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PIN Data Stolen in Target Breach; Antarctica Ship Still Waiting for Rescuers; Final Report Out on Sandy Hook Massacre; 1.3 Million Lose Jobless Benefits Today; Ship Still Stuck in the Ice; Target: Hackers Did Steal PIN Data; 1.3 Million Losing Jobless Benefits Today; A&E Reinstates Reality Star Phil Robertson; Top Ten Money Stories Of 2013; Top Ten Crimes And Trials Of 2013; Syracuse Rallies Past Minnesota In Texas Bowl

Aired December 28, 2013 - 11:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right.

We start with a frightening new development in the Target credit card breach. Target now says hackers did steal the PINs that you punch in when you use your debit card, but the retail giant says they are heavily encrypted and impossible to decode. Alexandra Field is live for us now in New York. So is that the case? Does that, I guess, allay any fears?

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fredricka that is the message from the retailer Target wants the shoppers to feel that that information is safe and secure. Target says that when the PIN numbers left the store, they were encrypted and they should still be encrypted now.

But some security experts who we're speaking to say that there are programs out there that were there aim to break these codes, so there's really no reason that consumers shouldn't be proactive about taking a few steps to protect themselves now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD (voice over): Just a day after saying there was no evidence that personal identification numbers or PINs were accessed in a massive security breach, a turnaround from Target. The retail giant saying debit card PIN numbers were stolen, along with names and card numbers, as part of the recent hacking. Still, Target insists the PIN code information is safe and secure, in a statement saying, quote, "The PIN information was fully encrypted at the keypad, remained encrypted within our system, and remained encrypted when it was removed from our systems."

The company insists it would be unlikely that hackers would be able to unscramble the data, but some experts remain concerned.

DAVID KENNEDY, CEO, TRUSTEDSEC: The encryption itself is actually an industry great standard called data encryption standard and it usually being called triple dash. Which definitely allows it to be protected but unfortunately, the problems with PIN numbers is they are only four characters which means there's rally only about 10,000 different combinations that you can do in order to get it.

So altogether, it's not going to -- it's not going to hold up, because hackers can do what's called brute forcing it to essentially grab those PIN numbers itself.

FIELD: The security breach affecting estimated 40 million customers who shopped at Target between Black Friday and December 15th. If you're concerned about your account, experts say be vigilant.

SHAWN HENRY, PRESIDENT OF CROWDSTRIKE SERVICE: They should be talking to their bank. They should be looking for unusual transactions, any type of anomalous behavior that they may recognize as fraudulent and contact the authorities, contact their bank officials immediately.

KENNEDY: I know it's a pain, but change your PIN number, call your bank and get a new card. That's the easiest way to do it. They say that you have fraud monitoring and monitoring detection that they're putting in place in there, but really just as a peace of mind, just change it so you don't have to deal with it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FIELD: So Target says that a decryption key is needed to unscramble the data that were breached, the key itself was stolen from Target that isn't something they have, it's handled by an independent payment processor. Security experts say we will now see how robust or strong the decryption key really is so that's the question moving forward here Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Alexandra Field, thanks so much. I appreciate that.

Coming up in about 20 minutes or so an expert in hacking joins me to explain how vulnerable your personal data really is and what else you can do about it.

All right we have new video this morning from the ship stuck in the frozen waters of Antarctica. Chris Turney, the expedition leader, gave an update on the crew's condition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS TURNEY, EXPEDITION LEADER: It's the 28th of December, 2013 and as you can see, the weather's closed in. We've got some snow falling, but it's not too windy. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is for these conditions to continue for the next few days.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. He seems pretty optimistic about it all. It has been four days since that ship got stuck, and although a rescue vessel is within sight, it's not able to actually get close enough to the ship.

Our Isa Soares is following the story from London. So Isa how far away is this Chinese ship that is expected to be an icebreaker and expected to come with help?

ISA SOARES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Fredricka, it's so close yet so far. Its six nautical miles away, but I can tell you now it's going to go any further. It just cannot push further through the ice, which is so thick. I was being told -- I was told this morning that it can cut through up to 1.3 -- one meter deep of ice. At the moment, we're hearing that this is like, two meters deep of ice, so that might even be hard for the Australian ship, which is making its way right now, and expected to arrive on Sunday.

