UPDATE: Governor Andrew Cuomo Extends New York Lockdown Until May 15

On Thursday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said he’s extending the shutdown of nonessential businesses to May 15. Cuomo announced the news at a press conference in Albany and on Twitter, saying “New York on PAUSE” will be extended in coordination with other states.  

RELATED: Governor Andrew Cuomo Orders All New Yorkers To Wear Masks In Public

The lockdown was previously scheduled to lift on April 30. However, Cuomo explained that,
“We have to continue doing what we’re doing. I’d like to see that infection rate get down even more. The New York Pause policies, the close-down policies, will be extended in coordination with other states to May 15,” Cuomo said.

He also expanded his latest order that New Yorkers carry face coverings when they are in public:

“You MUST wear a face covering or mask:

-On public transportation
-In for-hire vehicles

If you are a bus/train operator or a driver of a for-hire vehicle, you must also wear a face covering or mask. These rules go into effect on Friday at 8 PM.“

According to the latest updates by The New York Times, there have been 606 deaths in New York State, the fewest in 10 days, for a total of 12,192.

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RELATED: Gov. Cuomo Threatens Legal Action Against Trump If Forced To ‘Reopen’ New York

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Governor Andrew Cuomo Orders All New Yorkers To Wear Masks In Public

During a press conference earlier this Wednesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a new executive order directing all New Yorkers to wear masks or face coverings while in public.

RELATED: Gov. Cuomo Threatens Legal Action Against Trump If Forced To ‘Reopen’ New York

Cuomo also took Twitter to share the news. He tweeted,

“‪#BREAKING: I am issuing an Executive Order today that all people MUST wear a mask or face-covering in public in situations where social distancing is not possible.” He added in another tweet, “‬For example, if you are riding on public transit where it is impossible to maintain social distancing, or walking on a busy sidewalk, you must wear a face covering like a bandana or a mask.”

For example, if you are riding on public transit where it is impossible to maintain social distancing, or walking on a busy sidewalk, you must wear a face covering like a bandana or a mask.

— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 15, 2020

During the conference, he noted that although new infections are “down to a manageable level,” the coronavirus remains a “serious public health issue” in his state. According to NBC News affiliate WGRZ, the executive order was signed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday. It goes into effect Wednesday at 8 p.m. 

NBC reported that New York state added another 752 overnight, bringing its official toll above 11,500 as of Wednesday. Despite that, there were more signs of improvement as total hospitalizations showed a net decrease for the second consecutive day. It was also pointed out that the net intubations were down. Cuomo says 80 percent of people on ventilators never come off them.

“We are not out of the woods yet,” the governor said Wednesday. “Coronavirus is still a monumental public health crisis and we are losing New Yorkers every day to this virus. Each New Yorker lost to COVID is a heartbreaking loss.”

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RELATED: NRA Suing New York Gov. Cuomo For Deeming Gun Stores Non-Essential Amid COVID-19

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IRS Ordered To Print President Trump’s Name On Stimulus Checks, Potentially Causing Delays

#Socialites, get into this! The delivery of stimulus checks meant to boost the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic may be a little delayed thanks to President Donald Trump. According to the Washington Post, he wants to have his name printed on them, before being distributed out to folks.

RELATED: President Trump Suspends US Payments To World Health Organization

Apparently, the Treasury Department ordered that President Trump’s name be printed on stimulus checks that will be sent to millions of American workers impacted by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus outbreak, The Post reported, citing senior IRS officials.

Two senior agency officials told the newspaper that this move, which will be the first time a president’s name will appear on a disbursement from the IRS — will reportedly cause delays for some of the $1,200 payments Congress approved in the $2 trillion stimulus package last month.

Now, despite that, The Hill reports that the Treasury Department denied this process would cause a delay, telling the Post that the “Economic Impact Payment checks are scheduled to go out on time and exactly as planned.”

As promised, the first wave of stimulus checks have already been sent out. Some American have confirmed on social media that their checks officially hit their account this Wednesday, April 15.

Socialites, what are your thoughts on this? Sound off in the comment box below!

