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Sex Slave Survivor Stories; A Jumble of Advice on Women's Health; Backstory

Aired November 20, 2009 - 13:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And we are "Pushing Forward" with the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM with that lady right there, Kyra Phillips!

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Are you ready for the weekend, Tony?

HARRIS: Are you kidding me?

PHILLIPS: All right. I'll see you on Monday.

HARRIS: All right, lady.

PHILLIPS: We begin now talking about the land of opportunity. But for what? An eager young woman comes to America to study, but she winds up a sex slave.

And if that's not enough to grab your attention, an American student could grow old in an Italian prison. For what? Prosecutors say it was a drug-fueled sex game turned deadly.

And it's back story Friday. Today we've got a two-fer. First up, a rough ride at the Great Wall.

Well, we begin now. You do the math. A state in financial shambles. Just take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(PROTESTORS CHANTING)

PHILLIPS: Devastating budget cuts for colleges. Now with 32 percent tuition hike at all 10 campuses of the University of California. Regents claim that the action was unavoidable, and student reaction? Inevitable. Protests, sit-ins, dozens of arrests. And here's the breakdown, $10,300 just for tuition, for in-state students next year at UC. There's a threefold increase from a decade ago. Housing, books, and food can easily cost $16,000 more.

So, how do other states rank? Tuition, instate at the Ohio State University runs about $8,700; University of Florida, $4,300; University of Texas, $4,400. And the State University of New York, just under $5,000. Out of state? Much, much more, of course.

Now, the average public university tuition in America is $7,000. And the University of California used to be a bargain. Kevin Carey, policy director for a group called Education Sector in Washington. He's also keeping tabs on the creeping costs of higher ed nationwide. I guess, Kevin, we sort of should have expected this, yes?

KEVIN CAREY, EDUCATION SECTOR: Well, I mean, this is just the consequence of the collapse of governance in California. It's really a shame they're letting the best public university system in the world deteriorate in front of our eyes. And it couldn't come at a worst time for middle and low-income families. I mean, imagine you have lost your job. Your mortgage is underwater. Your son or daughter has worked hard their whole life to get into the University of California, and all of a sudden in the middle of the year, they say give us another $3,000.

PHILLIPS: Let me ask you this. Is there any way that this can change? Because we're talking about a lot of students that will have to drop out one of the best universities in the country because they can't afford that extra cash.

CAREY: Clearly California has to get its fiscal house in order. That can't happen overnight, but it has to happen. There are also things that can happen at the federal level to help these students. There's a bill that was recently passed by the House of Representatives, being considered by the Senate right now, to take $87 billion in money that's currently going to for-profit banks to make student loans, and to take that money and to give it to Pell Grants for low-income students. So, that's a good idea and that will help some.

PHILLIPS: All right. But how quickly can that happen? I guess that's the next question. And also, you know, Kevin, I think a lot of people are worried, could this happen to other schools? It's not just UCLA. Could we see a domino effect now?

CAREY: Well, there's clearly a long-term trend where college is getting more expensive. The cost of going to a public university has doubled, after inflation, over the last 20 years. And it's increasing faster now than ever before. So, while California's an extreme example, we are certainly seeing double-digit tuition increases in a number of other states.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep following it, Kevin Carey, appreciate your time.

CAREY: Absolutely.

PHILLIPS: Well, some turkey, some dressing, pie and then maybe a decision about Afghanistan. President Obama says that he won't announce a new war strategy until after the holiday. There's been talk he could send up to 40,000 more U.S. troops there. The president has told his team to come up with a plan to deal with terrorism, the Taliban, and how to eventually get the troops back out.

Now, a security expert said a report she helped write could have helped prevent the Fort Hood rampage. A report that came out last year. Her question now? The Army had the tool, why didn't they use it? Shannen Rossmiller says that if the higher ups had used the info available to them, 13 people might be alive today. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHANNEN ROSSMILLER, SECURITY EXPERT: The report was written from the military perspective. It was entitled "Radicalization of Members of the DOD." And what it was for, was for them to have tools to look within their ranks to spot different criteria that showed signs and red flags of radicalization, and how to spot those, identify them. And then, from there be able to head the problem off. Defense Department report was intended to prevent something like this. And it's -- it's just astonishing that this even had to happen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Rossmiller says the military might have caved to political correctness and that could explain why the report wasn't fully used.

Maine Senator Susan Collins says there were, quote, "Red flags galore" about that accused shooter.

