Georgia governor, Brian Kemp to reopen gyms, bowling alleys, saloons and some other businesses from April 24

Some Georgia businesses that have been shut down for weeks now, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, will be allowed to reopen later this week. Also, the statewide shelter-in-place order will be ending at the end of the month, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday.



Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced plans to allow gyms, bowling alleys, hair and nail salons, massage therapists and more to reopen their doors as early as Friday, April 24, if they adhere to social distancing measures and hygiene requirements.



He added that theaters, private social clubs & restaurant dine-in services can reopen on Monday, April 27.



Governor Kemp tweeted: "Due to favorable data & more testing, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, estheticians, their respective schools & massage therapists can reopen Friday, April 24 with Minimum Basic Operations. #gapol.







"Minimum Basic Operations includes, but is not limited to, screening workers for fever and respiratory illness, enhancing workplace sanitation, wearing masks & gloves if appropriate, separating workspaces by six feet, teleworking if possible & implementing staggered shifts. #gapol.



"Subject to specific social distancing & sanitation mandates, theaters, private social clubs & restaurant dine-in services will be allowed to reopen on Monday, April 27. We'll release more information in the next few days. #gapol.



"Bars, nightclubs, operators of amusement park rides & live performance venues will remain closed. #gapol







"The shelter in place order is still active and expires at 11:59 PM on April 30 for most Georgians. We urge everyone to continue to follow @CDCgov & @GaDPH guidance by sheltering in place as often as you can. #gapol."







Kemp said emergency room visits from people with flu-like symptoms are declining in Georgia, a sign that infections are down.



The news comes as the Georgia Department of Public Health reports at least 18,947 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the state, including 733 deaths.



Kemp's announcement has been criticized by a number of people who opined that it's not the smartest decision, considering that Coronavirus is still a threat in the state.







Several mayors in Georgia said they weren't given any notice of the announcement and questioned the governor's decision.



Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN on Monday she had not spoken with Kemp before learning of his decision to reopen businesses. Bottoms said she was concerned about the move as Georgia’s case count continues to go up and asymptomatic people or people with mild symptoms are not being tested.



Bottoms said: "We really are at a loss and I am concerned as a mother and the mayor of our capital city. I am perplexed that we have opened up in this way. ... As I look at the data and as I talk with our public health officials, I don’t see that it’s based on anything that’s logical."



However, some Georgia business owners were happy about the announcement and said they were eager to reopen their doors.

US Senate passes new $484b Coronavirus relief package for small businesses, hospitals and Covid-19 testing

The US Senate has approved about $484 billion in new coronavirus aid for small businesses, hospitals and testing, making it the US' second economic relief package since the Coronavirus pandemic started, if signed into law.


The agreement, made after weeks of negotiation and disagreements between Republican and Democratic Lawmakers was passed by a voice vote after agreements were made on Sunday and Monday.



The deal will include an additional $310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), $60 billion specifically for community banks and smaller lenders, as well as $75 billion for hospitals, $25 billion for testing, and $60 billion for emergency disaster loans and grants.







Sen. Rand Paul (Republican-Kentucky) said he opposed the funding but would not block its passage because more bail outs will increase America's annual deficit.



Senator Rand is the only senator who has been infected with the coronavirus.


"The virus bailouts have already cost over $2 trillion. Our annual deficit this year will approach $4 trillion. We can't continue on this course. No amount of bailout dollars will stimulate an economy that is being strangled by quarantine," Paul said from the Senate floor on Tuesday.



The House of Reps is expected to pass the bill on Thursday morning, with members returning to Washington for a recorded vote.



US President Trump threw his support behind the relief package on Tuesday.

"I urge the Senate and House to pass the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act with additional funding for PPP, Hospitals, and Testing," Trump tweeted.

Bayern Munich player Joshua Zirkzee ready to snub Nigeria's Super Eagles to play for the Netherlands

Bayern Munich player, Joshua Zirkzee, has said he dreams of playing for the Netherlands national team, dashing hopes of Nigerians who want to see the young player receive a Super Eagles call up.


Joshua was born to Nigerian parents in the Netherlands and is therefore eligible to play for Nigeria or Netherlands.





The Bayern Munich star who has featured for the Dutch at the U-17 level says he dreams of playing for the Dutch senior team. Once a footballer plays for the senior national team of a country, he can't play for another country according to FIFA rules.


The Nigeria Football Federation, alongside head coach Gernot Rohr, have been tracking the 18 year old footballer for a while and planned to lure him to the Super Eagles but may now have to relax their efforts after hearing about the young player's comments.


