upi--2020-12-03--48 NBA players test positive for COVID-19 in 1st round of testing

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- The NBA and the players ' union say 48 players tested positive for COVID-19 as part of the league 's initial round of return-to-market testing for the 2020-21 season .
The NBA and National Basketball Players Association said 546 players were tested between Nov. 24 and 30 as they returned to their team facilities .
Teams started individual workouts on Tuesday and the league said players will be tested daily during the regular season , which is scheduled to begin on Dec. 22 .
Preseason games are slated to begin Dec. 11 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher than the 5.3 % rate in June , before the league moved to a bubble campus in Orlando , Fla. , for the resumption of the 2019-20 season .
Last season was interrupted by the pandemic in mid-March and teams entered the Florida bubble campus in July at the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus Walt Disney World Resort .
No players tested positive after the NBA resumed the season , which ended with the NBA Finals in August .
Players who test positive this season must be cleared by a team-designated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enter team facilities , participate in in-person team activities or have in-person interactions with teammates or coaches .
They also must complete a cardiac exam as part of the protocol , which was created with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Players had to return three negative test results from Nov. 24-30 to be cleared to start training camp .
Last month , the NBA distributed terms of its health and safety protocol for the new season .
The guide says a small or `` expected number '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to suspend or cancel the season .
Protocol for the 2020-21 NBA season also includes limitations for travel parties , 10-day quarantines for those who test positive and an anonymous tip hotline to report violations .

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last month the league and players' union made a "joint decision" to start the 2020-21 season in December in teams' home cities. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The NBA and the players' union say 48 players tested positive for COVID-19 as part of the league's initial round of return-to-market testing for the 2020-21 season. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association said 546 players were tested between Nov. 24 and 30 as they returned to their team facilities. Teams started individual workouts on Tuesday and the league said players will be tested daily during the regular season, which is scheduled to begin on Dec. 22. Preseason games are slated to begin Dec. 11. Advertisement
The league's 8.8% positivity rate is higher than the 5.3% rate in June, before the league moved to a bubble campus in Orlando, Fla., for the resumption of the 2019-20 season. Last season was interrupted by the pandemic in mid-March and teams entered the Florida bubble campus in July at the ESPN Wide World of Sports campus Walt Disney World Resort.
No players tested positive after the NBA resumed the season, which ended with the NBA Finals in August.
Players who test positive this season must be cleared by a team-designated physician and a league-designated physician before they enter team facilities, participate in in-person team activities or have in-person interactions with teammates or coaches.
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They also must complete a cardiac exam as part of the protocol, which was created with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Players had to return three negative test results from Nov. 24-30 to be cleared to start training camp.
Last month, the NBA distributed terms of its health and safety protocol for the new season. The guide says a small or "expected number" of COVID-19 cases would not require a decision to suspend or cancel the season.
Protocol for the 2020-21 NBA season also includes limitations for travel parties, 10-day quarantines for those who test positive and an anonymous tip hotline to report violations.


upi--2020-12-03--WWE NXT: Shotzi Blackheart, Raquel Gonzalez battle before War Games

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- Shotzi Blackheart faced off against Raquel Gonzalez in a ladder match on WWE NXT .
The main event bout on Wednesday was to determine if Blackheart or Gonzalez 's team will gain an advantage Sunday at the War Games pay-per-view event .
War Games is a violent contest between two teams who battle it out inside of a giant steel cage that covers two rings .
Blackheart is leading a team that consists of Ember Moon and Rhea Ripley against Gonzalez , Candice LeRae who is leading her team , Dakota Kai and Toni @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fourth teammate , and Gonzalez , punished each other in the hard-hitting contest .
The match could only be won by grabbing a briefcase that hanged above the ring .
Winning the match would allow an early two-on-one advantage at War Games .
Gonzalez and Blackheart 's team arrived onto the scene , leading to a massive brawl .
NXT Champion Io Shirai then made a surprise apperance and prevented Gonzalez from climbing the ladder .
Shirai also took out the two fighting factions with an impressive top-rope Moonsault .
The attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the match .
Shirai officially joined Blackheart 's team as the fourth member .
Former NFL star and podcaster Pat McAfee , Pete Dunne and NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan promised to end The Undisputed Era when they also face off in a War Games match on Sunday .
McAfee bragged about putting his squad together using his money .
The normally silent Dunne also spoke about how The Undisputed Era will be defeated .
WWE NXT was kicked off with a tribute to WWE Hall of Famer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 79 .
NXT head Triple H and the rest of the NXT roster gave a moment of silence for Patterson before a tribute video played .
The tribute featured moments from Patterson 's biggest matches and how he worked backstage with some of the biggest stars in wrestling .
Patterson was the first-ever Intercontinental Champion , invented the Royal Rumble match , and worked alongside WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon .
Other moments from WWE NXT included NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff and Damian Priest defeating Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August Grey before he was confronted by Dexter Lumis who whipped him with a strap ; Jake Atlas defeating Tony Nese and Imperium vs .
The Grizzled Young Veterans ending in a no-contest due to interference from Ever-Rise .
Ruff will be defending his North American Championship against Priest and Johnny Gargano Sunday in a Triple Threat match .

Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Shotzi Blackheart faced off against Raquel Gonzalez in a ladder match on WWE NXT.
The main event bout on Wednesday was to determine if Blackheart or Gonzalez's team will gain an advantage Sunday at the War Games pay-per-view event.
Advertisement
War Games is a violent contest between two teams who battle it out inside of a giant steel cage that covers two rings. Blackheart is leading a team that consists of Ember Moon and Rhea Ripley against Gonzalez, Candice LeRae who is leading her team, Dakota Kai and Toni Storm.
Blackheart, who still needed a fourth teammate, and Gonzalez, punished each other in the hard-hitting contest. The match could only be won by grabbing a briefcase that hanged above the ring. Winning the match would allow an early two-on-one advantage at War Games.
Advertisement
Gonzalez and Blackheart's team arrived onto the scene, leading to a massive brawl. NXT Champion Io Shirai then made a surprise apperance and prevented Gonzalez from climbing the ladder.
Shirai also took out the two fighting factions with an impressive top-rope Moonsault. The attack allowed Blackheart to climb the ladder and win the match. Shirai officially joined Blackheart's team as the fourth member.
Former NFL star and podcaster Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne and NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan promised to end The Undisputed Era when they also face off in a War Games match on Sunday.
McAfee bragged about putting his squad together using his money. The normally silent Dunne also spoke about how The Undisputed Era will be defeated.
WWE NXT was kicked off with a tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Patterson who recently died at the age of 79. NXT head Triple H and the rest of the NXT roster gave a moment of silence for Patterson before a tribute video played.
Advertisement
The tribute featured moments from Patterson's biggest matches and how he worked backstage with some of the biggest stars in wrestling. Patterson was the first-ever Intercontinental Champion, invented the Royal Rumble match, and worked alongside WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
Other moments from WWE NXT included NXT North American Champion Leon Ruff and Damian Priest defeating Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar and Raul Mendoza; Cameron Grimes defeating August Grey before he was confronted by Dexter Lumis who whipped him with a strap; Jake Atlas defeating Tony Nese and Imperium vs. The Grizzled Young Veterans ending in a no-contest due to interference from Ever-Rise.
Ruff will be defending his North American Championship against Priest and Johnny Gargano Sunday in a Triple Threat match.


upi--2020-12-03--Twitter widens ban against 'dehumanizing' hateful conduct

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- Twitter has expanded its policy against hate speech to cover language that `` dehumanizes people '' based on race and nationality -- the latest step to interdict what social platforms see as a rising problem both on and offline .
The popular social platform announced the change on Wednesday .
It 's Twitter 's most recent effort to block hateful content that civil and human rights advocates have denounced for years .
The platform last modified its hate speech policy nine months ago .
`` Today , we are further expanding our hateful conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the basis of race , ethnicity or national origin , '' Twitter wrote in a blog post .
`` We will also continue to surface potentially violative content through proactive detection and automation .
If an account repeatedly breaks the Twitter rules , we may temporarily lock or suspend the account . ''
Twitter updated its policy in July 2019 to bar content that dehumanizes on the basis of religion or caste , and again in March to ban language that dehumanizes based on age , disability or disease .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , and they continuously evolve to reflect the realities of the world we operate within , '' the blog post added .
`` Our primary focus is on addressing the risks of offline harm , and research shows that dehumanizing language increases that risk .
`` With each update to this policy , we 've sought to expand our understanding of cultural nuances and ensure we are able to enforce our rules consistently .
We 've benefited from feedback from various communities and cultures who use Twitter around the globe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would begin targeting groups that spread misinformation and violate rules against hate speech , `` organized '' hate and violence and criminal activity .
The company said at the time it had removed about about 12 million postings in the previous year that violated the rules .