Black Friday, dark secrets. It should be a TV movie, or a book title. But, nope, it's the retail reality that you got to be ready for when the stores open up a week from today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, after 25 years, the queen of daytime TV will be giving up her throne. With teary eyes and a cracking voice, Oprah Winfrey told her audience today the next season will be the last of her iconic talk show.

So, why walk away? Well, she's launching her own cable channel, "O", in January, 2011. But "O" also said, quote, "Here's the real reason. I love this show. The show's my life. And I love it enough to know when it's time to say good-bye."

One week from today, throngs of people will be hitting the mall, many even wake up at the crack of dawn, actually, just to get their hands on a coveted door-buster deal. But beware, there's a lot of fine print as well. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange.

So, Susan, what do shoppers need to know before they prepare for the big day?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: You need to know about the product and how many supplies there are, Kyra. There's an excellent article on CNNMoney.com, a very nice story, that basically is a black Friday reality check before you get up and brave the madness, all of those crowds.

There is a lot of fine print with some of the best deals. Words to watch for, "while supplies last." Because oftentimes the reason you get up is for this deal with limited quantities.

Let's just give you one example. Sears tells CNN it will offer a high-efficiency washer and dryer for $579. Nice Kenmore combo - great! But only while supplies last, and there's only four per store. Right? So, you know, the whole idea is these door busters, to get people to bust through the doors, because the shopper psychology is you want to leave with something. And so you'll buy something else that may not be such a deal. And in this environment, retailers are really keeping a lid on inventories. That allows them to firm up on pricing, on other things. You get the picture, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, what if the store runs out of the item?

LISOVICZ: Right. You mean whether you get a rain check?

PHILLIPS: Right.

LISOVICZ: Well, oftentimes, that's part of the fine print. No rain checks. Or, well, you'll have to wait. But then you may have to wait for weeks, or longer, and you may not want it at that point. Because, again, there's this cut back in inventories. Manufacturers may not be able to ramp up for a problem. Is it worth it? You really have to ask yourself.

We had a terrible tragedy last year in the New York area where Wal-Mart employee was killed because of the stampede for the -- for the door busters.

And the other thing, finally, is that some of the models advertised don't always have the bells and whistles that you associate with a brand new product. You have to check that out. It is worth your while, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Susan. Thanks.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Well, she's out of school and work. An economics major getting real-life lessons on what a bad economy means for a first-time job seeker. Alison Mainka made the Dean's List, but this 2009 grad said it's tougher than ever to make a payroll.

She did make our "30-Second Pitch", though. And I know we usually do these on Thursdays but we had a lot of developing news yesterday. And we couldn't squeeze Allison in, so she is back to day joining us live from Philly.

OK, so I guess, Alison, there are two ways to look at an economics major. On the one hand, it could be the perfect major to have right now. Because we really need your help on what to do about the economy, but at the same time, there's a lot of economists that are in trouble right now. What do you think about having this major? Are you still glad you stuck with it?

ALISON MAINKA, JOB SEEKING GRAD: Well, absolutely, Kyra. Being an econ major I definitely thought I would take the financial path and look for those financial jobs. But as the recession kept becoming pretty difficult, I had to refocus my job search into other areas of interest; including marketing and advertising. But, like you said, the financial jobs really just aren't there right now. So, it has been -- has been a very difficult search. And I have had to have a more open mindset in my search.

PHILLIPS: Well, are you open to other types of work? Or do you want to stick with this major?

MAINKA: Well, I was lucky at Bucknell that I was able to be exposed to a lot of different classes. And having it being a liberal arts school, that I was able to be able -- I was exposed not to just financial classes. I had a wide array of disciplines. So, I am happy that I stuck with econ, but I am -- I do think that I will shift, and hopefully land a job in marketing or advertising, or media.

PHILLIPS: Well, I think a lot of our big economists need your help right now, so hopefully they're watching and listening. Go ahead, are you ready for your "30-Second Pitch"?

MAINKA: I am.

PHILLIPS: Go ahead.

MAINKA: Good afternoon. My name is Alison Mainka and I am a 2009 graduate of Bucknell University with a degree in economics. I'm currently seeking an entry-level position in marketing, advertising, or media, in which I can utilize my strong leadership and communications skills.

A diverse range of past work experiences, combined with a liberal arts education, ensures my ability to succeed in a variety of roles. Despite the lingering recession, I remain optimistic that I will soon be able to demonstrate my penchant for hard work and resolve. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: All right, and even three seconds to spare.

