a shot of hope in the fight against covid. when pfizer says to expect an omicron vaccine as scientists detect a new variant can president biden pull ukraine and russia from the brink? we're live in d.c. with the race to prevent an all-out war. fanning the flames of inflation. the growing shortage that could drive prices higher and even shutdown factories a political disaster on downing street the growing fury in britain over prime minister boris johnson's lockdown parties the iron man of the ice. an nhl star shatters the record

for most consecutive games played it's wednesday, january 26th, 2022 "early today" starts right now good morning i'm philip mena >> i'm glad you're with us i'm frances rivera a new subversion of the omicron variant has been detected in at least 40 countries including the united states. scientists are calling it ba2. it's also been dubbed stealth omicron because it has genetic traits that make it somewhat harder tals worry it can be more contagious but it's unclear if it causesal trials f targeted vaccine nbc's miguel almaguer has the details. >> reporter: announcing the start of their new clinical trial pfizer says it's testing if their new reformulated covid raxee vaccine will specifically target the omicron variant and to see how effective that new formula would be

with the vaccinated and boosted already highly protected against hospitalization, the fda would then have to consider if the formula is even needed in a trial expected to take months, it comes as pockets of the nation emerge beyond omicron's peak >> how difficult is it to get ahead of a new variant with a vaccine? >> if a new variant emerges we can always build vaccines, but they can take several months to build and test vaccines always play a really important role but often not fast enough to deal with a new variant. >> reporter: with omicron still fueling a pandemic record of er visits, the cdc confirmed the disease severity appears to be lower than previous peaks, but medical centers remain overwhelmed with the sheer volume of those sick and now the fda says two monoclonal antibodies by regeneron and eli lily can no longer be used after proving to be ineffective against omicron which accounts for 99.9% of infections >> where the virus changes we

have to change our tools some of the old toolswill work sometimes you have to build ne >> reporter: as new infections this month alone total nearly half as many cases as all of last year, the virus is still evolving faster than our tools against it >> i don't think there's a chance we're going to eradicate this we've only done that with one virus, and that's been smallpox. >> reporter: the nation exhausted of covid still paying the pandemic's price while covid cases continue to peak across the nation many experts believe we'll reach the nation's peak by mid-february. back to you. >> miguel, thank you an urgent effort continues this morning to pull eastern europe back from the brink of war. general mark millie, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff had a call with his ukrainian counterpart. the two military leaders discussed the steps they're taking to ready their forces to respond to a range of situations for more on washington's response to this growing crisis we're joined now live by nbc's

brie jackson brie, good morning so what have we heard from president bide on this >> reporter: president biden says he's close to deciding whether to send doilgs u.s. troops to ukraine. he also says he might sanction putin himself if he invades. biden is considering publicly outlining his ukraine strategy in a speech or interview he did speak with reporters stressing the enormous consequences a russian invasion would have >> there will be enormous consequences if he were to go in and invade as he could the entire country or a lot less than that as well for russia not only in terms of economic consequences and political consequences but the enormous consequences worldwide this would be the largest, if he were to move in with all those forces, the largest invasion since world war ii it would change the world. >> reporter: the u.s. has

delivered a second shipment of weapons to ukraine, part of a $200 million package and nato allies have also started deploying ships and fighter jets to the region spain deploying fighter jets to bulgaria and warships to the black sea. denmark sending jets to lithuania. now, russia has denied it will invade, but it has mobilized about 100,000 troops all over the country and continues to conduct military drills. back to you, philip. >> we can see their positioning there. all right, brie, thank you >> a new setback in the supply chain crunch the government is warning that a global shortage of computer chips could force some factories to close and make inflation even worse. here's tom costello. >> reporter: it's not just cellphones and computers, microchips today are critical components in an endless list of products tvs, refrigerators, power and communication systems, aviation, toys, cars, trucks the list goes on but the commerce department

reports many u.s. companies had just a five' day supply of chips on hand late last year, down from a typical 40-day supply and 80% of computer chips are made in asia >> today our semiconductor supply chain is far too dependent on conditions in countries halfway around the world. >> reporter: but critical chinese manufacturing hubs or ports are slowed, shutdown or gridlocked as china tries to contain omicron, and that means higher prices in the u.s new cars already up 15%, expected to climb even more. clothing expected to jump 3% to 10%, furniture by 10%, electronics by 10% or more in new jersey pish posh baby is struggling to get everything from strollers to high chairs. >> we're really concerned that inventory is not going to get out quick enough before chinese new year as well as slow down production that we -- that's what we need for spring. >> reporter: china alone is

