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Russia Missiles Hit Zaporizhzhia, Killing 12 And Injuring 87; President Biden Speaks With German Chancellor About Ukraine; Texas DA Names San Antonio Cop Who Shot Teen In McDonald's Parking Lot; Iran Gripped By Anti-Government Protests; For First Time, Residents And Business Owners Return To Fort Myers Beach; NFL Reaches Concussion Protocol Agreement With NFLPA. Aired 2-3p ET

Aired October 09, 2022 - 14:00   ET

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

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[14:00:31]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Hello, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Sunday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

New today: a horrific and chaotic scene in Ukraine. Russian missiles hitting civilian neighborhoods in Zaporizhzhia. At least 12 people were killed, another 87 injured including 10 children.

The strikes just hours after a massive explosion paralyzed the only direct road and rail connection between annexed Crimea and the Russian mainland. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the blast but has publicly celebrated it.

New satellite images showing the damage from above. But despite that today Russia says it is starting to resume some car and train service there.

Let's go now to CNN international security editor Nick Paton Walsh live for us in Ukraine. So the message that Ukraine is sending with this latest attack?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY EDITOR: Yes. I mean we don't obviously have a public recognition from Ukraine that they were behind this but Russian President Vladimir Putin just recently in comments released by the Kremlin heard from the head of his investigative committee that they believe the Ukrainian secret services or special services were behind this attack with the assistance of some foreigners.

They referred to it as a terrorist attack on the civilian infrastructure of Russia. Now obviously I should point out that while civilians do use that bridge, it has also been used to deliver supplies and equipment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But clearly a move of significant public issue for Vladimir Putin.

He's called tomorrow publicly that he will be meeting with members of his security council. That is a meeting that happens reasonably, regularly, often weekly but the Kremlin very clear that tomorrow's may end up address this. We don't know the precise agenda.

But some of the images showing damage to the roadsides, the two carriage ways. They are now being allowed to use cars on it again but also the railway tracks likely damaged to some degree although train traffic is resuming.

Regardless of how severe the damage sustained on this bridge is, the symbolism of the fact this attack even happened and the very fast reaction from many Ukrainian officials not claiming responsibility but essentially reveling in what had happened has caused a lot of damage to Russia's prestige certainly given this sort of infrastructure they would imagine would be impregnable.

But I should point out too, we've seen this morning again continued Russian bombardments of civilian areas particularly in the town of Zaporizhzhia.

You can't even claim that that might have been considered a response to the attack on the Kerch Bridge because over the last week, Zaporizhzhia has been hit again and again yet this morning's attack particularly ghastly, killing 17 and injuring over 80. Hundreds of rescue workers combing out the scene after missiles hit an apartment block tearing it, frankly, to pieces.

Those missiles, Ukrainian officials, say fired from a strategic bomber, a Tupolev 22 and an SU-35 attack aircraft, a combination of antiaircraft missiles and cruise missiles used.

And I should say, you know, this is what we've been seeing since the start of the war, very clear attacks on civilian areas by Russia. It's always impossible to know quite what the intended target was but given the frequency in which you've seen civilians hit, it becomes increasingly clear that ends up being something Russia is certainly ok with hitting.

But increasing escalation feeling here after the attack on the Kerch Bridge and I think many wondering precisely what the Kremlin will say tomorrow from the security council meeting in response to this attack, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Right. And what exactly would be revealed from that meeting.

All right. Nick Paton Walsh, thank you so much.

All right. Today President Biden spoke with his counterpart in Germany as the war in Ukraine continues to disrupt global energy markets.

CNN's Arlette Saenz is at the White House for us. So Arlette, what are you learning?

ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Fred, President Biden is spending the weekend at his home in Wilmington, Delaware. And earlier today from there he spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, a key ally for the U.S. when it comes to this Russian war in Ukraine. The White House said that the two men reiterated condemnation of Vladimir Putin's attempt to annex certain areas of Ukraine and also talked about ways to further hold Russia accountable as well as offering assistance to Ukraine.

They also discussed developments in the global energy market as well as trying to find ways to have secure energy and stable energy prices as well.

