as you've been hearing, the uk, france and the united states have all registered new coronavirus records as the omicron variant continues to spread rapidly around the world. the uk recorded nearly 219,000 new infections in the latest 24—hour period, the highest daily figure so far. prime minister borisjohnson said that despite the huge increase in covid cases there is a "substantial" level of immunity in the population. but the weeks ahead are going to be "challenging" and some services will be disrupted due to staff absences. in order to combat this, around 100,000 critical workers in the uk are set to take daily covid tests from january 10 in order to reduce the spread of the virus to colleagues — it will be for key industries including food processing, transport and the border force. but business leaders had been calling on the government to cut the self—isolation period for people in england who contract covid—19 from seven days to five, in an effort to curb labour shortages — but borisjohnson said the current system wouldn't change. let's discuss this with dr roger barker — director of policy at the institue of directors good morning to you. do you want the isolation period cut down to five days? it want the isolation period cut down to five days?— want the isolation period cut down to five days? it would be very helpful — down to five days? it would be very helpful if _ down to five days? it would be very helpful if that _ down to five days? it would be very helpful if that were - down to five days? it would be very helpful if that were to - very helpful if that were to happen. we did a snap overnight polymer members and around 46% find that they face significant staff shortages. if we could reduce the isolation period from seven down to five days that would really make a difference. but we are not public health experts, we only want to do this if it is viable for a public health point of view. i was taken by something the professor chris whitty said yesterday in an evening press conference when he said that positive lateral flow test was a very good marker of infectious disease. if a negative lateral flow test could actually be an indicator that someone does not need to be in isolation, could the government explore that? i think we do need to find ways to alleviate these staff shortages. it is a big problem and when you say that quite a few of your members are experiencing staff shortages, which particular businesses or industries are impacted the most? it is across the board. we see particularly in the hospitality sector, we see it in the food supply chain, the transport sector is very affected and i think the problem here is that this issue of staff shortages seems to be becoming a big problem of this wave of the pandemic. a digger�*s problem is anything else. it is the problem that threatens to overwhelm the nhs and the problem that i think threatens business. and that is why our business economic confidence indicator is that the same low levels it was at during the last lockdown. there is no real prospect of government support on the horizon compared to the last time and the prospect of tax increases and the ending of business support schemes at the end of the first quarter. it is a worrying time for business. we have seen some companies such as the supermarket retailers say we mayjust have to close stores, quite a few stores across the country in the short term. businesses have to adapt to this, don't they? they do. and particularly the businesses that a customer facing. businesses that are office—based, they can make the adjustment easily as they have done over the last year. but to homeworking. but businesses where people have to be present in facing the customer and doing a job institute, they really are faced with a problem at the moment.— really are faced with a problem at the moment. thank you. now, another challenge _ at the moment. thank you. now, another challenge facing - another challenge facing businesses, individuals and industry. and that is the rising cost of energy, a real issue right across europe and other countries. here in the uk, energy uk, the industry's trade body, has warned bills could soar by another 50% unless the government intervenes. and since wholesale gas prices started to spike, more than 20 retail uk energy suppliers have collapsed. consumers are currently protected from big rises in wholesale costs by a price cap set by the uk regulator 0fgem but that is due to change in april. joining me now is dr craig lowrey — senior consultant at cornwall insight good to talk to you again doctor lowry. so your concern about the months ahead, many are campaigning and the government has talked of monday in the run—up to the price ending at the end of march. we have seen _ ending at the end of march. - have seen indications of a number of discussions relating to potential support mechanisms or mechanisms intended to alleviate the potential increase in domestic customer bills from april this year in particular under the default tariff. the current indication that we have is that the cap will increase by approximately 50% to around £1900 per year from april and then, based upon where the market is on this point of time, potentially increase to well in advance of £2000 per year next winter. energy companies are proposing to the government a price mechanism which will be based on what they suggest is a government subsidy scheme. what are they proposing? wholesale prices currently represent