upi--2020-12-11--Fantasy football: Allen, Adams top Week 14 wide receiver rankings

Dec. 8 ( UPI ) -- Keenan Allen , Davante Adams , A.J .
Brown , D.K .
Metcalf and Adam Thielen top my wide receiver rankings for the first round of the 2020 fantasy football playoffs .
DeAndre Hopkins , Mike Evans , Tyreek Hill , Stefon Diggs and Allen Robinson round out my Top 10 options .
Justin Jefferson , Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder also are among my favorite starts this week .
You should target players who have a good chance to score a touchdown and get a lot of looks from their respective quarterbacks when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Monitor the status for each of your players ' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule and player availability .
Bye weeks have ended , so you should have more options when it comes to finding good defensive matchups for your wide receivers .
Check out my article on the players with the easiest and hardest playoff schedules for an idea of who to start -- and who to avoid -- this postseason .
Here are some of my favorite players in this week 's rankings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five consecutive games with a touchdown end in Week 13 , but he still had 11 targets in the Los Angeles Chargers ' blowout loss to the New England Patriots .
Allen has been targeted a ridiculous 40 times over his last three games .
He is the most-targeted player in the league , with 133 looks on the season .
I expect those targets from quarterback Justin Herbert to keep up in Week 14 , when the Chargers face the Atlanta Falcons .
The Falcons have allowed the second-most receiving yards and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receivers .
Allen is my No .
1 wide receiver and an elite WR1 throughout the playoffs .
Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers is another obvious WR1 , but he should help your team win your first-round matchup as he has battles the Detroit Lions in Week 14 .
The Lions have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards and eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position .
Adams leads the league with 102.9 yards per game and 13 touchdowns on the season .
He should explode in this matchup .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Week 14 .
Tampa Bay Buccaneers playmaker Mike Evans has one of the best schedules for fantasy football wide receivers throughout the playoffs .
Evans begins that run with a game against the Minnesota Vikings .
The Vikings are tied for allowing a league-high 19 receiving scores to wide receivers .
They also have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the position .
Evans has scored in three consecutive games and the Buccaneers had a Week 13 bye .
I expect the Buccaneers wide receiver to finish the week as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
7 option .
Minnesota Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson could claim NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 .
Jefferson has 1,039 yards and seven scores during his rookie campaign .
He has scored in three consecutive games and should have another explosive performance in Week 14 , when the Vikings battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
The Buccaneers defense has been great against the run , but has struggled against the pass .
They are tied for allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to the position .
Tampa Bay has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyreek Hill in Week 13 before their bye .
Jefferson is a WR1 play this week due to his great matchup .
He is my No .
13 option .
A.J .
Brown might get most of the attention out of the Tennessee Titans wide receiver group , but Corey Davis has quietly had a breakout 2020 campaign .
The fourth-year wide receiver is on pace for career highs in catches , yards and touchdowns .
Davis has had at least 100 receiving yards in two of his last three games .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yards and a score in Week 13 .
I expect him to keep getting looks from Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill down the stretch .
Davis and the Titans face the Jacksonville Jaguars this week .
The Jaguars have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers .
Davis is my No .
15 option and is a high-end WR2 for Week 14 .
Jamison Crowder is another player who has had a solid 2020 campaign , but has been under the radar .
Crowder scored two touchdowns in Week 13 and should see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Week 14 .
The Jets have a Week 14 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks .
The Seahawks have allowed a league-high 2,707 receiving yards to wide receivers this season .
They also have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position .
Crowder is my No .
21 option and can slide into your WR2 or WR3 slot .

1/3
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) is my top fantasy football option for his position in Week 14. File Photo by Lori Shepler/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Keenan Allen, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf and Adam Thielen top my wide receiver rankings for the first round of the 2020 fantasy football playoffs. DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs and Allen Robinson round out my Top 10 options. Justin Jefferson, Corey Davis and Jamison Crowder also are among my favorite starts this week. Advertisement
You should target players who have a good chance to score a touchdown and get a lot of looks from their respective quarterbacks when considering who to start at the position.
Monitor the status for each of your players' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule and player availability. Bye weeks have ended, so you should have more options when it comes to finding good defensive matchups for your wide receivers.
Advertisement
Check out my article on the players with the easiest and hardest playoff schedules for an idea of who to start -- and who to avoid -- this postseason.
Here are some of my favorite players in this week's rankings:
TOP SHELF
Keenan Allen saw his streak of five consecutive games with a touchdown end in Week 13, but he still had 11 targets in the Los Angeles Chargers' blowout loss to the New England Patriots.
Allen has been targeted a ridiculous 40 times over his last three games. He is the most-targeted player in the league, with 133 looks on the season.
I expect those targets from quarterback Justin Herbert to keep up in Week 14, when the Chargers face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have allowed the second-most receiving yards and fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Allen is my No. 1 wide receiver and an elite WR1 throughout the playoffs.
Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers is another obvious WR1, but he should help your team win your first-round matchup as he has battles the Detroit Lions in Week 14.
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The Lions have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards and eighth-most fantasy points per game to the position.
Adams leads the league with 102.9 yards per game and 13 touchdowns on the season. He should explode in this matchup. He is my No. 2 option for Week 14.
SNEAKY PLAYS
Tampa Bay Buccaneers playmaker Mike Evans has one of the best schedules for fantasy football wide receivers throughout the playoffs. Evans begins that run with a game against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings are tied for allowing a league-high 19 receiving scores to wide receivers. They also have allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to the position.
Evans has scored in three consecutive games and the Buccaneers had a Week 13 bye. I expect the Buccaneers wide receiver to finish the week as a high-end WR1. He is my No. 7 option.
Minnesota Vikings rookie Justin Jefferson could claim NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. Jefferson has 1,039 yards and seven scores during his rookie campaign. He has scored in three consecutive games and should have another explosive performance in Week 14, when the Vikings battle the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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The Buccaneers defense has been great against the run, but has struggled against the pass. They are tied for allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to the position. Tampa Bay has also allowed 269 yards and three scores to Tyreek Hill in Week 13 before their bye.
Jefferson is a WR1 play this week due to his great matchup. He is my No. 13 option.
LONGSHOTS
A.J. Brown might get most of the attention out of the Tennessee Titans wide receiver group, but Corey Davis has quietly had a breakout 2020 campaign. The fourth-year wide receiver is on pace for career highs in catches, yards and touchdowns.
Davis has had at least 100 receiving yards in two of his last three games. He had a season-high 11 catches for 182 yards and a score in Week 13. I expect him to keep getting looks from Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill down the stretch.
Davis and the Titans face the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. The Jaguars have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Davis is my No. 15 option and is a high-end WR2 for Week 14.
Jamison Crowder is another player who has had a solid 2020 campaign, but has been under the radar. Crowder scored two touchdowns in Week 13 and should see more work near the goal line in Week 14. The Jets have a Week 14 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
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The Seahawks have allowed a league-high 2,707 receiving yards to wide receivers this season. They also have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to the position. Crowder is my No. 20 option and can slide into your WR2 or WR3 slot.
Week 14 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
1. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers vs. ATL
2. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers at DET
3. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans at JAX
4. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. NYJ
5. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings at TB
6. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals at NYG
7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN
8. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs at MIA
9. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT
10. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears vs. HOU
11. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team at SF
12. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys at CIN
13. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at TB
14. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints at PHI
15. Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans at JAX
16. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. NYJ
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17. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins vs. KC
18. Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
19. D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. TEN
20. Jamison Crowder, New York Jets at SEA
21. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons at LAC
22. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers vs. ATL
23. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN
24. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens at CLE
25. Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers vs. DEN
26. Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. WAS
27. Keke Coutee, Houston Texans at CHI
28. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts at LV
29. Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills vs. PIT
30. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
31. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals vs. DAL
32. Denzel Mims, New York Jets at SEA
33. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys at CIN
34. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns vs. BAL
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35. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers vs. WAS
36. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers at BUF
37. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos at CAR
38. Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers at DET
39. Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals at NYG
40. Breshad Perriman, New York Jets at SEA
41. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals vs. DAL
42. Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders vs. IND
43. Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders vs. IND
44. Sterling Shepard, New York Giants vs. ARI
45. Marvin Jones, Jr., Detroit Lions vs. GB
46. Darius Slayton, New York Giants vs. ARI
47. Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN
48. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys at CIN
49. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay Packers at DET
50. Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts at LV
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-12-11--South Korea filmmaker Kim Ki-duk dies of COVID-19 complications

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- An award-winning South Korean film director known for his graphically violent art-house movies has died due to complications from COVID-19 , according to multiple press reports Friday .
Kim Ki-duk , the unconventional filmmaker who was accused of sexual assault and physical abuse by an actress in 2017 , died in Riga , Latvia , South Korean news service News 1 and Latvia 's Delfi reported Friday .
Kim , who won awards including Best Director at the Venice International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival , died at 1:20 p.m. local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Delfi and Russia 's Sputnik news agency .
The filmmaker had been living abroad in 2020 .
On Nov. 20 , Kim entered Latvia after a period of residence in St. Petersburg , Russia , and Estonia , on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea .
Kim was shopping for real estate in the Latvian resort city of Jurmala while applying for permanent residency in the country .
After the director did not show up at a house-related appointment , acquaintances began a search , according to reports .
Vitaly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he inquired at hospitals .
Mansky said his queries were delayed due to strict privacy rules .
Kim Ki-duk Film , the director 's production company , told the news service Kim 's family confirmed he had died .
Busan International Film Festival 's executive director Jeon Yang-jun said on social media Friday that he was saddened by the `` shocking news . ''
Kim was to celebrate his 60th birthday on Dec. 20 , he said .
In 2018 , amid the global # MeToo movement , a South Korean court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused him of physical and sexual assault .
The actress alleged Kim forced her to enact unscripted sex scenes .
Kim 's films have included scenes of emotional and physical torture , cruelty to animals , and sexual relationships .
Kim has been accused of misogyny in his films .