MAINKA: Great.

PHILLIPS: That's an honor student right there. I'm not surprised you're on the Dean's List. All right, Alison, you let us know what happens, OK?

MAINKA: OK. Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You bet, my pleasure. And once again, Alison's e-mail is Alison.mainka@gmail.com. We are also going to have her e-mail posted on our blog. If you want to be part of the "Pitch," just e- mail us your resume at 30secondpitch@cnn.com or Tweet us at kyracnn.

They say their son and grandson still ask for water to put out the flames. His flashbacks stronger than the drugs, easing his pain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: They wear combat helmets instead of batters' helmets, fatigues instead of pinstripes, but 40 members of the 82nd Airborne Division, Afghanistan, has something in common with the Yankees, championship caps. One soldier wrote home that his unit needed something to celebrate the World Series win, and a New York Electric Company stepped up to the plate with a donation; 6,000 miles away, and still showing that Yankee pride.

All right, a little wet in the West; wet on the Gulf Coast; wet in New England, rain, rain, rain, all over the place, Chad.

(WEATER REPORT)

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And this time, everyday, I will bring you a new web site. And today my new web site of choice, for your travel plans, Lastminute.com.

Lastminute.com, now, Kyra, I want to get you involved in this. Two people, you and someone leaving from New York City, going to Tampa, how about that?

PHILLIPS: All right.

MYERS: For the next couple of days, for three nights in a hotel, and airfare included, leaving tomorrow. How much?

PHILLIPS: Oh, my gosh. Airfare and a place to stay, and everything?

MYERS: Yes, flights, hotel, taxes and service charges for two people.

PHILLIPS: That's got to be 1,000 bucks.

MYERS: Could be. But it's not on this website. Because if you come in here and you take a look. And we'll go back here. Open you up. $328 per person, including flight, three nights hotel and all the taxes and service charges. Now, that's for leaving tomorrow. You may not get that if you're trying to leave next week. But Last Minute, gives really good prices on last-minute deals.

PHILLIPS: Wow.

MYERS: So keep watching.

PHILLIPS: All right.

MYERS: Try me, everyday, here, right here. For the good deals on travel.

PHILLIPS: You do always have the bargains. You always talk about the websites.

MYERS: I'm a cheapskate.

PHILLIPS: You're not a cheapskate. You're a smart man. You know, in this bad economy you have to save everything you can.

MYERS: I just know I have a wife that spends all my money.

PHILLIPS: And you have a son, too. That's going to be very expensive as he gets older as well.

MYERS: I know.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Chad.

MYERS: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Well, this hour's top stories now.

A mixed verdict for Roland Burris, the Democrat serving out Barack Obama's Senate term, has a letter of admonition from the Ethics Committee. It says his comments surrounding his controversial appointment were inconsistent, misleading, or incomplete, but it didn't find evidence of a crime, and is not recommending punishment.

Lawmakers in South Carolina are still thinking impeachment. You remember, Governor Mark Sanford disappeared for five days in June and when he came back confessed to an affair with an Argentine mistress. The legislative panel could draw up an impeachment resolution by Christmas.

Live from Capitol Hill, it's Saturday night, well, not ye, but stay tuned for a showdown in the Senate over health care, merely to start the debate. Majority Leader Harry Reid needs 60 votes to move his reform bill past solid Republican opposition. Votes on passage are still weeks away.

We're learning a whole lot more about the heroic battle going on right now in a Miami hospital bed. Michael Brewer is the Florida teen battling like a superhero to overcome the burns on two-thirds of his body, the burns that nearly killed him. He was torched, allegedly by five teens, over 40 bucks. Three of them pleaded not guilty yesterday.

Brewer's fight is amazing and it's inspiring his parents and his grandmother. They talked to Shannon Hori of our Miami affiliate WFOR.

VALERIE BREWER, MOTHER OF BURN VICTIM: I don't tell him what happened. They'll be time enough for that. I just tell him that he's in the hospital and that he's safe. And that he's getting better. And he'll -- he'll say, am I going to be OK? I'm, like, Michael, you're going to be fine. You're going to be just fine.

SHANNON HORI, CORRESPONDENT, WFOR MIAMI TV (voice over): Fifteen-year-old Michael Brewer has a long, painful road ahead. In even in his drug-induced state, he continues to relive the nightmare over and over again.

REENIE BREWER, GRANDMOTHER OF BURN VICTIM: He screams for his dad and he screams help. And he says he's on fire.

