Boy, 5, found dead near hiking trail after mother said they got lost

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

After spending the night outdoors, the boy's mother left him to seek help on her own, authorities said.

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US outlines plan for Venezuela transition, sanctions relief

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The Trump administration is prepared to lift crippling sanctions on Venezuela in support of a new proposal to form a transitional government requiring both Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaidó to step aside in favor of a five-person governing council, U.S. officials said. The one-page “Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela” was presented Tuesday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. It echoes a proposal made over the weekend by Guaidó that shows how growing concerns about the coronavirus, which threatens to overwhelm the South American country's already collapsed health system and economy, are reviving U.S. attempts to pull the military apart from Maduro.

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The coronavirus is spreading quickly through Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

In Israel, the coronavirus is spreading in ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities up to eight times faster than anywhere else in the country.Ultra-Orthodox Jews account for 12 percent of Israel's population, but they make up 40 to 60 percent of coronavirus patients at four of the country's largest hospitals, officials told Israeli media. Health experts said the virus is moving so quickly in these communities because the ultra-Orthodox have large families, don't trust the government, and pay little to no attention to secular media. Many are also still gathering for prayers and funerals, despite all Israelis being ordered to stay home.Bnei Brak is a suburb of Tel Aviv, and 95 percent of the population is ultra-Orthodox. On Friday, there were 267 confirmed coronavirus cases, and by Monday, that number climbed to 508. Several hundred mourners gathered in Bnei Brak on Saturday night for the funeral of a rabbi, prompting furious secular Israelis to call on the government to place Bnei Brak under curfew. On Monday, a New York Times journalist and photographer were told to leave a synagogue in the suburb where morning services were being held, and they walked past several groups meeting furtively for prayers.Bnei Brak has just one hospital, and its director general, Dr. Moti Ravid, told the Times he would like authorities to prohibit residents from leaving for at least one week, to slow down the coronavirus' spread. There are lots of small children living in the town, and "if they help to infect others, the result will be that many old people will die," he said.More stories from theweek.com Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is what real coronavirus leadership looks like Trump invoked the DPA 'hundreds of thousands of times' in his presidency before forcing GM to make ventilators USS Theodore Roosevelt captain says 'decisive action' is required to keep sailors safe from coronavirus

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Coronavirus: New York bar owner becomes first to be arrested for ignoring lockdown

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The owner of a bar in New York City has been arrested for operating in contravention of the city’s coronavirus lockdown measures.New York police confirmed on Monday that 56-year-old Vasil Pando had been arrested on Saturday night at an address in Brooklyn.

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Las domadoras de leones de Egipto dominan el negocio

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$30 Million in Illegal Drugs Seized From Cross-Border Tunnel in San Diego, U.S. Says

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Coronavirus: Stock markets suffer worst quarter since 1987

from BBC News - World The Dow Jones and FTSE 100 have fallen more than 20% since the start of the year. https://ift.tt/39wrB3M

'Sailors do not need to die,' warns captain of coronavirus-hit U.S. aircraft carrier

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The captain of the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, in a blunt letter, has called on Navy leadership for stronger measures to save the lives of his sailors and stop the spread of the coronavirus aboard the huge ship. The four-page letter, the contents of which were confirmed by U.S. officials to Reuters on Tuesday, described a bleak situation onboard the nuclear-powered carrier as more sailors test positive for the virus. Captain Brett Crozier, the ship's commanding officer, wrote that the carrier lacked enough quarantine and isolation facilities and warned the current strategy would slow but fail to eradicate the highly contagious respiratory virus.

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AOC Drifts Away from Activist Left, Toward a More Conventional Staff and Political Strategy

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has taken steps recently to collaborate more with the Democratic establishment, taking a less contentious approach and allying with fellow Democratic members.After urging fellow progressives in 2018 to run for office with the support of the progressive group the Justice Democrats, which supported her, the New York Democrat has declined to endorse most of the candidates the group is backing to oust incumbent Democrats in 2020.Of the six candidates the group is backing this time around, Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Jessica Cisneros in Texas and Marie Newman in Illinois, both of whom are running against conservative Democrats who oppose abortion and were subsequently supported by several other high-profile Democrats.The move comes as the Justice Democrats are recruiting progressive candidates to run against liberals and moderate Democrats."We don’t usually endorse so far out," Ocasio-Cortez's communications director, Lauren Hitt said of the congresswoman's lack of endorsements for the group of candidates, according to Politico.Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez, who shot to notoriety in 2018 when she ousted powerful Democratic congressman Joe Crowley, is also replacing some of her more radical, progressive top aides with more conventional political professionals, Politico reported.The freshman congresswoman has also struck a more conciliatory tone towards Democratic leadership in recent months, in February calling Pelosi the “mama bear of the Democratic Party.”She also criticized supporters of her progressive ally, 2020 presidential contender Bernie Sanders, for their antagonistic behavior online.“There’s so much emphasis on making outreach as conflict-based as possible,” she said. “And sometimes I even feel miscast and understood. Because it’s about what tools you use, and conflict is one tool but not the only tool.”Nevertheless, Ocasio-Cortez has largely maintained her status as a progressive standard-bearer. Earlier this year, she endorsed a group of progressive women running for Congress on Friday through her political action committee, Courage to Change.In January, she announced that she would not pay dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats to the House.