"Our primary focus is on addressing the risks of offline harm, and research shows that dehumanizing language increases that risk," the social platform said. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Twitter has expanded its policy against hate speech to cover language that "dehumanizes people" based on race and nationality -- the latest step to interdict what social platforms see as a rising problem both on and offline. The popular social platform announced the change on Wednesday. It's Twitter's most recent effort to block hateful content that civil and human rights advocates have denounced for years. The platform last modified its hate speech policy nine months ago. Advertisement
"Today, we are further expanding our hateful conduct policy to prohibit language that dehumanizes people on the basis of race, ethnicity or national origin," Twitter wrote in a blog post.
"We will also continue to surface potentially violative content through proactive detection and automation. If an account repeatedly breaks the Twitter rules, we may temporarily lock or suspend the account."
Twitter updated its policy in July 2019 to bar content that dehumanizes on the basis of religion or caste, and again in March to ban language that dehumanizes based on age, disability or disease.
"We create our rules to keep people safe on Twitter, and they continuously evolve to reflect the realities of the world we operate within," the blog post added. "Our primary focus is on addressing the risks of offline harm, and research shows that dehumanizing language increases that risk.
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"With each update to this policy, we've sought to expand our understanding of cultural nuances and ensure we are able to enforce our rules consistently. We've benefited from feedback from various communities and cultures who use Twitter around the globe."
Facebook said two months ago it would begin targeting groups that spread misinformation and violate rules against hate speech, "organized" hate and violence and criminal activity. The company said at the time it had removed about about 12 million postings in the previous year that violated the rules.


upi--2020-12-03--Troop drawdown in Afghanistan signals American weakness

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- President Donald Trump 's recent call to withdraw just over half of the 4,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan has been condemned as an act `` that would hurt our allies and delight , delight , the people who wish us harm '' by members of his own party and key military leaders .
The Nov. 17 announcement of troop reduction is part of a cease-fire agreement with the Taliban , but may not help deliver a lasting peace to the Afghan people .
The Taliban are a fanatical minority who seek to replace Afghanistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They also have close ties to al-Qaida , offering refuge to other terrorist groups and supporting terrorist campaigns against neighboring Uzbekistan and Pakistan .
The country 's long-suffering people will be most affected by the pullout .
Many of them rely on the U.S. military to keep the Taliban from moving out of the countryside -- much of which they control , especially in the southeast -- to take provincial capitals and the rest of the country .
According to a major Washington think tank , the withdrawal of U.S. troops could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army , which has seen 45,000 troops killed from 2015 to 2019 .
But based on my work among the Afghan tribes -- whose leaders are powerful figures who provide crucial support for the current government -- an American drawdown is also likely to proclaim U.S. weakness to Afghanistan 's tribal leaders .
Those important allies may switch sides to the Taliban en masse if they feel the United States is abandoning their country .
I worked with Afghan National Army troops while working on a forward operating base for the U.S. Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
From that experience , I know they are brave and willing to make tremendous sacrifices -- including of their lives -- to defend their country .
But they lack the essential training , equipment and other support that American troops provide .
When Afghan forces deploy on missions to repel insurgent offensives or retake villages , valleys or towns from the constantly probing and advancing enemy , they are transported by U.S. air crews in Black Hawk or Chinook helicopters .
When they engage the Taliban in combat , U.S. Special Forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drones that provide aerial views of the battlefield .
Those U.S. troops also call in American artillery and airstrikes , which are key to the Afghan National Army 's ability to succeed in battle against a determined foe .
These American `` force multiplier '' troops also provide their Afghan National Army allies with vital logistics support and , in a psychological sense , let their hard-fighting partners know that the American superpower has their back .
But the Army is not the only Afghan key factor the United States would weaken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Afghanistan that is home to the Taliban is dominated largely by ethnic Pashtun tribes , which is very different from the postmodern melting-pot societies familiar to those in the United States and Europe .
These 60 tribes , or clans , have for centuries maintained -- and shifted -- the country 's balance of military and political power .
They are always calculating which of the rival factions or warring parties is in the strongest position and seeking to join that side .
When the Soviets withdrew their forces from Afghanistan in 1989 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's communist government , tribes who had remained neutral joined the advancing mujahedeen Islamist rebels and eventually defeated the remaining government forces .
I was working in Afghanistan in 2007 , the year that the George W. Bush administration kept U.S. forces in Afghanistan roughly constant around 20,000 -- but sent a far larger force to Iraq .
The shift in U.S. priority pulled vital resources like drones , Special Forces troops , artillery , vehicles with additional armor protection and combat planes and helicopters out of Afghanistan .
As the Pentagon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribes saw the United States as only weakly committed to winning the Afghan conflict .
Those who had allied with the previously powerful Americans and Afghan government defected to a resurgent Taliban in order to be on the winning side .
The resulting Taliban advance on the Pashtun tribal area saw the insurgents take much of the country 's second-largest city , destroy U.S.-built girls ' schools and kill Afghans who had worked with Americans .
The Talibans ' offensive was averted only by President Barack Obama 's 2009-12 troop surge , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country , to a peak of 100,000 .
That commitment conveyed a message of strength to the tribes , who came back to the government 's side in key strategic areas and prevented the Taliban conquest of the southeast .
As U.S. and NATO troops bolstered the Afghan National Army , vast swaths of territory in the Pashtun belt and its second-largest city of Kandahar were wrested from the Taliban , who lost tens of thousands of fighters .
For the past several years , a tentative stalemate has prevailed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of weakness from either the Taliban or the Americans .
They will interpret any retreat or sign of weak commitment from one side as a signal to join the other side .
The United States has gradually over the years reduced its troop numbers , which has hurt the country 's reputation among the tribes .
But so far , American forces are still numerous enough to deploy alongside Afghan troops to call in supporting artillery and airstrikes - demonstrating enough power to keep the tribes tentatively on the U.S. side .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if not all , of that capacity , leaving the Afghan National Army without crucial reinforcements .
The Taliban will likely claim a huge tactical victory on the battlefield and an equally important victory in the battle of perceptions .
The tribes will see U.S. weakness , and may shift their support to the Taliban out of a sense of self-preservation .
The remaining number of just 2,000 U.S. troops in Texas-sized Afghanistan would no longer be able to support the Afghan National Army -- and will most likely be hard-pressed just to @ @ @

U.S. soldiers attend a training session for the Afghan Army in Herat, Afghanistan, last year. File Photo by Jalil Rezayee/EPA-EFE
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump's recent call to withdraw just over half of the 4,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan has been condemned as an act "that would hurt our allies and delight, delight, the people who wish us harm" by members of his own party and key military leaders. The Nov. 17 announcement of troop reduction is part of a cease-fire agreement with the Taliban, but may not help deliver a lasting peace to the Afghan people. The Taliban are a fanatical minority who seek to replace Afghanistan's fledgling democracy with harsh Islamic law. They also have close ties to al-Qaida, offering refuge to other terrorist groups and supporting terrorist campaigns against neighboring Uzbekistan and Pakistan. Advertisement Advertisement
The country's long-suffering people will be most affected by the pullout. Many of them rely on the U.S. military to keep the Taliban from moving out of the countryside -- much of which they control, especially in the southeast -- to take provincial capitals and the rest of the country.
According to a major Washington think tank, the withdrawal of U.S. troops could "potentially cripple" the Afghan National Army, which has seen 45,000 troops killed from 2015 to 2019. But based on my work among the Afghan tribes -- whose leaders are powerful figures who provide crucial support for the current government -- an American drawdown is also likely to proclaim U.S. weakness to Afghanistan's tribal leaders. Those important allies may switch sides to the Taliban en masse if they feel the United States is abandoning their country.
An embattled ally
I worked with Afghan National Army troops while working on a forward operating base for the U.S. Army's Information Operations team in eastern Afghanistan. From that experience, I know they are brave and willing to make tremendous sacrifices -- including of their lives -- to defend their country. But they lack the essential training, equipment and other support that American troops provide.
Advertisement
When Afghan forces deploy on missions to repel insurgent offensives or retake villages, valleys or towns from the constantly probing and advancing enemy, they are transported by U.S. air crews in Black Hawk or Chinook helicopters. When they engage the Taliban in combat, U.S. Special Forces troops embedded with them fly hand-launched Raven drones that provide aerial views of the battlefield. Those U.S. troops also call in American artillery and airstrikes, which are key to the Afghan National Army's ability to succeed in battle against a determined foe.
These American "force multiplier" troops also provide their Afghan National Army allies with vital logistics support and, in a psychological sense, let their hard-fighting partners know that the American superpower has their back.
But the Army is not the only Afghan key factor the United States would weaken by pulling out.
Tribes are key
The strategic southeast of Afghanistan that is home to the Taliban is dominated largely by ethnic Pashtun tribes, which is very different from the postmodern melting-pot societies familiar to those in the United States and Europe. These 60 tribes, or clans, have for centuries maintained -- and shifted -- the country's balance of military and political power. They are always calculating which of the rival factions or warring parties is in the strongest position and seeking to join that side.
Advertisement
When the Soviets withdrew their forces from Afghanistan in 1989 after 10 years of war supporting the country's communist government, tribes who had remained neutral joined the advancing mujahedeen Islamist rebels and eventually defeated the remaining government forces.
I was working in Afghanistan in 2007, the year that the George W. Bush administration kept U.S. forces in Afghanistan roughly constant around 20,000 -- but sent a far larger force to Iraq. The shift in U.S. priority pulled vital resources like drones, Special Forces troops, artillery, vehicles with additional armor protection and combat planes and helicopters out of Afghanistan.
As the Pentagon's focus shifted to Iraq, the tribes saw the United States as only weakly committed to winning the Afghan conflict. Those who had allied with the previously powerful Americans and Afghan government defected to a resurgent Taliban in order to be on the winning side.
The resulting Taliban advance on the Pashtun tribal area saw the insurgents take much of the country's second-largest city, destroy U.S.-built girls' schools and kill Afghans who had worked with Americans. The Talibans' offensive was averted only by President Barack Obama's 2009-12 troop surge, which vastly increased the number of U.S. troops in the country, to a peak of 100,000.
Advertisement
That commitment conveyed a message of strength to the tribes, who came back to the government's side in key strategic areas and prevented the Taliban conquest of the southeast. As U.S. and NATO troops bolstered the Afghan National Army, vast swaths of territory in the Pashtun belt and its second-largest city of Kandahar were wrested from the Taliban, who lost tens of thousands of fighters.
Effects of disengagement
For the past several years, a tentative stalemate has prevailed. Many tribes are clearly watching for signs of weakness from either the Taliban or the Americans. They will interpret any retreat or sign of weak commitment from one side as a signal to join the other side.
The United States has gradually over the years reduced its troop numbers, which has hurt the country's reputation among the tribes. But so far, American forces are still numerous enough to deploy alongside Afghan troops to call in supporting artillery and airstrikes - demonstrating enough power to keep the tribes tentatively on the U.S. side.
The upcoming troop drawdown would end most, if not all, of that capacity, leaving the Afghan National Army without crucial reinforcements. The Taliban will likely claim a huge tactical victory on the battlefield and an equally important victory in the battle of perceptions. The tribes will see U.S. weakness, and may shift their support to the Taliban out of a sense of self-preservation.
Advertisement
The remaining number of just 2,000 U.S. troops in Texas-sized Afghanistan would no longer be able to support the Afghan National Army -- and will most likely be hard-pressed just to protect themselves.


