upi--2020-10-28--Hundreds of thousands without power as Hurricane Zeta moves through Louisiana

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Hurricane Zeta ripped through Louisiana after making landfall on Wednesday afternoon , leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power .
The powerful Category 2 storm packing 110-mph winds lashed Louisiana as the eye passed over the state on Wednesday evening , with tropical storm warnings extending to more than 600 miles and covering Alabama , Georgia , Louisiana , Mississippi , North Carolina , South Carolina and Tennessee .
Hurricane warnings were issued for metropolitan New Orleans and other parts of southeastern Louisiana ahead of the storm 's arrival , which forecasters warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds and heavy rains .
`` It 's coming fast and it 's coming strong , '' New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said .
`` This is not a drill . ''
There were 482,775 customers without power in Louisiana , with the neighboring states of Texas and Oklahoma both reporting between 50,000 and 80,000 outages , according to poweroutage.us .
Officials in the Jefferson and Terrebonne parishes in Louisiana issue mandatory evacuation orders for coastal areas and places outside major levees , while New Orleans issued voluntary evacuations for similar areas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be as lucky with this one , '' said Collin Arnold , New Orlean 's emergency preparedness director .
The Gulf Coast was also hit by Hurricanes Laura , Marco , Sally and Delta this year , as well as Tropical Storms Cristobal , Fay and Beta .
`` We 've had a lot of near misses this year , '' New Orleans 's Cantrell tweeted Wednesday .
`` Pretty clear now that [ Zeta ] will be a direct hit in [ New Orleans ] .
Finish your preparations this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon . ''
In Jefferson Parish , officials said nearly 300 drainage pumps and pumping stations are operational and ready for the storm .
Prior to the storm 's arrival , thousands in Louisiana , Mississippi and Alabama finished preparations including stuffing sandbags , installing shutters and stocking supplies .
In New Orleans , the city 's transit authority suspended all ferry service after final scheduled runs Tuesday night and all parking restrictions were lifted .
At the harbor in Gulfport , Miss.
, holiday light displays and a Santa 's Village were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm .
`` [ We 're ] making sure that we protect any of our power components that we have out here by taking those up so the water does n't get to those , '' Gulfport Special Events Coordinator Catherine Hasty told WLBT-TV .
On Dauphin Island in Alabama , residents prepared for storm surge and flooding .
The island is still cleaning up from Hurricane Sally .
`` There 's still piles of trash everywhere , '' resident Rhett King told WPMI-TV .
`` Here we go again . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest concerns are flooding and power outages .
Hundreds of thousands of customers are expected to lose electricity as Zeta passes through .

1/7
Bourbon Street in the New Orleans French Quarter is empty as Hurricane Zeta approaches the area Wednesday. Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- New Orleans reported the first death related to Hurricane Zeta as the storm ripped through the Gulf Coast Wednesday night. The powerful storm made landfall in Louisana as a Category 2 storm packing 110-mph winds and New Orleans EMS reported that it responded to a high-voltage electrocution fatality. Advertisement
In a press conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the person, whose identity was not immediately released, died after touching a live wire.
First responders had to wait for utility personnel to turn off power to the line before they could provide aid and Cantrell urged residents to remain inside and let city officials assess damage from the storm.
"We do not want to lose another life," she said.
Zeta lashed Louisiana as the eye passed over the state on Wednesday evening, with tropical storm warnings extending to more than 600 miles and covering Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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Hurricane warnings were issued for metropolitan New Orleans and other parts of southeastern Louisiana ahead of the storm's arrival, which forecasters warned would bring life-threatening storm surge, strong winds and heavy rains.
"It's coming fast and it's coming strong," New Orleans mayor Cantrell said. "This is not a drill."
There were 537,699 customers without power in Louisiana while Mississipi reported 216,030 outages and Alabama reported 134,570 more as Zeta began to pass through them, according to poweroutage.us.
Officials in the Jefferson and Terrebonne parishes in Louisiana issued mandatory evacuation orders for coastal areas and places outside major levees, while New Orleans issued voluntary evacuations for similar areas.
"I don't think we're going to be as lucky with this one," said Collin Arnold, New Orlean's emergency preparedness director.
The Gulf Coast was also hit by Hurricanes Laura, Marco, Sally and Delta this year, as well as Tropical Storms Cristobal, Fay and Beta.
"We've had a lot of near misses this year," New Orleans's Cantrell tweeted Wednesday. "Pretty clear now that [Zeta] will be a direct hit in [New Orleans]. Finish your preparations this morning. Conditions will deteriorate in the afternoon."
New Orleans Public Schools canceled in-person classes for Wednesday.
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In Jefferson Parish, officials said nearly 300 drainage pumps and pumping stations are operational and ready for the storm.
Prior to the storm's arrival, thousands in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama finished preparations including stuffing sandbags, installing shutters and stocking supplies.
In New Orleans, the city's transit authority suspended all ferry service after final scheduled runs Tuesday night and all parking restrictions were lifted.
At the harbor in Gulfport, Miss., holiday light displays and a Santa's Village were hastily dismantled and packed away ahead of the storm.
"[We're] making sure that we protect any of our power components that we have out here by taking those up so the water doesn't get to those," Gulfport Special Events Coordinator Catherine Hasty told WLBT-TV.
On Dauphin Island in Alabama, residents prepared for storm surge and flooding. The island is still cleaning up from Hurricane Sally.
"There's still piles of trash everywhere," resident Rhett King told WPMI-TV.
"Here we go again."
Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said the greatest concerns are flooding and power outages. Hundreds of thousands of customers are expected to lose electricity as Zeta passes through.


upi--2020-10-28--Cincinnati Bengals trade veteran DE Carlos Dunlap to Seattle Seahawks

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- The Cincinnati Bengals traded disgruntled defensive end Carlos Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks , the team announced Wednesday .
The Bengals acquired offensive lineman B.J .
Finney and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in exchange for Dunlap , who leaves the franchise as its career sacks leader .
Under the league 's COVID-19 protocols , the earliest Dunlap could make his Seahawks debut is Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills .
`` I 'm not going to lie , I 'm nervous as hell but I 'm excited , '' Dunlap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle .
`` ...
It 's all up from here .
It 's all up from here .
Let 's go .
I get to play .
Above all , I get to play . ''
Dunlap -- a second-round pick in the 2010 draft out of Florida -- had grown increasingly frustrated with his role in the Bengals ' defense .
He had come off the bench in each of the past three games .
The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end also posted a property listing shortly after the Bengals ' loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He later deleted the posts .
`` Carlos has done a lot of great things for this organization and the community .
He deserves to go out the right way , '' Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Wednesday .
`` He 's being sent to a team that 's really a great organization .
They 're in the hunt right now .
They 've got a great record and he 'll have a chance to help . ''
Dunlap , 31 , had two years remaining on a contract extension that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 2021 season .
In his 11-year tenure with the Bengals , he tallied 489 total tackles , 82.5 sacks and 20 forced fumbles .

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and the Bengals' career sacks leader. File Photo by Derik Hamilton/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals traded disgruntled defensive end Carlos Dunlap to the Seattle Seahawks, the team announced Wednesday. The Bengals acquired offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft in exchange for Dunlap, who leaves the franchise as its career sacks leader. Advertisement
Under the league's COVID-19 protocols, the earliest Dunlap could make his Seahawks debut is Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills.
"I'm not going to lie, I'm nervous as hell but I'm excited," Dunlap said on his Instagram story about joining Seattle. "... It's all up from here. It's all up from here. Let's go. I get to play. Above all, I get to play."
Thank you for a memorable decade in The Jungle. Best of luck Carlos! pic.twitter.com/4H36Xg0buP— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) October 28, 2020
Dunlap -- a second-round pick in the 2010 draft out of Florida -- had grown increasingly frustrated with his role in the Bengals' defense. He had come off the bench in each of the past three games.
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The two-time Pro Bowl defensive end also posted a property listing shortly after the Bengals' loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He later deleted the posts.
"Carlos has done a lot of great things for this organization and the community. He deserves to go out the right way," Bengals head coach Zac Taylor told reporters Wednesday. "He's being sent to a team that's really a great organization. They're in the hunt right now. They've got a great record and he'll have a chance to help."
Dunlap, 31, had two years remaining on a contract extension that was scheduled to expire at the end of the 2021 season. In his 11-year tenure with the Bengals, he tallied 489 total tackles, 82.5 sacks and 20 forced fumbles.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-10-28--Wendy Williams eliminated from 'Masked Singer'

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Talk-show host Wendy Williams got the boot on The Masked Singer Wednesday night .
@ @ @ @ @ for Season 4 of the FOX competition .
Ken Jeong , Jenny McCarthy , Nicole @ @ @ @ @ the program 's judges , and Nick Cannon is the host .
`` HOW YOU @ @ @ @ @ !
I knew it was @ WendyWilliams Love ya girl # TheMaskedSinger , '' Scherzinger @ @ @ @ @ was the first costumed celebrity eliminated this season .
Actor Mickey Rourke later took himself @ @ @ @ @ and TV icon Brian Austin Green and retired pro football player/sports commentator Mark Sanchez were @ @ @ @ @ .