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U.S. records 700 coronavirus deaths in a single day for first time

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The U.S. government raced to build hundreds of makeshift hospitals to ease the strain on overwhelmed healthcare systems as the United States marked 700 deaths in a single day from COVID-19 for the first time on Tuesday. Nearly half those deaths were in New York state, still the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pleaded for reinforcements from the Trump administration, saying the worst may still be weeks away. De Blasio, a Democrat, said he had asked the White House for an additional 1,000 nurses, 300 respiratory therapists and 150 doctors by April 5 but had yet to receive an answer from the Trump administration.

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Saudis Start to Unleash Oil Wave Despite U.S. Pressure

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

(Bloomberg) -- Saudi Arabia has made good on its pledge to ramp up oil exports in April, with a first wave of crude already on its way toward Europe and the U.S., a clear sign the price war remains in full swing.The kingdom has loaded several of the supertankers it hired earlier this month to boost its ability to increase exports, according to ship-tracking data. In addition, Riyadh has used the last few weeks to shuttle large amounts of crude into storage in Egypt, a stepping stone to the European market.The movements suggest that Riyadh is ramping up its oil production toward its target of supplying a record 12.3 million barrels a day in April, up from about 9.7 million in February, despite American pressure to end the price war.Saudi Arabia earlier this month slashed its official selling prices and announced the output hike after Russia refused to join other nations inside the OPEC+ alliance to cut output. The announcement, interpreted in the market as an oil price war, sent Brent and West Texas Intermediate crudes tumbling. Since then, the collapse in oil demand due to lockdowns to stop the spread of the coronavirus has depressed prices even more.In a sign that Riyadh is opening the valves, oil shipments have already surged in late March. For the first three weeks of March, Saudi Arabia was exporting at a rate of around 7 million barrels a day, but that jumped to more than 9 million barrels a day in the fourth week of the month.With oil prices at the lowest in nearly two decades, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo last week directly asked the kingdom to “rise to the occasion and reassure” the energy market, diplomatic language for ending the oil price war.American President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed in a phone call Monday that “current oil prices aren’t in the interests of our countries,” according to a Kremlin spokesman, though he declined to say what might be done to change the situation.Trump earlier indicated that he was concerned about the impact of low oil prices on the American petroleum industry. In an interview on “Fox & Friends,” he said Russia and Saudi Arabia “both went crazy” and started an oil price war.Despite the diplomatic pressure, Saudi Arabia is preparing to export more in the next few days. At least 16 very large crude carriers, collectively able to carry about 32 million barrels, are stationed near the Saudi oil terminals of Ras Tanura and Yanbu, according to shipping data tracked by Bloomberg.“Regardless of the recent headlines about the U.S. pressuring Saudi Arabia, we do not see any change in Saudi or Russian policy for now,” said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects Ltd., a London-based consultant.Riyadh has already loaded three supertankers that are likely to head to the U.S., and it’s loading a fourth right now, according to oil market intelligence firm Vortexa Inc. The tankers, all hired by the Saudi national tanker company in the past few weeks to boost its shipping capacity, include the Dalian, the Agios Sostis I, the Maran Canopus, and the Hong Kong Spirit.Shipments to EgyptAlready through March, Saudi Arabia has exported about 1.3 million barrels a day into Egypt -- the highest level in at least three years -- to pre-position crude for re-export into Europe, according to shipping tracking data compiled by Bloomberg and people familiar with the operation.The surge in shipments to Egypt was so large that the African nation may become the largest destination for Saudi crude in March, displacing China and Japan, which traditionally top the ranking every month.The cargoes have gone to a terminal at the south end of the Suez Canal before getting pumped via pipeline across the country to a storage and export facility called Sidi Kerir on the Mediterranean Sea. From there, the crude will then get re-exported as part of Saudi Arabia’s plan to supply as much as it can, at deep discounts, into a market that doesn’t need the supply. The world’s largest oil tankers, known as VLCCs, cannot sail the Suez Canal fully loaded due to draft limitations.The next sign of whether the oil price war continues will come around April 5, when state-owned Saudi Aramco is expected to release its monthly official selling prices for May. Oil refiners and traders believe that Riyadh will have to deepen its discounts to sell all the oil the kingdom wants. If Aramco does indeed deepen the discounts, it will trigger a fresh round of tit-for-tat actions with other oil producing nations, piling further pressure on prices.(Updates with statement from Kremlin in seventh paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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12 Buildings That Show the Beauty of Deconstructed Architecture