responsible for a third of the world's manufacturing. it used to take ships 50 days to reach the u.s. now it's taking 110 days >> we don't see any signs of things getting better. everything is getting a bit worse. we haven't had any let up in americans' preference for consuming goods. >> reporter: experts say the world's manufacturers are still struggling to keep up with u.s. demand, sending prices soaring and until that consumer demand slows, prices are unlikely to come back down back to you. >> tom, thank you. although the chinese government is reporting just a small number of new covid cases, the country is taking drastic measures as thousands of athletes begin to arrive ahead of the winter olympics janis mackey frayer is in beijing with more. >> reporter: china's government going to mere extreme lengths to contain covid cases ten days before the winter olympics, abruptly sealing off neighborhoods in beijing, officials say they'll mass test 2 million people

there's nothing we can do to get rid of it, he says the entire city caught in a drag net over a handful of reported cases and ramped up fear anyone buying cold medication recently ordered to take a test to prove they aren't infected. as more people are being told they have to get tested, sites like this are popping up around the city beijing's first cases of the omicron variant testing china's rigid zero-tolerance for covid as world attention turns to china for the olympics chinese leaders had hoped to showcase success in managing the virus. >> that might also explain why so far they've refrained from imposing a citywide lockdown >> reporter: with beijing under restrictions, athletes and officials are confined to a closed loop of walled off hotels and venues accessible only to them already games officials report 93 covid cases inside the

bubble while outside chinese fans can no longer buy olympic tickets. it's a pity, but there's no way, he says. chinese officials are so fearful of crossover, drivers were warned to avoid olympics vehicles even if there's an accident the city now in full emergency mode days before the games begin. janis mackey frayer, nbc news, beijing. is the party over for british prime minister boris johnson the inso-called party-gate scandal has explodedw investigating a number of evente covid-19 restrictions. joining us from london to break it all down is chapman bell. chapman, party gate has created a fire storm for the prime minister so will he survive this downing street debacle >> frances, we'll see, but it's fair to say he now has two hurdles in his way first that's investigation by a

civil servant whether there were alleged partiys and gatherings at other government buildings during lock downs. metropolitan police investigating as well to see if the same people who make the laws broke the laws. and it's front page news over here it's kind of like the police investigating the president of the united states for having parties at the white house after saying it was illegal to do so for everyone else. but the prime minister remaining defiant and had this to say. take a listen. >> so i welcome the next decision to conduct its own investigation, because i believe this will help a line under matters. >> reporter: now, that report is expected to potentially be out later today. we expect the prime minister to make his statement once it's been published if 54 conservative mps write a letter they could trigger a vote of no confidence, so we'll have to see

it's a rocky day for the prime minister during a very tumultuous time in the world, f frances. >> the celebrations take place during the most stringent covid restrictions during lockdown let's turn to today's weather. janessa webtracking some dangerous wind chills including one that is 45 degrees below zero good morning, janessa. >> good morning, yes the upper midwest the chill definitely continues it's touching into secks of the midwest this afternoon and then it will continue to spread east. you can really feel it across the country, not an area that's really left out if you're in sections of the east coast different weather pattern, though, for the pacific northwest. milder air is surging in so let's take at chicago this morning the feel-like temperature down to 17 below. detroit you're at 0, the feel like temperature but most of these air temperatures in the teens to single digits, and that's going to continue throughout your

early morning hours. it's this afternoon we only jump up about 5 to 10 degrees in some spots, so we're in the upper 20s, lower 30s, and then this shifts more into the mid-atlantic across the raleigh durham area, charlotte, charleston, soh carolina youtu' snowfall in that area. ton of sunshine today for the ohio valley all the way into the northeast. try to enjoy this sunshine with the bitter cold because we do have a major storm system on the way. we'll talkabout that forecast coming up. >> we'll be sure to do that. janessa, thank you the baseball writers association of america has spoken and only one big name is headed into the hall of fame david ortiz was the lone player voted into the baseball hall's

class of 2022. the legendary red sox slugger was on nearly 78% of ballots, comfortably about the 75% threshold needed some controversial major names left out of cooperstown on the last year on the ballot. barry bonds and curt chilling among those under that 70% mark. in a tweet clemons said he didn't play baseball to get into the hall of fame hoping everyone can focus on what is really important in life. info wars alex jones pleaded the fifth 100 times in talking to the january 6th investigative committee but that's not all and call him hockey's iron man. this guy has not missed a game since lacing up his skates back in march 2009. we're back in a minute rst allers including nasal congestion, so you can breathe better. claritin-d. breathe better. from the very first touch,

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supporters of the parental rights and education bill says the measure protects parents ability to be in charge of their children's upbringing. while opponents say it prevents discussions of lgbtq plus issues in a tweet chasen buttigieg says governor desantis is making florida a harder place for lgbtq kids to survive in alex jones claims he pleaded the fifth 100 times when he was deposed by the january 6th committee in the house the fifth amendment grants the right to remain silent for fear of self-incrimination. jones himself never entered the capitol, and he says he condemns the breach history made in the nhl. there is a new iron man on the ice. it is philadelphia flyers defenseman keith yandle who broke the nhl record by playing in his 905th consecutive game.

