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Police: Multiple Fatalities after Car Runs Through Parade; IOC: Peng Shuai Says She's Safe and Well in China; Two of 17 Kidnapped Missionaries Released; Far-Right Kast to Face Leftist Boric in Runoff; Sudan's Military Reinstates the Prime Minister a Month after a Coup; Fauci: Fully Vaccinated Can Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely; Manhunt in Atlanta after Gunshot Sparks Panic; Chilly Temps, Snow & Storms Await Many Travelers; Nearly 1/5 of World's Sequoias Lost to California Wildfires. Aired 12-1a ET

Aired November 22, 2021 - 00:00   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

[00:00:21]

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: And welcome to our viewers here in the United States and all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes. Appreciate your company.

We begin with breaking news. Police say several people are dead and more than 20 injured, including children, after a vehicle plowed through a Christmas parade. This is in Waukesha in Wash [SIC] -- Wisconsin, rather, on Sunday. They say one person is in custody and that there's no active threat to the community.

A warning: some of the videos from the scene are just disturbing. One woman caught the moment the vehicle ran down members of a marching band.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no!

(SCREAMING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: We're not showing you the moment of impact here. It is unknown right now whether this has been considered an act of terrorism, but we're told the White House and FBI are monitoring the situation. And the incident has drawn swift reactions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Now, police say that an officer did fire his weapon at the vehicle, in order to try to stop it as it was heading away. But no one was injured by that gunshot.

CNN's Natasha Chen is on the scene with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The police chief, mayor and fire chief would not answer any questions at the very latest update of the evening. But earlier Sunday night, they did confirm a few key points, including the fact that more than 20 people were injured, including children.

They would not say how many people exactly had been killed. The police chief said that they are still working on informing next of kin, and many people are still being treated in area hospitals.

The police chief did say that initially, about a dozen children and a dozen adults were taken to about six hospitals in the area, with more people who had been taken to hospitals in private vehicles.

They also said that there -- they do not believe there were actually shots fired from the suspect vehicle. Law enforcement on the scene actually fired at the vehicle in attempts to stop it. So initial reports from witnesses that they heard gunfire may have actually been the police discharging their weapon.

Another point is that they do have a person of interest in custody, and they have located the suspect vehicle, as well.

This was incredibly devastating and shocking for the witnesses and the families that were there who were trying to have a good time at this Christmas parade.

I did speak to one woman who lives in a nearby apartment complex. She had stepped out onto her balcony to see this parade and saw this vehicle just plow through people, running over a marching band.

So a very devastating night for this community in the middle of what was supposed to be a festive, happy event, turning into tragedy.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Our thanks to Natasha Chen.

Now earlier, CNN spoke with a man who witnessed the terrifying scene unfold. He had just finished marching in the parade and was circling back to watch it for himself when he spotted the speeding SUV. And he described what happened next to CNN's Pamela Brown.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELITO TENORIO, EYEWITNESS/MARCHED IN PARADE: I saw an SUV speeding along the parade route. And then all of a sudden, heard a loud bang, and then I heard deafening cries, screams from people in attendance, people marching in the parade. Folks start running around from the scene, and folks were -- left their belongings behind, holding onto their kids, running away from Main Street, where the parade was. And then, when the cloud cleared out, it looked like that there were people on the ground who -- who were struck by the vehicle. PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR/CORRESPONDENT: The ones that were on the

ground, those that you did see, were they -- were they were young? Could you tell? I know there are a lot of young people in this parade.

TENORIO: It -- it was hard to tell, but it did look like there were -- there were small children who were lying on the ground. I just saw -- saw bodies lying, almost lifeless, on the ground. So it was really hard to tell. And there was so much happening all at one time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Now, I want to bring in a local reporter who was sent to the scene shortly after it this tragedy occurred. Joining me by phone is Drake Bentley, with "The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel."

First of all, you got there pretty soon after this happened. Just describe what you saw.

DRAKE BENTLEY, REPORTER, "MILWAUKEE JOURNAL-SENTINEL" (via phone): Don, on my way there from Milwaukee -- Milwaukee is the major city right next to Waukesha -- you could see ambulances flying down the interstate and to the opposite direction towards the hospital.

