Apr 13, 2019

Tornadoes join "bomb cyclone" nightmare

Meteorologist monitors weather patterns at NOAA Boulder. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Warnings of enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes were issued on Saturday by the National Weather Service for parts of Texas, southern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and western Alabama, Reuters reports.

What to watch: Damaging winds and large hail are expected from the storms, which are likely to continue into the evening and move east by Sunday morning, where they will stretch from the Ohio Valley and into the southeast. These storms follow a paralyzing blizzard that slammed 6 states in the Plains and Midwest with 2 feet of snow on Thursday, closing many major interstates.

Go deeper: The Weather Channel's full weekend watch update

Go deeper

Kendall Baker

UFC wants to host fight on tribal land to avoid coronavirus restrictions

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

In an attempt to skirt federal and state guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, the UFC plans to hold its April 18 pay-per-view event on tribal land in California, per multiple reports.

The state of play: Even as the rest of the sports world hits pause, UFC president Dana White has remained adamant that fights must go on, and appears to have settled for a shutdown casino in a state with the fourth-most confirmed cases of coronavirus.

Go deeper6 mins ago - Sports

Mike Allen

Ivanka Trump plans focus on coronavirus recovery for small businesses

Ivanka Trump speaks at yesterday's White House videoconference with bank and credit card executives. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Ivanka Trump personally lobbied top bank executives to line up the $1.5 billion in commitments to small business that were announced yesterday at a videoconference among the bank executives and President Trump — stoking competitive juices among the execs to drive up their commitments.

The state of play: Ivanka, who has had workforce development in her portfolio going back to 2017, plans an increasing emphasis on small businesses in the weeks ahead as they navigate the rescue bill’s Payroll Protection Program, sources tell me.

Go deeper3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Kim Hart

Public transit's death spiral

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Public transit systems across the country are experiencing a painful trifecta: Ridership has collapsed, funding streams are squeezed, and mass transit won't bounce back from the pandemic nearly as fast as other modes of transportation.

Why it matters: Transit agencies could see an annual shortfall of as much as $38 billion due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to TransitCenter. At the same time, they're more important than ever, with more than 36% of essential workers relying on public transportation to get to work.

Go deeper4 hours ago - Health