Wendy Williams was eliminated from "The Masked Singer" on Wednesday night. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Talk-show host Wendy Williams got the boot on The Masked Singer Wednesday night. Williams wore the Lips mask for Season 4 of the FOX competition. Advertisement
Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke are the program's judges, and Nick Cannon is the host.
"HOW YOU DOOOOIN #LipsMask!!! I knew it was @WendyWilliams Love ya girl #TheMaskedSinger," Scherzinger tweeted.
Rapper Busta Rhymes was the first costumed celebrity eliminated this season.
Actor Mickey Rourke later took himself out of the competition, and TV icon Brian Austin Green and retired pro football player/sports commentator Mark Sanchez were subsequently cut from the show.


upi--2020-10-28--Biden, Harris accuse Republicans of rushing Barrett confirmation to dismantle Obamacare

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate , Kamala Harris , on Wednesday said the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court was part of a Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act .
Biden , who helped to establish the healthcare law while serving as vice president alongside former President Barack Obama , said cited a Supreme Court case set to take place exactly one week after the Nov. 3 presidential election as the primary reason President Donald Trump and Republicans sought to quickly confirm Barrett to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's why President Trump nominated Justice Barrett to the court and that 's why the Republicans jammed through her confirmation in the middle of an election , '' Biden said during a campaign speech in Wilmington , Del.
, where he and his wife , Jill Biden , cast their ballots Wednesday .
Speaking in Arizona , Harris -- a senator from California -- noted that she voted against Barrett 's confirmation , which she described as `` an illegitimate process . ''
`` From the time Donald Trump was running for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in office , he has had this weird obsession with trying to get rid of whatever Barack Obama and Joe Biden created , '' she said .
Biden said , if elected , he has a proposal prepared to improve the ACA by introducing a public option that allows people to keep their private health insurance , reducing the cost of medication and lowering the age of Medicare eligibility to 60 .
He also accused Trump of not having a healthcare plan of his own while warning that repealing the ACA could result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with pre-existing conditions and the ability to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for free through an insurer .
`` We ca n't afford four more years of a president who 'd rather spend his time desperately trying to strip people of their healthcare than even once bother to put forward a healthcare plan on his own .

Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, on Wednesday said the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court was part of a Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
Biden, who helped to establish the healthcare law while serving as vice president alongside former President Barack Obama, said cited a Supreme Court case set to take place exactly one week after the Nov. 3 presidential election as the primary reason President Donald Trump and Republicans sought to quickly confirm Barrett to the court.
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"There's no question that's why President Trump nominated Justice Barrett to the court and that's why the Republicans jammed through her confirmation in the middle of an election," Biden said during a campaign speech in Wilmington, Del., where he and his wife, Jill Biden, cast their ballots Wednesday.
Speaking in Arizona, Harris -- a senator from California -- noted that she voted against Barrett's confirmation, which she described as "an illegitimate process."
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"From the time Donald Trump was running for office through the time he's been in office, he has had this weird obsession with trying to get rid of whatever Barack Obama and Joe Biden created," she said.
Biden said, if elected, he has a proposal prepared to improve the ACA by introducing a public option that allows people to keep their private health insurance, reducing the cost of medication and lowering the age of Medicare eligibility to 60.
He also accused Trump of not having a healthcare plan of his own while warning that repealing the ACA could result in the loss of protections for people with pre-existing conditions and the ability to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for free through an insurer.
"We can't afford four more years of a president who'd rather spend his time desperately trying to strip people of their healthcare than even once bother to put forward a healthcare plan on his own.


upi--2020-10-28--Hurricane Zeta's eye moves over New Orleans

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Hurricane Zeta made landfall on New Orleans as a Category 2 storm Wednesday evening , bringing life-threatening storm surge , high winds and heavy rain , meteorologists said .
Early Wednesday afternoon , Zeta strengthened into a Category 2 storm packing 110-mph winds as it bore down on the Gulf Coast .
In its 7 p.m. CDT advisory , the National Hurricane Center said the eye had moved to about 10 miles southwest of Slidell , La.
, and was moving north-northeast at 25 mph .
The storm weakened slightly to 100 mph winds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale at the time of landfall .
The company 's hurricane scale takes into account a broad range of impacts , rather than just wind speed used in the Saffir-Simpson scale to assess the overall impact of a tropical system .
As Zeta came crashing ashore , it became the fifth named storm to hit the Louisiana coast during what has been a relentless hurricane season , and the 11th to strike the country as a whole -- a national record .
City officials in New Orleans called for residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evacuate voluntarily as AccuWeather 's futurecast shows that Zeta 's eyewall could move right over the Big Easy .
Impacts along the coast began to occur late Wednesday morning .
AccuWeather National Reporter Jonathan Petramala was stationed in Grand Isle , Louisiana , a barrier island about 100 miles south of New Orleans , and storm surge was already encroaching onto land .
In addition to New Orleans , hurricane warnings were in effect along the Gulf Coast from central Louisiana eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border and tropical storm watches have been issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ storm surge , high winds and flooding rainfall will hammer the area from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle .
Several tornadoes could also touch down as the Zeta batters the U.S. Gulf Coast , especially near and east of where the storm comes onshore .
The storm 's projected path has the potential to bring the most significant impacts in southeastern Louisiana and the New Orleans area of any tropical system this season as the city managed to avoid the core of all tropical systems thus far this year .
The Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , flooding and property damage from Zeta -- and conditions will deteriorate quickly there late Wednesday afternoon and early Wednesday evening .
A storm surge of 3 feet to 6 feet is forecast along much of the southeastern Louisiana coast , including Lake Pontchartrain .
But , a storm surge of 6 feet to 10 feet is forecast along portions of the Mississippi coast and Lake Borgne , and a surge of 1 foot to 3 feet can occur as far to the east as the northern Gulf coast of Florida and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , La .
Storm surge warnings have been issued from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana to Navarre , Fla .
This includes the bays around Gulfport , Miss.
, and Mobile , Ala .
Significant power outages and tree damage are still anticipated in southeastern Louisiana to part of southern Mississippi and central and southern Alabama with gusts frequenting 60 mph to 80 mph .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 100 mph is forecast in southeastern Louisiana .
`` Power outages could last for a few days to a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected as well , especially to weak and poorly built buildings , '' Douty said .
Sporadic tree damage and power outages can occur with wind gusts of 40-60 mph as far to the north as the Piedmont areas of the interior South and perhaps to the mid-Atlantic coast .
Major cities well inland , such as Montgomery , Ala. ; Atlanta ; Greenville , S.C. , and Charlotte , N.C. , could experience power outages and travel problems due to fallen trees and urban flooding .
The central and eastern Gulf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress of Zeta as the area will bear the brunt of the tropical system 's impacts , but effects will also reach far inland across the U.S .
Enough rain to cause flash and urban flooding is forecast as far to the north as the Ohio Valley , central and southern Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic coast .
Torrential rainfall will be limited to several hours due to the fast forward motion of Zeta , but downpours and moderate rainfall will precede the storm many hours in advance .
`` Heavy rain is by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact from Zeta in the United States , '' warned AccuWeather meteorologist Niki LoBiondo .
Rainfall on the order of 4 inches to 8 inches will occur along the path of Zeta as it interacts with a non-tropical storm , the same one bringing heavy snow and ice to the southern Plains and Rockies .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches is forecast from southeastern Louisiana to part of western Alabama , which will be closest to the source of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico .
`` Flash flooding will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area where the heaviest rain totals are expected , especially in places with steeper terrain , '' according to AccuWeather meteorologist Jake Sojda .
`` Ponding on roads and in poor drainage areas will likely be widespread , especially in communities where falling leaves clog storm drains . ''
Due to the widespread nature of heavy rain over the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys , as well as the southern Appalachians , small stream flooding is expected and some minor river flooding may also develop along the tributaries of the major rivers by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when tropical storms or hurricanes make landfall , tornadoes and waterspouts can occur , and that will be a threat when Zeta comes ashore on the Gulf Coast .
`` Tornadoes to the east of Zeta 's track can lead to localized areas of more intense damage , '' Douty said .
`` There is the concern that there could be a higher-than-usual number of tornadoes with this tropical system as extra energy from the non-tropical storm system over the southern Plains interacts with Zeta as it moves inland . ''
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thunderstorms will be left behind in the area from the western Caribbean to the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits .
`` This area will have to be watched for the next potential tropical development zone next week , '' according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk .
`` We 're doing everything we can to prepare for this storm '' Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Monday ahead of Zeta 's arrival .
`` [ The ] good thing and the bad thing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' at weathering storms this season , Edwards said during a Monday afternoon update on the looming threat for his state .
`` We 're doing everything we can to prepare for this storm , '' he added .
Nearly 3,600 people remain sheltered by the state after devastating back-to-back hurricane strikes .
Laura struck the state as a devastating Category 4 storm in late August , and then just 43 days later , Category 2 Hurricane Delta made landfall only 13 miles to the east of where Laura hit .
Zeta is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make landfall in Louisiana at tropical storm strength or greater following hits from Tropical Storm Cristobal , Hurricane Laura , Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Delta .
Once this occurs , it will break the record set in 2002 , when four tropical systems made landfall in the state .
Edwards also noted that his state is dealing with dueling disasters amid the public health emergency of the pandemic .
`` We may be tired of COVID-19 and hurricanes , but neither the virus nor Mother Nature is going to take that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The National Guard was mobilized and ready to respond to Zeta in 16 parishes of Louisiana .
Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey and Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves both issued emergency declarations in advance of the hurricane 's effects .
Zeta made its first landfall as a Category 1 hurricane , packing 80-mph winds , along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico just north of Tulum shortly after 11 p.m. CDT Monday .
The storm lost some wind intensity once over land and weakened into a tropical storm as it spun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and strong winds Monday night .
Zeta became the 11th hurricane of the extremely busy Atlantic hurricane season over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Monday afternoon .
Only two other Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1851 ( 1950 and 2005 ) spawned 11 or more hurricanes by Oct. 26 , according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach .
An average season generates six hurricanes and 12 named storms .
It will become the eighth named storm to strike the Gulf Coast this season , and the 11th tropical system to make landfall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was number 10 , which broke the record of nine storms to crash into the continental U.S. in one season , previously set in 1916 .
Zeta is projected to be the sixth landfalling hurricane in the continental U.S. this season , which will tie another national record previously set in 1886 and 1985 .
Hanna , Isaias , Laura , Sally and Delta are the other hurricanes that hit U.S. soil in 2020 .
Also notable is the calendar date that Zeta will impact the U.S .
It 's expected to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year since Kate hit Mexico Beach , Florida , in 1985 .
`` For those counting , 2005 still holds the record for the most number of named storms in a season ( 28 ) .
NHC identified an 'unnamed ' subtropical storm in its post-season analysis that year , which is included in the total , '' the National Hurricane Center said on Twitter .
`` With # Zeta , the number for 2020 currently stands at 27 . ''

