1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 JUDY WOODRUFF: The availability of COVID-19 booster shots is expanding to 16-and 17-year-olds. 2 00:00:06,400 --> 00:00:11,400 The FDA and the CDC cleared them today to receive third doses of Pfizer's vaccine at least six 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:18,680 months after their second shot. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization warned wealthy countries 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,960 against hoarding vaccines for booster shots as they fight the new Omicron variant. 5 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:30,120 The White House braced today for more bad news on inflation. November's numbers are expected 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:35,400 to show another spike. In a statement, President Biden pointed to a drop in gas prices and said -- 7 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:41,960 quote -- "The information being released tomorrow on energy does not reflect today's reality." 8 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:48,120 Aides also cited a drop in initial claims for jobless benefits to the lowest since 1969. 9 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:53,760 The president also spoke today with Ukraine's president, 10 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:58,560 assuring him of support in the face of a Russian troop buildup. Earlier this week, 11 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:03,560 Mr. Biden offered U.S. diplomatic efforts to address Russia's security concerns. 12 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:09,480 But the U.S. State Department said today that that does not mean bargaining away Ukrainian territory. 13 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,600 NED PRICE, Spokesperson, State Department: There have been absolutely 14 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,880 no deals cut. There have been no concessions made, no such elements even 15 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,680 discussed. What this is not, is an effort to discuss borders, to discuss Ukraine without 16 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:34,680 Ukraine. We are not going to do anything with Ukraine without Ukraine, our partner. 17 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:39,520 JUDY WOODRUFF: Moscow said today that the time for negotiations is nearly over, 18 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,800 and it compared the situation to the Cuban Missile Crisis. 19 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:47,520 A federal appeals court has rejected former President Trump's effort 20 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,440 to withhold records related to the U.S. Capitol assault. 21 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:56,440 A three-judge panel ruled today that congressional investigators need the president's diaries, notes, 22 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,360 and other material. Mr. Trump is expected to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. 23 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:08,120 Also today, it was widely reported that New York state's attorney general, Letitia James, 24 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:13,480 wants to question former President Trump in a civil investigation. The focus is 25 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:18,600 on whether the Trump Organization illegally manipulated the valuations of its properties. 26 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,240 That news came as Attorney General James suspended her campaign 27 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:29,120 for governor of New York. The first-term Democrat cited ongoing investigations 28 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,280 and said that she would seek reelection as attorney general instead. 29 00:02:33,920 --> 00:02:38,920 The U.S. Senate has moved closer to raising the debt ceiling and averting a national default. A 30 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:45,080 bipartisan bill allowing for passage by a simple majority passed a key procedural vote today. It 31 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,880 would let Democrats raise the debt limit without Republican support in the evenly divided Senate. 32 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,680 Former Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate Bob Dole 33 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,680 lay in state today at the U.S. Capitol. His casket arrived in a somber ceremony, 34 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,280 as lawmakers, friends, and family gathered to pay tribute. 35 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,920 President Biden praised Dole as -- quote -- "a giant of our history" 36 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:14,720 and urged Americans to follow his example. 37 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:19,720 JOE BIDEN, President of the United States: America has lost one of our greatest patriots. 38 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,560 We may follow his wisdom, I hope, and his timeless truth that the truth of the matter is, 39 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:34,680 as divided as we are, the only way forward for democracy is unity, consensus, the only way. 40 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,520 JUDY WOODRUFF: Dole's funeral is tomorrow at the National Cathedral 41 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,680 in Washington. He died on Sunday at the age of 98. 42 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:49,680 The first lawsuits have been filed in the Michigan school shootings that left 43 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,680 four students dead. The parents of a wounded girl brought two federal suits against school 44 00:03:55,440 --> 00:04:00,440 officials, seeking $100 million each. They argue that the killings could have been 45 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:05,440 prevented. A 15-year-old sophomore faces murder charges in the deaths. 46 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:10,800 For the first time, workers at a U.S. Starbucks outlet have voted to unionize. 47 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,680 Results from a store in Buffalo, New York, were announced today. A second Buffalo 48 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:20,680 store rejected a union. The coffee giant has actively opposed unionization for decades. 49 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,920 And Wall Street's rally paused today as investors took 50 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:30,920 profits. The Dow Jones industrial average stood still, losing a fraction-of-a-point 51 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,960 to close at 35754. The Nasdaq fell 269 points, 1.7 percent. The S&P 500 dropped 33. 52 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:45,680 Still to come on the "NewsHour": the top U.S. general in the Middle East 53 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:50,680 discusses the flash points in the region; despite a high vaccination rate, Vermont's health system 54 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:57,560 struggles with a rise in COVID cases; a new book argues the focus on anti-racism 55 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:03,440 has had a negative effect on the Black community; plus much more.