upi--2020-11-11--Three priorities for Biden: pandemic, unity, economic plan

November 11 , established to memorialize the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month , is an appropriate date to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory marking the end of another form of war .
Of course , assuming office on Jan. 20 means that Donald Trump 's lawsuits and litigation to reverse the election results fail and the Electoral College confirms Biden as president .
Hopefully , this legal process will end soon .
The president-elect , no doubt , is besieged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Three priorities are obvious : the pandemic , healing the nation and putting in place an economic recovery plan .
About COVID-19 , any plans and strategies are very much hostage to what the Trump team did and did not accomplish Biden has no control over when a vaccine may become available for widespread use .
However , his administration will be responsible for production , distribution and outreach to persuade sufficient numbers of Americans to take the vaccine to assure its effectiveness in containing and preventing the spread of COVID-19 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ monumental task as at least 330 million doses are needed to start .
If mishandled , this can ruin his presidency .
The Pentagon is managing Operation Warp Speed to develop and distribute the vaccine .
Warp Speed 's head , Army Gen. Gus Perna , says this could cost $ 25 billion .
Production and distribution are crucial , especially when shipped at -94 degrees F. Both are dependent on the private sector for delivery and on a brand new software program to monitor in real time to whom who , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How Warp Speed works is the new president 's responsibility .
Given the urgency with which Warp Speed was established , major problems are inevitable .
The only means to minimize and anticipate delays and malfunctions is with rigorous oversight , monitoring and rapid reaction teams to anticipate these and other shortcomings that will arise .
Biden 's own task force on coronavirus is a good first step .
So far , it lacks expertise in these vital production and distribution areas .
Scientific competence is not sufficient to ensure success in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Amazon or Fred Smith of FedEx would resolve the most obvious deficiencies .
The Biden plan must stress testing , contract tracing , wearing of masks and social distancing and the stocking of medical equipment .
And it must have an international component for a simple reason : The virus does not recognize national boundaries .
A global solution is vital .
About governing as an American and not a Democrat or Republican , actions speak louder than words .
Biden needs a competent and experienced Cabinet , in which diversity should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor .
Appointing at least one Republican to an important post is essential .
Suggested by entrepreneur Anthony Scaramucci , the president-elect should consider making Sen. Mitt Romney Secretary of State .
Democrats who are seeking these plum jobs and see no reason to award the opposition will be infuriated .
But Romney , a former governor and presidential candidate , is highly qualified and has the virtue of being a rare anti-Trump Republican .
This would prove Biden 's bipartisan commitment and surely cement support in the Senate of Mitch McConnell critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which party controls the Senate .
If Republicans maintain control of the Senate , Biden can outflank the far left wing in the House by working with McConnell .
If Democrats win in Georgia in January and gain control of the Senate , then Biden would not want to lose the filibuster rule to ensure Republican support for legislation that likewise could neuter the more extremist progressive wing of the Democratic party .
Last , Biden must generate an economic renaissance by providing funds for healthcare , clean and renewable energy , infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bank .
A private-public partnership capitalized to about $ 2 trillion to $ 3 trillion through long-term bonds paying 2 % over prime , guaranteed by the government and repaid from user fees and tolls , should be established .
History offers one reason a fund will work : The biggest economic boom in American history followed the 1918-20 Spanish flu pandemic .
This can repeat .
Given the president-elect 's meaningful promises for an inclusive government , Biden is on the right track .
Beginning with legal challenges to the election raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic that will worsen , to the economic crisis , the 46th president 's challenges are daunting .
On Veteran 's Day , let us hope that Nov. 11 marks the end of one massive war with promise for the future .
Harlan Ullman is a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council and author of the upcoming book , `` The Fifth Horseman and MAD : How Massive Attacks of Disruption Endanger , Infect and Engulf Us and the World . ''

President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and their families watch fireworks and drones spelling out "Biden" during victory celebration in Wilmington, Del., on Saturday. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
November 11, established to memorialize the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, is an appropriate date to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their victory marking the end of another form of war. Of course, assuming office on Jan. 20 means that Donald Trump's lawsuits and litigation to reverse the election results fail and the Electoral College confirms Biden as president. Hopefully, this legal process will end soon. Advertisement
The president-elect, no doubt, is besieged with recommendations and ideas of what to do. Three priorities are obvious: the pandemic, healing the nation and putting in place an economic recovery plan. About COVID-19, any plans and strategies are very much hostage to what the Trump team did and did not accomplish
Biden has no control over when a vaccine may become available for widespread use. However, his administration will be responsible for production, distribution and outreach to persuade sufficient numbers of Americans to take the vaccine to assure its effectiveness in containing and preventing the spread of COVID-19. This is both an unprecedented and supremely monumental task as at least 330 million doses are needed to start. If mishandled, this can ruin his presidency.
Advertisement
The Pentagon is managing Operation Warp Speed to develop and distribute the vaccine. Warp Speed's head, Army Gen. Gus Perna, says this could cost $25 billion. Production and distribution are crucial, especially when shipped at -94 degrees F. Both are dependent on the private sector for delivery and on a brand new software program to monitor in real time to whom who, what and where vaccines are being administered. How Warp Speed works is the new president's responsibility.
Given the urgency with which Warp Speed was established, major problems are inevitable. The only means to minimize and anticipate delays and malfunctions is with rigorous oversight, monitoring and rapid reaction teams to anticipate these and other shortcomings that will arise. Biden's own task force on coronavirus is a good first step. So far, it lacks expertise in these vital production and distribution areas. Scientific competence is not sufficient to ensure success in this massive vaccination program. Appointing Jeff Bezos of Amazon or Fred Smith of FedEx would resolve the most obvious deficiencies.
The Biden plan must stress testing, contract tracing, wearing of masks and social distancing and the stocking of medical equipment. And it must have an international component for a simple reason: The virus does not recognize national boundaries. A global solution is vital.
Advertisement
About governing as an American and not a Democrat or Republican, actions speak louder than words. Biden needs a competent and experienced Cabinet, in which diversity should be important but not the overriding selection factor. Appointing at least one Republican to an important post is essential.
Suggested by entrepreneur Anthony Scaramucci, the president-elect should consider making Sen. Mitt Romney Secretary of State. Democrats who are seeking these plum jobs and see no reason to award the opposition will be infuriated. But Romney, a former governor and presidential candidate, is highly qualified and has the virtue of being a rare anti-Trump Republican. This would prove Biden's bipartisan commitment and surely cement support in the Senate of Mitch McConnell critical to approving needed legislation, no matter which party controls the Senate.
If Republicans maintain control of the Senate, Biden can outflank the far left wing in the House by working with McConnell. If Democrats win in Georgia in January and gain control of the Senate, then Biden would not want to lose the filibuster rule to ensure Republican support for legislation that likewise could neuter the more extremist progressive wing of the Democratic party.
Last, Biden must generate an economic renaissance by providing funds for healthcare, clean and renewable energy, infrastructure and technological incubators through a national investment bank. A private-public partnership capitalized to about $2 trillion to $3 trillion through long-term bonds paying 2% over prime, guaranteed by the government and repaid from user fees and tolls, should be established. History offers one reason a fund will work: The biggest economic boom in American history followed the 1918-20 Spanish flu pandemic. This can repeat.
Advertisement
Given the president-elect's meaningful promises for an inclusive government, Biden is on the right track. Beginning with legal challenges to the election raised by the incumbent, to the COVID-19 pandemic that will worsen, to the economic crisis, the 46th president's challenges are daunting. On Veteran's Day, let us hope that Nov. 11 marks the end of one massive war with promise for the future.
Harlan Ullman is a senior adviser at the Atlantic Council and author of the upcoming book, "The Fifth Horseman and MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Endanger, Infect and Engulf Us and the World."
U.S. Election 2020
Balloons and signs fill the fence between Black Lives Matter Plaza and Lafayette Park near the White House on Monday. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI | License Photo


upi--2020-11-11--Australian police bust child sex abuse ring, arresting 14 men

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Authorities in Australia announced Wednesday that police investigating an international child sex abuse network have arrested 14 men on hundreds of charges and rescued 46 children .
Australian Federal Police said in a release that Operation Arkstone has resulted in the arrests of eight men in New South Wales , three in Queensland and three in Western Australia on a total of 828 charges in connection to the production and sharing of child abuse material online .
Bestiality charges were also filed against the men in relation to the abuse of four animals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex offenders in Europe , Asia , the United States , Canada and New Zealand through links on online forums , resulting in the arrest of three men in the United States .
The child victims ranged in age from 16 months to 15 years with the average age being eight , authorities said , adding that 16 of them had attended the same childcare center .
The victims were often identified through painstaking work to piece together information found in photos of people abusing and exploiting them , AFP Acting Commander Child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
`` These men allegedly produced child abuse material for the depraved pleasure of their peers with absolutely no thought to the lasting effects their actions would have on these children , '' Woods said .
`` Police will allege Operation Arkston revealed a network of abuse , where the alleged offenders in the forums encouraged and emboldened each other to engage in acts of depravity and abuse of children . ''
A 27-year-old former childcare worker in New South Wales has been charged with 303 offenses , including sexual intercourse with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police said the man used his position to gain access to 30 children and his parter , a 22-year-old man , has also been charged with child abuse .
The parents of the victims have been notified of the investigation , authorities said .
`` No child should be subjected to abuse and violence from people who hold high positions of trust in their lives , whether it be a family member , childcare worker or soccer coach , '' Woods said .
The suspects arrested range in age from 20 to 48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a volunteer soccer coach , a disability support worker and an electrician , supermarket employee and chef .
`` What this highlights is that offenders are across age groups , occupations and are in positions of trust , '' Woods said .
`` Parents need to be vigilant about who has access to their children . ''
Operation Arkstone , which the AFP called of one its `` most significant child protection investigations '' to date , was initiated in February after authorities received a tip from the U.S. National Center for Missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who uploaded material of abuse online that led to his arrest and 89 charges of child abuse .
Police searching the man 's electronic evidence discovered online social media forums where members produced , accessed and circulated such material .
In June , police arrested nine men and rescued 14 child victims under the operation .
The AFP said it will continue to work to dismantle this child sex ring and prevent further children from being harmed .
Last month , Australian police also arrested 44 men on child abuse charges and placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