HORI (On camera): And you have to tell him, you're not?

R. BREWER: Yes. Yes. Yes.

HORI (voice over): Michael has second- and third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body. Fortunately, he protected his face as he ran to a pool and jumped in, an act that likely saved his life.

V. BREWER: Most of the burns on his back and on his rear end. Michael's not going to remember the ICU Unit because of all the drugs that he was on, and that's comforting to me to know that he's not going to remember this incredible pain that he was going through. We're going to remember it.

HORI: Valerie and Mike Brewer have been at Michael's bedside since it happened. His father remembers seeing him for the first time after the accident, and Michael reached out to console him.

MIKE BREWER, FATHER OF BURN VICTIM: From the first day, he put his hand up, to shake mine, to hold my hand, the one that was burnt. And it was when he was all swollen, so his eyes were closed, of course, but he put his hand up. So, from that day on, I've been a lot stronger than I should be, but -- because that was, like, it's all right, Dad.

HORI (On camera): Tell us about his typical day. I heard that it takes four hours to change his bandages?

V. BREWER: In the beginning it did, yes. He's come so far, he's healing so well that they only have to change his bandages every other day now. They take him outside for 10 minutes. We go to a secluded area where there's not any people. Because people coming up to him make him a little nervous, and he starts crying. He doesn't understand why everybody knows who he is.

HORI: In 10 years, how will he look?

V. BREWER: Depends on his actual skin. How he is going to heal, whether it's going to be smooth, or whether it's going to be discolored in any way, or if it is going to be rough. And it depends on, from what I understand, the deepness of the burn.

HORI (voice over): He has deep, third-degree burns on his lower back, but his parents say the other areas seem to be doing well. The Brewers have had other good news recently. Michael's breathing tube was taken out last week, and he spoke.

V. BREWER: We had gone outside for the first time, and someone was walking up, and he says in his little whisper voice, can I have a dollar? I want a milk shake and fries. It was quite cute. It was -- you definitely, Daddy ran out and got a milk shake and fries for him.

HORI: He was able to eat four fries. He still has a feeding tube to help him regain weight and enjoys eating junk food right now, especially chocolate chip cookies. Though Michael is talking, he has not yet spoken to investigators about that day.

V. BREWER: He is nowhere near ready for that. He's -- he's got a long way to go before he'll be able to do that. And I leave that up to his doctors.

HORI: Police say five teenage friends doused Michael with rubbing alcohol and set him on fire. All because Michael told police one of the teens stole his father's bike. Police say they stole the bike because Michael didn't pay one of the boys 40 bucks for a video game.

(On camera): Have any of the parents of the other boys tried to contact you?

V. BREWER: No.

HORI (voice over): Three of the boys have been charged as adults.

V. BREWER: We can't focus on that right now. I don't even think about it.

M. BREWER: They'll get theirs. All we can say.

V. BREWER: I don't focus on it.

HORI: Right now, they are focusing on their son. And giving their loving child all the support they can.

V. BREWER: I don't know how many 15-year-olds get out of the car in the morning and kiss their mothers good-bye before they go to school, but that's my son.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: That was Shannon Hori for WFOR in Miami with that interview. Today Michael takes the first step toward his long recovery, skin graft surgery, where he and his skin from one part of his body is transplanted to the other.

Sex slavery, hard to believe it happens in this country, in this day and age. But it might be happening right under your nose.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's an ugly, unthinkable crime with nameless, faceless victims and it's happening behind closed doors across America, human slavery. Thousands of young women lured by the promise of a good education, or maybe a modeling job. But wait until you hear what they end up doing. One survivor shares her nightmare with reporter Pamela Brown, from Washington TV station WJLA.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAMELA BROWN, WJLA-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The last time this woman we're calling "Katya" arrived in Dulles International Airport, her life changed dramatically.

"KATYA," SEX TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR: I felt all the emotions came back. Everything as when I came here first time.

BROWN: Five years ago, Katya was approached by a family friend in her hometown of Kiev, Ukraine. He told her he would give her a student visa so she can study and live in the U.S. for six months. "KATYA": I'm thinking I will know English and have money to provide for the family.

BROWN: When 19-year-old Katya arrive at Dulles airport, the family friend greeted her and gave her a bus ticket to Detroit. Twelve hours later, three men picked her up, took her to a hotel room and stripped her of all her travel documents.

KATYA: I felt like they do going to take advantage of me, like, right now. They can do anything to me.

