hospitalizations in the u.s. >> the women's tennis organization saying they are deeply concerned about the fate of chinese tennis player. if covid would have happened, do you think you would have quit your job. >> the great resignation. prompting millions to rethink their career priorities. and an afghan family coming together to share a meal and lifelessons on this thanksgiving. good morning. welcome to your new day, so great to be back with you. happy thanksgiving to those still celebrating or recovering. sk we want to begin with this global concern of the new coronavirus variant that has reached europe. with he know dutch health officials are investigating whether 61 people traveling from south africa who tested positive with covid-19 yesterday are infected with the new strain known as omicron. >> saying the strain could pose increased risk for reinfection. other places such as israel, hong kong and belgium have confirmed cases of this new variant. >> multiple studies testing how well vaccines work against this new variant. i asked about that. >> that's not a likely outcome. they may be less effective then with covid. people are vulnerable to covid. they are not protected because they are choosing not to get vaccinated. or those who don't have access. >> restrictions to travel to south africa or the region starting on monday. >> unfor thenally, we have detected a new variant which is a reason for concern in south africa. >> a new covid-19 variant spreading quickly. health authorities are in contact there. >> finding out exactly what is going on. seeing that it was more wide-spread. >> likely reason to be worried. this new variant has more than 30 mutations in the spike proten. the part of the virus that causes entry into humans to cause infection. if the spike changes too much and in the wrong way, it could make the vaccines less effective. learning where they are and how they change the spike protein will be key. >> first to find out if it does evade the vaccines. we are getting materials together with south african colleagues to directly test it. >> scientists at biontech have already begun testing. this isn't the first variant to be detected. last year, the beta variant was detected in south africa. there were fears it would quickly spread. that didn't happen. authorities are working to see if this new variant will quickly smolder or make its way around the planet. >> the united states is added to the growing list of countries imposing travel bans. president biden will restrict travel starting on monday. he siend the official proclamation last night which says it will remain in effect until terminated by the president. >> what does the white house want americans to know about this new band going into effect and the variant that has cause d it? he told reporters after the news break where he met with. they made the decision really to instate this travel ban. take a listen to the president here. >> i have decided we are going to be cautious. we don't know a lot about the variant except that it is of great concern and could spread rapidly. i spent time this morning with my covid team led by dr. fauci and that's the decision we've head. >> one of the big questions is why monday. it takes time to put this band into place. >> that is the time they need when putting this band into place. another question is what is the white house doing to fact find with time to investigate what this variant is. this does not apply to u.s. citizens. announcing yesterday, he pushed th e global community saying they need to get vaccinated while there is time. >> the u.s. is far from alone. >> what more do you know about the global response. there has been an urgent response. there could be travelers from south africa to europe leading to the spread of this variant. we don't know a lot just yet. last winter, leading up to the delta variant. there are concerns there. yesterday, the first case reported in belgium. leaders have acted together saying they would take the clesktive response saying if there is any lessons to act quickly and the w.h.o. warning against hasty meez yours. this is the key needed to stem the spread the german health minister saying it could already be in germany. how transmissible is this and how will it cope. european leaders are taking action seeing the trouble over the past several months. >> concern over the strain has sent concerns tumbling. more on the market reaction and what has happened on wall street. >> this new variant is already setting off shock waves. 2.5%. worst day for the dow since october 2020 worried that they are going to slow down as they are gaining momentum. travel stocks falling sharply. hotels like marriott, hyatt, cruise lines. oil prices falling 13%. that's a big deal. oil is very sensitive to swings in the economy. this shows they are betting people will be flying, driving and commuting less often. we saw stay-at-home like netflix, zoom, peloton, all of those rising. vaccine maker, moderna rising 20% on the day. that market can move straight up we don't know how contagious this will be or how the government will react. the answers to those questions will go a long way dermg how big a deal this ultimately is for the market, the economy and society at large. coming up, being called the great resignation. why millions of americans are voluntarily leaving their jobs and the labor shortage. >> the mystery of the whereabouts and safety of tennis star from china and d whether athletes will boycott the olympics. 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[snowball splat and windshield wiper] the #1 longest-lasting aa battery. the covid-19 pandemic has led to what is being called the great resignation. a record 4.4 million americans have quit their jobs. >> you may be wondering why the mass exodus. >> our reporter wondering the same thing and she set out to determine, where are the workers? >> a simple task, kate picks up her seven-year-old daughter from school. something she's waited years to do. >> do you recall how often you were able to pick your daughter up from school? >> my gosh. never. >> that changed in april. she quit her 15-year career in sales to be home with her kids. >> i was working and traveling a lot. >> do you think if covid hasn't happened, you would have quit your job? >> no. probably not. >> a report 4.4 million quits in september. being called the great resignation. >> we had so much time sitting in our homes and spending time with people we lived with and shifting priorities. >> one of 1.47 business applications. a 34% increase from the same time in 2019. she founded