upi--2020-12-03--South Korea holds crucial college entrance exam amid pandemic

SEOUL , Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- It is the most stressful event in any South Korean student 's high school career : the College Scholastic Ability Test , also known as Suneung , a highly competitive , once-a-year exam that is seen as a vital stepping stone for a successful future .
This year , however , anxious high school seniors faced the daunting test with an extra layer of difficulty amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted classes and is spreading in an alarming third wave .
With a slew of safety precautions in place , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the eight-hour exam , which covers Korean language , math , English , Korean history and social sciences .
At Ewha Girls ' High School in downtown Seoul , one of South Korea 's 1,383 test locations , bundled-up students arrived early in the frigid morning , hugging parents and siblings goodbye before trudging through school gates to have their temperatures taken by waiting staff members .
The scene was a contrast to the usual vibrant atmosphere of test day , when groups of younger students wait at school entrances holding up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handing out snacks .
In this pandemic year , such gatherings have been prohibited , and health officials discouraged parents from lingering after dropping off test-takers .
Nervous parents said preparing for the test was especially challenging for students this year , as the start of the semester was delayed and then was held with a mix of online and offline classes .
Hagwons , or cram schools , also were shut down or limited due to COVID-19 precautions .
`` It was very difficult for the students to study for the exam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off her daughter .
`` My daughter relied on extra lectures on the Internet .
The pandemic is a disadvantage for the test-takers this year , but it still depends on each student to make the most of it . ''
Sixteen-year-old Seo Ji-woo , who accompanied her sister to the Ewha test site in the morning , said she tried to help her older sibling prepare by bringing her macarons , her favorite treat , as she studied for the CSAT .
`` She was so nervous last night and this morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just told her to do her best , not to worry and that I love her . ''
Inside each test classroom , students sat with plastic partitions around their desks and were forbidden from congregating and talking during breaks .
Despite Thursday 's near-freezing temperatures in Seoul , schools opened windows in the classrooms during breaks for ventilation .
Yoon Yon-joo , an English teacher who monitored the exam Thursday at Ewha , said the mood inside the school was noticeably different than in previous years .
`` Every year , students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are more solemn , '' she said .
`` They are being careful about their hygiene and everyone has been calm and quiet during lunchtime and recess . ''
Even with safety measures in place , the number of students who took the test was at its lowest since the CSAT was introduced in its current form in 1994 .
More than 493,000 students registered to take the test Thursday , down 10 % from the previous year .
According to the Ministry of Education , the number of test-takers who showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a record-high 13 % absentee rate .
Still , the test is seen as so vital that the government allowed even students with COVID-19 to take the exam .
Thirty-five coronavirus patients and 404 people in self-quarantine took the test from hospital beds and at special test centers Thursday , education officials said .
In other ways , the CSAT proceeded as normal , with South Korea going to its usual extreme lengths to ensure the test runs smoothly .
Offices across the country opened late to keep traffic off the roads and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service to help students get to their testing locations on time .
Flights were grounded nationwide during the 35-minute English-listening portion of the exam so as not to distract test-takers .
Outside Ewha Girls ' High School , police officers were stationed to control traffic and to help with any last-second emergencies .
When a handful of students discovered that they had showed up at the wrong location Thursday morning , they were whisked away in police cruisers with sirens flashing to get to their correct destinations .
As the test drew to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked students and their families to refrain from group celebrations as South Korea tries to control a coronavirus outbreak that saw 540 new cases Thursday , some of the highest numbers since March .
`` We want to recognize the test-takers for their academic hard work , '' health ministry spokesman Son Young-rae said at a press briefing Thursday .
`` But we advise them to avoid activities such as meeting with friends after the test is done or talking for a long time in an enclosed restaurant or cafe . ''
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kim Chae-young , said she was looking forward to taking a break , even with COVID-19 precautions still in place .
`` Because of the coronavirus , I wo n't go traveling or have parties with my friends yet , '' she said .
`` I 'm going to self-quarantine at home now and just binge-watch all the movies and TV dramas that I 've missed while studying . ''

1/4
More than 400,000 South Korean high school seniors took the CSAT, a once-a-year college entrance exam, on Thursday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- It is the most stressful event in any South Korean student's high school career: the College Scholastic Ability Test, also known as Suneung, a highly competitive, once-a-year exam that is seen as a vital stepping stone for a successful future. This year, however, anxious high school seniors faced the daunting test with an extra layer of difficulty amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted classes and is spreading in an alarming third wave. Advertisement
With a slew of safety precautions in place, more than 400,000 students turned out Thursday to take the eight-hour exam, which covers Korean language, math, English, Korean history and social sciences.
At Ewha Girls' High School in downtown Seoul, one of South Korea's 1,383 test locations, bundled-up students arrived early in the frigid morning, hugging parents and siblings goodbye before trudging through school gates to have their temperatures taken by waiting staff members.
Advertisement
The scene was a contrast to the usual vibrant atmosphere of test day, when groups of younger students wait at school entrances holding up signs, shouting words of encouragement and handing out snacks.
In this pandemic year, such gatherings have been prohibited, and health officials discouraged parents from lingering after dropping off test-takers.
Nervous parents said preparing for the test was especially challenging for students this year, as the start of the semester was delayed and then was held with a mix of online and offline classes. Hagwons, or cram schools, also were shut down or limited due to COVID-19 precautions.
"It was very difficult for the students to study for the exam," Lee Hyoun-joo sai after dropping off her daughter. "My daughter relied on extra lectures on the Internet. The pandemic is a disadvantage for the test-takers this year, but it still depends on each student to make the most of it."
Sixteen-year-old Seo Ji-woo, who accompanied her sister to the Ewha test site in the morning, said she tried to help her older sibling prepare by bringing her macarons, her favorite treat, as she studied for the CSAT.
"She was so nervous last night and this morning," Seo said. "I just told her to do her best, not to worry and that I love her."
Advertisement
Inside each test classroom, students sat with plastic partitions around their desks and were forbidden from congregating and talking during breaks. Despite Thursday's near-freezing temperatures in Seoul, schools opened windows in the classrooms during breaks for ventilation.
Yoon Yon-joo, an English teacher who monitored the exam Thursday at Ewha, said the mood inside the school was noticeably different than in previous years.
"Every year, students are very anxious, but this year they are more solemn," she said. "They are being careful about their hygiene and everyone has been calm and quiet during lunchtime and recess."
Even with safety measures in place, the number of students who took the test was at its lowest since the CSAT was introduced in its current form in 1994.
More than 493,000 students registered to take the test Thursday, down 10% from the previous year. According to the Ministry of Education, the number of test-takers who showed up was only about 426,000, for a record-high 13% absentee rate.
Still, the test is seen as so vital that the government allowed even students with COVID-19 to take the exam. Thirty-five coronavirus patients and 404 people in self-quarantine took the test from hospital beds and at special test centers Thursday, education officials said.
Advertisement
In other ways, the CSAT proceeded as normal, with South Korea going to its usual extreme lengths to ensure the test runs smoothly.
Offices across the country opened late to keep traffic off the roads and extra trains and buses were put into service to help students get to their testing locations on time. Flights were grounded nationwide during the 35-minute English-listening portion of the exam so as not to distract test-takers.
Outside Ewha Girls' High School, police officers were stationed to control traffic and to help with any last-second emergencies. When a handful of students discovered that they had showed up at the wrong location Thursday morning, they were whisked away in police cruisers with sirens flashing to get to their correct destinations.
As the test drew to a close Thursday afternoon, health officials asked students and their families to refrain from group celebrations as South Korea tries to control a coronavirus outbreak that saw 540 new cases Thursday, some of the highest numbers since March.
"We want to recognize the test-takers for their academic hard work," health ministry spokesman Son Young-rae said at a press briefing Thursday. "But we advise them to avoid activities such as meeting with friends after the test is done or talking for a long time in an enclosed restaurant or cafe."
Advertisement
One student who finished the test at Ewha, Kim Chae-young, said she was looking forward to taking a break, even with COVID-19 precautions still in place.
"Because of the coronavirus, I won't go traveling or have parties with my friends yet," she said. "I'm going to self-quarantine at home now and just binge-watch all the movies and TV dramas that I've missed while studying."