Hurricane Zeta weakened to a Category 1 storm after making landfall. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Hurricane Zeta made landfall on New Orleans as a Category 2 storm Wednesday evening, bringing life-threatening storm surge, high winds and heavy rain, meteorologists said. Early Wednesday afternoon, Zeta strengthened into a Category 2 storm packing 110-mph winds as it bore down on the Gulf Coast. Advertisement
In its 10 p.m. CDT advisory, the National Hurricane Center said the eye had moved to about 70 miles northeast of Hattiesburg, Miss., and was moving northeast at 31 mph. The storm weakened slightly to a Category 1 with 80 mph winds.
Forecasters rated Zeta a 1 on the AccuWeather RealImpact Scale at the time of landfall. The company's hurricane scale takes into account a broad range of impacts, rather than just wind speed used in the Saffir-Simpson scale to assess the overall impact of a tropical system.
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As Zeta came crashing ashore, it became the fifth named storm to hit the Louisiana coast during what has been a relentless hurricane season, and the 11th to strike the country as a whole -- a national record. City officials in New Orleans called for residents who live outside the levee system to evacuate voluntarily as AccuWeather's futurecast shows that Zeta's eyewall could move right over the Big Easy.
Impacts along the coast began to occur late Wednesday morning. AccuWeather National Reporter Jonathan Petramala was stationed in Grand Isle, Louisiana, a barrier island about 100 miles south of New Orleans, and storm surge was already encroaching onto land.
In addition to New Orleans, hurricane warnings were in effect along the Gulf Coast from central Louisiana eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border and tropical storm watches have been issued northward through Atlanta.
Dangerous and damaging storm surge, high winds and flooding rainfall will hammer the area from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. Several tornadoes could also touch down as the Zeta batters the U.S. Gulf Coast, especially near and east of where the storm comes onshore.
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The storm's projected path has the potential to bring the most significant impacts in southeastern Louisiana and the New Orleans area of any tropical system this season as the city managed to avoid the core of all tropical systems thus far this year. The Big Easy is at risk for power outages, flooding and property damage from Zeta -- and conditions will deteriorate quickly there late Wednesday afternoon and early Wednesday evening.
A storm surge of 3 feet to 6 feet is forecast along much of the southeastern Louisiana coast, including Lake Pontchartrain. But, a storm surge of 6 feet to 10 feet is forecast along portions of the Mississippi coast and Lake Borgne, and a surge of 1 foot to 3 feet can occur as far to the east as the northern Gulf coast of Florida and as far to the west as Intercoastal City, La.
Storm surge warnings have been issued from the mouth of the Atchafalaya River in Louisiana to Navarre, Fla. This includes the bays around Gulfport, Miss., and Mobile, Ala.
Significant power outages and tree damage are still anticipated in southeastern Louisiana to part of southern Mississippi and central and southern Alabama with gusts frequenting 60 mph to 80 mph. An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 100 mph is forecast in southeastern Louisiana.
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"Power outages could last for a few days to a week in some areas and minor structural damage is expected as well, especially to weak and poorly built buildings," Douty said.
Sporadic tree damage and power outages can occur with wind gusts of 40-60 mph as far to the north as the Piedmont areas of the interior South and perhaps to the mid-Atlantic coast. Major cities well inland, such as Montgomery, Ala.; Atlanta; Greenville, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C., could experience power outages and travel problems due to fallen trees and urban flooding.
The central and eastern Gulf is being warned to closely monitor the progress of Zeta as the area will bear the brunt of the tropical system's impacts, but effects will also reach far inland across the U.S.
Enough rain to cause flash and urban flooding is forecast as far to the north as the Ohio Valley, central and southern Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic coast. Torrential rainfall will be limited to several hours due to the fast forward motion of Zeta, but downpours and moderate rainfall will precede the storm many hours in advance.
"Heavy rain is by far going to be the most widespread impact from Zeta in the United States," warned AccuWeather meteorologist Niki LoBiondo.
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Rainfall on the order of 4 inches to 8 inches will occur along the path of Zeta as it interacts with a non-tropical storm, the same one bringing heavy snow and ice to the southern Plains and Rockies. An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches is forecast from southeastern Louisiana to part of western Alabama, which will be closest to the source of tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
"Flash flooding will be a threat across much of the area where the heaviest rain totals are expected, especially in places with steeper terrain," according to AccuWeather meteorologist Jake Sojda. "Ponding on roads and in poor drainage areas will likely be widespread, especially in communities where falling leaves clog storm drains."
Due to the widespread nature of heavy rain over the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys, as well as the southern Appalachians, small stream flooding is expected and some minor river flooding may also develop along the tributaries of the major rivers by the end of the week.
Zeta's legacy may include tornado outbreak
Sometimes, when tropical storms or hurricanes make landfall, tornadoes and waterspouts can occur, and that will be a threat when Zeta comes ashore on the Gulf Coast.
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"Tornadoes to the east of Zeta's track can lead to localized areas of more intense damage," Douty said. "There is the concern that there could be a higher-than-usual number of tornadoes with this tropical system as extra energy from the non-tropical storm system over the southern Plains interacts with Zeta as it moves inland."
In the wake of Zeta, showers and thunderstorms will be left behind in the area from the western Caribbean to the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits. "This area will have to be watched for the next potential tropical development zone next week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.
"We're doing everything we can to prepare for this storm"
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency on Monday ahead of Zeta's arrival. "[The] good thing and the bad thing is we've had a lot of practice" at weathering storms this season, Edwards said during a Monday afternoon update on the looming threat for his state. "We're doing everything we can to prepare for this storm," he added.
Nearly 3,600 people remain sheltered by the state after devastating back-to-back hurricane strikes. Laura struck the state as a devastating Category 4 storm in late August, and then just 43 days later, Category 2 Hurricane Delta made landfall only 13 miles to the east of where Laura hit.
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Zeta is predicted to be the fifth tropical system to make landfall in Louisiana at tropical storm strength or greater following hits from Tropical Storm Cristobal, Hurricane Laura, Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Delta. Once this occurs, it will break the record set in 2002, when four tropical systems made landfall in the state.
Edwards also noted that his state is dealing with dueling disasters amid the public health emergency of the pandemic. "We may be tired of COVID-19 and hurricanes, but neither the virus nor Mother Nature is going to take that into account," Edwards said.
The National Guard was mobilized and ready to respond to Zeta in 16 parishes of Louisiana. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves both issued emergency declarations in advance of the hurricane's effects.
Zeta made its first landfall as a Category 1 hurricane, packing 80-mph winds, along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico just north of Tulum shortly after 11 p.m. CDT Monday. The storm lost some wind intensity once over land and weakened into a tropical storm as it spun northward unleashing storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds Monday night.
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Zeta became the 11th hurricane of the extremely busy Atlantic hurricane season over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Monday afternoon. Only two other Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1851(1950 and 2005) spawned 11 or more hurricanes by Oct. 26, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach. An average season generates six hurricanes and 12 named storms.
It will become the eighth named storm to strike the Gulf Coast this season, and the 11th tropical system to make landfall in the U.S. in 2020. Hurricane Delta was number 10, which broke the record of nine storms to crash into the continental U.S. in one season, previously set in 1916.
Zeta is projected to be the sixth landfalling hurricane in the continental U.S. this season, which will tie another national record previously set in 1886 and 1985. Hanna, Isaias, Laura, Sally and Delta are the other hurricanes that hit U.S. soil in 2020.
Also notable is the calendar date that Zeta will impact the U.S. It's expected to be the latest hurricane landfall in the calendar year since Kate hit Mexico Beach, Florida, in 1985.
"For those counting, 2005 still holds the record for the most number of named storms in a season (28). NHC identified an 'unnamed' subtropical storm in its post-season analysis that year, which is included in the total," the National Hurricane Center said on Twitter. "With #Zeta, the number for 2020 currently stands at 27."


