Category: Primary

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday directed public schools to finish the academic year with students taking lessons at home through distance learning as the state tries to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Domestic abuse crisis calls are increasing in Alabama and some police departments report slight decreases in other criminal activity as people are told to stay at home to slow down the spread of COVID-19.

House leaders' plan for swift action on a $2.2 trillion package to ease the coronavirus pandemic 's devastating toll on the U.S. economy and health care system ran into complications Friday as a maverick conservative threatened to delay passage until most lawmakers return to Washington for a vote.

Nearly 3.3 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week — almost five times the previous record set in 1982 — amid a widespread economic shutdown caused by the coronavirus.

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon presided over a mostly empty House chamber Thursday, with just a handful of socially distanced staff and reporters present.

Alabama on Wednesday reported its first coronavirus death as the total number of confirmed cases in the state reached nearly 400, officials said.

As the epidemic worsens, Alabama will look for ways to bring more health care workers into the system.

Economies run on confidence, and that is likely to be in short supply for as long as coronavirus cases in the United States are still rising.