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CNN International: COVID-19 Complicates Holiday Plans around the World; Christmas Eve Travelers Face Disruptions; Two More Tiananmen Square Memorial Statues Removed; Bethlehem Carries on with Christmas Celebrations Despite COVID-19; U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson Pushes Boosters in Christmas Eve Message; Her Majesty's First Christmas Address since Death of Prince Philip. Aired 10-10:30a ET
Aired December 24, 2021 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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RICHARD QUEST, CNN HOST: Hello, I'm Richard Quest in London. And on this Christmas Eve, CNN NEWSROOM, perhaps more chaos than joy, as flights around the world are delayed and canceled. It is because of Omicron.
There is another empty plinth in Hong Kong. Statues commemorating the victims of Tiananmen Square have been removed again.
And we'll tell you which book Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall want to share with you.
Holiday travelers making last-minute efforts to be with loved ones are facing all sorts of problems as COVID disrupts travel arrangements across the world. At a time when much of the world is energized, the rise of Omicron variant is dampening the mood.
Hundreds of flights have been canceled in Australia and the U.S. because so many staff have gone sick with COVID. For instance, United and Delta have canceled more than 100 flights each.
And dozens of domestic flights have been canceled out of Sydney. And in fact, the numbers traveling in the U.S. is rivaling pre-pandemic levels.
In Europe, there are new restrictions. In Greece, masks must be now be worn outside. And city Christmas and New Year celebrations have been canceled.
Simon Calder, the travel editor of "The Independent," is joining me now.
Seasons greetings to you, Simon.
What has gone wrong?
Why are airlines finding it difficult, when they have known there was going to be a rush of travel? SIMON CALDER, "THE INDEPENDENT": Well, simply because they had not factored in the extraordinary speed of the spread of the Omicron variant of coronavirus. And this is taking its toll right across the transport system.
And I'm looking for instance at the railroads in the U.K., where probably around 1 in 10 trains has been canceled because they don't have the train crew. A number of the operating companies are on what they call an emergency timetable.
And as you mentioned, yes, I'm counting now 170 cancellations on United, 130 on Delta. And the day before a big day like Christmas Day, that is really, really tough. Those flights were very heavily booked. But the airlines are simply saying we don't have the staff, we could not plan for this degree of disruption.
And so you have the chief executive of Delta actually saying, please, to the White House, please, can you reduce the amount of time you need to isolate to five days so we can fly our aircraft.
QUEST: And there is controversy over that measure. I see Australia airlines are also having problems because of staffing. Less so in Asia, where there has been much less of an reopening and so perhaps the networks aren't as under as much strain.
CALDER: Very much so. And we're seeing echoes of March 2020, when we were talking about the way that frontiers were clattering shut across the world. Currently here in the U.K. we're subject to a ban by both France and Germany.
So one reason actually the airlines are doing all right in this part of the world is because they are not flying to, for example, Frankfurt, Berlin, Paris, Nice in the numbers that they intended to because of the travel bans. And yes, Asia, which has been very cautious in its opening up, is not having the same problems.
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CALDER: But of course, it is the last thing that the travel industry needs.
QUEST: Certainly that is the case and the restrictions. So let's talk -- New Year's Eve. Now London canceled the celebrations in Trafalgar Square but Big Ben will bong, which is good news.
In New York, they are going to have sort of a more COVID restriction with masks but there will still be fewer numbers. But Times Square will take place. It's still a hodge-podge of what to expect.
CALDER: Oh, it certainly is. Just looking at the U.K., Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and each the four U.K. nations make their own rules, rather like the U.S. states. They canceled their celebrations.
And frankly, anybody who is hoping to get out and about on New Year's Eve, probably this is the year to stay home, because the pace of change, Richard, is so quick that you just don't know what is going to be happening.
For instance, just in the past couple of hours, Austria has come out with incredibly tight restrictions starting tomorrow for British visitors. You or I would need to prove that we have two jabs and a booster and as well as taking a PCR test, which are not easy to organize at the height of a holiday.
QUEST: And also extremely expensive. I'll wish you the best and thank you and your family and a peaceful Christmas and New Year's.