BROWN: She says her captors told her she had to work off $25,000 in travel expenses. She was forced to work 12 hours a day, six days a week.

KATYA: They were telling us, "You're going to work in a strip club, you're going to dance."

BROWN: When she wasn't working, she was physically, sexually and emotionally abused. She felt she couldn't escape.

KATYA: They knew where I lived. They knew where to find me. They knew where to find my family.

BROWN: According to the State Department, approximately 12 million people are considered modern-day slaves worldwide. And 14,000 are trafficked into the U.S. each year.

SANDY FIORINI, AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT ATTENDANT: Twenty thousand flight attendants could put a huge dent in the trafficking of children.

BROWN: American Airlines flight attendant Sandy Fiorini (ph) calls the Human Trafficking Hotline number to report potential victims. She said she meets young girls with Katya's story all the time on her international flights.

FIORINI: And I'll say, "Oh, where are you going?" They're so excited. They go, "Oh, we're coming to the U.S., we're going to be models and we're going to work on TV."

BROWN: James Spero oversees trafficking outreach with immigration and customs enforcement. He said the growing problem is happening in plain sight and knows no boundaries.

JAMES SPERO, SPECIAL AGENT, ICE: This is a global problem. It is happening in our backyards. It's happening in the U.S. It is.

BROWN: Spero says trafficking victims oftentimes don't make it out alive. But in Katya's case, a good samaritan she met at the strip club contacted Spero's agency.

"KATYA": He said, "Those people will help you out. Just do what I will tell you."

BROWN: Years later, she's thankful for a second chance at life. "KATYA": I'm the lucky one. But there's not too many of us. Usually, the stories don't finish this way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Thanks to Katya and Pamela Brown from WJLA for sharing that story. The people who held Katya captive have been arrested and are behind bars now, but one is scheduled to be released just two years from now.

And a follow-up and a reminder. High school drama is best left to high schoolers. Lesson learned for one Ohio mom who pleaded guilty after sexting nude pictures of her daughter's cheerleading rivals. Teachers, students and administrators at Indian Creek High School -- well, they all got The students got steamy pics of the homecoming queen, courtesy of 48-year-old Linda Tate. The girl originally took the pictures for her boyfriend, but somehow, they ended up in Tate's in-box. Now, the mom's been sentenced to four years probation for menacing by stalking.

Pap tests. Mammograms. Women, well, we've lived with them all our lives. How everything we thought we knew about them is being turned on their head. Time for some advice that we can all live with.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, women, you're getting all kinds of medical advice this week. All kinds of contradictory advice, actually. Do this, don't do this, wait until you're this age. Don't wait. First it was mammograms. Now you're being told you don't have to get as many cervical cancer screenings as you used to.

Elizabeth Cohen has been following all this for us. What is a woman to do?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's been quite a week, hasn't it?

PHILLIPS: It's like the week of the woman.

(CROSSTALK)

COHEN: ... I mean, nothing changed. You used to just show up at your gynecologist every year, you used to do the same thing. Now this one week everything seems to have changed.

Let's take a look at the changes that the American College of Ob -- Obstetricians -- that's a hard one to say -- and Gynecologists just came out with. They say that now, instead of getting your first Pap smear when you first become sexually active -- they're not looking at the sexual activity anymore. They are saying your first cervical cancer screening at age 21.

And then you only need it every two years instead of annually between ages 21 and 29, and then after age 30, every three years. This is pretty different than the way it used to be. No more going in for that annual Pap smear.

PHILLIPS: Well, we need, at least once a year, to go see our ob- gyn once a year, right?

COHEN: You do. And I think that's an important thing for women to know. Because when they hear about the mammograms and not as many women need those, and then the cervical cancer, you might think, gee, do I still need to go to my gynecologist?

And the answer is yes. There are certain physical exams and there's certain kinds of discussions that need to happen with the gynecologists every year, so still do show up. And I should add that there are some women that will need to have more Pap smears than others. These are sort of general guidelines.

PHILLIPS: Do you think it will create the same controversy that the whole mammogram story did this past week?

COHEN: I don't. And the reason why is that the mammogram recommendations came from a government task force that didn't even include an oncologist, and it was about cancer. And I think that's one of the reasons that people got upset.

This is coming from America's gynecologists, and the American Cancer Society agrees with it. A cervical cancer group agrees with it. Cervical cancer a very slow-growing cancer, so if you don't catch it right when it happens, it is not nearly as big of a deal as if you didn't catch a breast cancer. So, I think there's much more agreement on this one.

