Tom Howell Jr.

Biden says U.S. would use military to defend Taiwan if China invades

President Biden said Monday the U.S. would get involved militarily if China were to invade Taiwan, a blunt statement that went beyond the "strategic ambiguity" that previous presidents have employed in talking about the island nation that Beijing considers a breakaway province.

May 23, 2022

VP Harris, Surgeon General Murthy sound alarm over health worker burnout

Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy are sounding the alarm Monday over health worker "burnout" because of systemic challenges in the sector and the pandemic's toll.

May 23, 2022

Virus surges again, but the era of sweeping COVID-19 mandates may be over

COVID-19 is surging across the country and filling hospitals again, but leaders from coast to coast have bucked the return of mask mandates, signaling on-again, off-again rules are no longer politically tenable and nearing extinction.

May 20, 2022

NYC reports a possible case of monkeypox amid strange clusters

New York City health officials said they are investigating a possible case of monkeypox as officials investigate clusters of unusual cases of the disease in North America and Europe.

May 20, 2022

Elon Musk rejects flight attendant’s sexual harassment claim against him as ‘utterly untrue’

Elon Musk is describing claims he exposed himself to a flight attendant in 2016 as "utterly untrue."

May 20, 2022

Group that targeted Rep. Madison Cawthorn to focus on Rep. Lauren Boebert

A group that posted a nude video of Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina ahead of his GOP primary loss this week said it will target another outspoken conservative Republican lawmaker, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado.

May 20, 2022

U.S. faces elevated risk of power blackouts this summer, say regulators

Extreme heat and drought could tax the power grid and lead to blackouts this summer, federal officials are warning.

May 20, 2022

Biden kicks off Asia trip with Samsung tour in South Korea to solidify trade ties

President Biden pledged Friday to bring the U.S.-South Korea relationship to "greater heights" as he kicked off an East Asia swing at a semiconductor manufacturer owned by Samsung, a company investing billions in the U.S.

May 20, 2022

Harris warns of erosion of women’s rights in U.S. should Supreme Court overturn Roe

Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday decried what she says would be a regression of women's rights in the U.S. should the Supreme Court reverse the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision in a virtual meeting with abortion providers.

May 19, 2022

Monkeypox unlikely to become COVID-like crisis: experts

Monkeypox is a serious virus that is popping up in unusual places, but public health experts don't expect another deadly plague layered on top of the coronavirus, which spreads far more easily.

May 19, 2022

Majority of Americans think a recession is coming, says poll

An overwhelming majority of Americans think the country is heading into a recession, and four in five say the economy is in poor or "not so good" shape, according to a new poll.

May 19, 2022

Nearly half of Biden’s Twitter followers are fake, audit shows

Nearly half of President Biden's 22.2 million followers on Twitter are fake, according to a new audit.

May 19, 2022

V.P. Harris to meet virtually with abortion providers amid Supreme Court furor

Vice President Kamala Harris will meet virtually with abortion providers Thursday as the Supreme Court finalizes an opinion that could overturn the broad right to the procedure established by the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

May 19, 2022

Russian leaders punished over early failings in Ukraine invasion, says U.K. intelligence

Russia is firing senior commanders for their stumbles in the early stages of the Ukraine invasion, and a "culture of cover-ups" will likely strain Moscow's forces in the days ahead, British intelligence officials said Thursday.

May 19, 2022

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra tests positive for COVID-19 while in Germany

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for COVID-19 while in Germany to meet with other Group of Seven health ministers, his agency said Wednesday.

May 18, 2022

Biden not planning to visit DMZ during South Korea trip, says White House

The White House said President Biden does not plan to visit the demilitarized zone during his trip to South Korea.

May 18, 2022

Biden’s daughter Ashley tests positive for COVID-19, scraps trip with the first lady

The first couple's daughter, Ashley Biden, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, forcing her to cancel plans to join first lady Jill Biden on a trip to South America.

May 18, 2022

White House: Virus surge is ‘challenging’ but an uptick in Paxlovid use is stalling disease

The White House COVID-19 coordinator said fast-moving variants pose a "huge challenge" as infections spike but he is confident the combination of immunity and widespread use of an antiviral pill is keeping many people out of the hospital.

May 18, 2022

Russia kicks out dozens of European diplomats

Russia moved to expel dozens of European diplomats Wednesday in a retaliatory move amid the West's efforts to punish Moscow for invading Ukraine.

May 18, 2022

Trucker convoy returns to Maryland, eyes another Beltway protest

A trucker convoy that protested COVID-19 rules in March has returned to its Maryland staging ground, raising the prospect of new demonstrations in the nation's capital.

May 18, 2022