1/2
Police in Australia announced Wednesday that they have arrested 14 men on child sex abuse charges. Photo courtesy of Australian Federal Police
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Authorities in Australia announced Wednesday that police investigating an international child sex abuse network have arrested 14 men on hundreds of charges and rescued 46 children. Australian Federal Police said in a release that Operation Arkstone has resulted in the arrests of eight men in New South Wales, three in Queensland and three in Western Australia on a total of 828 charges in connection to the production and sharing of child abuse material online. Advertisement
Bestiality charges were also filed against the men in relation to the abuse of four animals, police said.
Police also identified several sex offenders in Europe, Asia, the United States, Canada and New Zealand through links on online forums, resulting in the arrest of three men in the United States.
The child victims ranged in age from 16 months to 15 years with the average age being eight, authorities said, adding that 16 of them had attended the same childcare center.
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The victims were often identified through painstaking work to piece together information found in photos of people abusing and exploiting them, AFP Acting Commander Child Protection Operations Christopher Woods said in a statement.
"These men allegedly produced child abuse material for the depraved pleasure of their peers with absolutely no thought to the lasting effects their actions would have on these children," Woods said. "Police will allege Operation Arkston revealed a network of abuse, where the alleged offenders in the forums encouraged and emboldened each other to engage in acts of depravity and abuse of children."
A 27-year-old former childcare worker in New South Wales has been charged with 303 offenses, including sexual intercourse with a child under 10 years old.
Police said the man used his position to gain access to 30 children and his parter, a 22-year-old man, has also been charged with child abuse.
The parents of the victims have been notified of the investigation, authorities said.
"No child should be subjected to abuse and violence from people who hold high positions of trust in their lives, whether it be a family member, childcare worker or soccer coach," Woods said.
The suspects arrested range in age from 20 to 48 years old and held positions such as a volunteer soccer coach, a disability support worker and an electrician, supermarket employee and chef.
Advertisement
"What this highlights is that offenders are across age groups, occupations and are in positions of trust," Woods said. "Parents need to be vigilant about who has access to their children."
Operation Arkstone, which the AFP called of one its "most significant child protection investigations" to date, was initiated in February after authorities received a tip from the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a Wyoming man who uploaded material of abuse online that led to his arrest and 89 charges of child abuse.
Police searching the man's electronic evidence discovered online social media forums where members produced, accessed and circulated such material.
In June, police arrested nine men and rescued 14 child victims under the operation.
The AFP said it will continue to work to dismantle this child sex ring and prevent further children from being harmed.
Last month, Australian police also arrested 44 men on child abuse charges and placed at least 16 child victims into safety.


upi--2020-11-11--'Diseases of despair' were already skyrocketing in U.S. before COVID-19

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began , Americans were already suffering : A new study reports that alcohol and drug misuse were up dramatically , and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were up 170 % between 2009 and 2018 .
`` The origin of these conditions is n't strictly medical .
Rather , they seem to follow conditions of despair in people 's lives and communities , '' explained study author Emily Brignone .
She 's a senior research scientist with Highmark Health in Pittsburgh , Penn .
Economic decline , stagnant wages , fewer community ties and unemployment are some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to diseases of despair .
`` Over the past 10 years , diagnoses related to drug and alcohol misuse and suicidal thoughts and behaviors have increased across the board for men and women in all age groups , '' Brignone noted .
The information in this study was collected long before COVID-19 began spreading across the United States .
But Brignone said the pandemic may worsen conditions related to diseases of despair , like unemployment , social isolation , barriers to health care and uncertainty .
`` There is some evidence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including increases in opioid overdoses and high numbers of people reporting suicidal thoughts .
However , we wo n't know the full extent of the impact of COVID-19 on diseases and deaths of despair for many years to come , '' Brignone said .
The new study included 12 million Americans insured by Highmark , a large U.S.-based health insurance company .
The people covered by the company are concentrated in Pennsylvania , West Virginia and Delaware .
These are states that have been disproportionately affected by deaths of despair , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the study were diagnosed with a disease of despair during the study period .
The biggest increases were seen in suicidal thoughts and behaviors , particularly in young people .
Suicidal thinking and behaviors rose by 287 % between 2009 and 2018 in people under 18 years of age .
For those between 18 and 34 , the rate increased by 210 % .
For all other age groups , there was a rise of at least 70 % in suicidal thoughts and behaviors , the findings showed .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening .
Some researchers have pointed to changing social structures and the rise of smartphones and social media .
There are also questions about the role of bullying and less sleep .
But it is a complex issue without easy answers , '' Brignone said .
Alcohol problems increased in all age groups , except for those under 18 .
The biggest jump -- 59 % -- in alcohol misuse was seen in people between the ages of 55 and 74 .
Brignone said a number of things might trigger greater alcohol misuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health conditions , pain , mental health concerns , and increased disconnection from family , friends and neighbors .
She also noted that alcoholism and the other diseases of despair often occur together .
Older Americans -- aged 55 to 74 -- also had the largest increase in substance misuse , with an increase of 172 % during the study .
The overall prevalence of substance-related diagnosis increased by 94 % .
Men had nearly 50 % higher odds of being diagnosed with a disease of despair than women were , the researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ despair represent an urgent public health issue , and the COVID-19 pandemic in some respects may exacerbate the conditions that give rise to these problems , '' Brignone said .
But prevention and early intervention efforts can make a difference , she added .
`` Access to high-quality , evidence-based physical and mental health care is an important factor in interrupting the progression of these conditions , and will save lives , '' Brignone said .
`` It 's also important to try to fix the underlying problems , such as unemployment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The results of the study were published online this week in the BMJ Open .
Benjamin Miller , chief strategy officer for the Well Being Trust , a national foundation for mental health and wellness , said the study is a call to action .
`` Diseases of despair are driven by a multitude of factors , some of which our health care system can address , some they ca n't .
But our systems are ill-prepared for documenting , following-up and treating diseases of despair , '' Miller said .
Access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a specific diagnosis , and a specific diagnosis will lead you down one particular treatment path .
For example , someone with an alcohol problem may have health problems related to alcohol , but also needs counseling .
`` For diseases of despair , it 's so much more complicated .
You ca n't depend on a single diagnosis alone , '' he explained .
Miller also pointed out that many people never even get diagnosed or into treatment programs .
That 's why he said there needs to be a new approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` How do we show up where they are -- at schools , churches , neighborhoods ?
Younger adults are going to require different interventions than older adult populations , '' he noted .
Miller said addressing underlying issues that lead to diseases of despair is critical , too .
For example , there are a lot of people who are unemployed right now .
A preventive strategy could be to get people back to work , and one way to do that would be to hire a lot of COVID-19 contact tracers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly lessen the pandemic 's impact .
Even more important , he said , is that people need to just talk to each other .
`` We have to look at how to embrace the hard conversations around mental health and addiction .
We need to know how to talk to each other , and be empathetic and supportive , '' Miller added .
To learn more about suicide prevention , visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health .