around 40— 45% of the typical household energy bill. so the approach the customers that make companies are putting forward as an attempt to control that. underthe control that. under the proposal the wholesale control that. underthe proposal the wholesale price of gas and electricity will be agreed in advance and the price will be set for a given period such as one year, six months, and that will be benchmarked against the prevailing traded wholesale market prices on a day—to—day basis. if the prevailing price rose above that level than the government would have actively supply the difference meaning that the immediate cost to customers in their bills would not increase and supplies would be insulated from that wholesale price rise and that would work inversely as well. if the prevailing price fell below the agreed level than the suppliers would pay the government the difference the key is, if the mechanism comes in, what is the level of the preagreed price, how is it said and how frequently it changes. [30 how is it said and how frequently it changes. do you think that _ frequently it changes. do you think that is _ frequently it changes. do you think that is a _ frequently it changes. do you think that is a viable - frequently it changes. do you think that is a viable solution | think that is a viable solution to this problem that we are experiencing currently? wholesale market intervention of this kind has not been seen in the post privatisation era of the uk energy market. if anything it has parallels with some of the approaches we saw under nationalisation. the challenge that we would have with such a mechanism is that, effectively, that policy would risk blunting the trade wholesale price as a signal for investment in the energy sector. at a time when high levels of spending on energy and energy infrastructure are needed to help enable or facilitate the net zero transition. so there are potential consequences which would need to be considered was such a policy if it were to be bought in. such a policy if it were to be bought in-— such a policy if it were to be bouht in. ., ., ., , bought in. doctor craig lowry, thank you _ bought in. doctor craig lowry, thank you for— bought in. doctor craig lowry, thank you for your _ bought in. doctor craig lowry, thank you for your insight - bought in. doctor craig lowry, thank you for your insight on | thank you for your insight on that and, needless to say, we are keeping a close eye on discussions between the government and energy industry leaders and we will update you if we have further news. now, let's focus on the world's largest economy in the multiple headwinds it faces this year. despite bouncing back in 2021, growth in the us economy may be tempered by inflation, supply chain disruptions, 0micron threats and federal reserve tightening. 0ur north america business correspondent michelle fleury has more. the us economy defied expect patients in 2021. helicopter money from the us government and support from the central bank helped to set the stage for a dizzying recovery from the deepest downturn since the great depression. corporations enjoyed fat profits. the stock market stored. crypto currency is burned hot. so now what? especially with 0micron. 102020 to match the performance? you may have noticed that prices are not going up. inflation is backin are not going up. inflation is back in many parts of the prices are going up to and here in the united states it is a major concern.— major concern. the risk of hither major concern. the risk of higher inflation _ major concern. the risk of higher inflation becoming | higher inflation becoming entrenched has increased. the best tool american central bank has to control rising prices is to raise interest rates and the federal reserve has pencilled in three rate high for this year. the danger is that if it overreacts it could kill off the recovery or, worse still, because a recession. another issue troubling federal policy makers is the labour market. unemployment has come down. in december it was at 4.2% but thatis december it was at 4.2% but that is still above the pre— pandemic level of 3.6%. and there are other risks as well. 0micron could worsen supply shortages. we are already seeing the havoc that stuff shortages calls at airports with flight cancellations and it could push back timeframe for when people start to feel comfortable going back to the office to work. all of this has led economists to cut their growth forecasts for this year. goldman sachs, for example, trimmed its prediction from 4.2% to a more than respectable 3.8%. so if economic growth ground to a halt at the start of the pandemic, before taking off to the moon in 2021, if all goes well the story of 2022 is likely to be one of rebalancing. joining me now is marc 0stwald — chief economist & global strategist at adm isi. good morning to you and happy new year. you were listening to all of that. give us your take on the year ahead and if we look at the us to begin with, the risks posed.