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RELATED: Donald Trump Loses $1B In Net Worth Due To Coronavirus

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McDonald’s Apologizes After Store In China Displayed Sign Banning Black People

There has been major racial tension between Africans and locals in China, even more since the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus. Due to recent warnings from Chinese officials about the rising number of imported coronavirus cases, it has stoked anti-foreigner sentiment, causing some Africans to get turned away from many places including local business and even their homes. According to CNN, Africans in the southern Chinese city have been evicted from their homes by landlords and stopped from entering hotels, despite many claiming to have no recent travel history or known contact with Covid-19 patients.

RELATED: China Re-Closes All Cinemas After New Coronavirus Cases Reported

Just recently, a Mcdonald’s restaurant in China displayed a sign banning black people from the premises. The note, which circulated on social media, said the McDonald’s location in Guangzhou has “been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant.”

Again, for those who still doubt that Black people and particularly #AfricansinChina are being targeted we feel it is our duty to share this. A sign at a @McDonalds restaurant seems to make this perfectly clear pic.twitter.com/FaveKrdQHi

— Black Livity China (@BlackLivityCN) April 11, 2020

Following a wave of backlash, McDonald’s has come out to apologize. “As a brand, as a company and as more than 2.2 million people serving nearly 120 countries around the world, this is not representative of our inclusive values,” a spokeswoman told Insider.

“Immediately upon learning of an unauthorized communication to our guests at a restaurant in Guangzhou, we immediately removed the communication and temporarily closed the restaurant.” The spokesperson said that during the temporary closure, staff will be retrained.

As BBC notes, Guangzhou is a hub for African traders buying and selling goods and is home to one of China’s largest African communities. The Guangdong provincial government has responded to concerns about discrimination by calling China and Africa good friends, partners and brothers, the new site notes while adding they’re “working promptly to improve” its way of operating.

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UPDATE: NASCAR Star Kyle Larson Fired For Saying The N-Word During Virtual Race

Welp, can’t say we didn’t see this coming. Just two days after NASCAR star Kyle Larson was caught during a live stream using a racial slur, his team has decided to officially let him go.

RELATED: UPDATE: NASCAR Driver Kyle Larson Apologizes For Saying N-Word During Virtual Race

Chip Ganassi Racing announced this Tuesday that Kyle Larson is no longer a part of the organization:

“After much consideration, Chip Ganassi Racing has determined that it will end its relationship with driver Kyle Larson. As we said before, the comments that Kyle made were both offensive and unacceptable especially given the values of our organization. As we continued to evaluate the situation with all the relevant parties, it became obvious that this was the only appropriate course of action to take.“

The big decision was made just hours after NASCAR decided to suspend Larson who made a public apology to his fans and those he offended. Although Larson admitted that he “made a mistake and said the word that should never, ever be said and there’s no excuse for that,” it looks like it just wasn’t enough.

Larson has not publicly commented on his firing. Until then, let us know your thoughts on this in the comment box below!

Press Play Below For A Little Recap:

The N-Word Moment:

yeah uh pic.twitter.com/BBH7bRcIu8

— Davin (@DriveThrough_) April 13, 2020

The Apology:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kyle Larson (@kylelarson42) on Apr 13, 2020 at 9:13am PDT

RELATED: Livestream Catches NASCAR Driver Kyle Larson Using The N-Word During A Virtual Race

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President Barack Obama Set To Endorse Former VP Joe Biden For President

According to multiple reports, former President Barack Obama is planning to formally endorse Joe Biden in the looming race against President Trump!

RELATED: Hillary Clinton Defends Joe Biden After Touching Controversy: ‘Get Over It’

A source familiar with the situation confirmed this to Fox News, saying that an endorsement video from Obama will be released later this Tuesday.

The endorsement of Biden — Barack’s
vice president and running mate through two terms and presidential campaigns — will come one day after Sen. Bernie Sanders offered Biden his endorsement during a livestream on Monday. As we previously reported, Sanders ended his campaign for president last week, leaving Biden as the apparent nominee.