Award-winning South Korean film director Kim Ki-duk has died due to complications from COVID-19, his family confirmed Friday. File Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA-EFE
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- An award-winning South Korean film director known for his graphically violent art-house movies has died due to complications from COVID-19, according to multiple press reports Friday. Kim Ki-duk, the unconventional filmmaker who was accused of sexual assault and physical abuse by an actress in 2017, died in Riga, Latvia, South Korean news service News 1 and Latvia's Delfi reported Friday. Advertisement
Kim, who won awards including Best Director at the Venice International Film Festival and the Berlin International Film Festival, died at 1:20 p.m. local time Friday at a Latvian hospital, according to Delfi and Russia's Sputnik news agency.
The filmmaker had been living abroad in 2020. On Nov. 20, Kim entered Latvia after a period of residence in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Estonia, on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Kim was shopping for real estate in the Latvian resort city of Jurmala while applying for permanent residency in the country. After the director did not show up at a house-related appointment, acquaintances began a search, according to reports.
Vitaly Mansky, a Russian documentary filmmaker, said he inquired at hospitals. Mansky said his queries were delayed due to strict privacy rules.
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South Korean sources confirmed Kim's death Friday, according to News 1.
Kim Ki-duk Film, the director's production company, told the news service Kim's family confirmed he had died.
South Korea's film industry has begun to offer condolences.
Busan International Film Festival's executive director Jeon Yang-jun said on social media Friday that he was saddened by the "shocking news." Kim was to celebrate his 60th birthday on Dec. 20, he said.
In 2018, amid the global #MeToo movement, a South Korean court ruled against Kim after a local actress accused him of physical and sexual assault. The actress alleged Kim forced her to enact unscripted sex scenes.
Kim's films have included scenes of emotional and physical torture, cruelty to animals, and sexual relationships. Kim has been accused of misogyny in his films.


upi--2020-12-11--In Photos: Scenes from the holiday season

The world heads into a holiday season like no other , with the COVID-19 pandemic resurging in many areas .
@ @ @ @ @ withstanding the disruption .
Here 's look at people preparing for the holidays in the @ @ @ @ @ world .

Parishioners sit in folding chairs with candles, listening to prayers outside of the St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Ladue, Mo., on December 24. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI


upi--2020-12-11--In photos: Moments from the National Football League for the week of Dec. 6, 2020

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton ( R ) loses the ball against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .
The Rams defeated the Patriots 24-3 .
Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI

New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (R) loses the ball against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Thursday. The Rams defeated the Patriots 24-3. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI


upi--2020-12-11--'Toy Story' prequel 'Lightyear,' 'Moana' series announced by Disney

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- Disney announced a number of new Pixar , animated and live-action projects , including a Toy Story prequel film titled Lightyear , during the company 's Disney Investor Day live stream .
Lightyear will tell the definitive story of the original Buzz Lightyear , who will be voiced by Chris Evans .
`` Here 's a first look of the young test pilot that became the Space Ranger we all know him to be today .
Lightyear launches into theaters June 17 , 2022 , '' Disney tweeted alongside a screenshot of Buzz wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is taking over the role from Tim Allen who voiced Buzz Lightyear across four Toy Story films and other projects .
Disney Animation Studios will be releasing its first-ever original series ' including Baymax !
, Zootopia+ and Tiana , which are coming to Disney+ in 2022 .
A Moana animated series was also announced and is set for 2023 .
Raya and the Last Dragon , a feature film , is coming to Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5 , 2021 .
Pixar will be releasing it 's first shows as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , set to arrive on Disney+ in Fall 2021 .
Dug will be encountering the dangers of suburbia including puppies , fireworks and squirrels .
A Cars spinoff series will follow Lighting McQueen and Mater as they take a road trip across the country , coming to Disney+ in Fall 2022 .
A third series titled Win or Lose will follow a middle-school softball team , coming to Disney+ in Fall 2023 .
Pixar 's next feature film Luca about two best friends is coming June 2021 .
The studio is also releasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2022 .
Domee Shi , who helmed the Academy Award-winning short Bao , is directing .
The film follows teenager Mei who transforms into giant red panda when she gets too excited .
Disney+ also announced A Three Men and a Baby remake starring Zac Efron coming in 2022 , original movies inspired by the real-life stories of athletes Chris Paul , Giannis Antetokounmpo and Keanon Lowe , a Cheaper by the Dozen remake from Black-ish producer Kenya Barris and starring Gabrielle Union coming in 2022 , Chip and Dale : Rescue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Disney additionally laid out plans for to launch roughly 10 Star Wars and Marvel shows including two Mandalorian spinoffs , titled Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic , and released trailers for Falcon & The Winter Soldier and Loki .

Here's a first look of the young test pilot that became the Space Ranger we all know him to be today. Lightyear launches into theaters June 17, 2022. pic.twitter.com/Ho2ChPrQbx— Disney (@Disney) December 11, 2020
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Disney announced a number of new Pixar, animated and live-action projects, including a Toy Story prequel film titled Lightyear, during the company's Disney Investor Day live stream.
Lightyear will tell the definitive story of the original Buzz Lightyear, who will be voiced by Chris Evans.
Advertisement
"Here's a first look of the young test pilot that became the Space Ranger we all know him to be today. Lightyear launches into theaters June 17, 2022," Disney tweeted alongside a screenshot of Buzz wearing a more traditional astronaut outfit.
Evans is taking over the role from Tim Allen who voiced Buzz Lightyear across four Toy Story films and other projects.
Disney Animation Studios will be releasing its first-ever original series' including Baymax!, Zootopia+ and Tiana, which are coming to Disney+ in 2022. A Moana animated series was also announced and is set for 2023. Raya and the Last Dragon, a feature film, is coming to Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5, 2021.
Advertisement Just Announced: @DisneyAnimation's first-ever original animated series are coming to @DisneyPlus: Baymax!, Zootopia+, and Tiana are coming in 2022, and Moana, the series, in 2023. pic.twitter.com/s7aOht4uU6— Disney (@Disney) December 11, 2020
Pixar will be releasing it's first shows as well starting with Up spin-off Dug Days, set to arrive on Disney+ in Fall 2021. Dug will be encountering the dangers of suburbia including puppies, fireworks and squirrels.
A Cars spinoff series will follow Lighting McQueen and Mater as they take a road trip across the country, coming to Disney+ in Fall 2022. A third series titled Win or Lose will follow a middle-school softball team, coming to Disney+ in Fall 2023.
Pixar's next feature film Luca about two best friends is coming June 2021. The studio is also releasing Turning Red into theaters on March 11, 2022. Domee Shi, who helmed the Academy Award-winning short Bao, is directing. The film follows teenager Mei who transforms into giant red panda when she gets too excited.
Director of the Academy Award-winning short Bao, Domee Shi, brings us Turning Red. Meet Mei: she experiences the awkwardness of being a teenager, with an added twist: when she gets too excited, she transforms into a giant red panda. Turning Red comes to theaters March 11, 2022 pic.twitter.com/2s5NgzqBHP— Disney (@Disney) December 11, 2020 Advertisement
Disney+ also announced A Three Men and a Baby remake starring Zac Efron coming in 2022, original movies inspired by the real-life stories of athletes Chris Paul, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Keanon Lowe, a Cheaper by the Dozen remake from Black-ish producer Kenya Barris and starring Gabrielle Union coming in 2022, Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers starring Andy Samberg and John Mulaney.
Disney additionally laid out plans for to launch roughly 10 Star Wars and Marvel shows including two Mandalorian spinoffs, titled Ahsoka and Rangers of the New Republic, and released trailers for Falcon & The Winter Soldier and Loki.


upi--2020-12-11--5 years after Paris, countries far away from meeting climate goals

