warren winestein was kidnapped a few years ago. >> in this 13 minute video warren winestein says he feels forgotten and abandoned by the u.s. >> i'm appealing to you on a humanitarian basis, if nothing else, and asking that you take the necessary actions to expedite my release. >> the 72-year-old u.s. government contractor from merrylands was in his home from lahore pakistan, when gunmen, posing as his neighbours, abducted him. al qaeda has claimed responsibility. a former kidnapping victim says pakistan is partly to blame. the pakistani government do not control their territory. it's a save haven that exists. >> al qaeda said it will release him if america stops the drone strikes and releases tall prison ners. >> americans don't respond. the american government will not pay ransom or release prisoners. >> wine stein pleaded for the president's hand last year. >> my life is in your hands, mr president. if you accept the demands i live, if not, i die. the video is labelled with al qaeda's media arm. the state department says: >> the white house has said it will not negotiate with al qaeda.

as you heard, this is warren winestein. he is begging for president obama to negotiate with al qaeda for his release. this is a third video he posted since he was captured two years ago. a bit of background. the 72-year-old was captureed from his home in 2011 in pakistan. he was working for je austin based in virginia and advises the pakistani business and government sectors. they will release him if the u.s. stops air strikes in pakistan, afghanistan and yemen. the white house said they won't negotiate with the terrorist group. >> two restaurants will have to argue their case in order to reopen their doors. police shut down rose cafe and puzzles event center saying that both were operating as nightclubs and did not have proper perms. rose ka 235i is. both must remain closed until hearing. >> deadline for signing up for the new health care program. now today, new challenges and confoouz fusion for those who enrolled. >> snow, ice, and power outages in the holidays. the areas worst hit boy a winter storm and wha . >> the whi

. >> the state department issued a statement saying," we reiterate our call that warren winestein beeleased and reunited with his family, particularly this holiday season, another one away from his family, our hopes and prayers are with him and those that miss him. >>> a los angeles police officer on his way to work became a hero, he says he was just doing his job when he rescued a man from a burning car but as as he says it was unbelievable. >> hard to tell that is a car, hard to tell that on the highway in los angeles, hard to believe that man survived. >> it is hard to believe, another few seconds there would have been too much fire. >> seconds after the car burst into flames after marking into the center divider. >> i reached in there and fumbled a bit more and thinking as i found that button and popped the belt and grabbed him and pulled him out. >> adding to the miracle, don thompson a 26 year veteran of the lapd bomb squad happened to be driving to work, his shift started early, diving into the flames to pull the driver to safety. >> i was singed, hair here and on the side. >>

. >>> a new video of warren winestein, the 72-year-old american kidnapped in pakistan two years ago looking sullen. pleading to the obama administration for help. unemployment benefits and saturday for more than a million americans. senate democrats said they will take up the issue when they return in the new year. what happens to the people between now and then? we were waiting and i kept talking and they still were not here. >> one called it the worst christmas er

held captive is speaking out on abc news the interview after a video showing a tireed and pale warren winestein on the president to negotiate for his freedom. he was abducted in 2011 sxez he feels forgotten. his wife and two daughters say that could not be further from the truth. >> he has in idea how hard we have tried to get him back. but there is nothing to do to get him back. >> his grandchildren miss him. >> yes. ask their mother. i know he's coming home. i try to tell them. that but it's hard for them to be able to understand why this happened to him. >> winestein was working in pakistan on community projects when gunman stormed his apartment and took him captive. officials repeatedly said washington will not bargain with terrorists. >> an international rescue effort underway to evacuate a ship stuck in the ice near ant arctica. saying two ice breakers tried to free the vessel had you bu had to turn back. the a third ship turned back because of bad weather. everyone is safe, and healthy and there is enough food to last another ten days >> britain's prince william may be the most famous co