Even before the coronavirus pandemic began, Americans were already suffering: A new study reports that alcohol and drug misuse were up dramatically, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were up 170% between 2009 and 2018.
Researchers call these conditions "diseases of despair."
Advertisement
"The origin of these conditions isn't strictly medical. Rather, they seem to follow conditions of despair in people's lives and communities," explained study author Emily Brignone. She's a senior research scientist with Highmark Health in Pittsburgh, Penn.
Economic decline, stagnant wages, fewer community ties and unemployment are some of the factors she said can be linked to diseases of despair.
"Over the past 10 years, diagnoses related to drug and alcohol misuse and suicidal thoughts and behaviors have increased across the board for men and women in all age groups," Brignone noted.
The information in this study was collected long before COVID-19 began spreading across the United States. But Brignone said the pandemic may worsen conditions related to diseases of despair, like unemployment, social isolation, barriers to health care and uncertainty.
Advertisement
"There is some evidence of COVID-19-related changes in diseases of despair, including increases in opioid overdoses and high numbers of people reporting suicidal thoughts. However, we won't know the full extent of the impact of COVID-19 on diseases and deaths of despair for many years to come," Brignone said.
The new study included 12 million Americans insured by Highmark, a large U.S.-based health insurance company. The people covered by the company are concentrated in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware. These are states that have been disproportionately affected by deaths of despair, according to the researchers.
Almost one in 20 people in the study were diagnosed with a disease of despair during the study period.
The biggest increases were seen in suicidal thoughts and behaviors, particularly in young people. Suicidal thinking and behaviors rose by 287% between 2009 and 2018 in people under 18 years of age. For those between 18 and 34, the rate increased by 210%. For all other age groups, there was a rise of at least 70% in suicidal thoughts and behaviors, the findings showed.
"We don't fully understand why this is happening. Some researchers have pointed to changing social structures and the rise of smartphones and social media. There are also questions about the role of bullying and less sleep. But it is a complex issue without easy answers," Brignone said.
Advertisement
Alcohol problems increased in all age groups, except for those under 18. The biggest jump -- 59% -- in alcohol misuse was seen in people between the ages of 55 and 74.
Brignone said a number of things might trigger greater alcohol misuse later in life, including increases in health conditions, pain, mental health concerns, and increased disconnection from family, friends and neighbors. She also noted that alcoholism and the other diseases of despair often occur together.
Older Americans -- aged 55 to 74 -- also had the largest increase in substance misuse, with an increase of 172% during the study. The overall prevalence of substance-related diagnosis increased by 94%.
Men had nearly 50% higher odds of being diagnosed with a disease of despair than women were, the researchers reported.
"Diseases and deaths of despair represent an urgent public health issue, and the COVID-19 pandemic in some respects may exacerbate the conditions that give rise to these problems," Brignone said.
But prevention and early intervention efforts can make a difference, she added.
"Access to high-quality, evidence-based physical and mental health care is an important factor in interrupting the progression of these conditions, and will save lives," Brignone said. "It's also important to try to fix the underlying problems, such as unemployment, income inequality and health care access."
Advertisement
The results of the study were published online this week in the BMJ Open.
Benjamin Miller, chief strategy officer for the Well Being Trust, a national foundation for mental health and wellness, said the study is a call to action.
"Diseases of despair are driven by a multitude of factors, some of which our health care system can address, some they can't. But our systems are ill-prepared for documenting, following-up and treating diseases of despair," Miller said.
Access to care is typically dependent on having a specific diagnosis, and a specific diagnosis will lead you down one particular treatment path. For example, someone with an alcohol problem may have health problems related to alcohol, but also needs counseling.
"For diseases of despair, it's so much more complicated. You can't depend on a single diagnosis alone," he explained.
Miller also pointed out that many people never even get diagnosed or into treatment programs. That's why he said there needs to be a new approach to treating these types of conditions.
"How do we show up where they are -- at schools, churches, neighborhoods? Younger adults are going to require different interventions than older adult populations," he noted.
Miller said addressing underlying issues that lead to diseases of despair is critical, too. For example, there are a lot of people who are unemployed right now. A preventive strategy could be to get people back to work, and one way to do that would be to hire a lot of COVID-19 contact tracers. That would help address unemployment and possibly lessen the pandemic's impact.
Advertisement
Even more important, he said, is that people need to just talk to each other.
"We have to look at how to embrace the hard conversations around mental health and addiction. We need to know how to talk to each other, and be empathetic and supportive," Miller added.
To learn more about suicide prevention, visit the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-11-11--Fantasy football: Adams, McLaurin top Week 10 wide receiver rankings

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Davante Adams , Terry McLaurin , DeAndre Hopkins , Stefon Diggs and Michael Thomas top my Week 10 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2020 .
Allen Robinson , Keenan Allen , Will Fuller , A.J .
Brown and D.K .
Metcalf round out my Top 10 options for Week 10. Cooper Kupp , Travis Fulgham and Tee Higgins 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 considering who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the status for each of your players ' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule .
Kansas City Chiefs , New York Jets , Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons players should be removed from all starting lineups , as those teams have Week 10 byes .
Check out my weekly waiver wire article for candidates to add to your roster before your Week 9 matchup .
Here are some of my favorite players in this week 's rankings : Davante Adams has been the best fantasy football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top option at the position for Week 10 .
Adams went off for a season-high 173 yards and a score on 10 catches in Week 9 .
He should explode once again this week when the Green Bay Packers host the Jacksonville Jaguars .
I expect at least 10 catches for at least 100 yards and a score from Adams in this juicy matchup .
Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin has scored in two consecutive games and should have another very productive Week 10 performance .
I have McLaurin as my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for when Washington faces a Detroit Lions defense that just allowed three touchdown passes in their Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings .
McLaurin should post at least six catches and has a shot at another 100-yard , one-score performance .
Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller is my No .
8 option .
Fuller has scored in six consecutive games and is one of the hottest wide receivers in fantasy football .
I expect Fuller to have another explosive performance in Week 10 , when the Texans face a Cleveland Browns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points per game to wide receivers .
Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams is a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 this week .
Kupp lands at No .
11 in my rankings .
Kupp had a season-high 20 targets in Week 8 before the Rams Week 9 bye .
I expect the Rams pass catcher to see a healthy target share once again in Week 10 when he battles a Seattle Seahawks defense that has allowed the most receiving yards and fantasy points per game to wide receivers .
Travis Fulgham of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise for those who picked him off of the waiver wire .
Fulgham scored his fourth touchdown of the season in Week 8 before the Eagles Week 9 bye .
I expect him to have another productive game in Week 10 when the Eagles face a New York Giants defense that has allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to wide receivers .
Fulgham is my No .
15 option and can be used as a WR2 in Week 10 .
Cincinnati Bengals rookie Tee Higgins has quietly had a very productive 2020 campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in four of his seven games this season .
He has had at least five catches in three consecutive games .
I expect the Bengals rookie to have another great game when the Bengals face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Pittsburgh .
The Steelers are the NFL 's only undefeated team , but have somewhat struggled to contain wide receivers .
Pittsburgh has allowed 12 scores to the position this season .
Higgins is my No .
24 wide receiver and can be used as a WR2 or WR3 due to this @ @

1/3
Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin is my No. 2 option for Week 10. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Davante Adams, Terry McLaurin, DeAndre Hopkins, Stefon Diggs and Michael Thomas top my Week 10 fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2020. Allen Robinson, Keenan Allen, Will Fuller, A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf round out my Top 10 options for Week 10. Cooper Kupp, Travis Fulgham and Tee Higgins 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 wide receiver.
Monitor the status for each of your players' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule. Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons players should be removed from all starting lineups, as those teams have Week 10 byes.
Advertisement
Check out my weekly waiver wire article for candidates to add to your roster before your Week 9 matchup.
Here are some of my favorite players in this week's rankings:
TOP SHELF
Davante Adams has been the best fantasy football wide receiver all season and is my top option at the position for Week 10. Adams went off for a season-high 173 yards and a score on 10 catches in Week 9. He should explode once again this week when the Green Bay Packers host the Jacksonville Jaguars.
I expect at least 10 catches for at least 100 yards and a score from Adams in this juicy matchup.
Washington Football Team wide receiver Terry McLaurin has scored in two consecutive games and should have another very productive Week 10 performance. I have McLaurin as my No. 2 wide receiver this week for when Washington faces a Detroit Lions defense that just allowed three touchdown passes in their Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
McLaurin should post at least six catches and has a shot at another 100-yard, one-score performance.
SNEAKY PLAYS
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Houston Texans wide receiver Will Fuller is my No. 8 option. Fuller has scored in six consecutive games and is one of the hottest wide receivers in fantasy football.
I expect Fuller to have another explosive performance in Week 10, when the Texans face a Cleveland Browns defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
Cooper Kupp of the Los Angeles Rams is a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 this week. Kupp lands at No. 11 in my rankings. Kupp had a season-high 20 targets in Week 8 before the Rams Week 9 bye.
I expect the Rams pass catcher to see a healthy target share once again in Week 10 when he battles a Seattle Seahawks defense that has allowed the most receiving yards and fantasy points per game to wide receivers.
LONGSHOTS
Travis Fulgham of the Philadelphia Eagles has been a pleasant surprise for those who picked him off of the waiver wire. Fulgham scored his fourth touchdown of the season in Week 8 before the Eagles Week 9 bye.
I expect him to have another productive game in Week 10 when the Eagles face a New York Giants defense that has allowed the fourth-most receiving yards to wide receivers. Fulgham is my No. 15 option and can be used as a WR2 in Week 10.
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Cincinnati Bengals rookie Tee Higgins has quietly had a very productive 2020 campaign. Higgins has seen at least eight targets in four of his seven games this season. He has had at least five catches in three consecutive games.
I expect the Bengals rookie to have another great game when the Bengals face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are the NFL's only undefeated team, but have somewhat struggled to contain wide receivers. Pittsburgh has allowed 12 scores to the position this season.
Higgins is my No. 24 wide receiver and can be used as a WR2 or WR3 due to this matchup.
Week 10 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
1. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers vs. JAX
2. Terry McLaurin, Washington Football Team at DET
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals vs. BUF
4. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills at ARI
5. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints vs. SF
6. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears vs. MIN
7. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers at MIA
8. Will Fuller, Houston Texans at CLE
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9. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans vs. IND
10. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks at LAR
11. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA
12. Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals vs. BUF
13. D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars at GB
14. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CAR
15. Travis Fulgham, Philadelphia Eagles at NYG
16. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams vs. SEA
17. Brandin Cooks, Houston Texans at CLE
18. Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT
19. John Brown, Buffalo Bills at ARI
20. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at NO
21. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings at CHI
22. Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CIN
23. Jerry Jeudy, Denver Broncos at LV
24. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT
25. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins vs. LAC
26. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers vs. TB
27. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CAR
28. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks at LAR
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29. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings at CHI
30. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. CIN
31. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens at NE
32. Robby Anderson, Carolina Panthers vs. TB
33. Curtis Samuel, Carolina Panthers vs. TB
34. Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans vs. IND
35. Marvin Jones, Detroit Lions vs. WAS
36. Danny Amendola, Detroit Lions vs. WAS
37. Darius Slayton, New York Giants vs. PHI
38. Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CAR
39. Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers at MIA
40. Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears vs. MIN
41. Richie James, San Francisco 49ers at NO
42. Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills at ARI
43. Nelson Agholor, Las Vegas Raiders vs. DEN
44. Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots vs. BAL
45. Emmanuel Sanders, New Orleans Saints vs. SF
46. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns vs. HOU
47. Rashard Higgins, Cleveland Browns vs. HOU
48. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT
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49. Sterling Shepard, New York Giants vs. PHI
50. Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers vs. JAX
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-11-11--Famous birthdays for Nov. 11: Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Scorpio .
-- Abigail @ @ @ @ @ President John Adams , in 1744

