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Confirmed Cases in Mainland China Top SARS Virus; Plane of U.S. Evacuees from Wuhan Soon to Arrive in California; Trump's Middle East Plan Swiftly Rejected by Palestinians; UAE Appreciates U.S. Efforts That Middle East Peace; Trump's Lawyers Attack Evidence from Bolton's Book Manuscript; Republicans Wrestle with Whether to Call Witnesses; Trump Downplays Concussion Injuries from Iraq Attack; Two Bodies Recovered from U.S. Military Plane Debris; Thiem Knocks Out Nadal in Quarterfinals. Aired 10- 11a ET

Aired January 29, 2020 - 10:00   ET

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

[10:00:00]

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST: A ghost town -- countries evacuate their citizens from Wuhan. The number of coronavirus cases in mainland China now

overtaking SARS.

Then --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Your peace plan offers the Palestinians a pathway to a future state.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Palestinian paradigm. President Trump's plan for peace is rejected on arrival. We will head to the West Bank for reaction.

Plus -- 47-53, Remember those numbers folks. We'll tell you why they matter, up next.

It's 11:00 p.m. in Wuhan. It is 10:00 in the morning in D.C. and it is 7:00 p.m. here in Abu Dhabi. I'm Becky Anderson. Hello, and welcome to what is

our expanded edition of CONNECT THE WORLD.

The big story this hour, the fast-moving Wuhan coronavirus now affecting more people in China than SARS did. Across the country's mainland, at least

132 people are dead with more than 6,000 people now confirmed to be infected. Those numbers climbing rapidly over the past few days. By Friday,

just five days ago, the numbers were 41 people dead in China and over 1,000 confirmed infected. That number now up six fold.

Well outside mainland China, 91 cases now confirmed, including four right here in the UAE. They are all members of a single Chinese family from Wuhan

which is the epicenter of this outbreak. The impact and cost of this cannot be overstated. Here you see a pilot parking a cargo plane at the

international airport in Wuhan in full protective gear. It is not just people's health, but the health of the Chinese economy that is at stake.

Let's bring in David Culver who has been in close contact with families trying to get out of Wuhan, including those from the United States, whose

chartered plane full of evacuees is due to land in California this hour. But, David, as I understand it, several U.S. citizens not able to board.

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. As you mention that plane is about to land. It's got 201 people on board. Mostly U.S. diplomats

and their families. And the reality is they are the folks who were actually staffing the consulate in Wuhan. So now you've got some people who are

there. Hundreds of people still within the city of Wuhan who are looking around saying, well normally when we're in trouble as American citizens, we

have our consulate to go to. The consulate has been shut down. The staff back in the U.S. and so they feel like they have been left behind.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CULVER (voice-over): American flag in hand, 8-year-old Hermione Dickey was so close to returning to the United States. Ready to leave behind the

locked down epicenter of the coronavirus, Wuhan, China. But she and her mom, Priscilla, never boarded.

HERMIONE DICKEY, U.S. CITIZEN IN WUHAN, CHINA: I didn't have my passport so I couldn't get on the plane.

CULVER: 201 other Americans did get on the plane, including U.S. diplomats and their families along with a select number of civilians. Hermione's

passport was in another city with her dad and could not be mailed into the locked down zone. Normally they'd go to the consulate in Wuhan for help.

PRISCILLA DICKEY, U.S. CITIZEN IN WUHAN, CHINA: The consulate is gone. The consulate was on the plane.

JOHN MCGORY, U.S. CITIZEN IN WUHAN, CHINA: That's a little disconcerting that they have a plane and most of the people on it are from the consulate.

So, you know, we feel a little bit left behind.

CULVER: An American teacher, John McGory, had recently submitted his passport for visa processing.

MCGORY: Unfortunate for me I didn't have my passport. The school has it. I was getting a two-week extension on my visa.

CULVER: Others countries chartering flights to evacuate their citizens out of the epicenter. This image showing a pilot wrapped in protective gear.

