. >> announcer: live from cnn center, this is "cnn newsroom" with kim brunhuber. countries around the world are scrambling to get a handle on the new covid variant called omnicon. in recent days, it's already spread from southern africa and has been discovered in italy, germany, the uk, the czech republic and just now in australia with two cases. and there are more suspected cases around the world. we don't yet know if it's anymore deadly or whether it can blunt vaccine efficacy or natural immunity, but scientists fear it could be more contagious. dozens of countries have already banned or limited travel from parts of south africa and several of its neighbors where there are confirmed cases of the variant. governments are also scrutinizing travelers as they land inside their borders. australia is testing people entering the country. >> this is a fast-moving issue, but we will continue, as we always have. sensible, balanced, guided by the best possible medical evidence and medical expert advice, at what has enabled covid to be so successful. >> we have team coverage of how this new variant is impacting every corner of the globe. cnn's paula hancocks is live in seoul. but first, let's go to cnn's barbie nadeau standing by in rome. more restrictions are on the way as omnsomnicon is being found i more and more european countries. >> europe was already facing a very difficult winter ahead. so now the idea that we have a new evapvariant to deal with, w the booster programs aren't really up to snuff is very troubling. these european nations are trying figure out what to do to try to save the holiday season, not limit people too much, not destroy the economy any further. it's a very troubling moment here in europe. >> and in the meantime, the continent is still in the throws of the existing covid crisis because of the delta variant. so how are the worst-hit countries trying to cope with that? >> we have full lockdowns in countries like austria and a partial lockdown in the netherlands, because of the higher number of cases. each and every country are looking at more mask mandates, even vaccine mandates now, as a way to sort of counter the surge in cases and see what's coming next. you have to think about the fact that a lot of people are not vaccinated in europe, especially young people, the european medicines agency only just last week approved vaccines for the 5 to 11-year-olds group. those young kids haven't even been vaccinated the first time yet, kim. >> all right. thanks so much, barbie nadeau. appreciate it. now many countries are tightening their borders over fears of the new variant, include south korea. for more on that, i'm joined by cnn's paula hancocks from seoul. acrossat atsia, are more restrictions on the way now in the face of this new variant? >> reporter: we've certainly been seeing that. south korea, for example, is a group of many around asia and the world that have banned all travelers from eight south african countries. it suspended visas to those countries, as well. even korean nationals coming back from those countries have to do a ten-day quarantine in a government facility. and we're seeing similar in other countries, as well. and ironically, many countries across asia were just starting to open up. here in south korea, just four weeks ago, they unveiled the policy of living with covid. suddenly, there were no curfews anymore on most businesses and there was a larger group of people could start to gather as well. and the same with australia, for example. they had just started to open up their international borders, having been sloisolated for so y months. so what we'll see here is that coming to a screeching halt. in fact, we have some restrictions being put in already here in south korea. it was going to be in a couple of weeks, we would decide whether or not to go phase ii. i spoke to the national institutes of health, and one of the main things they dmneed to is get boosters to many people over the age of 60 faster. that is what we're seeing around the world. the booster shots for some of these countries that have been lucky enough to have two shots already are really necessary as that efficacy is waning in the vaccines. now, there has been criticism from south africa, at what they consider a knee-jerk reaction, draconian rules that they're saying, as well, that people are saying they are shutting down their borders. but we have been hearing from officials, they're just trying to buy some time, so they can figure out kbthis variant is. this shutting down borders for certain countries. i think we are understanding now that is already in many more countries. so they're just trying to buy time to figure out what they're dealing with. kim? >> thanks so much, paula hancocks in seoul. the u.s. hasn't confirmed any omnicon cases so far, but top infectious disease expert says he wouldn't be surprised if the virus is already in the country. >> reporter: the biden administration has refrained from saying whether they will enact other travel restrictions or mitigation measures due to the omnicron variant. president biden was out shopping in nantucket on saturday and ignored questions from reporters, asking about those possible mitigation measures. but vice president kamala harris said they are simply taking things one step at a time. >> i have been briefed and as the president has said, we're going to take every precaution, and so that's why we've taken the measures we have. >> do you think there will be any additional travel restrictions? >> we'll take it one step at a time, but as of now, we've done what we believe is necessary. >> reporter: now, biden health officials are in contact with health officials worldwide, as they are trying to get a grasp about this new variant. officials have said that imposing those new travel restrictions that are set to take place on monday will simply buy the administration more time to understand what this variant can do, whether it can potentially have severe illness that goes along with it, or even possibly evade vaccines. one thing the administration continues to push is vaccinations and booster shots, arguing that that is the way for americans to protect themselves. now, secretary of state tony blinken also held a phone call on saturday with a foreign minister and south africa, where he thanked them for their transparency in notifying the world about this variant. of course, south africa has been critical about this travel ban that the u.s. and others have put into place. now president biden returns to the white house on sunday, and we will see what further steps they might announce in the coming days. arlette saenz, cnn, traveling with the president in nantucket, massachusetts. >> joining me now is lawrence young in birmingham, england. he's a university and professor of warwick. thank you so much for joining us. the fact that this evaporate was already described just recently and already cases have