i'm betty nguyen with t.j. holmes and reynolds wolf. this morning we are doing something a bit different. we are looking back at the year in review. some of the big stories of the year and some of the stories we enjoyed covering. >> some of the biggest, no doubt about it. president obama. the first black president of the u.s. inaugurated in january. a lot of coverage dedicated to, that but we covered the big stories, but there were a lot of stories big and small we enjoyedful we'll be sharing those during this hour as well. >> we went across the nation in different countries covering stories. >> like mexico and the weather-related story. >> you had the opportunity to go to mexico and cover hurricane jimena. while you are there, i was in southern california covering the station fire. one of the most damaging fires in southern california history and the widespread damage. we'll take you back to that scene. >>> another big story we cannot forget about this year, of course, was michael jackson. the death of michael jackson. >> that was cert

i'm betty nguyen. >> i'm t.j. holmesust out this morning, a new video from the taliban in pakistan. it shows the suicide bomber believed to have killed seven cia employees last month in afghanistan. and on this tape imam al balawi vows revenge for the killing of a taliban leader in pakistan. his brother confirms to cnn that the man seen in this video is, indeed, him. >>> two men are under arrest in connection with a new york terror plot. one of them is a new york city cabdriver. the other is a bosnian immigrant expected in court today. he was caught after a traffic incident. cnn national correspondent susan candiotti with the story. >> reporter: law enforcement sources say he crashed into another car while the task force was tailing him. the sources say he was going faster and faster before he rear ended another car. just before the wreck, sources tell cnn he inexplicably called 911. before the accident, the fbi had served a search warrant at his home. after the fbi left, his family says he took off. agents were followin

just working some of the kinks out. >> some of that rust off. >> i'm t.j. holmes. this morning. >> all day long. i'm betty nguyen. thanks for being here, t.j. glad to have you back. it's 9:00 a.m. in alanta. 6:00 in los angeles. >> we do want to start this morning with video we're just getting this morning. the chilling new tape that's in to cnn. it's the last words really or some of the last words from a suspected suicide bomber blamed in the deaths of seven cia employees in afghanistan. senior international correspondent nic robertson in amman, jordan for us with more on the tape and where this thing came from. >> reporter: well, it's being disseminated by the pakistani taliban, the ptb. how do we know that? mehsud is sitting next to al balawi, the alleged bomber and killer of the cia operatives in afghanistan. we've talked to dr. al balawi's family. they say it is definitely him. the message is a direct put-down for jordanian intelligence and the cia because the doctor tells them directly that he is not about to sell his faith. and this is a clear indication that

i am the blushing t.j. holmes. >> i'm all worn out. i'm betty nguyen. we'll pull this together because we have serious news to bring you. >>> a newly leased 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 imam al balawi promises to avenge the death of a taliban leader. >> this attack will be the first of operations against teams outside the pakistani borders. after they killed the amir of pakistan. >> 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? >> reporter: there are several things about it, betty. for the family, it's final confirmation that this really is their son and this is what he set out to do, and he explains it in the video. i mean, when i talked to his father, he said he was very, very sad. when i pushed him about what he thought about it, he said he was angry

i'm richard lui in for t.j. holmes this weekend. thanks for starting your saturday with us. >> great to have you around this weekend. let's get started with this. >> the president pointing fingers in the attempted christmas day terror attack on northwest flight 253. he says al qaeda is responsible. we hear from the president straight ahead. >>> rush limbaugh out of the hospital this morning and talking to reporters. doctors say they found nothing wrong after he was admitted for chest pains. limbaugh held a news conference, and we'll hear what he had to say. also want to begin this morning with president obama. he's making the strongest statement yet connecting al qaeda to the attack on northwest flight 253 christmas day. now, in his weekly address, the president links the suspect, umar farouk abdulmutallab, to al qaeda in yemen. >> i've made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with the yemeni government, training and equipping their security forces, sharing intelligence, and working with them to strike al qaeda terrorists. a

. >> and i'm t.j. holmes. glad you could start your day with us.e start -- we're talking about weather. we've been talking that a lot in the past couple of days and weeks. and take a look at this. have you been in this ice rink yet? a lot of people didn't know we have one of these in atlanta. >> one that's manmade and one that is made by mother nature. it's really not that bad. the streets in some areas are a bit icy. you've got some black ice on some patches. but, for the most part, it's quite pretty. >> that makes you appreciate this town. atlanta, the capital of the south, a lot of people say. but that's a gorgeous shot. and this town has a lot to offer. and that's just gorgeous, that's a good picture. >> yes, it is. >> right outside where we sit in downtown atlanta. >> we'll keep you posted on the weather. also want to get you up to date on the top stories we've been following for you. just out this morning, a new video from the suicide bomber believed to have killed seven cia employees and contractors last month. on the tape, al balawi vows re