PHILLIPS: Are you writing this about your column this week?

COHEN: No, I stuck to breasts. I stuck to mammograms. So, I wrote my column this week on mammograms, because if you're still confused about mammograms -- and why wouldn't you be, it's been such a crazy week -- take a look at CNN.com/empoweredpatient. You can hear from women who are saying despite the new guidelines, I want my mammogram.

PHILLIPS: All right, look forward to it. Thanks, Elizabeth.

The cost of prescriptions is a pretty tough pill to swallow, but in bulk, it could mean some big savings. University of Chicago researchers say that patients who stock up a three-month supply saved 29 percent out of pocket compared to people who get monthly refills. They tracked nearly 27,000 prescriptions killed for about -- or filled for about 400 drugs. And the study says even after you factor in health insurance costs, bulk buyers still save about 18 percent.

Feeling stuffed up, congested? Don't grab the Vicks without checking the label. The medicine could have an dangerous extra ingredient. Bacteria has been found in Vicks Sinex nasal sprays. It's being voluntarily recalled in the U.S., Britain and Germany as a precaution after some tainted spray was found during routine testing at a German plant. No one's gotten sick, but people with chronic lung problems or weak immune systems could be at risk. President Obama's Afghan war plan, wait for it. Senior administration source tells CNN the president won't announce until after Thanksgiving. Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan wants up to 40,000 more boots on the ground.

A tour bus belonging to Miley Cyrus crashed in Virginia today, killing one person and injuring another. Cyrus was not on board at the time. That bus was carrying people from her production crew when it ran off the road and turned over. No word on the cause just yet.

She turns books into best sellers. Gives away cars like candy. Even endorses future presidents. Oprah Winfrey announcing today that her talk show will end after next season. That's season 25, can you believe it?

The sex offender who stole Christmas. Well, you won't see that in an animated or animation play special, but you will see the story here. And you'll say what we said: what the Dasher, Donner, and Blitzen is going on here?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: An exclusive "AC360" investigation reveals this -- how the Army's own rules and evidence gathering may have led to the murders of four Iraqis in 2007. Three decorated Army sergeants were convicted of premeditated murder. But now, questions about the rules they had to follow for taking in detainees. Special investigation's unit correspondent, Abbie Boudreau, has a preview of tonight's story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT: Many critics tell us the rules for gathering evidence put too much pressure on soldiers to be like police officers. I asked Brigadier General David Quantock, who oversees detainee operations in Iraq about the training soldiers received before going to war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. DAVID QUANTOCK, U.S. ARMY: We're asking them to take basic evidence, which they've been trained to do. Again, we've got the greatest soldiers in the world. I don't accept that they can't take basic evidence off of a crime scene.

BOUDREAU (on camera): General, though, if it's so easy to collect this basic type of evidence, then why were so many detainees let out because of lack of evidence?

QUANTOCK: You know, we're trying to make the fight fit the Army as opposed to the Army fit the fight. I think a lot of times we thought the insurgency would dissipate. We were working closely with the government of Iraq, we were trying to improve Iraqi security forces. At the end of the day, it didn't work out very well. We had to get better at taking evidence off of the crime scene.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BOUDREAU: During our investigation, we also obtained twenty- three-and-a-half hours of Army interrogation tapes. Tapes you'll only see on CNN. We'll have more on what's on those tapes and investigation into the detainee policy tonight on "AC 360."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: It's a story you don't want to miss. "Killings at the Canal: The Army Tapes." Tonight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern on "AC360."

Pushing forward to our next hour, twists, turn, sex, drugs, blood, murder. All surrounding this bright-faced American student in Italy. Her trial has been talking -- or has people talking, gossiping, speculating the world over. And now, we're in the home stretch.

Plus, you saw this story on CNN. One of the biggest wastes of your taxpayer dollars. A boatload of money dumped on a lonely border crossing. And have we got a follow-up for you.

Now, before we tell you this next story, I want to make it perfectly clear that we did reach out to Santa, but he's so busy right now, crunch time before Christmas and all, that he couldn't get back to us.

So, OK, so here it is. North Pole, Alaska. It's like this all year long, by the way. Kids the world over send their "Dear Santa" letters here, hoping that Santa will grant their wishes. So, how come North Pole, Alaska, isn't writing back right now?

Unfortunately, it all has to do with a registered sex offender in Maryland found working at the local Operation Santa program. Now, as you can imagine, that's the last place anyone wants someone like that working at the North Pole.