been reported so widely around the world, does that tell you anything about this virus or confirm, i guess, what you already knew about how quickly coronavirus spreads? >> yeah, this comes as no surprise. we know that once the variant is identified, particularly one that is likely to be more infe infectious, it would have spread beyond the few original cases and original countries. this comes as no surprise. it's a product of the way that international travel works and the infectiousness of coron coronavirus. >> and now, speaking of how this travels, we're seeing these travel bans around the world. we heard from african experts and politicians pushing back strongly, saying that travel bans haven't worked in the past. why go back to this failed measure. it may be good politics, but bad science. but we heard dr. fauci saying basically that it's not going to stop the virus, but it buys us time. is that why you support travel restrictions? >> it is. at this stage, everything we're doing is precautionary. we still know so little about this variant and we just need to keep control, really, by slowing and limiting the spread of this variant. that means travel restrictions are one way of preventing the virus spreading, whilst we gain time to understand more about this variant, whether it's more infectious, and indeed whether it's more vaccine resistant. >> that's one of the big worries, it will evade the protection of the vaccines. you were quoted in an article saying essentially, you think they will still offer some level of against the variant. so where's the cutoff in terms of vaccine efficacy that would mean that we would all have to line up again for a new, different shot. where do we draw the line? >> that's an interesting question. of course, we just don't understand enough about the protection, particularly how long-term protection is going to be provided by booster shots for this and other variants. it's true that for alpha, beta, gama and delta, all if variants we've been dealing with, current vaccinations, particularly full vaccination and boosted vaccination, provides very good protection. and that's why we believe even looking at the enormous number of mutations in this omnicron variant, that vaccination is very likely to protect against severe disease. you're right, if protection dropped below 50%, we would have to really seriously consider the use of modified vaccines. i think that's unlikely, but we're having to wait for laboratory testing. it's going to take two or three weeks for us to fully understand whether immunity induced by vaccines will protect, sufficiently, to protect severe disease with this new variant. >> many are blaming this on the fact that we haven't vaccinated the world population as well as we should have done. former british prime minister gordon brown, now w.h.o ambassador for global health financing, has been outspoken about how this warring variant is no surprise. he said that, quote, our failure to vaccinate the rest of the world is going to come back to haunt us. but the current prime minister, boris johnson, has pushed back against that variant when it comes to the omnicron variant. so we'll play the clips back to back here. >> let's just remember, only 25% of what america has promised in vaccines to the rest of the world has been delivered. only 11% of what britain has promised has been delivered. 19% of the european union. only 5% of canada. >> i think when you look at the arrival of the spread of omnicron, sadly, it's been in countries where the problem has not been supply of vaccine, it's been really through with hesitancy and lack of takeups. >> so which position do you support here? or do they both have a strong case? >> i think it's a really interesting situation in the terms of the way that governments respond to this. what omnicron is telling us that you have to control the pandemic globally as well as locally. and it comes back to the mantra we've heard all the way through, that none of us are safe, to all of us are safe. it's true that there are lovells of vaccination in south africa. a lot of that has not to do with vaccine supply, but hesitancy and the practice alities. we should all be able to look after our own populations as well as support the rollout of global vaccination by ensuring that there's enough vaccine being manufactured and that we do everything internationally to support the practicalities, the logistics of getting vaccines into people's arms. >> in the meantime, we're looking ahead to what vaccines we may potentially need for this omnicron variant. it's unknowable right now, but i'm just curious from your perspective, how long do you think it would take to do the research, to look into how it responds and to potentially produce a new vaccine, if one were needed? >> so i think the lab studies are going to determine whether antibodies induced by current vaccines are able to block infection with this variant. that will take about two to three weeks. in the meantime, we know that a number of companies including the mrna vaccine companies already started to modify their vaccines. they're already testing new variant vaccines anyway. so they say that that will take about a hundred days to develop and start testinge a new vaccin, and that may be a kind of booster. that's a worst-case scenario. but nevertheless, important to know that the vaccine manufacturers are on the case. and that the drugs that we have. these new recently approved drugs will also be effective. in fact, the changes in the bits of the virus that those drugs target are not that significant, actually, to omnicron. so the drugs that are there already can be used for people with early infection. so we're okay. we're sort of, we've got enough in our armory to protect us, but we need to take these precautionary measures at this stage just to be seure that we can all enjoy christmas. >> absolutely. that's a good note to end on, to assuage any panic people might be feeling at hearing all of this news. really appreciate your insights, lawrence young. thank you so much. >> thank you. still ahead, stores across the u.s. are ramping up security as brazen thieves ransack high-end shops in a series of smash-and-grab robberies. and as the omnicron variant spreads, some countries arer facing backlash. ro heartburn. because life starts when heartburn stops. take the challenge at prilosecotc dot com. my plaque psoriasis... ...the itching... the burning. the stinging. my skin was no longer mine. my psoriatic arthritis, made my joints stiff, swollen... painful. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®, adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...can uncover clearer skin and improve symptoms at 16 weeks. tremfya® is the only medication of its kind also approved for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant® with tremfya®... ask you doctor about tremfya® today. start your day with crest 3d white and from mochaccinos to merlot, your smile will always be brilliant. crest 3d white brilliance. 