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Articles by Tom Howell Jr.

House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis. faces reporters at Republican National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill in Washington, in this May 24, 2016, file photo. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Paul Ryan emphasizes work, flexibility in anti-poverty plan

House Republicans unveiled a plan Tuesday to attack poverty "at its roots" by rewarding work, improving school programs and tailoring benefits to individual needs, although questions about presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump threatened to overshadow their plans once more.

June 7, 2016
FILE - in this May 27, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Fresno, Calif. Trump says he made "a lot of money" in a deal years ago with Moammar Gadhafi, despite suggesting at the time he had no idea the former Libyan dictator was involved in renting his suburban New York estate. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

Republicans set to unveil election-year policy

House Republicans are preparing to release their election-year agenda beginning Tuesday -- but if history is any judge, don't expect them to make much headway in actually getting most of it done.

June 6, 2016
Fit Organic Mosquito Repellent Spray is scientifically proven to be as effective as DEET for up to three hours with zero bites. (PRNewsFoto/Fit Organic)

Natural bug products join Zika repellent market

Fear of the mosquito-borne Zika virus is spurring sales of well-known insect repellents, but companies pushing natural products are hoping to grab a share of the market as well, saying their methods will keep the bugs at bay without the ickiness of traditional sprays.

June 5, 2016
The Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, May 19, 2016. Opinions from the nation's highest court are expected today. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Supreme Court hesistant to allow cameras into chambers

Allowing cameras to capture Supreme Court oral arguments would give Americans an unfiltered look at how the judiciary branch works, government investigators have found, yet the high court itself remains leery, saying the debut of video would invite grandstanding by lawyers while only spotlighting a smidgen of what the justices do.

June 1, 2016
FILE - This is a  Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016  file photo of health workers as they get ready to spray insecticide to combat the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that transmits the Zika virus under the bleachers of the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro,  which will be used for the Archery competition in the 2016 summer games. With the opening ceremony just over two months away, Olympic leaders have plenty of challenges to discuss this week when they meet for the last time before gathering in Rio de Janeiro on the eve of South America’s first games. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File)

Rick Scott, Florida governor, to Obama: Give us gear to prevent Zika virus

Florida Gov. Rick Scott pleaded with President Obama on Wednesday to provide his state with mosquito traps, insecticide and other gear they need to fight the Zika virus, saying it is "profoundly disappointing" that Congress failed to pass a funding package before the start of hurricane season.

June 1, 2016
People walk and play on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 12, 2008. People have become increasingly reluctant to travel to an island where the Zika virus has caused one death, infected more than 1,100 people and is linked to the first microcephaly case acquired on U.S. soil. (Associated Press) **FILE**

WHO doubles its safe-sex recommendation for Zika

Couples returning from areas with the Zika virus should practice safe sex or abstain for eight weeks, instead of just four, to avoid transmitting the disease, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

May 31, 2016
Sen. Rob Portman, Ohio Republican (Associated Press) **FILE**

Rob Portman touts opioids work in first re-election ads

Sen. Rob Portman parlayed his work to combat the prescription painkiller and heroin crisis into a series of campaign ads Tuesday, as he tries to stave off former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and win re-election in November.

May 31, 2016
Brooke Zale, a scientist, prepares a mosquito sample that will be tested for the Zika virus at the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory,Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Kissimmee, Fla. The Florida Department of Health has tracked 122 cases of the Zika virus in the state. Of those cases, 36 involve pregnant women. All of the cases are related to travel.  (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Zika virus risk higher from trips abroad

Americans are more likely to catch the Zika virus from a trip abroad than a mosquito bite in their backyard, and officials along the threatened Gulf Coast want to keep it that way, drawing up game plans to defend against disease-carrying insects before they spark an outbreak on the mainland.

May 29, 2016
Hillary Clinton (Associated Press/File)

Hillary Clinton campaign begs for donations to stop Donald Trump

Faced with sagging fundraising numbers, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign admitted it was wrong in assuming GOP nominee Donald Trump couldn't possibly win a general election contest, and that it needs a cash infusion to move beyond a bruising primary and take on the mogul.

May 29, 2016