Shark Scoop is a weekly roundup of five stories that examine developments in global, national, and local news, as well as a top headline in entertainment and sports.
By: REYNA IWAMOTO / STAFF WRITER
NYC Movie Theaters Reopen at 25%
Theaters in New York City have been given the green light to reopen at 25% capacity starting Friday March 5. New York City is the last region of New York to reopen theaters and moviegoers will still need to adhere to social distancing protocols, including mandatory masks and assigned seats. Certain theaters have temporarily suspended their concessions, while others require customers to order through a mobile app. The theaters that will reopen as of March 5 include, IFC Center, Nitehawk Cinema, Angelika Film Center, Village East Cinema, Syndicated, and AMC.
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Resignation Calls for Governor Cuomo
Despite sexual harassment allegations from two former aides and another of unwanted touching and kissing at a wedding, Cuomo said on Wednesday that although he was sorry and embarrassed by his actions, he would not resign. Amid those calls, Cuomo and his administration are also facing a federal inquiry and legislative backlash regarding the handling of nursing homes and reporting of the death toll in June 2020. Earlier this week, a group of Assembly Democrats circulated a letter calling for the revocation of the emergency powers granted to Governor Cuomo during the beginning of the pandemic, and as of Friday evening, the state's legislature has stripped the Governor of his pandemic-linked emergency powers.
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States Begin Relaxing COVID-19 Restrictions
Texas and Mississippi are among some of the states that are easing their COVID-19 restrictions. In press conferences on March 2, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves announced that they would be lifting the mask mandate in their states. Abbott said his new executive order would rescind many restrictions originally put in place and will allow businesses to reopen at 100% capacity beginning March 10. Mississippi’s mask mandate and business restrictions have been replaced with non-binding recommendations to continue to follow CDC guidelines. Texas and Mississippi are also joined by Louisiana and Michigan in easing the capacity limits within businesses.
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Buckingham Palace to Investigate Bullying Accusations of Duchess of Sussex
Following a complaint filed in 2018 by unnamed royal aides, Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday that they would be launching an investigation into bullying accusations made against Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. The allegations, published in The Times, were dismissed by a spokesperson for the Sussexes as “a calculated smear campaign.” The Duke and Duchess’s interview with Oprah Winfrey is scheduled to air on Sunday March 7, their first interview since stopping their royal duties.
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Durant and James Choose Teams for NBA All-Star Game
At the virtual NBA All-Star Draft on Thursday, captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets selected their team rosters for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was selected by James with the first overall pick and will be joined by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić. Durant selected teammate guard Kyrie Irving with the second overall pick, as well as 76ers center Joel Embiid, Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. Tatum was drafted with the starters as a replacement for Durant, who will not be playing due to a hamstring injury. The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will air on Sunday March 7 at 8 p.m. ET.