— look at the us to begin with, the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed _ the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed by _ the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed by the - the risks posed. quite rightly, the risks posed by the federal reserve over reacting to inflation is definitely a very real one. above all it is a risk that applies to all central banks around the world, simply because there is not a lot they can do about energy prices and energy prices are key to all of this inflation risk that we have in the world. it is going to be more a case of fiscal policy and it will also be a risk of, you know, the us is better protected on the us is better protected on the energy side because, as we have seen, it is now actually benefiting from the natural gas shortage in europe. so it is better on that front but i think really where its greatest dependency is is on the movement of people and on labour skills. movement of people and on labourskills. it movement of people and on labour skills. it is less a question of people moving around. ithink question of people moving around. i think it is a question of actually people retiring and labour shortages being there and being able to adjust. being there and being able to ad'ust. �* ., , being there and being able to ad'ust. �* . , adjust. and that is something we see in many _ adjust. and that is something we see in many countries, - adjust. and that is something l we see in many countries, isn't it? people who stopped working when the pandemic began, they downed tools and have decided to not go back into the labour force. there is a real problem force. there is a real problem for many industries. it is force. there is a real problem for many industries.— for many industries. it is a problem — for many industries. it is a problem for _ for many industries. it is a problem for many - for many industries. it is a l problem for many industries for many industries. it is a - problem for many industries and a bigger problem because when the economy re— balances as michelle was talking about, we don't know where it will rebalance to. it will not rebalance to. it will not rebalance to. it will not rebalance to where we were before. this has created a fundamental change in the global economy and i think it is not to be underestimated. the other big market risk and this is a risk to the economy as well, is that there is too much concentration. people have been investing in certain things because they think they are an unalloyed good and that leaves us in a vulnerable position where we get uncertainties created by, say, a new strain of the pandemic, by labour shortages, a new strain of the pandemic, by labourshortages, by a new strain of the pandemic, by labour shortages, by supply chain shortages we suddenly find people panic, particularly central banks making false steps and central bank's have to tread really carefully. i would like to get your thoughts on china. earlier in the programme we were hearing from our correspondent based in china about the severe lockdowns taking place just a few cases in some cities and millions of people living in these cities and yet china looking down. there is quite a concern about growth in china this year as well, isn't there and if they go ahead with assorted policies that will hit economic growth, won't it? it will hit economic growth and i think this is one of the bigger risks that we have in the world. no—one has a consistent policy and reaction times. china has a zero tolerance policy that will disrupt supply chains and create problems elsewhere and definitely increase inflationary pressures and the fact that we get demand drop—offs because of this also creates a greater problem in the commodity market with semi— people saying well, the modelling from china is not going to be so good and then you will get another upsurge to the biggest problem with china policy is that you get these swings and demand from china which people find very difficult to deal with. we have run out of time but great to see you again and we see you again soon. stay with us on bbc news, still to come: what does 2022 have in store for social media? we'll get an expert view on the most important trends. this is bbc world news, the latest headlines: a chinese city of more than one million people is under lockdown after three reported cases, under the government's zero covid strategy. the congressional panel investigating last year's attack on the capitol says it wants to question a us tv host about text messages he sent to donald trump. shares in china mobile have started trading in shanghai, rising by more than 9% at the open. it's a homecoming for the telecommunications giant that was delisted on wall street after the trump administration moved to restrict investment in chinese tech firms. mariko 0i is following the story from our asia business hub. how has china mobile done, it sounds like a good debut oh yes it was, and if you remember it was one of the three state—owned chinese telecom companies which were delisted from wall about a year ago because of a new rule introduced by trump administration and china mobile which is of course the world's august bone operated by total subscribers, it is the last to go public in shanghai. ba; go public in shanghai. by raisin go public in shanghai. el: raising almost $8 billion it is the country's biggest public offering and a decade and they say they will be using the cash to develop premium 5g networks. it is also expected to be one of many homecoming listings for chinese companies because that us policy to clampdown on investments in chinese tech giants is still in place and we are waiting for china's bride hailing giant didi to take its listing of the new york stock exchange and moved to hong kong. 0ne exchange and moved to hong kong. one is one of the typical examples of chinese tech giants which came under enormous pressure at home especially