♪ >> live from berlin, the pandemic overshadows for another holiday season as the omicron variant spreads. people celebrating christmas have a choice of taking the risk of seeing loved ones or going home for a second year are in -- in around. massive fire in bangladesh kills doesn't. many are still uccounted f. the rese of thecean viking finds a safe haven.

the ship with 100 migrants has permsion to dock in sicily. we will hear from the leader of the medical team on board. the residents of a spanish island pope a volcanic eruption is finally over. thousands have fled their homes and lava devastated crops and buildings. ♪ phil: welcome to the program. holiday travel plans are disrupted around the world over a surge in covid-19 cases driven by the omicron variant. 2000 flights are canceled globally because of the impact of the coronavirus on employees and passengers, the second year when the pandemic has overshadowed the season. ♪ >> another covid christmas and

difficult choice. as omicron spreads, millions must decide cutting their travel plans or risking. for some in the u.s., the choice was made for them when several airlines canceled christmas eve flights after staff came down with omicron. others have turned to test and boosters to keep christmas alive , including thousands of new yorkers as their city braces for a surge after the holidays. >> i take care of my elderly mother. i have two small children. it is not so much for myself as for those around me. >> christmas travel in spain facing the same top choices. covid-19 cases are at an all-time high but for many, seeing their loved ones is worth the risk. >> this is not the best

situation but i have had to evaluate whether to live like last year or to take a little risk. i have taken a risk. australians are facing christmas with omicron. cases have soared to records fueled by the variant. residents are doing their best to keep safe. >> we have done the rapid antigen testing so we are being as safe as we can and saying as much as we can. that is all we can do. >> with omicron racing, santa claus around the world, many seem set for another unmerry christmas. many european hospitals are stretched to the limits and staff are more burned-out than ever. they are still trying to bring joy to patients spending christmas on the wards. christina is in belgium's central university hospital.

christina:'tis the season. there are more masks than santa hats. another year, another variant, another covid christmas. at this hospital in the belgian city of liege, they are not sure how long it will be better this time around. >> this hospital was overwhelmed with covid-19 patients this time last year. summa icu patients had to be airlifted to neighboring germany. the situation is under control for now, but the staff here are bracing for omicron. this is the covid ward. staff hope for the best, but they are preparing for the worst. keeping a nervous eye on omicron infection numbers. >> we are hoping that it won't be too strong, because we know that we don't have all the stuff we would need if it was very big

. christina: health workers have had a grueling couple of years. the uncertainty is making it difficult to make a cope. >> i don't see that people, nurses or doctors, are afraid. they are more anxious that this might go on forever, that this repetition just will not stop. in the end, one variant chases the last. it comes in ways, which is very exhausting. christina: tired as they are, nursing staff will, as always, try to lift the spirits of those in hospital this christmas. that's tricky with covid patients. they are and contact visitors. they will be a special surprise on christmas morning. >> we have some kids who are wri

ting cards every year since i'm here, since years and years. they are writing cards for people in the morning of christmas, -- [indiscernible] i think about you. christina: staff created an oasis of calm but it won't last long. outside infections are spreading fast. phil: we have correspondents around the world to give an idea of how the surge is dealt with so here are viewers from spain, poland, france, and germany. viewer: we're looking at the high figure of new infections. a lot of people would probably unfortunately spend christmas in self-isolation or even with covid symptoms.

wherever you look, you hear about people testing positive. people in my family have been positive cases. recently, the rest of the spaniards were probably quite confused, because they had a lot of mix messages from the gornment and from the authorities. >> there -- there have been some crunch -- restrictions buto be honest, this has been really soft in comparison to other countries and even if they give advice to the government and say they are not being taken seriously by the government and the government does not hear what they say, to be honest, there has not been much made to make the situation better with a little more than half of people in poland fully vaccinated so a lot are not and have a very

difficult christmastime. christina: the government is under pressure to react to these numbers. next wk, micro government is holding a cabinet meeting to discuss tightening restrictions of unvaccinated people who are estimated to be 6 million. this morning, the french health regulators say booster doses can be administered as early as three months under the full course of vaccines. this week, france open vaccinations to children between five and 11 so i think france's strategy has been to bet on expanded booster and vaccine coverage with restrictions put in place earlier and hope this will be enough to tackle the new variant. >> omicron was a game changer. researchers said that three shots of the chinese vaccines don't offer enough protection against omicron. of course, they are developing new vaccines but so far,

authorities have not approved any foreign vaccines. for example, pfizer and moderna is not available to the population. it's really bad news because for the foreseeable future, china would not open its borders and that could last at least for another year, possibly longer. phil: to bangladesh, 39 are dead and 70 injured after an overcrowded very caught fire. many passengers including their children are still missing. this happened on a river 250 kilometers south. the ferry was close to its destination when the flames broke out. sleeping travelers woke to a fiery nightmare, the ferry turned into a floating inferno. terrified passengers left over board to escape. some drowning in frigid waters. most of the victims were trapped inside the burning boat. >> it happened because of sheer