Around 200 Japanese citizens were evacuated Wednesday telling reporters they feel relief to be home. Adding that the situation in Wuhan is

deteriorating.

China has dispatched medical teams to the front lines of the outbreak, Hubei province. State media shows the first two of hospitals going up. They

will hold a combined 2,600 patients.

[10:05:00]

This as Chinese state media is airing video of coronavirus patients that they say have been successfully treated and discharged. As for those in

Wuhan --

MCGORY: People are scared here. Scared people get angry. Scared people want answers and sometimes at the moment, they don't have an answer.

CULVER: Priscilla and her daughter hoping for a way out.

DICKEY: We would really appreciate a way to get her an emergency passport.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CULVER: And it is interesting, talking to those folks, Becky, via video chat there as we've been connecting with them over the past several days.

They're not placing blame on anyone. They simply look at this as a crisis but they're hoping from clarity from within and they're hoping that -- in

this case -- the U.S. State Department will step in to figure out how they can get these folks out of there. They say they're not alone. They pointed

to dozens of other people in their same position and eager to get out. And feeling like they've been left behind in many ways.

But look at the other countries that are now taking part in evacuations. And it's important to distinguish the evacuations versus, hey, we're

offering some open seats as is the case with the U.S. right now. Australia and New Zealand moving forward with it. Japan, South Korea, the U.K.,

France, Germany, all of them looking at these very serious rescue missions to get their folks out.

ANDERSON: On the ground in Wuhan, you referenced these hospitals that are going up there. And, David, China has been broadcasting live pictures of

one of those hospitals being built. This is literally, you know, watching live on one of the social platforms that's available. An effort by the

government and state media to show some transparency?

CULVER: I think in part you can look at it like that. I think it's also perhaps a morale booster, if you will, given a lot of the negative news

that has been surfacing. But there's also a reality that that's transcended in state media. They have portrayed the desperate need for materials, for

example, the resources that, really, we've been talking to the nurses and health care workers, my team and I here in Beijing. And they portray a very

dire situation that's continuing.

I mean, several days in now, where they say they still don't have enough hazmat suits, the protective suits, enough face mask and in one case

they're even hanging up their suits at the end of the day trying to sterilize them as best as possible and then putting them back on the next

day. Just because they fear if they're going to throw them away they may not have something else to put on the next day to actually treat patients.

And then we're hearing more and more of the exposure that some of these healthcare workers are going through. One nurse telling us that at least 30

of her colleagues within the same hospital that she works in, Becky, have been inflected with coronavirus. She herself has been infected with

coronavirus. Some of them are in intensive care. Others have been sent home to be on medication, but the reality is they're not doing what they are

normally supposed to be doing and that is treating patients who are infected because they themselves are trying to survive this.

ANDERSON: Well we've heard these reports of the border closed between China and Hong Kong. And it's in Hong Kong the fears have triggered what

has been, quite frankly, a mask-buying frenzy. What are you hearing about authorities checking to make sure that these masks that people are buying

are actually medically sound?

CULVER: That's one of the concerns that certainly has been going around. Is wondering the quality of not only the mask but also the things going to

the front lines, so to speak, and making sure that those are up to standards that can actually do the job. I think there's still a lot of

questions around it, but people are desperate.

I've heard of people even actually kind of making their own masks based on what they have around their homes, putting something together to at least

cover their face. I mean, is it really going to be effective? They don't know, perhaps for them and they admit this, it's just peace of mind at the

end of the day.

But you look at what some of the territories outside of mainland China are doing, you mentioned Hong Kong. One of the interesting things there, and

you and I touched on this, but it's increasing is you have this real concern with anyone who is from mainland China now. And even within China

you have this discrimination and this ostracizing of folks who are from Hubei province and Wuhan in particular. That is intensifying. We're seeing

that more and more surface on social media. And it's becoming an issue.

State media is trying to defuse that as much as possible but it's really tough because even in that piece you heard the guy there say, the gentleman

we interviewed, you know, there's fear. And fear sparks this reaction that can be anger and, in this case, it's also proving to spark discrimination.

