Month: March 2022

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News Daypop

White House asks Congress for $32.5 billion to support Ukraine, bolster Covid-19 response

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The Biden administration asked Congress to immediately approve $32.5 billion in emergency funding to support Ukraine, as well as to bolster the United States’ COVID-19 response.

The Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) requested $10 billion in new humanitarian, security and economic aid to Ukraine and its central European partners, saying that $22.5 billion would go toward securing the supply of Covid antiviral treatments, funding testing and vaccination and developing vaccines that protect against future variants.  OMB Acting Director Shalanda Young said in a statement that the $22.5 billion in COVID funding plus $10 billion in emergency military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine should be included in Congress’ larger spending bill to fund the U.S. government expected to come by March 11.

Regarding the crisis in Ukraine, Young wrote: “Given the rapidly evolving situation in Ukraine, I anticipate that additional needs may arise over time.” Young added that the current request is based on “the administration’s best information on resource requirements at this time.”  The request also includes $5 billion for the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development to boost security and economic assistance to Ukraine and regional allies, of which $2.75 billion would provide humanitarian assistance.

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News Daypop

10 hospitalized after residential building explosion and fire in Silver Springs, Maryland

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At least ten people were taken to hospitals, some with critical injuries, after an explosion and fire at a Maryland apartment building Thursday morning. Firefighters responded around 10:30 a.m. after 911 callers reported an explosion at the four-story building in Silver Spring, less than a mile north of Washington, D.C.

Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Chief Scott Goldstein said during a news conference that crews arriving on the scene found significant fire and evidence of an explosion, and immediately went to work battling the flames, helping several people get out before the building was completely consumed by fire and collapsed.

People were evacuated from adjacent buildings, and crews continued to search the buildings a second time to make sure no one was missed. , Goldstein said that it was unknown how many people are unaccounted for and how many people will be displaced, and it was not clear where the fire began and too early to say how it started.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted that his team has been in contact with county officials about the explosion and fire and state fire marshal, state police and state emergency management officials are offering their support.

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Sports Daypop

NFL, NFLPA agree to suspend all COVID-19 related protocols and testing, effective immediately

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The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to suspend all COVID-19 protocols and testing, effective immediately.  In a memo sent to all 32 teams on Thursday, the league announced it arrived at the decision with the NFLPA “based on current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity of COVID-19” as well as “evolving guidance from the CDC” and its own experts.  The memo said: “We will continue to prioritize the health and safety of players, coaches and staff, as we have throughout the pandemic.”  However, the league also noted teams must comply with local and state laws, and it could reimpose protocols if necessary.

The suspension of COVID-19 protocols brings a few changes for NFL players and staff members: (1) the NFL has eliminated mandatory surveillance testing for players and staff, regardless of vaccination status. Testing will only take place when “clinically indicated or at the direction of the club physician.” (2) Players and staff don’t have to wear Kinexon devices, which were used in order to monitor the physical distances of interactions. The devices helped enforce social distancing and allowed for easier contact tracing. (3) The use of masks in team facilities is not mandatory for players and staff, regardless of vaccination status. Teams can enforce mask policies “if they elect to do so.”  Additionally, teams are no longer required to “maintain signage concerning physical distancing and mask wearing,” and they no longer have to place restrictions on facility access or follow previous weight room capacity limits.

Individuals are still asked to monitor themselves for symptoms daily. Anybody experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must report them to the club and test negative before entering the team facility, according to the memo. Any individual who tests positive must isolate for five days after his or her test.

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Categories
Country Daypop

Kane Brown lands his seventh No. 1 song with ‘One Mississippi’

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Kane Brown has achieved his seventh No. 1 song with his latest single, “One Mississippi,” which takes the top spot on the Billboard and Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts this week.

Brown celebrated the achievement on Twitter with the simple caption: “One Mississippi is #1! 🙏🏽”

Today, Brown plans to release his latest single, “Leave You Alone,” which he’ll perform on the 57th ACM Awards in Las Vegas on Amazon Prime Video on March 7. He’s also gearing up for the next leg of his “Blessed & Free Tour,” which kicks off with his first-ever stadium show in his hometown of Chattanooga on May 7 at Finley Stadium.

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Country Daypop

Ernest to release debut album ‘Flower Shops (The Album)’ on March 11th

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ERNEST will release his debut full-length album, called ‘Flower Shops (The Album)’, on March 11th. The 11-track project was entirely co-written by ERNEST, including the album’s title track featuring Morgan Wallen.

ERNEST said, “It’s a very good feeling to have this body of work ready to share with the world. This album came together organically over the course of a year or so. It feels like there’s a shift happening in country music and the people want to hear more honesty in songs, and with honesty comes pain – sometimes we need to feel that too. I hope this project provides a little sepia tone world for the listener to escape to and go on a journey of their own…feeling everything from love to lost. This is FLOWER SHOPS.”