100% stain removal, 24 hour stain resistance to lock in your whitest smile. crest. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. hi. so you're the scientist here. does my aveeno® daily moisturizer really make my dry skin healthier in one day? it's true jen. this prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. impressive. aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.™ new daily moisture for face. clerk: hello, how can i? sore throat pain? ♪honey lemon♪ try vicks vapocool drops. in honey lemon chill. for fast-acting sore throat relief. wooo vaporize sore throat pain with vicks vapocool drops. just as the holiday shopping season gets underway, an uptick in so-called smash and grab robberies is being reported in cities across the united states. brazen gangs of thieves are targeting high-end retailers. cnn's nick watt looks into what's behind this sudden surge in crime. >> oak brook, illinois, a coordinated smash and grab swarm overwhelms security at a louis vuitton store. more than $100 the grand in handbags and more was stolen. in downtown san francisco this past weekend, another vuitton store and more hit by a mob. >> this is not a problem limited to san francisco. >> reporter: just outside the city, burglars, their arms filled withmerch made their getaway. an employee was pepper sprayed during the brazen way. >> probably saw 50 to 80 people with ski masks, crow bars, a bunch of weapons. >> reporter: fthey fled in ten cars. three arrests were made, two guns were recovered. sunday night, another raid at another barrier mall. >> the thing that we are not used to is these groups' willingness to actually use firearms and shoot at people. >> reporter: at the grove down in l.a., nordstrom's was hit monday night. $5,000 worth of goods stolen, $15,000 worth of damage. this mall had beefed up security, after the protests that followed the murder of george floyd. >> you saw these bad guys with 20-pound sledge hammers, having a very difficult time to break a window, because all of our windows have ballistic missile film on them. >> reporter: many more malls now beefing up security and californian authorities promising action. >> these people need to be held to account. we need to investigate these crimes. we need to break up these crime rings. and we need to make an example out of nethese folks. >> reporter: in oakland this weekend -- >> we will have tactical teams deployed throughout the city. >> reporter: but even when cops are quick to the scene -- with a mob, many will still get away. >> so why is this happening right now? well, the stores are fully stocked for the holidays and there's also a market for stolen goods this time of year. and some experts tell us the penalties for this sort of crime just aren't high enough. here in california, for example, if you steal goods worth 950 bucks orle less, that's not a felony, just a misdemeanor. nick watt, cnn, los angeles. professor sharice is with the department of law and society at the university of california irvine. thank you so much for joining us. professor, almost literally every day now, we're getting reports of new attacks by these flash mob thieves. what we're seeing seems like scenes from some sort of dystopian movie. so what's behind all of this? >> we're still trying to get a handle of what's going on with these types of crimes. on the one hand, places where they're occurring, places like los angeles and san francisco, especially in california, are places that have seen lots of retail thefts over the years and rank in the top ten. on the other hand, as you mentioned, they're quite distinct, they're very unique. these are involving many, many individuals that are highly organized, using social media in many cases to get that organization down. and then using social media where these are playing out. so it's very -- it's a very distinct situation here. in terms of why this is happening or what's behind this, i don't think that we have the full answer at this point. i mean, there's lots of culprits that i've heard being thrown around, everything from the pandemic and associated lockdowns, which led to economic displacement, economic disadvantage among many. there's been the social and civil unrest. i like to say that crime is caused by many factors. at this point, we don't know, but it's probably some combination of those. >> all right. so we don't know exactly why. well, let's look at who. i mean, these are gangs -- are these likes organized, established criminal gangs that are just sort of, you know, trying something new? or is it something completely different altogether. >> i think in many cases, it is. the sheer volume of folks involved, in some cases, dozens of people suggest that this is not just like a seat of the pants, fly-by -- you know, let's do this tonight and make this happen. they're very highly organize i'd. they're organized criminal rings, if you will. however, there are other cases popping up in other parts of the country that maybe look a bit different, that maybe are imitation or sort of copy cat sorts of things, because these videos have been shown so widely on social media, there is concern with imitation and sort of the diffusion of these types of crimes in other places and in other situations and types, if you will. >> i want to ask you about something that you touched on here. and that's the theory that the pandemic and the economic disruption caused by that seems to have played in. the link seems a bit tenuous, but take me through it. why would everything that we're seeing lead to something so specific as this? >> so, i think, no one would argue that there's been the economic disinvestment, disadvantage that's resulted for many folks due to the pandemic and the lockdown. this does raise questions about these kind of crimes for profit. there's lots of scams going on right now, on the internet and otherwise. so this may be a unique form that has arisen in response to these economic demands and that sort of thing. so there is some link between economic conditions and these types of crime for profit. >> so thieves are just getting more creative then, i guess. so how do you stop it? what would you advise stores do to combat this? >> there's a number of different measures that stores can take. for example, increased police presence, hiring more private security guards, increased surveillance so that police officers have video footage for after the fact, if they are able to review that footage and identify suspects. those are some of the steps that stores can take. i think the police have to do a lot, as well. they need to be looking through social media, trying to identify groups, breaking these groups down. potentially identifying the next places where these types of crimes will occur. so those are some of the things that can be done. what i don't think should be