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement -- the commitment by almost every country to try to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius .
It 's an ambitious goal , and the clock is ticking .
The planet has warmed by about 1 degree C since the start of the industrial era .
That might not sound like much , but that first degree is changing the planet in profound ways , from more extreme heat waves that put human health and crops at risk , to rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global warming have emerged from all over the world .
Less clear is how countries will meet them .
So far , countries ' individual plans for how they will lower their greenhouse gas emissions do n't come close to adding up to the Paris Agreement 's goals .
Even if every country meets its current commitments , the world will still be on track to warm by more than 3 degrees C this century , according to the United Nations Environment Program 's latest `` '' Emissions Gap Report , '' released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are n't yet backed by government actions .
The COVID-19 pandemic 's economic slowdown likely reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by about 7 % this year , but that temporary dip will have very little effect , the report notes -- unless countries prioritize a green recovery .
This fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement was intended to be a progress check , with countries expected to increase their commitments .
But because of the pandemic , the meeting and negotiations were postponed to November 2021 .
A smaller online Climate Ambitions Summit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite the delay , some big goals have been announced .
In particular , more countries are now committing to reach net zero carbon emissions by midcentury .
The United States is also expected to rejoin the agreement next year under President-elect Joe Biden .
But how well-grounded are these climate commitments in actual budgets , policies and regulations ?
As energy policy experts , we have both been involved in global climate negotiations , technology analysis and policy design for the last two decades , and we have watched the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris Agreement 's formal goal is to stay `` well below '' 2 degrees of warming .
That 's based on political negotiations and scientific research that models the increasingly harmful effects rising temperatures will have on today 's economies , agriculture and environment .
The sooner the world 's emissions trajectory starts downward , the smoother the transition will be .
The leaders of China , Japan and South Korea each announced goals in recent weeks for reaching net zero carbon emissions by mid-century .
But the detailed plans for how they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese President Xi Jinping drew global praise when he announced in September that his country 's emissions -- the highest in the world -- would peak earlier than expected , before 2030 , and that China would strive to be carbon neutral by 2060 .
How and whether that happens will depend heavily on the country 's next Five Year Plan , due in March .
The leadership 's priorities include expanding clean energy , but China is still the world 's largest coal user , and coal accounts for three-fifths of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jae-in offered more detailed goals in November when he ordered government officials to develop a road map for transitioning to cleaner energy and carbon neutrality by 2050 .
He said his country would invest $ 7 billion in green projects , launch a carbon tax to encourage companies to reduce their emissions , and stop financing overseas coal plants .
But those ideas , too , fall short of carbon neutrality in an economy that relies on energy-intensive industries .
The European Union is farther ahead .
It established a net zero objective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to get there .
This summer , the EU also put climate-friendly projects at the heart of its pandemic recovery strategy .
EU member states are now expected to develop long-term strategies for 2050 and revise their integrated national energy and climate plans through 2030 .
The U.K. has announced a new 68 % emissions reduction target for 2030 .
Meeting this target will require the U.K. to double its efforts compared to the last three decades .
Overall , the current `` nationally determined contributions '' -- the plans that countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will meet the Paris Agreement -- fall far short .
A five-fold acceleration in emissions reductions is needed to come close .
Just days before the Ambitions Summit , only 13 countries had submitted new targets , and seven had announced they would not update their targets or resubmitted old targets .
However , nearly half of high-emitting countries have indicated they will raise their mitigation ambitions by the end of next year .
Twenty-one states and regions have set long-term targets to reduce their emissions by 75 % -90 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear , a recent analysis found .
Most pledges by cities are similarly aspirational .
Even if established clean technologies like renewable energy are at the core of the transition , the pace of change required to meet the Paris goals remains daunting .
Socioeconomic issues will also have to be put front and center .
Net-zero solutions are technically conceivable for a range of energy-intensive industries , agriculture and transport methods , but the speed and scale at which they would have to ramp up to meet a 2050 deadline is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of renewable power would need to accelerate two- to three-fold .
Global renewable energy use would need to go from around 20 % of energy today to 65 % by 2050 , and from 28 % to 85 % of the power sector .
Electric vehicle use would have to skyrocket , from less than 10 million EVs today to more than 1.5 billion by 2050 .
To finance these transformations , investors need to be confident that the world is committed to a cleaner future .
Perceived risk will drive up costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are big risks .
International financial organizations , along with green banks and development banks , have an important role to play in encouraging private investment .
Moving from a focus on high-level goals to detailed pathways will help .
The global climate talks can continue to help by focusing on the specifics of the national commitments , ensuring they are detailed , well-designed and budgeted and updated regularly .
The international community will also need to support countries that need assistance .
Climate change is not the primary priority for most jurisdictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some , including some small island states .
That needs to be acknowledged and built in to the goals and planning .
Morgan Bazilian is a professor of public policy and director of the Payne Institute and Dolf Gielen is a Payne Institute fellow at the Colorado School of Mines .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Protesters march the streets of Washington, D.C., to call attention to democracy and climate change awareness on November 4, 2020. They were protesting the Trump administration's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. File Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate agreement -- the commitment by almost every country to try to keep global warming well below 2 degrees Celsius. It's an ambitious goal, and the clock is ticking. Advertisement
The planet has warmed by about 1 degree C since the start of the industrial era. That might not sound like much, but that first degree is changing the planet in profound ways, from more extreme heat waves that put human health and crops at risk, to rising sea levels.
Bold visions for slowing global warming have emerged from all over the world. Less clear is how countries will meet them.
So far, countries' individual plans for how they will lower their greenhouse gas emissions don't come close to adding up to the Paris Agreement's goals. Even if every country meets its current commitments, the world will still be on track to warm by more than 3 degrees C this century, according to the United Nations Environment Program's latest ""Emissions Gap Report," released Wednesday. And many of those commitments aren't yet backed by government actions.
Advertisement
The COVID-19 pandemic's economic slowdown likely reduced global carbon dioxide emissions by about 7% this year, but that temporary dip will have very little effect, the report notes -- unless countries prioritize a green recovery.
This fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement was intended to be a progress check, with countries expected to increase their commitments. But because of the pandemic, the meeting and negotiations were postponed to November 2021. A smaller online Climate Ambitions Summit is planned this year on Saturday instead.
Despite the delay, some big goals have been announced. In particular, more countries are now committing to reach net zero carbon emissions by midcentury. The United States is also expected to rejoin the agreement next year under President-elect Joe Biden.
But how well-grounded are these climate commitments in actual budgets, policies and regulations? As energy policy experts, we have both been involved in global climate negotiations, technology analysis and policy design for the last two decades, and we have watched the national commitments for signs of progress.
Ambitious goals
The Paris Agreement's formal goal is to stay "well below" 2 degrees of warming. That's based on political negotiations and scientific research that models the increasingly harmful effects rising temperatures will have on today's economies, agriculture and environment.
Advertisement
The sooner the world's emissions trajectory starts downward, the smoother the transition will be.
The leaders of China, Japan and South Korea each announced goals in recent weeks for reaching net zero carbon emissions by mid-century. But the detailed plans for how they will get there are largely missing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping drew global praise when he announced in September that his country's emissions -- the highest in the world -- would peak earlier than expected, before 2030, and that China would strive to be carbon neutral by 2060. How and whether that happens will depend heavily on the country's next Five Year Plan, due in March. The leadership's priorities include expanding clean energy, but China is still the world's largest coal user, and coal accounts for three-fifths of its energy supply.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered more detailed goals in November when he ordered government officials to develop a road map for transitioning to cleaner energy and carbon neutrality by 2050. He said his country would invest $7 billion in green projects, launch a carbon tax to encourage companies to reduce their emissions, and stop financing overseas coal plants. But those ideas, too, fall short of carbon neutrality in an economy that relies on energy-intensive industries.
Advertisement
The European Union is farther ahead. It established a net zero objective some time ago along with scenarios for how to get there. This summer, the EU also put climate-friendly projects at the heart of its pandemic recovery strategy. EU member states are now expected to develop long-term strategies for 2050 and revise their integrated national energy and climate plans through 2030.
The U.K. has announced a new 68% emissions reduction target for 2030. Meeting this target will require the U.K. to double its efforts compared to the last three decades.
Big picture
Overall, the current "nationally determined contributions" -- the plans that countries submit to the U.N. spelling out how they will meet the Paris Agreement -- fall far short. A five-fold acceleration in emissions reductions is needed to come close.
Just days before the Ambitions Summit, only 13 countries had submitted new targets, and seven had announced they would not update their targets or resubmitted old targets. However, nearly half of high-emitting countries have indicated they will raise their mitigation ambitions by the end of next year.
Twenty-one states and regions have set long-term targets to reduce their emissions by 75%-90%, but how these will be met is not clear, a recent analysis found. Most pledges by cities are similarly aspirational.
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Ramping up fast
Even if established clean technologies like renewable energy are at the core of the transition, the pace of change required to meet the Paris goals remains daunting. Socioeconomic issues will also have to be put front and center.
Net-zero solutions are technically conceivable for a range of energy-intensive industries, agriculture and transport methods, but the speed and scale at which they would have to ramp up to meet a 2050 deadline is formidable.
Our analysis found the deployment of renewable power would need to accelerate two- to three-fold. Global renewable energy use would need to go from around 20% of energy today to 65% by 2050, and from 28% to 85% of the power sector. Electric vehicle use would have to skyrocket, from less than 10 million EVs today to more than 1.5 billion by 2050.
Filling in gaps
To finance these transformations, investors need to be confident that the world is committed to a cleaner future. Perceived risk will drive up costs, and uncertain or delayed government action are big risks. International financial organizations, along with green banks and development banks, have an important role to play in encouraging private investment.
Moving from a focus on high-level goals to detailed pathways will help.
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The global climate talks can continue to help by focusing on the specifics of the national commitments, ensuring they are detailed, well-designed and budgeted and updated regularly.
The international community will also need to support countries that need assistance. Climate change is not the primary priority for most jurisdictions -- though it is an existential crisis for some, including some small island states. That needs to be acknowledged and built in to the goals and planning.
Morgan Bazilian is a professor of public policy and director of the Payne Institute and Dolf Gielen is a Payne Institute fellow at the Colorado School of Mines.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


upi--2020-12-11--NBA fines Kyrie Irving, Nets for refusal to talk to media

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets have each been fined $ 25,000 for failure to adhere to the NBA 's media availability protocol , the league said .
`` The fines result from Irving 's refusal on several occasions this week to participate in team media availability , '' the NBA said Thursday in a news release .
The league requires healthy players to be made available for reporters before or after games and practices .
Irving has turned down multiple requests to speak to reporters since the Dec. 1 start of training camp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week instead of speaking to reporters .
He said he issued the statement to ensure his message was `` properly conveyed . ''
`` I am committed to show up to work every day , ready to have fun , compete , perform , and win championships alongside my teammates and colleagues in the Nets organization , '' Irving said in the statement .
`` My goal this season is to let my work on and off the court speak for itself .
Life hit differently this year and it requires us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently .
So , this is the beginning of that change . ''
Irving , 28 , averaged a career-high 27.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season .
He has posted 6.4 assists per game in 2019-20 in 20 games for the Nets .
The six-time All-Star has a $ 33.3 million salary for the 2020-21 season .

