dulles international airport tuesday. >> racial, religious profiling. i'm being singled out as a -- as a security threat. >> reporter: the 40-year-old michigan-born muslim-american headed to los angeles said she was singled out for what she calls a humiliating full-body search. when she asked why this was happening -- >> the gentleman who was working there specifically told me that the reason why i'm being put through this type of search is because i'm wearing a headscarf. he actually told me that's the reason why you are being targeted. >> reporter: she's not alone. on monday a muslim-canadian woman said she was made to feel like a terrorist because she was wearing a headscarf, bee rarated banned from boarding a flight to the united states all because of her faith. the council on american islamic relations calls thee textbook cases of profiling. >> if it's violating the law, it is unconstitutional and un-american to single out people because of their religion. >> reporter: u.s. customs who handled the canadian woman's case would not comment specifically on it. but in a statement to cnn, the tsa says current screening procedures for bulky clothing and headwear have been in place since 2007, that wearing a headscarf doesn't automatically trigger a search and, quote, "in instance where's passengers choose not to remove bulky clothing, including head wear, our officers are trained to offer a private screening area and may conduct a pat down search to clear the individual." h hassan said her pat down search happened in front of her 5-year-old daughter and several male tsa agents. she stresses she favors strict security but not when the screening is selective. >> do they even know what they're looking for? you're targeting the innocent people and yet the bad guys are getting away. so it just makes me wonder. >> reporter: the council on american islamic relation says if the tsa is going to flag womens who wear headscarfs, how about nuns who wear habits? they say they continue to provide security protocols that are thorough, effective and foster respect. alina cho, cnn, new york. straight ahead -- randi kaye with the next hour of the "cnn newsroom," including a look at the latest and greatest gadgets at the consumer electronics show in las vegas. a flying drone and 3d tvs are just a few of the fascinating gizmos. i'm fredricka whitfield they cnn headquarters in atlanta. see you back here tomorrow. uuuuu