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Tornadoes Possibly Threatening Alabama; Congress Deadlocked Over Payroll Tax Cut Extension; Baby Girl Missing in Maine; : Search Intensifies For Missing Toddler; Missing Kansas Woman Found; Former Players Sue NFL Over Concussions; Royals Visit Homeless Youth; Update on Egyptian Seen Severely Beaten

Aired December 22, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: And hello, everyone. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Let's get you caught up on everything making news this hour, including some breaking news in the world of weather. Chad Myers is standing by with some tornado warnings. Chad, I understand both of them are in Alabama. What do you know?

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Not that far from Centerville, Alabama, we have a storm that is rotating. We don't have any confirmation it was on the ground yet, but it has very good rotation and has had rotation for at least 15 minutes. And another storm not that far from Fair Hope, Alabama, just south of Mobile in the Mobile Bay area. We will see this and we'll continue to watch this. Anything gets on the ground, I'll be right out there to let you know.

BALDWIN: OK, perfect. Hopefully we won't be seeing too much of you but I know you'll be watching that for us.

Also this - 10 days left before your taxes go up. The fight on Capitol Hill intensifying this afternoon. First Republicans and Democrats spoke out, blasting each other over this payroll tax cut. Then the president responded not too long ago describing how every American, working American, would be impacted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's about $40 out of every paycheck. It may be that there are some folks in the House who refuse to vote for this compromise because they don't think that $40 is a lot of money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Coming up, we'll take you live to the White House and to Capitol Hill and check in to see where these negotiations, if anyone is negotiating, where that stands right now.

Next to Baghdad. A series of bombs rock the capital raising fears about Iraq's stability. Nine car bombs and six roadside bombs exploded during rush hour. The latest number we have is 63. At least 63 people have died, another 200 wounded. This news comes just four days after U.S. troops pulled out of Iraq. And two sources in Pakistan, they're disputing this Pentagon report about a November airstrike that killed 24 Pakistani troops. The Defense Department says U.S. forces acted in self-defense but adds poor coordination between two militaries resulted in the deadly incident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE LITTLE, PENTAGON SPOKESMAN: The loss of life and for lack of proper coordination between the forces that contributed to the losses, we expect our deepest regret. We further express sincere condolences to the Pakistani people, to the Pakistani government, and most importantly, to the families that the Pakistani soldiers who were killed or wounded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Pakistan's military says the strike was deliberate. The attack is eroding already fragile relations between the two countries.

And a woman in California has been charged with sending money to Pakistan to help terrorists carry out attacks on American troops. Federal officials say the 39-year-old woman sent more than $2,000 in wired transfers. She was arrested back in August at the Los Angeles International Airport where she was preparing to board a one-way flight to Turkey.

And a killer whale blamed in the death of its trainer just about two years ago now may be sick. SeaWorld in Orlando said trainers noticed a change in its Tilikum's behavior. The male orca is now in a special tank for medical treatment.

And here's something no one with a baby wants to hear. Wal-Mart is recalling formula after a 10-day old died in Missouri. Wal-Mart said it pulled a batch of this Enfamil that may have sickened this little baby boy. The child died from a rare bacterial infection. The infant formula maker is running tests to see if that death came from its product or perhaps other factors there.

And 6,000 nurses in California walking off the job today. Here's a group there. This is a one-day strike to protest working conditions in higher health care costs. The hospitals say they have hired replacement nurses to cover these shifts today. But nurses say this is really all about patient safety. Nurses say they're responsible for far too many patients and that that then puts patient lives at risk. Coming up, we'll speak with one of the nurses who has walked out today.

And it's a boy for this man, former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner and his wife. You remember this story. Congressman Weiner resigned in June after admitting to posting lewd photos of himself on Twitter.

And we're just getting started. A lot more to cover for you in the next two hours. Watch this. One hour. That's how long Eric Cantor said it would take to reach a deal if the president would walk up to Republicans and negotiate. Now the president and Senate Republicans are responding to that. I'm Brooke Baldwin. The news is now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: We're now hearing the disturbing details of what killed a Florida A&M band member.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From the front to the back of the bus with people just beating the hell out of you.

BALDWIN: The question now, who delivered the deadly punches?

Just days after the last American combat troops leave Iraq, bloodshed, bombers targeting schools, markets. And one Iraqi leader tells CNN, the U.S. was warned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, no one listened.