So even that vessel may not be able to cut through and really help the stranded vessel. In the meantime, if that does not happen, the Chinese vessel, which is come back, reversed its position through the channel it created, is in the vicinity, Fredricka and can really help out -- helicopter -- helicopter-equipped and can really take people out of the ship if needs be.

But that will be decided once the Australian vessel arrives. And so they're going to give it a try. They're going to see if they can really tackle the ice, although it can only go up to 1.35 meters deep and if the ice is indeed too deep as deep as two meters, as some reports say, then that might be problematic.

WHITFIELD: Wow, that's a lot in play. So -- so Isa you said the helicopter ability, that that Chinese vessel has, if it comes to that, at what point would they make that determination? Because you know, if the Australian ship has the same kind of journey as the Chinese ship, then everyone is going to be stuck, all of these icebreakers.

So at what point will they say, ok, it's time to get the choppers moving and try to pluck many of those 70 people off their research ship?

SOARES: Well, the Australian vessel is much, much stronger. It's much more powerful, I was told. I was speaking to the Maritime Safety Authority of Australia this morning and they said that, you know, they're optimistic. They say it can achieve it. But they won't know until it gets there, because obviously, as you understand, it's dependent on the wind, on the wind factor and the layer upon layer of ice that the -- that comes with the wind.

WHITFIELD: Wow.

SOARES: So that comes with the winds, so that will be assessed when the ship -- when the vessel arrives, the Australian vessel arrives, but they do have a backup. Should -- you know should shove -- should need come to shove, then they'll have the Chinese vessel there to really help out, to really try and see and assist in the operation.

In the meantime, Fredricka, as you heard there, they were all very optimistic. They seem pretty in good spirits, they have enough food to last -- fresh food, in fact, to last them two weeks. After that, they will have some dried food. Not as nice, but in the meantime, the spirits are quite high.

WHITFIELD: It's something. SOARES: It's something exactly.

WHITFIELD: All aright Isa, thank you so much. Hey the researchers wanted an adventure, well they got it didn't they.

SOARES: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Yes. All right thanks so much. Keep us posted.

All right. The U.S. State Department says it's still trying to piece together details in Libya after four Americans there were detained and then released late last night. The four military personnel were attached to a security detail for the U.S. embassy in Tripoli. The White House says the President was briefed but offered no further comments from there.

And this morning we have new details on last year's horrific shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary and the troubled young man who killed 27 people and himself. According to a heavily redacted report from the Connecticut State Police, 20-year-old Adam Lanza hated his mother and resented her volunteer work at the Newtown School. One unidentified witness says Lanza believed his mother loved the students more than him. Twenty first graders were among his victims. His mother was found shot to death in their home.

All right. It didn't seem like he was even gone, but now "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson is back after A&E Network ends his suspension. There was a public outcry after Robertson made homophobic and racist comments in a magazine interview, "GQ" magazine. Some said he should be fired while others said he should be allowed to speak his mind. A&E now says the show will resume, quote, "With the entire Robertson family."

And if you haven't had a flu shot yet, well, you might cringe when you hear this. This season promises to be a dangerous one. Federal health officials say over the past week, widespread activity has leaped from four states to now ten. The most common strain is the H1N1 version, which is blamed in the deaths of at least four children over the last few months. H1N1 was known as swine flu during the 2009 pandemic that swept across the globe, and then killed nearly 300 people in the U.S.

All right. A lot of Americans don't know how they'll put food on the table, or even pay their bills after today. Federal emergency unemployment benefits run out today for 1.3 million people. Congress left town earlier this month for recess without including an extension in the budget deal.

CNN national correspondent Sunlen Serfaty is with us now from Washington with the latest on this. So Sunlen what are people to do?

SUNLEN SERFATY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred. Well this certainly is a hard hit in the middle of the holiday season and it's really that the benefits that so many people out of work rely on; they now will just stop coming.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY (voice over): This is what the last six months have been like for Paul Hallasy.

PAUL HALLASY, UNEMPLOYED: I've answered over 500 want ads just on one Web site alone.

SERFATY: At 52, he's been out of work in educational publishing and now another blow -- he's one of 1.3 million Americans losing unemployment benefits. On average, they've been getting $300 each week. Hallasy's check wasn't nearly enough to cover the $1,100 rent on his New York apartment and now, it will stop coming.