During the live streamed conversation between the two men, Sanders told Biden “we need you in the White House.”

“I’m asking every Democrat, I’m asking every independent, I’m asking a lot of Republicans to come together in this campaign to support your candidacy, which I endorse,” Sanders said.

The endorsement by Obama, who remains one of the most popular and influential figures in the party, has sparked mixed feelings on social media. While many people agree that it makes sense for him to endorse Biden who’s also his good friend, others think it was a wrong move. Check out what some people had to say about this news below:

Yes. My Favorite President Endorsing My Favorite President To Be, @JoeBiden.
❤🧡💛💚💙💜🧡❤

Thank-You @BarackObama #Biden2020 #PresidentBiden
💙💙💙 https://t.co/K9QtHs1jI6

— Nicole Orion (@nicoleorion143) April 14, 2020

Now that President @barackObama has publicly come off the sidelines, he & @joebiden must put a team together to work on Black American voter engagement. Strong Black turnout makes the difference. 😏 Ask Bernie, he knows -now. #Biden2020 #VoteBlue

— veronicanyce (@VeronicaNyce) April 14, 2020

Does anyone else find it strange:

Joe Biden is the only candidate left in the Democrat primary

And Bernie Sanders just came out and endorsed him before Barack Obama did

Why is a so-called "anti-establishment" socialist more eager to endorse him than his running mate?

🤔

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 13, 2020

Former President Barack Obama did the right thing in waiting until the primary was essentially over before endorsing the presumptive nominee, Joe Biden.

— Eric (ME LIKE SPACE MUD HENS) Hanke (@Eric_Hanke) April 14, 2020

https://twitter.com/boudin70/status/1250075383208304646?s=21

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Tornadoes Kill Several People Across The South Leaving 1.3 Million Without Power

At least 20 people have been killed after tornadoes started ripping through the South on Easter, destroying homes and stores and leaving over 1 million people without power.

RELATED: Taylor Swift Drops A Bag Towards Tennessee Tornado Relief

The tornadoes and severe weather struck Central Texas early Sunday, bringing “gigantic” hail and heavy wind while traveling east through Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. As CNBC reports, eleven people were killed in Mississippi, and six more died in northwest Georgia. Two other bodies were pulled from damaged homes in Arkansas and South Carolina.

The National Weather Service tallied hundreds of reports of trees down across the region, including many that went through roofs and downed power lines. Meanwhile, Meteorologists warned the mid-Atlantic states to prepare for potential tornadoes, wind, and hail this Monday.

These tornadoes come in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, Mississippi officials said the tornadoes’ threat to the community trumped that of COVID-19, forcing locals to flee their homes for safer shelters:

“That’s always an issue – we emphasized to everyone that if they went into a shelter they had to maintain hygiene, wash their hands and use sanitizer and use masks but at the end of the day, life safety had to persist over everything else and the greater risk of the tornado overcame COVID,” Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Greg Michel said to Good Morning America on Monday.

While speaking on the risk of coronavirus in shelters he said, “it’s still a concern but we’ve got folks who live in rural areas – shelters were the only option they had.”

Officials say the death toll is expected to go up.

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UPDATE: NASCAR Driver Kyle Larson Apologizes For Saying N-Word During Virtual Race

As expected, Kyle Larson has come out to apologize to his fans after he was caught during a live stream virtual race using a racial slur.

RELATED: Livestream Catches NASCAR Driver Kyle Larson Using The N-Word During A Virtual Race

As we previously reported, Larson was competing in an iRacing event on Sunday when he appeared to lose communication on his headset with his spotter. While trying to check his microphone, he said, “You can’t hear me?” As he tried to get a response, Larson yelled out, “Hey, n—–.” Now, since the main race was broadcast live on several Twitch streams and eNASCAR.com, Larson’s slur made its rounds on social media where it upset many people especially his fans.

Following the news of his suspension, Larson uploaded an Instagram video to his page Monday morning to apologize for his behavior:

“I just want to say I’m sorry,” he started. “Last night I made a mistake and said the word that should never ever be said and there’s no excuse for that. I wasn’t raised that way and it’s just an awful thing to say. I feel very sorry for my family, my friends, my partners, the NASCAR community and especially the African-American community.”