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coming up on "today," an exclusive look on a program to help our kids struggling from the emotional stress brought on by the pandemic. investors are keeping a close eye on the fed later today as they reveal more about the expected interest rate hikes starting in march and beyond here to read the tea leaves for us is cnbc karen tso good morning, karen. >> good morning, yes the fed concludes its two-day

policy meeting later on today and expected to signal it will place its hand on the interest rate lever in march alongside considering other policy typing measures this year as it seeks to reverse ultra easing measures used to fight the pandemic with investors concerned about the prospect of fall rate hikes this year even more potentially as well as the fed may be shrinking its balance sheet as well. the inflation in december spiked to 7%, the highest level since 1972 but many market participants concerned the fed is already behind the curve when it comes to inflation later on today as the fed chair briefs the media he is expected to sound fairly hawkish. meantime to some of the hottest items on the auction block, more than 1,000 books from the personal library of the late supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg has gone online at the auction house. buyers are willing to fork out thousands of dollars for individual items including dense

law books that are marked up by ginsburg, a number of literary classics, photographs plus other memorabilia. the highest bid so far $18,000 for a signed copy of my life on the road by the activist and does include a hand written note to ginsburg. >> i can see why it's fetching all that money there is another winter storm brewing just in time for your weekend we'll check in forthose details. and a zamuerbirre rd mystery. a crime scene cleaner suspected of killing his father. jake from state farm! the perp just confessed. i think... i don't know. uh... what? oh, i can't afford streaming anymore. so... (shooing a pigeon that landed next to her) here we are. don't give up what you love. state farm has options to personalize your policies, so you get a rate that fits your budget. oh, that's great. (annoyed, to neighbor) cause subtitles would be nice! for surprisingly great rates that fit any budget... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. call or click to get a quote today.

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second nypd officer has died just days after he was critically injured in a shooting 27-year-old wilbert mora was wounded friday his 22-year-old partner jason rivera was also killed the suspected gunman was wounded at the scene and died monday houston police have arrested a 26-year-old man considered a person of interest in his father's death ryan smith was nabbed on tuesday after leading police on an overnight chase. police found him behind the wheel of his father's car who

had been reported missing by the family authorities believe they found the father's remains inside the garage and an autopsy is being conducted. smith who works for a crime scene cleanup company was first arrested on saturday after he allegedly robbed a store and attempted a carjacking shortly after that he stabbed a houston police k-9 that k-9 who goes by the name of nate is undergoing surgery he had a break down with his own lawyers and now he'll be representing himself against porn star stormy daniels daniels could face questioning from avenatti when she takes the stand as soon as today she's accused of stealing $300,000 of a book advance his team said there was an agreement avenatti and daniels would share proceeds of any book deal san jose is on the brink of becoming the first u.s. city to acquire liability gun insurance.

late last night the city council passed the ordinance saying it would encourage better gun safety second amendment advocates are already threatening to sue the california city saying it's unconstitutional to require gun owners to pay a fee to exercise their right. actor peter dinkalage has called out the remake of snow white the seven dwarves. they were very proud to cast a latina actress as snow white but you're still telling the story of snow white and the seven dwarves. take a step back what you're doing there. disney says it's taken a different approach with the seven characters and it has been consulting with members of the dwarfism community to prepare for the movie. fans of the hit series "the office" are finally preparing for a reunion. it's their first project together since their days back

at dunder mifflen. he'll direct, produce and write the movie which is set to debut in 2023. a lot of people looking forward to those two on the same screen. >> you've got that chemistry you've got to do even

we see the expansive begun harm. >> right now at 4:30, history-making legislation. a late-night vote in san jose will now require gun owners to get insurance. plus, the new temporary fix east bay teachers have agreed on with the district to help keep schools open amid this pandemic. this is "today in the bay." here we go, wednesday morning. thanks so much for starting your day with us. i'm laura garcia. >> i'm marcus