done, and i didn't mention this in the previous question around what's causing this, is there's been a lot of concern in california about recent criminal justice reforms, and claims that these thefts, these large retail thefts are the result of these criminal justice reforms. i don't see any support or evidence for that whatsoever. in fact, there's reasons that i don't think that these reforms have anything to do with that. so i would hate to see the state undo a lot of these reforms, assuming that that's what's causing these crimes to occur. >> well, let's hope they can start getting a handle on it, because it's absolutely terrifying for customers and has a huge effect on retail stores, especially the smaller ones that get caught up in some of the side effects of all of this, people stay away from in-person shopping because of this. listen. we'll have to leave it there, but thank you very much for your insights, professor sharice cubruin, really appreciate it. >> thank you. still ahead, protection or punishment as omnicron variant sparks another round of travel restrictions. plus, free and fair elections are under threat in many latin american countries. we'll have a look at the rise of authoritarianism across the region, coming up. stay with us. and it works fast. in as little as 7 days try fast acting biotic gummies from align. the #1 doctor recommended probiotic brand. two loads of snot covered laundry. only one will be sanitized. wait, what? adding lysol laundryanitizer kills 99.9% bacteria detergent alone, can't. when you really need to sleep you reach for the really good stuff. new zzzql ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. it's non habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. new zzzquil ultra. when you really really need to sleep. my hygienist cleans with a round head. so does my oral-b my hygienist personalizes my cleaning. so does my oral-b oral-b delivers the wow of a professional clean feel every day. [♪] did you know, you no longer need to visit a dermatologist to get access to top skincare ingredients? introducing dermageek featuring top dermatologist recommended ingredients and 0% fillers. dermageek's new detoxifying facial serum contains twice the amount of beta hydroxy acid. it delivers two times more exfoliation for brighter skin, with dermatologist tested levels of hydration. get top derm-ingredients at a fraction of the price. try the new dermageek skincare lineup, with a money-back guarantee. welcome back to all of you watching us here in the united states, canada, and around the world. i'm kim brunhuber. this is "cnn newsroom." our top story, countries around the world are racing to curb the spread of the new covid variant called omnicron. it was first detected in southern africa, but since then, cases have been confirmed in hong kong, the uk, and several european countries. governments have imposed travel bans on south africa and several neighbors countries, but already australia says two people arriving from south africa have tested positive for the new variant. in the u.s., new travel restrictions on eight african countries go into effect in less than 24 hours, but as nick valencia reports, flights between the u.s. and the affected region will still keep going. >> at least two major u.s. airlines say they will continue their flights to south africa and continue business as usual, despite the emerge of a new strain of covid-19. omnicron. united airlines and the atlanta-based carrier delta say they will continue their flights to africa and south africa, specifically, despite an upcoming travel ban that will go into effect on monday. those travel restrictions will affect eight african nations, but u.s. citizens will be exempt as will lawful permanent residents and the spouses of both of those groups, perhaps leaving the door open for omnicron to more easily come to the united states. for some in the health community, it's only a matter of time and they're skeptical that these travel restrictions will do much to stop the spread of omnicron. k though there's clearly a lot of concern, we heard from dr. anthony fauci on friday saying it's not time to panic, but on saturday morning, he struck a more cautionary saying that he wouldn't be surprised if the strain was already here. the cdc says, the cdc is continuously monitoring variants and the u.s. surveillance variant system has reliably detected new variants in this country. we expect omnicron to be identified quickly if it emerges in the united states. to be clear, there is a lot that we don't know about this strain, but what we do know is scary. nick valencia, cnn, atlanta. america's top diplomat is applauding south africa's quick response to the omnicron variant. during a call with the south african foreign minister on saturday, u.s. secretary of state antony blinken praised south africa's scientist for the quick identification of the omnicron variant and south africa's government for its transparency in sharing this information, which should serve as a model for the world. but the africa cdc strongly discourages the flurry of travel bans impacting the continent, saying they don't generally yield a meaningful income throughout the pandemic. cnn spoke to one health leader, who's particularly upset over the travel restrictions targeting africa. here it is. >> why is it that we're not seeing border closures, from people from belgium. why is it that we're not seeing border closures from people from hong kong. why is it that the uk now that has identified the virus, as well, is not being close to promising africa. it is unfair. and unacceptable. the same behavior we saw on vaccine supply, being locked out from africa, is we're seeing the same behavior of african bes be locked out from the world. it is not acceptable and should stop immediately. >> in fact, some experts and officials say instead of being applauded for discovering the new variant in south africa and its neighbors are being punished. cnn's david mckenzie reports from johannesburg. >> more and more countries are confirming cases of this troubling variant, particularly across europe. now, several of those people confirmed to have the omnicron variant have traveled from southern african, where i am sitting. scientists here have been angry at the swift travel bans being put in from across the world, including the uk and on monday, the u.s. there was a discussion between the secretary of state of the u.s., antony blinken, and his counterpart here in south africa. blinken praised south african scientists, saying that their swift description and alert of this variant should be a model for the rest of the world. but the south african government says that in some way, they are being punished because of their, quote, excellent scientists. there is now a race to figure out how bad this variant is. will it outbreahave breakthroug infections from the vaccine? there are some indications it's more transmissible