He went on to say,

“I understand the damage is probably unrepairable and I own up to that. I just want to let you all know how sorry I am and I hope everybody is staying safe during these crazy times.”

Larson’s team, Chip Ganassi Racing, has suspended the driver without pay while it investigates the situation.

“We are extremely disappointed by what Kyle said last night during an iRacing Event,” the team said in a statement … calling Larson’s comments “offensive and unacceptable. As of this moment, we are suspending Kyle without pay while we work through this situation with all appropriate parties,” TMZ quotes.

Socialites, do you think he can come back from this? Sound off in the comment box below!

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A post shared by Kyle Larson (@kylelarson42) on Apr 13, 2020 at 9:13am PDT

RELATED: MSNBC Anchor Denies Using N-Word During Live Coverage On Kobe Bryant‘s Death: ‘I Unfortunately Stuttered’

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Former NFL QB Tarvaris Jackson, 36, Dies In Car Crash In Alabama

Former NFL quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has unfortunately passed away.

According to TMZ, Tarvaris Jackson, who famously backed up Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLVIII died in a car crash in Alabama on Sunday night. Law enforcement, sources say Jackson’s vehicle hit a tree just before 9 PM on Sunday, causing the car to overturn. The news site notes that it was a single-car accident.

RELATED: Husband Of Viral Grandma Who Accidentally Invited Guy To Thanksgiving Dies From Coronavirus

Jackson who recently had been working as a quarterback coach for the Tennessee State football team was just 36-years-old. Russell Wilson took to Twitter this Monday morning to remember his former teammate. He tweeted,

“TJack… you will be missed. Praying for your family…Love you man.” Other fans on social media paid tribute to the star while sending condolences to Jackson’s family.

TJack… you will be missed. Praying for your family…Love you man. 💔

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 13, 2020

As Fox New notes, The Minnesota Vikings selected Jackson in the second round of the 2006 draft out of Alabama State. He played five seasons and in 36 games with the Vikings and had 3,984 passing yards with 24 touchdown passes. Jackson joined the Seattle Seahawks prior to the start of the 2011 season where he backed up Wilson during their Super Bowl run. He was last on their team during the 2015 season.

Tarvaris Jackson is survived by his wife Lakitta and their three children.

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RELATED: Beloved GMA Cameraman Tony Greer Dies Of Coronavirus

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ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’ Anchor George Stephanopoulos Tests Positive For Coronavirus

During Monday’s show, “Good Morning America” anchor George Stephanopoulos revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19, just two weeks after his wife Ali Wentworth revealed she was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus.

RELATED: Rihanna’s Father Ronald Fenty Tests Positive For COVID-19

While the 55-year-old comedian said she experienced “horrific” symptoms, Stephanopoulos, 59, says he hasn’t had “any of the classic symptoms you’ve been reading about.” “I’ve never had a fever, never had a cough, never had shortness of breath, never had chills,” he told co-anchor, Robin Roberts and Michael Strahan, noting that he feels “great.”

Stephanopoulos said it wasn’t a shock to him that he tested positive for the virus. While Wentworth self-isolated in a separate room of their home, Stephanopoulos, who shares two daughters with Wentworth, has been his wife’s caregiver throughout her battle with COVID-19.

Stephanopoulos has been broadcasting from home after Wentworth developed symptoms. Despite his diagnosis, he says he feels “great.”

As CNN reports, Covid-19 has infected more than 1.85 million people and killed at least 114,000 worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. At least 22,116 people have died in the US from coronavirus.

The news site notes that totals includes cases from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and other U.S. territories, as well as all repatriated cases. However, Wyoming is the only state or territory that is not reporting a death from coronavirus.

Johns Hopkins has reported 363 new cases and 37 reported deaths as of this Monday morning.

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RELATED: CNN Host Chris Cuomo Tests Positive For COVID-19

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UPDATE: First Batch Of Coronavirus Stimulus Checks Have Been Sent!