[14:04:57]

SAENZ: But this call with Olaf Scholz comes just a few days after President Biden made some of the starkest comments yet about the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons saying that the risk of Armageddon is at its highest point since the Cuban missile crisis 60 years ago.

Now the White House again earlier today was facing questions about these comments from the president. John Kirby of the National Security Council said that there is no imminent threat at this moment but simply that the president's words reflect the gravity with which they're viewing the situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KIRBY, COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: His comments were not based on new or fresh intelligence or new indications that Mr. Putin has made a decision to use nuclear weapons.

Quite frankly, we don't have any indication that he has made that kind of decision. The president was reflecting the stakes are high right now given what's going on the battlefield in Ukraine and given the very irresponsible and reckless comments made by Vladimir Putin in just the last few days.

Now look, he's also said we're not going to be intimidated, neither we nor our allies are going to be intimidated by this and we're going to continue to provide support and security assistance to Ukraine as is necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAENZ: Now, in that fund-raiser on Thursday the president also offered a rare window into his thinking about whether there is a way to get Russian president Vladimir Putin essentially off the nuclear ledge. He said and speculated in that fund-raiser whether there might be an off ramp for Putin.

Kirby was asked about that today and he didn't detail what options they maybe considering but he simply said that it is up to Putin to de-escalate this ending this war as soon as possible, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Arlette Saenz at the White House. Thanks so much.

So as tensions boil over in Ukraine, the U.S. is face mounting pressure to get two Americans held captive in Russia released.

Former Nevada governor and ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson spoke with CNN's Jake Tapper about his recent meetings in Russia about that very subject. Here's some of the conversation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: Do you think that you can get Brittney Griner and Paul Whalen out by the end of the year, sir?

BILL RICHARD, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES: I do think so. Now, I hate making predictions, but yes. I know they're very despairing. We work closely with families, with the Whelan family, with the Griner family. I know they are very emotional and this is a very emotional time.

All I can say is the Biden administration is working hard on it. So am I. We coordinate but not always agree on every tactical decision. But I'm not going to interfere in their process. I'm just giving you my assessment after two visits to Russia on behalf of American hostages.

And by the way, there are 47 other hostages around the world in Iran, in more and more in Venezuela, almost everywhere in hostile countries that we as Americans have an obligation to bring back whether it's the government or private humanitarian effort.

TAPPER: Obviously, it's an extraordinary time to be in Russia as they're waging war in Ukraine and meeting with Russian officials is something none of us get to experience.

Your visit comes as U.S. Intelligence reportedly shows a member of Putin's inner circle voicing disagreement directly to Putin over the war. I know you don't want to tell us the names of the officials with whom you met, but what was it like to be in the room, and did you get the sense that there was disagreement among Russian officials about hostages or about the war?

RICHARDSON: I got the sense that the Russian officials that I met with that I've known over the years are ready to talk. And my hope right now is that because of the nuclear situation that there should be nuclear mitigation, risk talks. We should talk about the nuclear reactors, about children, about humanitarian issues, humanitarian corridors.

Do something about the International Atomic Energy Agency dealing with a nuclear reactor, POWs on both sides. You know, I got a good sense from the Russians, the vibrations, but I'm not a government official, and I was just there primarily to deal with the prisoner issue. And we have other Americans that are there.

TAPPER: Yes.

RICHARDSON: So I am cautiously optimistic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Griner and Whelan and others can't get home soon enough.

All right. Coming up, new details on the shooting of a teenager who was eating in a McDonald's parking lot. A Texas district attorney has now identified the officer involved.

[14:09:49]

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WHITFIELD: New details today about a San Antonio teenager who was shot by a police officer while eating a meal in a McDonald's parking lot. According to the boy's attorney, the 17-year-old remains in critical condition.

CNN's Camila Bernal is following the story for us. So Camila, CNN has learned the name of the officer. What about other details about what happened?

CAMILA BERNAL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey Fred. Yes, the district attorney in Bear County is saying that this former officer is James Brennan (ph) and what they're saying is that the San Antonio Police Department will complete their investigation and then hand off the case to the D.A.