negligence. the ferry was covered in curtains. all that he was trapped inside and that he made everything burn. >> i was traveling with my father, my sister, and my six-month-old nephew. when the fire broke out, the man was trying to save it. now we cannot find them. please let us know if you learn of their whereabouts. >> hundreds of the injured were taken to hospitals. many passengers are still unaccounted for. authorities said the fairy may havearried me than twices many people as allowed. it took fire crews several hours to extinguish the blaze. by daylight, bodies were retrieved from the chart whole. two investigations running into the cause of the accident. >> the engine had been running

for about an hour while on fire. later the fire spreafrom the engine to the oil tank, and it stopped with a loud bang in a spot where we are standing right now. reporter: river fairies are a common mode of transport in bangladesh and a frequent source of tragedy. this is the 4th deadly ferry accident in less than a year. phil: more stories making headlines around the world. commanders in iran said this week's wargames in the persian gulf are meant to send a warning to israel. it is concerned about israeli plans to target ukrainian nuclear sites. efforts to revive the 2015 deal is continuing. court in moscow has found -- fined google and meta millions for their failures to delete

content russia deems illegal. they increase pressure on big tech companies in an attempt to game tighter control over the internet. the ocean viking boat as found a safe haven on christmas eve, granted permission to dock in sicily. it is the central mediterranean, carrying 114 migrants rescued last week. is has beeone of the deadest years r peoe using irregular routes to reach europe. there have bee more than 1500 deaths since january, baha'is figure since 2017. we can cross directly to the ocean viking, a midwife who leaves the medical team for the international red cross. how long have you been stuck on board and how do you feel about being able to disembark soon? >> we have been on board now.

for over eight days. . we are feeling amongst the survivors, understanding the immense relief,omething shared amongst the crew, particularly knowing the inevitable toll on their mental and physical well-being. reporter: where did you find them and what sort of state where they when they came across them? >> the survivors whave on board have something conducted off the coast of namibia. they were in a rubber boat. many of them were completely exhausted and were care for buyer medical team. reporter: you talk about the survivors. were there many? >> we were fortuna we dinot have any hostages. i was giving tragic news ts

week. 200 deaths on that route. reporter: what sort of stories have they been telling you about wh it they are getting away from or trying to get to? >> amongst our survivors, we have many accompanied minors and newborns i came to us under one-month-old. they have incrediblyarrowing stories of violence and abuse. many have been arbitrarily detained in namibia. to the point they saw no other option then risking death rather than stay in namibia. th were shot attempting to escape. reporter: you have been on several missions on the ocean viking. in that time, has it changed your mind about why you do the work or when you should do it?

>> it has reinforced why i do this. these are people's mothers, brothers, sisters, children, that are escaping from horrific siations and horrific histories to them. we are reachin out a hand to rescue them. that said, it is essential tt a european search-anrescue operation is reinstated urgently, because we have not -- there are not enough boats rendering assiance to these people, to theoint we have seen what happenein that has few weeks. they also need predictable and sustainable methods to be established. it is unacceptable people who have been throat so much -- through so much with the inevitable toll on their health. phil: that is a midwife and team leader from the international

red cross. authorities are expected to declare a volcanic eruption over soon, the islands longest corruption -- eruption which destroyed buildings and farmland. it fell silent last week. >> it is captivated the world for over three months with its billowing smoke and spectacular lava flows. despite its buty, it has causedhaos forhe residen of love, the -- la palma. hundreds have to be evacuated and will not be able to return for months. almost 3000 buildings have been destroyed. with home and livelihoods among th wreckage. many of the islands belong to

plantations, vital to theocal econom are devasted by ash the dramatic lava flows have expanded the island by 40 hectares. almost the size f 120 football fields --of 120 football fields. locals can breathe a sigh of relief, with hopes of a less turbulent new year. for now, the cleanup continues, with the images of the last three months, seared in their minds. phil: the south korean president has parted his disgraced predecessor, saying it was for the sake of national unity. in 20, he was sentenced to 22 years in prison over corruption

charges and will be released on december 31 as part of a pardon of 3000 people. reporter: it was a trial that shed light on ties between big business and politics in south korea. conservative president park and hay was impeached in the wake of a corruption scandal, facing accusations of abuse of power and taking bribes from companies such as samsung. park was sentenced to years in prison but after serving less than five years, her successor is granting her pardon. the liberal government, led by president moon jae-in, said it hoped her release would heal all wounds and bring harmony to south korea after two difficult years of the pandemic. >> the top office hopes the pardons can serve to bring in a

new era of unity and reconciliation that transcends diffent thoughts and opposing views. ♪ >> south korea has a history of pardoning officials convicted of corruption. the government cited the 69-year-old's deteriorating health in their decision to release her. park's right to vote will be reinstated, but she is barred from running for office again. mun's single presidential term gains year and south korea is preparing for an election in march. some analysts speculate parts release could bolster support, for the conservatives or it may divide them in the lead up to an election that current polls say will be tight. phil: to the italian city, where a loved christmas chert -- tradition is under threat. --is a type of glass mating -- making.