CALDER: Thank you. Let's look forward to a great 2022 for travelers and the whole world.
QUEST: Indeed.
Now the U.S. plans to lift travel restrictions on eight southern African countries, which is good news for them and they will end at the end of the year on December 31st. The White House says that they were initially put in place to give health officials time to study Omicron.
But with the surge of cases, the restrictions now are regarded as pointless. The Omicron variant -- Pete Muntean -- Pete, we have heard -- you are at National Airport in D.C. We've just heard from Simon Calder the level of cancellations in the U.S.
But this is counterposed if you like because the numbers of traveling, are now rivaling 2019, back to square one but in difficult circumstances.
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So true. I just checked the latest numbers, 468 cancellations here in the United States. And airlines say that, as these Omicron cases went up, their staffing levels went down, which led them to cancel all these flights.
Here is the latest from FlightAware, about 170 cancellations at United, 140 at Delta. And we obtained a memo last night from United, saying this is impacting flight crews and also those who run the operation.
It says, "We've unfortunately had to cancel some flights and are notifying impacted customers in advance of coming to the airport. We're sorry for the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way for the holidays."
You know, as you mentioned, this comes at a time when you've seen long lines at airports across the country. The TSA screened 2.19 million people across the country just yesterday. That was expected to be one of the busiest days for the holiday travel season.
And indeed it was. We have seen a week-long stretch of numbers of about 2 million people each day.
QUEST: Pete Muntean at National there, appreciate it.
Two more symbols of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing are gone from Hong Kong. Authorities have carted away the statues from two university campuses overnight. Latest example of the crackdown that has followed the passage of strict security laws.
Pro democracy politicians and activists have been jailed or have fled the city. CNN's Will Ripley staying up late in Hong Kong and joining me.
Good evening, seasons greetings to you, Will. It is good to see you. Look, these statues coming after the first one, is it coordinated?
Or is it simply one saw what one was doing and thought, we better do this fast?
WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I suspect it is the second. It is not a surprise. I was having dinner this evening with a University of Hong Kong graduate. This is one of Asia's most prestigious institutions, long a beacon of free speech on Chinese controlled soil.
But that has come to an end. And this graduate said, students are basically numb, they, in many cases -- some were crying when it happened, others just aren't feeling a whole lot because so much has changed so quickly here in Hong Kong.
You had the Pillar of Shame removed and then you had two other Hong Kong universities follow suit and remove their own Tiananmen Square memorials.
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RIPLEY: Memorials that were so important and noteworthy because, here in Hong Kong, which is supposed to have "One Country, Two Systems," they were a reminder of the freedoms that Hong Kongers were promised for 50 years after the handover in 1997, freedoms that are being erased with the stroke of a pen because these works of art could potentially violate the law, could put the artists in jail.
One of the artists -- there are two who created two of these statues -- talked about why these works are so significant and so dangerous for the Communist Party in Beijing.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (from captions): Beijing, Tiananmen Square and China government killed the students and the citizen. So this is true history. Now the Chinese government want everybody forget it. So my sculptures were bad for them, you know.
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QUEST: Well, the truth is, is it over?
Does China in your view now believe, bearing in mind the recent "patriot" elections, so to speak, that it has got its hands around the neck of the place, it has put the pro democracy in their box or in jail and it is over? RIPLEY: I don't think that it is over, Richard. I think that we're witnessing in real time the complete and radical transformation of Hong Kong, from a beacon of free speech, a Chinese speaking -- not democracy but a place where people were free to fight for democratic values, to a place where all of those dissenting voices are silenced, just like any other Chinese city.
We've seen it with the "Apple Daily" newsroom that was ambushed by hundreds of police officers. It is now shut down because all of its assets were frozen. We've seen it with all of the pro democracy politicians and activists, either now in jail or in exile, or out of politics, signing pledges not to get back into politics.
You saw it with the "patriots" only election, patriots, of course, those only considered loyal to Beijing, patriots in the eyes of the Communist Party. And now we're watching the erosion of academic freedom, even at the university level.
