Read a transcript of this episode on FT.comhttps://www.ft.com/content/b08546bc-7eee-4c25-9e5c-db458728e4c2US president Joe Biden suffered a blow to his efforts to pass his signature $1.75tn social spending bill when Joe Manchin, the pivotal Democratic senator from West Virginia, explicitly rejected the package, European countries are tightening restrictions to reduce the spread of Omicron after the Netherlands reimposed a strict nationwide lockdown on Saturday, and FT capital markets correspondent Tommy Stubbington explains why the yield curve is so important to investors using a musical interpretation of the all-important chart. European countries impose travel curbs to slow Omicron’s spreadhttps://www.ft.com/content/3316b665-9bfa-4e7e-ae68-c46601950cefMillions to lose child benefit as Biden social spending bill is delayed - with Taylor Nicole Rogers https://www.ft.com/content/9f4f23ca-304f-4738-807f-17a24ca6e82cJoe Manchin says he will vote against Biden spending billhttps://www.ft.com/content/a979165a-fd1c-4b85-8604-28085e2c0c9bThe yield curve: why investors are watching closely - with Tommy Stubbington https://ig.ft.com/the-yield-curve-explained/VIDEO: Sonification: turning the yield curve into musichttps://www.ft.com/content/80269930-40c3-11e9-b896-fe36ec32aeceThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon and Marc Filippino. The show’s editor is Jess Smith. Additional help by Peter Barber, Gavin Kallmann and Michael Bruning. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.