BALDWIN: Plus --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't believe what happened.

BALDWIN: Not long after this CNN interview, a mother finds out her missing daughter is alive. But wait. Where exactly was this college student for nearly a week?

And Newt Gingrich spending time on the trail talking about the cash he's gotten for speaking events. So CNN does some digging and finds out which politicians and celebrities rake in the most money from speeches.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: We are now down to the wire. In 10 days, your taxes go up. This whole fight between Republicans, Democrats, the president playing out right before our eyes in Washington. Take a look as we continue to watch this White House countdown clock, clearly calling out the House, saying if the House doesn't act, middle class taxes increase in x amount of time. so if this tax cut is not extended, the average American will see a lot less cash in their paychecks.

And President Obama now is making this very personal. He spoke in the last hour. And chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin is joining me now. Jessica, you saw it. He was flanked by Americans as he was speaking about the response the White House has received asking people what $40 means to them per paycheck. That's the average amount working Americans would lose if this is not extended. He said he has gotten 30,000 responses. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: And they should remind every single member of Congress what is at stake in this debate. Let me give you a few samples. Joseph from New Jersey talked about how he would have to sacrifice the occasional pizza night with his daughters. He said, and I'm quoting, "My 16-year-old twins will be out of the House soon. I'll miss this."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So Jessica, clearly the president now trying to put a face on this story.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Look, Brooke, this issue gives the president and the White House an opportunity to do just what the president wants, which is to be the champion of working families heading into the election year. Essentially, he is saying a reluctant Congress is standing in the way of letting a family get their $40 in each paycheck.

And you heard the president say, basically, quote, "Enough is enough. The people standing with me today can't afford any more games." The White House likes both the policy and the politics of this. Basically the Republicans of the House are playing right into the campaign, the president's campaign's message.

BALDWIN: We're going to Capitol Hill in a minute and get sort of more of the minutiae of what's happening there. But first Jessica, I just have to ask you, we heard from Congressman Eric Cantor, number two Republican in the House. He said this whole thing would be done, a deal could be reached if the president would just head to Capitol Hill, negotiate with them. What do we know if anything about communication between Congress and the president today?

YELLIN: For the second time in two days the president spoke with House Speaker John Boehner today. The president, we're told, sources tell us, told Speaker Boehner that there is no time to renegotiate. There has already been a negotiation. And the only thing left to do right now is pass an extension and then another, the one-year deal can be worked out in the new year.

Speaker Boehner said, we're told, look, there is time to get that one-year deal done. Let's stay and do that. So we're at stasis. We're at where we were, you know, yesterday, although since then, the Senate minority leader who had been the president's arch enemy all year has sided with the president and called on House Speaker Boehner essentially to cave and agree to a shorter term deal.

The key here though is Minority Leader McConnell asked the speaker to agree to an extension. And in the president's remarks, he asked the speaker to agree to a shorter term deal. What we're not hearing is two-months deal. So maybe they're giving the speaker a little wiggle to negotiation something a little different to give himself cover with his conference.

BALDWIN: Maybe a little wiggle room with this stasis of which you speak. Jessica Yellin, thank you, there at the White House.

Let's just head to Capitol Hill to Congressional correspondent Kate Bolduan. And Jessica was alluding to this. The Republican leader, the minority leader Mitch McConnell now urging House Speaker John Boehner to pass, this is where the wiggle room comes in, a short term extension. What can we extrapolate from that?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're told that was intentional, that they left it intentionally vague in this carefully crafted statement from the statement from the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a couple reasons. For one, more of a technical reason, we're told to allow some flexibility if they did go to conference, what they would be, what short term would be, not to bind both sides as it was put to me for more of the legislative nerds so everyone could be OK with what they're talking about.

But also, as one top aide said, it's a way to offer a compromise, some wiggle room, for House Speaker John Boehner, for everyone involved. And one idea that has been tossed around, not necessarily like this is the deal, but one idea that has been tossed, has been bouncing around here is maybe not a two-month extension, maybe a three-month extension to get them through the first quarter. But nothing is set in stone quite yet.

If we could return one second to just note how important this statement from Mitch McConnell is. In this statement, he basically is proposing a compromise. He said while Senate Democrats need to come to the table and make their appointees to hash out the differences, most importantly, notably, he calls on House Republicans to give in on this short material extension.