Professors admitting to self censorship, especially with classes moving online, where they can be more carefully monitored. Even students reportedly rumored to be reporting their teachers for violations of the national security law because of bad grades. It's a chilling effect and the self censorship, I think, is bound to continue and intensify here in Hong Kong.
QUEST: Will Ripley, thank you, sir. But I see it is nearly coming up to midnight there, so if you look at Santa tracker, it is getting close to you. Last I checked, Santa was heading your way. It is nearly midnight. He is over China. So let's hope he gets out of there in one piece and then he will be down to --
RIPLEY: That chunk of coal that I got, did you send that to me?
QUEST: There will be more than that. You just keep an eye on the Santa tracker. Seasons greetings, to you good friend. Have a good, peaceful Christmas.
RIPLEY: Merry Christmas to you.
QUEST: Santa is on his way. And business in Bethlehem now would typically be booming. In good years, it has been. This year it's because of COVID. One dressmaker is choosing to remain optimistic.
And she was impeached, the former South Korean president, and was sent to prison. The government has given her a pardon, which requires explaining -- in a moment.
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(MUSIC PLAYING) QUEST (voice-over): They are continuing despite COVID, the
traditional birthplace of Jesus, of course; Bethlehem, celebrations, nativity scenes and that official Christmas parade.
COVID is there of course and that means fewer tourists for the second year. It is a damper on the season and of the spirit. But however, even though it means less income for some small businesses, I refuse to let the doom and gloom get to us completely.
A ray of light for the makers of traditional Palestinian dresses. Andrew Carey explains how their embroidery is getting the international seal of approval.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language).
ANDREW CAREY, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Maha Saca has been stitching since she was a little girl, traditional Palestinian patterns on pillow cases, on tablecloths and the richly embroidered long dress (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like this one, too.
CAREY (voice-over): This a bridal fob (ph) from Bethlehem, different panels expressing the wish for children and the hope for a long life.
MAHA SACA, PALESTINIAN HERITAGE CENTER: This is our identity. Every village and town in Palestine, they have a special dress where the woman, she will tell a story and what surrounded her, my design on her dress. That is why every dress is completely different.
CAREY (voice-over): Craft and skills of a bygone time. And for Palestinians, with the region's troubled history, garments that can express an idea of resistance and the preservation of memory.
SACA: You can see that this is for Bethlehem area. This is for my grandmother. The most important here is the blooms of the tree. The (INAUDIBLE) groves here.
CAREY (voice-over): They also provide a livelihood for the 20 women who produce them and the other works on sale here. The pandemic has had a crushing impact.
SACA: In this two years, we have no tourists, no work. Also every shop in Bethlehem, there is no work, the hotels, the restaurants.
CAREY (voice-over): Palestinian officials put the cost of COVID to the tourism sector at $1.5 billion. Bethlehem's nativity scene and tree are up. But Christmas this year needs a fix.
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CAREY (voice-over): Even so, for Maha Saca, December did bring a gift when UNESCO added Palestinian embroidery to its cultural heritage list, giving a little reason for hope and the optimism of the season. SACA: Bethlehem is the capital of Christmas, the capital of
Christianity. And always we have the hope, we will not lose the hope at all (INAUDIBLE) that and I hope to have the peace that equals these pleasures (ph) (INAUDIBLE) for Bethlehem and for all the world.
CAREY (voice-over): Andrew Carey, CNN, Bethlehem.
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QUEST: Now to other stories on our radar. The South Korean government has pardoned the disgraced former president, Park Geun-hye, in part because of health problems. In 2018 she was convicted of multiple charges, including bribery and coercion. So far, she has served nearly five years of her 20-year sentence. She will be freed next week.
The day after President Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law, China is expressing its indignation. The act bans importing goods from China's Xinjiang region to protest against reported treatment of the Uyghur Muslims there. China calls it economic bullying.
Japanese officials say they won't be sending a government delegation to the Beijing Winter Olympics. Japan is not calling it a diplomatic boycott along with the U.S. and others but it's still making a statement about China's human rights records.
As you and I continue this Christmas Eve, the British prime minister is urging people to give what he calls "a wonderful thing" to their families.
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QUEST: It is Boris Johnson's urgent Christmas message, in a moment.