We have a problem. Postal service elves were not happy, either. And they want to make sure that everyone in their Santa letter program is nice. Not naughty. So, they heaped on a sleigh full of new rules which the North Pole post office couldn't keep up with, but the evils have now head "ho, ho, hold on there." We're not going anywhere. They're trying to get 101 Santa Claus Lane as their own address. If it happens, then the kids would have a specific spot to send their letters into the right hands.

Message to all you sex offenders: you better not pout and you'd better not try. Better not shout, because I think we told you why.

Well, it's Friday. Time for the story behind the news. The "Back Story." This time, things to do in China when you don't have to wear your reporter face.

(COMMECIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The president in Asia for more than a week. All those reporters who went along, and you guessed it, back stories galore. CNN International's Jim Clancy in with us today for Michael Holmes. And you know what it's like to be in China, censorship galore.

(LAUGHTER)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Censorship galore, you know. You type in on your Google and suddenly, nothing appears or the wrong things appear on your screen. You get used to it working there, but then, you know, you go on to Seoul.

Ed Henry was with them all week long. He had a chance to interview the president. It didn't go exactly as they planned. They had a lot to do and they had a set up for a presidential interview. Let's take a look at how it goes.

PHILLIPS: OK.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): We're driving over to the president's hotel. (INAUDIBLE) We don't know what order we're in, but we know we're not first, because CBS is first. But we'll either be second, third or fourth.

I've got lots of questions (INAUDIBLE) on these little blue cards. And this is when we sit and wait a little bit. It's not going to start for about an hour or so. You still got to go through security and be swept by the Secret Service.

We're on a bus in Beijing to interview the president. This is the president's hotel. 7:48 p.m. Tuesday night, East Coast time. But it's 8:48 a.m. Here in Beijing, we're 13 hours ahead. So, we're operating on very little sleep. I'm not sure how that will affect our performance. We'll find out how it goes.

The president's hotel here in St. Regis, pretty grand. And this is interesting, because it was supposed to start at 9:50 local time, but they just told us the president wants to start early. Might want to get things going. So, we have got to start 20 minutes early. Kind of a situation when the president says it's going to start. We're going to start when he's ready.

This is the setup. (INAUDIBLE). Got three cameras, one for the correspondent and one for the president, and then one that's sort of a two-shot (ph). (INAUDIBLE)

First interview started, and CBS is on the clock. And you can see us standing outside the room upstairs. We're downstairs. Got about 10 questions, I think.

Since the last time I interviewed you, you've won the Nobel Peace Prize and by the end of this week, you will have visited 20 countries as president. The most of any U.S. president in his first year. What have you accomplished?

All of the adrenaline is, as one of my colleagues just said, there's an adrenaline rush because it's finally over, after all the waiting, all the prep -- it went really well. It's incredible how intense it is because you've got ten minutes and Robert Gibbs was standing just out of camera range and was the enforcer. David Axelrod was also just right out of camera range, watching everything on the monitors as the interview took place. It certainly nerve-racking to have the senior staff there, watching, but you do what you got to do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: OK> Have you ever known Ed Henry to get nervous?

CLANCY: No, but it's the president of the United States, you got to get a little bit nervous. You have to. And like he said, he's working on no sleep at all and -- who is that smiling face with us now?

PHILLIPS: I believe that's Ed Henry. Now, Ed Henry, what was this about CBS going first? Katie Couric has nothing on you. What's up with that?

HENRY: Yes. It was Chip Reed (ph) in this case. But you know, it's good to go forth because the president was kind of warmed up by the time he got there. And I thought that sometimes -- we only had 10 minutes, each person.

But he was sort of in an expansive move, and I think I ended up getting an extra four minutes out of him because I was last. There was nobody else waiting behind me, and he kind of felt like he could let loose about all the issues of the day.

The other funny thing you didn't see on the camera was that the last time I interviewed him in Moscow, he spent all this time before the interview telling me that he thought -- we talked about it on the air, Kyra -- that he liked my suit, he liked my tie.

So, I wore the same suit to the interview. And when I sat down this time in Beijing, he said "Man, you look all decked out," I think he said. And I said, "Yeah, I wore this suit and tie last time. You liked it, so I was good luck. I'm going to wear it again. And he said, "Yes, but you've got a different shirt and tie this time." He said, "It's a checked shirt, a paisley tie. Cufflinks."