HALLASY: I won't be able to buy food. I won't be able to pay my bills.

SERFATY: Extended unemployment benefits beyond the usual 26 weeks were started during the Bush administration to help Americans hit by the recession. Since 2008, they've been renewed 11 times. But not this time; Congress failed to pass an extension in the budget deal, teeing up a nasty fight for the New Year.

RYAN LIZZA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: It's going to be a classic messy Washington politics over an issue where the two parties just don't have a united view. And this is one of those issues that the right flank wants to fight on.

SERFATY: Some Republicans say it's time to end the program altogether. They argue it's too expensive. A year's extension costs $25 billion. People have gotten dependent. And they say the economy is strong enough now without them.

CHRIS EDWARDS, CATO INSTITUTE: When you extend benefits though, you know, 73 weeks, or 99 weeks, it encourages some people to stay unemployed too long and that makes it increasingly hard for them to get back into the workforce.

SERFATY: Democrats say benefit checks get spent right away, spending that's necessary to boost the economic recovery.

CHRISTINE OWENS, NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT LAW PROJECT: This is what these people need in order just to get by and it's what the economy needs in order to keep its momentum. Removing this bare minimum safety net beyond just being cruel is not going to be productive in terms of getting them back in the labor force or getting them a job.

SERFATY: But the political blame game doesn't help Paul Hallasy's new reality.

HALLASY: It's extremely stressful. I mean, I've gotten physically sick. I haven't been able to sleep.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SERFATY: And from his vacation in Hawaii, President Obama has started rallying senators. He's calling them personally to support this three-month extension of the benefits. Now, in January, Congress will take up this issue again, but a resolution, Fred, if there is one, could be weeks away.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sunlen, not soon enough though for the millions of people who are in desperate need of some assistance. Thanks so much.

All right. When we come back, we're going to talk more about that ship stranded in ice in Antarctica; 74 people on board. They don't seem very worried, do they? Well, after a break, we're going to actually talk to one of the people on board and find out really how are they holding up?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Cold comfort on board a research vessel that's been stuck in the ice off Antarctica since Christmas Eve. It's because the Chinese icebreaker that came to un-stick them can't get to them. Here's CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just made it to Antarctica.

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): The team of 74 researchers and crew set out last month aboard the Academic Shokalskiy, their expedition getting off to a great start.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's half past midnight and we're just going past some fantastic looking bergs.

KAYE: Lead by Professor Chris Turney from the University of New South Wales in Australia, they were looking forward to spending Christmas studying climate change in Antarctica and retracing the steps of the great Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson, who lived and studied life on the barren continent between 1911 and 1914.

Professor Turney's team dug their way in Mawson's cabin from a century ago.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm taking this tool (inaudible). He's remained living (inaudible).

KAYE: But on Christmas Eve, just about 100 miles from where they started out, their adventure came to a halt, quite literally, their ship stuck in a heap of ice, some of it as high as 13 feet. They haven't budged in days.

It's a predicament that has even raised the curiosity of the locals here. The professor even tweeted about the penguins who have come to check out what is going on.

CHRIS TURNEY, EXPEDITION LEADER: The team spirit has been fantastic. It really has. We carefully chose the people we had together. We thought we would get on well. We weren't expecting such a severe test of the community spirit, but everyone has kept really good morale. KAYE: And if the ice wasn't enough of a test, there was a blizzard, too.

TURNEY: It's Boxing Day 2013, and as you can see, we're actually in a blizzard at the moment with a low-pressure system sitting over our expedition vessel, the Shokalskiy. The vessel hasn't moved for the last two days and we're surrounded by sea ice. We just can't get through.

KAYE: The winds were gusting up to 45 miles per hour.

TURNEY: The ship is tilting because of the pressure of ice and we had to readjust the ballast. So, even today, we still can experience just quite frightening conditions at times.

KAYE: But help is on the way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's that on the horizon, Chris?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the icebreaker coming to rescue us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brilliant.

KAYE: Turney's team spotted the rescue ship from China known as the Snow Dragon, in the distance. But their excitement was short-lived. It got close, but not close enough. Heavy winds and thick ice are making it impossible for even the rescue ship to move, just six nautical miles away from the trapped vessel.

