Citizens of the world are being advised to stay home and practice social distancing because of the global pandemic we are currently experiencing. The coronavirus outbreak has affected us all -- some more than others -- but it remains a fact that our world has been changed forever. Countries have been shutting down altogether and United States and Canadian residents are being urged to return home before it becomes too unsafe to do so. In the latest development pertaining to non-essential travel, it has been reported that the borders between Canada and the United States have been temporarily closed.

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"We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," tweeted President Donald Trump this morning. "Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!"

The Washington Post notes that the Department of Homeland Security is still working on the specific details of the closure, including the timeline of the border closure, but it will not include the transport of commercial goods or the return of Canadian or American citizens for the time being.

With news breaking out regarding the novel coronavirus by the minute, we will stay on top of any pertinent updates for you. Stay safe and, if you are currently traveling outside of the country, please go home and stay inside.

The U.S. federal government has warned the American people about the long-lasting effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the country, indicating that the aftermath of the pandemic could impact the United States for up to 18 months. According to The New York Times, a 100-page plan prepared by the Trump administration notes that the virus could come and go in “multiple waves,” making it difficult to effectively stop it entirely. Earlier this week, Trump said that the pandemic is thought to last until July or August in the U.S., but the latest predictions see the ultimate fallout of the virus impacting the country for as long as a year-and-a-half.

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However, the plan also outlines the potential steps that the government could take in order to control the spread of the virus. The government is considering invoking the The Defense Production Act of 1950, a law that would require private companies to increase their production of essential goods, like respirators and ventilators, under the command of a sitting president.  “During World War II, our country adapted to the demands of the time to produce mass quantities of bombers, tanks, and many smaller items needed to save democracy and freedom in the world. We know what the demands of this time are, and we must act now to meet these demands,” said Michigan’s Representative Andy Levin and other House Democrats. Trump addressed the possibility of utilizing this law during a recent press briefing, explaining that while the DPA has been a topic of discussion, the administration hopes to avoid it unless absolutely necessary.

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“Well, we’re able to do that if we have to,” he noted. “Right now, we haven’t had to, but it’s certainly ready. If I want it, we can do it very quickly. We’ve studied it very closely over two weeks ago, actually. We’ll make that decision pretty quickly if we need it. We hope we don’t need it. It’s a big step.” The plan also told Americans to prepare for shortages of certain services and resources as a result of coronavirus. “Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services, and other elements of critical infrastructure,” the plan reads. “This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE [personal protective equipment] and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations.”

Meek Mill has been a vocal advocate for prison reform and criminal justice reform in the last few years. Following his high profile incarceration for a probation violation, fans and supporters rallied together in his support. In return, he's using his platform these days to push the message. Such is the case when he shared a viral video of a Jefferson Parrish police officer appearing to plant drugs on a suspect. After those filming told the officers that they caught him on camera, he put the bag down and went after them.

A few weeks ago, we were not taking the coronavirus as seriously as we should have been and, now, things are escalating quickly. It feels as though we are heading toward a national lockdown, much like the current situation in Italy and Spain. Restaurants, bars, libraries, and event spaces across the country are being temporarily closed as social distancing becomes important to prevent the spread of COVID-19. With small businesses taking a major hit as a direct result of the virus, the United States government is shifting focus on how to ensure that people are able to stay afloat, and that begins with a stimulus package.

The latest update from the White House and President Trump pertains to a financial payout that is being considered to take immediate effect. A massive economic stimulus package is on the brink of reality in Washington, which would entail direct cash payments to be sent to Americans. 

Drew Angerer/Getty Images — Steve Mnuchin testifies during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing

“We’re looking at sending checks to Americans immediately,” said Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. “And I mean now, in the next two weeks.”

The White House is trying to push this into law as soon as possible, meaning that it could become a reality within the next couple of weeks. The cash payment idea is part of a larger $850 billion stimulus package proposed by Congress. As Trump stated earlier this week, the package is likely to include support for businesses, airlines, and more industries that have been directly affected by COVID-19.

Stay safe out there, guys.

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President Trump decided to call out New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Twitter Tuesday morning, after Cuomo called Trump’s response to the coronavirus “inexcusable” during a press conference Monday. Trump, most likely sitting on the toilet, had another series of tweets a little while ago, asking Governor Cuomo to keep politics out of it. During his hypocritical tweet, Trump continued his deflection of his poor handling of the pandemic by referring to the coronavirus as “The Chinese Virus” too, not wanting to take any responsibility for his delayed actions.