I'll read you his statement. In part "it says the House should pass an extension that locks in the thousands of Keystone XL pipeline jobs, prevents any disruption in the payroll tax holiday or other expiring provisions, and allows Congress to work on a solution for the longer extension." As is said, this is a very carefully crafted statement as they often are when they come out in these big moments.

Senator Reid, Brooke, he also came out very quickly afterwards highlighting where he and Mitch McConnell agree. He said all along he wants a short term extension. He would of course prefer it be the Senate passed version that the House would accept, but he basically said that they agree and he wants to push forward on the compromise while we work out our differences. He would like the House to move first.

I am told by a Senate source that Senator Reid and Senator McConnell have spoken this afternoon. No details yet on those conversations. But always important when the leaders are really, when the leaders are actually starting to talk, because you and I have talked a lot this week that no one was talking. So also very notable, Brooke.

I guess we should fit in really quickly --

BALDWIN: Speaker Boehner.

BOLDUAN: Exactly. A spokesman for Speaker Boehner, he did issue a statement following the proposal coming out by Mitch McConnell. I'll read you what he says in part. He basically says that we believe as Senator McConnell suggested, the two chambers should work to reconcile the two bills, or basically their differences, so that we can provide a full year of pay roll tax relief and do it before year's end.

You don't see a lot of budge there from the spokesman for Speaker Boehner, I'll say, Brooke. Of course, we try not to read too far into these statements but here you don't see a lot of budging. What I read right there is he is restating, the spokesman restating where Speaker Boehner has been all along. They don't want a short term extension. They want a one-year deal by year's end. You don't see a lot of budge there.

BALDWIN: We'll have to wait and see. We wait and see. Kate Bolduan, thank you so much.

BOLDUAN: Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: And staying on the same vein, talking about this payroll tax cut extension, did you hear about the camera this week on the House floor? So just as House Republicans ended the debate yesterday on extending the payroll tax cut, I want you to watch this clip. Notice what you don't see. You only hear the voice of Congressman Steny Hoyer scolding the House speaker for not passing the measure. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The House stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Friday.

STENY HOYER, (D) MINORITY WHIP: Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent that we bring up the Bill to extend the tax cut for 160 million Americans. As you walk off the floor, Mr. Speaker, you're walking out, you're walking away, just as so many Republicans have walked away from middle class taxpayers, the unemployed, and very frankly, as well, from those who will be seeking medical assistance from their doctors, 48 million senior citizens. We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you have walked off the platform without addressing the issue of critical importance to this country, and that is the continuation of the middle class tax cut, the continuation of unemployment benefits for those at risk of losing them, and continuation of the access of doctors for all those 48 million seniors who rely on them daily for their health. And I am pleased to yield to my friend, Mr. Van Hollen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: The cameras at a point were shut off. That is when C- Span, which broadcasts the signal, sent this tweet, quote, "C-Span has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras. The speaker of the House does."

So again we wanted to look into this. Here's what we've learned. It is standard operating procedure for the cameras to stop after the speaker pounds his gavel, which is precisely what happened before Congressman Hoyer began speaking. The speaker's office confirmed this saying the House recording studio works the cameras. So you heard about it, there you have it. Dozens of people dead in a market and a school today. We're talking about Iraq. Find out where the attacks are coming from after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: I want to now show you some images that are coming out of Baghdad today. This is from a wave of bombings. Look at this smoke here. Nine car bombs, six roadside bombs, all synchronized to go off during rush hour. Killed in this, at least 63 people, another 200 wounded.

And remember the timing. This is just four days after those last American troops pulled out of Iraq.

So why this? Why now? CNN's reporter is live there in Baghdad. CNN's Arwa Damon is live for us there in Baghdad. And Arwa, I know many Iraqis are blaming this violence on this warrant that was issued for the arrest of Iraq's vice president. Why? What is he accused of and how does that play into the bombings today?

ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's being accused of carrying out acts of terrorism. And he is the Sunni vice president. It's important to point that out. It is also being viewed as if it is a Shia dominated government that is trying to take out its Sunni opponents. So many people feel as if this is a very much, an action that is very much along sectarian lines.