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Venezuela rejects a U.S. offer to ease sanctions in exchange for transitional government

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

A former senior U.S. government official says it's the "best" deal they can get, while an analyst said this is more about "politics than policy."

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10 cruise ships that are still at sea as the coronavirus shuts down the cruise industry

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Ships from cruise lines like Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Cunard Line are still at sea.

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Huawei warns China will strike back against new U.S. restrictions

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Huawei warned on Tuesday that 2020 would be its most difficult year yet due to American trade restrictions which dealt a blow to its overseas sales in 2019, and predicted the Chinese government would retaliate against the United States. It said Beijing could hit back against U.S. measures to restrict chip sales to Huawei, by restricting sales of American products in China and by shifting to alternative suppliers in China and South Korea. "The Chinese government will not just stand by and watch Huawei be slaughtered on the chopping board," Chairman Eric Xu told reporters at the launch of Huawei's annual report.

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What does furlough mean? Can I leave my home under shelter-in-place? Coronavirus terms, explained

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

What does it mean when you hear New York is the coronavirus "epicenter" in the United States? Do doctors say they need ventilators or respirator?

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Russia's top coronavirus doctor who met Putin tests positive

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The head of Moscow's main coronavirus hospital who met with President Vladimir Putin a week ago has tested positive, he said Tuesday, as the Kremlin announced the Russian leader's health was fine. Last Tuesday Denis Protsenko met with the Russian leader who inspected the Kommunarka hospital while wearing a bright yellow hazmat suit. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov swiftly told Russian news agencies that Putin took regular tests and there was no reason to worry about his health.

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US warship captain seeks crew isolation as virus spreads

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The captain of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier facing a growing outbreak of the coronavirus is asking for permission to isolate the bulk of his roughly 5,000 crew members on shore, which would take the warship out of duty in an effort to save lives. In a memo to Navy leaders, the captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt said that the spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating and that removing all but 10% of the crew is a “necessary risk” in order to stop the spread of the virus. Navy leaders on Tuesday were scrambling to determine how to best respond to the extraordinary request as dozens of crew members tested positive.

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‘Never Thought I Would Need It’: Americans Put Pride Aside to Seek Aid

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Human Rights Group Says Two U.S. Strikes Killed Somali Civilians

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Hellmut Stern, 91, Dies; Violinist Returned to Germany After Fleeing

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Coronavirus Spreads in Veterans’ Home, Leaving ‘Shuddering Loss for Us All’

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The Dow Jones and FTSE 100 have fallen more than 20% since the start of the year.April 01, 2020 at 03:12AM

A Haggadah for Seders Near and Far

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The Justice Department is reportedly investigating actions by US lawmakers who dumped stocks before the market plunged over coronavirus fears

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The FBI has reportedly reached out to Republican Sen. Richard Burr as part of the investigation, which is in its early stages.

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Pelosi on virus: ‘As the president fiddles, people are dying’

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

“As the president fiddles, people are dying,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during an interview on Sunday morning.

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U.S. spies find coronavirus spread in China, North Korea, Russia hard to chart

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

As U.S. spy agencies seek to assemble a precise picture of the world's coronavirus outbreaks, they are finding serious gaps in their ability to assess the situation in China, Russia and North Korea, according to five U.S. government sources familiar with the intelligence reporting. The four countries are known by U.S. spy agencies as "hard targets" because of the heavy state controls on information and the difficulty, even in normal times, of collecting intelligence from within their closed leadership circles.