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Adam Rippon arrives on the red carpet at the 2019 Time 100 Gala at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2019, in New York City. The figure skater turns 31 on November 11. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Scorpio. They include: Advertisement
-- Abigail Adams, wife of U.S. President John Adams, in 1744
-- Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky in 1821
-- U.S. Army Gen. George Patton in 1885
-- Baseball Hall of Fame member Walter "Rabbit" Maranville in 1891
-- Novelist Kurt Vonnegut in 1922
-- Jazz musician Mose Allison in 1927
-- Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega in 1945 (age 75)
-- Golfer Frank "Fuzzy" Zoeller in 1951 (age 69)
-- TV personality Marc Summers in 1951 (age 69)
-- Actor Stanley Tucci in 1960 (age 60)
-- Actor Demi Moore in 1962 (age 58)
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
-- Actor Philip McKeon in 1964
-- Actor Calista Flockhart in 1964 (age 56)
-- Punk singer Peaches, born Merrill Beth Nisker, in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Leonardo DiCaprio in 1974 (age 46)
-- Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon in 1989 (age 31)
-- Actor Tye Sheridan in 1996 (age 24)
-- Gun control activist Emma Gonzalez in 1999 (age 21)
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upi--2020-11-11--On This Day, Nov. 11: Kaprun disaster kills 155 in Austrian Alps

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1831 , Nat Turner , who led fellow slaves on a bloody uprising in Virginia , was hanged .
Turner , an educated minister , believed he was chosen by God to lead people out of slavery .
In 1889 , Washington was admitted to the union as the 42nd state .
In 1918 , World War I ended with the signing of the Armistice of November 11 , 1918 , in a railroad car in a forest in France .
In 1921 , U.S. President Warren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia .
It is commonly called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier .
Many countries have similarly named memorials .
In 1938 , Kate Smith first performed `` God Bless America '' on her weekly radio show .
The song had been written for her by Irving Berlin .
Smith , whose song helped sell millions of dollars in war bombs , received the Medal of Freedom in 1982 .
In 1982 , the space shuttle Columbia blasted off on the first commercial space mission .
In 1987 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Kennedy to the U.S. Supreme Court after Judge Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his nomination and Judge Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate .
Kennedy joined the court in February 1988 .
In 1989 , an estimated 1 million East Germans poured into reopened West Germany for a day of celebration , visiting and shopping .
Most returned home .
In 1992 , the Church of England broke the tradition of a male-only clergy when it voted to allow the ordination of women as priests .
In 2000 , a fire on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain caught fire , killing 155 people .
Twelve people survived the Kaprun disaster , which happened while the car was inside a tunnel .
In 2004 , Yasser Arafat , the longtime Palestinian leader whose career ranged from terrorist to diplomat , a key figure in the forever smoldering Middle East , died in a Paris hospital after several days in a coma .
He was 75 .
In 2005 , Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson Sirleaf , dubbed the `` Iron Lady , '' claimed electoral victory and became the first woman president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland declared states of emergency as deadly wildfires ripped through the country .
The 2019-20 bushfire season burned 46 million acres , destroyed more than 9,300 buildings and caused nearly 500 deaths .

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The Kaprun train photographed a few weeks before a disaster on November 11, 2000, that killed 155 people. File Photo by Adrian Pingstone/Wikimedia
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1831, Nat Turner, who led fellow slaves on a bloody uprising in Virginia, was hanged. Turner, an educated minister, believed he was chosen by God to lead people out of slavery. Advertisement
In 1889, Washington was admitted to the union as the 42nd state.
In 1918, World War I ended with the signing of the Armistice of November 11, 1918, in a railroad car in a forest in France.
In 1921, U.S. President Warren Harding dedicated the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. It is commonly called the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Many countries have similarly named memorials.
File Photo by Molly Riley/UPI
In 1938, Kate Smith first performed "God Bless America" on her weekly radio show. The song had been written for her by Irving Berlin. Smith, whose song helped sell millions of dollars in war bombs, received the Medal of Freedom in 1982.
In 1982, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off on the first commercial space mission.
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In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Anthony Kennedy to the U.S. Supreme Court after Judge Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his nomination and Judge Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate. Kennedy joined the court in February 1988.
File Photo by Olivier Douliery/UPI
In 1989, an estimated 1 million East Germans poured into reopened West Germany for a day of celebration, visiting and shopping. Most returned home.
In 1992, the Church of England broke the tradition of a male-only clergy when it voted to allow the ordination of women as priests.
In 2000, a fire on a cable car taking skiers up an Austrian mountain caught fire, killing 155 people. Twelve people survived the Kaprun disaster, which happened while the car was inside a tunnel.
In 2004, Yasser Arafat, the longtime Palestinian leader whose career ranged from terrorist to diplomat, a key figure in the forever smoldering Middle East, died in a Paris hospital after several days in a coma. He was 75.
In 2005, Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, dubbed the "Iron Lady," claimed electoral victory and became the first woman president of Liberia.
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In 2019, the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland declared states of emergency as deadly wildfires ripped through the country. The 2019-20 bushfire season burned 46 million acres, destroyed more than 9,300 buildings and caused nearly 500 deaths.


upi--2020-11-11--Cincinnati Bengals claim ex-Atlanta Falcons DE Takk McKinley off waivers

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- The Cincinnati Bengals claimed former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley off waivers , the team announced Wednesday .
The Falcons waived McKinley on Tuesday after he called out the team on social media for failing to trade him at the deadline .
Last week , McKinley wrote on Twitter that Atlanta turned down fifth- and sixth-round draft pick offers from multiple teams despite his desire to be traded .
The fourth-year pass rusher also said he requested a trade last year , but the Falcons turned down a second-round selection for him at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media posts , Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris said McKinley would be `` held accountable '' for his decision to reveal the details of those possible trades , along with past misconduct .
`` Takk will definitely be held accountable for his actions and everything that goes with it , '' Morris said last week .
Earlier this year , the Falcons declined to pick up McKinley 's fifth-year option , which was worth about $ 10.3 million .
The 25-year-old McKinley was sidelined for the Falcons ' past two games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has been dealing with the groin issue since Week 2 .
McKinley has played only 81 snaps and has just one sack in four games this season .
He has recorded 17.5 career sacks in 49 games since entering the NFL in 2017 as the No .
26 overall pick .

Former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takkarist McKinley (98) has 17.5 career sacks in 49 games since entering the league in 2017. File Photo by Art Foxall/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals claimed former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Takk McKinley off waivers, the team announced Wednesday. The Falcons waived McKinley on Tuesday after he called out the team on social media for failing to trade him at the deadline. Advertisement
Last week, McKinley wrote on Twitter that Atlanta turned down fifth- and sixth-round draft pick offers from multiple teams despite his desire to be traded. The fourth-year pass rusher also said he requested a trade last year, but the Falcons turned down a second-round selection for him at the time.
In response to the social media posts, Falcons interim head coach Raheem Morris said McKinley would be "held accountable" for his decision to reveal the details of those possible trades, along with past misconduct.
"Takk will definitely be held accountable for his actions and everything that goes with it," Morris said last week.
Tikk-Takk-Toe We've acquired DE @Takk McKinley on waivers from the Atlanta Falcons.— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) November 11, 2020
Earlier this year, the Falcons declined to pick up McKinley's fifth-year option, which was worth about $10.3 million.
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The 25-year-old McKinley was sidelined for the Falcons' past two games because of a groin injury and illness. He has been dealing with the groin issue since Week 2.
McKinley has played only 81 snaps and has just one sack in four games this season. He has recorded 17.5 career sacks in 49 games since entering the NFL in 2017 as the No. 26 overall pick.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-11-11--Former officer charged in Breonna Taylor case sued for alleged sexual assault

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- The former Louisville , Ky. , police officer charged with endangering Breonna Taylor 's neighbors on the night she was shot and killed by police has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a woman in April 2018 .
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court alleges former Louisville Metro Police Detective Brett Hankison sexually assaulted a woman after leveraging his badge and uniform to form a friendship with her .
The suit states that the woman knew Hankison through a mutual friend and that he assaulted her as she fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her a ride home from a Louisville bar where he was working a security job .
It further states that she yelled at Hankison to get off of her after regaining consciousness and that she said Hankison later sent her a message on social media suggesting the assault was consensual .
The woman was left `` physically injured , mentally horrified and remained in extreme emotional duress over both the assault and the feeling that any efforts made to hold officer Hankison accountable for his actions would backfire , '' the suit states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the woman , told ABC News her client `` felt that it was necessary to come forward and pursue justice and hold Brett accountable . ''
The lawsuit alleges that Hankison exhibited a pattern of similar behavior targeting unsuspecting women and contains statements from other women who said Hankison offered them rides from bars he worked at before making unwanted sexual advances .
`` Brett Hankison is a 44-year-old sexual predator .
For years , he has used his police uniform and secondary night club employment as mechanisms to prey on innocent women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' it states .
In September , Hankison pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment related to bullets he fired through a sliding glass door and bedroom window , some of which pierced the wall of a neighboring apartment endangering three people , including a child and a pregnant woman who lived next door , on the night Taylor was shot and killed .
The two other officers involved in the shooting , Sgt .
Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove , were not indicted .