upi--2020-12-03--Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama volunteer to publicly receive COVID-19 vaccine

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- Hoping to assuage fears that a coronavirus vaccine might be unsafe , three former U.S. presidents say they have volunteered to be publicly inoculated in a coordinated effort to demonstrate that it 's safe .
Aides for former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush told CNN on Wednesday that the 42nd and 43rd presidents have committed to receiving the vaccine in public , and former President Barack Obama will pledge to do the same in a radio interview set to air Thursday .
Freddy Ford , Bush 's chief of staff , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacting Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation 's top infectious diseases expert , and Dr. Deborah Birx , the U.S. special representative for global health diplomacy and U.S. global AIDS coordinator , about promoting a vaccine .
Clinton 's press secretary , Angel Urena , said the former president and Arkansas governor is willing to receive his vaccine `` in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same . ''
Obama made a similar commitment in an interview on SiriusXM radio .
`` I may end up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filmed , just so that people know that I trust this science , and what I do n't trust is getting COVID , '' he said in a clip of the interview airing Thursday .
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will meet next week to make a recommendation as to whether a vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech should be given emergency use authorization .
The companies have said late-stage clinical trials showed the vaccine is 95 % effective at blocking the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 .
The British government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said its distribution , as well as that for a competing vaccine from Moderna , could begin before Christmas .
Clinton , Bush and Obama hope images of them receiving a vaccine will disperse some skepticism about the safety of a coronavirus vaccine .
A study in October said only about half of Americans are `` extremely , '' `` moderately '' or `` slightly likely '' to take a COVID-19 vaccine that meets FDA standards .
Gallup said last month a survey showed that just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be inoculated and 42 % said they would not .
An earlier Gallup poll found that half of respondents said they would refuse a vaccine .
Skepticism is also significant among persons of color .
Gallup found that just 48 % of non-Whites said they would take a vaccine , even though COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Latino communities .
`` I understand you know historically ... why the African American community , would have some skepticism , '' Obama said in his interview .
`` But the fact of the matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do n't have polio anymore , the reason why we do n't have a whole bunch of kids dying from measles and smallpox and diseases that used to decimate entire populations and communities . ''

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and George W. Bush said they're all willing to receive a coronavirus vaccine in some public fashion to encourage inoculation and reinforce trust among skeptical Americans. File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Hoping to assuage fears that a coronavirus vaccine might be unsafe, three former U.S. presidents say they have volunteered to be publicly inoculated in a coordinated effort to demonstrate that it's safe. Aides for former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush told CNN on Wednesday that the 42nd and 43rd presidents have committed to receiving the vaccine in public, and former President Barack Obama will pledge to do the same in a radio interview set to air Thursday. Advertisement
Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, said Bush came up with the idea by contacting Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious diseases expert, and Dr. Deborah Birx, the U.S. special representative for global health diplomacy and U.S. global AIDS coordinator, about promoting a vaccine.
Clinton's press secretary, Angel Urena, said the former president and Arkansas governor is willing to receive his vaccine "in a public setting if it will help urge all Americans to do the same."
Obama made a similar commitment in an interview on SiriusXM radio.
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"I may end up taking it on TV or having it filmed, just so that people know that I trust this science, and what I don't trust is getting COVID," he said in a clip of the interview airing Thursday.
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will meet next week to make a recommendation as to whether a vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech should be given emergency use authorization. The companies have said late-stage clinical trials showed the vaccine is 95% effective at blocking the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
The British government approved the Pfizer vaccine on Tuesday and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said its distribution, as well as that for a competing vaccine from Moderna, could begin before Christmas.
Clinton, Bush and Obama hope images of them receiving a vaccine will disperse some skepticism about the safety of a coronavirus vaccine.
A study in October said only about half of Americans are "extremely," "moderately" or "slightly likely" to take a COVID-19 vaccine that meets FDA standards. Gallup said last month a survey showed that just 58% of Americans said they would be inoculated and 42% said they would not. An earlier Gallup poll found that half of respondents said they would refuse a vaccine.
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Skepticism is also significant among persons of color. Gallup found that just 48% of non-Whites said they would take a vaccine, even though COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black and Latino communities.
"I understand you know historically ... why the African American community, would have some skepticism," Obama said in his interview.
"But the fact of the matter is, is that vaccines are why we don't have polio anymore, the reason why we don't have a whole bunch of kids dying from measles and smallpox and diseases that used to decimate entire populations and communities."


upi--2020-12-03--AEW Dynamite: Kenny Omega becomes World Champion, Sting returns

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- Kenny Omega became the new AEW World Champion after he faced Jon Moxley in the main event of Dynamite .
The show was titled Winter is Coming on Wednesday , a reference to HBO 's Game of Thrones .
Omega had his friend Don Callis , an executive at Impact Wrestling join the announcer 's desk as a guest commentator .
Moxley and Omega traded blows outside the ring during the championship bout before Moxley was able to land his first Paradigm Shift .
Moxley chose not to pin Omega , however , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moxley and Omega each took a seat and proceeded to take turns slapping and punching each other .
Moxley was able to deliver a second Paradigm Shift , but Omega kicked out of the pinning attempt .
Omega landed multiple V-Triggers but was taken out after Moxley slammed his rival into a ringside heater with another Paradigm Shift .
Referees and Callis went to check on Omega to see if he was okay with Callis also grabbing a microphone .
Omega , back in the ring , grabbed the microphone and attacked Moxley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Moxley started bleeding from the top of his head as Omega performed four V-Triggers and then the One-Winged Angel to become the new AEW World Champion .
This was the first singles lost for Moxley in 2020 .
Omega and Callis then started running out of the arena with AEW CEO and president Tony Khan yelling at the pair for what they did .
Callis said that Omega will address their actions Tuesday on Impact Wrestling 's weekly program , setting up a crossover between AEW and Impact .
Professional wrestling icon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after TNT Champion Darby Allin and Cody Rhodes faced off against Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs of Team Taz .
Allin won the match for his team after performing a top-rope Coffin Drop onto Starks .
Hobbs started attacking Allin afterwards , leading to a brawl .
Cody Rhodes ' coach Arn Anderson and brother Dustin Rhodes also got involved in the melee along with Team Taz 's Brian Cage .
Team Taz was in control until the lights in the arena went out .
Sting then made his grand entrance carrying his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exited the ring as Sting gave individual stares to Anderson , Cody Rhodes and Allin .
This was the first time since 2001 that Sting has appeared on a wrestling program that aired on TNT from his time with WCW .
The living legend had a brief stint in WWE that started in 2014 , but Sting has now signed a multi-year deal with AEW .
A Dynamite Battle Royale was held to determine who will get to compete for the Dynamite Diamond Ring .
MJF won the ring last year and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matches .
MJF survived until the end along with Orange Cassidy , setting up a match next week to determine who will get the ring .
MJF was helped by his bodyguard Wardlow and had pushed his Inner Circle teammate Sammy Guevara out of the ring to eliminate him .
Other moments from Dynamite included Chris Jericho defeating Frankie Kazarian of SCU ; Jericho stating that the Inner Circle have a week to get along or the group will be disbanded after MJF and Guevara starting arguing along with Wardlow and Jake Hager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hirsch .

Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Kenny Omega became the new AEW World Champion after he faced Jon Moxley in the main event of Dynamite.
The show was titled Winter is Coming on Wednesday, a reference to HBO's Game of Thrones. Omega had his friend Don Callis, an executive at Impact Wrestling join the announcer's desk as a guest commentator.
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Moxley and Omega traded blows outside the ring during the championship bout before Moxley was able to land his first Paradigm Shift. Moxley chose not to pin Omega, however, and tossed steel chairs into the ring.
Moxley and Omega each took a seat and proceeded to take turns slapping and punching each other. Moxley was able to deliver a second Paradigm Shift, but Omega kicked out of the pinning attempt.
Omega landed multiple V-Triggers but was taken out after Moxley slammed his rival into a ringside heater with another Paradigm Shift. Referees and Callis went to check on Omega to see if he was okay with Callis also grabbing a microphone.
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Omega, back in the ring, grabbed the microphone and attacked Moxley with it as Callis distracted the referee. Moxley started bleeding from the top of his head as Omega performed four V-Triggers and then the One-Winged Angel to become the new AEW World Champion. This was the first singles lost for Moxley in 2020.
Omega and Callis then started running out of the arena with AEW CEO and president Tony Khan yelling at the pair for what they did. Callis said that Omega will address their actions Tuesday on Impact Wrestling's weekly program, setting up a crossover between AEW and Impact.
Professional wrestling icon Sting made a shocking appearance on Dynamite after TNT Champion Darby Allin and Cody Rhodes faced off against Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs of Team Taz.
Allin won the match for his team after performing a top-rope Coffin Drop onto Starks. Hobbs started attacking Allin afterwards, leading to a brawl. Cody Rhodes' coach Arn Anderson and brother Dustin Rhodes also got involved in the melee along with Team Taz's Brian Cage.
Team Taz was in control until the lights in the arena went out. Sting then made his grand entrance carrying his signature black baseball bat. Team Taz exited the ring as Sting gave individual stares to Anderson, Cody Rhodes and Allin.
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This was the first time since 2001 that Sting has appeared on a wrestling program that aired on TNT from his time with WCW. The living legend had a brief stint in WWE that started in 2014, but Sting has now signed a multi-year deal with AEW.
A Dynamite Battle Royale was held to determine who will get to compete for the Dynamite Diamond Ring. MJF won the ring last year and has used it as a weapon to win matches.
MJF survived until the end along with Orange Cassidy, setting up a match next week to determine who will get the ring. MJF was helped by his bodyguard Wardlow and had pushed his Inner Circle teammate Sammy Guevara out of the ring to eliminate him.
Other moments from Dynamite included Chris Jericho defeating Frankie Kazarian of SCU; Jericho stating that the Inner Circle have a week to get along or the group will be disbanded after MJF and Guevara starting arguing along with Wardlow and Jake Hager; and Dr. Britt Baker defeating Leyla Hirsch.


upi--2020-12-03--Experts fear looser HUD 'PIT count' will worsen plight of homeless in U.S.

WASHINGTON , Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued less stringent guidelines , due to COVID-19 , for conducting an annual survey of the U.S. homeless population .
Experts fear the move will lead to a more inaccurate count -- and less help for needy Americans .
During the Point-in-Time count held each January , the department coordinates with U.S. shelters and advocacy groups to get an idea of the scope of the homeless problem .
The survey is the only comprehensive , national look each year at the homeless population size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard data showing this year 's impact of the coronavirus crisis .
`` The data is important for us because it provides us with a consistent data point of what homelessness in our community looks like from one year to the next , '' said Kristy Greenwalt , director of the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness .
Greenwalt added that although the survey is just one source cities and shelters use to estimate needs , the January count has historically been essential for understanding greater demographic changes that could lead to policy or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high populations of unsheltered homeless .
The department 's updated guidelines for the 2021 count , which normally includes both sheltered and unsheltered populations in odd-numbered years , will allow organizations to conduct less rigorous surveys that skip harder-to-gather requirements , use broader estimation tactics or opt out of the unsheltered portion of the count altogether .
The department has not yet formally announced the changes or responded to repeated requests for comments .
Weeks after quietly publishing the new guidelines to its website , the department scheduled a series of question-and-answer sessions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but has yet to make any public announcement or note potential effects on the survey 's accuracy .
In larger areas with more unsheltered homeless , the count demands a significant number of resources and volunteers who have been in short supply since the pandemic began .
Mindful of these logistical issues , combined with fears of being exposed to the virus , some organizations have also discussed skipping the count this year .
To ensure that some data will be collected , the department offered the new guidelines as a compromise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that if you ca n't do the whole unsheltered count , here are some ways that you can reduce it , make it simpler and make it safer for people that are involved , '' said Nan Roman , president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness .
Roman said the department has never before altered the requirements to this extent .
Even before the changes , some advocates criticized the PIT count for relying too heavily on figures for sheltered homeless and failing to get an adequate picture of unsheltered , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the survey say its methodology is based on a limited definition that fails to take into account millions of families who live in vehicles , on someone 's couch or simply out of sight -- homeless that are harder to quantify .
Some estimates of the U.S. homeless population dwarf the department 's , although no two surveys use the same framework or methodology .
In 2018 , about 553,000 people were estimated to be homeless on any given night , according to the PIT count .
That same year , the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Department of Education found that more than 1.5 million students were homeless at some point during the academic year .
Experts say inaccurate data causes a lot of problems .
Jurisdictions rely on the figures to plan resource distribution and budgets and to track changes over time .
Advocacy groups that use PIT data to understand larger demographic trends are particularly concerned .
`` It 's just going to be really hard to understand the trend lines , because we 're going to have this year that 's just off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not going to know if the trends are up or down . ''
As a result , she said , organizations need to create a new `` baseline '' and `` kind of reset to understand data moving forward . ''
Advocacy groups are also worried about what could happen if the federal government does n't extend a national coronavirus-related moratorium on evictions .
Congress passed the first ban with the CARES Act in March , and it was extended through the end of 2020 by federal health officials when lawmakers failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What happens when the eviction moratorium is lifted if there is no federal aid package ?
There are not going to be local dollars to address that problem , '' said Greenwalt .
`` We need Congress . ''

A homeless man holds an American flag near the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20. File Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI | License Photo
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued less stringent guidelines, due to COVID-19, for conducting an annual survey of the U.S. homeless population. Experts fear the move will lead to a more inaccurate count -- and less help for needy Americans. During the Point-in-Time count held each January, the department coordinates with U.S. shelters and advocacy groups to get an idea of the scope of the homeless problem. The survey is the only comprehensive, national look each year at the homeless population size and demographics and will provide the only hard data showing this year's impact of the coronavirus crisis. Advertisement
"The data is important for us because it provides us with a consistent data point of what homelessness in our community looks like from one year to the next," said Kristy Greenwalt, director of the D.C. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
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Greenwalt added that although the survey is just one source cities and shelters use to estimate needs, the January count has historically been essential for understanding greater demographic changes that could lead to policy or strategy shifts -- especially in areas with high populations of unsheltered homeless.
The department's updated guidelines for the 2021 count, which normally includes both sheltered and unsheltered populations in odd-numbered years, will allow organizations to conduct less rigorous surveys that skip harder-to-gather requirements, use broader estimation tactics or opt out of the unsheltered portion of the count altogether.
The department has not yet formally announced the changes or responded to repeated requests for comments.
Weeks after quietly publishing the new guidelines to its website, the department scheduled a series of question-and-answer sessions for organizations that conduct the count -- but has yet to make any public announcement or note potential effects on the survey's accuracy.
In larger areas with more unsheltered homeless, the count demands a significant number of resources and volunteers who have been in short supply since the pandemic began. Mindful of these logistical issues, combined with fears of being exposed to the virus, some organizations have also discussed skipping the count this year. To ensure that some data will be collected, the department offered the new guidelines as a compromise.
Advertisement
"What HUD is trying to say is that if you can't do the whole unsheltered count, here are some ways that you can reduce it, make it simpler and make it safer for people that are involved," said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.
Roman said the department has never before altered the requirements to this extent.
Even before the changes, some advocates criticized the PIT count for relying too heavily on figures for sheltered homeless and failing to get an adequate picture of unsheltered and itinerant homelessness. Critics of the survey say its methodology is based on a limited definition that fails to take into account millions of families who live in vehicles, on someone's couch or simply out of sight -- homeless that are harder to quantify.
Some estimates of the U.S. homeless population dwarf the department's, although no two surveys use the same framework or methodology. In 2018, about 553,000 people were estimated to be homeless on any given night, according to the PIT count. That same year, the National Center for Homeless Education said federal data from the Department of Education found that more than 1.5 million students were homeless at some point during the academic year.
Advertisement
Experts say inaccurate data causes a lot of problems. Jurisdictions rely on the figures to plan resource distribution and budgets and to track changes over time.
Advocacy groups that use PIT data to understand larger demographic trends are particularly concerned.
"It's just going to be really hard to understand the trend lines, because we're going to have this year that's just off," Roman added. "And we're not going to know if the trends are up or down."
As a result, she said, organizations need to create a new "baseline" and "kind of reset to understand data moving forward."
Advocacy groups are also worried about what could happen if the federal government doesn't extend a national coronavirus-related moratorium on evictions. Congress passed the first ban with the CARES Act in March, and it was extended through the end of 2020 by federal health officials when lawmakers failed to agree on another relief package.
"What happens when the eviction moratorium is lifted if there is no federal aid package? There are not going to be local dollars to address that problem," said Greenwalt. "We need Congress."
COVID-19 pandemic alters life in New York City