and the cases are rising fast here in hartung province of south africa, but a lot is still unknown as more and more countries shut this region off. david mckenzie, cnn, johannesburg. >> israel is barring foreigners from entering the country for two weeks because of the fears over the omnicron variant. the move starting sunday night makes israel the first country to completely shut its borders in response to the new variant. israel is also imposing quarantine rules, like forcing residents to reentry the country from abroad to isolate at home for at least three days. israel will be required at least for seven days in a designated hotel. protests against covid measures intensified skpirled into violence in the french caribbean on saturday po. protesters set fire to a gas station, blocked roads with blocked cars and debris and vandalized a post office. the french government is looking to end the demonstrations. the health ministry announced on friday it's postponing the deadline for public sector workers in the region to get a mandatory covid vaccine. on top of that, paris says, it's willing to discuss an autonomy for guadalupe. the french minister for overseas territories says officials from guadalupe raised the issue. covid rules handed down from paris reignited long-standing reacceptability over the island's relationship with france. still to come, the diplomatic spat between the uk is escalating and quickly. and signs of authoritarian trends across latin america have many worried about the future of the region, but some experts say democracy isn't dead yet. stay with us. hey hun hey, get your own vapors relax with vicks vapobath or with vicks vaposhower. take a soothing vicks vapo moment wherever you chose. i don't just play someone brainy on tv - i'm actual neuroscientist. and i love the science bend neuriva plus. unlike ordinary memory suppments, neuriva plus fuels six key indicators of brain performance. more brain performance? yes, please! neuriva. think bigger. facing expensive vitamin c creams with dull results? olay brightens it up with new olay vitamin c. gives you two times brighter skin. hydrates better than the $400 cream. look, if your wireless carrier was a guy, you'd leave him tomorrow. not very flexible. not great at saving. you deserve better—xfinity mobile. now, they have unlimited for just $30 a month. $30. and they're number 1 in customer satisfaction. his number? delete it. i'm deleting it. so break free from the big three. xfinity internet customers take the savings challenge at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings. or visit an xfinity store to learn how our switch squad makes it easy to switch and save hundreds. wednesday's mass drowning in the english channel has sparked renewed concerns and anger over migrants fleeing to europe from the middle east and africa. france will host an emergency meeting in a few hours with most of its neighboring countries to discuss the escalating migrant crisis. france uninvited the uk from the meeting after a diplomatic spat earlier this week between president emmanuel macron and boris johnson about a tweet about the migrant issue. meanwhile, at a makeshift camp along the coast in france, aide workers are providing food, clothing, and other emergency supplies to migrants. french officials try to routinely dismantle camps like this one in an effort to discourage migrants from crossing the border. but thousands of migrants have shown year after year, they're determined to make the dangerous trek over crossings like the english channel, despite the risks. polls will soon open across honduras in election s already mired by warnings of potential foul play. the right-wing national party tangled up in allegations of corruption and drug trafficking could lead power in more than a decade. polls show the race is between the left wing liberty and foundation party. there are growing concerns of unrest if the victor doesn't win by a clear margin. now, the election in honduras is just the latest test facing latin america, as thorntarian trends spark concerns that democracy is crumbling across the region. cnn's matt rivers reports. >> reporter: if you're a fan of democracy, november has been a very bad month in latin america. the latest example, venezuela, which held local and regional elections on sunday. president nicolas maduro claiming victory for his party, which won 21 of 24 state governorships. he says the result is because of our hard work and our honesty. critics, though, in the outcome was already determined. the vote can't be trusted, they say, in a country where maduro controls state institutions. allegations of coerced voting and violence have already surfaced. and then there's nicaragua, where on november 7th, president daniel ortega won another term in what can only be described as sham elections. his regime unleashed a campaign of political terror back in june, arresting any prominent would-be opposition candidates and tossing them in jail. those in jail are sons of [ bleep ] of the imperialist yankees, he says. they're no longer nicaraguans. we even tried to get into nicaragua ourselves to see what was happening there, but authorities deported my team and me after just a few hours. in his victory speech, ortega spoke about journalists like us. these scoundrels want to come cover the elections? we already know they're employees of the american intelligence agencies. so ortega wins a fourth consecutive term and nicaraguan democracy is on life support. but it's not just those three countries that are having problems. this is a map from freedom house, a pro-democracy research group. and each country is given a score that measures its liberal democracy. green means an improving score. and as you can see, there's not a lot of green on this map. from 2019 to 2020, nearly every country in latin america and the caribbean either became less free or stayed the same. there are signs of creeping anti-democratic enormous all over the place. >> reporter: like in brazil led by jair bolsonaro, who earlier this year reminded many of the country's dark days of military dictatorship. he'd approved a military parade on the same day that lawmakers were voting on a controversial change to the country's voting laws. the law didn't pass, but bolsonaro has since suggested that he won't respect next year's election results. from what i see, he says, i will not accept any election results that do not declare me the winner. my mind is made up. a dictatorial declaration, the kind of language some say is also coming from another country, el salvador. currently run by world's coolest dictator, nael bukale. not my words, he wrote that on his twitter feed earlier this year. the millennial president might have been joking, but his attacks are no laughing matter and have some concerned that he could be central america's next strongman. what's happening in these places might not stay there. >> there is