The civil rights division is then going to look at the case, but at the end of the day this will all be determined by a grand jury.

Now I want to start from the beginning. This happened a week ago and the San Antonio Police Department saying this former officer was there for something completely unrelated.

[14:14:53]

BERNAL: He spots a car he thinks he recognizes, and then he calls for backup saying that this is a car that fled just a couple of days before.

But instead of waiting for that backup, he goes up to that car and opens the door. As soon as he opens the door, you can see that teenager there, he's holding what appears to be a hamburger. He's caught off guard.

And I want to show you what happens instead of telling you but I do want to warn you that this video is graphic.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get out of the car.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shots fired. Shots fired. Shots fired.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BERNAL: Reporter: a total of ten shots were fired there. You can see it on the video. Of course, that teen in critical condition. The attorney saying that he is fighting for his life. He was facing

two charges, one for evading arrest, the other one for assault. Those charges have now been dropped.

And so the investigation, of course, now focused on that former officer. He had been on the job for seven months. Of course he is now fired and everybody wanting to know why he did this and why he fired so many times so quickly because, of course, this is what we're left with -- a teenager who is now fighting for his life, Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Camila Bernal, thank you so much.

BERNAL: Coming up.

Coming up, Iran intensifies the crackdown on protests against the government's morality police.

[14:16:29]

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WHITFIELD: Iranian state TV was allegedly hacked during its nightly news program Saturday. That's according to pro-reform protesters who shared a clip of the hacking. A segment on the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was replaced with a photo showing Khamenei with a target superimposed on his face. The image appeared alongside photos of young women who died in Iran over the last month.

And it comes as violent protests grip the country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. A rights group says at least 185 people have died in the clashes.

CNN's Nada Bashir has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADA BASHIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Over the weekend in Iran we've seen anti-regime protests continuing across the country.

But of course, in response to these demonstrations there has also continued to be a brutal and deadly crackdown on any signs of dissent.

On Saturday alone at least four protesters were killed in the Kurdish city of Sanandaz (ph) and Sarkez (ph) and after security forces opened fire on protesters. According to Iranian human rights group, Hamdel (ph).

Human rights groups have also detailed the use of excessive and lethal force across the country by Iran's security forces. We're talking about tear gas, metal pellets, beatings and even live fire ammunition used against peaceful protesters.

And while CNN can't independently verify death toll claims, the Norway-based Iran's human rights organization says it believes at least 185 people have been killed since September including 19 children. Now, according to Iran's semi official Fass (ph) news agency Iran's

deputy interior minister for security and law enforcement said Sunday that any protesters arrested would not be released and would be tried in court quickly, adding that their verdicts would be decisive and deterrent.

But in the midst of this continued violence and even restrictions on Internet access in parts of the country, we also saw another public show of defiance on Saturday. In a now viral video clip Iran's state broadcaster appears to have been momentarily hacked during its nightly news program.

The broadcast was interrupted by an image of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with a target superimposed on his face. On screen a clear message, join us and rise up.

But what was perhaps the most poignant about this interruption was the broadcast of images of four women who have died in Iran over the last month.

Mahsa Amini whose death in the custody of Iran's notorious morality police in September has, of course, sparked this latest uprising as well as Nika Shakarimi (ph), (INAUDIBLE) and Serena (INAUDIBLE), all of whom died over the course of these nationwide demonstrations.

And while the movement continues to be driven by acts of defiance by women protesting against the Iranian regime's severe restrictions on women's rights, the movement has also now grown to encompass more wide-reaching grievances held by the Iranian people gaining support and momentum up and down the country.

Nada Bashir, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Thank you so much, Nada.

All right. For more I want to discuss now with Firuzeh Mahmoudi. She is the director of United4Iran, a global network for the country's human and civil rights. Firuzeh, so good to see you again.

So hacking of the television broadcast, is that at all threatening to the regime?