upi--2020-10-28--NFL plans to limit fan capacity, require masks for Super Bowl LV

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Amid the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic , the NFL is moving forward with a plan to limit fan capacity at Super Bowl LV this February .
In a statement released Wednesday , the league said it is planning to hold capacity to 20 % at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ' Raymond James Stadium , which typically seats 65,000 fans .
With temporary seating , the stadium 's capacity could increase to almost 75,000 .
Fans in attendance will be in pods six feet apart , and masks will be required .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , players and personnel continues to be our foremost priority , '' NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement Wednesday .
`` We are working on a host of Super Bowl plans , including gameday , in conjunction with the host committee and the appropriate local and county public health and government officials .
`` There is no set capacity figure at this time as we continue to monitor the ongoing pandemic with more than three months to go before the Super Bowl on Feb. 7 .
There have been 19 teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by public authorities to host regular-season games .
`` The average has been around 20 percent with fans seated in pods and everyone wearing face coverings .
Among the scenarios we are exploring is a capacity of around that figure [ of 20 % ] but we anticipate it could grow as we get closer to the game . ''
Throughout the regular season , the NFL has left attendance decisions to home teams in conjunction with local and state authorities .
Half of the league 's teams have had paid attendance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium .
Tampa Bay has hosted an average of 10,961 fans at two home matchups in 2020 .

Last season's Super Bowl was held Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. This year's NFL championship game is set for Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. File Photo by Tasos Katopodis/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Amid the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL is moving forward with a plan to limit fan capacity at Super Bowl LV this February. In a statement released Wednesday, the league said it is planning to hold capacity to 20% at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Raymond James Stadium, which typically seats 65,000 fans. With temporary seating, the stadium's capacity could increase to almost 75,000. Advertisement
Fans in attendance will be in pods six feet apart, and masks will be required.
"The safety of the public, attendees, players and personnel continues to be our foremost priority," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement Wednesday. "We are working on a host of Super Bowl plans, including gameday, in conjunction with the host committee and the appropriate local and county public health and government officials.
"There is no set capacity figure at this time as we continue to monitor the ongoing pandemic with more than three months to go before the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. There have been 19 teams that have already or have been authorized by public authorities to host regular-season games.
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"The average has been around 20 percent with fans seated in pods and everyone wearing face coverings. Among the scenarios we are exploring is a capacity of around that figure [of 20%] but we anticipate it could grow as we get closer to the game."
Throughout the regular season, the NFL has left attendance decisions to home teams in conjunction with local and state authorities. Half of the league's teams have had paid attendance for at least one game, including the Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay has hosted an average of 10,961 fans at two home matchups in 2020.
This week in the National Football League


upi--2020-10-28--Rockets to hire Mavericks' Stephen Silas as next head coach

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- The Houston Rockets are hiring Dallas Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas to be the franchise 's next head coach .
League sources told ESPN and The Athletic that Silas and the Rockets were finalizing terms of the contract Wednesday afternoon , and a formal announcement from the team is expected soon .
Following the news , Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appeared to confirm the hiring by congratulating Silas on social media .
Silas will replace former head coach Mike D'Antoni , who parted ways with the Rockets after his contract expired at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Silas sold the Rockets on his offensive creativity and his work as an NBA assistant under highly regarded coaches such as Rick Carlisle and Steve Clifford .
Silas is the son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas , and he worked with his father early in his career with the Charlotte Hornets .
They become the fifth father-son combination to be NBA head coaches .
Stephen Silas , 46 , will be the first hire of new Rockets general manager Rafael Stone , who replaced Daryl Morey earlier this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this past season and reached the NBA bubble near Orlando , Fla. Houston beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals .

Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Houston Rockets are hiring Dallas Mavericks assistant Stephen Silas to be the franchise's next head coach.
League sources told ESPN and The Athletic that Silas and the Rockets were finalizing terms of the contract Wednesday afternoon, and a formal announcement from the team is expected soon.
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Following the news, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appeared to confirm the hiring by congratulating Silas on social media.
CONGRATS COACH Silas ! https://t.co/pVeMXuf103— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) October 28, 2020
Silas will replace former head coach Mike D'Antoni, who parted ways with the Rockets after his contract expired at the end of the 2019-20 season. According to ESPN, Silas sold the Rockets on his offensive creativity and his work as an NBA assistant under highly regarded coaches such as Rick Carlisle and Steve Clifford.
Silas is the son of former NBA player and coach Paul Silas, and he worked with his father early in his career with the Charlotte Hornets. They become the fifth father-son combination to be NBA head coaches.
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Stephen Silas, 46, will be the first hire of new Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, who replaced Daryl Morey earlier this month.
Stephen Silas has joined Rick Carlisle's coaching staff as the lead assistant, Carlisle said. Welcome, Coach! https://t.co/VjrD4giKic pic.twitter.com/rwUxIE9Zr6— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 25, 2018
The Rockets posted a 44-28 record this past season and reached the NBA bubble near Orlando, Fla. Houston beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.


upi--2020-10-28--Section 230 hearing: Tech CEOs defend law shielding user content