To add to all this, though, the vice president is actually now seeking sanctuary in the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan. The Kurds are protecting him. The prime minister, the Shia prime minister, worth noting as well, is asking that he be returned to Baghdad so that he could face justice. The Kurds are refusing to hand him over.

Many people had been warning that there could be violence following the U.S. troop withdrawal. And another reality people have to deal with, and that is political instability tends to lend itself to acts of terror in Baghdad. And that is what many residents will tell you is taking place right now.

Now, today's attacks did seem to be bearing all the hallmarks of attacks carried out by Al Qaeda that the U.S. had been warning was sure to take place following the withdrawal regardless because Al Qaeda wants to remind people that it is still active in Iraq.

BALDWIN: Arwa, you know Iraq better than so many people at CNN. You have covered the story there for years and years. Based upon what you've been seeing there, what is your sense of what's going on there with the country's stability?

DAMON: You know, Brooke, many of us who have been covering the war here ever since the onset of it, many members of the Iraqi government, of the vice president's Iraqiya bloc had been warning that the government would fall apart, although I have to say that few of us expected it would fall apart this fast. What is transpiring in Iraq is pretty much Iraqis' worst nightmare. Following the U.S. troop withdrawal, the spike in violence, this questioning of the ability of the Iraqi security forces to protect them coupled with seeing their government crumbling like a House of cards. The political situation is so incredibly serious right now. These various blocs have to somehow find some sort of a political resolution to what's taking place. The government is falling apart. Not even the government itself is bothering to call itself a government of national unity. And yet somehow it has to come together again, otherwise the risk, more violence.

BALDWIN: It's troubling all the way around. Arwa Damon for us in Baghdad, thank you.

Now more breaking news. Tornado warnings right now in Alabama. Chad Myers is gathering the details. He will join me live with this quick story after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Now to the weather we've been tracking. We're going to show you Denver. This is just after sundown last night. Snow, ice, reduced visibility for the folks on the roads. Now, this scene is playing out in a lot of communities in New England, also the Rocky Mountains. This is just in time, of course, for the big holiday rush.

Chad Myers, obviously, snow expected this time of year as I had to be reminded this morning. It's winter. Today is the first day of winter. Let's talk about the tornado warnings in Alabama, because that is odd.

MYERS: It is very odd. We've had spring tornadoes forever. Everybody knows about the spring tornado season, tornado alley. But there is also a secondary tornado season, especially across the deep south where we are now, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia. That happens in the fall.

Did you go outside today? It's muggy out there. It feels like you're in central Florida in the middle of spring time. That's the spring time weather that will be pushed away by the cold air. When cold air slides under warm air, it's like a hot-air balloon going up. The air goes up and storms go up as well. They are from Birmingham all the way to Mobile.

Ashby right there, that would be the biggest part of the circulation that I can find right now. We'll get a little bit tighter. Here's Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa, you did have a warning earlier. There were sirens going off but that storm stopped rotating so they did reduce it to just a severe thunderstorm warning for you. Birmingham is here, the little pink boxes. Those are the tornado warnings. Birmingham, you're not in it yet. You're getting heavy rain, even possibly some flooding, but not the tornadoes. We're watching for circulations on the back side. Even Selma could be in on it.

We're talking to the Weather Service. They're saying eventually, maybe the next hour or so, this will begin to slide into Georgia and Georgia will also get a tornado watch, maybe some tornado warnings. A watch means tornadoes are possible. Warnings mean they're happening. So a couple warnings south of Birmingham right now. Those are the only two.

Later on tonight, you just talked about this travel. If we get these storms close to Atlanta, that's what's forecast, that's what's expected. These storms will be landing everywhere. You're not going to be able to get planes in Atlanta. And 150, 200 planes in the air. You just can't circle for hours and hours. They don't have that type of fuel on board.

That's Birmingham, a live shot from Birmingham. That's what they're seeing. So muggy, raining very hard. We lost our shot for a while from Birmingham. We'll be called rain fade. It was raining so hard in the satellite dish that the satellite couldn't send a signal. It couldn't send a signal to space and back down. Finally got the shot back now, but there's not much of a shot there. It is windy, raining and probably flooding there in Birmingham.

Atlanta in the next couple hours, if you have flights through the busiest airport in the world, it will be slow. You may want to take a little pillow. You may be sleeping on chairs if you can't get a hotel. People will be stranded in Atlanta because of this.

