this morning on "early today," turbulent times. new rules for air passengers will mean more pat-downs and tougher security at the airport. new year chill. 2010 kicks off with numbingly cold temperatures across the nation. and king of the ska scrapers. soaring more than a half a mile into the sky, the world's tallest building gets ready to open in dubai. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello and good morning. i'm lynn berry.

and today we begin with new rules for this new year. under a policy implemented just this morning, travelers from more than a dozen hand-picked nations will be facing stepped up security measures when flying into the united states. with global threats rapidly emerging, the list targets old foes from libya, iran, pakistan and iraq. nbc's brian mooar reports. >> reporter: passengers flying into the united states from other countries will face tougher random screenings, including full body scans. travelers from seven high-risk countries, including nigeria and yemen, will be getting full body patdowns and hands-on luggage inspections. it's the latest fall out from northwest flight 253, a plot allegedly hatched by al qaeda. >> part of something larger from al qaeda. >> reporter: on the sunday talk shows, white house coterterrrorism adviser, john

brennan commied the nation's intelligence agencies had but failed to connect a series of dots. still, he insists the system wasn't broken. >> there was no smoking gun. we might have had a partial name but there was nothing that brought it altogether. >> reporter: that echo tom contain, who argues the obama administration has been distracted by heating care and other challenges. >> it's understandable but not acceptable. >> reporter: former cia and hsa chief michael hayden said it's time for ordinary americans to make some tough choices. >> what's the balance the american people want between their privacy and their security? >> reporter: meanwhile, the u.s. and british embassies in yemen have been ordered close amid new evidence al qaeda is planning another attack. brian mooar, nbc news, washington. there is a big chill for a big part of the nation this morning as millions of amerins try and shake off a deep winter

freeze. whether it's blinding snow or bone-chilling cold, january is making its mark. nbc's fran kes kowe reports. >> reporter: this was virtually nil in grand rapids, michigan. locals battled the snow owe all sides from residents, city snowplows. >> busy since 4:30 this morning. >> reporter: lake-effect snow hammered south bend, indiana, with whiteout conditions that made driving tricky for drivers and pedestrians. >> it was slippery out here. i tell people to be cautious. >> reporter: meantime, philly's big chill forced many into a big bundle. in parts of new england, snow settled into a stubborn layer. >> i pushed the driveway with a broom the first time. now i'm just going over it again. you keep up with it, it's not so bad sfwlr in

bad. >> reporter: in maine, eight inches had skiers flying high. >> it's a winter wonderland. >> now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. three teenagers were rescued after being stranded on an ice sheet in a michigan river. their boat died in a frigid 4 degree weather and that forced them to float across a floating piece of wayward ice. firefighters used an air boat to rescue them. orange farmers in florida are scrambling to save their trees. some have sprinkler running all week. the younger trees are especially vulnerable to frost and the constant miss may make the difference between a fruitful orchard. one colorado couple to a significant starting line. the pair decided to get married on a racetrack, as it's the activity that first brought them together. while the two survived fiery

crashes, fortunately a safe victory lap. but this union right on track. what a way to start a marriage. and a pledge made 20 years ago by third gradersin washington brought former classmates back to their school. the third grade class vowed to meet at noon on new year's day in 2010. the teacher said he didn't know how many people would show up. the reunited class now plans to do it in 2010. that's some school spirit. now here's a look at your national and regional weather with nbc meteorologist bill karins with the weather channel forecast. bill, i didn't go to my high school reunions. i feel guilty now. >> which one did you miss? >> the ten. >> oh. you're young. >> i'm going with the 20. i'm going to stick for the 20. >> you're still young. >> let's talk about what's going on with your temperatures. the arctic blast was a big deal this weekend. it continues this morning. poor friends in minneapolis, it's been a brutal week. minus 8 is the temperature.

chicago is at 8. kansas stickers 7. new orleans, 40, is chilly. cold up and down the east coast. florida is one of the concerns. right now 36 degrees in orlando. we're avoiding the hard freeze at least today and into this morning. temperatures out there in hal has see, 27. savannah, 25. freeze warnings all the way down into the everglades near lake okeechobee. overnight lows cold two more nights. i think the oranges will be all right. they really struggle in the mid-20s. right now we're in the upper 20s to low 30s. the wind chill, everyone is about in the single digits. this is as cold as it gets. we can thank the big winter storm near maine for all the cold. that's your national forecast. now here's a look at the weather outside your window. some snow showers near the lakes once again. temperatures are the big deal. the winds will not be quite as

bad as they were in new england. still cold any way you cut it from florida northward into maine. lynn, january is known for its big cold outbreaks. fortunately we're nogoing to get a break this time. we get one cold outbreak and another one towards the weekend. >> it's living up to its name. thanks so much, bill. g.m. starts the year on an upbeat note but will wall street? your early morning business headlines are straight ahead. known as a fashion diva, jennifer lopez takes a dive on new year's eve. jets fly to the playoffs. the jets are in but a star receiver is out. you're watching "early today."

