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Protests Against Anti-Islam Film Spread Throughout Middle East; Teachers in Chicago Remain on Strike; New Studies Caution Against Cancer Screenings

Aired September 15, 2012 - 14:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

The fury over an anti-Islam Internet film made in the U.S. is spreading to more countries. Today, protesters took to the streets in Australia. Hundreds of people demonstrated outside the U.S. consulate in Sydney. The protest turned violent when police pushed back protesters from the consulate building.

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WHITFIELD: Authorities used tear gas and police dogs to disperse the demonstrators, four people were hurt. And this was the scene in India. There were also protests in Tunisia and Afghanistan today. But Cairo, Egypt, a city rocked by violent protests earlier in the week today was quiet.

Here's a look at just how widespread the unrest has been. Pros in more than a dozen countries this week, including Libya. Libyan officials believe Islamic militants used it as a divergent to attack the consulate.

Jomana Karadsheh is live now in Tripoli on the investigation.

Jomana, what have you learned?

JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN PRODUCER: Well, Fredricka, it's starting to become clearer now the more officials are coming out and speaking about this. They're saying that the protests might not have even happened, might not have even taken place. That this was -- it seems to be a preplanned, premeditated attack by Islamist groups, extremist groups that are operating in the eastern part of the country where the city of Benghazi is. We heard yesterday from the country's general national that it's the ruling body here, it's head spoke in Benghazi, and here is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED AL-MEGARYEF, GENERAL NATIONAL CONGRESS PRESIDENT: I wasn't given enough details about this by witnesses, and this makes me 100 percent sure that it was preplanned and it was with carried out with the intention to inflict all this damage, all this.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KARADSHEH: And Fredricka, this attack did not come out of the blue. This is the latest in a series of attacks we have seen take place in that city of Benghazi targeting western interests there. That same U.S. consulate back in June, a bomb exploded outside the consulate gates. There were no casualties in that attack. But it does seem that these extremist groups are operational in the east and are intent on targeting western interests there.

WHITFIELD: And Jomana, the FBI or teams of FBI agents were expected to arrive in Libya today. What's the latest on that scheduled trip?

KARADSHEH: We're hearing from U.S. officials, Fredricka, is that that trip by the FBI team has been delayed. They have postponed it because of the security situation here in Libya and the region. They decided that it was not the right time to send anyone in. In their words, they do not want to put more people in harm's way. What they are doing, we understand, is that they are questioning people. They are getting witness testimony from people outside the country, including people who have been evacuated.

In the meantime, the Libyan authorities say their investigation is going really well. They say that they're making great progress so far.

WHITFIELD: Jomana, thanks so much for that update.

On to Afghanistan now. Two U.S. marines are dead after insurgents attacked a joint base in Helmand province. And 20 armed terrorists infiltrated the military complex carrying small arms, rocket-propelled grenades, and suicide vests. Officials say coalition troops killed all but one of the known insurgents. The survivor is in ISAP custody.

The man who made the controversial anti-Muslim movie has surfaced probably for the first time since protests over the film began. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula met with his probation officer near Los Angeles overnight. Nakoula was convicted of bank fraud back in 2010 and placed on supervised probation for five years. He is banned from using computers without approval from his probation officer, and federal officials say his probation is now under review.

Thousands of anti-Putin protesters are marching the streets of Moscow today. They're chanting "Russia without Putin," and carrying banners saying Putin is a parasite, some of them wearing t-shirts demanding the release of three members of a Russian female punk band. The Kremlin says the protestors are a minority and don't have much support across the country.

Coming up, teachers rallying in Chicago. We'll go live.

And later, the duchess of Cambridge topless. Another magazine promises to show more Katherine wearing less than the palace ever wanted you to see.

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WHITFIELD: With 52 days until the election, both President Obama and Mitt Romney are taking a break from campaigning this weekend. But the GOP nominee for vice president was in Florida. Wisconsin representative Paul Ryan stumped with his wife and his mother who lives in the state of Florida.

It was a law that launched protests in Wisconsin and triggered a recall of the governor. Now a county judge has overturned parts of the bill that restricted collective bargaining rights. The judge found the Wisconsin bill infringed on workers' freedom of speech and association.

