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1 Changes to the NFL's Concussion Protocol Could Be Made as Early as Next Week
After what happened to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in two successive games, the NFL is changing its concussion protocol . . . and some changes could go into effect as early as next week. Last Sunday, Tua got taken down during a game against the Buffalo Bills, and when he got up, he was unsteady on his feet. He left the game, but came back in later, with the team claiming he just suffered a back injury. Then the Dolphins were in action just four days later, on Thursday night, against the Cincinnati Bengals.Tua went down hard again, but this time, he ended up getting stretchered off the field. A lot of people are coming down on the Dolphins for letting Tua back into Sunday's game. And the NFL Players Association fired the independent neurologist who helped clear him. And in a statement this weekend, the NFL said that changes are needed to, quote, "enhance player safety." Word has it that one of those changes will be not letting any player back into a game if he demonstrates ANY instability.
2 Biden Announces Prisoner Exchange With Venezuela
The White House has confirmed that seven Americans are free thanks to a prisoner swap after being detained for years in Venezuela. News of the release came on Saturday, as President Biden doubled down on his administration's commitment to "prevent Americans from having to endure the unimaginable pain of being held hostage or wrongfully detained." “Today, after years of being wrongfully detained in Venezuela, we are bringing home Jorge Toledo, Tomeu Vadell, Alirio Zambrano, Jose Luis Zambrano, Jose Pereira, Matthew Heath, and Osman Khan,” the President said in a statement. “These individuals will soon be reunited with their families and back in the arms of their loved ones where they belong.” The other side of the swap? They were freed in exchange for two relatives of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's wife who'd been convicted of drug smuggling.
3 Search, Rescue Efforts Ongoing In FL, 80+ Dead
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing in Florida as the state recovers from Hurricane Ian. Reports say more than 80 deaths have been linked to the storm so far, with most coming in the Sunshine State. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days. At last check, more than 600-thousand Florida residents are still without power after Ian made landfall last week. Parts of the state were hit with catastrophic flooding, causing widespread damage. Officials say things could have been worse – had it not been for their advance action. As the FEMA administrator tells NBC News, “We pre-positioned the largest amount of search-and-rescue assets that I think we've ever put in place before.” But in the aftermath, word of relief funds heading to affected areas isn’t sitting well with some…including Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who says he’ll vote down any package – if there’s ‘pork’ in it.