[00:05:13]

When I arrived on the scene, it was pretty quiet. The police officers did a pretty good job of breaking up the group, of getting people out of the area so they could look at the crime scene.

Still, a lot of red lights around everywhere. Ambulances, and fire engines coming from every direction.

I arrived at city hall, where the mayor arrived. He didn't take comments. And then from there, we were shuffled into the fire department, waiting for instructions from the police department.

HOLMES: Did people that you spoke to, did they have any sense of why this happened? I mean, there must be so much confusion about the why, along with the obvious grief, I imagine.

BENTLEY: No. We don't have any indication of a motive. You know, this area of the country, this area of the state, has really been amplified lately. We've been on the news for some bad things. Some good things and some bad things.

And you know, we just had the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse that just wrapped up that made the national news. And now this following it. And -- and emotions are at an all-time high, and people just don't really know where to turn.

HOLMES: Yes. Absolutely. That's a very good point. And it's remarkable to see how quickly people -- you know, parade participants, as well as those watching, how quickly they reacted to help the injured.

Tell us about Waukesha. What kind of place is it? BENTLEY: So Waukesha is -- it's a suburb of -- it's in its own county,

but it's a suburb of Milwaukee, pretty much. It's a -- what we like to say in the states, a ruby-red district. It's very, very much conservative. Very much Republican, very much Donald Trump. And it's -- it's a big difference from a city like in Milwaukee.

But the people are lovely. I mean, when you go into a Waukesha business or you go into a Waukesha home, you're treated like you're a member of the family.

And you know, the people that attended this parade were probably locals that were, you know, very loyal to the city of Waukesha, and, you know, it turned into a very tragic event.

HOLMES: What do we know about where the investigation stands at the moment? I don't think there's going to be any more updates this evening.

BENTLEY: It doesn't look like they're going to share any more information this evening. We don't know any details about the fatalities.

We do know that at least 11 adults and 12 children were taken to hospitals. The local children's hospital aid that they received 15 patients and nobody died. So that's -- that's good news to hear. But we don't have any details on the fatalities yet.

HOLMES: All right, there. Drake Bentley, with the "Journal-Sentinel." Really appreciate you taking the time. Thank you so much.

BENTLEY: Yes, have a good one.

HOLMES: All right. Quick break here. When we come back, on CNN NEWSROOM, after days of concern over the safety and whereabouts of the tennis star, Peng Shuai. The International Olympic Committee says she told them she's safe and well in China. But critics are still skeptical. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: The International Olympic Committee says Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai insists that she is safe and well at her home in Beijing. The IOC says its president held a 30-minute video call Sunday with Peng, who hasn't been seen publicly since accusing a former top Chinese official of sexual assault earlier this month.

Many in the tennis community have expressed concern about her wellbeing. The IOC did not give CNN access to the video call.

For more on all of this, let's bring in CNN's Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. And Kristie, you've been following this all along.

It seems significant that this video chat was with the IOC and not the WTA, or someone close to her. It seems a point, the Chinese leadership, worried about Olympic blowback. What's your read? KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is very

significant. Because we know that Beijing and the IOC have a very close relationship. And concern about Peng Shuai has been casting a shadow over the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games, now just two and a half months away.

And you have talks by governments about weighing a possible diplomatic boycott. The Olympic host and the IOC, they needed to address this.

And the IOC came up with this very highly choreographed and stage- managed response. According to the IOC, there was a video chat that took place on Sunday between the IOC president, Thomas Bach, and Peng Shuai.

In this three-minute video, Peng says that she is safe and well, that she's living at home in Beijing, that she wants her privacy to be respected.

We also learned that there were two other individuals who were part of this video chat, including a Chinese sports official.

IOC did not give video of the video chat to CNN. All we have is a statement and that still photo you saw just then of Peng Shuai, smiling to the camera.

Look, it was just almost three weeks ago when Peng Shuai made that explosive accusation, accusing a very powerful man, a former vice premier of China, of sexually assaulting her. She made that accusation on her Sina Weibo post. Within 30 minutes, it was taken down. She's been under blanket censorship since then.

There was no discussion about those allegations on social media or state-run media in China. There has been a tremendous international outcry, as a result. And the hashtag #WhereIsPengShuai?