ERNEST is currently on the road supporting Chris Lane’s Fill Them Boots Tour.  He will also perform for his hometown crowd at back-to-back sold-out shows headlining Nashville’s famed Exit/In on March 21st & 22nd.  ERNEST was also just announced as a performer alongside Eric Church and Morgan Wallen on the ‘One Hell Of A Night’ Stadium Show, to be held on June 11th at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

To pre-order “Flower Shops (The Album)” head here.

ERNEST Announces Debut Project, ‘Flower Shops (The Album)’

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Entertainment Daypop

Jennifer Hudson to launch new daytime talk show this fall on Fox TV stations

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Jennifer Hudson will launch a new self-titled daytime talk show,‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’ for Fox Television Stations this fall. The one-hour daytime talk show is produced in Los Angeles by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The Jennifer Hudson Show will tape in Los Angeles, with a creative team to be named soon.

David Decker, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, said in a statement: “Daytime has found its Dreamgirl. We are excited to bring Jennifer Hudson to Fox, Hearst and all our broadcast station partners this fall. Warner Bros. stands as the cornerstone between A-List talent and top tier stations building successful brands that drive audiences.”

Said Hudson in a statement: “I have experienced so much in my life; I’ve seen the highest of the highs, the lowest of the lows, and just about everything in between but as my mother always told me, ‘Once you think you’ve seen it all, just keep on living. People from around the world have been a part of my journey from the beginning – twenty years ago – and I’m so ready to join their journey as we sit down and talk about the things that inspire and move us all. I have always loved people and I cannot wait to connect on a deeper level and let audiences see the different sides of who I am, the human being, in return. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to do it alongside this incredible team. We’re about to have a lot of fun and shake things up a little bit!”

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Entertainment Daypop

See the trailer for the upcoming Netflix film “The Adam Project”

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Ryan Reynolds teams up with his 13-year-old self in the new action-packed trailer for ‘The Adam Project.’  The sci-fi film follows a time-traveling pilot named Adam Reed, who crash lands in his past while trying to save the future.  Adam — wounded and confused — then encounters his 13-year-old self , with whom he must team up to find his late father and save the world from inherent doom.

Directed by Shawn Levy, The Adam Project also stars Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner as Adam’s parents, Louis and Ellie Reed. Rounding out the cast are Zoe Saldana as his partner Laura, newcomer Walker Scobell as Adam’s younger self, Catherine Keener, and Alex Mallari Jr.  The forthcoming project will mark the second collaboration between Reynolds and Levy, whr previously worked on the 2021 comedy Free Guy. 

The Adam Project streams on Netflix on March 11, 2022. Take a look at the trailer – here.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

Take a listen to Ghost’s new single ‘Twenties’

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Ghost have released “Twenties,” the latest offering from their upcoming fifth album IMPERA, set to be released on March 11. You can listen to “Twenties” – here.

Ghost’s Tobias Forge had this to say of the track: “The idea was to paint a picture of an empire, warts and all, and shine a light onto the sort of self-destruction mechanisms within the empire that are sort of per default in there to sort of reassure its ultimate demise. Somehow they have always built each empire that way. It’s painfully clear to us as we talk. Years ago, when, when I got the idea that I wanted to make a record about empires, I also had the idea that I wanted to make a record about the plague. Those two concepts felt diametrically opposed to me in a way, because the plague had more of individual, carnal, divine aspect of the annihilation. Whereas the imperial record that I referred to in my head had more of like a structural society, mechanical annihilation. So those two concepts felt different from each other.”

To pre-order Impera, head here.

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Categories
Rock Daypop

The Offspring announce ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ North American tour

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The Offspring have announced that they will be launching their North American Let the Bad Times Roll Tour this spring, featuring special guests Radkey for most dates. The 18-city trek is set to launch on April 26th in San Diego, CA at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre and will wrap up on May 22nd in Milwaukee, WI.

Radkey will support on the tour from the kick off until May 17th in New York City, NY at Pier 17. Blame My Youth will take over for the shows in Detroit and Chicago.

The Offspring’s tour is in support of their latest album, “Let the Bad Times Roll.” Frontman Dexter Holland had this to say: “This album is probably the most cathartic thing we’ve done. The messages might be dark, but at the end what’s left is that communication is important, working through feelings is important and most of all, hope is important.”

Tickets for the tour are set to go on sale to the general public this Friday, March 4th at 10AM local time on LiveNation.com.

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Categories
Pop Daypop

Zendaya & Labrinth release the song ‘I’m Tired’ from the Euphoria soundtrack

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Following the ‘Euphoria’ Season 2 finale on HBO, composer Labrinth and star Zendaya have released the full version of “I’m Tired.”  The gospel-inspired track was first heard in Episode 4, when Labrinth performs the song live.  In the Season 2 finale, viewers got to hear the last minute of the song, which features Zendaya singing solo.

Co-written by Labrinth, Zendaya and show creator Sam Levinson, “I’m Tired” is now available on all major streaming services, and will appear on the full soundtrack for the show.  Watch the lyric video for “I’m Tired’ – here.

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