And a Christmas classic gets the royal treatment. Now pull up a chair by the fire and Prince Charles gets Dickensian.
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QUEST: England's National Health Service is pushing its single jab campaign, this as people across the country will be able to get a COVID booster shot, even on Christmas Day.
As Omicron cases surge, the health and security agency says new findings are offering hope because the new variant may be less likely to lead to serious illness than the previous Delta variant. And Boris Johnson is urging people to play safe and get boosted.
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BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. PRIME MINISTER: After two years of this pandemic, I can't say that we're through it. How can I?
When Omicron is surging, when we all know we must together try to stop the spread of this new variant. We must test ourselves and take extra care when meeting elderly or vulnerable relatives.
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QUEST: And Salma Abdelaziz is with me in London.
Seasons greetings to you. I think the most interesting thing is that they will be boosting on Christmas Day in a country that -- where public transport shuts down for the day. The vaxes will be going.
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boosting on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. And tens of thousands of appointments are available. There will be walk-in clinics as well.
The prime minister simply wants everyone to get vaccinated. Remember, the government's goal was to get everyone an invitation before the end of the year. So the clock is ticking and the country needs that layer of protection.
Record-breaking case numbers yesterday again, nearly 120,000 new positive cases. So again, Omicron just driving these records and that is why the prime minister says, if you don't have a gift yet for your family, here is an idea. Take a listen.
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JOHNSON: There is still a wonderful thing that you can get your family and the whole country and that is to get that jab. Whether it's your first, your second or your booster. So that next year's festivities are even better than this year's.
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ABDELAZIZ: Now unlike other Western European countries, where tough restrictions have come into place, the prime minister has so far refused to put tougher measures in place over Christmas.
So these booster jabs are really the government's main method of fighting the Omicron variant.
I want to show you what we're facing here, the numbers showing last week, one in 20 people in London last week had COVID-19. There is really not a household in the city that is not impacted by this virus right now.
QUEST: It is everywhere in this city, in London. Thank you, Salma. I hope it is not in your household and that you remain safe. And wishing you all the best.
Now the queen, famously, rarely shows emotions. However, you know what she's thinking often by little ways, the signals that she sends, especially when it comes to loving tributes through her jewelry. [10:25:00]
QUEST: Look at this photograph. The first thing everybody homes in on, this is the queen from the recording of her annual Christmas address. But the important point is the brooch that Her Majesty is wearing. She wore it on her honeymoon in 1947. She wore it in 1977. And you can see the picture of her wearing it with her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
It will be the first Christmas without her Prince Philip. He passed away, of course, in April.
The queen won't be spending Christmas at Sandringham. Instead she will be joined by the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, at Windsor Castle. As the world receives another lump of coal from COVID-19, Charles and his wife took some time to read from Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" and they talked about why that story is still so relevant.
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CAMILLA, DUCHESS OF CORNWALL: "A Christmas Carol" is a story which, in so many ways, began Christmas as we know it today. It follows themes of love, kindness, compassion and tolerance and it speaks to the heart.
CHARLES, PRINCE OF WALES: Join us over these 12 days of Christmas as we, with a little help from some friends, read from Charles Dickens' wonderful story, "A Christmas Carol."
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QUEST: And you can watch the entire reading at dickensmuseum.com.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are sharing their first photo of baby Lilibet as part of their holiday card for the year. The family portrait shows Meghan holding their 6-month-old daughter; Harry sits next to them with their 2-year-old son, Archie, on his lap. The couple have written, in their words, "Archie made us a mama and a papa and Lili made us a family."
Santa is packed and he has left the North Pole. So right now, NORAD has been following Santa for years, ever since a child called the phone number, which was misprinted in a local newspaper, and it connected to the highly secretive -- or highly confidential NORAD, North Atlantic Defense.
Santa is currently over Australia. He is heading for the settlement of the Christmas Island in 6:22. So, Camille, he will be there in 6:13. And that is the way things are looking at this hour. We'll continue to keep you informed on where Santa is going.
The only thing that you need to know is he is coming somewhere near you. I'm Richard Quest in London. "Music That Makes a Difference" is next. This is CNN.