And then over the weekend, seemingly in response to that hashtag, there was a series of clips and photographs that were released by individuals linked to Chinese state-run media, showing Peng Shuai out and about, and active in China.

The Women's Tennis Association says that is, quote, "insufficient." They have also issued a new statement. Let's bring up the statement for you from the Women's Tennis Association.

And in it, they say, "It was good to see Peng Shuai in recent videos, but they don't alleviate or address the WTA's concern about her wellbeing and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion. This video does not change our call for a full, fair, and transparent investigation, without censorship, into her allegation of sexual assault, which is the issue that gave rise to our initial concern," unquote.

[00:15:19]

And Michael, news about the IOC's video call with Peng Shuai, that does not ease concerns. In fact, it has raised a new question. It's not about where is Peng Shuai anymore. It's about how truly free is Peng Shuai, Michael.

HOLMES: Yes. You raise a number of good points there. I mean, first up, what, if anything, will the Chinese people know about this case? I mean, as you've said, those -- those first videos were posted on Twitter which, notably, is banned in China. Hashtags have been scrubbed, and so on.

The regime clearly wants to keep all of this from the Chinese public.

STOUT: That's right. And thanks to something called the Great Fire Wall in China and the very effective Internet censorship regime is in place.

But even the Great Fire Wall in China has cracks. People can use VPN's to get information from the outside world. They can use private messaging to share that information. And that was reflected when a couple of days ago, a number of people flocked to Naomi Osaka's Weibo account to thank her for her campaigning that was only posted outside China, in support of Peng Shuai.

But not only that, people inside China have immense interest in Peng Shuai. She is a national hero. She's a sporting icon who brought home two incredible victories from Wimbledon and from the French Open.

And China is going through its own #MeToo movement. A number of young people in China, especially women, have had enough with sexist behavior, had enough with sexist abuse of power, and they feel personally invested in the fate of Peng Shuai, Michael.

HOLMES: All right. Kristie, thanks so much for that. Kristie Lu Stout there in Hong Kong.

Now to New York, where a small rally was held Sunday to show support for the Chinese tennis star. Some protesters holding signs that read, "Free Peng Shuai" and "Let Her Speak."

Organizers told CNN that Peng should be given a chance to talk freely about her situation without government intervention, coercion, or censorship.

Well, it's being described as an unspeakable tragedy in Wisconsin. A driver plowing a vehicle through a Christmas parade, leaving many injured and some dead. We'll have the latest details for you coming up.

Also, two kidnapped missionaries in Haiti have been released. The latest, plus White House reaction, after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:21:27]

HOLMES: And welcome back to our viewers in the United States and all around the world. I'm Michael Holmes. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM.

And we want to update the breaking news out of Wisconsin. Police say there are some fatalities after a vehicle plowed through a crowd during a holiday parade. An exact number has not been released, but we do know more than 20 people, including children, were injured in Waukesha on Sunday.

The police chief says the suspect's vehicle was recovered, and a person of interest is now in custody. He said it's still unknown if it was an act of terrorism. They're still looking into all aspects, obviously.

The city has released this map of the parade route, where members of the community had gathered to take part.

CNN's Natasha Chen has been on the scene in Waukesha. And she spoke earlier to a woman who watched the horrific incident unfold. Have a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHEN: You actually live in the apartment complex where the window overlooks the parade. And you saw this happen. Tell me about that moment you stepped out on their balcony to watch the parade.

ANGELA O'BOYLE, WITNESS: Well, I was watching it for my kids to say, I wish you were here. And then the next thing I heard was screams and turned my head and saw the car come, and plow into the band that was just past my balcony at that point.

It hit at least two people right away, rolled over both of them, and then continued down the road to People's Park, which is at the end of the block, and then kept going. It didn't stop. And like, he did not stop at all, or she, whoever it was. But they kept going.

CHEN: This is, obviously really, really horrible to see. What was going through your mind when you heard the screams, you saw the car? What did you see was happening?

O'BOYLE: Worried for the parents and the kids. I couldn't imagine mine being down there, myself, or anybody else that I knew. It was not something I wanted to see. And the people who have watched the video I took are also shaking and just can't believe it. So, a little freaked out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Joining me now from Cambridge, Massachusetts, is CNN senior national security analyst, Juliette Kayyem.