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving issued a statement last week instead of speaking to reporters, but has been fined for violations of the league's media protocol. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets have each been fined $25,000 for failure to adhere to the NBA's media availability protocol, the league said. "The fines result from Irving's refusal on several occasions this week to participate in team media availability," the NBA said Thursday in a news release. Advertisement
The league requires healthy players to be made available for reporters before or after games and practices. Irving has turned down multiple requests to speak to reporters since the Dec. 1 start of training camp. The Nets guard issued a statement last week instead of speaking to reporters.
He said he issued the statement to ensure his message was "properly conveyed."
"I am committed to show up to work every day, ready to have fun, compete, perform, and win championships alongside my teammates and colleagues in the Nets organization," Irving said in the statement.
"My goal this season is to let my work on and off the court speak for itself. Life hit differently this year and it requires us, it requires me, to move differently. So, this is the beginning of that change."
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Irving, 28, averaged a career-high 27.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season. He has posted 6.4 assists per game in 2019-20 in 20 games for the Nets.
The six-time All-Star has a $33.3 million salary for the 2020-21 season.


upi--2020-12-11--EU agrees to cut emissions by more than 50% by end of 2020s

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- The European Union agreed Friday to a plan to reduce carbon emissions from the 27-nation alliance by more than half by the end of the decade , officials said .
The deal is part of the bloc 's efforts to become fully carbon neutral by 2050 .
Under the agreement , EU nations will cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % , compared to 1990 levels , by 2030 .
The agreement followed discussions that lasted from Thursday night into Friday morning .
Poland , Hungary and the Czech Republic , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had argued against the measure .
Poland , the last holdout , signed on after receiving support for its power transition .
Warsaw complained about the alliance 's carbon-trading system and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Marawiecki said his job would be in danger if he did n't secure some level of economic incentive for transitioning away from coal .
`` Great way to celebrate the first anniversary of our [ European Union ] Green Deal , '' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted .
`` It puts us on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` This was a marathon European Council with a great result for Europe , '' European Council President Charles Michel tweeted .
`` We now have the means to power forward our climate and digital strategies for the 21st century .
Unity does n't just happen .
It has to be worked for . ''

The EU said the all-night negotiating session helped put the bloc on track to become fully carbon neutral within 30 years. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- The European Union agreed Friday to a plan to reduce carbon emissions from the 27-nation alliance by more than half by the end of the decade, officials said. The deal is part of the bloc's efforts to become fully carbon neutral by 2050. Advertisement
Under the agreement, EU nations will cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55%, compared to 1990 levels, by 2030. The agreement followed discussions that lasted from Thursday night into Friday morning.
Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, which still rely heavily on cheaper coal-powered plants, had argued against the measure.
Poland, the last holdout, signed on after receiving support for its power transition. Warsaw complained about the alliance's carbon-trading system and Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Marawiecki said his job would be in danger if he didn't secure some level of economic incentive for transitioning away from coal.
"Great way to celebrate the first anniversary of our [European Union] Green Deal," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted. "It puts us on a clear path toward climate neutrality in 2050."
"This was a marathon European Council with a great result for Europe," European Council President Charles Michel tweeted.
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"We now have the means to power forward our climate and digital strategies for the 21st century. Unity doesn't just happen. It has to be worked for."


upi--2020-12-11--LA Rams use defense, running game to stomp New England Patriots on 'TNF'

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- The Los Angeles Rams used a dominant running game and ferocious defense to blow out the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football .
Rookie running back Cam Akers had 171 yards on 29 carries in the 24-3 win on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood , Calif .
The Rams defense had six sacks and held the Patriots to 220 total yards .
`` We were out-coached , outplayed , about everything , really , '' Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters .
`` They did a good job in all the areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to really be able to stay with them .
They 're a good football team that played well .
They played and coached better than we did and deserve to win .
We just have to all do a better job , starting with me , but it just was n't our night . ''
The Rams began the night with a six-play , 70-yard touchdown drive .
Quarterback Jared Goff ended the possession with a one-yard rushing touchdown .
Matt Gay made a 35-yard field goal on the Rams ' next drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cam Newton threw a pick-six on the first play of the second quarter that was returned for 79 yards by Rams linebacker Kenny Young .
Patriots kicker Nick Folk made a 29-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining in the first half to make the score 17-3 at the break .
The Rams offense came out hot again in the second half .
After the Los Angeles defense forced a punt on the Patriots ' first possession of the third quarter , Goff orchestrated a 16-play , 88-yard drive , which took 9:42 off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a two-yard touchdown toss to Cooper Kupp for the final points of the game .
The Rams quarterback completed 16 of 25 passes for 137 yards , a touchdown and an interception , in addition to his rushing score .
Young had six tackles and a sack , in addition to his interception for the Rams .
Los Angeles defensive end Michael Brockers had two sacks and defensive tackle Aaron Donald had 1.5 sacks in the victory .
Newton completed 9 of 16 passes for 119 yards and an interception before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The game was the first matchup between the teams since Belichick and the Patriots beat coach Sean McVay 's Rams in Super Bowl LIII almost two years ago .
`` We have a lot of respect for them , but it 's a totally different year , '' McVay said .
`` It does n't have anything to do with what it occurred a couple of years ago .
`` It 's a big win for us to get our ninth win , get a couple days of rest , and then really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last quarter of the season strong .
I like the position that we 're in but we have a long way to go . ''
The Patriots ( 6-7 ) travel next to face Dolphins at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday at Miami 's Hard Rock Stadium and the Rams ( 9-4 ) host the New York Jets at 4:05 p.m. EST .

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Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (L) attempts to sack New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton during a win on Monday in Inglewood, Calif. Photo by Jon SooHoo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Rams used a dominant running game and ferocious defense to blow out the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. Rookie running back Cam Akers had 171 yards on 29 carries in the 24-3 win on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. Advertisement
The Rams defense had six sacks and held the Patriots to 220 total yards.
"We were out-coached, outplayed, about everything, really," Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters. "They did a good job in all the areas.
"We weren't good enough to really be able to stay with them. They're a good football team that played well. They played and coached better than we did and deserve to win. We just have to all do a better job, starting with me, but it just wasn't our night."
Advertisement Great TEAM win! pic.twitter.com/pgzEVK7yEZ— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 11, 2020
The Rams began the night with a six-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Jared Goff ended the possession with a one-yard rushing touchdown. Matt Gay made a 35-yard field goal on the Rams' next drive for a 10-0 lead.
Patriots quarterback Cam Newton threw a pick-six on the first play of the second quarter that was returned for 79 yards by Rams linebacker Kenny Young.
Patriots kicker Nick Folk made a 29-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining in the first half to make the score 17-3 at the break.
The Rams offense came out hot again in the second half. After the Los Angeles defense forced a punt on the Patriots' first possession of the third quarter, Goff orchestrated a 16-play, 88-yard drive, which took 9:42 off the clock.
Goff ended that possession with a two-yard touchdown toss to Cooper Kupp for the final points of the game.
The Rams quarterback completed 16 of 25 passes for 137 yards, a touchdown and an interception, in addition to his rushing score.
Young had six tackles and a sack, in addition to his interception for the Rams. Los Angeles defensive end Michael Brockers had two sacks and defensive tackle Aaron Donald had 1.5 sacks in the victory.
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Newton completed 9 of 16 passes for 119 yards and an interception before he was benched in the second half.
The game was the first matchup between the teams since Belichick and the Patriots beat coach Sean McVay's Rams in Super Bowl LIII almost two years ago.
"We have a lot of respect for them, but it's a totally different year," McVay said. "It doesn't have anything to do with what it occurred a couple of years ago.
"It's a big win for us to get our ninth win, get a couple days of rest, and then really see if we can finish up this last quarter of the season strong. I like the position that we're in but we have a long way to go."
The Patriots (6-7) travel next to face Dolphins at 1 p.m. EST on Sunday at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium and the Rams (9-4) host the New York Jets at 4:05 p.m. EST.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-12-11--AstraZeneca to use Russian COVID-19 vaccine component in clinical trials