FIRUZEH MAHMOUDI, DIRECTOR, UNITED4IRAN: Absolutely it is threatening. Their own base watched (ph) that so when their own base feels like their vision, their power is crumbling, it will have effects on them for sure. And what we're seeing in the country is unprecedented.

[14:24:53]

MAHMOUDI: As was mentioned it's unprecedented to have a protest that is so unified in its voice, that it's diverse -- geographically diverse throughout the country.

We are seeing southern Tehran the poor area, rising up for the first time and it's the fourth week. We have never had a protest that has lasted this long since the revolution.

WHITFIELD: And so while in the fourth week now and it seems the protests are only growing, they're intensifying, and you still have the government that now says they will arrest people and that no one will be released without a trial. That doesn't seem to be intimidating in any way the crowds. Why is that?

MAHMOUDI: I think people are fed up and are demanding change. They are saying that, also, because they are losing control and they know it. The diversity of the resistance and the amount of resistance is something that's unprecedented as well.

We're seeing general strikes in Tehran in the Kurdish region in particular. We are seeing women still not wearing their hijabs in larger groups during protests as well as walking individually throughout the city.

We saw that one of the phone companies was also hacked yesterday where we don't know the numbers but perhaps in the millions, messages were sent out with the location and time of a protest.

We're seeing high school girls and junior high school girls chanting and chewing out their government officials who work as principals or other officials at their universities -- at their institutions. Graffiti all over the wall.

It's to the point that security forces are also bringing out kids to be on their side. They are being heavy hitters with what they're saying because their backs completely to the wall.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I mean you talk about kids, at least two 16-year-old girls have died, you know. The government saying that they fell to their deaths from rooftops but other people you know, believe otherwise, their bodies showed signs of beatings.

And of course, all of this started after the death, the mysterious death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

If we're talking about the numbers of 185 deaths so far with these protests, are you worried the numbers will get even higher?

MAHMOUDI: That's the number that we know of folks who have been -- people who have been confirmed. That's all we -- it's definitely likely more than that. And 19 of them, as you mentioned, were kids.

There are so many young women and young men, it's heartbreaking. And as a mother I watch these kids who are the same age as my kid and the bravery and sadness is really overwhelming. And we are also seeing defiance by the family members.

So (INAUDIBLE) like you mention and they took in her aunts and uncle and they interrogated them. They made -- on national TV they forced them to go on and give this crazy story about her falling from a suicide to the ground.

And regardless of that and knowing what may come after her video, her mother went on and made a video that has been released for eight minutes detailing what happened.

Her body was not touched. It was only her skull. And it's absolutely so inspiring and so heartbreaking.

WHITFIELD: I mean this is an incredible moment in Iran. The world is watching, you know.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: What message do you believe this movement is getting through? Because for whatever restraints and all the restraints the Iranian government is imposing, this message is resonating. It is out there and, you know, these photographs, these pictures, women cutting their hair. The photographs of those who have died -- I mean that's resonating in a very big way. Ultimately what do you believe? How influential is this movement?

MAHMOUDI: I think the movement speaks for itself. The (INAUDIBLE) story has been on the international stage. We've seen solidarity big and small government officials, by prominent individuals, by citizens.

There was an international day of action last weekend with hundreds of thousands of Iranians and non-Iranians in the streets. And I think their message is clear and the bravery is for the world to see and everyone is inspired and hoping that their demands will be met.

And I think those of us outside have to continue playing our part. I remember my organization started after the 2009 uprising. And I remember Iran was in the media every single day until Michael Jackson died.

[14:29:55]

MAHMOUDI: We have to keep this in the media, and individuals can continue showing their act of solidarity in every way, creative ways people have shown, talk to your trade unions, your representatives, your student unions, make videos, whatever the you can do and reach out to the NGOs working in this area and support them.

[14:30:18]

Now is the time.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, it is extraordinary as is your work.

Firuzeh, Mahmoudi, thanks so much for joining us again.

MAHMOUDI: Thank you so much for your time.

WHITFIELD: Still ahead, for the first time since Hurricane Ian, residents of Fort Myers Beach are finally being allowed to return and see the damage for themselves of their property.