Two other icebreakers are also on their way, one French and one Australian, but it may be another day at least before anyone reaches the Professor Turney and the others.

TURNEY: How long it takes to actually extricate us, I don't know. It's a bit like lancing a wound. You have got to relieve the pressure around the vessel before we can get out.

KAYE: Get out and get on their way again to retracing the footsteps of history.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Also, next, an adventure of a different sort. Target now says that debit card PIN numbers were not compromised in that massive breach, but now they're backtracking. It turns out PIN data was stolen so what does it mean for you? An expert in hacking tells us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. If you did some Christmas shopping at Target this year, you might want to get on the phone with your bank today and change your debit card PIN number. Target is backtracking after telling shoppers that their PIN numbers were not stolen during the massive security breach. 40 million credit and debit card accounts were compromised between Black Friday and December 15th.

Senator Chuck Schumer is calling for a federal investigation that reveals full details on what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: If there's one silver ling in this mess, it's perhaps that we could use this troubling news as a lesson for the future. We could get to the bottom of how Target's in-store payment security was compromised in order to make sure that Target in the future, and all other stores, adequately protect consumers from this kind of devastating theft.

WHITFIELD: A Target spokeswoman says the PINs are strongly encrypted and that the numbers stayed encrypted even after they were stolen. But will that encryption be enough to protect compromised account numbers?

David Chronister joins me now via Skype from St. Louis. So, David is the founder of Parameter Security. So, David, do you buy that, that these PINs are so encrypted that people are protected even if these hackers apparently lifted this information?

DAVID CHRONISTER, PARAMETER SECURITY: Well, there's a key piece of the information that they haven't released yet, and that is the type of encryption that they use is what we call a one-way encryption. However, if they did not ensure that that is a unique algorithm by adding what we call a salt to it, it would be very easy for a hacker to actually go through and re-create those PIN numbers, and we're not hearing whether or not that's happened yet. So, I would say when we find out, you know, I wouldn't wait to find out before you change your PIN Numbers.

WHITFIELD: So is there a feeling that if these hackers were smart enough, you know, to lift these 40 million customers' information by way of credit cards or, you know, cash cards, that they may have already anticipated that they would be able to try to encrypt or decrypt these PIN numbers?

CHRONISTER: Well, you know, one of the things to keep in mind is this is only affecting the debit cards. They have the credit cards. And, you know, what Congressman Schumer was saying is true, this helps us understand what's going on more. But one thing to keep in mind is this is just a small sampling of what's really going on. Target actually was table to detect it. However, 98 percent of all of attacks are not detected.

So the hackers just say, you know, if I'm not able to get this information, I'm going to be able to get it somewhere else. It's a one-sided war right now, and the hackers, they're like kids in candy stores. They know if they can't use this, they'll find it somewhere else.

WHITFIELD: So you think Target is really a drop in the bucket, that most retailers are vulnerable to this same kind of method? CHRONISTER: I would say that all retailers are. You know, it really is a scary scenario out there, and once I got into this field, you start to go down that (inaudible) rabbit hole.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: So what's the difference -- what's the difference between certain retailers that will be infiltrated and others that have protections in place so that when I use my card, I'm safe?

CHRONISTER: Well, just because you don't detect the attack doesn't mean you haven't been attacked.

You know, it's -- what we tell all of our clients is, it's not a matter of if you'll be attacked, it's a matter of when. And it's just -- it's just the way that we deal with -- I know with Target, some people are starting to say, well, these PIN numbers had to have been decrypted, because our PIN was actually compromised. However, there's a very good chance they could have been hit somewhere else.

WHITFIELD: So then, David, really quickly, what do I do with this information as a consumer? What do I do when I go shopping, if I can't count on the retailer to, you know, make sure that I'm protected? What can I do as a consumer when I use my card, or are you telling me don't use my card?

CHRONISTER: Well, there's a couple of things. Yes, there's a couple of things can you do. Always use signature. Don't ever put your PIN number in. Try to use credit cards and not debit cards. That way, the money's not taken out of your account. If you can use prepaid cards, those are even better, or just use good old cash.

Unfortunately, until the credit card industry upgrades us from the account magnetic strip credit cards to a smart card technology, this is going to be an everyday scenario that we're going to have to live through.