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- Drugmaker AstraZeneca will use a component of Russia 's `` Sputnik V '' COVID-19 vaccine in clinical trials for its vaccine , officials said Friday .
The Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Gamaleya Institute , makers of the Sputnik V vaccine , said AstraZeneca has accepted their offer of a human adenoviral vector -- a common cold virus -- for use in trials for its experimental AZD1222 vaccine .
AstraZeneca , which is developing AZD1222 in partnership with Oxford University , will begin using Sputnik V 's human adenoviral vector type Ad26 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , according to RFID CEO Kirill Dmitriev .
`` The decision by AstraZeneca to carry out clinical trials using one of two vectors of Sputnik V in order to increase its own vaccine 's efficacy is an important step towards uniting efforts in the fight against the pandemic , '' he said in a statement .
`` We are determined to develop this partnership in the future and to start joint production after the new vaccine demonstrates its efficacy in the course of clinical trials .
We hope that other vaccine producers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Being able to combine different COVID-19 vaccines may be helpful to improved protection and/or to improve vaccine accessibility , '' company officials told CNBC .
`` This is why it is important to explore different vaccine combinations to help make immunization programs more flexible , by allowing physicians greater choice at the time of administering vaccines . ''
RFID -- Russia 's sovereign wealth fund -- has claimed the Sputnik V vaccine is more than 90 % effective in preventing COVID-19 , according to preliminary clinical results .
It is unique for vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vectors in the first and second doses to avoid immunity to the first vector .
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine , meanwhile , prevents infection in 62 % of people who receive two full doses , and in 90 % of those given a half dose followed by a full dose , according to interim data published last week .
Friday 's announcement follows a recommendation Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 's vaccines committee to give emergency use authorization in the United States for a vaccine developed jointly by Pfizer and BioNTech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in distributing a vaccine in the United States , is expected to be upheld by the FDA on Friday or Saturday .
That would be the final approval for Americans to begin receiving the vaccine , which has proven about 95 % effective .
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has already received approval in Britain and Canada .
Inoculations began in Britain early this week .

Vials of Russia's "Sputnik V" COVID-19 vaccine are seen at the Nikolai Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow, Russia, on August 6. File Photo by RDIF/EPA-EFE
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Drugmaker AstraZeneca will use a component of Russia's "Sputnik V" COVID-19 vaccine in clinical trials for its vaccine, officials said Friday. The Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Gamaleya Institute, makers of the Sputnik V vaccine, said AstraZeneca has accepted their offer of a human adenoviral vector -- a common cold virus -- for use in trials for its experimental AZD1222 vaccine. Advertisement
AstraZeneca, which is developing AZD1222 in partnership with Oxford University, will begin using Sputnik V's human adenoviral vector type Ad26 in clinical trials by the end of the year, according to RFID CEO Kirill Dmitriev.
"The decision by AstraZeneca to carry out clinical trials using one of two vectors of Sputnik V in order to increase its own vaccine's efficacy is an important step towards uniting efforts in the fight against the pandemic," he said in a statement.
"We are determined to develop this partnership in the future and to start joint production after the new vaccine demonstrates its efficacy in the course of clinical trials. We hope that other vaccine producers will follow our example."
AstraZeneca confirmed the collaboration.
"Being able to combine different COVID-19 vaccines may be helpful to improved protection and/or to improve vaccine accessibility," company officials told CNBC.
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"This is why it is important to explore different vaccine combinations to help make immunization programs more flexible, by allowing physicians greater choice at the time of administering vaccines."
RFID -- Russia's sovereign wealth fund -- has claimed the Sputnik V vaccine is more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19, according to preliminary clinical results.
It is unique for vaccines under development to use two different adenoviral vectors in the first and second doses to avoid immunity to the first vector.
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, meanwhile, prevents infection in 62% of people who receive two full doses, and in 90% of those given a half dose followed by a full dose, according to interim data published last week.
Friday's announcement follows a recommendation Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's vaccines committee to give emergency use authorization in the United States for a vaccine developed jointly by Pfizer and BioNTech.
The move, a key milestone in distributing a vaccine in the United States, is expected to be upheld by the FDA on Friday or Saturday. That would be the final approval for Americans to begin receiving the vaccine, which has proven about 95% effective.
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The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has already received approval in Britain and Canada. Inoculations began in Britain early this week.


upi--2020-12-11--Watch: Taylor Swift follows a gold string in 'Willow' music video, new album released

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- Taylor Swift tries to track down a lover by following a gold string in the music video for `` Willow , '' the new single from her newly released ninth studio album titled Evermore .
Swift directed the clip , which begins with the singer wearing the same cardigan that she wore in the video for `` Cardigan '' from her eighth studio album titled Folklore .
The pop star grabs a gold string coming from her piano and uses it to try and find a love interest , portrayed by Taeok Lee .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ until she returns to her cabin , which houses the piano .
`` The more that you say , the less I know/ Wherever you stray , I follow/ I 'm begging for you to take my hand/ Wreck my plans , that 's my man , '' Swift sings in the chorus .
Evermore was released on Friday along with the `` Willow '' music video .
The album is Folklore 's sister record and has arrived just in time for Swift 's 31st birthday on Sunday .
Evermore contains 15 tracks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a deluxe physical edition containing two bonus tracks , `` Right Where You Left Me '' and `` It 's Time to Go . ''
All digital downloads of the album will come with an exclusive digital booklet containing 16 photos .
Haim appears on the track `` No Body , No Crime , '' The National on `` Coney Island '' and Bon Iver on the album 's title track .
Evermore is available to stream on Spotify , Apple Music , Amazon Music , Pandora and Tidal .
Swift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube .
`` I have no idea what will come next .
I have no idea about a lot of things these days and so I 've clung to the one thing that keeps me connected to you all .
That thing always has and always will be music .
And may it continue , evermore , '' Swift tweeted .

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Taylor Swift tries to track down a lover by following a gold string in the music video for "Willow," the new single from her newly released ninth studio album titled Evermore.
Swift directed the clip, which begins with the singer wearing the same cardigan that she wore in the video for "Cardigan" from her eighth studio album titled Folklore.
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The pop star grabs a gold string coming from her piano and uses it to try and find a love interest, portrayed by Taeok Lee. Swift is continuously blocked from seeing Lee until she returns to her cabin, which houses the piano.
The gold string echoes Swift's song "Invisible String" from Folklore.
"The more that you say, the less I know/ Wherever you stray, I follow/ I'm begging for you to take my hand/ Wreck my plans, that's my man," Swift sings in the chorus.
Evermore was released on Friday along with the "Willow" music video. The album is Folklore's sister record and has arrived just in time for Swift's 31st birthday on Sunday.
Evermore contains 15 tracks on the standard edition of the album, with a deluxe physical edition containing two bonus tracks, "Right Where You Left Me" and "It's Time to Go." All digital downloads of the album will come with an exclusive digital booklet containing 16 photos.
Advertisement
Haim appears on the track "No Body, No Crime," The National on "Coney Island" and Bon Iver on the album's title track.
Evermore is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and Tidal. Swift also released lyric videos for each song on YouTube.
"I have no idea what will come next. I have no idea about a lot of things these days and so I've clung to the one thing that keeps me connected to you all. That thing always has and always will be music. And may it continue, evermore," Swift tweeted.
Taylor Swift's career: awards, No. 1 hits and red carpets


upi--2020-12-11--For 2nd straight day, U.S. gov't to execute federal prisoner on Friday; Alfred Bourgeois to be 10th

For 2nd straight day, U.S. gov't to execute federal prisoner on Friday; Alfred Bourgeois to be 10th this year

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- The U.S. government on Friday plans to execute a man convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter nearly two decades ago .
Alfred Bourgeois , 55 , is set to receive lethal injection at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute , Ind .
He 's awaiting a Supreme Court decision on his request for a stay .
His attorneys said Bourgeois ' execution would be unconstitutional because he is intellectually disabled and ca n't understand his punishment .
They submitted evidence of IQ test scores of 70 and 75 , as well as assessments by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with such impairments as cruel and usual punishment .
The request for a stay comes one day after the 7th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Bourgeois ' application for a stay and denied his petition for a rehearing .
Bourgeois was among the first inmates slated for death last year when Attorney General William Barr announced the resumption of federal executions after a 17-year hiatus .
A federal judge stayed his execution in March , saying his lawyer made a strong case for his intellectual disability .
Bourgeois was convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002 death of his daughter in Corpus Christi , Texas .
Prosecutors said the girl died when Bourgeois became angry with her for turning over her potty training chair in the cab of his 18-wheeler and slammed her head into the vehicle 's window .
Investigators said he regularly physically and sexually abused the toddler before her death .
Bourgeois said he was innocent of the child 's death and blamed her mother .
If executed , Bourgeois would become the 10th federal death row inmate to be executed since July .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that many executions was under President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s .
The 34th president executed 10 people -- including the Rosenbergs , who were convicted of espionage -- over a seven-year period .
The U.S. Justice Department executed Brandon Bernard on Thursday and plans hold three more executions before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20 .
Orlando Hall was executed Nov. 19 , more than a week after Biden was projected to win the presidency .
A group of anti-death penalty advocates protested the resumption of federal executions Thursday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D.C. , and Terre Haute .
Death Penalty Action spokeswoman Allison Cohen told UPI that activists were especially concerned that executions were taking place after Trump lost his re-election bid .
Hall 's execution last month was the first to happen during the transition of a presidency since 1880 under the administration of President Grover Cleveland .
`` It 's crazy that we are executing our federal death row prisoners during the lame-duck session , '' Cohen said , calling the effort `` politically motivated . ''