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WHITFIELD: For the first time since Hurricane Ian made landfall residents and owners of businesses of Fort Myers Beach are finally allowed to return to see the damage firsthand.

CNN's Nadia Romero is live from Fort Myers Beach.

Nadia, what's being seen there?

[14:35:02]

NADIA ROMERO, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Fredricka, I mean, just seeing the images over the past couple of weeks and being here in person, it's hard to explain just the devastation especially if you had a home or business and looking at that first level.

So, where we are right now right off Fort Myers Beach, this would have been a restaurant, a Greek restaurant called Zanzibar (ph). Right next to it is Club Ohana.

And it's like any other beach community. There's a good line of shops, of dancing, music, food, everything to enjoy all along Fort Myers Beach, but you can see just what has been left behind after Hurricane Ian ripping out everything and, unfortunately, Zanzibar, this one restaurant, was the livelihood of three families coming together, large Greek family. And they say they poured in all of their money, taking mortgages out on their own homes just to fund this dream, their American dream.

Take a listen to one of the owners as she talks about what happened to her. We met up with her outside of a FEMA assistance office and FEMA wasn't able to give her much help. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE LEVY, FORT MYERS BEACH RESTAURANT OWNER: We have mortgages. We have a COVID mortgage that we need, EIDL. Mortgage that we need to return, we have no way to return it from.

And all they offer -- FEMA doesn't offer businesses anything and what the Department of Business is offering are just loans. So, on top of the loans we have, you know, on top of the debt, we have no way to deal with that. We have to take more loans. I don't know how we're getting out of it. That's the situation small businesses are in right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMERO: So, what we've learned is that FEMA isn't offering much help to small business owners. They're told to go to the Small Business Administration but they're offering loans on top of the loans to help small business owners stay afloat. They also had damage at their own homes, at their properties there.

I want you to take a look at images of the before, during happy times when this large family all came together to pour into this building. Smiling faces, people coming to eat, dance and enjoy the beach. Now present day this is what they're left with.

The family tells me they were not able to get flood insurance because of their location so they're not sure how they're going to pick up the pieces.

Where do you even start, Fred, when you look at the damage here? Where do you begin? That's the question they're asking themselves, and that's the frustration we're hearing from a lot of people who have homes and businesses here in Fort Myers Beach -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, sadly, that is the rhetorical question. No one knows a good answer. Be careful, all that debris and those supports may not be that stable. It's all a very tenuous situation there still on the beach. Thanks so much, Nadia Romero.

All right. Still ahead, after a head injury to the dolphins quarterback, the NFL and players association reaching an agreement to update the league's concussion protocols. We'll explain what it all means, next.

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[14:42:37]

WHITFIELD: The National Football League and the NFL Players Association have reached an agreement on the league's updated concussion protocols. The decision comes after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury two weeks ago and was allowed to reenter the game. He was later hospitalized with a concussion.

The NFL's chief medical officer says the term ataxia has been added to the mandatory no-go symptoms. Ataxia is defined as abnormality of balance, stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ALLEN SILLS, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, NFL: We want to become even more conservative, and if we think ataxia is present, let's assume that it's coming from the brain and we'll hold someone out because if we're going to be wrong, we'd rather hold someone out who doesn't have a brain injury but we're being cautious, then it put someone out who might have a brain injury and we weren't able to diagnose it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining me to discuss this further is George Atallah. He is the assistant executive director of external affairs for the NFL Players Association.

George, so good to see you.

GEORGE ATALLAH, ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, NFL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION: Good to see you, too. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: So, is this the only change?

ATALLAH: This is the primary change and I heard what Dr. Sills said. It's unfortunate that we didn't have this protocol in place on September 24th, before Tua went down and got back up and was allowed to re-enter the game.

We are very proud of the protocols we've had in place for years. Our union has advocated for them for a very long time now. They are jointly implemented and we're glad we've taken another step in the evolution of these protocols to prevent what happened to Tua from ever happening again to another player.