after it pushed ahead with its us ipo, for example was removed from app stores in china a few days after its listing and basically beijing is very sensitive about data and us regulators forcing chinese companies to go through proper auditing just like any foreign companies, it is now making them nervous about the data that may be available to the american government and china's national regulatorjust american government and china's national regulator just today said that any chinese company with data from over1 million users must have a security review before listing she has overseas, so these tensions between the world's two biggest economies and pressure on chinese tech giants seem to be here to stay. mil chinese tech giants seem to be here to stay-— here to stay. all right, thank ou here to stay. all right, thank you mariko. _ here to stay. all right, thank you mariko, nice _ here to stay. all right, thank you mariko, nice to - here to stay. all right, thank you mariko, nice to see - here to stay. all right, thank you mariko, nice to see you. j let's get some of the day's other news. the us car giant general motors has lost its title as america's top car seller for the first time in 90 years. japan's toyota claimed the top spot, selling more than two point three million vehicles last year, up 10%. gm said its sales, which fell 13%, were hurt by the widespread shortage of semiconductor parts that has been affecting the auto industry. the detroit company had ranked as the number one us car seller since 1931. burger king will sell vegan nuggets across the uk as part of a pledge to make its menu 50% meat—free by 2030. the fast—food giant says the nuggets, made from soy and plant proteins, have been certified by the vegan society. burger king hopes its meat—free target will help it reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 41%. in 2021 it was estimated there were just over lt.5 billion social media users around the world, that is 57.6% of the total global population. so, what does this year hold for the world's social media users and the industry's giants? jim anderson is chief executive of socialflow that helps companies make the most of social platforms. good morning to you and welcome to the programme. what is going to the programme. what is going to be the dominant news when it comes to social media this year in your view? it comes to social media this year in your view?— in your view? it is hard to ick in your view? it is hard to pickjust _ in your view? it is hard to pickjust one _ in your view? it is hard to pickjust one stopping - in your view? it is hard to i pickjust one stopping there are so much going on in social media as you indicated, it is all about the audience. billions of people around the world consuming social media. we hear a lot about the criticisms but a couple of the things they would focus on, number one, facebook, more accurately now called meta, the company is going to remain enormously influential. mark zuckerberg specifically, the ceo of meta is one of the richest people in the world. he is young, his younger than 95% of the us congress and his very much playing the long game so i would look for meta to continue to make significant investments. they are $1 trillion us company and they got the resources to really sustain their momentum, even if facebook the application continues to be under criticism.— continues to be under criticism. . , , ., criticism. in the last year, especially _ criticism. in the last year, especially when _ criticism. in the last year, especially when it - criticism. in the last year, especially when it comes | criticism. in the last year, i especially when it comes to meta and other big organisations similar to facebook, there has been talk about regulation and government is cracking down on them. your thoughts on that? will we see more of that this year? this could be — more of that this year? this could be the _ more of that this year? this could be the year— more of that this year? this could be the year of- more of that this year? this could be the year of ante i could be the year of ante trust. stopping the crackdown could come in a number of different ways. eu regulators of course and then have been very aggressive against tech. i think ante trust is one of the few things in politics that can generate bipartisan attention, particularly in the us and of both republicans and democrats could get behind a breakup of big tech companies, meta, google a.k.a. alphabet or even apple conceivably at some point stopping the feeling is big tech companies have too much concentrated power and there seems to be at least an inkling of political will to do something about it but normally ante trust takes years and years to unfold, so i am not sure i would call 2022 the seminal yearfor ante sure i would call 2022 the seminal year for ante trust. and will the tiktok whom continue? in your opinion. it is interesting in itself given that this is a chinese company, one that the previous trump administration really try to crack down on. it administration really try to crack down on.