we want to start with a video perporting to show warren winestein in pakistan. >> my name is warren winestein. >> al qaeda support the 13-minute video to several western news agencies. nbc ewes cannot confirm when or where the video was produced. martin fletcher joins us live from london. christmastime. do we read anything into the release here? >> well, i suppose al qaeda is hoping that somehow the season of good will will extend to their prisoner. they released the video to coincide with christmas and begins with the sad fis. his first words were my name is warren weansteinestein who is 7s old. he was captured from this house that you can see while working at the u.s. government contractor. in the video, he looks tire and pale and pleading for help. he is saying to obama when i need my government, i have been totally abandon and forgotten. there is no direct response from the american government, but the government said they would not negotiate with the kidnappers or anyone else who kidnaps americans. they would release him only if the us stopped air attacks in pakistan, afghanistan, yemen

government contractor warren winestein calls on president obama to negotiate his release. >> now when, it seems that i have been totally abandoned and forgotten. >> that's painful to hear. cnn's barbara starr is at the pentagon with more. good morning, barbara. >> 72-year-old warren weinstein was kidnapped from his home in lahore, pakistan, in 2011, when gunmen broke in and overtook his security guards. at the time he was said to be working as a government contractor for a private company in pakistan. after that, the leader of al qaeda, ayman al zawahari claim to hold him. a lot of information in this video about how weinstein is doing and it's not very good. carol, have a listen to what he has to say. >> now over 72 years of age, i'm not in good health. i have a heart condition. i suffer from acute asthma. and the years have taken their toll. i've been cut off from my family. my wife, who is over 70, my two daughters, my two grandchildren, my son-in-law and perhaps new members of the family whom i have never met. needless to say, i have been suffering deep anxiety every part of every

winestein and remain in contact with warren wynn stein's family while we tone to monitor the situation. mr. winestein added he wants president obama, secretary of state john kerry, other top officials, to negotiate with al qaeda here, but it's clear the u.s. government has said again and again, it will not engage in such negotiations. >> obviously there would never be a good time for this to happen, but this is timing that calls into question now, because it comes as president obama is weighing some other big decisions about our involvement in conflicts around the world. >> you're right, and al qaeda obviously wants to make a statement with the video. they want to try to make the u.s. look weak. they also are maybe taking advantage of the situation where, as you note, we're coming to the end of the year, folks have been focused on domestic affairs but it's a reminder there are all kinds of national security crises around the world. president obama is dealing with, and in fact "60 minutes" did a profile of susan rice, the national security advicer in the white house, impressed on her th

warren you understand deep anxiety. >> it's a cry for help from captivity to white house and proof for the first time in over a year that winestein may be alive. he was kidnapped while working and living in a pakistani city. officials believe he's being held by new leaders. the video released yesterday, it's unclear whit was made but winestein's tone is desperate and urgent he suffers from a heart condition and may no longer be in good health. also this letter saying given my age and health i don't have time on my side. fbi confirmed it's in touch with the family. last words were to them, he says he misses his family every minute of every day. >> warriors ford dramon green fined after last night's game turned chippy. green ejected for elbowing blake griffin. the fine for failing to 11 the court in a timely manager. tempers flaring with blake griffin of l.a. saying warriors played cowardly basketball and new york giants rookie cooper taylor putting his apartment up for rent during super bowl week. $9,000 for the week. you'll get the tv and a view of the stadium. he says he and his girlfriend thought it would be a good idea to go o

. >> warren winestein is seen in a new video plating for the u.s. government to negotiate with his captors. >> trapped in antarctic waters. help is on the way for customers on a ship caught on the ice. one of the professors said they heard from a chinese ice-breaking vessel en route to free theirship. >> a russian investigation concluded there was no poisoning. earlier evidence was found of a lathal substance polonium had his remains. a committee is studying the reports. those are the headlines. for the latest head to the website aljazeera.com. "america tonight" is next. have a good evening. every sunday night join us for exclusive, revealing and surprising talks with the most interesting people of our time. this sunday. >> we try to be funny in serious stories which is very, very rare. >> he made radio cool with his sense of humor, insight and curiosity. he opened a new window into american life. >> before they know it we're actually able to present something new that they haven't heard about. >> talk to al jazeera with ira glass. many worry that t