ANDERSON: David Culver in Beijing with the very latest for you. David, thank you.

And as we monitor this outbreak, let me just give you some context on the flu by way of example. In the U.S., a country of 330 million people.

[10:10:00]

There have been up to 21 million cases of the flu just since October. Up to 20,000 of those people died. And that's just this flu season. Of course,

there's a flu season every year.

So why is the Wuhan coronavirus making everyone so afraid? Well, anything that's new to humans is going to grab the headlines, of course. We still

don't know the full extent of how this virus will spread. And there also aren't any solid treatments or vaccines as of yet. That's the reason why

this is a big story.

Well, 180 pages of peace, or so that is meant to at least be this plan. The U.S. President's pro-Israel proposal unveiled yesterday, is the most

drastic plan to solve what is perhaps the most difficult geo-ethnic, religious, political, Gordian knot ever known and it could be over before

it's even started.

President Trump calls this a realistic two-state solution. The plan envisioned a Palestinian state with a capital in eastern Jerusalem. But

that capital will be behind a physical barrier and does not include a significant part of the city. Palestinians will be required to recognize

the Jewish state and disarm Hamas.

And if there is one thing you need to see from the 80 pages, it is this. The proposed map for a future Palestine, it shows swaths of land in the

Israeli desert set aside for the Palestinian state but also lays the groundwork for Israel to start annexing its settlements in the West Bank.

Palestinians have immediately rejected the entire plan.

Well of course, the Arab world has been quick to respond, as you would expect. There is condemnation. Iran calls the plan a nightmare. Further

afield outside of the sort of Arab region, the Turkish President Erdogan calling it unacceptable. Some more measured words those from back in the

Arab world in the Gulf region. The UAE and Saudi Arabia looking at this as an opening for new negotiations. And there are other reactions.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas rejecting the U.S. proposal, but he says Palestinians might be interested in restarting peace talks if there is

international involvement.

Well, let's connect you to our reporters in the region. CNN's Oren Liebermann is in Jerusalem. Sam Kiley joins us via the phone from the West

Bank. But let's start with you in Jerusalem before we get to the West Bank. We spoke at this time and through last evening as this great reveal

happened in the East Room in the White House. It's been 24 hours. How would you describe the response where you are?

OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This has been a celebration for Israel's right wing. For the settlement movement, for the most part on that

one, and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And if you want a sense of what kind of celebration that has been, this is "Israel Hayom." It is

considered a mouth piece for Netanyahu. It's perhaps no surprise, owned by a mega donor for the Republicans, Sheldon Adelson who was in that room. And

the headline says, "Sovereignty Now." Calling this a historic moment -- which is what Netanyahu called it -- and an historic opportunity. In fact,

so historic that Netanyahu said he would bring forward annexation at Sunday's cabinet meeting.

Well that has only been delayed somewhat for procedural reasons by a few days. But make no mistake, Israel intends to very much proceed with

annexation of the Jordan Valley and the settlements as soon as possible.

Could that get caught up in the legal process in Israel? Could that be appealed to the high court? Could that be questioned by the Attorney

General? Yes, yes, and yes. But does that have any means of stopping what Netanyahu intends to do at the point? Absolutely not. This was a major

political gift to Netanyahu. Far more significant than any of the others we've seen at this point to include the Golan Heights, Jerusalem as the

capital of Israel, recognition there, the move of the embassy. Those were largely symbolic. This will very much change facts on the ground moving

forward and that perhaps very much the extent.

If you want to get a sense why Israel and why Netanyahu liked this plan so much, I would go as far as to say as love this plan so much, well it

doesn't call on Israel to make any major concessions at all at this point and yet it gives Israel and Netanyahu everything he was asking for up front

without having to go through a negotiations process. Gives him all the territory he was looking for. Even if it does carve up area C in the West

Bank some. It gives him a united Jerusalem.

Yes there are some neighborhoods in the current municipal boundaries of Jerusalem that would be reserved for a Palestinian capital.

