New U.S. cases of COVID are down slightly from the peak brought on by the Omicron variant. Average daily cases are closer to 700,000 than 800,000, which is where they were earlier in the month, and hospitalizations are at a record high but have started to level off. We look at the numbers and discuss new data on the efficacy of booster vaccine doses.

The Sarah Palin v. The New York Times libel case goes to trial today. Palin filed the suit after the New York Times suggested that an ad placed by Palin's PAC was linked to the shooting of former Arizona Representative Gabby Giffords in 2011. We review the case and its potential to change how we think about First Amendment protections for journalists.

And in headlines: A fire in the Palo Colorado Canyon area forced hundreds of people to flee their homes along the California coast, a Saudi-led airstrike killed at least 87 people in a Yemen prison, and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern canceled her own wedding because of COVID.

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