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29 Best Closet Organization Ideas to Maximize Space and Style

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White House task force official says 'no state, no metro area' will be spared from coronavirus

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The United States is preparing for a novel coronavirus epidemic that is national in scope."No state, no metro area will be spared," Dr. Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, told NBC's Chuck Todd on Sunday's edition of Meet the Press.Birx was clear that no area of the country will evade the effects of the virus, but said the sooner places react and instill mitigation measures, the easier it will be to "move forward."> WATCH: Dr. Deborah Birx says "no metro area will be spared" of the coronavirus outbreak. MTP IfItsSunday> > Dr. Birx: "The sooner we react and the sooner the states and the metro areas react and ensure that they have put in full mitigation ... then we'll be able to move forward." pic.twitter.com/B9Fo3lUVHA> > -- Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 29, 2020Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also provided a sense of scale Sunday, but he said he doesn't want to be held to any prediction. Fauci told CNN's Jake Tapper that he's never seen an outbreak match the worst-case scenario of its models, and he believes that remains unlikely for the coronavirus, as well. Nevertheless, he thinks it's possible the U.S. could be looking at somewhere between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths. > Dr. Anthony Fauci says there could potentially be between 100,000 to 200,000 deaths related to the coronavirus and millions of cases. "I just don't think that we really need to make a projection when it's such a moving target, that you could so easily be wrong," he adds. CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/F2MOHY3xl4> > -- State of the Union (@CNNSotu) March 29, 2020More stories from theweek.com Trump's message to blue states battling coronavirus: Drop dead Fox News reportedly fears its early downplaying of COVID-19 leaves it open to lawsuits How coronavirus has reshaped Trump's economy-driven, rally-heavy re-election campaign

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New York Gov. Cuomo extends order advising residents to stay at home for at least another two weeks

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

"The non-essential workforce is directed to continue to work from home," Cuomo said a day after the president decided against a mandatory quarantine.

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Pelosi aims to move fast on next rescue package

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The speaker is eager to include Democratic priorities in any coronavirus relief bill.

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China Clashes at Virus Epicenter Show Risks Facing Xi Jinping

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An Arkansas doctor stayed in his home to socially distance from his wife and child. Days after his photo went viral his house was destroyed by a tornado.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

He went viral for distancing from his wife and 1-year-old son. Days later, his house was destroyed by a tornado that hit Jonesboro, Arkansas.

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Coronavirus: New York bar owner becomes first to be arrested for ignoring lockdown

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The owner of a bar in New York City has been arrested for operating in contravention of the city’s coronavirus lockdown measures.New York police confirmed on Monday that 56-year-old Vasil Pando had been arrested on Saturday night at an address in Brooklyn.

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'This is not a reality TV show': Trump criticized for tweets on TV ratings as coronavirus death toll rises

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Trump said the news media was "going CRAZY" because the TV ratings for his recent news briefings were so high.

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Coronavirus: India's pandemic lockdown turns into a human tragedy

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are fleeing cities, posing a fresh risk of infection.

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Air strikes hit Houthi-held Yemeni capital Sanaa: witnesses

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi group in Yemen carried out several air strikes on Monday on the capital Sanaa, witnesses and media said, killing dozens of horses at a military school. A number of sensitive sites including the presidential palace compound, the school and an air base close to Sanaa airport were hit, and loud explosions were heard across the city, residents said. The coalition said the operation was aimed at destroying "legitimate military targets including Houthi ballistic batteries which threaten civilian lives".

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U.S. set to lose title as top oil producer as demand plunges and gas drops below $1 per gallon

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Gas has dipped below $1 a gallon in Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin — but most people are not driving.

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A coronavirus patient's phlegm or poop could still have live virus in it even after they recover and test negative, new research suggests

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

New research raises doubts about whether negative throat swabs are enough to say a patient is coronavirus-free. Doctors may have to sample their poop.

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Virus Prompts Workplace Protests Over Health Concerns

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Trump to Governors: I’d Like You to Do Us a Favor, Though

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Alison Roman’s Seder Table

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Trump’s Virus Defense Is Often an Attack, and the Target Is Often a Woman

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Listen to the Call: Bullock and Trump Discuss Testing

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Keep It Simple, Albany. This Is No Time for Budget Games.

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Congress Just Spent $2 Trillion on Coronavirus Relief. It’s Eying More.

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Serial killer dubbed Grim Sleeper dies in California prison

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Lonnie Franklin, the convicted serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper" who preyed on the women of South Los Angeles for more than two decades, has died in prison. California corrections officials said Franklin was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison on Saturday evening. An autopsy will determine the cause of death; however, there were no signs of trauma, corrections spokeswoman Terry Thornton said in a statement.

