ah ah mm hm. mm mm. ah ah ah, this is dw news lie from berlin. the pandemic overshadows another holiday season. people around the world celebrating christmas are faced with a tough choice of taking the risk of seeing their families and friends,

or going it alone for a 2nd year in a row. the on the chrome variant is spreading rapidly and disrupting travel plans. global airlines cancelled more than 2000 flight. also in the show, the ongoing waves of co 19 are taking a major toll on the doctors and nurses on the front lines. we were bored from one hospital in belgium where medical staff are hoping for the best, but once again, bracing for the worst. and a mass of fire sweeps through a fairy and bangladesh killing doesn't terrify, passengers leap overboard. but many are still unaccounted for. we'll go to dunker for more. ah, i'm marrying a evanston. it's good to have you with us. holiday travel plans are being disrupted

around the world amid a surgeon cove. at 19 cases driven by the army, kron variant, more than 2000 flights have been canceled globally citing the impact of army kron on both employees and passengers. it's the 2nd year running, where the pandemic has overshadowed the festive season. ah, another curve at christmas and another difficult choice. as emma crohn continues to spread millions round, the world must now decide between cancelling their travel plans or taking the risk . for some in the us, the choice was made for them when several made us airlines cancelled christmas e flights after staff came down with armor groan. others of turn to tests and boosters to help keep christmas alive, including thousands of new yorkers as their city, braces for surgeon cases after the holidays was reported to my family as a girl morrison's elderly after school children. so as thus much support for myself

as it is to put cycles along across the atlantic, christmas travelers in spain of facing the same tough choices. cove at 19 cases are at an all time high. but for many seeing their loved ones is worth the risk. how dental is lab? one other? this is not the best situation. i have had to evaluate whether to leave like last year, when i could not do this or to take only to risk. and i have taken a risk out of that room. what that though, mary randall half way across the globe. australians of also facing christmas with their micron cases here, have sought to new records, fueled by the variant residents doing their best to keep safe. we had our mom, we've done the rapid ended in testing. so my biggest thing is we can sang as much as we can like mentally really. but with amazon already racing, santa claus around the world,

many seem set for another unmarried christmas. i am now joined by a correspondence on your phone, occur in paris, and magdalena voiced paula can't in warsaw. magdalena we just heard 2 days ago, poland reporting its highest number of coven related deaths during what is now the 4th wave. what has been the response from the government while in front of the 4th way to there have been some restrictions, for example, concerning the number of people in restaurants. but to be honest to this have been really soft in comparison to other countries. and i, the government is all the time highlighting her today also did of either of the ruling party or injustice it'll talk much is each gave an interview and he also highlighted that there doesn't make it doesn't make any sense to, you know, put on new restrictions while the old ones are ignored or at least not taken seriously and you know, even experts who give advice to the government as they are not being taken

seriously by the government, the government doesn't hear what they say. so and to be honest, they, there has not been much being made ah, to make the situation better. and remember, there are a little bit more than the help of the people in poland to lexi native. so which means a lot are not and a lot to have of course, very difficult christmas time now here and now, sonia know, unlike some european nations of france has, has not introduced any major new restriction. so what is the strategy for dealing with the new variance in france? will, france is actually facing a huge surge in a new corona, virus infections in a loss, a, yesterday, it registered more than $90000.00 infections and just one b. but you're right that the government is really held off on any new restrictions

that have been no locked ons or closures christmas markets and shops have stayed open and they've been quite crowded in recent days during the festive season. but the government, of course, is under pressure to react to these rising numbers. next week of present macros government is holding a special cabinet meeting, mainly to discuss tightening restrictions on unvaccinated people who are estimated to be at about $6000000.00. in france, i expanding its vaccine booster program and it's in this morning the bridge, a health regulator said that most of those us could be administered as early as 3 months after the phone course of vaccine. and this week, france also opened up vaccinations to children aged between the a, 5 and 11. so i think francis strategy so far has really to be a to bet on expanded booster and vaccine coverage along with restrictions it to put in place audio and hope that this will be enough to tackle the new variant and make