An exterior view of the federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind., where Alfred Bourgeois was executed Friday. File Photo by Mark Cowan/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- The U.S. government on Friday carried out its last execution of the year, that of a man convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter nearly two decades ago. Alfred Bourgeois, 55, died by lethal injection shortly after 8 p.m. at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind. The execution came about an hour after the U>S. Supreme Court denied his request for a stay. Advertisement
"Tonight, the United States killed a man with intellectual disability in spite of clear directives from the U.S. Supreme Court and federal laws that prohibited it," attorney Victor Abreu said.
"Alfred Bourgeois suffered from this disability his entire life, but he was never given the opportunity to present the clear evidence of his intellectual disability to a fair court. Instead, a court rejected his claim based on damaging and incorrect stereotypes about what intellectual disability looks like instead of the science-based standards that define the diagnosis."
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The U.S. government on Friday plans to execute a man convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter nearly two decades ago.
Alfred Bourgeois, 55, is set to receive a lethal injection at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Ind. The Supreme Court on Friday evening denied his request for a stay.
His attorneys said Bourgeois' execution would be unconstitutional because he is intellectually disabled and can't understand his punishment. They submitted evidence of IQ test scores of 70 and 75, as well as assessments by experts.
The Eighth Amendment bans executing people with such impairments as cruel and usual punishment.
Bourgeois was among the first inmates slated for death last year when Attorney General William Barr announced the resumption of federal executions after a 17-year hiatus. A federal judge stayed his execution in March, saying his lawyer made a strong case for his intellectual disability.
Bourgeois was convicted in 2004 of capital murder for the 2002 death of his daughter in Corpus Christi, Texas. Prosecutors said the girl died when Bourgeois became angry with her for turning over her potty training chair in the cab of his 18-wheeler and slammed her head into the vehicle's window.
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Investigators said he regularly physically and sexually abused the toddler before her death. Bourgeois said he was innocent of the child's death and blamed her mother.
Bourgeois was the 10th federal death row inmate to be put to death this year.
The last time a single presidential administration held that many executions was under President Dwight Eisenhower in the 1950s. The 34th president executed 10 people -- including the Rosenbergs, who were convicted of espionage -- over a seven-year period.
The U.S. Justice Department executed Brandon Bernard on Thursday and plans to hold three more executions before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated on Jan. 20. Orlando Hall was executed Nov. 19, more than a week after Biden was projected to win the presidency.
A group of anti-death penalty advocates protested the resumption of federal executions Thursday in a series of demonstrations in Washington, D.C., and Terre Haute. Death Penalty Action spokeswoman Allison Cohen told UPI that activists were especially concerned that executions were taking place after Trump lost his re-election bid.
Hall's execution last month was the first to happen during the transition of a presidency since 1889 under the administration of President Grover Cleveland.
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"It's crazy that we are executing our federal death row prisoners during the lame-duck session," Cohen said, calling the effort "politically motivated.


upi--2020-12-11--Joe Biden, Kamala Harris named Time's 2020 Person of the Year

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been named Time magazine 's Person of the Year for 2020 .
Time announced the Biden-Harris ticket had been chosen for the honor Thursday night with the magazine 's editor-in-chief and chief executive officer , Edward Felsenthal , saying in an accompanying video that they represent `` something historic . ''
Every president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has been named Person of the Year , but Harris becomes the first vice president to share the title , he said .
`` Person of the Year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was but about where we 're headed , '' he said .
The Democratic pair were chosen from a shortlist of candidates that consisted of the movement for racial justice , frontline healthcare workers and Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's leading infectious diseases expert ; and President Donald Trump , who held the title in 2016 .
In an editorial , Felsenthal wrote that if Trump was a force of disruption and division during his presidency than Biden and Harris represent the nation 's future .
`` Biden and Harris show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blend of ethnicities , lived experiences and world views that must find a way forward together if the American experiment is to survive , '' he wrote .
Biden and Harris are set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20 , but Trump has yet to concede defeat in last month 's presidential election and continues to disseminate widely discredited claims of voter fraud and that he won the election .
Felsenthal wrote that the next four years will be a test for two leaders who were elected on a platform to unify a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in more than 100 years .
`` For changing the American story , for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division , for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world , Joe Biden and Kamal Harris are Time 's 2020 Person of the Year , '' he wrote .
Earlier Thursday , South Korean boy band BTS was named Time magazine 's 2020 Entertainer of the Year .

President-elect Joe Biden, right, takes the stage with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris were named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2020. Pool photo by Andrew Harnik/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have been named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2020. Time announced the Biden-Harris ticket had been chosen for the honor Thursday night. Advertisement
Editor-in-chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal said in an accompanying video that they represent "something historic."
Every president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has at one time been named Time's Person of the Year, but Harris is the first vice president to share the title, Felsenthal said.
"Person of the Year is not just about the year that was but about where we're headed," he said.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year #TIMEPOY https://t.co/o97QNlSBrl pic.twitter.com/KuoBoebBN4— TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2020
The Democratic pair were chosen from a shortlist of candidates that included the movement for racial justice, front-line healthcare workers, infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and President Donald Trump, who won the honor in 2016.
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In an editorial, Felsenthal wrote that if Trump was a force of disruption and division during his presidency, then Biden and Harris represent the future.
"Biden and Harris show where the nation is heading: a blend of ethnicities, lived experiences and world views that must find a way forward together if the American experiment is to survive," he wrote.
Biden and Harris are set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20.
Felsenthal wrote that the next four years will be a test for two leaders who were elected on a platform to unify a nation that has rarely been more divided.
"For changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are Time's 2020 Person of the Year," he wrote.
Earlier Thursday, South Korean boy band BTS was named Time magazine's 2020 Entertainer of the Year.


upi--2020-12-11--ULA launches spy satellite on Delta Heavy

Somalia 's capital city , Mogadishu is seen as the International Space Station passed over the Horn of Africa on February 19 .
This historic port on the coast of the Indian Ocean is home to more than 2 million people .
The red and orange colors in the dune fields are due to natural chemical and weathering processes that left behind traces of iron in the sandy minerals .
These dunes stand in contrast to the lightly-colored , calcium carbonate-rich sands near the shore .
Photo courtesy of NASA | NASA 's Juno mission captured this look at Jupiter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's close approach to the planet on February 17. Notable features in this view are the long , thin bands that run through the center of the image from top to bottom , observed since Juno 's first close pass by Jupiter in 2016 .
The streaks are layers of haze particles that float above the underlying cloud features .
Scientists do n't yet know precisely what these hazes are made of or how they form .
NASA/UPI | This image is one of the most photogenic examples of the many turbulent stellar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observed during its 30-year lifetime .
The portrait features the giant nebula NGC 2014 and its neighbor NGC 2020 , which together form part of a vast star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud , a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way , about 163,000 light-years away .
The image is nicknamed the `` Cosmic Reef '' because it resembles an undersea world .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | This Hubble image shows a globular cluster known as NGC 104 , or , more commonly , 47 Tucanae , since it is part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toucan ) in the southern sky .
Scientists using Hubble observed the white dwarfs in the cluster .
These dying stars migrate from the crowded center of the cluster to its outskirts .
While astronomers knew about this process , they had never seen it in action until the detailed study of 47 Tucanae .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | MyCn18 , a young planetary nebula located about 8,000 light-years away , was imaged with the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 aboard Hubble .
This image reveals the true shape of MyCn18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pattern of `` etchings '' in its walls .
This picture has been composed from three separate images taken in the light of ionized nitrogen ( represented by red ) , hydrogen ( green ) , and doubly ionized oxygen ( blue ) .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The Eagle Nebula 's Pillars of Creation , one of Hubble 's most iconic images , shows the pillars as seen in visible light , capturing the multi-colored glow of gas clouds , wispy tendrils of dark cosmic dust , and the rust-colored elephants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pillars .
With these new images comes better contrast and a clearer view for astronomers to study how the structure of the pillars is changing over time .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The Wide Field Camera 3 ( WFC3 ) aboard Hubble snapped this image of the planetary nebula , cataloged as NGC 6302 , but more popularly called the Bug Nebula or the Butterfly Nebula , on July 27 , 2009 .
NGC 6302 lies within our Milky Way galaxy , roughly 3800 light-years away .
The `` butterfly '' stretches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is nearly half the distance from the Sun to the nearest star , Proxima Centauri .
Photo courtesy of NASA/ESA | The NGC 4651 galaxy may look serene and peaceful as it swirls in the vast , silent emptiness of space .
It is believed that this galaxy consumed another smaller galaxy to become the beautiful spiral .
Although only a telescope like the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope , which captured this image , could give a picture this clear , NGC 4651 can also be observed with an amateur telescope .
Photo @ @ @ @