The wait is over… for some Americans. As promised, the IRS has started sending coronavirus stimulus payment to eligible Americans who have direct deposit.

RELATED: Stimulus Checks, Hosting a Dating Show, Celebs with Stank Breath On #AskJasonLee

The official Twitter account for the IRS announced the first wave in a tweet Saturday: “#IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today,” the tweet said. “We know many people are anxious to get their payments; we’ll continue issuing them as fast as we can.”

As we previously reported, the payments are part of the $2.2 trillion package passed by Congress at the end of March. It’s intended to help workers who have been laid off or furloughed due to the pandemic. As the New York Post reports, individual taxpayers who make less than $75,000 will be eligible for $1,200 checks while married couples filing jointly who make less than $150,000 will get $2,400. On top of that, they will also be eligible for $500 for each dependent child under 17.

Couples who earn more than $198,000 will not get a check.

The income amounts are based on tax returns filed for 2018 or 2019. Those who do not use direct deposit will get physical checks. However, that could delay the process by weeks.

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RELATED: Americans Who Owe Child Support Will Not Qualify For Stimulus Check

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Michigan Woman Loses Entire Family To Coronavirus As Husband And Only Son Die Within Days

According to a report by The New York Post citing the Detroit News, a Michigan woman lost her entire family to coronavirus as her husband and her only child died within days of each other.

RELATED: Husband Of Viral Grandma Who Accidentally Invited Guy To Thanksgiving Dies From Coronavirus

Sandy Brown of Grand Blanc found the strength to share her story with the news site although she’s suffering from indescribable grief after losing her husband and son, Freddie Lee Brown Jr. and Freddie Lee Brown III, in a span of three days.

Sandy said that her 59-year-old husband came down with symptoms mid March. Her husband, who had a kidney transplant, began having trouble breathing and was later admitted to Ascension Genesys Hospital. From there, he tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on a ventilator, which required he be put in a medically-induced coma, the report said. A few days later, Sandy received a call that his lung collapsed and to rushed to the hospital to be by his side. Although doctors urged her to not go into his hospital room, she insisted, and put on protective gear to say her final goodbyes to her husband. “I’m going in that room,” she reportedly told them.

“I’m going in that room,” she reportedly told them. “I don’t care what I have to do. I’ll sign whatever I need to sign,” The Post quotes.

As hard as that was to deal with, Sandy got even more frustrating news. The next day, her 20-year-old son, Freddie III, who had asthma, became sick with a fever and a cough, the outlet reported. Sandy brought him to the same hospital, where his health seemed to improve. However, later he began struggling to breathe, the report said.

Just three days after her husband’s death, Sandy got the same call from the hospital asking her how quickly she could get there, the outlet reported. From there, she learned that her son had also succumbed to the virus.

Sandy told the newspaper:

“In three days, I lost my husband and son to an ugly plague.” She added, “I watched my son go from completely well and whole and happy to being gone in three days.”

Sandy buried her husband and son on Good Friday, according to the site. The Friday service, which was livestreamed over Sandy’s Facebook page, 25 local people wearing masks walked, one by one, into the empty funeral home. After paying their last respects, they cleaned their hands with sanitizer. Brown watched the burial through a car window.

RELATED: Linda Tripp, Woman Who Exposed Bill Clinton Affair, Dies At 70

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Human Centipede Star Dieter Laser Passes Away At Age 78

The Hollywood world has lost another star. Dieter Laser, the actor best known for his character in the outrage-horror film, The Human Centipede, has died.

RELATED: Husband Of Viral Grandma Who Accidentally Invited Guy To Thanksgiving Dies From Coronavirus

According to TMZ, Laser’s death was just announced by his wife, Inge. She shared that Laser had actually passed in Berlin back on February 29. As of right now, his cause of death is unknown at this time.

While some fans are remembering him on social media, Tom Six, director of the cult horror series, remembered him as a “force of nature, a unique human being and an iconic actor. I’m so damn proud we created pop culture together,” TMZ quotes. He was 78-years-old.