upi--2020-12-03--6 missing after landslides swipe Alaskan town

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- At least six people were missing after several landslides caused by heavy rains and flooding smashed into the Alaskan town of Haines , authorities said .
One of the landslides has resulted in six people missing and four houses destroyed off of Beach Road , but Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday evening that they have suspended search and rescue operations due unstable ground , KTUU-TV reported .
The Haines Borough Police Department has issued several evacuation orders as flooding and landslides washed out several roads and flooded homes on Wednesday .
Officials warned residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water as `` the surface is very unstable and likely to fail . ''
`` Please stay away from damaged roads and broken pavement , '' the Haines borough government said on Facebook .
The U.S. Coast Guard said a Jayhawk helicopter crew has been launched to assist two Coast Guard cutters , which have been ordered to make preparations to set sail for Haines , a city some 92 miles north of Juneau .
`` At this point we are aware that damage has occurred in the town of Haines following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Capt .
Stephen White , commander Coast Guard Sector Juneau , said in a statement .
`` The scope of the damage is unknown at this time but we are proactively moving several assets and personnel to provide assistance to local first responders and the residents who may have been impacted by the landslides . ''
The landslides occurred as the area was inundated with rain .
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch until Thursday morning as between 7 to 10 inches of rain has been recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 hours .
`` Saturated grounds from recent rains have caused debris flows blocking off major roadways .
Additional debris flows and flooding are possible through Thursday morning near steep terrain , '' the NWS warned Wednesday night .
Alaskan Gov .
Mike Dunleavy said he has spoken with Douglas Olerud , the mayor of Haines , and said all state resources will be made available .
`` That natural disaster unfolding in Haines and the broader southeast area has the full and complete attention of my administration , '' the governor said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haines tonight . ''
Olerud said crews would be working through the night but the rain was making it difficult .
He wrote in a statement that the town `` is going to be needing lots of prayers . ''
`` Please be patient with each other , '' he said .
`` These are stressful times but Haines will come together and help each other . ''

The U.S. Coast Guard has launched rescue operations to Haines, Alaska, following landslides caused by heavy rain. Image courtesy of Google Maps/ Website
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- At least six people were missing after several landslides caused by heavy rains and flooding smashed into the Alaskan town of Haines, authorities said. One of the landslides has resulted in six people missing and four houses destroyed off of Beach Road, but Alaska State Troopers said Wednesday evening that they have suspended search and rescue operations due unstable ground, KTUU-TV reported. Advertisement
The Haines Borough Police Department has issued several evacuation orders as flooding and landslides washed out several roads and flooded homes on Wednesday. Officials warned residents to stay clear of land close to water as "the surface is very unstable and likely to fail."
"Please stay away from damaged roads and broken pavement," the Haines borough government said on Facebook.
The U.S. Coast Guard said a Jayhawk helicopter crew has been launched to assist two Coast Guard cutters, which have been ordered to make preparations to set sail for Haines, a city some 92 miles north of Juneau.
"At this point we are aware that damage has occurred in the town of Haines following the report of multiple landslides in the borough," Capt. Stephen White, commander Coast Guard Sector Juneau, said in a statement. "The scope of the damage is unknown at this time but we are proactively moving several assets and personnel to provide assistance to local first responders and the residents who may have been impacted by the landslides."
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The landslides occurred as the area was inundated with rain.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch until Thursday morning as between 7 to 10 inches of rain has been recorded in Haines in the last 36 to 48 hours.
"Saturated grounds from recent rains have caused debris flows blocking off major roadways. Additional debris flows and flooding are possible through Thursday morning near steep terrain," the NWS warned Wednesday night.
Alaskan Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he has spoken with Douglas Olerud, the mayor of Haines, and said all state resources will be made available.
"That natural disaster unfolding in Haines and the broader southeast area has the full and complete attention of my administration," the governor said in a statement Wednesday evening. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haines tonight."
Olerud said crews would be working through the night but the rain was making it difficult.
He wrote in a statement that the town "is going to be needing lots of prayers."
"Please be patient with each other," he said. "These are stressful times but Haines will come together and help each other."
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upi--2020-12-03--U.S. sanctions accomplice of 'most wanted' Mexican drug trafficker Caro Quintero

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- The Trump administration has sanctioned Mexican national Lucio Rodriguez Serrano as it attempts to close in on Rafael Caro Quintero , who authorities accuse of being a major drug trafficker and responsible for the nearly four-decade-old killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent .
Rodriguez Serrano was sanctioned Wednesday by the Treasury 's Office of Foreign Assets Control as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for working on Caro Quintero 's behalf .
`` Caro Quintero and Rodriguez Serrano , both natives of Badiraguato , Sinaloa , Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Treasury said in a release .
`` In recent years , Rodriguez Serrano has helped Caro Quintero evade capture .
Additionally , Rodriguez Serrano has engaged in real estate transactions at the direction and for the benefit of Caro Quintero . ''
The DEA has offered a $ 20 million reward for information concerning Caro Quintero , who tops its Most Wanted Fugitives list for being the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping , torture and killing of DEA Special Agent Enrique `` Kiki '' Camarena in 1985 .
Prosecutors have charged Caro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transportation network responsible for the manufacture and importation from Mexico into the United States of multi-ton quantities of heroine , methamphetamine and marijuana . ''
Caro Quintero has also been charged with conspiring to murder those who pose a threat to that narcotics enterprise , including Camarena .
The notorious drug trafficker had been serving a 40-year prison sentence in Mexico for Camarena 's death but was released by a Mexican court in August of 2013 .
The Treasury said Caro Quintero is a top priority for the DEA and that U.S. authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apprehended . ''
`` Targeting his associates and support structure is crucial to choking off his criminal enterprise once and for all , '' DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea said in a statement .
`` Today 's action by Treasury is an important step in our joint mission to disrupt , dismantle and destroy violent drug trafficking organizations and in bringing Caro Quintero to justice . ''
The Justice Department has previously targeted others close to Caro Quintero , including charging his stepson Bryant Espinoza Aguilar in July and seeking the forfeiture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was accused of buying with drug proceeds .
The sanctions freeze all of Rodriguez Serrano 's assets , property and interests in property in the United States while barring Americans from doing business with him .
The designation came a day after the Trump administration sanctioned a network of Colombian nationals and businesses for aiding the drug trafficking activities of the Clan del Golfo cartel .
The State Department said Wednesday in a statement that more than 2,200 individuals have been designated under the Kingpin Act .
`` Rafael Caro Quintero and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cost American lives , '' said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
`` Treasury , in coordination with the DEA and other agencies , is committed to targeting Caro Quintero until he is brought to justice . ''

Rafael Caro Quintero was added to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Most Wanted Fugitives list in 2018. Photo courtesy of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration/ Website
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The Trump administration has sanctioned Mexican national Lucio Rodriguez Serrano as it attempts to close in on Rafael Caro Quintero, who authorities accuse of being a major drug trafficker and responsible for the nearly four-decade-old killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent. Rodriguez Serrano was sanctioned Wednesday by the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act for working on Caro Quintero's behalf. Advertisement
"Caro Quintero and Rodriguez Serrano, both natives of Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico, have been lifelong friends," the Treasury said in a release. "In recent years, Rodriguez Serrano has helped Caro Quintero evade capture. Additionally, Rodriguez Serrano has engaged in real estate transactions at the direction and for the benefit of Caro Quintero."
The DEA has offered a $20 million reward for information concerning Caro Quintero, who tops its Most Wanted Fugitives list for being the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping, torture and killing of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985.
Prosecutors have charged Caro Quintero with operating "a vast narcotics transportation network responsible for the manufacture and importation from Mexico into the United States of multi-ton quantities of heroine, methamphetamine and marijuana."
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Caro Quintero has also been charged with conspiring to murder those who pose a threat to that narcotics enterprise, including Camarena.
The notorious drug trafficker had been serving a 40-year prison sentence in Mexico for Camarena's death but was released by a Mexican court in August of 2013.
The Treasury said Caro Quintero is a top priority for the DEA and that U.S. authorities "will not rest until he is apprehended."
"Targeting his associates and support structure is crucial to choking off his criminal enterprise once and for all," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea said in a statement. "Today's action by Treasury is an important step in our joint mission to disrupt, dismantle and destroy violent drug trafficking organizations and in bringing Caro Quintero to justice."
The Justice Department has previously targeted others close to Caro Quintero, including charging his stepson Bryant Espinoza Aguilar in July and seeking the forfeiture of Mexican real estate in 2019 that he was accused of buying with drug proceeds.
The sanctions freeze all of Rodriguez Serrano's assets, property and interests in property in the United States while barring Americans from doing business with him.
The designation came a day after the Trump administration sanctioned a network of Colombian nationals and businesses for aiding the drug trafficking activities of the Clan del Golfo cartel.
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The State Department said Wednesday in a statement that more than 2,200 individuals have been designated under the Kingpin Act.
"Rafael Caro Quintero and his years of drug trafficking have endangered and cost American lives," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "Treasury, in coordination with the DEA and other agencies, is committed to targeting Caro Quintero until he is brought to justice."


upi--2020-12-03--Relief for unemployed in U.S. could be crucial for health, study says