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Violent Tornado Rips Through Arkansas Town, Injuries Reported

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

At least six people were injured after a tornado ripped through downtown Jonesboro, Arkansas on Saturday, ripping entire walls off buildings, flattening homes, and leaving cars overturned. There was no immediate word on fatalities, but videos showed major damage to the area, with only piles of debris apparently left of some buildings. Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin issued a 7 p.m. curfew for the entire city as authorities began assessing the damage and conducting search-and-rescue missions throughout the area. Police Chief Rick Elliott urged residents to remain indoors to avoid hazards while authorities clean up all the debris. “We’ve already asked you to stay at home for this virus but we're really stressing to stay at home,” he was quoted saying by CNN.Footage from the scene shared by local media outlets showed that the tornado had obliterated buildings and mangled vehicles; it was reportedly so powerful that it sent debris flying more than 4 miles high. Multiple grocery stores, restaurants, and a Best Buy were reportedly hit by the twister. A National Weather Service spokesman told The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he detected “quite a bit” of destruction from the tornado on social media in both Jonesboro and Paragould.“This is a very life threatening situation right now,” Paul Dellegatto, Fox 13’s meteorologist, said in a live stream as the violent tornado was seen on video roaring through the area. “Get in your tornado safe spot immediately. This is businesses, this is homes. This is a major tornado. Look at the size of that debris being wafted. This is as dire of a situation that we could have,” another meteorologist said.The tornado destroyed numerous houses and also reportedly derailed a train. It also struck Jonesboro Municipal Airport, according to the Democrat-Gazette.Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), who represents the first congressional district that includes the affected areas, said on Twitter that his family members and staff are safe. “The video and pictures are devastating,” he added. “Reports of some trapped in buildings along the path. Please pray for those assisting and aiding those who have been hurt. Our hospitals are responding too.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Joe Diffie, Grammy-Winning Country Music Star, Dies at 61

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‘Group of Local Vigilantes’ Try to Forcibly Quarantine Out-of-Towners, Officials Say

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Rhode Island Governor Announces National Guard Will Go 'Door-to-Door' to Identify New Yorkers to Slow COVID-19 Spread

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Rhode Island officials will order anyone coming from New York into quarantine

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Inmate dies after contracting coronavirus at Louisiana federal prison

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

The death of Patrick Jones marks the first COVID-19 related death of an inmate in the federal prison system, a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson said.

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Saudi Arabia expands lockdown as coronavirus death toll doubles

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Saudi Arabia halted entry and exit into Jeddah governorate on Sunday, expanding lockdown rules as it reported four new deaths from a coronavirus outbreak that continues to spread in the region despite drastic measures to contain it. The Saudi health ministry said four more foreign residents, in Jeddah and Medina, had died from the virus, taking the total to eight. Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain reported more cases, taking the total in the six Gulf Arab countries to over 3,200, with 15 deaths.

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North Korea Fires Missile Into East Sea

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Clinical trials on coronavirus drugs may take only months, researcher says

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

"If everything goes according to plan, I am talking months, not years," for completion of three clinical trials, a researcher said.

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'I have no money': debt collection continues despite pandemic

