What picture tells our story . Tonight weve got it for you. Decades from now our descendants will look at this one image and know what it was like to live in america in the year 2020. We will show it to you in just a second. But first, some context. Gavin newsom is the governor of california, our largest and for a long time are most prosperous state. About 40 Million People lived in california. So far two of them under the age virus, so naturally gavin newsom has shut down the entire state. Businesses are shuttered, people wear masks even as they eat. Large groups are forbidden to congregate. Thanksgiving itself is on its way to being canceled. Ia its a tough way to live, but californians have no choice. This is science, people and gavin newsom is californias epidemiologist in chief. Ihe commands obedience and the serfs obey. With that in mind, the chronicle iebroker Pretty Amazing story ts week. The governor recently attended a Birthday Dinner up in wine country at the fresh laundry o
To be together because of the global pandemic. So how have we adapted our plans . Judith moritz has been finding out. For so many, covid means christmas behind closed doors. Bowie gladwell was born during the pandemic. He has a heart condition and his grandparents are vulnerable. Merry christmas so even though rules mean the family could get together today, they have chosen to keep it virtual and open their presents via video call. There was a point where we were thinking about having parents up on Christmas Day, but following the recent raise, you know, raising cases, and just the general uncertainty, we have decided to avoid it this year. How are you, raymond and olwen . 0k. Happy christmas. Coronavirus has changed christmas for church goers too. The congregation of St James Evangelical Church in ca rlisle met on zoom instead of in person, though the sense of community was no less heartfelt. At st marys near congleton, in cheshire, the church is big and draughty enough for everyone t
Hello and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world. In her Christmas Day message, Queen Elizabeth has praised the scientists and medical staff, to whom, she said, we owe a debt of gratitude this year. She said this christmas was tinged with sadness because of the distance between people, many of whom just wanted a simple hug or squeeze of the hand. Nicholas witchell reports. From Windsor Castle on Christmas Day without the customary companionship of families coming together, a christmas broadcast on which the queen reflected on the time of exceptional difficulty. On a mac for christians, jesus is the light of the world. But he cant celebrate his birth today and quite usual way. The pandemic has disrupted so much for people of all faiths but the queen said it has also brought us closer. In the United Kingdom and across the world, people have risen magnificently to the challenges of the year, and i am so proud of the quiet, indomitable spirit. To our young people in partic
Im robyn curnow. Live from cnn center, this is cnn newsroom with robyn curnow. Its more than a month after joe biden was declared the winner of the president ial election, the Electoral College has officially confirmed the results of that race. On monday they cast their own ballots giving him enough electoral votes to win the white house. Joseph r. Biden of delaware, yeas 55, noes 0. Californias 55 electors put him over the top. Afterwards, president elect said the will of the people had prevailed. The Electoral College in the United States officially voting on monday to declare joe biden the president elect. And biden really seizing that moment to deliver what was really a remarkable speech talking about how american democracy had been tested this year in ways that we had never seen before. But he also said that eventu despite the pandemic, despite abuses of power that we have seen in the country, that the American Democratic system could not be extinguished. It was very clear that th
Many thanks. Religious leaders have used their christmas messages to reflect on the darkness brought by the coronavirus. Theyve also been speaking about the many selfless and heroic responses to the pandemic. Heres nicholas witchell. A day for reflection on a difficult year. At the vatican in rome, pope francis attended a Christmas Eve mass in st peters basilica timed so that the very limited number of participants could be home in time for the 10pm curfew. In his homily, he said jesus was born an outcast, and he urged communities to do more to help the poor and the needy. Westminster cathedral in london was empty for Midnight Mass the service was delivered online instead. Earlier, a small socially distanced congregation had heard Cardinal Vincent nichols, leader of the Roman Catholic church in england and wales, speak about the heart warming way in which people had responded to the pandemic. Have we not seen in these months of difficulty being marked by countless acts of random kindne