He noticed the whole thing. This guy doesn't miss a detail, even as the president dealing with all this. The final thing he said was -- because Robert Gibbs was off the camera range in jeans and a shirt because they were going to the Great Wall after the interview. When the interview ended, he said, "Now, go over there and give Gibbs some style tips. So, he was teasing his press secretary. Even as he was facing all these questions.

PHILLIPS: It was tough enough to get what you need from Bob Gibbs -- Robert Gibbs. You don't want to give him any fashion advice, Ed. Just tell him he looks good!

(LAUGHTER)

HENRY: I think he dresses just fine. I don't know what the president was talking about. CLANCY: Ed, did you have any sense - as a reporter on a story - "Backstory" all about, what's really going on. This president went to China really in a diminished position, trying to fight wars on two fronts, the economy in the tank where China's really coming on strong. Was he a little bit muted because of that? In not quite the position he would have liked to be in.

HENRY: Yes, I pressed him. You showed that one question where I asked what do you think you have accomplished? And he was basically saying, when you look at all these polls around the world, they show that America's in a better standing now then it was under the Bush administration.

And I said, yes, but, if you look at China, as you mentioned, China isn't signing on to the sanctions you want against Iran. The Mideast peace process appears to have really gone off the rails. You promised to change these things, transformational change. And when I used that phrase transformational change, he sort of chuckled, like, ok, I've only been in office for nine or 10 months.

I get that, but you're about to win the Nobel Peace Prize. You're about to collect it next month in Oslo. Do you feel some pressure to get these things done? H acknowledged that he does feel some pressure, but he insists that, look, there's a lot of hard work going on in diplomacy, you don't get the results right away, and basically he thinks over the next couple of years, he'll realize these accomplishments. But he's going to feel more accomplishments going into 2010 to not just have goodwill towards but actually bring things back Jim.

PHILLIPS: We know there's a lot of criticism, too, about the fact that he was there -- the issue of human rights and also that China in many ways is such a huge competitor with us. Was there ever a moment that you think you made him feel uncomfortable or a question he wasn't completely comfortable with?

HENRY: You know, to be honest, I thought the most interesting part of the interview was the very last question I asked about Sarah Palin having a book out. But rather than just ask about the book, I said do you think she's going to run in 2012 and are you going to run in 2012?

And it was sort of the most surprising answer for me, because he started ruminating. At first, he said, I can't even think about next week, let alone 2012. But when I pressed him, I said can you envision a scenario where you won't run? And then he spent about two minutes going through that answer and basically played out a scenario where if he's really low in the polls and people don't like the kind of change that he's pushing, he suggested that maybe he would step aside. That was sort of a surprising answer to me.

In the next breath, of course, he said, I think it's going to turn out well and he sounded like someone who would take his case to the American people with relish. But I think it just kind of showed that you never know what's going to happen. And I thought it went pretty well. PHILLIPS: Thanks, Ed. We thought it went pretty well as well. And thanks for the backstory. It was fun.

HENRY: Sure. Thanks, Kyra.

CLANCY: You know, Kyra? Ed Henry. Big shot White House reporter. He gets the interview, you and I were along, what what would we get? Well, Dan Lothian was in that predicament, at least on this trip, where he didn't get the interview.

PHILLIPS: But he got the Great Wall of China.

CLANCY: Well, that's right, along with the very, shall I say, inexpensive or cheap -- Old People's Liberation Army hat with a red star on it. Take a look at his "Backstory" from the Wall.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT; We came up on the chair lift, we toured around on the Wall and now we're going back down. Here's how we go down on the toboggin.

So, here's all the warning signs. I have absolutely no idea what any of this says, but I guess it says maybe 25 meters. I recognize the number, so have proper spacing and pull the brake. So, I'm going to say a prayer and then go.

OK, here we goes. This is -- it's kind of tight, but I think you guys are ready? Here we go, you're going to rock 'n roll. OK.

Yeah, I did. Here we go. That's the brake, here we go. It's not very -- yes, I got it down. Hang on, let me make sure my jacket doesn't get caught under here. Is anything hanging off the back, guys?

OK, here we go, guys. Whooo!

This is pretty good. If you're going to come down a mountain, this is the way to do it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: It's great stuff, Dan. Go, go! Go, Dan.

PHILLIPS: OK, that's a side of Dan Lothian we never get to see.

CLANCY: We never get to see. And that's what "Backstory" all about. We get to show you what's going on behind the scenes.

PHILLIPS. Thanks so much Jim. Come back, OK?

CLANCY: OK. Will do.

PHILLIPS: Michael Holmes has some competition now.