The German star has more than 60 acting credits to his name including appearing in the Glenn Close film, “Meeting Venus,” in 1991. But, the controversial horror film, ‘Centipede,’ in 2009 is what helped in achieve international fame. He later appeared in ‘The Human Centipede III’ in 2015.

As TMZ notes, Laser’s other notable credits over the years include the sci-fi TV series, “Lexx,” and the 2003 thriller, “Baltic Storm.”

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RELATED: Linda Tripp, Woman Who Exposed Bill Clinton Affair, Dies At 70

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Bill O’Reilly Slammed For Saying Many Who Have Died From COVID-19 ‘Were On Their Last Legs Anyway’

Welp, former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly sparked major backlash online this week for saying that many of those who have died from COVID-19 “were on their last legs anyway.”

RELATED: French Doctor Apologizes For Suggesting Coronavirus Treatment Testing In Africa

His remarks were made Wednesday during an appearance on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s radio program shortly after they chatted about lowered projections for coronavirus deaths in the U.S.

O’Reilly said:

“Many people who are dying, both here and around the world, were on their last legs anyway,” O’Reilly said. “And I don’t want to sound callous about that.” “Hold on – you’re going to get hammered for that,” Hannity jumped in and said. But, O’Reilly replied, “Well, I don’t care. I mean, a simple man tells the truth.”

From there, Hannity tried his best to help clarify O’Reilly comments for his listeners: “You mean people that have underlying conditions and compromised immune systems, any virus, you’re saying would’ve -”

“Yes, yes, and not only that, they were damaged,” O’Reilly added. “For example, one of the reasons the death rate in Italy and Spain is 10 times higher than in the United States, 10 times -” “Age,” Hannity said.

The 70-year-old later said in Wednesday’s interview: 

“Well, you’re going to see the Centers for Disease Control, at the end of all this, say this percentage of people who died from the virus, also had other things that killed them.”

Of course, O’Reilly’s overall comments sparked a big wave of criticism. However, on Thursday morning, O’Reilly pushed back against the criticism in a tweet saying the “far-left wants chaos and carnage so President Trump will lose re-election.”

The pandemic is extremely deadly but not the Black Plague. Far-left wants chaos and carnage so President Trump will lose re-election. They are not interested in facts and will try to punish people who provide perspective.https://t.co/bO41JPJYCt

— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) April 9, 2020

Socialites, how do you feel about all of this? Sound off in our Yappa comment box below!

RELATED: Dr. Drew Apologizes For Downplaying Coronavirus

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TikTok Commits $375 Million to Coronavirus Aid

TikTok now joins the pretty long list of companies who have decided to step up during this coronavirus pandemic! According to Variety, the social-video company owned by Chinese internet giant ByteDance just pledged to donate a total of $375 million. The news site noted that $250 million in funds will support COVID-19 relief efforts as well as $125 million worth of advertising credits on the platform.

RELATED: Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Donates $100 Million To U.S. Food Banks Amid Pandemic

TikTok president Alex Zhu wrote in a blog post:

“We are committed to playing our part in that global outpouring of mutual support and giving,” he said. “We want to magnify all we are seeing across our community and translate it into concrete relief for those most affected by this crisis.”

Specifically, $150 million in funds will go towards medical staffing, supplies, and hardship relief for health care workers. $40 million in cash to local organizations that serve groups of musicians, artists, nurses, educators, and families that have come together on the platform, while $50 million in grants will go to educators, professional experts, and nonprofits who use the service to share educational information and useful course material in an accessible, distance-learning format, Axios quotes. As for the $125M: $100 million of it will go towards ad credits to help small and midsize businesses get back on their feet once they can resume business.

$25 million will go to ad credits for non-governmental organizations, trusted health sources, and local authorities. In addition, the company is establishing the TikTok Community Relief Fund, The company is providing an additional $10 million matching in donations from TikTok users. To date, the company has donated $2 million to MusiCares.

The company added in their blog post,

“TikTok will be actively seeking more ways to contribute, including identifying the most effective ways to allocate these remaining funds to support ongoing relief needs. We understand that these are challenging times for everyone.”