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Facebook chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg told Senate lawmakers Wednesday he favors updating a federal law that shields social media platforms from liability connected to user content .
Zuckerberg appeared remotely before the Senate committee on commerce , science and transportation for a hearing that sought to examine whether the federal law `` enables bad behavior '' by technology companies .
Zuckerberg was joined in testimony by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter chief Jack Dorsey .
In his opening statement , Zuckerberg credited the decades-old law known as `` Section 230 '' with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it . ''
`` The Internet has also evolved , '' he added .
`` And I think that Congress should update the law to make sure that it is working as intended . ''
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields social platforms from liability by saying they are mere conduits for users ' content that the companies are under no obligation to moderate .
Zuckerberg said updating the law should require that platforms provide more transparency on how their content moderation policies work .
`` Another would be [ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actors ' by making sure that companies ca n't hide behind Section 230 to avoid responsibility , '' he said .
`` We 're open to working with Congress on these ideas and more , and I hope the changes that you make will ring true to the intent and spirit of Section 230 . ''
Dorsey offered a similar view to Zuckerberg calling for a `` straightforward '' appeals process and allowing for consumers to determine the algorithms that curate their social media feeds .
`` It is the concept of good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , '' Dorsey said .
`` Some of you do n't trust we are acting in good faith .
That is the problem I want to focus on solving -- how Twitter can earn your trust .
In his prepared remarks , Dorsey said the law allows small companies to compete in the market and that a repeal could `` collapse how we communicate on the Internet , leaving only a small number of giant and well-funded technology companies . ''
`` Without Section 230 , platforms could potentially be held liable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Republicans have complained about tech companies blocking conservative content .
President Donald Trump , who has repeatedly complained about Twitter flagging his tweets as inaccurate or misleading , has called for eliminating Section 230 entirely .
Trump took to Twitter amid the hearing to call for Section 230 's repeal , alleging that social media companies have stifled coverage of alleged corrupt behavior by his Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his family .
`` The USA does n't have Freedom of the Press , we have Suppression of the Story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump wrote .
`` So much has been learned in the last two weeks about how corrupt our Media is , and now Big Tech , maybe even worse .
Repeal Section 230 ! ''
Committee Chairman Roger Wicker opened the hearing by accusing tech companies of implementing an `` apparent double standard '' under Section 230 to the detriment of conservatives .
`` The time has come for that free pass to end , '' Wicker said of the liability protections under the law .
Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrict a New York Post story about Biden 's son , Hunter Biden .
`` Mr. Dorsey , who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear , and why do you persist in behaving as a Democratic super PAC silencing views to the contrary of your political beliefs ? ''
Sen. Cory Gardner , R-Colo. , questioned why Twitter flagged some of Trump 's tweets but did not take action on tweets from Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strange to me that you 've flagged the tweets from [ President Trump ] , but you have n't hidden the Ayatollah 's call to wipe Israel off the map , '' Gardner said .
Dorsey said Ayatollah 's tweets represented `` saber-rattling '' that does not violate Twitter policies .
Pichai asserted that Google does not approach its work with any political bias `` full stop . ''
`` To do otherwise would be contrary to both our business interests and our mission , which compels us to make information accessible to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where they live or what they believe , '' he said .
Democrats , in turn , have criticized Facebook and Twitter for allowing `` bot '' accounts to spread misinformation across social media -- including many that are based overseas , including Russia .
On Wednesday , however , many Democrats declared the hearing a `` sham '' and accused Republicans of attempting to push through misinformation .
`` This is bullying and it 's for electoral purposes , '' said Sen. Brian Schatz , D-Hawaii .
`` Do not let the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water for those who want to spread misinformation . ''
Sen. Maria Cantwell , D-Wash. , on Wednesday said she hoped the hearing would not produce a `` chilling effect '' on tech companies ' efforts to combat misinformation .
The panel is trying to learn whether the law has `` outlived its usefulness in today 's digital age '' and evaluate the platforms ' efforts to police content and impacts on local journalism and consumer privacy .
Zuckerberg and Pichai last appeared together in Congress in July , when they were joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an antitrust hearing .

1/4
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., arrives for a hearing to discuss reforming Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act with big tech companies in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. Pool Photo by Greg Nash/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Facebook chief and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg told Senate lawmakers Wednesday he favors updating a federal law that shields social media platforms from liability connected to user content. Zuckerberg appeared remotely before the Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation for a hearing that sought to examine whether the federal law "enables bad behavior" by technology companies. Advertisement
Zuckerberg was joined in testimony by Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Twitter chief Jack Dorsey.
In his opening statement, Zuckerberg credited the decades-old law known as "Section 230" with "creating the Internet as we know it."
"The Internet has also evolved," he added. "And I think that Congress should update the law to make sure that it is working as intended."
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields social platforms from liability by saying they are mere conduits for users' content that the companies are under no obligation to moderate.
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Zuckerberg said updating the law should require that platforms provide more transparency on how their content moderation policies work.
"Another would be [to] separate 'good actors' from 'bad actors' by making sure that companies can't hide behind Section 230 to avoid responsibility," he said.
"We're open to working with Congress on these ideas and more, and I hope the changes that you make will ring true to the intent and spirit of Section 230."
Dorsey offered a similar view to Zuckerberg calling for a "straightforward" appeals process and allowing for consumers to determine the algorithms that curate their social media feeds.
"It is the concept of good faith a lot of you are challenging today," Dorsey said. "Some of you don't trust we are acting in good faith. That is the problem I want to focus on solving -- how Twitter can earn your trust.
In his prepared remarks, Dorsey said the law allows small companies to compete in the market and that a repeal could "collapse how we communicate on the Internet, leaving only a small number of giant and well-funded technology companies."
"Without Section 230, platforms could potentially be held liable for everything people say," he added.
Republicans have complained about tech companies blocking conservative content. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly complained about Twitter flagging his tweets as inaccurate or misleading, has called for eliminating Section 230 entirely.
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Trump took to Twitter amid the hearing to call for Section 230's repeal, alleging that social media companies have stifled coverage of alleged corrupt behavior by his Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his family.
"The USA doesn't have Freedom of the Press, we have Suppression of the Story, or just plain Fake News," Trump wrote. "So much has been learned in the last two weeks about how corrupt our Media is, and now Big Tech, maybe even worse. Repeal Section 230!"
Committee Chairman Roger Wicker opened the hearing by accusing tech companies of implementing an "apparent double standard" under Section 230 to the detriment of conservatives.
"The time has come for that free pass to end," Wicker said of the liability protections under the law.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, grilled Dorsey about Twitter's decision to restrict a New York Post story about Biden's son, Hunter Biden.
"Mr. Dorsey, who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear, and why do you persist in behaving as a Democratic super PAC silencing views to the contrary of your political beliefs?"
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Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., questioned why Twitter flagged some of Trump's tweets but did not take action on tweets from Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"It's strange to me that you've flagged the tweets from [President Trump], but you haven't hidden the Ayatollah's call to wipe Israel off the map," Gardner said.
Dorsey said Ayatollah's tweets represented "saber-rattling" that does not violate Twitter policies.
Pichai asserted that Google does not approach its work with any political bias "full stop."
"To do otherwise would be contrary to both our business interests and our mission, which compels us to make information accessible to every type of person, no matter where they live or what they believe," he said.
Democrats, in turn, have criticized Facebook and Twitter for allowing "bot" accounts to spread misinformation across social media -- including many that are based overseas, including Russia.
On Wednesday, however, many Democrats declared the hearing a "sham" and accused Republicans of attempting to push through misinformation.
"This is bullying and it's for electoral purposes," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. "Do not let the United States Senate bully you into carrying water for those who want to spread misinformation."
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., on Wednesday said she hoped the hearing would not produce a "chilling effect" on tech companies' efforts to combat misinformation.
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The panel is trying to learn whether the law has "outlived its usefulness in today's digital age" and evaluate the platforms' efforts to police content and impacts on local journalism and consumer privacy.
Zuckerberg and Pichai last appeared together in Congress in July, when they were joined by other tech leaders to testify in an antitrust hearing.