a threat of con teenagen, of disfusion. >> reporter: across 18 latin american countries, only 49% of people said democracy is the best form of government, according to a late 2020 poll by latino barometer. >> the next four years, yes, you might get very worried, because things can get very worse. you know, we will have all of these monsters that will appear here and there. >> reporter: but marta lagos has also told me she's also really hopeful about democracy in latin america, that so many people actually still support democracy, even after all of the corruption and economic hardship and even violence that so many countries in this region have dealt with recently. as one expert told me, where it's bad, it's really bad. but with thriving democracies in places like costa rica and ururg guay, if you are a fan of democracy, there is still a lot of hope to be had. matt rivers, cnn, mexico city. a group of female afghan students graduated from a private university in kandahar saturday. they were forced to wear face veils due to a rule imposed by the taliban. before the taliban takeover, an estimated 100,000 girls were attending universities. the graduates fear finding jobs may be difficult because of both taliban rule and the country's worsening humanitarian crisis. barbados is preparing to cut ties with queen elizabeth ii as head of state and will become a new republic. it officially comes into existence on tuesday, making it the first country to drop the british monarchy in nearly three decades. sandra mason, seen here with the queen in 2018, will be the new leader of the caribbean nation. she was elected president in october. mason has said ending barbados' ties to the british monarchy after hundreds of years, quote, is the ultimate statement of confidence in who we are and what we are capable of achieving. the taliban takeover in afghanistan forced many afghans to become refugees in other countries. now some of them in the u.s. have celebrated their first american thanksgiving. we'll meet one of those families after the break. nyquil severe gives you powerful relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms, on sunday night and every night. nyquil severe. the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, best sleep with a cold, medicine. feeling sluggish or weighed down? it could be a sign that your digestive system isn't working at it's best taking metamucil everyday can help. metamucil psyllium fiber, gels to trap and remove the waste that weighs you down. it also helps lower cholesterol and slows sugar absorption to promote healthy blood sugar levels. so you can feel lighter and more energetic metamucil. support your daily digestive health. and try metamucil fiber thins. a great tasting and easy way to start your day. [♪] powerful skincare ingredients come dermatologist-recommended, and there's a brand that offers them at an affordable price. try olay skincare. olay regenerist, with 99% pure niacinamide provides 5 times the hydrating power of a prestige cream; while olay collagen peptide visibly firms and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and olay retinol 24 brightens and smooths the skin while you sleep. for dermatologist-recommended ingredients at an affordable price, try olay skincare. the black friday sale is on for the #1 gift this holiday season, the blendjet 2 portable blender. it packs the power of a big blender on the go, and it crushes right through ice. just drop in your favorite ingredients, even frozen fruit, and make a smoothie any time, anywhere. blendjet cleans itself. just add a drop of soap, water, and blend. recharge quickly with any usb port. order now on blendjet.com and get our best deal ever! are you a christian author with a book that you're ready to share with the world? get published now, call for your free publisher kit today! the holiday shopping season is off to a roaring start in the united states. millions of americans hit the stores and were shelling out for goods online. sales were up dramatically on black friday from the same day last november. nearly a 30% increase. clothing sales led the way, almost doubling, but with supply chain bottlenecks due to the pandemic, shoppers may find a few empty shelves. many afghan refugees who fled to the united states after the taliban takeover had their first thanksgiving the week. volunteers from a nonprofit organization in california opened their doors to afghan families for the typically american holiday tradition. natasha chen went to one of those celebrations and has the det details. >> hi, how are you? >> reporter: kiki was already cooking a thanksgiving meal for a large group of friends. >> why is everything so much harder after the pandemic? i have forgotten how to do this. >> reporter: but she also wanted to open her los angeles home to some of the country's newest residents. she volunteers for an organization called mary's list that helps refugees settle in the united states. >> i just threw it out to mary, like, do you know any afghani families who need to have a first thanksgiving with an american family? and so, she said, yeah, why don't you invite waheed. >> hi, everybody, how are you? >> waheed tells us he was a translator and interpreter for the u.s. military in afghanistan. he arrived in late 2020 with his four children under a special immigrant visa. his wife joined them five months later. this was the family's first invitation to a traditional thanksgiving meal. >> sometimes when i ask, what turkey is? i say, turkey is like a baked chicken. >> reporter: he made something there would be at least something familiar on the table. >> this experience wasn't just about new foods. it was also about learning the tradition of sharing gratitude. >> we may have more opportunities in our life and in our hands, so, of course, the foremost example is this. that we are together, a family. >> reporter: with his wife's visa delayed, they say she's lucky she arrived before the chaotic exit of u.s. troops in august, the scene of people trying to escape, particularly resonated with fellow thanksgiving guest, tom van tram. >> when i saw the photo of the afghans in the cargo plane, it reminded me very much of -- i was in the same, but it was a gigantic cargo ship. >> reporter: tran came to the u.s. as a refugee from vietnam in 1975, when he was around the same age as the oldest children. he says he can offer a warm welcome and imagine that might be experiencing. like at many holiday gatherings, not everyone here practices the same religion or holds the same political beliefs. despite that -- >> there is something essential to the american experience that is rooted in gratitude, that is rooted in the volunteerism that you leave your country, you leave a situation and you come here, sometimes with very little, sometimes with nothing, and you start over. >> reporter: askari tells his kids to work hard to seize this opportunity. >> we are here for you