[10:15:00]

Which the Trump administration says they could call Al-Quds if they want but those are the outskirts, the outskirts of the outskirts of Jerusalem --

as you pointed out -- separated by physical barrier. We did just got off the phone with the U.S. ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. When it came

to the question of could Israel proceed with annexation right now? He said, the Israeli government is going to do what it's going to do. He says there

will be a U.S./Israel joint committee formed to review and look at how to move forward but it seemed like he wasn't putting any roadblocks in the way

of Israel proceeding with annexation as soon as possible -- even right before an election.

Becky, I'll make one final point. It was before all of this started yesterday, Netanyahu was formally indicted on charges of bribery and fraud

and breach of trust. That, in all of the major papers, was pushed pretty much to the back pages.

ANDERSON: Yes, fascinating. Let's get to the West Bank where Sam is standing by for us. How would you describe, Sam, the response to this plan

there?

SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): I think quite staggering to be honest, Becky. I've been up north of Ramallah and

all the way down into the Jordan Valley, into the city of Jericho. A city of 23,000 people that would remain a Palestinian enclave. If this -- and

it's not really an if, it's when, soon the Jordan Valley is annexed into what the Israelis and the Americans will then describe as legally Israeli

territory, those 23,000 Palestinians will remain separated from any other significant population.

For example, out on the streets, they are talking to fruit sellers and other people in the market. They were very fatalistic. They said they would

continue to fight for their rights. That they would continue to press their leadership, to resist these overtures of the so-called peace deals. But as

Palestinians, they will continue to be Palestinians.

Similarly, right up abutting settlement, Jala settlement, just north of Ramallah where the locals have frequently complained of attacks against

them by settlers in response quite often to stone throwing and so on, a similar attitude. They said there, though, that the assigning of Israeli

sovereignty to these settlements means that their words, that the land theft, that allowed the settlements to be built -- and under the

international -- the interpretation of international law held by the European Union and the United Nations and most of the rest of the world,

the settlements are illegal under international law and therefore built on other people's territory.

They're saying that would cement what they call the theft. But amidst all of this anger, there is a sort of fatalistic attitude that this plan, which

is as bad or worse than they expected doesn't really change a great deal on the ground. Because, of course, it's the Israelis who control the whole of

the Jordan Valley. They control the settlements, obviously, and Palestinians, for example, frequently have to drive on different kinds of

roads from Jewish settlers on the West Bank.

So they are used to the material effects of the divisions on the ground but what they're still trying to process, Becky, is what this means in the

future for their dreams of what they still cling to, a very viable two- state solution with a Palestine that would be economically and politically viable. And that looks like a dream that is over.

ANDERSON: This is fascinating. Sam is in the West Bank as described. Sam, if the Palestinian Authority and its people hope for a coordinated and

unwavering condemnation from other Arab nations on the details of the plan, they don't have it. The UAE ambassador, for example, to the U.S. saying his

country, quote, appreciates the efforts by the Trump administration and that the plan, quote, offers an important starting point for a return to

negotiations with a U.S.-led international framework.

And that statement, that view echoed in the Gulf in Saudi, in Bahrain, in Oman and indeed in Egypt. Look, we have a very different position from

Jordan which, of course, is right in the thick of things in all of this. What was your analysis of how the rest of the Arab world has responded

here?

KILEY: Well, every single Palestinian I spoke to and they've been obviously listening avidly to the radio and watching TV as this whole

process has unfolded, reacted with contempt and dismay to what they believe is being thrown under the bus by the geostrategic or even personal agendas

of particularly the Gulf monarchy.

[10:20:06]

And no great surprises actually when they're talking about Egypt because Egypt has had a very problematic relationship with Gaza. Of course, Egypt

has joined Israel in the blockade, substantial blockade of Gaza where it has a border with Gaza. But when it comes to discussions of the Gulf

monarchy, they are contentious and point out that very few people from the Gulf have ever set foot in any of the -- either the West Bank or Gaza and

wouldn't necessarily appreciate the issues that are in play there.