At 7:22 this morning, Trump tweeted: “Cuomo wants “all states to be treated the same.” But all states aren’t the same. Some are being hit hard by the Chinese Virus, some are being hit practically not at all. New York is a very big “hotspot”, West Virginia has, thus far, zero cases. Andrew, keep politics out of it.”

Remember when Ted Cruz forgot that his "likes" were public on Twitter and he added a porn video to his favorites? Well, that basically just happened again but, this time, our Forever President is the target.

Post-presidency Barack Obama doesn't have a care in the world. He'll do whatever the hell he wants to do and, if that includes following a well-known porn star on social media, then so be it. When people started to notice that Sara Jay, a Cincinnati-based adult actress, earned a follow from the forty-forth President of the United States, reactions were almost instantaneous as the entertainer found her name in the trending topics.

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"Obama thought he was logged in to his incognito account," wrote one fan who found the whole situation funny. Others just continued sharing the meme of Michelle Obama snatching away Barack's phone.

At the end of the day, it's possible that Obama's finger slipped and pressed the follow button as he was looking for another Sara on Twitter. It's also possible that he just doesn't give a shit anymore and is out here following an ultra-popular porn star. Either way, this isn't really too big of a deal. The current President once (or was it just once?) said that women will let you do anything to them when you're famous. "Grab 'em by the pussy," he said on Access Hollywood. Following a porn star is nothing compared to that.

On Monday, President Trump gave another update on the Coronavirus crisis from the White House, in which he revealed that we could be dealing with this scare through the Summer. When asked about when he sees the pandemic turning the corner, Trump said that if all goes well, it could last until July or August.

“If we do a really good job, we’ll not only hold the death down to a level that is much lower than the other way, had we not done a good job, but people are talking about July, August, something like that.... Could be longer than that. But I've asked that question many, many times.”

On Monday, Florida senator Marco Rubio sent out a tweet addressing the coronavirus pandemic and the possibility of needing military assistance to control normal civilian functions, aka Martial Law. However, Mr. Rubio misspelled the term “Martial Law” and instead tweeted out about “Marshall Law,” which caused the term to start trending on Twitter and left people thinking that a new Marshall Mathers album was on the way.

"Please stop spreading stupid rumors about marshall law. COMPLETELY FALSE," Marco tweeted. "We will continue to see closings & restrictions on hours of non-essential businesses in certain cities & states. But that is NOT marshall law."

Just a short time after reportedly being found by police in a hotel room with bags of a substance suspected to be crystal meth, Andrew Gillum has announced that he plans to go into rehab to address his battle with alcoholism and depression

The former Florida gubernatorial candidate has indicated that he will be abdicating from “all public facing roles for the foreseeable future.”

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“After conversation with my family and deep reflection, I have made the decision to seek help, guidance and enter a rehabilitation facility at this time,” Gillum said in a statement, per the Sun-Sentinel. “This has been a wake-up call for me. Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles. I am committed to doing the personal work to heal fully and show up in the world as a more complete person. I now need to firmly focus on myself and my family. I will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future. I want to apologize to my family, friends and the people of Florida who have supported me and put their faith in me over the years.”

According to police reports, Gillum was involved in an incident late Thursday night after police arrived at the Mondrain South Beach to treat a man for a possible drug overdose. Gillum, who was under the influence of alcohol was also in the room at the time. He would later issue a statement indicating that he had too much to drink, but did not partake in any illegal substance use. He was not arrested.

Chelsea Manning is an American activist, whistleblower, and former soldier for the United States army. Early Thursday morning, Manning’s legal team commented on her reported suicide attempt. 

“Her actions today evidence the strength of her convictions, as well as the profound harm she continues to suffer as a result of her ‘civil’ confinement,” a member of her team stated. “Her recent actions share her unwavering refusal to participate in a secret grand jury process”, they continued. 

Manning’s most recent suicide attempt iterates the severity of her battle with the American judicial system. In March 2019, less than two years after her initial release from prison, Manning was detained for refusing to testify before a grand jury. 

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After her first conviction, Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, until Barack Obama chose to commute her sentence down to seven years, allowing her release on May 17, 2017. Following her release, Manning made it a point to stand for what she believed in, gaining praise for her role in promoting government transparency. Manning is also supported for her work in the LGBTQ community. 

Although she is currently recovering, Manning is set to appear in court Friday morning, where Judge Anthony Trenga will rule whether or not to terminate Manning’s civil contempt sanctions.