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RELATED: Oprah Donates $10 Million To Coronavirus Relief Efforts!

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Todd Chrisley Hospitalized After Testing Positive For Coronavirus

During the latest episode of episode Chrisley Confessions podcast, reality star Todd Chrisley revealed that he was recently hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19.

RELATED: Beloved GMA Cameraman Tony Greer Dies Of Coronavirus

The 52-year-old explained that he had been “battling corona” for three weeks and hospitalized for four and a half days before being released back home. “It has been the sickest that I have ever been in the 52 years I’ve been on this earth,” The Chrisley Knows Best star shared. “I cannot ever tell you a time in my life where I have ever been as sick as what I had been with the coronavirus.”

Todd’s wife, Julie Chrisley, chimed and said,

“This is serious. This is something that we’ve been dealing with for the past few weeks. Todd and I have been together for 25 years, I have never in 25 years seen him as sick as what he was in the past few weeks.”

She went on to say,

“If you are doubting or have not been affected by corona personally … you need to know that this is serious. There are people who are dying and we have to take it seriously. We have to practice social distancing, and we have to stay in if at all possible.”

Although he’s recovering at home, during the podcast, Todd added that he’s operating at “about 70 to 75 percent.”

“This has been a life-altering experience for me. I know it’s been a life-altering experience for everyone in my family,” he said, explaining that the coronavirus is a lesson to all that “none of us are no better than our neighbor.”

He added,

“I think that what it has taught me is to look around and see the things that truly, truly matter — and what matters is health,” Todd shared. “You can have all the money in the world but if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. It’s been a tough, tough three weeks.”

The are now 1,446,242 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 83,424 deaths worldwide.

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Beloved GMA Cameraman Tony Greer Dies Of Coronavirus

“Good Morning America” is mourning the loss of a good friend and their loyal cameraman, Tony Greer.

The beloved man was known for lighting up the set of the morning news show even from behind the cameras. While announcing the heartbreaking news Wednesday, host Robin Roberts shared that Greer “was such a bright light working at our studio for more than six years,” she said. “You could just feel Tony’s beautiful spirit, you could feel it from a mile away.”

RELATED: Pregnant Woman With Coronavirus Dies During Labor

She went on to say,

“We love Tony and so many things that he loved. He loved his family, his beloved mother Fanny, his sister Janet, his brother Kevin. He loved taking his nieces, nephews, any relative who came to visit him, he’d take them out and show them the city.”

Before concluding Roberts added,

“We loved every single moment we were blessed to spend and share with Tony. Our condolences to his family in Chicago. To his mother Fanny, we have to say this to you ma’am, your son was a good man. He was kind, he was thoughtful, he was always a gentleman.”

Roberts noted that Greer is survived by his longtime girlfriend, also named Robin.
Co-hosts Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos also expressed their condolences.

The show is based in New York which is currently an epicenter of the virus, with New York City reporting 77,967 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3,602 deaths as of Wednesday morning, Page Six reports.

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Bernie Sanders Drops Out Of The 2020 Presidential Race

Here’s some news that some folks aren’t going to like. This Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders made the decision to end his presidential campaign, clearing Joe Biden’s path to the Democratic nomination and a showdown with President Donald Trump in November.

RELATED: Elizabeth Warren Drops Out Of The 2020 Presidential Race

According to a post by CNN and activist Shaun King, Sanders made the announcement in a call with his campaign staff. King explained in a tweet:

“We are on a call with @BernieSanders right now and he just told us that he is stepping down from the presidential race. He will be going live to the public in a few minutes. We did our best. He did his best.” Our movement for deep systemic change moves forward.”

As we previously reported, Sanders ran his campaign on the promise of a political “revolution” by touting his signature “Medicare for All” plan. In addition to that, he also promised to cancel student debt and pass free universal child care in an effort to create a better way of life for Americans.

However, after suffering a series of crushing primary losses and the coronavirus pandemic which stalled his campaign for weeks, it looks like he finally decided to cut his journey short to becoming president.