But they are definitely feeling isolated internationally. Very, very surprised, as you say, by the reaction of the broader Arab world which has

indicated that perhaps there may be some opportunity to use this peace plan for future negotiations. That is absolutely, as far as the Palestinian

leadership and the Palestinian street that I've encountered never are going to be on the table.

ANDERSON: Sam kylie is in the West Bank. Oren is in Jerusalem for you. Back to those guys in the next hour. A little later on in this show, I'm

going to walk you through all the points of this so-called conceptual map of how Trump's vision could reshape the holy land. That is just ahead.

This all happening as the President's impeachment trial enters its next phase on Capitol Hill. I have two numbers for you folks -- 47 and 53. Why

do they matter? That is up next.

And two bodies have been recovered from a U.S. military plane crash in Afghanistan. The cause of the crash is still unknown. Going to get you to

the Pentagon for more on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Four Republicans, that is all it would take to tip the scales of the party lines of the United States Senate and give Democrats the majority

needed to ensure witnesses will be allowed to testify in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump. In just a few hours, that trial moves

to its question and answer phase.

But in a rare moment of uncertainty, CNN learning that Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has submitted to Republicans that he doesn't yet

have the votes to block witness testimony. Well it comes at a critical time in the trial as the President's defense team tries to weather the latest

storm over those revelations by the former national security adviser John Bolton. In a draft manuscript of his new book, Bolton reportedly says that

the President personally told him aid to Ukraine was tied to investigating the Bidens.

[10:25:00]

Here's how Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow responded on Tuesday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY SEKULOW, OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP: You cannot impeach a President on an unsourced allegation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Unsourced, he said, while arguing against calling the actual source John Bolton to testify. Well meanwhile, the American people

overwhelmingly want to hear from witnesses. A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows that 75 percent of them support it. That includes 49

percent of Republicans. The Senate will likely vote on witnesses on Friday.

CNN's Lauren Fox joining us now from Washington. Just describe the atmosphere. Do you feel that the needle is moving in the Democrats' favor

here or at least in favor of a number of Republican Senators voting for witnesses and documents?

LAUREN FOX, CNN CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Well, Becky, I will tell you, there is a legitimate sense that we just don't know at this point. We are

just a couple of days away from that very important vote on whether or not Democrats and Republicans want to actually hear from witnesses. But first,

last night President Trump's team made their closing arguments in the case for the President.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAT CIPOLLONE, WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: And with that, that ends our presentation.

FOX (voice-over): With the conclusion of President Trump's defense team's opening argument, Senate Republicans are engaging in a new fight. Defeating

a vote to bring witnesses into the impeachment trial. Inside the Senate chamber, a warning from the President's outside counsel Jay Sekulow.

SEKULOW: These articles must be rejected. The constitution requires it. Justice demands it.

FOX: Trump's defense team also slamming the allegations from former national security adviser John Bolton's unpublished book manuscript. That

the President told him military assistance to Ukraine was on hold unless they began investigations on former Vice President Joe Biden.

SEKULOW: You cannot impeach a President on an unsourced allegation.

FOX: Tuesday's short session ended with the White House counsel Pat Cipollone playing some of Democratic lawmakers own words from President

Bill Clinton's impeachment saga.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Expect history will show that we've lowered the bar on impeachment so much that it will be used as a routine tool to fight

political battles.

CIPOLLONE: You are right. But I'm sorry to say you were also prophetic.

FOX: And after the sound of the gavel.

JOHN ROBERTS, SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE: We're adjourned.

FOX: Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell meeting privately with members of his caucus. Cautioning that Republicans currently do not have the votes

to block witnesses. A source familiar with the remarks tells CNN. Some Senators who have 2020 races on the line expressing their concern an

extended impeachment could affect them. And many of President Trump's closest allies insisting it's time to move on.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): They just want to drag this on. They are playing a delay game.

FOX: Suggesting nothing Bolton could say would change their minds.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of hysteria about Mr. Bolton's testimony. Frankly, I think his testimony will be redundant.