WHITFIELD: So, perhaps ataxia wasn't specified as a protocol, but wasn't that the whole point of having neurological consultants or team doctors on the sidelines to recognize symptoms or signs from a concussion? So, I wonder, is this kind of overstating the obvious -- if you see something, you say something and now you act on it. But now, it's in writing?

ATALLAH: Now it's in writing. The concern we had on September 25th, which is why our union launched an investigation immediately after what we saw was not was the protocol applied for a check list to return the player into a game, but what medical judgment was used, what clinical judgment was used to put him back in the game.

[14:45:09]

We didn't feel as a union as though he should have been cleared to get back into the field and play football. We launched the investigation and even though, according to the NFL, the protocol showed everything was followed to the check list, we believe it didn't live up to the spirit of the protocol, which is to take a player out and take that conservative approach that Dr. Sills himself said, again, stating the obvious, if you see something that looks wrong, it's better to play it safe.

WHITFIELD: How are the players responding to these changes or this change?

ATALLAH: They support it. Again, it's been a challenge because players want to play football and head injuries have been a problem for such a long time in our league. Since 2009-2010 when we raised those issues with the National Football League in 2011, we were able to implement the first set of protocols with the support of the players and now we've gotten such a long way in terms of the evolution of the culture of football that you see players are self-reporting more. We are in step with the NFL in approaching these issues.

And this one incident however, we were very disappointed in the judgment and we did everything we could to fix it in a very short amount of time.

WHITFIELD: So, last week, I spoke with a brain injury expert who said it wasn't just the team who failed the quarterback, everyone did because a lot of people saw the signs. You could be a layman, you could be a fan. So does this protocol address that it's not just up to doctors. It's also up to the coaches, to the managers, to the trainers, to all those who see something irregular, potentially dangerous, that they need to call it to the attention of everyone and pull the player out when that player is in trouble? ATALLAH: Everybody has a responsibility to protect the players and to

player safety. We have this matrix, again, every year it evolves to include additional factors, things we didn't think about, that we reviewed during the off-season, or, in this case, things that happen in real time that don't quite make up for what we're trying to accomplish. So, it is a matrix we try to put in place where everybody has to have a shared responsibility.

Ultimately, though, the change in the protocols just yesterday address the failure, what our union believes was a failure, of judgment to put the player back in the game, and now we've taken that extra step, to your point, to just put it in writing. We had an incident today with Teddy Bridgewater, a player for the Saints who got hit, showed instability, immediately was pulled.

So, we've seen results from what we wanted to accomplish and this idea of player safety is a shared responsibility but everybody has to take their responsibility seriously.

WHITFIELD: You mentioned the culture, the culture of the players. They want to play at all cost. I mean, they're elite athletes.

But with that, there is a stigma among many players who feel like they may face repercussions, they might get cut. They may lose their pay. They're not living up to their pay if they profess to not being well, not feeling well.

So, how do you believe this new language and this protocol might help eliminate that, offer some comfort to players where the message is it's okay if you're not feeling well, it's okay to fess up to that. It's okay to even pull yourself out of the game if you feel uneasy, if you feel you've got a head injury?

ATALLAH: I think you hit it immediately where it should be, which is the players also have sort of a comfort level now in reporting symptoms and reporting concussions. We've seen an increase in the data where players are self-reporting more. I think that matrix, as you mentioned of players are involved in that, they care about each other, they understand what a concussion looks like now.

These protocols have been in place for 11 years. We understand we are continuously trying to educate everybody in our game to take these things seriously and any injury seriously, by the way.

So, if in fact in Tua's case, it was his back that caused him to stumble and fall, that should have kept him out of the game altogether. It's not just the head injuries we're trying to do, we're trying to establish a culture where if there is an injury, players are treated as patients first by the medical stuff, and looked after by the coaching staff in a way that maybe they weren't before.

WHITFIELD: All right. George Atallah of the NFL Players Association, so glad you could be with us today. Appreciate it.