BALDWIN: Chad Myers, thank you. If we get more pictures, we'll pass them along. If you are in one of those areas in Alabama, let me know what you see. Send me a tweet @BrookeBCNN.

Moving on, though, it's the holidays, and there is, unfortunately, not a lot of joy for the family of this 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds in Maine. This little one has been missing since Friday. And her grandfather got pretty emotional speaking with HLN's Nancy Grace just last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD REYNOLDS, GRANDFATHER OF MISSING CHILD: I appreciate everything that everything is doing out there. This, it has torn me up. It has torn me up. Everything that the police and everybody is telling us to do, but it's killing me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Obviously tough for the family. Police in Maine just held a news conference. Chris Knowles is live for us. Chris, I understand there have been some 150 or so leads. Anything standing out?

CHRIS KNOWLES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, they are now telling us that those leads are totaling near 200. That was coming out of the press conference that just wrapped up a few minutes ago. They're also telling us as part of the search that they do have some dogs on the scene near the airport here. Those dogs are cadaver dogs. But let me say, they are suggesting that that is just protocol. There is no specific information that that would lead them to use those dogs in this case. It is just a simple, they say, police say, as a matter of procedure, that moving along this case.

We did take part in one of those searches today. We were with the Maine warden service. We were with two game wardens and some trained volunteers that were moving along a highway looking in the brush just off of a roadway. We were looking in dumpsters. Unfortunately, we were looking for any clues that may lead to new information on the whereabouts of Ayla. They are going to expand the search at the house where she was last seen sometime between last Friday night and Saturday morning.

The command center has now moved there and there is an evidence unit on the scene. Investigators have also asked a representative from the attorney general's office to head over to that scene.

He was at the house today as well. Now, whether that leads to a change in the nature of this investigation, which police stress to us is still a missing child case. That remains to be seen -- Brooke.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: OK, certainly feel for the family. They find this little girl alive. Chris Knowles, thank you so much for the latest there in the search in Maine.

Also today, a big story. Several former professional football players are suing the league. They're suing the NFL. Find out why they think the league is responsible for their long term brain injuries. That story coming up.

Also this -->

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If Isha slapped him, I apologize on her behalf of Isha. And we pray, and we pray for him, too. May the creator bring peace in his heart as he releases her.

(END VIDEO CLIP

BALDWIN: That was the mother of the once missing University of Kansas student. She has some reason to celebrate today. We'll tell you what's going on there, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: That 19-year-old Kansas student who has been missing for about a week now, she has been found safe and sound. But still, there are a lot of questions surrounding her sudden disappearance.

Police in Kansas say Aisha Khan was not abducted. She was not held against her will. The family members hadn't heard from her since she left that frightening message last Friday from her university campus to her sister saying she was assaulted by, in her words, a creepy man.

Police had treated her case as an abduction, searching nearby woods, on horseback, even asking people to search their own yards for her. A family friend made this statement just last night. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AAMER TRAMBU, FAMILY SPOKESMAN: The fact is, she's alive. She is well. We believe our prayer has been answered from all the people all over the world who have been calling us and just having their prayers for her.

We're glad that she's safe and she's well. At this moment, we do not have any more information on this and we're really thankful so far. Thank you so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Police now say there is no criminal investigation into Aisha's disappearance. They say this is a personal family matter now.

And football, look, we know it can be a brutal game. Injuries are common, but now four former NFL players are suing the league saying they were lied to about their risk of long term brain injury. They say they were oftentimes put back into game after suffering a head injury.

The NFL, they're not buying it, this statement coming in today from the league. Let me read it in part, quote, "The NFL has long made player safety a priority and continues to do so. Any allegation that the NFL intentionally sought to mislead players has no merit."

It goes. "It stands in contrast to the league's actions to better protect players and advance the science and medical understanding of the management of treatment and concussions."

So let's go to Coy Wire, former pro player, recently retired up to last season. He played in the NFL for nine years, both with Buffalo and Atlanta.

He is good enough to join me this holiday week from Phoenix, Coy Wire. OK, so we have these five guys. I don't know if you know them. You've talked to any of them. Excuse me, four guys. What do you make of them suing the league?

COY WIRE, FORMER NFL PLAYER: Well, this is a big issue. I'm familiar with the guys. I don't know them personally. This is a huge issue and the type of issue that can be the impetus for great change where change is needed.