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The former Louisville, Ky., police officer charged with endangering Breonna Taylor's neighbors on the night she was shot and killed by police has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a woman in April 2018.
The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court alleges former Louisville Metro Police Detective Brett Hankison sexually assaulted a woman after leveraging his badge and uniform to form a friendship with her.
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The suit states that the woman knew Hankison through a mutual friend and that he assaulted her as she fell asleep in her bedroom after he gave her a ride home from a Louisville bar where he was working a security job.
It further states that she yelled at Hankison to get off of her after regaining consciousness and that she said Hankison later sent her a message on social media suggesting the assault was consensual.
The woman was left "physically injured, mentally horrified and remained in extreme emotional duress over both the assault and the feeling that any efforts made to hold officer Hankison accountable for his actions would backfire," the suit states.
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Lonita Baker, a lawyer representing the woman, told ABC News her client "felt that it was necessary to come forward and pursue justice and hold Brett accountable."
The lawsuit alleges that Hankison exhibited a pattern of similar behavior targeting unsuspecting women and contains statements from other women who said Hankison offered them rides from bars he worked at before making unwanted sexual advances.
"Brett Hankison is a 44-year-old sexual predator. For years, he has used his police uniform and secondary night club employment as mechanisms to prey on innocent women who are two decades younger than him," it states.
In September, Hankison pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree wanton endangerment related to bullets he fired through a sliding glass door and bedroom window, some of which pierced the wall of a neighboring apartment endangering three people, including a child and a pregnant woman who lived next door, on the night Taylor was shot and killed.
The two other officers involved in the shooting, Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove, were not indicted.


upi--2020-11-11--President-elect Biden taps long-time aide Ron Klain to be White House chief of staff

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- President-elect Joe Biden named long-time aide Ron Klain as his incoming White House chief of staff on Wednesday as he prepares to transition into the country 's highest office despite its current occupant , President Donald Trump , having yet to concede defeat in the general election .
The Biden administration transition team announced Klain would oversee the president-elect 's executive office and serve as his senior advisor in a statement Wednesday evening , stating the 59-year-old lawyer will work to build a diverse and experienced team to help Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country . ''
Klain , a Harvard Law School graduate , has worked with Biden for decades , having advised the former senator from Delaware during his failed 1988 and 2008 presidential bids , worked as his chief counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1989 to 1992 and served as chief of staff to the vice president from 2009 to 2012 .
He also served as the White House Ebola Response coordinator under President Barack Obama during an outbreak of the deadly virus in 2014 and 2015 .
Biden described Klain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the years the pair have worked together .
`` His deep , varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again , '' the president-elect said .
The announcement came more than a week after Election Day and days after Biden was named president-elect after being awarded 279 electoral votes , nine more than required , over the weekend While Biden and Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump -- who has filed numerous lawsuits for state recounts and to allege voter fraud and tabulation irregularities despite there being widespread consensus the election was held fairly -- continues to maintain that he will win the election .
Votes are still being counted in three states , with Arizona and Georgia leaning toward Biden and North Carolina toward Trump , all by slim margins , according to CNN and NBC .
If Trump , who has 217 electoral votes , were to win all three , he 'd still fall short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency .
`` We will win ! ''
Trump tweeted at least twice on Wednesday .
Elizabeth Warren , former presidential candidate and a Democratic senator from Massachusetts , called Klain `` a superb choice for Chief of Staff . ''
`` He understands the magnitude of the health and economic crisis and he has the experience to lead this next administration through it , '' she said via Twitter .
`` Ron has earned trust all across the entire Democratic Party . ''
Klain said in a statement that to serve Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is `` the honor of a lifetime . ''
`` I look forward to helping him and the Vice President-elect assemble a talented and diverse team in the White House as we tackle their ambitious agenda for change , and seek to heal the divides in our country , '' he said .
The Biden administration has listed the COVID-19 pandemic , economic recovery , racial equity and climate change as priorities to tackle once they get into office .

Ron Klain, the former White House Ebola Response coordinator, was tapped Wednesday evening by President-elect Joe Biden to be his incoming White House chief of staff. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- President-elect Joe Biden named longtime aide Ron Klain as his incoming White House chief of staff on Wednesday as he prepares to transition into the country's highest office despite its current occupant, President Donald Trump, having yet to concede defeat in the general election. The Biden administration transition team announced Klain would oversee the president-elect's executive office and serve as his senior advisor in a statement Wednesday evening, stating the 59-year-old lawyer will work to build a diverse and experienced team to help Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris "meet the urgent challenges facing the country." Advertisement
Klain, a Harvard Law School graduate, has worked with Biden for decades, having advised the former senator from Delaware during his failed 1988 and 2008 presidential bids, worked as his chief counsel of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 1989 to 1992 and served as chief of staff to the vice president from 2009 to 2012. He also served as the White House Ebola Response coordinator under President Barack Obama during an outbreak of the deadly virus in 2014 and 2015.
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Biden described Klain in a statement as "invaluable" during the years the pair have worked together.
"His deep, varied experience and capacity to work with people all across the political spectrum is precisely what I need in a White House chief of staff as we confront this moment of crisis and bring our country together again," the president-elect said.
The announcement came more than a week after Election Day and days after Biden was named president-elect after being awarded 279 electoral votes, nine more than required, over the weekend.
While Biden and Harris work to transition into the White House, Trump -- who has filed numerous lawsuits for state recounts and to allege voter fraud and tabulation irregularities despite there being widespread consensus the election was held fairly -- continues to maintain that he will win the election.
Votes are still being counted in three states, with Arizona and Georgia leaning toward Biden and North Carolina toward Trump, all by slim margins, according to CNN and NBC. If Trump, who has 217 electoral votes, were to win all three, he'd still fall short of the 270 required to win the presidency.
"We will win!" Trump tweeted at least twice on Wednesday.
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Elizabeth Warren, former presidential candidate and a Democratic senator from Massachusetts, called Klain "a superb choice for Chief of Staff."
"He understands the magnitude of the health and economic crisis and he has the experience to lead this next administration through it," she said via Twitter. "Ron has earned trust all across the entire Democratic Party."
Klain said in a statement that to serve Biden as his White House chief of staff is "the honor of a lifetime."
"I look forward to helping him and the Vice President-elect assemble a talented and diverse team in the White House as we tackle their ambitious agenda for change, and seek to heal the divides in our country," he said.
The Biden administration has listed the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery, racial equity and climate change as priorities to tackle once they get into office.


upi--2020-11-11--Snow owls Clint Black, Lisa Hartman Black eliminated from 'Masked Singer'

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black got the boot from Season 4 of FOX @ @ @ @ @ night .
`` That was fun !
WHO guessed it ?
A lot of you @ @ @ @ @ !
Lisa Hartman Black and I had quite the time as the Snow Owls on @ @ @ @ @ '' Clint Black tweeted after the episode aired .
Ken Jeong , Jenny McCarthy , @ @ @ @ @ are the program 's judges , and Nick Cannon is the host .
Rapper Busta @ @ @ @ @ celebrity eliminated this season .
Actor Mickey Rourke later took himself out of the competition @ @ @ @ @ Austin Green , retired pro football player/sports commentator Mark Sanchez , talk-show host Wendy Williams @ @ @ @ @ subsequently cut from the show .

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black got the boot from Season 4 of FOX's The Masked Singer Wednesday night.
"That was fun! WHO guessed it? A lot of you did, that's WHO! Lisa Hartman Black and I had quite the time as the Snow Owls on @MaskedSingerFOX this season!" Clint Black tweeted after the episode aired.


upi--2020-11-11--House report says technology exists to allow for remote voting amid pandemic

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- A House committee report released Wednesday found that technology exists that would allow for Congress to securely conduct votes remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The report by the House administration committee stated that the technology to allow the House to securely conduct secure voting is already in use by legislative bodies both within the United States and other countries , while citing the importance to implement remote voting as more than 75 members of Congress have either been diagnosed with COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with the virus .
`` This staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exists that would permit the House to conduct remote voting and that such a tool could be developed to further establish the House 's flexibility and resiliency to operate during the pandemic , '' the report stated .
The committee outlined that a remote voting system must meet four fundamental requirements : Only eligible voters can vote though no more than once , votes are cast as intended , votes are collected as cast and votes are counted as collected .
It also said certain security measures such as ensuring security of remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' for lawmakers that would only be used to cast votes , publicizing votes immediately after they are cast to allow members to ensure there was no interference or irregularity and checking the system regularly for vulnerabilities .
The report also noted that half of the states in the nation and Washington , D.C. , have enacted or are close to enacting provisions authorizing remote voting or meetings `` in some form or fashion . ''
Wednesday 's report comes after the House approved new rules in May allowing them to vote remotely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee hearings amid the pandemic .