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A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket launches a classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on Thursday night from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 10 (UPI) -- United Launch Alliance on Thursday launched a spy satellite for the U.S. Department of Defense from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The company's powerful Delta IV Heavy rocket lifted off at 8:09 p.m.. its flight lighting up a partially cloudy south Florida sky. Advertisement
The launch had been delayed several times this year. On Aug. 29, controllers halted a liftoff as the countdown reached 3 seconds.
The company blamed a faulty helium pressure regulator for that abort. The mission was further delayed due to a problem with a retractable support arm at the launch site, according to ULA.
The Delta Heavy rocket is a triple-core launcher that produces a collective 2.2 million pounds of thrust. That compares to SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, the most powerful of today's rockets, with 3.4 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
The flight, called NROL-44, was the 12th launch of a Delta IV Heavy, which first was used in 2004, the company said.
The National Reconnaissance Office, the agency that oversees the launch, is part of the Defense Department. According to its mission statement, it is responsible for developing, launching and operating America's reconnaissance satellites, along with data-processing facilities.
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That data is used by the National Security Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency to produce photos, maps, reports and other tools for the president, Congress, national policymakers, warfighters and others.
The Delta IV Heavy, the fourth version of the workhorse Delta rocket, was developed to launch for the reconnaissance office, U.S. Air Force Space Command and NASA. It also carried NASA's Orion capsule in a 2014 test flight and sent the Parker Solar Probe into the sun's outer atmosphere.
Out-of-this-world images from space
The International Space Station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during a flyaround of the orbiting lab that took place following its undocking from the Harmony module’s space-facing port on November 8. Photo courtesy of NASA


upi--2020-12-11--Working from home carries its own health perils, survey shows

Working from home may take its toll on mental and physical health , but making some tweaks to your workspace and your headspace may help maximize the potential benefits and minimize any downsides , a new survey suggests .
Nearly 65 % of people who were working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions reported new physical woes including `` tech neck '' and lower back pain , and about 74 % said they had one new mental health issue , such as anxiety or depression .
These risks were heightened among women and parents of toddlers and infants , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The findings were published online this month in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine .
Overall , telecommuters felt that more was expected of them and that the distractions were far greater at home .
`` The shift to work from home was abrupt when COVID-19 first hit , and no one was truly prepared , '' said study author Burcin Becerik-Gerber , co-director of the Center for Intelligent Environments at the University of Southern California , Los Angeles .
`` It is super stressful and the demands and work expectations did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us also have to be a teacher and a parent , '' said Becerik-Gerber , who is also a mother of three who now works from home .
Work from home does have it perks , namely more flexibility , no commute and more family time .
And it is likely here to stay even after the pandemic ends now that many companies have systems in place , she said .
In the study , Becerik-Gerber and her colleagues asked close to 1,000 people who transitioned to work from home due to COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mental well-being .
They asked about overall mental and physical health , and took a deeper dive into specific symptoms and conditions .
The survey spanned many occupations and took place during the early days of the pandemic .
On average , workers spent about 1.5 hours more per day at their work station when they worked from home .
Telecommuters also reported getting less physical activity and eating more than they did before the shift .
`` Improperly fitted desks and chairs , and extended periods of sitting and sedentary behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Becerik-Gerber said .
An ergonomically correct work station -- one where your feet are planted firmly on the floor , your computer monitor is slightly below your eye level , among other adjustments -- can help stave off neck , shoulder and lower back pain , she said .
`` Employers should train workers on the best ergonomic conditions , '' she suggested , and it 's also important to stand or move around every 30 minutes .
Workers who had their own dedicated area at home had fewer mental or physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a space , the study showed .
`` If possible , having a dedicated workspace really matters , and signals to others that you are busy , which minimizes distractions , '' Becerik-Gerber said .
In the study , just one-third of respondents had a dedicated area for their work , while close to 50 % shared their workspace with others .
Those who scheduled their work around others were more likely to report new physical or mental health issues , the survey found .
Other factors that can increase productivity and boost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home include adequate natural lighting , which helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle , Becerik-Gerber said .
`` Having access to nature is extremely important , and setting your work station up where you can see trees may help offset mental health problems , '' she explained .
In the pre-COVID days , co-workers provided social support , and telecommuters are feeling this loss , she noted .
`` All of those interactions with co-workers or even seeing people on the way to a meeting are the things that take your mind off of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health , '' Becerik-Gerber added .
Social distancing does n't have to mean isolation , said Cortland Dahl , a research scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin , Madison .
Dahl also heads Healthy Minds Innovations , a nonprofit affiliated with the center .
`` You can still feel socially connected on a Zoom call by bringing your focus to what you admire or appreciate about the people who you work with , '' Dahl suggested .
Focusing on your breath or things that you can control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and physical health when working from home , he said .
`` Our knee-jerk reaction in difficult times is to focus on the things we ca n't control .
We feel powerless and it becomes a downward spiral .
Choose where to put your attention by being aware of your breath in the moment , '' Dahl said .
This helps you remain focused and keeps distraction at bay .
Balancing work and home responsibilities is tough , especially when you are working from home , he noted .
`` The last thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chore after a day filled with Zoom meetings , but if you do n't do it , your partner will have to , '' Dahl said .
`` Change your mindset , and focus on doing the chore to lessen the burden on your partner , '' Dahl said .
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has tips for properly setting up your home workstation .

Working from home, which has become a widespread method for preventing spread of COVID-19, carries its own set of health risks, a new survey shows. Photo by stevedimatteo /Pixabay
Working from home may take its toll on mental and physical health, but making some tweaks to your workspace and your headspace may help maximize the potential benefits and minimize any downsides, a new survey suggests. Nearly 65% of people who were working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions reported new physical woes including "tech neck" and lower back pain, and about 74% said they had one new mental health issue, such as anxiety or depression. Advertisement
These risks were heightened among women and parents of toddlers and infants, who were juggling work and life responsibilities.
The findings were published online this month in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Overall, telecommuters felt that more was expected of them and that the distractions were far greater at home.
"The shift to work from home was abrupt when COVID-19 first hit, and no one was truly prepared," said study author Burcin Becerik-Gerber, co-director of the Center for Intelligent Environments at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
Advertisement
"It is super stressful and the demands and work expectations didn't go down, plus many of us also have to be a teacher and a parent," said Becerik-Gerber, who is also a mother of three who now works from home.
Work from home does have it perks, namely more flexibility, no commute and more family time. And it is likely here to stay even after the pandemic ends now that many companies have systems in place, she said.
In the study, Becerik-Gerber and her colleagues asked close to 1,000 people who transitioned to work from home due to COVID-19 how the new arrangement affected their physical and mental well-being.
They asked about overall mental and physical health, and took a deeper dive into specific symptoms and conditions.
The survey spanned many occupations and took place during the early days of the pandemic.
On average, workers spent about 1.5 hours more per day at their work station when they worked from home. Telecommuters also reported getting less physical activity and eating more than they did before the shift.
"Improperly fitted desks and chairs, and extended periods of sitting and sedentary behavior can increase risks for physical problems," Becerik-Gerber said.
An ergonomically correct work station -- one where your feet are planted firmly on the floor, your computer monitor is slightly below your eye level, among other adjustments -- can help stave off neck, shoulder and lower back pain, she said.
Advertisement
"Employers should train workers on the best ergonomic conditions," she suggested, and it's also important to stand or move around every 30 minutes.
Workers who had their own dedicated area at home had fewer mental or physical issues compared with their counterparts who shared a space, the study showed.
"If possible, having a dedicated workspace really matters, and signals to others that you are busy, which minimizes distractions," Becerik-Gerber said.
In the study, just one-third of respondents had a dedicated area for their work, while close to 50% shared their workspace with others. Those who scheduled their work around others were more likely to report new physical or mental health issues, the survey found.
Other factors that can increase productivity and boost physical and mental health while working from home include adequate natural lighting, which helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle, Becerik-Gerber said.
"Having access to nature is extremely important, and setting your work station up where you can see trees may help offset mental health problems," she explained.
In the pre-COVID days, co-workers provided social support, and telecommuters are feeling this loss, she noted.
"All of those interactions with co-workers or even seeing people on the way to a meeting are the things that take your mind off of work and are very important to mental health," Becerik-Gerber added.
Advertisement
Social distancing doesn't have to mean isolation, said Cortland Dahl, a research scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Dahl also heads Healthy Minds Innovations, a nonprofit affiliated with the center.
"You can still feel socially connected on a Zoom call by bringing your focus to what you admire or appreciate about the people who you work with," Dahl suggested.
Focusing on your breath or things that you can control will also have spillover benefits on mental and physical health when working from home, he said.
"Our knee-jerk reaction in difficult times is to focus on the things we can't control. We feel powerless and it becomes a downward spiral. Choose where to put your attention by being aware of your breath in the moment," Dahl said. This helps you remain focused and keeps distraction at bay.
Balancing work and home responsibilities is tough, especially when you are working from home, he noted.
"The last thing you want to do is slog through a chore after a day filled with Zoom meetings, but if you don't do it, your partner will have to," Dahl said.
"Change your mindset, and focus on doing the chore to lessen the burden on your partner," Dahl said.
Advertisement
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has tips for properly setting up your home workstation.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-11--Rachel Brosnahan: 'I'm Your Woman' is 'different skin' from 'Maisel'