Good to have you on, Juliette. In situations like this, when it comes to why it happened, it's more what they don't know than we do know.

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Yes.

HOLMES: What, though, is your read on what you know so far?

KAYYEM: The police department feels pretty confident saying that this is an isolated incident. And that, to me, is the most important thing at this stage.

Because we're heading into the holiday season, the big travel days. People are finally back together. This was the first Kenosha [SIC] parade since -- I'm sorry, Waukesha parade since -- since COVID began. And so people were out and about.

So you want to make sure that there's no systemic, pervasive king of attack, or unrest. And I think that that's been sort of put to rest. So -- that is the good news out of this.

HOLMES: And you know, one odd aspect of this is, of course, that horrific video of the car plowing through people. But there's another video of the car avoiding people --

KAYYEM: Yes.

HOLMES: -- driving by, not targeting at all. What do you make of that?

KAYYEM: Yes. So that's why I got on early, and you know, people get mad at me, because I don't speculate. But I got on early and said, Look, here -- from the perspective of someone who's seen a lot of these, right? And I help plan major events. Right? So either sporting events, or whatever, for security reasons.

So a couple things stood out to me, and that's why we have to await judgment. I don't know if they hold.

One is that the car looked damaged before it entered the -- the parade area. So you wonder, was something else going on beforehand?

The second is, of course, that there does appear to be periods where the driver is swerving away from groups. It doesn't mean he missed them all but that he does appear to try to avoid them.

We don't know what it means at this stage. But, for someone like me, that cuts against the, Oh my God, this is terrorism, or, oh my God, this is some racial response, or whatever it is that we're dealing with in the United States right now.

HOLMES: Yes. Yes, great point.

As you mentioned, though, this time of year, there had been deliberate car attacks all around the world.

KAYYEM: Yes.

HOLMES: The Christmas markets in Spain, New York, elsewhere. There's been a number of them. I suppose law enforcement has to bear that in mind. But the jumping to conclusions as dangerous, as well.

KAYYEM: I think yes, absolutely. And I think there's something to learn out of these. Because remember, there was an incident here in the United States that ended up being an elderly man in New York.

And so -- so, I think where we have to get trained better at is to have police information come out faster. You were probably watching today, but you know, they kept postponing this press conference. That lets lots of rumors feed. At some stage, they knew that they had a person of interest and that it was unlikely to be terrorism. Even if they don't know what the reason is.

And one of the things that law enforcement needs to be trained for in the era of social media is being more comfortable saying, Look, we don't believe it's terrorism. Take that off the table. And we have the person in custody, or we have a person of -- of interest.

That took several hours, and in those hours, those communities upset, but also, things get -- things get activated, for better or for worse, and we have to recognize that.

HOLMES: Yes. We often say, after you know, incidents of various kinds, we can't let this happen again. But really, it's impossible to -- to fully prevent something like this happening. They're such a low tech and so on.

KAYYEM: Right. That's absolutely right. And -- and people like me, who started in the world of counter-terrorism and prevention, really, for the reasons that you say, have shifted our thinking about well, how can we be better prepared at that moment of impact? Right? So we can minimize losses, get communities back up and running, and thinking about, what we call, right of boom. Right? After, I think.

Because there's no way you could have societies like ours. People want to get together. They want to go to sporting events. They want to go to parades. It's the holidays. It's been a pandemic. People want to be together. We want them to be together safely and vaccinated.

There's no way that you're going to get the threat down to zero. So what we have to do is also anticipate, as you said, sort of, a world in which this may be recurring.

But their success is measured if less harm is done. And that is, unfortunately, in an age of all sorts of mayhem, whether natural or man-made. That is what we're going to have to think about.

So from that perspective, this is an incident that is tragic, but it could have been so much worse.

HOLMES: Yes. Yes, good point. And so real quick, what is the procedure for law enforcement? Their priorities, at the moment, when something like this happens.

KAYYEM: Well, so right now, they have the person in custody, so whether that's the owner of the car, the person who was driving it, or someone who knows who that it is, that information will likely come out. And now, if it's not the driver of the car, there will be a search for the driver of the car. So that's going on.