WHITFIELD: All right, David Chronister, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

CHRONISTER: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: And we're going to talk again in the 3:00 hour to find out what other steps you might be able to take to protect yourself.

All right. Coming up next, the "Dynasty" will continue. Phil Robertson is back on the hit show "Duck Dynasty", but was the controversy over his comments just a ploy to snag even bigger ratings?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Bottom of the hour now. Welcome back, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here are the stop stories crossing the CNN news desk right now.

Four Americans held by the Libyan government for several hours have been released. The four military personnel were attached to a security detail with the U.S. embassy in Tripoli. It's not known why the four were initially taken into custody.

And bad news for 1.3 million Americans out of work for more than 26 weeks -- they're losing their jobless benefits starting today. This is the emergency federal program that picks up when state benefits run out. Supporters say the move will motivate some people into accepting job offers. Critics say there aren't enough jobs and argue cutting benefits will only hurt the economy.

And score one for the embattled National Security Agency. The NSA finally getting a little win for its surveillance program, collecting Americans' telephone and internet records, a federal judge says the NSA's collection of your communications is legal, and a critical weapon in the fight against terrorism.

And "Duck Dynasty" fans might be happy, happy, happy, but not everyone is. Phil Robertson was suspended from the hit reality show for controversial comments he made about homosexuality and race, but now cable channel A&E has decided to lift the suspension. GLAAD reacted to the decision saying, this, quote, "If dialogue with Phil isn't part of next steps, then A&E has chosen profits over African- American and gay people, especially its employees and viewers," end quote.

So joining us now, CNN's senior media correspondent and host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES," Brian Stelter. All right, good to see you, Brian.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: You too.

WHITFIELD: So this is a big win, obviously, for "Duck Dynasty." Is it also for A&E, which, likely, has a few thousand, if not million more viewers now?

STELTER: I do think this will end up fuelling the ratings for "Duck Dynasty." The show was already the most popular one on A&E, one of the most popular cable television programs of all time. But, you know, the numbers weren't as strong, say, a month ago as they were, say, six months ago.

WHITFIELD: Yes?

STELTER: One TV commentator even suggested maybe we had passed peak "Duck." And if anything -- sorry for that, I couldn't resist.

WHITFIELD: Yes, yes.

STELTER: I wonder if this is going to help the show in some way in January when the next season premiers. Definitely this whole controversy has increased the name recognition of the show, and it serves as a giant reminder that more episodes are on the way. Of course, there could be some backlash to the show. Some viewers turned off by it now. I have a feeling there are more people who are curious about it than there are bothered by it, or discouraged to watch.

WHITFIELD: Well, indeed, it ruffled a lot of feathers. I couldn't resist either.

STELTER: There it is.

WHITFIELD: But at the same time, you know, this has become fodder for politics in the political world.

STELTER: It is.

WHITFIELD: You have the Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal, saying that he's glad folks at A&E, and I'm quoting him now, "A&E came to their senses and reinstated Phil Robertson. Of course, you had other prominent conservatives who had comments about it, along the way including former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, and most recently, you have Texas Senator Ted Cruz saying, you know, back on.

STELTER: Yes, the show's become politicized. I don't think that's going to go anymore. I think that's the new normal for this show, which may or may not be a good thing over the long term. We'll find out when we see the ratings in January. I think we have to separate what Phil Robertson said to "GQ" from the show itself, because a lot of people can watching "Duck Dynasty," which is a lay hard a family comedy and not agree with what he said to "GQ."

I think what we'll come to find out next year when the ratings come in is whether viewers hold the show accountable for the way Phil Robertson says, or not. Because sometimes, in cases, let's say, Paula Deen, for example, the food network yanked Paula Deen's shows off the air after she was embroiled in controversy earlier this year.

And in other cases, though, you know, there can be reality stars acting badly or speaking incendiary ways off camera, but it doesn't affect the show. So we'll see which way this ends up going.

WHITFIELD: So A&E claims it will run public service announcements to promote unity and tolerance. Will this kind of smooth things over in your view?

STELTER: It's a concession of sorts to some of the gay rights groups and civil rights groups that were understandably very bothered and very offended by some of what Phil Robertson said. You read part of the statement from GLAAD. Their point is, here's Phil Robertson comparing gay people to terrorists at least using those terms in the same sentence. And yet, A&E seems to be bringing him right back into the business where they were ten days ago.