When asked if he had thought about playing in the Euros competition for Netherland, Zirkzee said;

“No, I’m not really working on that yet. I’m not a regular based player here, so I don’t think I should think about it then, but I have also seen how fast things can go, so of course, it is very secretly in the back of your mind,” the forward told VTBL

“Oranje is a dream and as a young footballer I think it makes sense to dream about it.”


Recently, the Chelsea players Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori snubbed Nigeria to play for England.

Former playboy playmate, Ashley Mattingly is found dead at her Texas home next to suicide note

Former Playboy Playmate Ashley Mattingly has taken her own life after her battle with substance and alcohol abuse.



Mattingly's twin siblings, brother Billy, and sister Christy told TMZ that she took her own life on Wednesday at her home in Austin, Texas and left a suicide note.



The publication disclosed that Mattingly's body was discovered by police three days later after a friend called Austin Police Department on Friday for a wellness check as Ashley had not been heard from in several days.



According to her family, she had been living in Austin for the past two years and was struggling with alcohol with substance abuse before her death.



'I love you and will miss you everyday,' Christy Mattingly Deweese wrote on Facebook on Sunday. 'Fly high sister, I know you are the most gorgeous angel in heaven!'



Mattingly, was best known for being named Playboy's Miss March in 2011.



In 2012, her ex-boyfriend, former Prison Break star Lane Garrison, was accused of domestic battery after he was caught in a surveillance video slapping her in the face at her Beverly Hills apartment.



After spending two months in jail, Garrison pleaded no contest to a charge of domestic battery and was sentenced to probation, counseling and a fine.



In 2016, Mattingly was arrested and charged with DUI counts after driving her custom golf cart into four parked cars.

See savage replies Trump received after he lashed out at media amid Coronavirus pandemic

Some Twitter users have taken to the platform to blast US Leader Donald Trump after the Billionaire businessman went on a Twitter frenzy blasting the US media despite the Coronavirus pandemic that has infected millions globally and killed lots of Americans.



Trump who has been criticized for his lacklustre handling and late response towards the Coronavirus pandemic called the media 'totally corrupt and dishonest' and referred to the media as 'lamestream' instead of 'mainstream'.



The US Coronavirus death toll is at 42,000 as at Tuesday and Trump not happy with criticism he has received from media houses in the US recently, went on an offensive in tweets.

''I’ve had great “ratings” my whole life, there’s nothing unusual about that for me.'' Trump posted on Twitter.

''The White House News Conference ratings are “through the roof”(Monday Night Football, Bachelor Finale , @nytimes ) but I don’t care about that. I care about going around the Fake News to the PEOPLE! ''



In another tweet, Trump said;
''It is amazing that I became President of the United States with such a totally corrupt and dishonest Lamestream Media going after me all day, and all night. Either I’m really good, far better than the Fake News wants to admit, or they don’t have nearly the power as once thought!''





Twitter users on seeing Trump's tweet, blasted the president, with some suggesting he cared more about his image than lives lost to Coronavirus. See tweets below...








pic.twitter.com/9zCr6XZWEo— An0maly (@LegendaryEnergy) April 21, 2020

Coronavirus: Sierra Leone president, Julius Maada goes into self-isolation as security staff tests positive

Sierra Leone president, Julius Maada Bio will undergo a 14-day self-isolation after one of his security staff tested positive for Coronavirus.



The president’s spokesperson confirmed the development to journalists on Monday night and said the president was going to be working from home for the next 14 days.



The president also confirmed the news in a tweet that one of his security staff tested positive for COVID?19.



He wrote: “The EOC is testing all contacts of one of my security staff who had been in a 14-day quarantine and has tested positive for #COVID?19. My government will continue to be transparent and urges citizens to protect themselves by following all hygiene and other protocols.”




The EOC is testing all contacts of one of my security staff who had been in a 14-day quarantine and has tested positive for #COVID?19. My government will continue to be transparent and urges citizens to protect themselves by following all hygiene and other protocols.— President Julius Maada Bio (@PresidentBio) April 20, 2020



According to the Country's Ministry of Health, there are 43 confirmed cases of Coronavirus so far.

Keep your stupid opinions to yourselves - AY tells Nigerians who criticize the effort of others to cushion the effect of Coronavirus lockdown

Ace comedian, AY has lashed out at Nigerians who criticize the effort of other people to cushion the effect of Coronavirus lockdown on their compatriots.



The comedian who asked such people to keep their opinions to themselves, stated that "social responsibility is not in words but in action".



AY tweeted;




Those of you who contribute nothing but criticize the efforts of others who provides necessary or little support to cushion the lockdown effects on Nigerians in need, should take matters in your own hands by volunteering to do something or keep your stupid opinions to yourselves

It is easy for you to talk about what you are going to do or how it should be done, but it doesn't mean anything until you take action and make it happen. Social responsibility is not in words but ACTION.