Chicago's public school students have already missed a week of classes, but they may be back to school as early as Monday. This after a framework of a new deal was reached in the Chicago teachers strike. Joining me right now from Chicago is CNN's Kyung Lah. A lot more people turning out for that rally there. Give us some new details on this potential framework of a deal.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a framework that both sides say they absolutely have. What's happening as we seek is that the lawyers from both sides are getting together and trying to nail out all of the legalese, the actual points of it. All the logjams are gone. They have agreed on a basic framework of the agreement. If there are no other problems about the details kids foreseeably could be back in school as soon as Monday.

Let me tell you what's happening in the meantime. The strike isn't over. There are people, and it's hard to tell at this eye level, but the people go all the way down. This is a fairly sizable park, Union Park, if you know Chicago. It stretches all the way here, a sea of red. These are all union members as well as teachers, parents, their children, all from throughout the community, and the message is from these people to the city of Chicago, is that the strike is not over. They want to keep the heat on the city until they see a contract in front of them.

WHITFIELD: OK, and so is there a timeline? Are people really hopeful that Monday kids could be back in school?

LAH: Well, the key is going to be how soon all of the details, al that paperwork is done. If the lawyers can pound it out, they're going to get that deal to a delegation of teachers, union members, and then those 800 members are going to vote. We're hearing that it could be as soon as tomorrow. If they agree on the contract, then yes, school could be in session on Monday.

WHITFIELD: I know that would relieve an awful lot of parents, but we'll see how the weekend unfolds. Thanks so much, Kyung Lah in Chicago.

Health news straight ahead, many women prefer to test for breast and ovarian cancer just to play it safe, but new research showing that it may not always be the best thing to do.

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WHITFIELD: All right, we hope to offer some clarity now. So this pertains to recommendations out for women when it comes to breast cancer and ovarian cancer screenings. Two studies say that for some women the risk of the testing actually outweighed the benefits.

Dr. Sujatha Reddy joining me now to clear the air. It gets a little confusing when we hear about new tests, no tests, should we test, as it pertains to these things. Ovarian cancer first -- so there are no real tests or screenings for ovarian cancer, but then how would we ever be able to have any preventive medicine or do the right thing?

DR. SUJATHA REDDY, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Why we're talking about this is that the USPS came out said and they're reaffirming you should not do a ca-125 and/or an ultrasound with women with no symptoms and are not at high risk. For normal women, there is unfortunately no screening for ovarian cancer. And what the study showed us is that the tests we do have cause more harm than good. They're not specific. They pick up a lot of false positives, subjecting women to more tests and even surgery that THEN has risks and complications, and the testing does more harm than good.

WHITFIELD: So this is not to be confused with the pap smear, which detects cervical cancer.

REDDY: Right. For ovarian cancer, there is no screening. So what do women do? The best thing we can do is pay attention to your body. Should you have symptoms like abdominal pain, pressure, bloating, change in your bowel habits, change in your appetite, see your health care provider and you may be recommended to have tests. For asymptomatic people, there is no test.

The other thing you can do is get your regular checkup. Now, there is a lot of talk about not getting a pap smear every year, but seeing your doctor once a year for a pelvic exam is one of the best things to do. Going to your doctor and saying give me that blood test, do an ultrasound, isn't going to help you.

WHITFIELD: Now we're talking about breast cancer. It's been engrained in everyone's mind it's important to get a mammogram, especially after a certain age. But now a woman who might have a family history, there's a propensity to have some exposure, a likelihood of getting breast cancer. They may be getting those mammograms before the age of 30. And that's the group of women we're now talking to.

REDDY: Correct, talking specifically about women that carry the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 gene mutation. That mutation makes them less likely or have decreased ability to repair cell damage. Those women are at much higher risk of breast cancer. When we had these women with a family history, they get tested, they carry the gene, they were getting mammograms often before 30. What the new research found out in Britain is those women that get mammograms, that increases their risk of getting breast cancer because of the radiation. That causes cell damage. They already, we know, can't repair the cell damage.

