Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Singer Olivia Rodrigo to visit White House in vaccine push
President Biden hopes pop singer Olivia Rodrigo will help him boost vaccination rates among young people who might not see COVID-1 as a threat and are holding back the government's campaign for widespread immunity. Published July 13, 2021
Vaccine bookings surge in France after Macron tightens rules
Vaccination bookings are surging in France after President Emmanuel Macron moved to mandate the COVID-19 shots for health workers and said people who want to go to restaurants and shopping centers will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test. Published July 13, 2021
Lou Barletta, Trump-friendly candidate, challenges Biden to ‘get serious’ about securing election
Republican gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta said President Biden should use his trip to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to back voter ID and election security measures instead of pushing "partisan" bills that weaken states' authority. Published July 13, 2021
Jill Biden to attend Tokyo opening ceremonies; 85% of Olympic Village will be vaccinated
First lady Jill Biden will travel to Japan for the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, the White House said Tuesday. Published July 13, 2021
WH: Fauci’s support for ‘local’ mandates doesn’t mean federal rules
The White House said Monday that Dr. Anthony Fauci's belief there should be more "local" mandates to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates does not mean the federal government will try to impose rules. Published July 12, 2021
Mike Pence to give a speech on U.S.-China relations
Former Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday will address the state of U.S.-China relations and make his first comments on the origins of the coronavirus since leaving office and his role as chairman of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Published July 12, 2021
Biden to Cuban regime: Meet protesters’ needs
President Biden on Monday told Havana's Communist leadership to respect protesters' rights and meet their demands for relief from the pandemic and the "economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba's authoritarian regime." Published July 12, 2021
SW Missouri hospital opening sixth COVID-19 ward
A hospital in southwestern Missouri is opening a sixth COVID-19 unit after having needed only five last year, underscoring the impact of the disease's delta variant and the consequences of low vaccine uptake in one of the hardest-hit parts of the country. Published July 12, 2021
WH: Multi-agency delegation helping Haiti maintain security, schedule elections
The White House said Monday a delegation from multiple U.S. agencies is trying to help Haiti maintain security and pave the way to "free and fair" elections in the wake of the July 7 assassination of President Jouvenel Moise. Published July 12, 2021
RNC unveils ad slamming All-Star move; Georgia was ‘robbed,’ TV spot says
The Republican National Committee on Monday unveiled a television ad that will run during the All-Star Game and slams Major League Baseball for moving the showcase from Atlanta to Denver over Georgia's elections overhaul. Published July 12, 2021
‘Start mandating’: Officials eye options to combat sputtering rollout, vaccine hesitancy
The risk of side effects and the "newness" of the vaccine are the top reasons people provide, at 53% each, for not getting COVID-19 vaccines that are free and plentiful in the U.S., according to a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a nonprofit health-policy group that tracks the issue. Published July 11, 2021
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Matthew McConaughey challenge: Bring it on
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would take actor Matthew McConaughey seriously if he challenges him in 2022. Published July 11, 2021
Kinzinger warns fellow Republicans: ‘People are going to know the truth’ about Jan. 6 attack
Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said fellow Republicans should tread carefully about downplaying the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol because "people are going to know the truth" about the day's events, even if it takes a year or two, from congressional probes and federal prosecutions of the rioters who were inspired by former President Donald Trump. Published July 11, 2021
Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson blasts off into space
Richard Branson and his Virgin Galactic crew blasted to the edge of space from New Mexico on Sunday, fulfilling a 17-year ambition for the British billionaire and opening the latest chapter in commercial space tourism. Published July 11, 2021
NYC mayor nominee Eric Adams will attack gun violence, says no quick release of violent defendants
Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams says he will use "precision policing" to tackle the flow of firearms to New York City. Published July 11, 2021
Fauci calls for COVID-19 vaccine mandates: ‘This is serious business’
The federal government does not require the COVID-19 vaccine, but Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that he would welcome more mandates at the local level, particularly once the Food and Drug Administration grants the shots a full license instead of relying on an emergency authorization. Published July 11, 2021
WH slams GOP governors who resist ‘door-to-door’ vaccine effort
The White House on Friday said GOP governors who rejected President Biden's door-to-door vaccine effort are fueling attitudes that are "literally killing people." Published July 9, 2021
Biden: Hearing aids should be sold over the counter
President Biden will direct federal agencies on Friday to rein in the high cost of hearing aids and crack down on hidden fees from airlines and internet providers as part of a package of what administration officials say are pro-consumer moves. Published July 9, 2021
Biden: Capitalism is great, but needs competition to work
President Biden will ask the Federal Trade Commission on Friday to take a harder line on Big Tech companies by scrutinizing how dominant internet players block out competition through "killer acquisitions" of other platforms and drafting rules that curb how much sensitive information they can collect. Published July 9, 2021
House report: Top drugmakers spend more on investor perks than R&D
Fourteen leading drugmakers spent billions more on stock buybacks and dividends than on research and development during the 2016-2020 period, House Democrats said Thursday in a report drafted to rally support behind a liberal plan to let Medicare negotiate down U.S. drug prices. Published July 8, 2021