>> good morning, and welcome back to "early today." i'm lynn berry. here are some of your top headlines this morning. passengers at newark labority airport are being allowed to board their flights

again after a security breach grounded planes for some six hours last night. travelers at the new jersey airport had to be re-screened after a still unidentified man was seen walking through a screening checkpoint exit into the secure side so fast terminal. a florida man suspected of murdering his family on thanksgiving day is now in police custody, all thanks to the television show "measuring's most wanted." motel owners in the florida keys say they recognized the suspect after seeing a prevw for the program late saturday and quickly contacted authorities. the secret service says it's investigating an 6th any of president obama found hanging from a building in plains, georgia, the hometown of former president jimmy caer. the secret service has confirmed the agency is investigating. officials are monitoring a volcano on the indian ocean island of reunion that erupted sunday with little warning. it was evacuated minutes before

the volcano began spewing lava. another volcano in easter congo is raising concerns. scientists say it will destroy 25 acres of nearby forest. dubai is celebrating the opening of the tallest building today. the government hopes the unveiling of the structure helps revitalize the city's economy which was seriously hit by a debt crisis. >> and now here's a look ahow wall street will kick off the day and the year after this holiday weekend. the dow opens at 10,428 after sinking 120 points. the s&p lost 11. and the nasdaq dipped 22 points. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo, the knee day gained 108 points to start off the new year, but in hong kong the hang seng fell 49 points. speaking of the new year, a

lot of pressure on stocks in the first few weeks as investors search for clue about what's ahead. seasoned traders will be watching for something called the january effect, which some say could set the to for the entire year. historically investors sell off shares to claim on their taxes and buy again in january. that trend held true last year. stocks started out higher in 2009 and ended the year at the highest level in six years. markets overseas off to a good start. struggling japan airlines soared 30% after news it will get a $2.2 billion cash infusion from the bank of japan. back home, investors looking ahead to key economic data this week. friday, the government will deliver an update on the jobs front. economists predict an average 23,000 jobs were lost in december. and keep an eye on g.m.

ahead of tomorrow's fresh figures on u.s. auto sales, general motors is out with some impressive numbers overseas today. g.m. said its sales in china are up 66% over last year. tapping into a major market and new demographic, mattel announced it is partnering up with world wrestling entertainment. mattel will be shipping out action figures from wwe sma smackdown and raw. a sicilian man was turned away because he hadn't committed any crime, he held up the shop the next door with a box cutter for a pack of candy. who beat who on the last da of the season in the nfl and who is going to the playoffs? for starters, the new york jets

are going after stampeding their way against the cincinnati bengals. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. we started the new year with an incredible arctic blast. guess what? there's another one behind it. your forecast is coming up. you're watching "early today."

good monday morning to you. i'm joe krebs. >> i'm eun yang. straight ahead, breaking news, the redskins wasteo time, jim zorn is out as head coach. fired overnight. a scare that shut down one of the busiest airports in the country. >> a frigid cold morning. temperatures are dangerously good morning. f you're just waking up, this is "early today."

in sports, in an unusual scenario, the new york jets are headed to the postseason with their first matchup against the same team they steam rolled yesterday to get there. here's nbc's mario solis with an early look at all your sports headlines. good morning. it was pretty simple for the new york jets, win and you're in the playoffs. they didn't just win, they dismantled the cincinnati bengals in the final game at giants stadium. ocho sink cofactor for the bengals. brad smith doing it all himself. takes the snap. rumbles 32 yards to the house. jets up, 17-0. they go to shut out the bengals, 37-0. setting autopsy a rematch between these two teams saturday in the afc wild card game. the patriots will limp into the playoffs. their most reliable receiver, wes welker tore his acl and mcl on what seemed to be a harmless

play against the texans but he's done for the season. they did what they had to do to make the playoffs. the jets also won, new york wips the wild card. pats will play the ravens. they were in oakland and ran all over the raiders. one of the best stiff arms you'll see, rushing for 167 yards and three touchdowns. ravens clinch a wild card spot, 21-17. the win eliminates the defending super bowl champions steelers. packers destroyed the cardinals. arizona was dressing many of its starters and it showed. green bay won 33-7. the pack will play the cardinals next week in arizona. and it will be deja vu in dallas on saturday. cowboys shut down the eagles. felix jones with a 49 td romp in the third. dallas wednesday big, 24-0. third time in franchise history

cowboys have had back-to-back shutouts. that's your early look at sports on "early today." i'm mario solis. your early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus, know how the oldest twin always likes to tease the other? these guys will have a lot to battle about in the years ago. you're watching "early today."