I think it's noticeable that the FBI has not gotten involved with this case. In most cases that are suspected terrorism, they would have by this stage. So that's also good news, in the sense that maybe we don't -- it doesn't seem like we have a terror threat right now. And then, every mayor and police chief will assess their parade and

holiday planning to ensure that there are protocols for a rampaged vehicle, whether it's purposeful or an accident.

HOLMES: Yes, that's a good point. Yes, there will be a lot of revision going on.

Juliette, thank you so much.

KAYYEM: Yes.

HOLMES: Juliette Kayyem, appreciate it.

KAYYEM: Thank you so much.

HOLMES: Now, two of the 17 missionaries kidnapped in Haiti last month have been freed. The White House issuing a statement that they welcome reports of their release.

Matt Rivers has been following the story from the beginning and has the latest for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it had been several weeks since we received any substantive updates on the status of 17 missionaries who were in Haiti when they were kidnapped back on October 16th by gang members, according to Haitian security forces, the gang being a gang called 400 Mawozo.

They kidnapped these 17 missionaries just outside of Port-au-Prince, while this group was on a missionary trip.

But the group that they were there working for, Christian Aid Ministries, they released a statement on Sunday, later in the day, saying that two of the 17 missionaries that had been kidnapped have now been released.

They really didn't give too much more information. Part of the statement, they said, quote, the two people that we released "are safe, in good spirits, and being cared for. We cannot provide or confirm the names of those released, the reasons for their release, where they are from, or their current location."

[00:30:05]

They went on to say that "Our hearts are with the 15 people who are still being held at this time."

So basically, confirming that two of the 17 missionaries that were kidnapped have now been released. A source in Haiti security forces did confirm to CNN that those two hostages have been released.

The White House issued a statement, basically saying that they welcome these reports of the hostages being released. They don't have further comment at this time, according to a White House spokesperson. But this is a big development in this case, and certainly one that is

quite welcome at this time, after so many weeks of not hearing anything. You can imagine how thrilled the loved ones of these two people who were released must feel.

But of course, the focus also remains on the 15 missionaries that remain, basically, as hostages in Haiti at this time. You know, as they're continuing to be held by that gang.

Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Austria has gone back to a nationwide partial lockdown to fight rising cases of COVID-19. And starting in February, it will require that its citizens get vaccinated.

An estimated 40,000 people gathered in Vienna on Saturday in the biggest COVID-related protest to date.

Elsewhere in Europe, protests turned violence, police in Brussels using water cannon and tear gas, and arrested dozens of people at a massive demonstration against tough new restrictions.

Belgium is back to a rate of virus transmission that it has not seen since last year.

And in the Netherlands, rioting broke out in the Hague and other cities over the weekend, police arresting 19 people. The scene very different in Amsterdam, where thousands of protesters attended a largely peaceful march.

Chile's presidential election moves through a second round. Coming up, the two frontrunners in polarizing results. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:35:49]

HOLMES: Chile is headed for a runoff next month in its presidential election, and the top two candidates are polar opposites politically. Hard-right former congressman, Jose Antonio Kast, will face leftist lawmaker and former protest leader, Gabriel Boric, in a December 19 runoff. Rafael Romo with the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Polls had shown it for weeks, and now it's confirmed. Two candidates, polar opposites in a crowded field of seven, will advance to a runoff in Chile's presidential election.

Jose Antonio Kast, the candidate from the hard right, came out ahead in Sunday's election, with about 28 percent of the vote but less than 50 percent needed to avoid a runoff.

In his government plan, the 55-year-old attorney speaks about liberty, order, the rule of law, private property and a free market economy.

He's been compared to leaders like former U.S. president, Donald Trump, and Brazil's current president, Jair Bolsonaro.

Kast has proposed building a three-meter ditch at strategic points of Chile's northern border to stop the flow of immigrants from countries like Bolivia.

Gabriel Boric, a leftist former student leader, who's 35 years old, came in second with about 25 percent of the vote. He supports abortion rights, champions a welfare state model, and leads a coalition that includes Chile's Communist Party.