— administration really try to crack down on. it is funny you should say — crack down on. it is funny you should say tiktok _ crack down on. it is funny you should say tiktok boom. - crack down on. it is funny you j should say tiktok boom. that crack down on. it is funny you i should say tiktok boom. that is really the possibility. boom as an wow! , it is incredibly success. young people love tiktok, it is amazingly popular, the algorithms are fantastic, they know what interest you so they are doing everything right but they are still owned by a chinese company. a previous company was talking about tensions between china and the west and while former president trump hello, and welcome to abc news. i'm executive order was elevated and perhaps ill—conceived in its execution, has attempts to force bytedance to divest tiktok, bytedance being a chinese owned company, was not without its plausibility and reasons stopping there are national security issues just as china is concerned about its data and hands of western governments are western covenants concerned about their citizens�* data in the hands of china and the fact that tiktok says we have not been asked to provide that data by the chinese government yet is really the big question. if that happens or even if inklings of movement in that direction happen, i think is enormously consequential to somebody like tiktok. qm. enormously consequential to somebody like tiktok. 0k, jim anderson. _ somebody like tiktok. 0k, jim anderson, thank— somebody like tiktok. 0k, jim anderson, thank you _ somebody like tiktok. 0k, jim anderson, thank you for - somebody like tiktok. 0k, jim anderson, thank you for your | anderson, thank you for your time. let�*s see how the asian markets are faring today. it isa it is a mixed session happening in asia following some declines on wall street the night before. as you can see, flat in japan. hong kong down over 1% but the losers today are the tech stocks, interestingly stopping if we look at the next board because the nasdaq, the tech —weighted index and the us had an over 1% decline, this was following on record highs the day before on wall street, so choppy times for financial markets as investors digests all the news that is coming and all the news that is coming and all the news that is coming and all the time, and particularly in the us, what had sentiment was the omicron numbers and the more than1 million new was the omicron numbers and the more than 1 million new cases recorded in a day in the us and that really had sentiment on wall street and it is going to be like that probably in the days ahead, i would imagine. be like that probably in the days ahead, iwould imagine. a volatile time. thank you for your company, i will see you soon. hello there. winter has certainly staged a return after the very mild start we had to this year. temperatures over the last couple of days have been dropping, and some places have seen a covering of snow. so, where we have snow on the ground and where we�*ve seen wintry showers, there�*s the potential for ice to take us into wednesday morning. and with this little ridge of high pressure temporarily building in, well, that means wednesday actually is going to bring a lot of fine and dry weather. the greatest risk of ice will be across northern scotland and northern ireland through the first part of the morning. we will continue to see some wintry showers here, a few too into wales, the southwest of england, and a few grazing the east coast of england as well. but for most places, as we go through the day and the showers become fewer and further between, we will see more in the way of sunshine, the winds will slowly ease — but it won�*t be a warm day by any stretch, top temperatures between 3—9 celsius. now, as we go through wednesday evening, still some showers grazing the east coast, some out west for a time. but things generally will be dry with long, clear spells. cloud tending to increase across northern ireland later in the night — that�*ll lift the temperatures here just a little, but for most places, a very cold night, —8 likely in some sheltered rural spots in scotland. but after that cold start, we bring in this frontal system from the west on thursday. there is, associated with this, going to be a very narrow wedge of milder air. so, what we will see as this front moves in is initially a spell of snow, even to quite low levels across parts of scotland and northern england seeing the rain run into the cold air. some snow over high ground in wales, perhaps into the midlands as well. but any wintry weather tends to turn back to wet weather as we go through the day, as that little wedge of milder air starts to work its way in. and then, cold air will return from the west later. it will be windy, gusts of 50—60 mph or more in some exposed western spots. and temperatures still stuck between 4—9 celsius for the most part. and then, into friday, we�*re back into cold air again. we will see some sunshine, but we will see some showers, too, these falling as a wintry mix of rain, sleet, and snow. it�*ll be a fairly breezy day in many places — and top temperatures again between 3—9 celsius. that�*s all from me, bye for now. good morning, welcome to breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent. our headlines today. the nhs under strain from coronavirus. more trusts declare critical incidents and 17 hospitals in greater manchester put some non—urgent surgery on hold. hospitals are under pressure not just because of the number of patients coming in with covid, but also because unfortunately, many of our staff are now isolating because they themselves have covid as well. a review of the coronavirus restrictions in england is expected to stick with the current measures, while in scotland ministers will consider cutting self—isolation time. is foreign travel about to get a bit easier?