it more manageable database sonya phonic are reporting for us from paris and magdalena, verse palo can't in warsaw. many thanks to both of you. while many hospitals in europe are once again being stretched to their limits and staff are more burned out than ever. nevertheless, they're trying to bring some warmth and joy to patients who are spending christmas on the wards d. w. as christine wonder, i visited belgium's leanne central university hospital and has this report tis the season, but much of the jolly has gone. there are more masks than santa hats, a never year. another variant, a nother covert christmas. at this hospital in the belgian city of the age. vaccines mean it's better this time around, but they're not sure how long that will last. this time last year this hospital was overwhelmed with coven 19 patients. it got so bad. some of the, i see you,

patients had to be air lifted to neighboring germany. the situation is under control for now, but the straw here are bracing for our micron. this is the coven ward, and staff here are hoping for the best, but they are preparing for the worst and keeping a nervous eye on alma crohn infection numbers. we're hoping that it won't be too strong because we know a 3rd a $3.00 have all orders that we would need if it was very, very big. and we will do our best health workers have had a grueling couple of years. the hospital psychologist says the uncertainty is making it difficult to cope as on the whole lack of bargaining bethel birth late is i don't see that people, the nurses or doctors or are afraid to dig that they're more anxious that this might gone for ever as we'll repeat that this are a petition,

just won't stop basket because in the end one very him chases the last a lot and it comes in race, acre dog, suffolk, which is very exhausting. cancer, it says to rule, they presume tired as they are. nursing staff will, as they always do, try to lift the spirits of those in hospital this christmas. but that's particularly tricky with cove at patients. they're isolated and can't have visitors . but there will be a special surprise on christmas morning. we have some kids who are writing from cos every year since i'm here since years and years. so writing the cost for the phone and the morning of christmas we put the coffins and let me let me in and get it and casting a hello. i thing about you stop have created an oasis of com and key here,

but they know it probably won't last long. outside infections are spreading fast to bangladesh. now where at least 39 people are dead and 70. others injured. after a crowded ferry caught fire, the incident happened on a river near jello. copy some 250 kilometers south of the capital dot com. police say most of the victims were killed by the blaze, others drowned after jumping overboard to try to flee the flames. many passengers, including children, are still unaccounted for or for more on this story, we can speak to a bul column as on his special story editor at the dock. a tribune. thank you for being on the w. what more can you tell us about this tragic incident? i love so for 40 years have been described on the free, mostly from inside the t. v. and some other warranties were rescued from the

river. a couple of guys who had died in the hospital. but you know, the number of days will arise, this population, this been going on, the fire service and the other one to see if they are conducting or what i just came to look on the list we've covering the, you know, try because he didn't look at it, he just told me that many more bodies are still trapped inside inside the cabin of the city. and most of the bodies are badly charged. anything is very difficult to, you know, record the board is from inside the upgrade. it is indeed

a heretic situation for many people also looking for their loved ones. now, is there any indication of what caused the fire? you know that there are many kind of indication, but still the investigation is going on and it hasn't been the they don't don't mind from what, what exactly falls of higher. but we talked to, some factions are move to that, the or the from the engine room. and there were a lot of various on diesels and called because you know, if he's a long room and you need a good number of to indian. so and up the very lot exploded and you know, substitute the currently, you know, the dog into for, you know,

what all you need with fire. so. so you said it is very tragic, therefore, all of this, you know, we all of the, she's as well off in the morning we came to know about the the can see did you know the most many relatives and finance? are you still looking for the little babies last you live inside the pretty, very tragic for them. yeah, and very sad indeed. that was journalist a book come as a reporting from doc. we appreciate it. let's turn our attention now to some of the other stories making headlines. this. our south korean president who and j in has pardoned his disgrace, predecessor park going hey, for the sake of national harmony park has been in prison since 2017. after

receiving a 22 year sentence for crimes including, taking brian's and samsung and other conglomerate, she'll be released from jail next week. hundreds of women have protested in sudan following allegations that security forces had sexually attacked at least a dozen women and girls. several western countries condemned the troops use of sexual violence as a weapon and demanded an independent investigation. former american police officer came potter has been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the death of dante wright, a young black man. potter said she confused her hand gun with her taser when she shot and killed ride. last february. o celebrations to mark christmas have begun in the city of bethel him in the west bank. we leave you now with some sights and sounds of the traditional christmas parade on manger square in front of the church of the nativity in bethlehem. and we'll be back with more

headlines for you at the top of the hour. a marion evans dean from the entire team . thanks for watching. ah mm hm. with

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