The elections happened two years after massive protests and riots that left at least 30 dead and hundreds injured. Protesters were demanding better government programs and an end to inequality.

As a result of the protests, a convention was called to rewrite the constitution, a process that is ongoing.

Kast and Boric will face off again on December 19 when the presidential election's second round will be held. The winner will replace current president, Sebastian Pinera, a conservative whose for four-year term ends in March.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: At least one person was shot and killed at a polling station during Venezuela's election on Sunday. The motive unknown at the moment.

Election officials say preliminary results show Nicolas Maduro's Socialist Party winning the capital district and all but three of 23 states. Turnout, less than 42 percent.

The vote marking the return, though, of opposition politicians who have boycotted elections since 2018.

Nearly one month since a military takeover in Sudan, the country's military chief has reinstated Abdalla Hamdok as prime minister, after the two men reached a political agreement. But the deal is being met with resistance. CNN's Larry Madowo with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY MADOWO, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A deal is signed. Sudan's military has reinstated the country's prime minister. And it says, it will release all political detainees. Movement to try to piece together a country torn apart by a coup nearly one month ago.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok appeared in the ceremony, with the man who led the coup that removed him from office, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Flanked by military personnel, Hamdok displayed the agreement that

once again puts him in charge over civilian government of technocrats for a transitional period.

But the agreement inked here was not enough to dispel yet another mass protest in Khartoum, where demonstrators gathered to reject the deal with the army.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): We can hear the sound of tear gas and bullets, so we will continue resisting, and we won't settle down until all militia groups are dissolved, and until we completely exclude the military from the political process.

MADOWO: Violent protests have rocked the capital, since the military declared a state of emergency four weeks ago, dissolved the civilian government, and put Hamdok under house arrest.

The takeover scuttled a power-sharing result is the civilian government and put Hamdok in house arrest. The agreement between the military formed after former president Omar al-Bashir was ousted in 2019. The transitional government was supposed to lead to elections in 2023.

That became a rallying cry for protesters, who for weeks have been gathering in the capital and around the country, demanding the militaries step aside, and put the country back on the path of civilian rule.

[00:40:05]

A medical group says dozens of civilians have died in violent crackdowns on the crowd. Some protesters now turning against the prime minister, saying he sold them out by accepting the new deal. Hamdok says he did it to stop the bloodshed.

ABDALLA HAMDOK, SUDANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Sudanese blood is precious. Let us stop the bloodshed and direct the youths' (ph) energy into construction and development.

MADOWO: The military says the deal would be inclusive, except for Bashir's former ruling party.

ABDEL FATTAH AL-BURHAN, SUDAN'S ARMY CHIEF (through translator): We are proud today that by signing this political decree, we are able to create a real foundation for our transitional period, like we envisioned it, and like the Sudanese people wanted it.

MADOWO: But the civilian coalition that shared power with the military before the coup says it does not recognize the agreement. Some people questioning, is the deal doesn't satisfy protesters, and those working toward democracy that may only be paper thin?

Larry Madowo, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: For our international viewers, thanks for spending part of your day with me. I'm Michael Holmes. WORLD SPORTS is coming up for you. For everyone else, I'll be back with more news in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[00:45:26]

HOLMES: Welcome back. Our top story this hour, police in Wisconsin say there are some fatalities after more than 20 people, including children, were hit by a vehicle that plowed into a crowd attending a Christmas parade in the town of Waukesha.

This is video of the aftermath that shows people being treated at the scene.

Police say they have a person of interest in custody, and there is no active threat to the community. It's not clear yet whether the incident was an act of terrorism. It's thought not at the moment. We'll have much more on this story at the top of the hour.

COVID cases on the rise in the U.S., and experts warn a combination of holiday gatherings and colder weather driving people indoors could lead to a further surge.

Here's where things stand right now. The U.S. averaging more than 92,000 new cases a day. That is a significant jump from where we were two weeks ago.

But experts say it is not too late to blunt the surge, especially with vaccine boosters now available for all adults. Here's Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Let's make it clear. You know, when there's lack of clarity, people get confused. They're not sure what to do. If you are 18 or older and you've been vaccinated, fully vaccinated with the Moderna or the Pfizer mRNA six months or more ago, get a booster. If it's J&J and it's two months ago or more, get a boost. I don't think we should get hung up on "should," "may." Just go out and get boosted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Around 59 percent of the U.S. population is now fully vaccinated. And more than 35 million Americans have received a booster shot. Not enough, according to many medical experts.