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

Legal groups across the US are calling on federal and state governments to halt debt collection as it continues unabated * Coronavirus – live US updates * Live global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageVeronica Cavalli was at home in New York City last week, laid off from her job amid the Covid-19 pandemic and, as instructed by New York’s governor, trying to minimize her contact with others to halt the spread of the virus.When supplies ran low she sent her teenage children to the grocery store only to discover her debit card wasn’t working. She checked her account. It was thousands of dollars overdrawn.Cavalli suspected fraud and after spending hours on the phone with her bank trying to find out what happened, she was informed a court judgment had been made against her by a creditor to garnish her wages directly from her bank account for credit card debt she accrued a few years ago while her husband, who is now disabled, was experiencing a debilitating illness.“I didn’t know anything about the wage garnishment until it was posted on my account,” said Cavalli. “I have zero funds. I have no money. I’m at the breaking point.”One out of every six Americans has an unpaid medical bill on their credit report, amounting to $81bn in debt nationwide. Every year, about 530,000 Americans who file bankruptcy cite medical debt as a contributing factor.In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, several legal groups across the US are calling on federal and state governments to halt private and public debt collection, including wage garnishment, and preventing any federal stimulus checks to Americans from being garnished by debt collectors. For now the debt collection continues unabated.Millions of US workers have wages garnished from their paychecks for consumer debts every year, and those with low incomes are disproportionately affected.Cavalli, the sole income earner of her household, has been trying to file for unemployment benefits, but as she has previously claimed them in the past 18 months, the online system won’t accept her application. She has not been able to get in touch with someone at the state unemployment office due to the recent flood of applications.Because the courts in New York City have closed except for essential matters, Cavalli and her attorneys have yet to gain full access to the court files on the wage garnishment order. The vast majority of consumer debtors have no legal representation and often are not given notice they face a lawsuit.Joseph Walker of Lawrence, Kansas, went to the emergency room last year on advice of his doctor after he experienced sudden chest pressure. Despite having health insurance through his employer, he left with a medical bill for a few thousand dollars and still owes about $2,800.Last week, Walker, who drives a construction dump truck, had the last $200 in his bank account garnished by a debt collection agency for the bill. After the agency obtained a judgment against him to collect the debt, Walker tried to work out a monthly payment plan, but his wages have been garnished anyway.“The garnishment came with no warning. You don’t know until your bank account is locked and your money is gone,” said Walker, who didn’t receive the order of garnishment in the mail until 24 March, after money was taken from his account, and he has already started to fall behind in paying bills.“Unlike the rest of my bills that I can see, the debt collection agency doesn’t send you one. You can’t arrange to auto-pay and they don’t send anything showing what you paid. It’s like they are set up to make you fail. With the coronavirus they shouldn’t be allowed to harass and garnish bank accounts while Americans are in this crisis.”“Garnishment is a really important issue, especially for low-income, economically vulnerable families, the exact workers being laid off in the US right now,” said J Michael Collins, faculty director of the Center for Financial Security at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.He noted it is still unclear if any federal stimulus checks will be subjected to wage garnishment, but warned courts can freeze bank accounts over debt, making these funds inaccessible if they are deposited.In November 2018, Kathy Johnson of Appleton, Wisconsin, had a life-saving kidney surgery.Uninsured at the time, Johnson was able to find a charity to cover the majority of the surgical expenses, but she still owes about $3,500 after the garnishing of her wages from her job at a Batteries Plus retail store started a few months ago. It has continued through the coronavirus pandemic, as her work schedule hasn’t been affected yet by the shutdowns caused by the pandemic.“It’s $350 to $400 a month. I don’t deny I owe this money because they saved my life, but it is detrimental to my health now because I don’t have the money for what I need. I have no money for groceries – I’m only paying my rent and utilities, there’s no money left over,” Johnson said.Kristinea Stillmunkes of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received a notice last week that a debt collector won a judgment to start garnishing her wages for a car repossessed two years ago during a divorce, with added interest, and she has been out of work because the retail store she works at is closed. More than 25% of her last paycheck was taken.“I’m completely devastated. I have been out of work for over a week and have no idea how I’m going to feed my family now,” she said. “I received no notice of this happening and was advised they don’t have to give notice.”Among the Americans still experiencing wage garnishment through the coronavirus pandemic are those who have defaulted on their federal student loans. About 45 million Americans owe more than $1.7tn in student loan debt. According to an analysis by Student Loan Hero, between July 2015 to September 2018, 18 private student debt collection agencies contracted by the US Department of Education added $171bn to their debt inventory, and collected $2.3bn during the same period through wage garnishments.Justin McKinnon, a digital communications professional in Dallas, is currently having 15% of his income garnished to pay off roughly $10,000 in student loans.“The Department of Education has not decided to do anything, as far as I know, to ease the burden from the coronavirus,” said McKinnon. “They took my tax return also, in the middle of this epidemic. It’s heartless.”Danelle Tavares of Denver receives $1,086 a month in social security disability benefits, and $16 a month for Snap food assistance benefits, but $250 is garnished from her benefits income each month by the Department of Education to pay off her student loan debt of $16,000.A spokesperson for the US Department of Education said they are evaluating options for borrowers and will be sharing information in the coming days. In the meantime the Covid-19 pandemic is making life almost impossible for debt-ridden Americans.“With this lockdown, food banks are overrun. I sometimes go two or three days without food,” Tavares said. “I haven’t been able to afford my medications this month. I know for most $250 isn’t much but for people like me it can make a huge difference.”She noted the federal stimulus relief package for the coronavirus pandemic is supposed to increase social security income by $200, but that she will still be receiving less than she would before the garnishment. “Even though I paid for years and I’ve tried to utilize their system to take care of my student loans they still decided to garnish my already-below-poverty-line social security income,” Tavares added.

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