I think we'll continue to hear from those groups. They will continue to push for signs that Phil Robertson and the whole "Duck Dynasty" family is showing tolerance and supporting unity. I don't know if we'll actually see the family in those public service ads, though. A&E hasn't commented on whether Phil Robertson will film one of those, for example, but having the PSAs is definitely a way to signal to these groups that A&E understanding their concerns. It's a weird, delicate dance that television networks have to do.

WHITFIELD: It is indeed. Brian Stelter, thanks so much. Of course, you're likely talking about this and a host of other things on "RELIABLE SOURCES" tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., yes?

STELTER: That's right. See you then.

WHITFIELD: OK, we'll be tuned in. Thank you so much, Brian.

STELTER: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right, it has been a big year for business news as well. The bad news at Blackberry, Bitcoin boom, and Wall Street records, but what was the biggest -- the biggest business story of 2013? The answer straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A harsh new reality for 1.3 million Americans today. We're talking about people who have not had a job for more than 26 weeks. Well today, they're losing their jobless benefits. Tom Foreman joins us with a look at who will get hit the hardest.

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Who will be most affected by this program, the long-term unemployed, this is people who have already used up all their regular unemployment benefits for 26 weeks, and now are getting these additional emergency benefits that Congress has approved and reapproved several times over the past few years. That's those additional benefits that are being cut off.

How much is it? About $300 per week to each of the recipients, and there are about 1.3 million people who will be immediately affected by this cut off. They're spread around the country, but some areas are being hit more than others. In the northeast, you might look at New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, down here, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, California out here, those are the places hit the hardest, because they have the most people who have been unemployed for the longest period of time.

And all of this brings up a lot of uncertainties. For those who support the idea of cutting these emergency benefits, they believe it will not only save the government $25 billion, $26 billion in the coming year, but, also, unemployed people may accept previously rejected jobs. Their theory is that this pushes people out there to look a little bit harder for work.

Those who are against this cut saying nonsense, long-term unemployed people are less likely to find work, that's why they're having such a hard time. You're just punishing them. You won't encourage them anymore at all and the biggest uncertainty? What is the impact of all of this on the economy? We don't really know right now if you take all of the spending out, but we'll have to see.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Tom.

Billions of dollars spent on web sites and smartphone apps this year and Silicon Valley companies grow bigger than ever. Lots of big money stories in 2013, from Bitcoins to Amazon's drone delivery. Richard Quest and Christine Romans count down the top ten moments in money and business for 2013. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD QUEST, HOST, CNNI'S "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" (voice-over): Number ten, Jeff Bezos. The Amazon chief executive is taking on print media. He paid $250 million for "The Washington Post." He's investing in cutting edge technology, too, pitching a plan to deliver your Amazon purchases, yes, by drone.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Number nine, Marissa Mayer. One cool year on the job, so now we can see what kind of leader she is at Yahoo! Her goal, to make Yahoo! cool again, her strategy a shopping spree, $1.1 billion for the blogging web site Tumblr and she picked up former evening news anchor, Katie Couric and long time "New York Times" tech writer, David Poeh.

QUEST: Number eight, Blackberry not dead yet, according to the company at least. They've taken drastic measures to keep itself alive. It put itself up for sale, laid off around 40 percent of the workforce before cancelling plans to sell itself. Even that may not save the company.

ROMANS: Number seven, tech winners. A year and a half after Facebook's face plant IPO, the stock higher than where it started and Twitter launched on the New York Stock Exchange making some of its co- founders, very, very, very wealthy. Neither Facebook or Twitter can match Google when it comes to share price, they topped $1,000 per share.

QUEST: Number six, in Bitcoin we trust. Bitcoin, which is electronic cash, shows the world it's real. Some are calling it the safe haven investment for the 21st Century despite massive volatility. The little virtual currency that could surged. It was up $14 at the beginning of the year. It closes around $1,200 at the end of November.

Number five, U.S. Airways and American Airlines, the merger that's taken off, creating the world's largest airline. The carrier has given up some take-off and landing slots at Washington Reagan and New York LaGuardia. The Justice Department says that will bring in w cost carriers and help travellers. With ticket prices on the rise, consumers may still lose out.