LOS ANGELES , Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan said her new movie , I 'm Your Woman , has one similarity to her acclaimed series , The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel .
Both deal with the character she plays taking a more active role in their lives , but that is where the similarities end .
`` I 'm definitely attracted to projects about women finding themselves and their voices , '' Broshnahan said during a Zoom panel for AFI Fest .
`` This was a brand-new journey down that same path . ''
I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a criminal 's wife in the '70s .
Jean 's husband , Eddie ( Bill Heck ) , kidnaps a baby for them to raise .
When Eddie betrays his partners , they come looking for Jean , so she has to flee with the baby in tow .
Brosnahan said she 's used to traveling back in time via her performances .
Mrs. Maisel takes place in the '50s .
On the show , Midge Maisel ( Brosnahan ) is a '50s housewife who becomes a star in standup comedy clubs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's independence does n't come from fame or business success .
She merely must come out from under Eddie 's shadow to survive .
Brosnahan said her collaboration with hair , makeup and wardrobe departments transformed her into a totally different woman .
`` It was so nice to put on literally a completely different skin , in a way , '' Brosnahan said .
`` It was fun to be able to catch Jean 's reflection in a mirror during certain scenes and not recognize myself . ''
Co-writer and director Julia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspired by the women of movies like The Godfather and Thief .
Hart said Diane Keaton and Tuesday Weld , respectively , had great characters , but were not involved with the action in those films .
Hart wanted to center a movie around characters like them .
`` I would always want to know what happened to her , '' Hart said .
`` I would want to see that movie .
Where is she going ?
What 's going to happen to her ?
How is she going to survive ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
In the Michael Mann film , Weld 's character tells James Caan 's , `` I 'm your woman and you 're my man . ''
Weld also plays the significant other of a thief , whose criminal record prevents them from qualifying for adoption , even after he 's gone straight .
`` I just felt a connection to Tuesday Weld 's character in Thief , '' Brosnahan said .
I 'm Your Woman also was Broshanan 's first time working with a baby , she said .
On Mrs. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Brosnahan said working with infants was new territory .
Brosnahan noted that the twins who played Jean 's son would n't follow stage directions .
In one scene , Brosnahan and director Julia Hart had to adjust to the infant actor falling asleep during a scene .
`` The entire scene then became about genuinely not waking up a sleeping baby , '' Brosnahan said .
`` It changed the whole thing and brought this electricity into the space . ''
The actor credited the spontaneity of the babies with improving her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her honest by forcing her to be in the moment in her performance .
`` You 're never as present as when you 're holding a living , breathing baby who you can feel physically responding to your emotional state , '' Brosnahan said .
Another challenge of I 'm Your Woman for Brosnahan was driving vehicles appropriate for the period .
Broshnahan said she 's learned to drive cars from many different decades in the various period pieces in which she has appeared .
In Jean 's world , she did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Without him , Brosnahan felt being in control of Jean 's escape vehicle increased her character 's sense of agency .
`` There 's a shot at some point in the movie where I had to drive up a very steep road , '' Brosnahan said .
`` I was just going , ' I hope everyone 's out of the way . '
It did feel very freeing . ''

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Rachel Brosnahan felt powerful behind the wheel of a '70s car in "I'm Your Woman." Photo courtesy of Amazon
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan said her new movie, I'm Your Woman, has one similarity to her acclaimed series, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Both deal with the character she plays taking a more active role in their lives, but that is where the similarities end. "I'm definitely attracted to projects about women finding themselves and their voices," Broshnahan said during a Zoom panel for AFI Fest. "This was a brand-new journey down that same path." Advertisement
I'm Your Woman stars Brosnahan as Jean, a criminal's wife in the '70s. Jean's husband, Eddie (Bill Heck), kidnaps a baby for them to raise. When Eddie betrays his partners, they come looking for Jean, so she has to flee with the baby in tow.
Brosnahan said she's used to traveling back in time via her performances. Mrs. Maisel takes place in the '50s. On the show, Midge Maisel (Brosnahan) is a '50s housewife who becomes a star in standup comedy clubs.
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In I'm Your Woman, Jean's independence doesn't come from fame or business success. She merely must come out from under Eddie's shadow to survive. Brosnahan said her collaboration with hair, makeup and wardrobe departments transformed her into a totally different woman.
"It was so nice to put on literally a completely different skin, in a way," Brosnahan said. "It was fun to be able to catch Jean's reflection in a mirror during certain scenes and not recognize myself."
Co-writer and director Julia Hart said the character of Jean was inspired by the women of movies like The Godfather and Thief. Hart said Diane Keaton and Tuesday Weld, respectively, had great characters, but were not involved with the action in those films. Hart wanted to center a movie around characters like them.
"I would always want to know what happened to her," Hart said. "I would want to see that movie. Where is she going? What's going to happen to her? How is she going to survive?"
The title comes from Thief, too. In the Michael Mann film, Weld's character tells James Caan's, "I'm your woman and you're my man." Weld also plays the significant other of a thief, whose criminal record prevents them from qualifying for adoption, even after he's gone straight.
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"I just felt a connection to Tuesday Weld's character in Thief," Brosnahan said.
I'm Your Woman also was Broshanan's first time working with a baby, she said. On Mrs. Maisel, her character has toddlers, but Brosnahan said working with infants was new territory.
Brosnahan noted that the twins who played Jean's son wouldn't follow stage directions. In one scene, Brosnahan and director Julia Hart had to adjust to the infant actor falling asleep during a scene.
"The entire scene then became about genuinely not waking up a sleeping baby," Brosnahan said. "It changed the whole thing and brought this electricity into the space."
The actor credited the spontaneity of the babies with improving her performance. Brosnahan said the babies kept her honest by forcing her to be in the moment in her performance.
"You're never as present as when you're holding a living, breathing baby who you can feel physically responding to your emotional state," Brosnahan said.
Another challenge of I'm Your Woman for Brosnahan was driving vehicles appropriate for the period. Broshnahan said she's learned to drive cars from many different decades in the various period pieces in which she has appeared.
In Jean's world, she didn't even drive when she was with Eddie. Without him, Brosnahan felt being in control of Jean's escape vehicle increased her character's sense of agency.
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"There's a shot at some point in the movie where I had to drive up a very steep road," Brosnahan said. "I was just going, 'I hope everyone's out of the way.' It did feel very freeing."
I'm Your Woman premieres Friday on Amazon Prime.


upi--2020-12-11--On This Day, Dec. 11: Germany, Italy declare war on U.S.

Dec. 11 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1816 , Indiana joined the United States as its 19th state .
In 1936 , Britain 's King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson .
His brother succeeded to the throne as King George VI .
In 1941 , four days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor , Germany and Italy declared war on the United States .
In 1951 , Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from baseball .
In 1972 , Apollo 17 landed on the moon .
It was the final Apollo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ command module pilot and Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt walked on the surface during the mission .
Cernan was the last to re-enter their lunar module -- the last man on the moon .
In 1984 , a nativity scene was displayed near the White House for the first time since courts ordered it removed in 1973 .
In 1994 , up to 40,000 Russian troops invaded Chechnya , a semi-autonomous Republic on Russia 's border with Georgia , to put down a secessionist rebellion .
In 1995 , two Japanese cult members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo subway trains that killed 12 people in March .
In 2001 , the United States filed its first charges in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks , accusing Zacarias Moussaoui , a French citizen of Moroccan descent , of conspiring with others to carry out the assault .
In 2004 , Vienna doctors treating the mystery illness of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko determined he was poisoned with dioxin while campaigning for president .
In 2006 , Jewish groups worldwide expressed anger as Iran opened a two-day conference in Tehran to determine if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2008 , Bernard Madoff , an investment manager , was arrested and charged with defrauding clients of up to $ 50 billion in what may have been the largest swindle in Wall Street history .
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission officials said he ran a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme .
In June 2009 , Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison .
In 2010 , police said Mark Madoff , the 46-year-old eldest son of convicted multibillion-dollar Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff , hanged himself in his New York apartment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2019 , Time magazine named Sweden 's teenage climate change activist , Greta Thunberg , as its Person of the Year .

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On December 11, 1941, four days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States. File Photo courtesy Das Bundesarchiv
Dec. 11 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1816, Indiana joined the United States as its 19th state. Advertisement
In 1936, Britain's King Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. His brother succeeded to the throne as King George VI.
In 1941, four days after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on the United States.
In 1946, UNICEF was established.
In 1951, Joe DiMaggio announced his retirement from baseball.
UPI File Photo
In 1964, Ernesto "Che" Guevara addressed the United Nations General Assembly.
In 1972, Apollo 17 landed on the moon. It was the final Apollo lunar landing. Ron Evans was the command module pilot and Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt walked on the surface during the mission. Cernan was the last to re-enter their lunar module -- the last man on the moon.
In 1984, a nativity scene was displayed near the White House for the first time since courts ordered it removed in 1973.
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In 1994, up to 40,000 Russian troops invaded Chechnya, a semi-autonomous Republic on Russia's border with Georgia, to put down a secessionist rebellion.
In 1995, two Japanese cult members admitted they released toxic sarin gas in Tokyo subway trains that killed 12 people in March.
In 2001, the United States filed its first charges in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, accusing Zacarias Moussaoui, a French citizen of Moroccan descent, of conspiring with others to carry out the assault.
In 2004, Vienna doctors treating the mystery illness of Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko determined he was poisoned with dioxin while campaigning for president.
File Photo by Sergey Starostenko/UPI
In 2006, Jewish groups worldwide expressed anger as Iran opened a two-day conference in Tehran to determine if the Holocaust was reality or myth.
In 2008, Bernard Madoff, an investment manager, was arrested and charged with defrauding clients of up to $50 billion in what may have been the largest swindle in Wall Street history. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission officials said he ran a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme. In June 2009, Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison.
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In 2010, police said Mark Madoff, the 46-year-old eldest son of convicted multibillion-dollar Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff, hanged himself in his New York apartment on the second anniversary of his father's arrest.
In 2019, Time magazine named Sweden's teenage climate change activist, Greta Thunberg, as its Person of the Year.