FOX: Meantime, Senate Democrats are keeping a close eye on four key Republicans. But minority leader Chuck Schumer says there could be more who

want new evidence like Bolton's testimony considered.

SCHUMER: There are 10 to 12 Republicans who have never said a bad word about witnesses or documents, who know in their hearts it's the right thing

to do. But they have to weigh that against the pressure, the twisting of arms that Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell will put on them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FOX: And between now and Friday when we expect this witness vote, Senators will have 16 hours to ask questions, equally divided between Republicans

and Democrats. Now I'm told that over the last couple of days, key allies to the President, including Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows, members of his

defense team have been meeting with conservative Senators to try to craft questions. Their advice to Senators, direct your questions to the

President's defense team rather than trying to grandstand against Adam Schiff - Becky.

ANDERSON: Lauren Fox reporting for you. Former White House chief of staff John Kelly -- remember him, who left the White House under, well, fairly

contentious circumstances in January last year -- says he believes John Bolton's allegations against President Trump, here's what he told a Florida

news station earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KELLY, FORMER WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: You may disagree with his politics or what he wants to do with -- under certain circumstances, but

John is a stand-up guy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[10:30:00]

ANDERSON: Well as you digest all of this, let me get you this to give you a sense of the bottom line here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Here's where I'm at on witnesses. I am ready to make my decision based on the record established in the House. The House

chose not to pursue witnesses that were available to them. I don't want to start a precedent of just doing it half ass in the House and expect the

Senate to fix it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well that's Lindsey Graham, a great friend of the President. Remember though, the U.S. constitution says in Article 1, Section 3, Clause

6, quote, the Senate shall have the power to try all impeachments. So that is their responsibility, not the House's. Bottom line for you.

Still ahead, the Iran missile attack on a base in Iraq was far more damaging than initial reports suggested. We're going to talk to our

resident brain surgeon up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things, but I would say, and I can report,

it is not very serious.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So you don't consider potential traumatic brain injury serious?

TRUMP: They told me about it numerous days later. You have to ask the Department of Defense. No, I don't consider them very serious injuries

relative to other injuries that I've seen.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON: Well, U.S. President Donald Trump speaking last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos downplaying the severity of the injuries of

U.S. soldiers in Iraq after an Iranian missile strike earlier this month.

Well, one veterans group in the U.S. is now demanding that the President apologize for what it calls his misguided remarks. Meanwhile, we are now

learning that 50 U.S. service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries after that missile attack. That number has gone up three

times. Just late last week, the Pentagon said 34 cases had been diagnosed.

Joining us is CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr and to break down what a traumatic brain injury is. I also want to bring in chief medical

correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Stand by, Sanjay. Barbara, firstly, why the confusion about the injuries that these soldiers sustained and indeed the

number of those affected?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it's important to just unpack the numbers for a minute. The attack happened on January 8th.

Within the first few days, they have something like 11 cases of troops reporting symptoms. But these symptoms continue to emerge over time. That's

something Sanjay can discuss better than I.

[10:36:00]

But it's just a fact, symptoms emerge over time. And so, by the end of last week, they had 34 diagnosed cases, and then another 16 in the last several

days. That is what brings us up to 50. This emergence of cases over time. The good news is more than half have been able to return to duty, but all

in all, they monitored about 200 people that were in the immediate blast zone of these ballistic missile attacks by Iran.

And you have to remember, these were massive missiles, huge explosive power. It set off a blast wave across the compound and that is what has

resulted in the brain injuries. They're not really sure even at this point if this is it, if everybody who is going to have symptoms has already

reported them. They're still monitoring people and more cases still could emerge -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Yes, Sanjay, do tell us more about this sort of injury that we're talking about here.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: First of all, I mean, as Barbara mentioned, the symptoms from something like this can happen

days, even weeks later. And people describe these types of injuries as the invisible wounds of war. And as a result, sometimes they get minimized. As

you watch this video there on the screen, think about this blast, as Barbara was describing, a very powerful one, subsequently causing, within

microseconds, many different sort of forces on the brain. And that's what can cause these symptoms.