ROMANS: Number four, the government shut down. Part of the government shutdown after Congressional Republicans tried to defund Obamacare. That shutdown lasted 16 days. Government offices, national parks closed, 800,000 workers sent home. Final cost around $24 billion.

Number three, healthcare.gov., what the president initially called glitches quickly turned into a political catastrophe. The government called in outside experts for a tech surge to fix the sites. Signups have picked up but it's too soon to predict whether the site will ever be a success.

QUEST: Number two, JPMorgan, America's biggest bank will pay $13 billion to settle charges it misled investors about the quality of the mortgages it sold leading up to the financial crisis. It's the biggest settlement to date. Justice Department says it won't be the last.

ROMANS: Number one, stock market record. The Federal Reserve pumping so much money into the economy, stocks launch to new highs, home prices moving higher, but Main Street isn't feeling so good. Fast food workers across the country on strike protesting what they call poverty wages. They're calling for a $15 minimum wage. That's a debate that won't end with a new year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, remember the really huge business embarrassment for UPS saying that it was unable to deliver all of the gifts and packages in time for Christmas? Well, now, UPS says three days after Christmas now, all of the packages have now been delivered. Part of the big problem was, UPS says, it didn't anticipate that huge volume of packages and demand.

All right, so they were the crimes and the trials that stunned us. An Olympic star charged with murder, the infamous Jodi Areas and George Zimmerman's emotionally charged trial. But which story will be number one? Our top ten next.

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WHITFIELD: All right, several moments captured our attention this year and shook up our justice system. Crimes also shocked us and trials caused a lot of outrage. Ashleigh Banfield looks back at the top ten crime and justice stories of 2013.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Number ten.

CHRIS CUOMO, ANCHOR, CNN'S "NEW DAY": We have a report that shots have been fired at the Washington Navy Yard.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. Navy is telling us three shots were fired. They tell us an active shooter is still inside that building.

BANFIELD: Former Navy Reservist Aaron Alexis, a military contractor, gunned down 12 people before police shot and killed him. Number nine, the mysterious death of 17-year-old Kendrick Johnson.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Got some questions about the Kendrick Johnson case.

SHERIFF CHRIS PRINE, LOWNDES COUNTY, GEORGIA: I'm not going to discuss that with you.

BLACKWELL: Why not, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because our case is closed. BANFIELD: His body found upside down in a rolled up wrestling mat in the high school gym last January. Local authorities ruled it an accident. Kendrick's parents believe he was murdered. Now federal authorities are investigating.

JACQUELYN JOHNSON, KENDRICK'S MOTHER: We are Kendrick Johnson. That's my child and we're going to fight until it's all over.

BANFIELD: Number eight, Oscar Pistorius, the blade runner, a double amputee, beloved South African Olympic athlete, indicted on charges of murder in August for the shooting of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He admits he shot her on Valentine's Day, but says it was an accident. His trial starts in March.

Number seven. California teen, Hannah Anderson rescued after a week- long hunt for her abductor in August. Family friend James Dimaggio killed her mother and her brother and the family dog. Their bodies found in his burned home. FBI agents killed him in a shootout.

Number six, a woman who needs no introduction --

JODI ARIAS: Could have at least done your makeup, Jodi, gosh.

BANFIELD: Her outrageous behavior in the interrogation room, the brutal murder of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, and ex-rated details of their sex life gripped the nation. Jodi Arias convicted of first degree murder, but the jury could not decide if she should live or die for the crime.

Number five, a gang of bikers taking on an SUV driver on a highway in Manhattan, his wife and 2-year-old daughter inside. It started with a bump. And moments later, this terrible scene. The driver runs over one biker. His wife says he was left paralyzed. Eleven other bikers, including an undercover cop, are indicted.

Number four. Edward Snowden, branded by some as a hero, by others a traitor, for exposing the NSA's spying programs in May, perhaps the biggest intelligence leak in U.S. history, charged with espionage, granted asylum in Russia.

Number three. George Zimmerman, found not guilty in July of murdering Trayvon Martin.

UNIDENTIFIED 911: Do you think he's yelling help?

UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes.