Meanwhile, Mr. Fauci did have some good news for fully vaccinated Americans who want to celebrate the holidays with family. He says it should be safe to gather with loved ones, as long as everyone has been vaccinated. CNN's Polo Sandoval with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Over the weekend, we heard from multiple health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci. And he says, bottom line, if you're vaccinated and if your family is vaccinated, then it is OK and safe to gather around the Thanksgiving table later this week without a mask.

Now that being said, Dr. Fauci also added that if you aren't sure of somebody's vaccination status, or if you'll be traveling, then it certainly makes sense to hold onto that mask, at least for now.

Now, regarding the rise, noticeable rise in new COVID cases throughout parts of the country, Dr. Fauci told CNN's Dana Bash this weekend it is certainly to be expected, as we near those winter months and also as we enter what's -- hard to believe -- going to be the second pandemic holiday season for Americans here. And that the best way to try to keep those numbers down is to have people who haven't received their COVID-19 vaccine to actually get it.

And if they did, then the big recommendation is to actually get boosted. Remember, as of this past Friday, the CDC and the FDA in the United States have approved boosters for all adults who have received Moderna and Pfizer shots six months ago or longer. Two months or longer if they received Johnson & Johnson shots.

Polo Sandoval, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Well, authorities are searching for the man accused of trying to bring a gun through security at Atlanta Airport and accidently fired it off.

Have a look at the scene on Saturday after the sound of the gunshot sent travelers scrambling for safety or hitting the deck.

Police say 42-year-old Kenny Wells mistakenly fired the weapon when he lunged for it inside his bag at a TSA checkpoint. The convicted felon then reportedly fled into the chaos with gun in hand. CNN's Nadia Romero with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NADIA ROMERO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the manhunt continues for 42- year-old Kenny Wells. Police say he is the passenger that came in through the TSA checkpoint here at Atlanta's airport, and had a firearm and accidently discharged that firearm.

And then he was able to run away. He was able to flee during all the chaos and the confusion that ensued. And so they're still looking for him with multiple arrest warrants out for 42-year-old Kenny wells.

Now, this happened at the busiest airport in our country here at Hartsfield-Jackson International during what was a busy weekend as many holiday travelers were trying to get to their families and friends ahead of the U.S. holiday of Thanksgiving. So this was a time when many people were already in the airport, and

then a scare happened. And then we saw the domino effect of a ground stop, temporarily stopping planes from taking off or landing. Hours, people were waiting inside of the airport, trying to make their way out.

[00:50:04]

But we do know that there were more security measures this Thanksgiving compared to last year, because of more security cameras.

Now, an airport spokesperson tells us they installed more than 300 new cameras here at the airport back in January, bringing that total up to more than 3,000, and they were able to use those cameras to see exactly what happened in this particular incident on Saturday afternoon.

Those cameras are being monitored 24/ 7 by the TSA and by the airport emergency operations, but the manhunt still continues for 42-year-old Kenny Wells.

Nadia Romero, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: This week, Thanksgiving travel in the United States is expected to look much like it did pre-pandemic, and millions of travelers could be faced with significant storms, snowy weather, and some wild temperature swings.

Meteorologist Tyler Maudlin joins me now to talk about it. Yes, sounds like a typical Thanksgiving. What are you seeing, Tyler?

TYLER MAUDLIN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Michael.

So the holiday travel is back, and so is the dicey weather. We've got rain stretching from Texas all the way up into Maine. And then we have a mixed bag up here in Quebec.

This is a cold front. That cold front is going to push to the east, and as it does so, sure, the rain is going to pull out on Monday and Tuesday, and we dry. But the temperatures are going to plummet across the eastern third of the country. And the winds are going to pick up, too.

We could see the temperatures fall as low as, let's say, 36 degrees up here around the Great Lakes. Cleveland, 36, Chicago 36; Atlanta, 60 degrees, and New York, 50. That is on your Monday.