People oftentimes may not recognize that they have the symptoms themselves, which is why the screening in the days and weeks after may uncover

something that maybe even the individual did not recognize such as these are some of the post concussive symptoms. But there's other symptoms,

blurriness of vision, numbness, persistent headaches, whatever it might be that then warrants further evaluation.

Sometimes that evaluation needs to be done elsewhere. Patients had gone to Germany. Some had gone to Kuwait City. But that is typically how it

unfolds. 10 percent to 15 percent, Becky, I will say, have sort of persistent symptoms. These post concussive symptoms. The majority will

recover and return to active duty. But for those 10 to 15 percent it could be quite significant, certainly not to be minimized.

ANDERSON: Fascinating. Sanjay, thank you. Barbara, just while I've got you, I just want to side step to a different story just for a moment. Two

bodies have been recovered from a U.S. military plane that crashed in Afghanistan Ghazni province on Monday. What more do we know about the

details of that crash?

STARR: Well, it is under investigation and because of that, the Pentagon wouldn't saying much. They did recover the two crew members. We know, of

course, those remains will be returned to their families as soon as possible. We don't have the full identity yet of who those two crew members

were. You can see from the pictures there was snow on the ground. The weather was perhaps very typical of winters in the remote mountain regions

of Afghanistan. It's tough flying weather. So there will have to be a full investigation to see what brought it down. But they have said on a

preliminary basis, they do not believe at this point it was enemy fire -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you for that.

After years of delays, votes and of heated debates, Brexit is almost a done deal. In just hours, the European Union will hold a special session in

Brussels to formally approve the -- what's known as Withdrawal Bill. And that will finally see the United Kingdom exit the EU.

Lawmakers will then hold a party to bid farewell to their 73 departing British colleagues, including the Brexit party's Nigel Farage. Love to be a

fly on the wall at that party. Wouldn't you? The official Brexit date, of course, is January the 31st, which is Friday.

Well as Britain gets ready to leave the EU, another top seed drops out of the Australian Open. We'll get you a look at who and what it all came down

to -- up next.

[10:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Well you had a tournament pact with thrilling matches and indeed moments you can chalk up one more today. Men's number one seed Rafael Nadal

sent packing in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open by fifth seed Dominic Thiem. Well he watch Federer's match in the quarterfinals which was

a thriller in and of itself. This quite something. CNN's Amanda Davies is in the House from London for you.

AMANDA DAVIES, CNN WORLD SPORT: Yes, Becky, this really was one of those matches where everybody in the office was sat glued to their televisions.

Oohs and ahs and screeches. It was brilliant. Thiem had never beaten Nadal at a grand slam, but he did set out as a man on a mission. He did nearly

come undone, but he's booked his place in the Australian Open semifinals for the first time. And the wait goes on for Nadal for that Federer

equaling 20th grand slam. That's what we'll be talking about in "WORLD SPORT" in a couple of minutes -- Becky.

ANDERSON: Do not write him off. He'll get there eventually. Amanda, thank you, Amanda up "WORLD SPORT" after this short break, folks. Stay with us.

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[10:45:00]

(WORLD SPORT)

[10:56:04]

DAVIES: -- so we'll continue to follow the outpouring of emotion and grief over the next couple of days. The L.A. Lakers due to take to the court for

the first time since Sunday's helicopter crash on Friday night now against the Trail Blazers. Becky, back to you.

ANDERSON: Yes, and you can only imagine how emotional that is going to be. Amanda, thank you.

We're going to keep connecting your world as we fan out across the holy land after Trump's vision for peace in the Middle East.

Then a plane lands with American evacuees from China. And the U.N.'s woman in Baghdad tells me why she's been down on the streets with protesters. All

that coming up.

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ANDERSON: This hour we are covering three big story for you with the U.S. President's vision for Middle East peace the center point.

[11:00:00]

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