So for these women in a small group, not a huge group, they should get MRIs and avoid mammograms, avoid chest x-rays and CT scans if they're younger because any radiation exposure is going to increase their risk of breast cancer.

WHITFIELD: So maybe for them, mammograms should begin after 35? They're doing MRIs until that point?

REDDY: We don't have that answer yet. I think what this is showing us is they should avoid radiation exposure and for screening for these women, MRIs are probably going to be the better test.

WHITFIELD: Fascinating stuff. You did clear the air. Thank you so much. Appreciate it, Dr. Sujatha Reddy.

And every Saturday at this time, we bring you new information about medical breakthroughs or ways to improve your health and quality of life.

So when will Chicago's kids be back in school? They have already missed five days, but a deal to end the teachers strike may be near. We'll have the latest.

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WHITFIELD: Another European publication has published those revealing nude photos of Britain's duchess of Cambridge. Prince William and his wife Catherine are on an overseas tour now, but earlier while on vacation in France a photographer snapped shots of her while she was sun bathing. "The Irish Daily Star" has now followed the French magazine in publishing the topless pictures just a day after the royal couple launched legal action against the French magazine. And an Italian publication tells CNN it will have a 26-page spread next week.

CNN's Max Foster is with the royal couple in the Solomon Islands.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Shortly after the pictures were published, the royal source told me the duchess was upset by claims that the pictures had been taken. And it had crossed the red line. That's a crucial thing here. Has this been an invasion of the royal couple's privacy? The palace argues they do have a right to privacy, like other people, and this was crossing the line.

Shortly after it, a formal statement from the palace, which was unusual in itself, but the wording was particularly strong. They talked about a grotesque invasion of privacy. They're taking the matter up with their lawyers, and they're going to be taking this to the French court. So they're taking this extremely seriously. And they're also making references here to Diana, saying this is reminiscent of the days when Diana was hounded by the media.

Since then, there has been quite a good relationship between the media and the royal palaces, the media has respected the privacy of the royal family, but there's a suggestion here that perhaps that relationship is breaking down. The editor of the magazine said that she was just doing her job. They did send a photographer, they admit taking the photos, and they say they have more explicit ones they decided not to publish yet.

Max Foster, CNN, the Solomon Islands.

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WHITFIELD: We'll be talking to Nadia Bilchik a little bit later in the next hour about al that's at stake now for the royal couple.

All right, the outrage over an internet movie offensive to Muslims is spreading to more countries.

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WHITFIELD: Chicago's public school students have already missed a week of classes, but they may be back to school as soon as Monday. This after a framework of a new deal was reached in the Chicago teachers strike. Teachers are holding a rally right now in Chicago.

And mourners said good-bye to Reverend Sun Yung Moon in South Korea. Moon was the founder of the Unification Church and claimed Jesus Christ had asked him to finish his work on earth. And 35,000 followers attended today's ceremonies. Reverend Moon died earlier this month from complications from pneumonia.

Protests over an online movie insulting Islam are spreading. Today there were demonstrations in Australia, Afghanistan, Tunisia, and India. But it was calm in Cairo, Egypt, the site of five days of violent protests.

And President Barack Obama is vowing to bring to justice the killers of U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three others in Libya. The four were honored at a memorial in Maryland.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tragic, it's so deeply saddening and also makes us aware, though, of the kind of world people like Chris and over the years are playing unsung, but the critical role that they play.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He would not want to be seen as a hero. He would want to be seen as a guy on his team who did his job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And did it well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And did it well, did it the best he could.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Glen lived his life to the fullest. He was my brother, but if you asked his friends, he was their brother as well.

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: If the last few days teach us anything, let it be this -- that this work and the men and women who risk their lives to do it, are at the heart of what makes America great and good.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Four Americans, four patriots, they loved this country. And they chose to serve it and served it well. They didn't simply embrace the American ideals. They lived it. They embodied it, the courage, the hope, and, yes, the idealism, that fundamental American belief that we can leave this world a little better than before. That's who they were. That's who we are.

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WHITFIELD: And we'll have more on the investigation into the attacks later on throughout the day. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. I'll see you in 30 minutes with the latest news.

Up next, Alina Cho with "FASHION WEEK BACKSTAGE PASS."