And notice that the winds will pick up. We could see gusts up to 30 miles per hour off the Great Lakes, with the cold air and this vetch (ph) coming off of the Great Lakes. We will see lake effect snow in this area.

And then, across the Northeast, we're going to see our winds on Tuesday pick up to 30 to possibly 40 miles per hour. That's the wind gusts. Sustained, probably about 10 to 15 miles per hour.

In terms of the rainfall, we're not looking at tremendous accumulations across the East Coast. We could see roughly one inch or so. And then you'll notice, too, that we could see about two inches, possibly four inches right off the Great Lakes in terms of the snow.

Big snows, though, out West through Wednesday across the Rockies. This is system No. 2. So not only we're dealing with one system; we're actually dealing with two systems.

And this system is going to push to the east on Wednesday, the busiest travel day of the year. And then, come Thanksgiving, we're looking at a wet Thanksgiving across Houston, all the way through St. Louis and Chicago. And that continues to push east. And it's going to impact the East Coast once we get to Friday.

So Michael, we're looking at multiple storm systems impacting us before Thanksgiving and after Thanksgiving.

HOLMES: Fun. Tyler, thanks so much. Good to see you, my friend. We'll check in with you again. Thanks.

Now a look at one of the devastating consequences of extreme weather brought on by climate change. Experts say at least a fifth of California's majestic sequoia trees have been lost to wildfires in just the past few years.

CNN's Stephanie Elam speaks to officials there about the damage and what's being done to prevent it in the future.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We're on a hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains, but this is a tour of sequoia destruction.

CHRISTY BRIGHAM, CHIEF OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE, SEQUOIA & KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS: I'm not happy about 2,000 to 3,000 more dead large sequoias. It's a big number to me.

ELAM: That's 3 to 5 percent of the remaining monarch sequoias in the world, according to a preliminary report by the National Park Service, killed in the KMP Complex Fire that churned through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the Windy Fire further south.

And that big number is on top of an even larger loss of mature sequoias last year in the Castle Fire. Part of the sequoia complex, that wildfire eviscerating 10 to 14 percent of the world's giant sequoia population.

Brigham says this means in just the last two years, up to a fifth of mature sequoias, trees that have stood for at least 1,000 years, if not more, have been lost to wildfire.

BRIGHAM: That's not sustainable. That is not getting wildfire and climate change resilient for us. ELAM: It's a conflux of concerns these scientists never thought they

would see. The threat made worse by another year of drought, leaving the sequoias dry and vulnerable.

GARRETT DICKMAN, BOTANIST, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK: That means its water source has been there for over 2,000 years. That that water's not there means that the climate, and the world around it, has changed.

ELAM: But lessons learned last year helped save some sequoia this year.

BRIGHAM: Before the Castle Fire, we had never seen losses of large trees like we had in that fire: 7,500 to 10,600 large sequoias lost in a single fire event, and that really changed what we decided we were willing to do to protect trees if we could.

[00:55:00]

ELAM: And what they were willing to do called for innovation in the face of fire. From literally throwing what they could at the threat, like sprinkler systems that sprayed trees 35 to 40 feet in the air, and dropping fire retardant gel from aircraft into hard-to-reach groves, to extreme tree hugging, swaddling some of the world's largest trees, like General Sherman and General Grant, in structure wrap.

BRIGHAM: We had hand crews going in and doing this kind of raking and fuel removal around individual trees in groves. We did back-firing operations to change fire behavior.

ELAM: But the loss of any sequoia, such rare and majestic beauties, is one too many to lose.

BRIGHAM: It is dead. That tree is dead. It is not coming back. This tree that is, at a minimum, 1,000 years old and has survived many, many, many previous fires and should have lived another 1,000 to 2,000 years, is dead, is gone.

ELAM: Stephanie Elam, CNN, the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Some good news in the golf world: Tiger Woods getting back in the swing of things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(TIGER WOODS HITTING A GOLF BALL)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: The golfing legend captioned that short video "making progress." It's the first video Woods has posted of himself golfing since his car rolled over in February, leaving the champion with serious leg injuries. Good to see him on the mend.

Thanks for watching, everyone. I'm Michael Holmes. The news continues after a quick break. I'll see you on the other side.

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