Americans who lost their jobs this year due to the coronavirus pandemic have remained healthier and more secure thanks to expanded unemployment insurance , a new study reports .
Struggling folks who received benefits reported that they were less likely to go hungry , miss a rent or mortgage payment , delay needed medical care , or suffer from anxiety or depression , according to the findings .
`` These programs are doing what they 're meant to do .
They 're helping to buffer the economic disruption that 's coming from the pandemic , '' said lead researcher Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .
A bipartisan group of U.S .
Senators on Tuesday introduced a $ 908 billion stimulus proposal that would provide $ 300 a week in federal unemployment benefits for four months , offering additional relief to tens of millions of jobless Americans .
This study shows why extending unemployment benefits would serve as a powerful weapon in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic , said Dr. Lynne Richardson .
She 's system vice chair of emergency medicine and co-director of the Institute for Health Equity Research at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York City .
`` This is a policy lever that 's available to our legislators to help address this pandemic going forward , '' Richardson said .
`` It 's a pretty good idea , not only from the point of view of the impact the stimulus will have on the economy , but that it will actually improve the health of people who are suffering from financial strain due to the COVID pandemic , '' she added .
`` It 's not only an economic policy intervention .
It 's actually a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the study , Berkowitz and a colleague analyzed data gathered from June 11 to July 21 , 2020 , as part of the Household Pulse Survey , a U.S. Census poll designed to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected American households .
The investigators reviewed survey responses from nearly 69,000 people who said they 'd suffered from household income disruption due to pandemic-related job loss .
Of those , about 29,000 said they were receiving unemployment .
The researchers compared the financial and health problems of people receiving unemployment benefits against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic but were n't on unemployment .
People receiving benefits were 27 % less likely to miss a housing payment and 17 % less likely to go hungry , the survey results showed , and they were less apt to worry about affording food and housing in the future .
People on unemployment were less likely to lose their health insurance or skip health care because they could n't afford it .
They also had lower levels of anxiety or depression compared to folks not receiving unemployment benefits .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra money will have a beneficial impact on a household that 's under financial strain , '' Richardson said .
`` Financial strains have additional health impacts on people .
What this article has highlighted is that unemployment insurance can mitigate those adverse health impacts . ''
The findings were published online this week in JAMA Internal Medicine .
These findings should prompt Congress to find a way to maintain the extension of unemployment insurance created by the CARES Act earlier this year , said Cheryl Fish-Parcham , director of access initiatives at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health care advocacy organization .
It 's not just the extra $ 300 or $ 600 per week , she said .
The act also extended the length of unemployment benefits and broadened eligibility for minimum-wage , self-employed , contract and gig workers .
`` We know people need income and they need health coverage .
They need both of those things .
I think there are things lawmakers can do that would help with both of those things , '' Fish-Parcham said .
Berkowitz believes these results make a case for permanently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better and longer-lasting benefits to more people .
`` Though the magnitude of the disruption may not be exactly the same , if you lose your job -- not because of a pandemic , but just because it happens from time to time -- you 're still likely to suffer the same health consequences that you might suffer now , '' Berkowitz said .
The American Institute of Stress has more about financial stress and the COVID-19 pandemic .

Americans who lost their jobs this year due to the coronavirus pandemic have remained healthier and more secure thanks to expanded unemployment insurance, a new study reports.
Struggling folks who received benefits reported that they were less likely to go hungry, miss a rent or mortgage payment, delay needed medical care, or suffer from anxiety or depression, according to the findings.
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"These programs are doing what they're meant to do. They're helping to buffer the economic disruption that's coming from the pandemic," said lead researcher Dr. Seth Berkowitz, a professor with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators on Tuesday introduced a $908 billion stimulus proposal that would provide $300 a week in federal unemployment benefits for four months, offering additional relief to tens of millions of jobless Americans.
This study shows why extending unemployment benefits would serve as a powerful weapon in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dr. Lynne Richardson. She's system vice chair of emergency medicine and co-director of the Institute for Health Equity Research at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.
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"This is a policy lever that's available to our legislators to help address this pandemic going forward," Richardson said. "It's a pretty good idea, not only from the point of view of the impact the stimulus will have on the economy, but that it will actually improve the health of people who are suffering from financial strain due to the COVID pandemic," she added.
"It's not only an economic policy intervention. It's actually a health intervention," Richardson concluded.
For the study, Berkowitz and a colleague analyzed data gathered from June 11 to July 21, 2020, as part of the Household Pulse Survey, a U.S. Census poll designed to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected American households.
The investigators reviewed survey responses from nearly 69,000 people who said they'd suffered from household income disruption due to pandemic-related job loss. Of those, about 29,000 said they were receiving unemployment.
The researchers compared the financial and health problems of people receiving unemployment benefits against those of people who lost income from the pandemic but weren't on unemployment.
People receiving benefits were 27% less likely to miss a housing payment and 17% less likely to go hungry, the survey results showed, and they were less apt to worry about affording food and housing in the future.
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People on unemployment were less likely to lose their health insurance or skip health care because they couldn't afford it. They also had lower levels of anxiety or depression compared to folks not receiving unemployment benefits.
"It's not surprising, right? Obviously, extra money will have a beneficial impact on a household that's under financial strain," Richardson said. "Financial strains have additional health impacts on people. What this article has highlighted is that unemployment insurance can mitigate those adverse health impacts."
The findings were published online this week in JAMA Internal Medicine.
These findings should prompt Congress to find a way to maintain the extension of unemployment insurance created by the CARES Act earlier this year, said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, director of access initiatives at Families USA, a national nonpartisan consumer health care advocacy organization.
It's not just the extra $300 or $600 per week, she said. The act also extended the length of unemployment benefits and broadened eligibility for minimum-wage, self-employed, contract and gig workers.
"We know people need income and they need health coverage. They need both of those things. I think there are things lawmakers can do that would help with both of those things," Fish-Parcham said.
Berkowitz believes these results make a case for permanently reforming America's unemployment programs to provide better and longer-lasting benefits to more people.
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"Though the magnitude of the disruption may not be exactly the same, if you lose your job -- not because of a pandemic, but just because it happens from time to time -- you're still likely to suffer the same health consequences that you might suffer now," Berkowitz said.
The American Institute of Stress has more about financial stress and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-12-03--Famous birthdays for Dec. 3: Julianne Moore, Jean-Luc Godard

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius .
-- Rock @ @ @ @ @ member Ozzy Osbourne in 1948 ( age 72 )

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Julianne Moore arrives on the red carpet at the WSJ Mag 2019 Innovator Awards at The Museum of Modern Art on November 6, 2019, in New York City. The actor turns 60 on December 3. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Sagittarius. They include: Advertisement
-- Civil War-era Gen. George B. McClellan in 1826
-- U.S. Weather Bureau meteorologist Cleveland Abbe in 1838
-- English novelist Joseph Conrad in 1857
-- Singer Andy Williams in 1927
-- French film director Jean-Luc Godard in 1930 (age 90)
File Photo by Denis Makarenko/Shutterstock
-- Former race car driver Bobby Allison in 1937 (age 83)
-- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Ozzy Osbourne in 1948 (age 72)
-- Former race car driver Rick Mears in 1951 (age 69)
-- Olympic gold medal skier Franz Klammer in 1953 (age 67)
-- Actor Mel Smith in 1952
-- Actor Daryl Hannah in 1960 (age 60)
-- Actor Julianne Moore in 1960 (age 60)
-- Olympic figure skater Katarina Witt in 1965 (age 55)
-- Singer Montell Jordan in 1968 (age 52)
-- Actor Brendan Fraser in 1968 (age 52)
-- Actor Holly Marie Combs in 1973 (age 47)
-- Actor Tiffany Haddish in 1979 (age 41)
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-- Actor Jenna Dewan in 1980 (age 40)
File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
-- Actor Anna Chlumsky in 1980 (age 40)
-- Actor Brian Bonsall in 1981 (age 39)
-- Actor Dascha Polanco in 1982 (age 38)
-- Actor Amanda Seyfried in 1985 (age 35)
-- Actor Jake T. Austin in 1994 (age 26)
-- Rapper Lil Baby, born Dominique Armani Jones, in 1994 (age 26)
File Photo by James Atoa/UPI


upi--2020-12-03--On This Day, Dec. 3: U.S. military opens all combat roles to women

Dec. 3 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1818 , Illinois was admitted as the 21st state in the United States .
In 1833 , Oberlin College in Ohio , the first truly coeducational college in the United States , opened with an enrollment of 29 men and 15 women .
In 1929 , the Ford Motor Co. raised the pay of its employees from $ 6 to $ 7 a day despite the collapse of the U.S. stock market .
In 1967 , Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant at Cape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , poison gas leaked at a Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal , India , in the world 's worst chemical disaster .
Death toll estimates varied widely .
Government officials said about 3,000 people died shortly after the leak and many thousands more in the months and years ahead .
In 1989 , U.S. President George H.W .
Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared the Cold War over during a summit in Malta .
Some historians believe the Cold War did n't end until 1991 , though , when the Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to authorize sending a U.S.-led multinational force to Somalia .
In 1997 , delegates from 131 countries met in Canada to sign the Convention on the Prohibition , Use , Stockpiling , Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines .
In 2006 , Hugo Chavez , an outspoken critic of U.S. President George W. Bush and U.S. foreign policy , was re-elected for a third term as president of Venezuela .
In 2009 , Comcast , the largest cable operator in the United States , bought 51 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13.75 billion .
In 2013 , a federal judge ruled that Detroit was eligible for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history .
In 2015 , Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced all combat roles in the U.S. armed forces would be opened to women .
In 2017 , astronauts on the International Space Station held the first pizza party in space .
In 2019 , Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris withdrew from the 2020 race , citing a lack of campaign funds .
She was ultimately elected as vice president in the @ @