momath mom, a resource guide for parents. >> it allows me time to take off if i need to take them to the doctors or just more time for them. >> a greater amount of retirements. >> that's our rv. scott and mary retired early at 57 and 59 and are road tripping across the country. >> packed up, strapped down and heading down the road. >> scott quit his finance job and mary left real estate. >> i said, what would it look like if we did it now rather than wait a few more years. >> i pushed all my chips in. >> just that thought of gosh, wouldn't it be a tragedy if we spent all this time working for retirement and near the finish line, you catch a horrible disease and die. >> they capitalized on the hot housing market. sold their home and hit the road. >> how is life on the road compared to the jobs you left behind? >> i wish i could say it is tough but it is great. i do not miss at all working right now. >> clearly enjoying their early retirement there. the industries with the highest quit rates are education, transportation, leisure and hospitality. these were suffering from labor shortages and hathat is being ft more acutely. many said they did it to look for higher wages, more flexibility from work or working from home so they didn't have to interact with so many for covid fears. the pandemic has transformed the way americans are wanting to work and the work they are willing to do. >> thank you. they do make a very good case. the women's tennis association says it is, quote, deeply concerned for chinese tennis star. how much concern for her well-being could impact the ololympics. players are looking for answers now. 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does she want to create an investigation. >> the ioc's rule collaborating and now the united nation and head of women's tennis association have called into a full investigation of her sexual assault allegations. we'll go to our guest. good to have you with us. let me ask you, fifrs of all, what is your reaction from the response of that ioc official. he said he didn't hear the discussion but trusts she is safe. why would he trust this? >> my guess is he saw some video evidence and believes others with the ioc confirmed that safety. i believe he is going with what i imagine is appropriate protocol. >> do you think it is important for that video to be made public? >> i do. i think many around the world that have concern for this young woman. i think there needs to be an investigation. i just don't believe it will go at a speed which many would want. >> would it go at a speed where it is completed by the end of february. we are only weeks away from the beijing olympics. >> one would think so. this is a serious charge. something i'm sure the sponsors are calling, zooming and reaching out to see what is this matter and what we should know. >> talk to us about the influence sponsors have and their willingness or not to do something in this case. >> they have huge influence, they represent the brand, the ioc, the olympics. the five rings. they sell their products and pay the ioc a lot of money to be an official sponsor. they know there is always going to be a controversiy before every olympic games and the question should they remain with the olympics. i think what we saw, relative to the bribery scandal that happened in salt lake. that can really make a difference. >> looking at the wta say, okay, we've seen video prove that shuia is alive. that doesn't mean she's safe. what do you believe? would it be accurate or necessary for them to be banning the games? >> well, i think all of these sponsors will demand a full accounting as will the olympic committees from around the world. in particular, i'm thinking of the u.s. opc. this is a serious charge and everyone will want it addressed. i think the issue that has to be realized is that many sponsors, if not all of them, sell their products in china. they are thinking of the business ramifications and to have them addressed. thank you for taking time with us. >> thank you. join us with and in depth look at china's iron fist, xi jinping and the stakes for america. we'll be right back. your dedication to being wherever you're needed, becoming part of families, bringing more confidence to the comeback, and delivering the essentials to people's doors, you give over a hundred million people the chance to achieve a healthier life. thank you for bringing your heart to every moment of health. ♪ my retirement plan with voya keeps me moving forward. they guide me with achievable steps that give me confidence. this is my granddaughter...she's cute like her grandpa. voya doesn't just help me get to retirement... 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find the perfect gift at zales. the diamond store. the fbi may have broken new ground in the hunt for jimmy hoffa searching in a land phil. he hasn't been seen since 1965. we have the report. >> this is another prop gaganda seen. >> jimmy hoffa, the infamous union boss. are we today, closer to knowing what happened to him. >> this is one of the great mysteries of mafia history. what happened to jimmy hoffa and where is he buried. >> pointing to a land phil under the new jersey bridge outside of manhattan. his disappearance depicted as legends. older films like 1992 hoffa who assume his murder was in the parking lot of the restaurant where he was last seen alive in 1975. both scenarios contested and just where is his body. for decades a near national obsession. >> the body, officials believe was disposed of in an industrial waste incinerator. >> that was in several locations around detroit. a backyard, horse yard, suburban home. under the old new york giant's stadium, and another dead end in the florida ever glads. >> searching a landful in new jersey looking for the body of jimmy hoffa. so far, no hoffa. three jimmys. >> we know he was last seen outside the red fox restaurant in michigan. >> hoffa helped build the teamster's union. >> i appeal to the chair that nobody cast any a spergss on my loyalty to the country. >> spent years in prison for fraud and juror tampering. >> his sentence acquitted by president nixon. >> jimmy hoffa former head. >> when he got out, he still got celebrity status and was still trying to control the union. >> the media may be one of the biggest goons that ever took place and that i was some kind of illiterate bum. >> fbi used ground penetrating radar. results are being analyzed to see if another dig, another search in a 46-year history is called for. >> knowing the fbi, if they believe they have a reasonable chance to find jimmy hoffa, they will dig. >> a decades old mystery his family and the country would like solved. cnn, new york. the mystery lives on. three people were shot and three more injured during a shooting at a mall in durham, north carolina. one of those wounded was a young child. 