Meanwhile, acting President Donald Trump was excited to hear about the news. He tweeted,

Bernie Sanders is OUT! Thank you to Elizabeth Warren. If not for her, Bernie would have won almost every state on Super Tuesday! This ended just like the Democrats & the DNC wanted, same as the Crooked Hillary fiasco. The Bernie people should come to the Republican Party, TRADE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 8, 2020

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UPDATE: WHO Says Africa Will NOT Be A Testing Ground For Vaccine

As we previously reported, two French doctors faced some serious heat for suggesting that Africa should become a testing ground for a COVID-19 vaccine. The remarks sparked major public outcry all over social media and even from public figures in Africa.

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“Africa isn’t a testing lab,” Ivorian professional football player Didier Drogba, who used to play for Chelsea, wrote on Twitter. “I would like to vividly denounce those demeaning, false and most of all deeply racist words.”

Although one of the doctor’s, Jean-Paul Mira has apologized for his comments, WHO has come forward to condemn those “racist” remarks. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made it very clear that “Africa can’t and won’t be a testing ground for any vaccine.” When asked about the doctors’ suggestion during the WHO’s coronavirus briefing, Dr Tedros became angry, calling it a hangover from the “colonial mentality, “ according to BBC:

“It was a disgrace, appalling, to hear during the 21st Century, to hear from scientists, that kind of remark. We condemn this in the strongest terms possible, and we assure you that this will not happen,” he said.

According to the latest updates, the total confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa are 10,268. At least 1,002 have recovered and 491 have been confirmed dead, according to Africanarguments.org citing WHO; Johns Hopkins.

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Chris Cuomo Shares Chest X-Rays As He Fights Coronavirus: ‘You Have To Fight To Keep It Out’

Since announcing his coronavirus diagnosis last month, CNN‘s Chris Cuomo is continuing to share his health journey with his viewers.

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The 49-year-old news anchor shared an update on his ongoing battle with COVID-19 while speaking with Dr. Sanjay Gupta during his Cuomo Prime Time broadcast Monday from home. The journalist explained that he felt his fever go down over the weekend, but the virus has been transitioning to his chest. From there, Cuomo said he decided to get an X-ray to check his lungs.

During the episode, he disclosed his X-ray results. However, the doctor did not offer an on-air diagnosis — but instead, he said it appears Cuomo has some instances of a “little bit of fluid built up,” but not quite pneumonia.

“[Doctors] expect me to have infiltrate because I have the virus, and I have to tell you,” said Cuomo, “it is scary to have your lungs go up there and see this stuff and go, ‘Well, what is that? What is that, like, smoke in there?’ And they tell you, ‘Yeah, it’s the virus.’ ”

He continued,
“It’s in there; it’s in you. You have to fight to keep it out,” added Cuomo. Now, he went on to say that he is “doing fine” and practicing breathing exercises, per doctors’ orders.

Previously, Cuomo explained that his first night with COVID was freighting as he was shivering so badly that he chipped a tooth. He also said that he started hallucinating and saw his late father. Since then, he says he’s feels ”better than I deserve.”

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Shenzhen Becomes The First City In China To Ban The Consumption Of Cats And Dogs

According to BBC, Shenzhen has officially become the first city in China to ban the consumption of cat and dog meat!

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As the news site notes, the ban is in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic after some of the earliest infections were found in people who reportedly visited a wildlife market in Wuhan. BBC cited officials via a Reuters report who explained that the Shenzhen government decided to extend the ban to cats and dogs since these pets “have established a much closer relationship with humans than all other animals.”

It was said that the proposed change will fine folks who work in Shenzhen restaurants serving dog and cat meat. The new law will go into effect on May 1. The news comes as the coronavirus epidemic prompted China to permanently ban the trade of wild animals as food back in February, but not for medicinal use.

Now, although it is unclear which animal transferred the virus to humans, CNN reported that China has acknowledged that it needs to bring its lucrative wildlife industry under control if it is to prevent another outbreak. Meanwhile, The United Nations’ biodiversity chief has called for a global ban on wildlife markets to prevent future pandemics.

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