A report by the House administration committee concluded that "operable and secure technology exists" to allow Congress to securely vote remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A House committee report released Wednesday found that technology exists that would allow for Congress to securely conduct votes remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The report by the House administration committee stated that the technology to allow the House to securely conduct secure voting is already in use by legislative bodies both within the United States and other countries, while citing the importance to implement remote voting as more than 75 members of Congress have either been diagnosed with COVID-19 or been exposed to someone with the virus. Advertisement
"This staff report concludes that operable and secure technology exists that would permit the House to conduct remote voting and that such a tool could be developed to further establish the House's flexibility and resiliency to operate during the pandemic," the report stated.
The committee outlined that a remote voting system must meet four fundamental requirements: Only eligible voters can vote though no more than once, votes are cast as intended, votes are collected as cast and votes are counted as collected.
It also said certain security measures such as ensuring security of remote networks, issuing "dedicated voting devices" for lawmakers that would only be used to cast votes, publicizing votes immediately after they are cast to allow members to ensure there was no interference or irregularity and checking the system regularly for vulnerabilities.
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The report also noted that half of the states in the nation and Washington, D.C., have enacted or are close to enacting provisions authorizing remote voting or meetings "in some form or fashion."
Wednesday's report comes after the House approved new rules in May allowing them to vote remotely by proxy in addition to holding remote committee hearings amid the pandemic.


upi--2020-11-11--Oklahoma City Thunder promote assistant Mark Daigneault to head coach

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder promoted assistant Mark Daigneault to head coach , the team announced Wednesday .
Daigneault , 35 , replaces former head coach Billy Donovan , who is now coaching the Chicago Bulls .
`` The opportunity to be the head coach of the Thunder is truly a special honor , '' Daigneault said in a statement Wednesday .
`` Over my six years in Oklahoma City I 've developed a deep commitment to the organization and a care for what is truly a special community that I call home .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ values have always been aligned with those of the organization , and I 'm looking forward to helping them continue to be lived out on and off the court . ''
Daigneault takes over the Thunder within three weeks of the start of training camp on Dec. 1 .
Prior to moving into the head-coaching position , he spent five years as the coach of the G League 's OKC Blues .
He had a .572 winning percentage and won three division titles with the team .
`` We are thrilled to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Oklahoma City Thunder , '' general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday .
`` He has been a selfless and effective leader within our organization since his arrival in 2014 .
`` Mark is a values-based leader , continuous learner , and someone that will help us continue the repositioning of our organization on and off the court . ''
Daigneault transitioned to the Thunder 's coaching staff for the 2019-20 campaign , joining Donovan on the bench in a season when Oklahoma City earned the No .
6 seed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expired after the season , which led him to accept the Bulls ' coaching job .

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The Oklahoma City Thunder promoted assistant Mark Daigneault to head coach, the team announced Wednesday.
Daigneault, 35, replaces former head coach Billy Donovan, who is now coaching the Chicago Bulls.
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"The opportunity to be the head coach of the Thunder is truly a special honor," Daigneault said in a statement Wednesday. "Over my six years in Oklahoma City I've developed a deep commitment to the organization and a care for what is truly a special community that I call home.
"From my first day here, my values have always been aligned with those of the organization, and I'm looking forward to helping them continue to be lived out on and off the court."
Daigneault takes over the Thunder within three weeks of the start of training camp on Dec. 1. Prior to moving into the head-coaching position, he spent five years as the coach of the G League's OKC Blues. He had a .572 winning percentage and won three division titles with the team.
"We are thrilled to have Mark assume the role of head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder," general manager Sam Presti said Wednesday. "He has been a selfless and effective leader within our organization since his arrival in 2014.
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"Mark is a values-based leader, continuous learner, and someone that will help us continue the repositioning of our organization on and off the court."
Daigneault transitioned to the Thunder's coaching staff for the 2019-20 campaign, joining Donovan on the bench in a season when Oklahoma City earned the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Donovan's contract expired after the season, which led him to accept the Bulls' coaching job.


upi--2020-11-11--Reds' Trevor Bauer, Indians' Shane Bieber win Cy Young awards

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Cincinnati Reds ace Trevor Bauer and Cleveland Indians rising star Shane Bieber on Wednesday were named this year 's Cy Young Award winners .
Bauer became the first National League Cy Young Award winner in Reds history after beating out fellow finalists Yu Darvish of the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom , who was attempting to become only the third pitcher in MLB history to capture the award in three consecutive seasons , in the voting .
Before Bauer , the Reds were one of four active major league teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only club founded prior to 1961 without one .
In the 2020 season , Bauer posted a 5-4 record and a National League-leading 1.73 ERA in 73 innings .
Meanwhile , Bieber unanimously won the American League Cy Young Award after his dominance in the pandemic-shortened season .
He went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings , leading the majors in both ERA and strikeouts .
He tied for the league lead with eight wins .
Bieber became the second player in team history to win the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Famer Bob Feller in 1940 .
He was the first pitcher to lead the major leagues in all three categories since the Minnesota Twins ' Johan Santana in 2006 .
Bieber , who was the first unanimous winner of the award since Justin Verlander in 2011 , topped Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda for the award .
The Toronto Blue Jays ' Hyun-Jin Ryu finished behind Maeda in third .

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer posted a 5-4 record and a National League-leading 1.73 ERA in 73 innings in the 2020 season. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Cincinnati Reds ace Trevor Bauer and Cleveland Indians rising star Shane Bieber on Wednesday were named this year's Cy Young Award winners. Bauer became the first National League Cy Young Award winner in Reds history after beating out fellow finalists Yu Darvish of the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom, who was attempting to become only the third pitcher in MLB history to capture the award in three consecutive seasons, in the voting. Advertisement
Before Bauer, the Reds were one of four active major league teams without a Cy Young winner and the only club founded prior to 1961 without one.
In the 2020 season, Bauer posted a 5-4 record and a National League-leading 1.73 ERA in 73 innings.
The first @Reds player to ever win the Cy Young award. pic.twitter.com/7Op6fDOS7d— MLB (@MLB) November 11, 2020
Meanwhile, Bieber unanimously won the American League Cy Young Award after his dominance in the pandemic-shortened season. He went 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings, leading the majors in both ERA and strikeouts. He tied for the league lead with eight wins.
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Bieber became the second player in team history to win the pitching AL Triple Crown, joining Hall of Famer Bob Feller in 1940. He was the first pitcher to lead the major leagues in all three categories since the Minnesota Twins' Johan Santana in 2006.
Triple Crown = Cy Young There was never a doubt with numbers like these. pic.twitter.com/MIGiW8Z2iR— MLB (@MLB) November 11, 2020
Bieber, who was the first unanimous winner of the award since Justin Verlander in 2011, topped Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda for the award. The Toronto Blue Jays' Hyun-Jin Ryu finished behind Maeda in third.


upi--2020-11-11--Tampa under a tropical storm warning as Eta closes in on Florida's west coast