10 years old. hit by a ricoheting bullet. saying the shooting was between people who know each other. one weapon recovered. the mall evacuated and is expected to reopen today. still ahead, more than just a meal. an american family and a family of afghan refugees are coming together. welcome to underscored, your guide to the best travel products. if you are still looking for holiday gifts, we have you covered. we are talking about this busy time of the season. not just the holiday but afterwards. i know 2022, people will be doing everything they can to be out and about. i know you beat the living heck out of it. >> we do. that's what we do. we took -- these are checked luggage bags. the ones you do hand off and they do tend to get beat up. we packed and unpacked and rolled them through the streets of new york. we through them down concrete stairs. this is a video on tiktok where you can see us doing that. >> how did they handle? >> very well. this is our overall pick. this is the away medium. it is $295. the first thing you'll notice. it is a good looking bag. it is stylish. they come in six colors. it was the best all-around bag. it tested the highest for everything we had. a couple of little flaws. what we love about it, we love the handles. comfortable. very sturdy handle. not a lot of give. we also liked how convenient the packing is. you'll notice on one side there is the zipper flap and the other the x elastic. this has the zip on both sides. we found it makes it easier to make it compact or if you are in the airport trying to shift weight, if you open it up, not everything will fall out. >> this is your budget. >> yes. this is the sampsonite at $160, 0 is nearly half the price. some of the things we love, it does have the x pattern on one side and on the other. we were able to get more capacity in this bag than the away bag. it is a pound lighter empty. there is a possible things we really liked about it. the wheels were almost smoother than the away bag. the things you sacrifice. the handle is not as sturdy. there is a little more give when it is full. it fared a little less well in a scuff test. we recommend this more for an occasional traveler. at $1678, it's a really good bag. >> learn more at cnn.com/underscored. oh, how disruptive. no salesman there to help me pick out the car i need. how does anyone find a car on this site without someone like us checking in? she's a beauty, huh? oh, golly! 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[gaming sounds] [gaming sounds] [gaming sounds] just think, he'll be driving for real soon. every new chevy equinox comes standard with chevy safety assist, including automatic emergency braking. find new peace of mind. find new roads. chevrolet. many are getting ready to head back home after thanksgiving. the tsa says they expect tomorrow may be the highest number of people screened nationwide over the ten-day traveling period, just so you know, to get a heads-up here. >> and that's after the u.s. already hit a new pandemic-era air travel record. that began wednesday as people started to head home. cnn's pete muntean has more. >> reporter: now, we begin the process of everything who left town for thanksgiving coming home all at once. the numbers are really big. aaa predicted 48 million people would drive for the thanksgiving holiday. that number not far from where we were in 2019, before the pandemic. the bottom line here is the traffic is back and so is the expense. the average price of a gallon of regular, now around $3.40 nationwide. that's up about $1.30 from where we were this time last year. i talked to motion at the maryland house travel plaza, and they said the expense would not get in the way of their thanksgiving plans because they shuttered so many of their plans last year. and the air travel, numbers there also really big. 2.3 million people screened by tsa at airports across the country. the wednesday before thanksgiving. that is a new pandemic-era air travel record. the tsa predicted a record of 20 million people would fly for the thanksgiving holiday. and it seems like we're on pace to hit that. the tsa said this sunday after thanksgiving will likely be the biggest. pete muntean, cnn, reagan national airport. >> our thanks to pete muntean there. and if you are traveling this weekend, you may be running into severe delays as a series of storms crisscross the country. a fast-moving system is going to be bringing windy weather and gusty winds to many in the northwest and southeast. >> cnn's kyler moss is live in the cnn weather center. good morning. >> mainly in the great lakes to the new england area, we'll see the number rise. because we have two systems. number one is the system that's departing. and a decent amount of snow. the higher peaks have picked up nearly a foot. we've got lake-effect, windy conditions and the alberta clipper that's moving into the great lakes. it's going to gather steam and have more snowfall in new england. we could see flurries in philadelphia and new york. how much are we looking at? around the great lakes 1 to 3 inches. off of lake erie, where we pick up lake-effect snow, 6 to 8 inches and new england, 3 to 6 inches but the consensus for that area is really two inches. and reduced visibility on the roadways. you're also going to deal with cold temperatures, below average for this time of year and not going to rebound for the days to come. at the moment, we have zero delays ongoing. but that could change as we go through time. as we go through the day and that system pushes to the east we could see some delays in the midwest and the great lakes. and then once we get into tomorrow, that system could produce a few arab travel delays across portions of the great lakes going on to new england. but we're not looking at tremendous widespread delays guys. >> all right. good to know, tyler mauldin, thanks so much. >> thank you. all right. kicking off the 8:00 hour here. good morning to you. welcome to your "new day." we're grateful to have you with us, i'm christi paull. >> and i'm alex marquardt in for boris. with fears of a new rapidly spreading variant of the coronavirus. with concerns from the health officials about that and the rising number of cases and hospitalizations here in the u.s. >> and bouncing back. americans are spending big this holiday season. big gains that we're