Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Biden to award Medal of Honor to Korean War hero
President Biden will award the Medal of Honor on Friday to retired Army Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr. for repeatedly risking enemy fire and refusing evacuation despite grievous injuries during a November 1950 mission in the Korean War. Published May 19, 2021
Emergent BioSolutions CEO: We take ‘full responsibility’ for vaccine mishap
Emergent BioSolutions executives said Wednesday they accept full responsibility for spoiling millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses at a Baltimore plant and pledged to fix problems with "diligence" and "urgency" amid the pandemic. Published May 19, 2021
WH: Joe Biden tells Benjamin Netanyahu he expects immediate de-escalation to violence
President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he wants to see a "significant de-escalation" in violence Wednesday that paves the way to a cease-fire as Israel responds to attacks from Palestinian militants in Hamas with airstrikes on Gaza. Published May 19, 2021
State media: Beijing bashes U.S. call for 2022 Winter Games boycott as a smear
Beijing slammed U.S. calls for a diplomatic boycott of its 2022 Winter Games as a smear that will fall short, according to state media. Published May 19, 2021
EU moves to open its borders to vaccinated tourists
The European Union agreed Wednesday to open its borders to vaccinated travelers as it looks to fuel tourism and national economies after a brutal yearlong freeze. Published May 19, 2021
India hits grim record with 4,529 COVID-19 deaths in single day
India's health ministry reported 4,529 new COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, a single-day record for any country since the pandemic began. Published May 19, 2021
South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s meeting with Biden in U.S. to center on vaccines, North Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in departed Wednesday for a White House summit with President Biden and other U.S. stops as he looks to jumpstart COVID-19 vaccine production and North Korean peace talks. Published May 19, 2021
Nancy Pelosi calls for ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Games
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for a "diplomatic boycott" of the Beijing Winter Games if the International Olympics Committee decides to let the event proceed amid human-rights abuses in Xinjiang and elsewhere. Published May 18, 2021
Biden official pleads with graduates, young people to get vaccinated
The Biden administration's pleas for young people to get vaccinated took a personal turn Tuesday as top COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt revealed his teenage son is still experiencing symptoms after he contracted the virus last fall. Published May 18, 2021
Val Demings to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022: Report
Rep. Val Demings, Florida Democrat, is finalizing plans to challenge Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022 instead of running for governor, according to a Tuesday report. Published May 18, 2021
Dr. Anthony Fauci: ‘Reasonable’ for stores to maintain mask rules
Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday it is "reasonable and understandable" for stores to retain mask rules, despite relaxed federal guidance, because it is not clear who received the COVID-19 shots. Published May 18, 2021
Andrew Giuliani, son of ex-NYC mayor, announces N.Y. governor bid
Andrew Giuliani, son of former New York City mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, announced Tuesday he is entering the 2022 New York governor's race. Published May 18, 2021
Tokyo doctors: Don’t hold Olympics this summer
A major Japanese medical group said Monday the Tokyo Summer Games should be canceled because medical centers that treat COVID-19 are "already full and there is almost no room to spare" for an influx of visitors. Published May 18, 2021
Rep. Chris Smith: Winter Olympics in Beijing must be moved to new city
Rep. Chris Smith's first brush with China and the Olympics was in the early 1990s when he met Wei Jingsheng for dinner with Beijing's secret police sitting a few feet away. Published May 17, 2021
Joe Biden pledges 20M doses of U.S.-approved coronavirus vaccines to the world
President Biden said Monday the U.S. will share 20 million doses of its approved COVID-19 vaccines with the rest of the world after it receives June deliveries from a trio of drugmakers and ensures that no American is still waiting for the shots. Published May 17, 2021
Donald Trump to speak at North Carolina GOP dinner on June 5
Former President Donald Trump will deliver headliner remarks at the North Carolina Republican Party's state convention in Greenville on June 5. Published May 17, 2021
Target stores drop mask rule for vaccinated customers
Target says it will no longer require fully vaccinated customers to wear masks unless the local government requires it, joining the likes of Walmart, Starbucks and Costco in loosening in-store rules after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suddenly relaxed its COVID-19 guidance last week. Published May 17, 2021
U.S., EU agree to talks, truce in steel and aluminum dispute
The U.S. and the European Union agreed Monday to begin talks on steel and aluminum supply in a bid to smooth over trade relations and lift tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump on national security grounds. Published May 17, 2021
Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline report positive trial results of COVID-19 vaccine
A COVID-19 vaccine from drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline produced antibody responses on par with those who experienced natural infection, the companies said in early clinical results, paving the way for a late-stage trial in the coming weeks. Published May 17, 2021
Treasury: First expanded Child Tax Credit payments to go out July 15
The Biden administration said Monday the first round of payments from the expanded Child Tax Credit will go out on July 15. Published May 17, 2021