For a long time it has been thought the NFL has downplayed the severity of concussions and traumatic brain injury and has kind of swept it under the rug. And this type of lawsuit can really be the impetus for bringing the issue to the forefront.

So that we can really be made aware of the long term implications that concussions can have on the brains of not just professional athletes, but athletes in multiple sports, any contact sport . Even our youth who are suffering because of a lack of awareness and education about this very serious issue. BALDWIN: You know, I want to ask you about your own personal experience in a minute. But, you know, you mentioned how it can be an impetus for change, which could be a good thing.

But if you talk to doctors and lawyers, they call this, and I'm quoting, "an assumption of the risk" so basically, you know, pro football, look, big hits are part of the game.

Some question, is it really fair to sue a league that paid you as a player millions of dollars. It's a sport you volunteered to play for knowing the risks.

WIRE: You know, the NFL players are fully aware that it is a violent game and it can be detrimental to their health, but I'm not so sure they're fully aware of the long term implications of the game specifically head trauma.

This isn't really about professional athletes who are getting paid for it. This is going to cause change for all the way down to the collegiate ranks where just within the past year we had four collegiate athletes sue the NCAA for the exact same issue, for a lack of education and treatment to their symptoms and their concussions.

This is dealing with our youth, our kids, the future of our country who are playing contact sports. We had within the past 18 months a high school student athlete who went back on the playing field too early without enough recovery time.

Suffered from second impact syndrome and died. So this is a serious issue that is affecting many different times of athletes, all different walks of life. And we only hear about the people who are the super stars in the NFL, the guys who make the big money.

There are thousands and thousands of people out there. Kids even who are suffering because of a lack of education and awareness about concussions and could be concussive episodes and the long term effects.

BALDWIN: You know though that these four players putting a face on this issue right now. One of these players spoke here on CNN not too long ago. Let's hear what he's talking about in material of head trauma.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RYAN E. STEWART, SUING THE NFL: Dealing with now having a hard time sleeping at night, waking up multiple times a night, using the bathroom throughout the course of the night.

I can be relaxing and reading a nice book, and I'll pop up with a headache or get a headache while driving. Just a few different things like that tingling in my arms and tingling in my hands is something that has become part of my daily life.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BALDWIN: Coy, I mean, you played ball for nine years. How often did you get your bell rung and could you relate at all to Rhino over how he's feeling, physically?

WIRE: Absolutely. And I'm glad, Brooke, that you said got my bell rung. That's a major problem. We have barbaric and old school thinking when it comes to head trauma.

If a kid in a high school football game or a girl in a female soccer match hits heads with somebody and she has a head injury, and the coach says, you just got your bell rung. Get back out there and play.

No. Just because you didn't get knocked unconscious doesn't mean you didn't suffer a concussive episode. So this happens all the time and it is swept under the rug. You're actually tormented if you claim to have somewhat of a head injury. In the NFL, you're looked at as being a coward --

BALDWIN: Were you tossed back in a game?

WIRE: Absolutely. And you know, they will never say that, but the pressure is there, he pressure to perform, the pressure to earn your keep, really. I mean, if you don't go out there and play, you're going to be looked at, looked down upon especially if you're not a star player on the team.

It's different if you're the star quarterback or the star receiver. But again, we're just talking about the NFL and I'm glad these guys are bringing this issue up because again, this is the type of suit that's going to make us look at this phenomenon that has been going on for years, for all athletes of all ages.

Help make a better work environment. It's the same thing, you know, look at the people who worked in the dust mills and changes that had to be made in different industries.

BALDWIN: Yes, I know. I understand. Forgive me for interrupting. This could have, yes, a trickledown effect for many athletes, different ages. We'll see where this goes. Thank you so much for us at Arizona.

WIRE: Thank you. Thanks, Brooke.

BALDWIN: We're all watching this payroll tax fight, this impasse stasis. Name the word. It's happening in Washington right now. Simply because it is going to mean, one original average about $1,000 fewer dollars in our paychecks next year.

But there's another funding issue as well. It pertains to Medicare. Wolf Blitzer is standing by right now. He's going to have those details after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Let's to go Wolf Blitzer now with our America's Choice 2012 politics update. Wolf, as we've been talking about this payroll tax impasse, we talked about it affects working Americans, but it also affects Americans out of work.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": It certainly does. Nearly 3 million Americans will lose their benefits come January 1st. These are people who have been on unemployment benefits for a long time unless Congress gets its act together and passes an extension either a short term extension or an extension for another year.