upi--2020-10-28--Fight judges favor aggression over skill, study shows

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Often to the chagrin of fans and competitors , wrestling matches , boxing bouts , mixed martial arts and other types of combat competitions are frequently decided by judges .
That 's bad news for competitors that rely more on skill than vigor .
New research suggests judges are more likely to award victory to aggressive fighters than skilled fighters , all else being equal .
For the study , published this week in the journal Biology Letters , researchers analyzed data collected from 550 men 's and women 's mixed martial arts contests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The data included the percentage of strikes that landed firmly and accurately , a measure of skill , as well as the number of strikes attempted per second , a measure of vigor or aggression .
Regardless of the match conclusion , whether decided by knockout or judges ' decision , the data showed the victor was the more vigorous fighter .
However , the correlation between vigor and victory was strongest for matches decided by the scores of the judges .
Fighting skillfully was n't entirely discounted .
The data showed addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the research showed vigor was the most important factor for fights decided by the judges .
`` MMA is a fast paced sport and one of the suggestions from our research would be that judges may find vigor easier to assess than skill , '' lead author Sarah Lane , postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Plymouth , said in a news release .
`` That , in turn , leads them to overvalue it when making their decisions , especially in longer fights where one fighter tires more quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spot . ''
`` The advance of technology such as instant replays could potentially counter this , but until they are employed more regularly rate of attack is likely to remain the most important performance trait for victory by decision , '' Lane said .
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council , which supports studies focused on the role of skill in animal contests .
Most of Lane 's time is spent studying hermit crab fighting , but the authors of the latest paper suggest their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for understanding physical competitions among animals .
There are n't typically knockouts in fights between rival animals .
Often , males joust and tussle to demonstrate their physical dominance to would be rivals and mates .
Like in boxing , a competitor 's performance is subjective .
`` Human combat sports provide a unique scenario in which to explore how performance traits such as skill and vigor are perceived , both by participants and observers , '' said study co-author Mark Briffa .
`` However , because of the obvious communication issues , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with which fighting animals more widely judge the abilities of their rivals , '' said Briffa , a professor of animal behavior at Plymouth .

An analysis of UFC fights suggests judges are more likely to award victory to aggressive fighters rather than skilled fighters. File Photo by Roger Williams/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Often to the chagrin of fans and competitors, wrestling matches, boxing bouts, mixed martial arts and other types of combat competitions are frequently decided by judges. That's bad news for competitors that rely more on skill than vigor. New research suggests judges are more likely to award victory to aggressive fighters than skilled fighters, all else being equal. Advertisement
For the study, published this week in the journal Biology Letters, researchers analyzed data collected from 550 men's and women's mixed martial arts contests organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The data included the percentage of strikes that landed firmly and accurately, a measure of skill, as well as the number of strikes attempted per second, a measure of vigor or aggression.
Regardless of the match conclusion, whether decided by knockout or judges' decision, the data showed the victor was the more vigorous fighter. However, the correlation between vigor and victory was strongest for matches decided by the scores of the judges.
Fighting skillfully wasn't entirely discounted. The data showed addition of skill enhanced the advantage of vigor, but the research showed vigor was the most important factor for fights decided by the judges.
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"MMA is a fast paced sport and one of the suggestions from our research would be that judges may find vigor easier to assess than skill," lead author Sarah Lane, postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Plymouth, said in a news release. "That, in turn, leads them to overvalue it when making their decisions, especially in longer fights where one fighter tires more quickly and the disparity in vigor is easier to spot."
"The advance of technology such as instant replays could potentially counter this, but until they are employed more regularly rate of attack is likely to remain the most important performance trait for victory by decision," Lane said.
The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which supports studies focused on the role of skill in animal contests.
Most of Lane's time is spent studying hermit crab fighting, but the authors of the latest paper suggest their analysis of human fights could have implications for understanding physical competitions among animals.
There aren't typically knockouts in fights between rival animals. Often, males joust and tussle to demonstrate their physical dominance to would be rivals and mates. Like in boxing, a competitor's performance is subjective.
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"Human combat sports provide a unique scenario in which to explore how performance traits such as skill and vigor are perceived, both by participants and observers," said study co-author Mark Briffa.
"However, because of the obvious communication issues, very little is known about the accuracy with which fighting animals more widely judge the abilities of their rivals," said Briffa, a professor of animal behavior at Plymouth.


upi--2020-10-28--Scientists program robot swarm to count penguins

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Penguins occupy ecosystems increasingly vulnerable to climate change .
Tracking their abundance and distribution is vital to the project of tracking global warming 's ecological effects -- but counting penguins is difficult work .
To make the task of tallying the size of penguin colonies a bit easier , researchers recruited the assistance of not one robot , but a whole swarm of bots .
`` The idea actually grew out of a conversation at my sister-in-law 's wedding , '' Mac Schwager , an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I met our co-author Annie Schmidt at the wedding , and learned that she studies penguin populations in Antarctica , and one of their key challenges was counting the penguins . ''
`` I told her I worked with autonomous groups of drones that could be used to take images for counting the penguins , '' Schwager said .
`` At that point , it was clear that we had a great research synergy . ''
Researchers typically use a single drone to conduct aerial surveys of penguin colonies , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time , effort and skill from the drone pilot .
In collaboration with Schmidt and her team of biologists , Schwager and Stanford grad student Kunal Shah programmed a swarm of drones to autonomously survey penguin colonies .
The team of scientists described their novel solution in a new paper published Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics .
`` Our main technical innovation is our path planning algorithm , the computer program that decides where each drone should go and when , '' Schwager said .
`` Existing methods typically plan paths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaner , going back and forth over the survey area . ''
`` It turns out , other paths can be much more effect , in the sense that they can take the same images while requiring less back-tracking , and while making sure that the drone is close enough to the base camp to make it back safely with the remaining battery life . ''
Previously , it took scientists three days to survey Antarctic penguin colonies using a solitary , hand-piloted drone .
The robot swarm programmed by Schwager and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three hours .
Time is precious in Antarctica , where animals are often on the move and weather can quickly take a turn for the worse .
But speed is n't the swarm 's only advantage .
The self-piloted robots also offer reliability .
`` If one drone fails , the other drones can take up the slack and still finish the survey , '' Schwager said .
For now , Schwager 's swarm of drones only take pictures .
The counting is done back at base after the survey has been completed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But in the future , Schwager said the drones could use artificial intelligence to count penguins as they go .
Schwager has previously programmed robotic swarms to track the movement of people and cars on the ground in order to analyze pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns , and he thinks similar algorithms could be adopted to track animal movements .
`` The system could also be used to survey forests and other landscapes for wildfire risk , a problem that is very close to home right now for us at Stanford , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use the drones to survey construction sites , mining sites , agricultural fields , to assess damage after a natural disaster , or to help find lost hikers . ''
Biologists and study co-authors Schmidt and Grant Ballard are currently testing the drone aerial survey system in Antarctica .
Meanwhile , Schwager and his colleagues at Stanford continue to make tweaks to the system to help the drones make better in-flight decisions and avoid collisions with birds or drones that have gone astray .
`` We are passionate about using teams of autonomous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of the natural environment around us , '' Schwager said .

With the help of a self-flying swarms of drones, researchers were able to conduct a survey of penguins in Australia in just three hours. Photo by Parker Levinson/Stanford University
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Penguins occupy ecosystems increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Tracking their abundance and distribution is vital to the project of tracking global warming's ecological effects -- but counting penguins is difficult work. To make the task of tallying the size of penguin colonies a bit easier, researchers recruited the assistance of not one robot, but a whole swarm of bots. Advertisement
"The idea actually grew out of a conversation at my sister-in-law's wedding," Mac Schwager, an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University, told UPI in an email. "I met our co-author Annie Schmidt at the wedding, and learned that she studies penguin populations in Antarctica, and one of their key challenges was counting the penguins."
"I told her I worked with autonomous groups of drones that could be used to take images for counting the penguins," Schwager said. "At that point, it was clear that we had a great research synergy."
Advertisement
Researchers typically use a single drone to conduct aerial surveys of penguin colonies, but the process is slow and requires a lot of time, effort and skill from the drone pilot.
In collaboration with Schmidt and her team of biologists, Schwager and Stanford grad student Kunal Shah programmed a swarm of drones to autonomously survey penguin colonies.
The team of scientists described their novel solution in a new paper published Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics.
"Our main technical innovation is our path planning algorithm, the computer program that decides where each drone should go and when," Schwager said. "Existing methods typically plan paths like a lawnmower, or a vacuum cleaner, going back and forth over the survey area."
"It turns out, other paths can be much more effect, in the sense that they can take the same images while requiring less back-tracking, and while making sure that the drone is close enough to the base camp to make it back safely with the remaining battery life."
Previously, it took scientists three days to survey Antarctic penguin colonies using a solitary, hand-piloted drone. The robot swarm programmed by Schwager and his colleagues completed surveys in just two to three hours.
Advertisement
Time is precious in Antarctica, where animals are often on the move and weather can quickly take a turn for the worse. But speed isn't the swarm's only advantage. The self-piloted robots also offer reliability.
"If one drone fails, the other drones can take up the slack and still finish the survey," Schwager said.
For now, Schwager's swarm of drones only take pictures. The counting is done back at base after the survey has been completed and the photographs downloaded onto computers. But in the future, Schwager said the drones could use artificial intelligence to count penguins as they go.
Schwager has previously programmed robotic swarms to track the movement of people and cars on the ground in order to analyze pedestrian and vehicular traffic patterns, and he thinks similar algorithms could be adopted to track animal movements.
"The system could also be used to survey forests and other landscapes for wildfire risk, a problem that is very close to home right now for us at Stanford," he said. "We could also use the drones to survey construction sites, mining sites, agricultural fields, to assess damage after a natural disaster, or to help find lost hikers."
Biologists and study co-authors Schmidt and Grant Ballard are currently testing the drone aerial survey system in Antarctica. Meanwhile, Schwager and his colleagues at Stanford continue to make tweaks to the system to help the drones make better in-flight decisions and avoid collisions with birds or drones that have gone astray.
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"We are passionate about using teams of autonomous drones to help us to understand and take care of the natural environment around us," Schwager said.