ATALLAH: My pleasure. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[1454:45]

WHITFIELD: Media titan Rupert Murdock has built one of the largest media empires in history over the last several decades. And now, the new CNN original series "MURDOCHS: EMPIRE OF INFLUENCE" reveals the escalation battle among Murdoch's children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUPERT MURDOCH, MEDIA TITAN: If I go under a bus tomorrow, the four of them will have to decide which of the ones should lead them.

[14:55:09]

CHARLIE ROSE, INTERVIEWER: Your four children?

MURDOCH: Yeah, and well, and my -- well, the two little girls, I had to consider this at the moment.

ROSE: The four kids have to decide who among them ought to be their heir apparent?

MURDOCH: In terms of power, yes. In terms of leadership. They all get treated equally financially.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After the Charlie Rose kind of mumbled announcement --

MURDOCH: We've revolved everything very happily.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- media writers like myself and also particularly the Murdoch family, they're all trying to figure out the implications of how this works. The four adult children will maintain the votes oh of the Murdoch family trust, and that his two young girls would share in it financially but not have voting control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Joining us now is Jim Rutenberg, writer at large for "The New York Times." He's also a consulting producer for "THE MURDOCHS: EMPIRE OF INFLUENCE" which features his exclusive reporting.

All right, Jim, wow, very complicated but, you know, clear messaging still. As we heard in the clip, you know, in the early 2000s, Rupert Murdoch wasn't clear on who he wanted to lead the company after him, but he was sending a pretty strong signal that, I guess some kind of equity was part of his plan?

JIM RUTENBERG, WRITER AT LARGE, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Well, I guess if you're lucky enough to be born to Rupert Murdoch's manner, you'll never have to worry about money in your entire life. So sure, financially it was equitable. But as this series shows, and our reporting shows, Rupert Murdoch

raised his children not just to be layabouts collecting checks from the family trust, but they were ally vying to take over this massive media empire that Rupert had built. So this was going to be as they called a trial by combat.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So we see Fox News coming into its own with the outbreak of war in Iraq. The network's impact grows so much, it's not just reporting on policy, it's influencing policy. Tell us more about that.

RUTENBERG: Well, this is where Fox News really comes into its own. It rises to the top of the cable news ratings, and it does this by doing something we had never seen in television news before, and that was really kind of embracing an us against them, and openly so by the way, more sort of mantra.

And so, they become sort of the home base for people who are looking for very patriotic, pro-war content. As that's happening, Rupert Murdoch behind the scenes is himself very pro war and kind of working to push the politics such that will be inevitable, both in the U.S. and in Great Britain.

WHITFIELD: We also see Rupert Murdoch expanding his empire further with his purchase of Dow Jones, which included the "Wall Street Journal." How significant was that?

RUTENBERG: Well, that is in keeping with a pattern where he has always maintained a sort of establishment staple of publications and news outlets, and the more populist press outlets. And the journalist was a crowning jewel for him, because is the prestige business publication in the United States. And it was taking over from a family that viewed that newspaper as a trust in its own right.

WHITFIELD: All right. Jim Rutenberg, so good to see you. Thank you so much. We'll all be watching. It's also fascinating.

And all new episode of "THE MURDOCHS: EMPIRE OF INFLUENCE" airs tonight at 10:00 p.m., only on CNN.

All right. Now to an incredible moment caught on camera. Two frantic parents in Michigan, waving down a school bus driver after their car was stolen with their 2-year-old inside.

According to a CNN affiliate WXMI, the bus driver called 911, radioed other bus drivers to be on the lookout. Another bus driver found the toddler outside not far from where the car was stolen. The driver put the child in the bus and then kept the boy safe, wrapping up in that blanket right now. Thanks to the quick action of the bus driver, the child was safely returned to his parents. Police are still searching for the suspect.

And I just want to quick notation. Just earlier, I was talking to the NFL Players Association's George Atallah, and he misspoke when he was talking about a quarterback for the Saints injury. He was talking about the backup for two of the Miami Dolphins, Teddy Bridgewater who was injured during play, and the results oh of the new protocol, they pulled him out, so just wanted to make that correction on his behalf.

All right. Thanks so much for joining me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

THE CNN NEWSROOM continues with Jim Acosta right now.