So at a time like this, that's going to be really bad news. A lot of these folks, there aren't jobs available for them and they're relying on these unemployment benefits. So they're hoping there will be some sort of deal.

My own suspicion, my own gut tells me there will be a deal, some sort of compromise because everyone is going to lose, most importantly, millions and millions of Americans.

Not just the 160 million Americans who will have their taxes go up on January 1st if there's no deal, but nearly 3 million Americans other will lose their unemployment benefits.

BALDWIN: Medicare reimbursements.

BLITZER: Right, I mean, there's -- a lot of doctors out there who are going to drop out of the Medicare system if they're not going to get reimburse at the current levels. If the legislation isn't passed, you know this, Brooke.

If the legislation isn't passed, there is going to be a 25 to 30 percent cut in fees to doctors who provide Medicare services for the nation's elderly. You know what, the people need Medicare.

If doctors start moving out, they're not to going to get the quality of treatment that they need. It is called this doc fix and it's part of the package if they can just get their act together this week and next week and make a deal.

So we're all hoping they make a deal. Literally, there is so much at stake for so many millions of Americans. Older Americans who rely on Medicare, unemployed Americans who will lose their benefits.

And 160 million working Americans who will have effectively a tax increase, a significant tax increase if you're making $50,000 a year, a thousand dollars you're going to have to pay the government more unless they work out a deal. That's why the crisis here in Washington continues.

BALDWIN: What did you make the president speaking earlier there from the White House? You know, flanked by Americans who would be affected if this extension expires and then also, you know, this whole Twitter campaign essentially.

What did he say, 30,000 notes have come into the White House and he sort of rattled of a couple ways, different Americans in different parts of the country will be affected by 40 fewer dollars in their paycheck every year.

BLITZER: Yes, and that clock is ticking as we know. Look, he's showing some passion. Not just no drama Obama as they used to say. He has to be involved, he has to be passionate. He has to fight for what's right.

It's good for the economy. It's good for millions of Americans so he has to do right thing. You know, the speaker of the House, the majority leader of the House, John Boehner and Eric Cantor. They have a point. They say just sit down.

We've still got nine days. Let's negotiate some sort of compromise. They're waiting for the Senate to name some conferees to sit down with the House conferees.

I don't know if they have enough time to do that. But you know what, if it takes sitting down, having some sort of face saving way to get this deal going, they should do it because a lot of people are going to suffer if they don't.

BALDWIN: Well, maybe it won't be the year extension, maybe it won't be the two month. Maybe it will be somewhere in between. We'll wait and see maybe your gut will materialize. It's the suspicion you have.

BLITZER: They're going to do it. If they don't, it is a disaster for all the above.

BALDWIN: OK, Wolf Blitzer, thank you. We'll talk next hour and see what you have coming up on "THE SITUATION ROOM." Meantime, I'll be right back in just a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Oftentimes his disabilities go unnoticed. Trenton has epilepsy and Asperger's Syndrome, but that didn't stop the teenager from starting a non-profit organization that offers scholarships to kids just like him with more hidden disabilities. This is our "Giving in Focus" for today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not my fault. I was born this way.

TATIA GILSTRAP, TRENTON GILSTRAP'S MOTHER: He was 9. He was diagnosed with epilepsy. When he was 10, he was diagnosed with an intellectual disability cause Asperger's Syndrome. He had a connective tissue disorder.

TRENTON GILSTRAP, FOUNDER, H.I.P KIDS: There are very few kids in my school that know my disability because as you may know, my disabilities are hidden. Since I'm slightly autistic, I find myself being slightly challenged when I'm having conversations with my peers.

They'll just say he is just a normal weird guy. He doesn't have any disabilities. Look at him. He is not in a wheelchair or anything. Seizures are abnormal electrical surges in the brain.

My non-profit organization is called HIP kids. HIP stands for Him Inspiration Project. It gives back to kids in many ways. One of the main ways it does it is a scholarship that me and mom have been funding for a non-profit organization.

We give to people that normally wouldn't get scholarships. There are people that don't have the highest of GPAs and yet they go through this with disabilities. I really wanted to go to engineering school and become a biomedical engineer that specializes in prosthetics.