upi--2020-10-28--Flu vaccine may lower risk for severe COVID-19, study suggests

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- People who received the flu vaccine in the year before testing positive for COVID-19 are nearly 2 1/2 times less likely to be hospitalized with a severe form of the disease than those who were not vaccinated , an analysis published Wednesday by the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found .
In addition , those vaccinated against the flu within a year of being diagnosed with COVID-19 were more than three times less likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit because of the new coronavirus , according to researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flu vaccine does not , however , offer protection against COVID-19 , the researchers said .
Instead , it may help prevent progression to severe disease from the virus by `` priming '' of the immune system against an invading virus , no matter which one , they said .
`` We think this gives people a huge incentive to get a vaccination , '' study co-author Arch G. Mainous III said in a statement .
`` It 's a double-win in many ways because the vaccination is , of course , helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Mainous , a professor in the Department of Health Services Research , Management and Policy at the University of Florida 's College of Public Health and Health Professions .
Nothing in the study , however , implies COVID-19 is identical to flu .
The two are caused by different viruses , and COVID-19 is more lethal than influenza , making it a far more serious public health concern , Mainous and his colleagues said .
Public health experts , including Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the approaching winter season will see a twin pandemic of the seasonal flu and COVID-19 in the United States , further stressing the nation 's overburdened health system .
Fauci and others have urged people in the United States to get vaccinated against the flu because it will at least reduce their risk for getting sickened with the seasonal virus as the pandemic rages on .
For this study , Mainous and his team examined anonymized information for 2,000 patients at University of Florida Health who tested positive for COVID-19 between March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including COVID-19 tests , hospitalizations , ICU admissions and influenza vaccination status , came from the patients ' electronic health records , the researchers said .
Of these patients , 214 -- or about 11 % -- had received the flu vaccine within a year of being diagnosed with the new coronavirus , they said .
More investigation is needed to confirm any links between flu vaccination and prevention of COVID-19 , according to the researchers .
However , the findings potentially have important implications for protecting people from a disease with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The protective effect they spotted appears to be present even in the absence of actual flu infection , although why vaccine might benefit COVID-19 patients remains unclear , they said .
In addition to boosting the body 's immune system , another theory is that components added to the flu vaccine to make it more effective -- called adjuncts -- bolster immune response in general , according to the researchers .
Previous research suggests that vaccines with specific adjuncts might have offered protection to those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infection first identified in 2003 , study co-author Dr. Ming-Jim Yang said .
The researchers plan to look at whether other types of vaccinations offer the same benefit , particularly the pneumonia vaccine , which typically is administered to older patients , they said .
`` One of the biggest problems we have with any preventive measure is getting people to do it , '' Mainous said .
`` So , maybe this would be a pretty good push for people to go out and get their flu shot . ''

A new study finds that the flu vaccine may reduce a person's risk for severe disease from COVID-19. Photo by marcolohpsoares/ Pixabay
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- People who received the flu vaccine in the year before testing positive for COVID-19 are nearly 2 1/2 times less likely to be hospitalized with a severe form of the disease than those who were not vaccinated, an analysis published Wednesday by the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found. In addition, those vaccinated against the flu within a year of being diagnosed with COVID-19 were more than three times less likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit because of the new coronavirus, according to researchers at the University of Florida. Advertisement
The flu vaccine does not, however, offer protection against COVID-19, the researchers said.
Instead, it may help prevent progression to severe disease from the virus by "priming" of the immune system against an invading virus, no matter which one, they said.
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"We think this gives people a huge incentive to get a vaccination," study co-author Arch G. Mainous III said in a statement.
"It's a double-win in many ways because the vaccination is, of course, helping protect you from influenza, as well," said Mainous, a professor in the Department of Health Services Research, Management and Policy at the University of Florida's College of Public Health and Health Professions.
Nothing in the study, however, implies COVID-19 is identical to flu. The two are caused by different viruses, and COVID-19 is more lethal than influenza, making it a far more serious public health concern, Mainous and his colleagues said.
Public health experts, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, have predicted that the approaching winter season will see a twin pandemic of the seasonal flu and COVID-19 in the United States, further stressing the nation's overburdened health system.
Fauci and others have urged people in the United States to get vaccinated against the flu because it will at least reduce their risk for getting sickened with the seasonal virus as the pandemic rages on.
For this study, Mainous and his team examined anonymized information for 2,000 patients at University of Florida Health who tested positive for COVID-19 between March and August.
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All of the data, including COVID-19 tests, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and influenza vaccination status, came from the patients' electronic health records, the researchers said.
Of these patients, 214 -- or about 11% -- had received the flu vaccine within a year of being diagnosed with the new coronavirus, they said.
More investigation is needed to confirm any links between flu vaccination and prevention of COVID-19, according to the researchers. However, the findings potentially have important implications for protecting people from a disease with few proven effective treatments, they said.
The protective effect they spotted appears to be present even in the absence of actual flu infection, although why vaccine might benefit COVID-19 patients remains unclear, they said.
In addition to boosting the body's immune system, another theory is that components added to the flu vaccine to make it more effective -- called adjuncts -- bolster immune response in general, according to the researchers.
Previous research suggests that vaccines with specific adjuncts might have offered protection to those infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, an earlier, less-deadly coronavirus infection first identified in 2003, study co-author Dr. Ming-Jim Yang said.
The researchers plan to look at whether other types of vaccinations offer the same benefit, particularly the pneumonia vaccine, which typically is administered to older patients, they said.
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"One of the biggest problems we have with any preventive measure is getting people to do it," Mainous said. "So, maybe this would be a pretty good push for people to go out and get their flu shot."


upi--2020-10-28--Store employee clocks out, wins $72,796 lottery jackpot

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- A North Carolina man ended up earning more than expected in a single work @ @ @ @ @ $ 72,796 lottery prize at the store where he works .
Adam Roberts of Burlington @ @ @ @ @ officials he had just finished his shift as a customer service manager at the Harris @ @ @ @ @ he decided to try his luck at Instant Clover , a Fast Play lottery game @ @ @ @ @ what was over $ 500 and the only thing that was over $ 500 was @ @ @ @ @ Roberts .
`` I was like , 'There 's no way . '
'' Roberts @ @ @ @ @ him 20 percent of the jackpot , a payday of $ 72,796 .
He said @ @ @ @ @ , he wo n't be retiring from the Harris Teeter store anytime soon .
`` @ @ @ @ @ put a lot away as a safety net , '' Roberts said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ car and go figure out what I want to do . ''

Adam Roberts, a customer service manager at the Harris Teeter store in Burlington, N.C., clocked out from his shift at the business and immediately won a $72,796 prize from a Fast Play lottery game. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Education Lottery
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man ended up earning more than expected in a single work day when he scored a $72,796 lottery prize at the store where he works. Adam Roberts of Burlington told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he had just finished his shift as a customer service manager at the Harris Teeter store in Burlington when he decided to try his luck at Instant Clover, a Fast Play lottery game. Advertisement
"I looked at what was over $500 and the only thing that was over $500 was the jackpot," recalled Roberts. "I was like, 'There's no way.'"
Roberts' $2 ticket earned him 20 percent of the jackpot, a payday of $72,796.
He said that, despite his win, he won't be retiring from the Harris Teeter store anytime soon.
"I'm probably going to put a lot away as a safety net," Roberts said. "But I'll pay off the car and go figure out what I want to do."


upi--2020-10-28--Vermont woman reconnects with South Korean family after 44 years

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- A Vermont woman who got separated from her family at a South Korean market when she was only 2 years old was reunited with her mother and siblings in a video chat 44 years later .
Denise McCarty , 46 , of Springfield , said she has been searching for her family for years , and in 2016 she visited the country and took a DNA test as part of a program seeking to help Korean adoptees reconnect with their birth families .
McCarty received a phone call this month informing her that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days later she spoke with her mother , brother and identical twin sister for the first time in a video call .
McCarty , born Sang-Ae , learned she was only 2 years old when she and her sister , Sang-Hee , became separated from their grandmother at Namdaemun Market in Seoul .
Sang-Hee was found two days later , but Sang-Ae was taken to an orphanage two hours away and was not located by the family .
McCarthy said the U.S. couple who adopted her in 1976 were told that she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was sick .
Lee Eung-sun , McCarthy 's 78-year-old birth mother , said she never stopped looking for her long-lost daughter .
The family said they are now hoping to unite in person once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and international travel becomes safer .