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Hours after regaining hurricane force on Wednesday morning as it started moving northeastward over the Gulf of Mexico , Eta weakened into a tropical storm just west of Florida early in the afternoon .
Still , forecasters are predicting that the storm will make a second U.S. landfall along Florida 's Gulf coast as a 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale -- potentially bringing a rare strike to the Tampa and St. Petersburg area .
A hurricane watch was in effect for the area , which has become known for dodging hurricane landfalls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm weakened back below hurricane strength , the hurricane watch was replaced by tropical storm warnings from Bonita Beach to Suwannee River , Fla. , including Tampa , where tropical-storm conditions are likely .
Churning over the Gulf just 55 miles west of Tampa , the storm was on the move again Wednesday .
At 7 p.m. EST , Eta was heading to the north at 12 mph -- one day after it sat stationary off the western tip of Cuba , triggering additional flooding concerns for western parts of the island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum sustained winds had dropped to 70 by Wednesday afternoon , 4 mph below hurricane threshold .
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center of Eta , mainly on the storm 's eastern side .
The outer fringes of rain and gusty winds were already lashing at the west coast of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday from Tampa to Marco Island .
These areas as well as locations farther to the north to near Cross City , Fla. , along the Florida west coast will experience tropical-storm-force wind gusts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday night .
Stronger gusts will develop near and north of the Tampa area during Wednesday night .
AccuWeather National Reporter Jonathan Petramala shared a video on Twitter of surf beginning to come up ahead of Eta in St. Petersburg Beach Wednesday morning .
Forecasters expect Eta to make landfall along the upper portion of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula -- likely between Cedar Key and Tarpon Springs -- during early Thursday morning most likely as a strong tropical storm .
Even though Eta is forecast to hit with the wind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale , AccuWeather meteorologists expect Eta to have the impact of 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale for hurricanes , which factors in a broad range of the impacts , including flooding rain , storm surge , wind and economic losses , while the Saffir-Simpson scale categorizes hurricanes based solely on maximum sustained winds .
The last time that a hurricane impacted part of Tampa was when Irma rampaged up the Sunshine State in 2017 , delivering a glancing blow as a weakened Category 1 hurricane to eastern parts of the city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit and the storm caused damage , power outages and a rare spectacle for those who had not evacuated ahead of the storm -- a blowout tide that emptied parts of Tampa Bay .
Similar to Irma , Hurricane Charley in 2004 was initially forecast to track into the Tampa area , but the dangerous Category 4 storm , packing 150-mph winds , suddenly veered northeastward , sparing the region and making landfall about 90 miles farther the south in Cayo Costa , Florida , instead .
Prior to Hurricane Irma , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit by a hurricane was in October 1921 , nearly a full century ago , even before hurricanes were given names .
Known as `` the forgotten nightmare , '' according to the National Weather Service , the hurricane killed at least eight people and left behind widespread destruction AccuWeather 's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski predicted that the storm 's north-northeasterly movement will continue as it tracks toward Florida 's west coast , but it will make a last-minute turn more toward the northeast , affecting where landfall occurs .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm turn more to the northeast as it moves along .
This makes a difference with not only the landfall point , but also timing of the storm 's strong tropical storm to hurricane conditions , and where the biggest storm surge might occur , '' Kottlowski explained .
Should the storm track in near Clearwater , then a significant storm surge could focus on Tampa Bay , Florida .
At this time a storm surge of 1 feet to 3 feet is forecast near and just south of the center of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 6 feet possible .
Predicted winds of 40-60 mph strong can knock down trees , cause power outages and cause loose items to turn into projectiles .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax wind gust of 80 mph is forecast near and just south of where the eye makes landfall .
Winds this strong can cause property damage , and tear off poorly-constructed roofs .
`` In addition to the strong wind gusts , there is the potential for tornadoes to be spawned over the Florida Peninsula and waterspouts to develop along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger .
Tornadoes and waterspouts could spin up within the spiral bands of the storm .
Forecasters emphasized the importance of heeding all warnings , noting that some of the tornadoes may be hard to see as they could be rain-wrapped .
And Eta already has a history of unleashing torrential rainfall in Florida .
Eta dumped up to 18 inches on South Florida Sunday into Monday , causing widespread flooding of streets and low-lying locations in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale , Fla .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds on Lower Matecumbe Key , Florida , on Sunday night .
The heaviest rain from Eta during Wednesday into Thursday will avoid areas hit the hardest by torrential downpours earlier this week , but a general 2 inches to 8 inches of rain is anticipated to drench much of the western half of the peninsula with an AccuWeather Local StormMax of 14 inches anticipated .
But even in some of the central and eastern parts of the Florida Peninsula , downpours could lead to localized flooding as locally strong wind gusts could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cities such as Winter Haven , Orlando , Ocala and Gainesville , Fla. , could even face sporadic power outages .
After Eta makes landfall and pushes inland , the system will trek across the northern part of the Florida Peninsula on Thursday .
After that , it is expected to push offshore of Florida 's upper Atlantic coast on Thursday night .
Eta is forecast to gradually lose wind intensity as it moves over land , but gusty and locally damaging winds are forecast to spread as Eta moves along over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Friday , rain and localized flooding from Eta will spread into northern Florida and Georgia , '' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller said .
Then , Eta could lurk over western Atlantic waters for a time .
`` From Friday onward , Eta will continue to weaken and could either be absorbed by a cold front or could stay separated from the front and possibly circle waters of the western Atlantic for several days , '' Kottlowski said .
AccuWeather forecasters have already been monitoring Eta for weeks and warning that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Eta was first named a tropical storm on Oct. 31 , making 2020 tie the 2005 record for most named systems to develop in one hurricane season .
Theta , another system that formed out in the central Atlantic Monday evening , since broke that record when it became the 29th organized tropical system of the year .
And the season is n't over yet .
Meteorologists are keeping an eye on another disturbance that could brew in the Caribbean Sea by the weekend .
The system could head toward Central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas recently devastated by Eta .
The next tropical storm to develop will be given the name Iota .
It has been more than a week since Eta 's calamitous impacts in Central America where it produced devastating flooding and mudslides , killing over 50 people in Guatemala alone .
Eta struck Nicaragua as a Category 4 storm , only the fifth storm to make landfall at that intensity or stronger in the nation 's history .
The Atlantic hurricane season does n't officially end until Nov. 30 -- and there could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Tropical Storm Eta was expected to remain offshore over the next few days but bring life-threatening surf and rip currents to the southeastern coast of the United States. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- After making its second landfall in Florida overnight, Tropical Storm Eta began moving offshore, where it's expected to skirt along the East Coast before heading out to sea. In its 10 p.m. EST advisory, the National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm was located about 65 miles east-southeast of Charleston, S.C., and was moving northeast at 17 mph. It had maximum sustained winds of 45. Advertisement
Eta is likely to remain a tropical storm over the next few days as it picks up speed, but could intensify into a non-tropical cyclone over the weekend.
"On the forecast track, Eta is expected to accelerate over the western Atlantic and move parallel to, but offshore of the Carolinas tonight and early Friday before heading well east of the Mid-Atlantic coast by late Friday," the NHC said in an earlier update.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in place throughout the region.
Eta was expected to bring an additional 1 inch to 3 inches of rain to the Florida peninsula Thursday, with localized flooding in some areas. The storm was also forecast to bring swells along the southeastern coast, including life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.


upi--2020-11-11--2020 CMA Awards open with tribute to the late Charlie Daniels

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- The 54th annual Country Music Association Awards began with a tribute to the late Charlie Daniels on Wednesday night .
Performers Dierks Bentley , Brothers Osborne , Ashley McBryde and Jason Aldean opened the broadcast from Music City Center in Nashville , Tenn. , by performing a medley of Daniels ' songs in honor of the country music star who died at the age of 83 in July .
The night was also set to feature a performance of `` In the Ghetto , '' by hosts Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker in honor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song for Elvis Presley and died in September .
The hosts opened the evening with a monologue discussing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as McEntire joked `` in 2020 it 's great to be anywhere . ''
`` Tonight 's a wonderful evening to sing together , stand together and be together at the end of a year when too much in this world has been pulling us apart , sometimes more than six feet , '' she said .
Miranda Lambert , Luke Combs , Maren Morris , Kelsea Ballerini , Eric Church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida Georgia Line and other acts are set to perform during the event .
Lambert and Combs lead the field of 2020 nominees as they are both nominated for Entertainer of the Year , along with Church , Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban .

Luke Combs dominated the 54th annual Country Music Association Awards after coming into the night with six nominations. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Luke Combs and Maren Morris were the big winners of the 54th annual Country Music Association Awards, each taking home multiple top prizes, including Album of the Year. Combs entered the night with six nominations, behind only Miranda Lambert with seven, taking home the prize for best album for his record What You See Is What You Get as well as being named Male Vocalist of the Year. Advertisement
Meanwhile, Morris brought home Single of the Year and Song of the Year for track song "The Bones," while also being named Female Vocalist of the Year.
Other big winners included Eric Church, who was named Entertainer of the Year, Morgan Wallen as New Artist of the Year, Old Dominion claiming Vocal Group of the Year and Dan +Shay taking home Vocal Duo of the Year.
The night began with Dierks Bentley, Brothers Osborne, Ashley McBryde and Jason Aldean performing a medley of Charlie Daniels' songs in honor of the country music star who died at the age of 83 in July.
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The event was hosted by Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire who joked "in 2020 it's great to be anywhere" as they delivered a monologue discussing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic from Music City Center in Nashville, Tenn.
"Tonight's a wonderful evening to sing together, stand together and be together at the end of a year when too much in this world has been pulling us apart, sometimes more than six feet," she said.
The night also featured a performance of "In the Ghetto," by hosts Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker in honor of Mac Davis, who wrote the song for Elvis Presley and died in September.
Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Eric Church, Gabby Barrett, Charlie Puth and Florida Georgia Line also performed.


upi--2020-11-11--SEC's Greg Sankey 'shaken, but not deterred' after fourth postponement this week

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said this was a `` week unlike any other '' after having to postpone four football games due to COVID-19 testing in a span of three days .
While speaking with reporters Wednesday , Sankey expressed confidence that the SEC will finish its regular season and stage its championship game despite the rising number of cases inside the conference .
Since Monday , the SEC has announced that Saturday 's Alabama-LSU , Auburn-Mississippi State , Texas A & M-Tennessee and Georgia-Missouri games have been postponed after COVID-19 testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injuries -- left many of those schools ' rosters depleted of available scholarship players .
`` I 'm certainly shaken , but not deterred , '' Sankey said of this week 's events .
`` I think it 's important to remember that so far to date in football season we 've completed 40 of our 70 games with a 10-game season for each of our 14 teams .
That predicts to 70 games within the regular season .
`` We recognized back in the summer that there would be the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those are not infinite opportunities , but we acknowledge the likelihood of adjustment . ''
Currently , the SEC title game is scheduled for Dec. 19 .
The league also could allow non-participants of that championship matchup to play make-up games on that date as well .
`` We have finish lines right now , '' Sankey said .
`` So my focus is on December 19 for an SEC championship game .
I 've said that .
The CFP semifinals are on the first of January , [ with ] the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got to focus on trying to complete a season .
At some point we have to have a finish line . ''
Meanwhile , Saturday 's Big Ten contest between Ohio State and Maryland was canceled after the Terrapins paused all team-related activities due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases within their football program .
Over the past week , eight Maryland players have tested positive for the virus , the school said Wednesday .
`` There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our student-athletes , coaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Damon Evans said in a statement .
`` We realize that this news is disappointing to all of the Maryland fans out there who were looking forward to the Terps taking on an outstanding Ohio State team , but the responsible thing for us to do is pause football activities , given the number of positive cases currently in our program . ''
Wednesday 's cancellation marks the third Big Ten game to be scrapped because of the coronavirus .
Wisconsin was unable to play its last two games against Nebraska and Purdue @ @ @ @