When I got something in the mail from the University of Pittsburgh, I'm like what could they want. So I opened up and they're giving me a full tuition scholarship. That shows me that there are some schools that really value what I do.

TATIA GILSTRAP: The more we found out that he was different, the more he's been able to bridge a gap in so many people's lives, and especially my life.

TRENTON GILSTRAP: It makes me feel like all that work and all that struggling and crying all alone at home finally equalled success.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Make sure you watch CNN's "Giving in Focus" special 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Christmas day hosted by Tom Foreman.

And Prince William and Duchess Katherine checked out a homeless shelter, one of the same ones that his mother, Princess Diana visited when she was alive.

But I'm just guessing, I don't think his mother did this. The story behind the picture of Prince William brushing his shoulder off after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: A pretty candid moment for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. This is what a lot of you were talking about. It's trending today. Take a look at this picture with me.

Prince William captured must have been of a move with someone from this homeless shelter for young people. He's obviously enjoying it. His wife on the other hand, his still blushing bride, Katherine, looking on, all smiles possibly in amusement, possibly poking fun at him.

Max Foster reports. This is the same shelter William used to visit as a child with his mother, Princess Diana.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is a cause very close to Prince William's heart. He was introduced by his mother, Diana. She would secretly take him to meet much less fortunate children living in shelters.

On this engagement, there were inevitable parallels to be made between Diana and Katherine. During a cookery session in the shelter, William had some useful tips to his wife as they made seasonal mince pies and biscuits.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Katherine made me this birthday cookie for my 18th birthday. It is really beautiful. I'm going to cherish it. It means a lot to me.

FOSTER: In another room, the couple heard powerful stories from homeless teenagers who have turned their lives around.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not only people here that need help. People all over need help.

FOSTER: During a singing performance, emotion nearly got the better of the duchess. Perhaps it's times like these that you realize how lucky you are.

This was the last official engagement for the duke and duchess of Cambridge this year and it caps a spectacular year for them, a year that saw them emerge as the world's most famous couple. Max Foster, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: A week we have seen images just like this. This is Egypt. So far this week more than a dozen protesters have been killed during clashes with security officers. We have seen many others beaten by officers in the streets. The images are disturbing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were hitting a veiled woman, she says. They removed her veil and exposed the underwear she was wearing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: We now want to tell you the story of this woman. Beaten, you can see so badly, she was rushed to the hospital. We're going to take you live to Cairo in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Egypt was the pride of the Arab spring, the country with the most people to undergo revolution in the region is now showing how violent and painful giving back our power to the people can be.

I want to warn you some of the images you are about to see are disturbing. Some of them you might find upsetting. But here we go.

At least 14 people have died in clashes between protesters and military police in the last week. Look at this. Many feared this woman there on the ground in red you see taking stomp after stomp to the head was among them.

She is alive, but she is suffering. CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom just spoke with her exclusively. Here's what she told them.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZZA HILAL SULEIMAN, BEATEN BY EGYPT'S MILITARY POLICE (through translator): There is no justice. I don't know how long we'll go without justice. We didn't ask for anything more than to be free in our own country.

We've been oppressed by the military, by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces and by the police. I don't know how much longer they'll continue to kill us. How much longer will they continue to kill us?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Mohammed Jamjoom now live in Cairo. Mohammed, how did you find her and how is she doing?

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, we've been looking for several days for women whose beatings have been captured on tape. Our producer here was able to locate her.

When we first went to the hospital yesterday, she was writhing in agony. She couldn't talk to us. She was in severe painful the doctors thought she would have to go to the ICU. Today we spoke to her family and found out she was doing better.

We went to the hospital, got exclusive access to her. She told us how sickened she was by what's going on in Egypt and also an interesting thing to note about her. She was beaten by security forces. She comes from a military family.

We asked her about this. What she thought of the fact that the military, you know, has been involved in beating women here this past week. She said that the military now isn't like the mill the way it once was.

And she believes that basically, a civilian government needs to be put into place as soon as possible. She wants things to change here, but she is not very hopeful right now because of what's going been on and because of the brutality that's being practiced, especially against women here this past week -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Mohammed -- Mohammed, thank you for finding her and sharing her story. Keep us posted, please.