Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Elon Musk laughs off legal threat from Twitter
Tesla founder Elon Musk is laughing off Twitter's move to sue him over his decision to drop his $44 billion purchase of the social network. Published July 11, 2022
Insider documentary gets Trump’s views on tape, but doesn’t have a big reveal
A three-part documentary by British filmmaker Alex Holder does not include a big reveal about the 2020 election or the Trump family's thoughts on the Jan. 6 violence but includes the former president describing the U.S. Capitol rioters as a "small portion" of his supporters. Published July 11, 2022
Biden team secures 3.2M doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine ahead of FDA action
The Biden administration said Monday it secured 3.2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Novavax ahead of authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Published July 11, 2022
Paul Ryan was horrified, left sobbing as Jan. 6 attack unfolded at U.S. Capitol, says new book
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan "found himself sobbing" as he watched supporters of former President Donald Trump assault the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to a new book. Published July 11, 2022
Democrats from coast to coast dole out tax rebates to ease inflation, gas price woes
Massachusetts leaders say they plan to dole out tax rebates of $250 to individual tax filers and $500 to married couples as part of a Democrats' nationwide scramble to ease inflation pains. Published July 8, 2022
Proposal would create office to securely report UFO activity and other unexplained incidents
Rep. Mike Gallagher wants to set up a special reporting mechanism for soldiers, contractors and others who want to report suspected UFO activity, a hot-button issue for Congress of late. Published July 8, 2022
House investigators want gun companies to testify on marketing in wake of mass shootings
House investigators want three firearm companies to testify at a July 20 hearing on gun violence in the wake of mass shootings in New York, Texas and Illinois. Published July 8, 2022
Fatal shooting of Japan’s Shinzo Abe stuns world leaders
World leaders reacted with sadness and horror at the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot Friday during a campaign speech in the town of Nara. Published July 8, 2022
Guilty plea from Brittney Griner in Russian court
U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty in a Russian court Thursday to drug charges but said she did not intend to break the law. Published July 7, 2022
Trump unveils refurbished personal plane amid 2024 murmurs
Former President Donald Trump says the Boeing 757 he used with great fanfare during his 2016 campaign has been refurbished and is ready to hit the skies by the fall. Published July 7, 2022
Liberal governors sign orders refusing to participate with other states’ abortion probes
Democratic governors in North Carolina and Colorado signed orders Wednesday that prohibit their states from extraditing women who face civil or criminal penalties under an abortion ban in another state. Published July 7, 2022
Democratic senators urge Biden to move faster on marijuana policy
Six liberal senators are prodding President Biden to pardon prior cannabis offenders and compel the Department of Justice to reclassify the drug, a sign that members of the president's own party are disappointed by a lack of progress on the issue. Published July 7, 2022
Kremlin says good riddance to U.K.’s Boris Johnson
Moscow smacked Boris Johnson on his way out the door as the U.K. prime minister signaled plans to step down after a tenure marked by a staunch defense of Ukraine but many scandals at home. Published July 7, 2022
HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra: Listen to doctors and families, not politicians, about the COVID-19 vaccine
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra promoted COVID-19 vaccines for the youngest Americans Wednesday but said the most powerful advocates for the shots aren't in Washington. Published July 6, 2022
LabCorp can test up to 10K samples per week for monkeypox, CDC says
LabCorp, a major lab-testing company, will begin screening for monkeypox and will be able to run up to 10,000 tests per week, the Biden administration said Wednesday. Published July 6, 2022
Nashville pauses bid to host Republican National Convention in 2024
A push to hold the Republican National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, is on hold because the city's Metropolitan Council wants to address security and cost concerns that could arise from hosting the event. Published July 6, 2022
Eric Adams aide mugged in Brooklyn, underscoring crime issues
An aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams was robbed Tuesday in broad daylight in Brooklyn, a stark reminder of the public safety challenges facing City Hall. Published July 6, 2022
Mitch McConnell: Labor shortages will ease when stimulus runs out
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says industries are struggling to find workers because Americans are sitting on stimulus cash they received during the depths of the pandemic. Published July 6, 2022
Chinese city of Xi’an faces partial COVID-19 lockdown due to subvariant cases
The major Chinese city of Xi'an was put in partial lockdown Wednesday after officials detected the first coronavirus cases tied to a new fast-moving variant, sparking ugly reminders of a monthlong shutdown last winter. Published July 6, 2022
Democrats demand more gun laws, say new laws Biden signed last month are not enough
National and state Democrats are pushing for more restrictions on firearms less than two weeks after President Biden signed the first new gun-control law in decades. Published July 5, 2022