the sculptures and manufactures -- a recent surge in the price of methane gas used to power the furnaces is making it hard to keep them open. reporter: at first, it is just a chunk of glass. after francesco whoa that in goldleaf, put it in the firmest, and blown it into shape, with the help of his colleague stefano, it has transformed into a masterpiece. the end result is of around a glass christmas ball. each one is a unique work of art. >> i dream of them at night and have to keep coming up with something new and different. i think of something special and make it a reality. reporter: he melts colorful chunks of glass to make a kaleidoscope. the colors swirl together and when he adds air, a design appears. since the middle ages, murano glass masters have made these ornaments, no matter what existential problems have been

thrown at them. the most recent, the pandemic. energy costs spiral out of control. they need gas to heat their ovens to 1000 degrees celsius. so far, they have been able to cut -- going against all odds. >> for 36 years, i have been a glass artisan. i started when i turned 15, just as my father and his father before him. here, we grow up with art of glass blowing. reporter: the glass masters are always designing new creations. luciana got borrow sells them online and shipped some around the world. around christmas time, these objects are in high demand. gambaro keep track of the articles in highs demand. >> the last few years our christmas trees have been very popular. particularly the ones that are artistic more modern manila classic christmas tree -- than the classic christmas tree. reporter: the most popular

object, is the christmas ball, not inexpensive, but it is a unique work of art that can be brought out each year to be held in awe. phil: i will remind you of our top story of surging covid-19 case is driven by the omicron variant has disrupted a holiday travel plans for people around the world. major airlines have canceled more than 2000 flights globally, in part due to staff shortages like omicron. dr. eric feingold is a senior fellow of the federation of american scientists is -- and waone of the first professionals to raise the alarm about the coronavirus in january 2020. he joins us from washington, d.c.. the consensus seems to be forming amongst researchers that omicron is more transmissible but less deadly than the alpha-beta and delta variant's. it your understanding and is

that good news? dr. feigl-ding that is generally but people are not understanding that it is not just a little more transmissible. it's five times more transmissible. i think that will translate to exponential more cases. and institute estimates 3 billion people will potentially be infected in the next three months. basically, two years worth of infections in the world compressed to three months. milder is a misinformation. it is intrinsically about the same as delta. it is just that now there is more reinfection for those with vaccines and a previous infection. it looks milder, but intrinsically, not much milder. in the end, when you balloon the total number of cases, you infect several billion people.

that is when you will overlook the hospitals. phil: the also transmissibility and these massive numbers seem to be why governments around the world are tightening social and travel restrictions. that gives us a feeling we have all gotten back to square one. dr. feigl-ding: we are not entirely at square o but we are in bigger trouble than we were with delta. delta it's more severe than wuhan, and two times more transmissible. this virus is about four to six times more transmissible. that means where more transmissible --this virus is more transmissible than measles and monoclonal antibody drugs like regenerono not work anymore. two shots of vaccines do not really give you much protection. you need three shots and boosters and not many people in the world have boosters. most countries have less than

one in five or one in six people have boosters. altogether, we are not at square one of march 2020 but we are in many ways like similar to last winter in which verfew people are sufficiently protected, and that is the bigger worry, especially with the burgeoning number of cases and billions in the coming months. phil: for those of us in countries rich enough or vaccinations, new variants and booster jobs for everyone. dr. feigl-ding: not forever. we likely will need adaptive vaccines in the coming months. there's already talk of fouh shots. israel is implementing those over 60. we need to be better adapted t this. there is new classes of vaccines. there are pan-coronavirus that we can ward off of future varice. in the meantime, there are new

drugs but these will rollout slowly and access and affordability will be an issue. in the end, the severities in these drugs are not going to make transmission will baloon. unless we get real that we have other premiums, n95 masks, fnp3 masks, ventilation standards, air disinfection, indoor air, we will not be able to stop this airborne transmission as quickly as possible with just vaccines. we need to take a holistic approach. phil: thank you for joining us. dr. feigl-ding: thanks. phil: celebration has begun in bethlehem. i believe you with sights and sounds of the traditional celebrations in front of the church of the nativity and the mass held by the senior classic --catholic cleric in the holy

land. have a good day. ♪ [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

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anchor: another christmas of uncertainty for holiday travelers as the omicron variant triggers staff shortages. the dashed hopes for foreign programs in the birth case -- birthplace of jesus. the ocean viking allowed to do