Tom Howell Jr.

Suspect in the Sacramento massacre was released from prison in February

A suspect in the Sacramento shooting that killed six people over the weekend had been released from prison in February, and prosecutors described him as having "little regard for human life."

April 6, 2022

State Dept. authorizes $100M in security assistance for Ukraine

The State Department late Tuesday authorized an additional $100 million in security assistance for Ukraine.

April 6, 2022

White House calls on Congress to pass COVID-19 deal immediately

The White House said Tuesday it wants Congress to pass a $10 billion deal for domestic COVID-19 needs "immediately" and warned lawmakers not to tie the funding bill to the administration's decision to lift a pandemic-era rule that blocked many illegal immigrants from entering the U.S.

April 5, 2022

Obama returns to White House to lift Biden and Harris ahead of midterms, rally around health agenda

Former President Barack Obama returned to the White House for the first time in five years Tuesday to celebrate his signature health care law and resuscitate the lagging political fortunes of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

April 5, 2022

CDC to conduct independent review after complaints of pandemic missteps

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will tap an outside expert to conduct an exhaustive review of its operations in a bid to modernize the agency, improve its data collection and ensure it can respond more rapidly to outbreaks.

April 5, 2022

Ukrainian forces have retaken key northern areas; Russians will have to regroup in east

Ukrainian forces have retaken key terrain in the north of their country after beating back Russian forces from the area around Chernihiv and Kyiv, British intelligence officials said Tuesday.

April 5, 2022

Biden to celebrate Obamacare and fix its ‘family glitch’ in ceremony alongside the law’s namesake

President Biden will try to bolster Obamacare by fixing its "family glitch" as he celebrates the program Tuesday with former President Barack Obama and cajoles Congress to extend supersized subsidies that fueled record enrollment but will expire after this year.

April 5, 2022

Senators agree to $10 billion virus-aid package, nix Biden’s request to fund global COVID-19 fight

Bipartisan negotiators struck a $10 billion Senate deal Monday to handle COVID-19 that is less than half the amount that President Biden demanded last month.

April 4, 2022

Senate closes in on $10B virus funding deal; House Dems object to lack of global funding

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill scrambled Monday to finalize and pass a $10 billion COVID-19 response package that will likely be less than half the amount that President Biden demanded.

April 4, 2022

China dispatches 2,000 troops to Shanghai as port city struggles with coronavirus

China is sending thousands of health workers to Shanghai, including 2,000 members of the military, as the coastal economic hub struggles with a COVID-19 surge.

April 4, 2022

Trump endorses ex-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in state’s wild primary for House seat

Former President Donald Trump is endorsing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's bid for the House seat vacated by longtime Rep. Don Young, who died last month.

April 4, 2022

Hillary Clinton urges U.S. to ‘double down’ on Russia after failed reset with Moscow

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday the U.S. and its allies need to "double down" in sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling his invasion of Ukraine is a wake-up call for the West after her attempt to reset relations with Russia under President Obama failed to change Moscow's behavior.

April 4, 2022

German police catch man who allegedly got up to 90 COVID shots in fraudulent vaccine card scheme

German authorities have arrested a man who is accused of getting as many as 90 shots against COVID-19 in the eastern state of Saxony as part of a scheme to procure real vaccine cards for people who did not want to get vaccinated but needed proof of immunization, according to reports.

April 4, 2022

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam declines to seek second term

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Monday that she will not seek a second term after battling with democratic protesters in 2019 and then a huge surge in the coronavirus in recent weeks, resulting in pressure from both everyday citizens and the central government.

April 4, 2022

NYC Mayor Eric Adams sticks to preschool mask mandate, fearing BA.2 wave

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his health advisers reversed course Friday and said they will not lift mask rules on children in preschools and daycare centers.

April 1, 2022

N.J. Gov. Murphy leans into April Fools’ Day, claims state bird changed to middle finger

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, seized the April Fools' Day spirit and signed a mock order Friday declaring the middle finger as the new state bird, replacing the goldfinch that held the perch since 1935.

April 1, 2022

L.A. County launches guaranteed income program to measure impact on well-being, spending

Los Angeles County is launching a guaranteed income program that will give residents who meet certain conditions $1,000 a month for three calendar years.

April 1, 2022

N.Y. state lawmakers consider new casino downstate, even in the Big Apple

New York lawmakers negotiating a budget deal might issue new gambling licenses downstate, meaning new casinos could land in New York City.

April 1, 2022

Bus convoy takes 2,000 Ukrainians fleeing Mariupol through a military corridor

About 2,000 civilians are being evacuated on buses Friday as part of a humanitarian mission to get Ukrainians out of the devastated city of Mariupol.

April 1, 2022

Schumer says deal for more COVID-19 emergency spending is within reach

Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer delayed a procedural vote Thursday on billions in new COVID-19 spending, saying bipartisan negotiators needed time to settle on a final price tag.

March 31, 2022