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Graduating Midshipman Judith Cho (L) congratulates classmate Michaela Connally after she took the oath of office during the 2016 graduation and commissioning ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., on May 27, 2016. On December 3, 2015, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced all combat roles in the U.S. armed forces would be opened to women. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1818, Illinois was admitted as the 21st state in the United States. Advertisement
In 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio, the first truly coeducational college in the United States, opened with an enrollment of 29 men and 15 women.
In 1929, the Ford Motor Co. raised the pay of its employees from $6 to $7 a day despite the collapse of the U.S. stock market.
In 1967, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first successful heart transplant at Cape Town, South Africa.
In 1984, poison gas leaked at a Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal, India, in the world's worst chemical disaster. Death toll estimates varied widely. Government officials said about 3,000 people died shortly after the leak and many thousands more in the months and years ahead.
UPI File Photo
In 1989, U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared the Cold War over during a summit in Malta. Some historians believe the Cold War didn't end until 1991, though, when the Soviet Union collapsed.
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In 1992, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to authorize sending a U.S.-led multinational force to Somalia.
In 1997, delegates from 131 countries met in Canada to sign the Convention on the Prohibition, Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines.
In 2006, Hugo Chavez, an outspoken critic of U.S. President George W. Bush and U.S. foreign policy, was re-elected for a third term as president of Venezuela.
File Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI
In 2009, Comcast, the largest cable operator in the United States, bought 51 percent of NBC Universal from General Electric for $13.75 billion.
In 2013, a federal judge ruled that Detroit was eligible for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
In 2015, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter announced all combat roles in the U.S. armed forces would be opened to women.
In 2017, astronauts on the International Space Station held the first pizza party in space.
In 2019, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris withdrew from the 2020 race, citing a lack of campaign funds. She was ultimately elected as vice president in the race.
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upi--2020-12-03--Fantasy football: Mahomes, Rodgers top Week 13 quarterback rankings

Aaron Rodgers , Russell Wilson , Lamar Jackson and Ben Roethlisberger round out my Top 5 options for Week 13 .
Josh Allen , Kirk Cousins , Kyler Murray , Deshaun Watson and Justin Herbert also land in my Top 10 .
I also would consider starting Taysom Hill , Mitchell Trubisky or Philip Rivers this week if you are desperate at the position .
Monitor the status for each of your players ' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule and player availability .
Tom Brady and Teddy Bridgewater should be removed from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers have Week 13 byes .
Check out my weekly waiver wire article for candidates to add to your roster before your Week 13 matchup .
Here are some of my favorite players in this week 's rankings : Patrick Mahomes has been the top quarterback in fantasy football this season on a points per game basis .
The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 of his 11 games this season .
He also has averaged nearly 400 passing yards per game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last four appearances .
I expect Mahomes to have another virtuoso performance in Week 13 , when the Chiefs host the Denver Broncos .
The Broncos have n't been bad in defending quarterbacks this season , but I do n't think any defense can contain Mahomes when he is this hot .
He is my top option for Week 13 and for the fantasy football playoffs .
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has also thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 of his 11 starts in 2020 .
He threw four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 win over the Chicago Bears .
Rodgers is my No .
2 quarterback for Week 13 as he heads into a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles .
The Eagles secondary struggled to defend D.K .
Metcalf in Week 12 , but did n't do a terrible job of limiting Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson .
I think Rodgers can exploit this inconsistent unit .
I expect at least three touchdown passes from the Packers quarterback in this matchup .
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been a great fantasy football streamer late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least two touchdown passes in four consecutive games and in six of his last seven appearances .
He should have another stellar performance in Week 13 , when the Vikings face the Jacksonville Jaguars .
The Jaguars have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns and third-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks .
Cousins also should get Pro Bowler Adam Thielen back this week after the Vikings wide receiver missed Week 12 due to a positive COVID-19 test .
Cousins is my No .
7 quarterback for Week 13 .
New Orleans Saints quarterback @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of value as a passer since he stepped in for injured starter Drew Brees , but he can produce on the ground .
Hill has yet to throw a touchdown pass this season , but has scored two rushing touchdowns in each of his last two starts .
I expect Hill to throw his first touchdown toss of 2020 this week when the Saints face the Atlanta Falcons .
The Falcons have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks .
Hill is my No .
11 option for Week 13 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fantasy football lineup this week if you are in desperate need of a quarterback .
The Chicago Bears starter is a risky play , but could pay off as a streamer due to a great matchup against the Detroit Lions .
Trubisky threw for 242 yards and two scores in Week 12 .
The Lions have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and I expect this NFC North matchup to be a shootout .
Trubisky is my No .
18 option and a suitable steamer for Week 13 .
Indianapolis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
19 quarterback for Week 13 .
Rivers has thrown at least two touchdown passes in two consecutive games as he heads into a matchup against the Houston Texans .
The Texans have allowed 20 passing touchdowns and have just three interceptions this season .
Houston also just lost starting cornerback Bradley Roby to a suspension .
I expect Rivers to post a low-end QB1 fantasy football point total in Week 13 for leagues with at least 14 teams .

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has scored the most fantasy points per game this season and is my top option for Week 13. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Dec. 3 (UPI) -- Patrick Mahomes tops my Week 13 fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2020. Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson and Ben Roethlisberger round out my Top 5 options for Week 13. Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, Kyler Murray, Deshaun Watson and Justin Herbert also land in my Top 10. Advertisement
I also would consider starting Taysom Hill, Mitchell Trubisky or Philip Rivers this week if you are desperate at the position.
Monitor the status for each of your players' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule and player availability.
Advertisement
Tom Brady and Teddy Bridgewater should be removed from all starting lineups, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers have Week 13 byes.
Check out my weekly waiver wire article for candidates to add to your roster before your Week 13 matchup.
Here are some of my favorite players in this week's rankings:
TOP SHELF
Patrick Mahomes has been the top quarterback in fantasy football this season on a points per game basis. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 of his 11 games this season. He also has averaged nearly 400 passing yards per game and has just one interception over his last four appearances.
I expect Mahomes to have another virtuoso performance in Week 13, when the Chiefs host the Denver Broncos. The Broncos haven't been bad in defending quarterbacks this season, but I don't think any defense can contain Mahomes when he is this hot.
He is my top option for Week 13 and for the fantasy football playoffs.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has also thrown at least two touchdown passes in 10 of his 11 starts in 2020. He threw four touchdown passes in the Packers' Week 12 win over the Chicago Bears.
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Rodgers is my No. 2 quarterback for Week 13 as he heads into a matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles secondary struggled to defend D.K. Metcalf in Week 12, but didn't do a terrible job of limiting Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
I think Rodgers can exploit this inconsistent unit. I expect at least three touchdown passes from the Packers quarterback in this matchup.
SNEAKY PLAYS
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been a great fantasy football streamer late this season. Cousins has thrown at least two touchdown passes in four consecutive games and in six of his last seven appearances.
He should have another stellar performance in Week 13, when the Vikings face the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Jaguars have allowed the second-most passing touchdowns and third-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Cousins also should get Pro Bowler Adam Thielen back this week after the Vikings wide receiver missed Week 12 due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Cousins is my No. 7 quarterback for Week 13.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill hasn't provided a ton of value as a passer since he stepped in for injured starter Drew Brees, but he can produce on the ground.
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Hill has yet to throw a touchdown pass this season, but has scored two rushing touchdowns in each of his last two starts.
I expect Hill to throw his first touchdown toss of 2020 this week when the Saints face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Hill is my No. 11 option for Week 13.
LONGSHOTS
Mitchell Trubisky should only be in your fantasy football lineup this week if you are in desperate need of a quarterback. The Chicago Bears starter is a risky play, but could pay off as a streamer due to a great matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Trubisky threw for 242 yards and two scores in Week 12. The Lions have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks and I expect this NFC North matchup to be a shootout. Trubisky is my No. 18 option and a suitable steamer for Week 13.
Indianapolis Colts veteran Philip Rivers is my No. 19 quarterback for Week 13. Rivers has thrown at least two touchdown passes in two consecutive games as he heads into a matchup against the Houston Texans.
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The Texans have allowed 20 passing touchdowns and have just three interceptions this season. Houston also just lost starting cornerback Bradley Roby to a suspension.
I expect Rivers to post a low-end QB1 fantasy football point total in Week 13 for leagues with at least 14 teams.
Week 13 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs vs. DEN
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers vs. PHI
3. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks vs. NYG
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens vs. DAL
5. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. WAS
6. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills at SF
7. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings vs. JAX
8. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals vs. LAR
9. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans vs. IND
10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers vs. NE
11. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints at ATL
12. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders at NYJ
13. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans vs. CLE
14. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams at ARI
15. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. NO
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16. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins vs. CIN
17. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions at CHI
18. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears vs. DET
19. Philip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts at HOU
20. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles at GB
This week in the National Football League