BANFIELD: A tragic case that ignited questions about race.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin put race in this.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't think that creepy ass cracker is a racial comment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

BANFIELD: A 17-year-old in a hoodie with a pack of Skittles, enduring images from a case that's prompted cries for civil rights charges and an emotional debate, even the president weighed in.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.

BANFIELD: Since Zimmerman's acquittal, he's had a few other run-ins with the law. Number two, inside a Cleveland house of horrors. Three girls kidnapped, raped, and held captive for more than a decade. But on May 6th, Amanda Berry, Gina De Jesus, and Michelle Knight finally broke free.

MICHELLE KNIGHT: I will not let the situation define who I am. I will live on. You will die a little every day.

BANFIELD: Ariel Castro sentenced to life in prison plus more than 1,000 years.

ARIEL CASTRO: I am not a violent predator, a monster. I'm not a monster.

BANFIELD: Ultimately, he would do himself in, killing himself in his cell. That was ten through two. This is number one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Apparently, there's been an explosion at the Boston marathon. I am told.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "SITUATION ROOM": A 26-mile, 385-yard marathon and it was wrapping up. Wrapping up when you look at these devastating pictures right at the finish line. These are pictures that were shot just moments ago.

BANFIELD: Double-bombings at the finish line of the Boston marathon on April 15th. Three people were killed, 264 others were wounded. And days later, a police officer would be killed. Another wounded. Within four days, one suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, shot and killed by police. Then the manhunt for his brother, Dzhokhar, that shut down the city.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, CNN'S "AC 360": We believe that the suspect is cornered in a boat.

BANFIELD: Tsarnaev arrested April 19th and later charged. Now, the U.S. attorney is deciding if he'll face the death penalty. The attack knocked the city down, but it was far from defeated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of feel like we're all Boston.

BANFIELD: The whole country united with one re-sounding message.

(on camera): Strong. Not just strong, Boston strong.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: CNN's top ten of 2013. We're counting them all down with Don Lemon tomorrow night 6:30 Eastern Time.

A lot of big crime and justice stories this year. Our legal guys Richard Herman and Avery Friedman will be here to discuss the most intriguing in their view and they'll tackle yesterday's ruling on the NSA checked of phone records. All right, it's fight night in MMA, but the biggest bout might not be in the main event. Why everyone is talking about it being ladies' night inside the octagon.

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WHITFIELD: All right, let's talk sports now. A comeback win in a Bowl game is the latest chapter in how Syracuse' quarterback has overcome adversity. Jared Greenberg joining us now with more on this "Bleacher Report." It's sad but also uplifting.

JARED GREENBERG, "BLEACHER REPORT": It's been a very tough battle, but Terrell Hunt has made this now at least into a great feel-good story. Terrell Hunt has never stopped fighting. While in high school, both of his parents died one month apart. Hunt's mother wanted him to go to Syracuse. Yesterday, he completed his first season as Syracuse's starting quarterback. Check out the poise.

With a 12-yard touchdown to put the orange up 5-4, but Minnesota had one last chance to win it. The Gophers needed a touchdown. It looked like they would get a perfect pass, but the ball goes right through the receiver's arms. Syracuse hangs on to win it and Terrell Hunt is named Most Valuable Player of the Texas Bowl as Syracuse wins.

It's another spectacular dunk from Lebron James. The nonchalant toss over his head and look who's waiting at the other end. Lebron James can power an entire city with this wind mill. That was the good. The bad news, not only did the Heat go on to lose the game, but Lebron James strained his groin and he is questionable for tonight's big matchup as Miami takes on the best team in basketball as of tonight.

And trending on bleacherreport.com, it is ladies night inside the octagon. Mixed Martial Arts tonight in Vegas, the champ Ronda Rousey takes on Nisha Tate in the women's bantamweight division. Roussy is undefeated with seven wins and all seven have come in the very first round over Tate who is looking for some revenge. How good Ronda Rousey has been, regardless of sex or weight class, the UFC ranks her as the tenth best fighter overall, men and women.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And so this is Vegas.

GREENBERG: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Full house for this kind of bout?

GREENBERG: At the MGM Grand.

WHITFIELD: Whoa, that's nice, very impressive. All right, best to both to them. I'm not picking any sides. Don't want to get into a brawl with anybody.

GREENBERG: Neither do I. WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Jared. Appreciate that.