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey expressed confidence that the SEC will finish its regular season and stage its championship game despite four postponements this week. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said this was a "week unlike any other" after having to postpone four football games due to COVID-19 testing in a span of three days. While speaking with reporters Wednesday, Sankey expressed confidence that the SEC will finish its regular season and stage its championship game despite the rising number of cases inside the conference. Advertisement
Since Monday, the SEC has announced that Saturday's Alabama-LSU, Auburn-Mississippi State, Texas A&M-Tennessee and Georgia-Missouri games have been postponed after COVID-19 testing and subsequent contact tracing -- along with non-COVID-related injuries -- left many of those schools' rosters depleted of available scholarship players.
"I'm certainly shaken, but not deterred," Sankey said of this week's events. "I think it's important to remember that so far to date in football season we've completed 40 of our 70 games with a 10-game season for each of our 14 teams. That predicts to 70 games within the regular season.
"We recognized back in the summer that there would be the need to adjust. We provided opportunities for that. Those are not infinite opportunities, but we acknowledge the likelihood of adjustment."
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Currently, the SEC title game is scheduled for Dec. 19. The league also could allow non-participants of that championship matchup to play make-up games on that date as well.
"We have finish lines right now," Sankey said. "So my focus is on December 19 for an SEC championship game. I've said that. The CFP semifinals are on the first of January, [with] the championship on the 11th. ... I've got to focus on trying to complete a season. At some point we have to have a finish line."
Meanwhile, Saturday's Big Ten contest between Ohio State and Maryland was canceled after the Terrapins paused all team-related activities due to an increased number of COVID-19 cases within their football program.
Over the past week, eight Maryland players have tested positive for the virus, the school said Wednesday.
"There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our student-athletes, coaches and staff," Maryland athletic director Damon Evans said in a statement.
"We realize that this news is disappointing to all of the Maryland fans out there who were looking forward to the Terps taking on an outstanding Ohio State team, but the responsible thing for us to do is pause football activities, given the number of positive cases currently in our program."
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Wednesday's cancellation marks the third Big Ten game to be scrapped because of the coronavirus. Wisconsin was unable to play its last two games against Nebraska and Purdue due to COVID-19.


upi--2020-11-11--Purple pink diamond sells for $26.6M at auction

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- A 14.83-carat purple pink diamond sold at auction in Geneva for a record $ 26.6 million Wednesday , Sotheby 's auction house announced .
It was the most fetched at auction for a diamond of its grade -- fancy vivid purple-pink .
Sotheby 's said it expected the gem to sell for between $ 23 million and $ 38 million .
The telephone buyer of the gem chose to remain anonymous .
The diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose and was cut from a rough diamond called Nijinsky after the Russian ballet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of three stones unearthed by mining company Alrosa named after Russian ballets .
The diamond was discovered in 2017 in Yakutia in northeast Russia .
`` The Spirit of the Rose is the ideal name for a stone which reflects beauty and mystery ; a diamond for which the magnificence and the grandeur of Russia were fully unveiled by the cutter who brought out its inner and magical beauty , '' Sotheby 's said in its catalog notes for the diamond .
Pink diamonds are extraordinarily rare .
About 80 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Argyle mine in Western Australia -- and only about 0.1 % of the mine 's annual 20 million carats in output is pink .
The current record auction price for a pink diamond of any grade is $ 71.2 million for a 59.6-carat oval mixed-cut fancy vivid pink diamond .

A Sotheby's employee poses with The Spirit of the Rose, a vivid fancy purple pink diamond weighing 14.83 carats, during a preview at in Geneva, Switzerland, on November 6. Photo by Salvatore di Nolfi/EPA-EFE
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A 14.83-carat purple pink diamond sold at auction in Geneva for a record $26.6 million Wednesday, Sotheby's auction house announced. It was the most fetched at auction for a diamond of its grade -- fancy vivid purple-pink. Sotheby's said it expected the gem to sell for between $23 million and $38 million. Advertisement
The telephone buyer of the gem chose to remain anonymous.
The diamond was named The Spirit of the Rose and was cut from a rough diamond called Nijinsky after the Russian ballet dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. It was one of three stones unearthed by mining company Alrosa named after Russian ballets.
The diamond was discovered in 2017 in Yakutia in northeast Russia.
"The Spirit of the Rose is the ideal name for a stone which reflects beauty and mystery; a diamond for which the magnificence and the grandeur of Russia were fully unveiled by the cutter who brought out its inner and magical beauty," Sotheby's said in its catalog notes for the diamond.
Pink diamonds are extraordinarily rare. About 80% of the world's pink diamonds come from the Argyle mine in Western Australia -- and only about 0.1% of the mine's annual 20 million carats in output is pink.
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The current record auction price for a pink diamond of any grade is $71.2 million for a 59.6-carat oval mixed-cut fancy vivid pink diamond.


upi--2020-11-11--Civilians beheaded in attack in northern Mozambique

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- The United Nations on Wednesday condemned reports of massacres by non-state armed groups in villages in northern Mozambique .
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was `` shocked '' by the reports including the beheading and kidnapping of women and children in Mozambique 's Cabo Delgado province and condemned the `` wanton brutality , '' spokesman Stephan Dujarric said .
`` The secretary-general urges the country 's authorities to conduct an investigation into these incidents and to hold those responsible to account .
He calls on all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Dujarric said .
A witness to the attacks told CNN that insurgents cut off victims ' heads and left them in ditches on the side of the road .
Mozambican police announced to state media that more than 50 people had been gathered on a soccer field in town where they were beheaded .
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of neighboring Zimbabwe also condemned the attacks on Twitter .
`` I am deeply shocked by recent reports of terrorist activity in Mozambique .
These acts of barbarity must be stamped out whenever they @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Nov. 11 (UPI) -- The United Nations on Wednesday condemned reports of massacres by non-state armed groups in villages in northern Mozambique.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was "shocked" by the reports including the beheading and kidnapping of women and children in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province and condemned the "wanton brutality," spokesman Stephan Dujarric said.
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"The secretary-general urges the country's authorities to conduct an investigation into these incidents and to hold those responsible to account. He calls on all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law," Dujarric said.
A witness to the attacks told CNN that insurgents cut off victims' heads and left them in ditches on the side of the road.
Mozambican police announced to state media that more than 50 people had been gathered on a soccer field in town where they were beheaded.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of neighboring Zimbabwe also condemned the attacks on Twitter.
"I am deeply shocked by recent reports of terrorist activity in Mozambique. These acts of barbarity must be stamped out whenever they are found," he wrote.


upi--2020-11-11--Ex-Spurs great Tim Duncan stepping down from assistant role with team

Nov. 11 ( UPI ) -- Former San Antonio Spurs star big man Tim Duncan is stepping away from his role as a full-time assistant coach for the franchise .
League sources informed ESPN and the New York Times of Duncan 's decision to step down Wednesday .
He spent one season as an assistant under head coach Gregg Popovich after the team hired Duncan in July 2019 .
However , Duncan -- a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame 's 2020 class -- did n't join the Spurs for the NBA 's restart this summer at the Walt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Antonio to help All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge rehabilitate from a shoulder injury .
For the first three years after his retirement from playing in 2016 , Duncan was n't an official member of the Spurs ' coaching staff but was a frequent visitor and helper at the team 's practice facility .
After Duncan agreed to join the Spurs ' staff , Popovich noted that he did n't believe the legendary forward would have a lengthy coaching career .
`` Something tells me it 's not going to be his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be great this year , '' Popovich said at the Spurs ' media day before the start of this past season .
Duncan , who was a 15-time All-Star selection , spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs .
He won five NBA championships with the organization and was a two-time MVP .
Duncan also won three Finals MVP awards and was the league 's Rookie of the Year in the 1997-98 campaign .
He is widely considered the greatest power forward in NBA history .

Former San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan (L), who was a 15-time All-Star selection, spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs. File Photo by Gary C. Caskey/UPI | License Photo
Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Former San Antonio Spurs star big man Tim Duncan is stepping away from his role as a full-time assistant coach for the franchise. League sources informed ESPN and the New York Times of Duncan's decision to step down Wednesday. He spent one season as an assistant under head coach Gregg Popovich after the team hired Duncan in July 2019. Advertisement
However, Duncan -- a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame's 2020 class -- didn't join the Spurs for the NBA's restart this summer at the Walt Disney World Resort bubble. He remained in San Antonio to help All-Star big man LaMarcus Aldridge rehabilitate from a shoulder injury.
For the first three years after his retirement from playing in 2016, Duncan wasn't an official member of the Spurs' coaching staff but was a frequent visitor and helper at the team's practice facility. After Duncan agreed to join the Spurs' staff, Popovich noted that he didn't believe the legendary forward would have a lengthy coaching career.
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"Something tells me it's not going to be his passion for life, but he's going to be great this year," Popovich said at the Spurs' media day before the start of this past season.
Duncan, who was a 15-time All-Star selection, spent his entire 19-year playing career with the Spurs. He won five NBA championships with the organization and was a two-time MVP.
Duncan also won three Finals MVP awards and was the league's Rookie of the Year in the 1997-98 campaign. He is widely considered the greatest power forward in NBA history.