well, welcome back. the windchill was biting all weekend long and it continues this morning. the wind chill i 6 in atlanta, georgia this morning. you know it's cold when atlanta is at 6. windchill advisories all going down south. windchill in miami is 43, which for them is a little shocking to the system. temperatures will struggle to the 30s in most locations. it's a slow warmup but another arctic blast comes next weekend. don't count on anything warm at least for a while. if you're watching wnbc 4 in new york, see the mysteries of the great lakes and discover the lakes untold stories at the american museum of natural history. that's yr eastern event of the day, lynn. >> better stay indoors today, bill. stay warm. now here's a look at this morning's headlines in

entertainment. hyped as the film of the decade, "avatar" now actually has the chance to be the film of the decade. with $68 million, "avatar" posted a third straight number one weekend. it shot past the $1 billion mark, the fifth movie to pass that threshold ever. that makes director james cameron the only filmmaker to produce two movies topping $1 billion. number two was robert downy jr. thriller" sherlock holmes." and third is "alvin and the chipmunks: the squeakquel." . $157 million after just ten days. finally, she started the decade with a stunning fashion statement wear that transparent green chiffon dress.

tongues are still wearing after her bizarre fashion statement to end the decade, a less than flattering sheer sparkling body suit performing there in 2009 square on new year's eve. hmmm. >> here's my question for you, lynn. since she was on stage before the ball dropped and after, if she eligible for worst dressed in 2009 and 2010. this comes to us from wfla news channel 8 in tampa, florida, where a set of twins will forever share a unique story. they weren't born on different days or years, but different decades. the mother went into labor new year's eve. march cello came out in 2009 and his brother born a one into 2010. how about that? i'm lynn berry, and this is "early today," ju

breaking news this morning, while you were sleeping, the redskins dropped the axe on jim zorn. the coach fired after the team's 12th loss of the season. >> it is phrasing outside. take a live look as we zoom in on the united states capitol this morning. it is very cold. 24 degrees on this very first monday of january 2010, the first monday of the brand new year, a brand new decade. good morning to you. welcome to "news4 today." i'm joe krebs. >> i'm eun yang. we want to start off with a look at weather and traffic. tom kierein joins us now. the winds yesterday were painful. >> you needed to stay inside. there's a risk of frostbite with this kind of scenario we got going again. look at these temperatures down in the low to mid-20s. 24 in washington. these are the wind chills. down to the single digits in many locations. feels like around 10 degrees

with that wind which is thankfully diminished a bit from yesterday. in fact we had gusts near 40 miles per hour yesterday. the peak gusts at real estate began national were 40 miles per hour. the gusts now are at 25 to 30. we might have a few passing flurries here today. few clouds racing through. blustery. highs near freezing. more of the same tomorrow. bit warmer by mid-week. light snow late in the week. jerry, how is the traffic? >> off to a relatively quiet start. hang on tight to the steering wheel because the winds are still on the gusty side. back to work and school along interstate 66 with no worries so far. let's see what else is happening. pretty quiet start out at the woodrow wilson bridge. travel lanes are open southeast and northeast quarters are doing fine. good morning. >> good morning. good to see you. >> taking a look at what's happening today. jim zorn has coached his last game with the redskins.

a team source tells our own c r lisay czarniak that he's been fired as the skins finish a disappointing season. washington was 4-12 this season and is 12-20 in two seasons under zorn. president obama and his family return to washington today after an 11 day vacation in hawaii. he spent part of i had final day there reading intelligence assessments and talking to advisers about threats to the united states. the first family also paid a visit to the honolulu zoo. >> the tsa has a new policy that went into effect at midnight. international air travellers will face tougher security screenings. passengers flying in from 14 nations mostly in the middle east and africa will be patted down and have their luggage searched. all international travellers will see an increase in random screenings. wizards star, gilbert arenas says he'll meet today with police about his decision to bring guns into the team's

locker room at the verizon center. he said he used bad judgment. he still will not discuss reports that he and his teammate drew guns on each other during an argument last month. a man died when he flipped his car at rock creek park pap driver on the parkway noticed a car tire sticking out of the frozen creek yesterday. >> derrick ward tells us rescuers were hampered by the frigid waters. >> reporter: rock creek runs deep here. deep enough to locate a submerge a car. >> the vehicle was hard to find because there'snly one wheel sticking up out of the water. >> we put people into wet suits and other protective gear. so we had those resources available. we do train for it. you want it's a very adverse condition. swift moving water. cky. unstable ground. if you have a vehicle upside

down. >> reporter: the victim has been identified of joshua coleman from arlington. there was hope of survival and the occupant was rushed to nearby gw hospital in grave condition. >> looks like the car may have been in the creek for quite some time. it's important to note that with cold water such as this, sometimes we do get the chance of getting a resuscitation out of it. >> reporter: the victim did not survive. >> is an unwitnessed event. no telling how long the victim was in the water. again, we don't have any timelines he. >> reporter: the investigation now turns to just how the vehicle left the road, whether another vehicle was involved. how this accident happened. how it ended up with the most tragic of conclusions. derrick ward, news 4. >> the u.s. park police want anyone who saw the