CNN10 2024-09-03




CNN 10

Large-Scale Protests in Israel Where Different Groups are Placing Blame for the Deaths of Six Hostages; Brazil Declares Arson War as Wildfires Rage in the Country; Can Guardian Caps Make Football Safer? Aired 4-4:10a ET

Aired September 03, 2024 - 04:00 ET

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

COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Hello, and welcome to the show. We are off and running into September. For many of you, the start of a new school year as well. Shoutout to the teachers out there. Thank you for making us part of your day.

I'm Coy Wire. This is CNN 10, where I get you your news representing all sides equally, no opinion, no slant in 10 minutes time. And we are going to have some fun along the way too.

Let's start today with a couple international headlines. An update on the Israel-Hamas war that started back on October 7th of last year. This weekend, large-scale protests were seen in Israel after its military recovered the bodies of six hostages killed in Gaza by the militant group Hamas.

The protesters accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not doing enough to protect these hostages, adding to the pressure on the leader to complete a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

Three of the hostages killed in Gaza were expected to be released in a ceasefire deal. That deal is now in question, with the U.S. National Security Adviser saying that the next few days will be critical.

In response to the development, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu blamed Hamas, saying whoever murders hostages doesn't want a deal.

Hamas, on the other hand, has blamed the deaths on Israel and the United States, accusing them of dragging out the talks by issuing new demands.

In Gaza, a wide-scale humanitarian crisis continues. The majority of Gaza's two million residents have been forced to flee their homes.

Next, Brazil's government is declaring war on arson, as unprecedented fires have spread across the nation over the past few weeks. Tens of thousands of acres of rainforest, wetlands and farmland have burned, and officials say not a single fire started from natural causes. Let's take a closer look at what might be going on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JULIA VARGAS JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Flames engulfing the world's largest rainforest, the world's largest wetlands and now the southeastern state of Sao Paulo.

Fires in the Brazilian state have burned almost 150,000 acres, an area nearly as large as the city of Chicago.

This video showing the critical moment when flames jump over a river. Smoke turning day to night and covering entire cities, including the capital,

Brasilia, hundreds of miles away.

But this is no natural disaster. Authorities blame the recent rash of fires on the perverse chemistry of climate change, extreme weather events and human actions.

People are starting fires, Environment Minister Marina Silva says, in the Amazon, in the wetlands and in Sao Paulo.

Ten people suspected of arson have been arrested so far and police are investigating whether criminal networks could be behind these wildfires.

In a span of 90 minutes, multiple hotspots appeared. Satellite images show.

CRISTIANE MAZZETTI, GREENPEACE BRAZIL: In one single day, last Friday the 23rd, the number of fires hotspots were even higher than the ones registered in the Amazon biome.

VARGAS JONES (voice-over): Meanwhile, in the Amazon, almost 50,000 active fire spots have been detected so far this year. And officials say none of them started due to natural causes. Deforestation via arson continues to be a common practice to set up illegal mining sites and cattle farms, researchers and activists say.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: Pop quiz hot shot. Who is known as the father of American football?

Abner Doubleday, Walter Camp, James Naismith or Bart Starr?

Walter Camp was given the distinction for playing a leading role in adapting the rules of the game, making it distinct from rugby.

Next we're going to an invention that might be a game changer for the sport of football. There have been 50 rule changes in the NFL the last two decades aimed at making the game safer and advancements in technology and equipment have accelerated. Inventions like Guardian Caps aimed at helping to prevent concussions weren't around when I played in the NFL. We're taking a closer look at their potential to make the game safer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE (on camera): Each football season, sporting cathedrals like this, Mercedes-Benz Stadium are full of excitement about the game. But each season also brings concerns for families and players about the dangers that come with it. There has been a recent uptick and efforts to make the game safer. One of them, these protective helmet covers called Guardian Caps. But do they work? (Voice-over): The Georgia-based company aims to reduce damage that can be caused to the brain by the sudden stopping or rotation of the head. The NFL's research led them to make these caps mandatory for all players during practices, aside from kickers and quarterbacks who are off limits for contact. Players can also choose to wear the caps during the games.

(On camera): NFL Executive Vice President Jeff Miller says the statistics show the caps increased safety.

JEFF MILLER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, NFL: As a result of the last two seasons, we saw about a 50% decrease in concussions in the positions that were mandated to wear them. So, of course, we said OK, all positions will now wear them in this pre-season.

WIRE: Now, NFL rule changes and advancements in the helmets themselves could also be leading to a decrease in concussions.

(Voice-over): The company says that more than 3,000 high schools and more than 750 youth programs currently used the caps. One question is, if the NFL is making them mandatory for the pros, why aren't they mandatory for kids?

One potential drawback could be cost. Each one of these runs about $70, $56 when bought in bulk for a team, many schools are already struggling with funding, and the National Athletic Trainers Association has said that such products come with little to no independent scientific evidence showing that they actually work.

STEVE ROWSON, VIRGINIA TECH HELMET LAB: The helmet and head protection is really the last line of defense. The first thing to do is minimize number of head impacts that kids and other athletes are experiencing.

WIRE (on camera): One other potential drawback is the way it feels. Some NFL players saying it makes them feel top heavy at times. Although research will continue to be done in the push to make the game safer continues.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: Next, we're traveling to Togo. The country located in Western Africa is among the smallest on the continent. It's also where you'll find a program created by CNN hero Payton McGriff.

The goal? To cover the cost of mandatory school uniforms that can keep some girls out of school. McGriff helped create a uniform that grows. That's now key to a movement that educates and employs hundreds of girls and women.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAYTON MCGRIFF, CNN HERO: To put their uniform on for the first time, that's one of the most joyous experiences that we see.

Poverty is a tremendous barrier to girls education and a uniform is typically one of the more expensive pieces. They can be one of the most cost-effective ways to keep girls in school.

So the name is Style Her Empowered. We go by She and today She is a non- profit that creates sustainable education and employment opportunities for girls and women around the world.

Today, when a girl enters our program, she not only receives a new school uniform, but she receives a full tuition scholarship, full year of school supplies, and a year-round tutoring from our local staff.

After we provided our first round of uniforms, we realized our students were outgrowing them very quickly. So that was where the uniform that grows was born. It grows six sizes and up to 12 inches in length. It adjusts in various parts of the body to provide a well-tailored fit.

We employ 20 seamstresses in Togo. We intentionally hire women from low- income, low-education backgrounds who haven't had the opportunity to go to school previously.

We guarantee salaries on average 75% higher than minimum wage. We provide three-month paid maternity leave, unlimited sick leave, and kind of a whole host of benefits that ensure that women in the workplace can thrive.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIRE: Today's story getting a 10 out of 10, proves it's not always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes it's lightning and rainbows. A rare weather phenomenon was witnessed in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota when severe thunderstorms swept through the area. While the scary storms knocked out power to thousands of people there, they also brought these remarkable moments of beauty. I saw Mother Nature just showing off right there.

All right, we're looking forward to your #YourWordWednesday submissions, your vocab word in tomorrow's show. Follow me @coywire on Instagram,

Snapchat, TikTok. Put your word and definition in the comment section of my most recent post, and we'll choose a winner to work into tomorrow's show with a shout out for you and your school.

Today's shout out is going to my friends at West Boynton in Boynton Beach, Florida. Rise up.

Have an awesome day, everyone. I'll see you right back here tomorrow on CNN 10.

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