and the united states is here for you. and everything you have got in your hand, what you've got to do is study. >> reporter: what he hopes is a lesson from his first thanksgiving. >> i would want them to see that tolerance is really possible in the united states, that americans are at heart really a generous people. >> reporter: natasha chen, cnn, los angeles. >> before we go, france's largest christmas market and fair is open in strasbourg after it was canceled last year due to the pandemic. this year, people need to show a health pass and wear a face mask to get in. and alongside the hot chocolate and mulled wine, hand sanitizers. covid cases are increasing in france, but visitors say the market's return is a boost to their morale. i'm kim brunhuber. i'll be back with more "cnn newsroom" in just a moment. please do stay with us. you have always loved vicks vapors. and now you'll really love new vicks' vapostick. it goes on clear and dries quickly. no mess. just the soothing vicks' vapor r for the whole family. introducing new vicks vaposticick. frequent heartburn? not anymore. the prilosec otc two-week challenge is helping people love what they love again. just one pill a day. 24 hours. zero heartburn. because life starts when heartburn stops. take the challenge at prilosecotc dot com. live from cnn world headquarters in atlanta, welcome to all of you watching us here in the united states, canada, and around the world. i'm kim brunhuber. this is "cnn newsroom." more countries have detected cases of the covid omnicron variant and more are banning travel from the african countries where the variant was first discovered. we have live coverage from europe and asia. plus, a look at what could be the reason for the surge in smash-and-grab robberies in the united states. >> announcer: live from cnn center in atlanta, this is "cnn newsroom" with kim brunhuber. >> countries around the world are scrambling to get a handle on the new covid variant called omnicron. in recent days, it's already spread from southern africa and has been discovered in italy, germany, the uk, and the czech republic. australia has already reported two cases within the last few hours, and dutch authorities are now saying that omnicron

Related Keywords

Shot , Cancelation , Anxiety , Career , Cnn World Headquarters , Variant , Cases , Wall , Restrictions , Cnn Newsroom , United States , Kim Brunhuber , Atlanta , Fears , Canada , Around The World , Omnicon Covid , World , Democracy , Elections , Holidays , Risk , Latin American , Robberies , Plus , Eye , Smash And Grab , Honduras , Countries , Announcer , Cnn Center , Handle , Uk , Southern Africa , Scrambling , Covid Variant Called Omnicon , Czech Republic , Germany , Italy , Australia , Vaccine Efficacy , Immunity , Scientists , Two , People , South Africa , Borders , Travelers , Governments , Several , Parts , Travel , Dozens , Neighbors , Country , Issue , Evidence , Expert , Advice , Sensible , Let S Go To Cnn , Covid , Team Coverage , Paula Hancocks , Corner , Globe , Seoul , Way , Omnsomnicon , Barbie Nadeau Standing , Rome , Europe , Holiday Season , Nations , Figure , Booster Programs , Idea , Evapvariant , Crisis , Continent , Delta Variant , Economy , Vaccine , Number , Lockdown , Lockdowns , Mask Mandates , Austria , Netherlands , Lot , Vaccines , Group , Fact , Counter , Surge , European Medicines Agency , 5 , 11 , South Korea , Thanks , Young Kids Haven T , Time , Barbie Nadeau , Reporter , Example , Face , Acrossat Atsia , Many , Quarantine , Nationals , Visas , Government Facility , Asia , Ten , Eight , Policy Of Living With Covid , Curfews , Four , Same , Businesses , Couple , Sloisolated , Screeching Halt , One , Things , Boosters , Age , National Institutes Of Health , Go Phase Ii , 60 , Booster Shots , Some , Shots , Efficacy , Knee Jerk Reaction , Criticism , Officials , Well , Kbthis Variant , Saying , Hearing , Rules , Paula Hancocks In Seoul , Virus , Administration , Biden , Infectious Disease Expert , Top , Wouldn T , Hasn T , Travel Restrictions , Omnicron Variant , Measures , Shopping , Mitigation , Reporters , Questions , Kamala Harris , Mitigation Measures , Precaution , Health , Contact , Now , Place , Grasp , It , Vaccinations , Thing , Illness , Tony Blinken , Course , Secretary Of State , Travel Ban , Foreign Minister , Transparency , Phone Call , President , Biden Returns , Others , On Sunday , White House , Nantucket , Arlette Saenz , University , Professor , Warwick , Birmingham , England , Massachusetts , Surprise , Anything , Confirm , Infe , Infectiousness , Product , International Travel Works , Travels , Politicians , Travel Bans Haven T , Travel Bans Around The World , African Experts , Coron Coronavirus , Anthony Fauci , Dr , Science , Measure , Politics , Everything , Spread , Stage , Control , Worries , Protection , Terms , Level , Article , Cutoff , Question , Line , Vaccination , Variants , Carrier Delta , Beta , Gama , Alpha , Disease , Mutations , 50 , Use , Laboratory Testing , Three , World Population , Haven T , Gordon Brown , Financing , Rest , Quote , Boris Johnson , Failure , Clips , 25 , What Britain , European Union , 19 , Omnicron , Arrival , Problem , Hesitancy , Supply , Lack , Takeups , Situation , Case , What Omnicron , Pandemic , Safe , None , Mantra , Lovells , Vaccine Supply , Practice , Alities , Populations , Rollout , Practicalities , Arms , Logistics , Lab Studies , Research , Perspective , Infection , Mrna Vaccine Companies , Antibodies , Kind , Vaccin , Booster , A Hundred , Drugs , Scenario , Changes , Bits , Target , Vaccine Manufacturers , Armory , News , Feeling , Seure , Note , Security , Thieves , Insights , Shops , Series , Lawrence Young , Life , Omnicron Variant Spreads , Ro Heartburn , Arer Facing Backlash , Skin , Challenge , Plaque Psoriasis , Psoriatic Arthritis , Prilosecotc Dot Com , Itching , Burning , Joints , Stinging , Painful , Symptoms , Tremfya , Adults , Medication , Moderate , Emerge Tremfyant , 16 , Infections , Doctor , Reactions , Ability , Smile , Lock , Stain , Merlot , Mochaccinos , Crest 3d , Stain Removal , 100 , 24 , 3 , Brand , Scientist , Crest , Moisturizer , Prebiotic Oat Formula , Daily , Aveeno , True Jen , 1 , Daily Moisture , Nature Tm , Sore Throat Pain , Vicks Vapocool , Sore Throat Relief , Clerk , Honey Lemon Chill , Honey Lemon , Wooo Vaporize , Season , Cities , Uptick , Crime , Retailers , Gangs , Swarm , Nick Watt , Coordinated Smash And Grab , Oak Brook , Illinois , More , Store , Mob , Handbags , Downtown San Francisco , Hit , Vuitton , Louis Vuitton , The Grand , 00 , City , Withmerch , Employee , Ski Masks , Getaway , Crow Bars , Burglars , 80 , Groups , Sunday Night , Cars , Willingness , Arrests , Weapons , Bunch , Guns , Barrier Mall , Fthey , Protests , Worth , Mall , Firearms , Damage , Murder , Hit Monday Night , Nordstrom S , George Floyd , The Grove Down In L A , 5000 , 000 , 15000 , Guys , Malls , Windows , Window , Missile , Hammers , Film , 20 , Crimes , Authorities , Action , Crime Rings , Nethese , Californian , Stores , Folks , Scene , Teams , Cops , Oakland , Sort , Market , Experts , Penalties , Aren T High Enough , Los Angeles , Felony , Misdemeanor , Department Of Law And Society , 950 Bucks , 950 , Attacks , Flash Mob Thieves , University Of California Irvine , Types , Hand , Scenes , Movie , Places , Social Media , Lots , Retail Thefts , Individuals , Rank , Organization , Disadvantage , Point , Culprits , Displacement , Answer , We Don T Know , Unrest , Factors , Combination , Who , Volume , Something , Rings , Seat , Pants , Concern , Imitation , Videos , Diffusion , Copy Cat , Situations , Theory , Link , No One , Lead , Disruption , Profit , Scams , Disinvestment , Response , Internet , Form , Demands , Conditions , Creative , Police Officers , Police Presence , Security Guards , Surveillance , Video Footage , Police , Suspects , Footage , Reforms , Result , Criminal Justice , Thefts , Support , Whatsoever , Reasons , State , Customers , Effect , Ones , Retail Stores , Side Effects , Covid Omnicron , Sharice Cubruin , Round , Punishment , Region , Stay , Threat , Look , Authoritarianism , Rise , Biotic Gummies From Align , Probiotic Brand , Laundry , Loads , Snot , Bacteria Detergent , Lysol Laundryanitizer , Wait , 99 9 , 7 , Zzzql Ultra , Can T , Stuff , Habit , Makers , Nyquil , Zzzquil Ultra , Hygienist , Cleaning , Round Head , Cleans , Oral B , Wow , Skincare Ingredients , Dermatologist , Top Dermatologist , Access , Introducing Dermageek , Times , Ingredients , Derm Ingredients , Serum , Hydration , Levels , Fillers , Amount , Exfoliation , Fraction , Dermageek , Beta Hydroxy Acid , 0 , Price , Money Back Guarantee , Dermageek Skincare Lineup , Story , Covid Variant Called Omnicron , Racing , Hong Kong , Travel Bans , Flights , Airlines , Reports , Business As Usual , Nick Valencia , Strain , United Airlines , Covid 19 , Residents , Citizens , Both , Spouses , African Nations , Matter , Health Community , Cdc , Panic , Surveillance Variant System , Call , Diplomat , Government , Model , Information , Identification , Health Leader , Flurry , Income , Border Closures , Belgium , Behavior , We , African Bes , Johannesburg , David Mckenzie , Swift Travel Bans Being Put , Discussion , Counterpart , South African Scientists , Swift , Description , South African Government , Race , Indications , Province , Israel , Foreigners , Quarantine Rules , Move , Violence , French Caribbean , Covid Measures , Least , Home , Hotel , Saturday Po , Seven , Health Ministry , Gas Station , Demonstrations , Post Office , Protesters , Debris , Roads , Public Sector Workers , Minister , Territories , Guadalupe , Autonomy , Covid Rules , Paris , Spat , Signs , Reacceptability , Relationship , Island , Trends , Democracy Isn T Dead , Take A Soothing Vicks , Vapors , Someone , Neuroscientist , Vicks Vaposhower , Vicks Vapobath , Hun , Tv , Brain Performance , Yes , Indicators , Memory Suppments , Science Bend Neuriva Plus , Neuriva Plus , Neuriva , Six , Olay Brightens , Results , Vitamin C Creams , Olay Vitamin C , Hydrates , Guy , Carrier , Cream , Xfinity Mobile , 400 , Customer Satisfaction , Savings , Big Three , Xfinitymobile Com Mysavings , 30 , Save , Switch Squad , Drowning , Hundreds , English Channel , Migrants , Concerns , Emergency Meeting , Anger , Migrant Crisis , The Middle East , Aide Workers , Camp , Meeting , Clothing , Tweet , Coast , Food , Emmanuel Macron , Emergency Supplies , Border , Camps , Effort , Thousands , Election , Polls , Risks , Potential , Warnings , Foul Play , National Party , Trek , Corruption , Power , Allegations , Wing , Drug Trafficking , Liberty , Foundation Party , Victor Doesn T Win , Test , Matt Rivers Reports , Thorntarian Trends Spark , Nicolas Maduro , Venezuela , Victory , Fan , November , State Governorships , Party , Work , Honesty , Critics , Outcome , Vote , 21 , Nicaragua , Voting , Maduro , State Institutions , On November 7th , November 7th , Daniel Ortega , Term , Regime , Campaign , Candidates , Terror , Tossing , Sons , Nicaraguans , Team , Jail , Bleep , Yankees , Cover , Employees , Intelligence Agencies , Victory Speech , Scoundrels , Journalists , Map , Freedom House , Life Support , Problems , Score , Green , Caribbean , Improving Score , Either , 2019 , 2020 , Jair Bolsonaro , Led , All Over The Place , Brazil , Election Results , Change , Military Dictatorship , Military Parade , Voting Laws , The Law Didn T Pass , Won T Respect Next , Lawmakers , Mind , Winner , Declaration , Say , Language , Nael Bukale , Currently Run By World , Words , El Salvador , Twitter , Central America , Strongman , Joking , Of Disfusion , Con Teenagen , Latino Barometer , 18 , 49 , Monsters , Marta Lagos , Democracies , Hardship , Costa Rica , Students , Hope , Mexico City , Afghan , Matt Rivers , Ururg Guay , Rule , Takeover , Universities , Taliban , Veils , Finding Jobs , Graduates , Girls , 100000 , Ties , Head Of State , Barbados , Monarchy , Queen Elizabeth , Existence , New Republic , Sandra Mason , Nation , Leader , Queen , British Monarchy , 2018 , Refugees , Statement , Afghans , Confidence , Families , Cold , First American Thanksgiving , Nighttime , Break , Flu , Coughing , Relief , Sniffling , Sneezing , Head , Sleep , Stuffy , Aching , Metamucil , Isn T Working , Waste , Medicine , Sign , Fiber , Gels , Trap , Metamucil Fiber Thins , Blood Sugar Levels , Cholesterol , Sugar Absorption , Energetic Metamucil , Tasting , Niacinamide , Olay Regenerist , 99 , Prestige Cream , Lines , Hydrating Power , Brightens , Wrinkles , Appearance , Collagen Peptide , Olay Retinol , Blendjet , Sale , Blender , Gift , Blender On The Go , Black Friday , 2 , Blend , Ice , Fruit , Soap , Drop , Water , Anywhere , Smoothie , Deal , Usb Port , Author , Publisher , Book , Christian , Goods , Start , Shelling , Millions , Kit , Sales , Clothing Sales , Shelves , Shoppers , Increase , Supply Chain Bottlenecks , Taliban Takeover , Volunteers , Thanksgiving , Doors , Natasha Chen , Celebrations , American Holiday Tradition , Nonprofit Organization , Meal , Hi , Det Details , Friends , Kiki , Mary , List , Family , Waheed , Everybody , Interpreter , Translator , Military , Afghani , Why Don T You , Wife , Children , Immigrant Visa , Invitation , Five , Experience , On The Table , Wasn T , Chicken , Turkey , Gratitude , Hands , Tradition , Opportunities , Foods , Visa , Exit , Troops , August , Tom Van Tram , Refugee , Cargo Plane , Photo , Cargo Ship , Holiday Gatherings , Vietnam , 1975 , Everyone , Beliefs , Religion , Volunteerism , Opportunity , Nothing , Kids , Lesson , Tolerance , Strasbourg , Face Mask , Boost , Return , Health Pass , Hot Chocolate , Hand Sanitizers , Visitors , Morale , Vapostick , Dries , Mess , Vapor R , Vicks Vaposticick , Heartburn , Zero Heartburn , Prilosec Otc , Zero , Coverage , Reason ,