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Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A Vermont woman who got separated from her family at a South Korean market when she was only 2 years old was reunited with her mother and siblings in a video chat 44 years later.
Denise McCarty, 46, of Springfield, said she has been searching for her family for years, and in 2016 she visited the country and took a DNA test as part of a program seeking to help Korean adoptees reconnect with their birth families.
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McCarty received a phone call this month informing her that a match had been found and a few days later she spoke with her mother, brother and identical twin sister for the first time in a video call.
McCarty, born Sang-Ae, learned she was only 2 years old when she and her sister, Sang-Hee, became separated from their grandmother at Namdaemun Market in Seoul. Sang-Hee was found two days later, but Sang-Ae was taken to an orphanage two hours away and was not located by the family.
McCarthy said the U.S. couple who adopted her in 1976 were told that she had been abandoned at a hospital because she was sick.
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Lee Eung-sun, McCarthy's 78-year-old birth mother, said she never stopped looking for her long-lost daughter.
The family said they are now hoping to unite in person once the COVID-19 pandemic subsides and international travel becomes safer.


upi--2020-10-28--Germany, France announce new lockdowns as COVID-19 spikes

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Germany and France announced new lockdown measures Wednesday as new COVID-19 cases in Europe spiked to record levels .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a four-week shutdown for restaurants , bars , theaters and other entertainment venues beginning Monday .
Schools , shops and places of worship will remain open , and restaurants will be allowed to provide take-out .
She called on Germans not to undertake unnecessary travel or hold social gatherings .
She said the decision was made with the consultation of the country 's governors .
`` If the tempo of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach the capacity of our healthcare system within weeks , '' Merkel said in a news conference .
`` That 's why it 's completely clear that we need to act , and act now .
Germany reported 14,964 new cases Tuesday , the largest number of new cases since the start of the pandemic .
There were 85 deaths , according to the Robert Koch-Institut , Germany 's federal public health agency .
The country 's springtime high was 6,294 new daily cases in March .
All told , Germany has had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,183 deaths .
`` We no longer have control of the spread of the virus , '' Merkel said .
The new stay-at-home order , which begins Friday , allows people to only leave home to go to work , school , a medical appointment , help loved ones , do essential shopping or exercise .
It also bans travel between regions , closes bars , restaurants and other non-essential businesses , and mostly closes the international border .
The order encourages all people to work and attend school from home .
Schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses , most public services , factories , farms , construction sites and retirement homes .
The EU borders also will remain open and French citizens can return home from out of the country .
Macron said the new lockdown will remain in place until Dec. 1 and officials will reassess the situation in two weeks .
`` We were all surprised by the acceleration of the epidemic , '' he said .
`` We must remain united and in solidarity and not give in to the poison of division .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign of who we are , women and men who are bound together .
The French government reported 22,417 new daily cases for Tuesday , a 120 % increase over the past two weeks .
There were 523 deaths Tuesday .
France hit a record 52,000 daily cases on Sunday .
Daily cases in the spring peaked around 7,500 at the end of March .
Since the start of the pandemic , France has confirmed more than 1.2 million cases and 33,417 deaths .
Macron also announced new economic support to assist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown .
Small businesses can receive $ 11,700 per month , while employees will receive short-term unemployment assistance .
There will also be support for those needing help with rent .
The spread of the novel coronavirus has been on the rise worldwide , with 452,000 new cases reported Tuesday -- a 36 % increase over the past two weeks -- and 7,265 deaths .
Since the start of the pandemic , there have been 44.2 million cases and more than 1.1 million deaths , according to The New York Times ' coronavirus @ @

German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a news conference about the current coronavirus situation at the Chancellery in Berlin on Wednesday. Photo by Filip Singer/EPA-EFE
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Germany and France announced new lockdown measures Wednesday as new COVID-19 cases in Europe spiked to record levels. German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced a four-week shutdown for restaurants, bars, theaters and other entertainment venues beginning Monday. Schools, shops and places of worship will remain open, and restaurants will be allowed to provide take-out. Advertisement
She called on Germans not to undertake unnecessary travel or hold social gatherings.
She said the decision was made with the consultation of the country's governors.
"If the tempo of infections stays the same, we will reach the capacity of our healthcare system within weeks," Merkel said in a news conference. "That's why it's completely clear that we need to act, and act now.
Germany reported 14,964 new cases Tuesday, the largest number of new cases since the start of the pandemic. There were 85 deaths, according to the Robert Koch-Institut, Germany's federal public health agency.
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The country's springtime high was 6,294 new daily cases in March.
All told, Germany has had 464,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 10,183 deaths.
"We no longer have control of the spread of the virus," Merkel said.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a similar crackdown during a televised address Wednesday evening.
The new stay-at-home order, which begins Friday, allows people to only leave home to go to work, school, a medical appointment, help loved ones, do essential shopping or exercise. It also bans travel between regions, closes bars, restaurants and other non-essential businesses, and mostly closes the international border.
The order encourages all people to work and attend school from home.
Schools will remain open, as will essential businesses, most public services, factories, farms, construction sites and retirement homes. The EU borders also will remain open and French citizens can return home from out of the country.
Macron said the new lockdown will remain in place until Dec. 1 and officials will reassess the situation in two weeks.
"We were all surprised by the acceleration of the epidemic," he said. "We must remain united and in solidarity and not give in to the poison of division. This is a difficult time, but it is a sign of who we are, women and men who are bound together.
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The French government reported 22,417 new daily cases for Tuesday, a 120% increase over the past two weeks. There were 523 deaths Tuesday.
France hit a record 52,000 daily cases on Sunday. Daily cases in the spring peaked around 7,500 at the end of March.
Since the start of the pandemic, France has confirmed more than 1.2 million cases and 33,417 deaths.
Macron also announced new economic support to assist individuals and businesses hurt by the new lockdown. Small businesses can receive $11,700 per month, while employees will receive short-term unemployment assistance. There will also be support for those needing help with rent.
The spread of the novel coronavirus has been on the rise worldwide, with 452,000 new cases reported Tuesday -- a 36% increase over the past two weeks -- and 7,265 deaths.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 44.2 million cases and more than 1.1 million deaths, according to The New York Times' coronavirus tracker.


upi--2020-10-28--Mindy Kaling to produce, star in 'Good in Bed' adaptation

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- Mindy Kaling has signed on to produce and star in Good in Bed , @ @ @ @ @ based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Jennifer Weiner .
Liz Sarnoff @ @ @ @ @ for HBO series Barry , is adapting the screenplay for Good in Bed , a @ @ @ @ @ Philadelphia journalist dealing with personal issues including self-esteem , revelations about her mother 's sexuality @ @ @ @ @ and a messy break-up .
The protagonist learns to accept herself and her life over @ @ @ @ @ with help from her `` fairy godmother , '' a famous movie star .
Kaling @ @ @ @ @ is producing the film via Kaling International with Jessica Kumai Scott .
Chris Bender of @ @ @ @ @ on produce with Jake Weiner and Howard Klein of 3Arts .
The news of Kaling @ @ @ @ @ Jennifer Weiner in a social media post .
`` October surprise !
I could n't @ @ @ @ @ '' the author tweeted .

1/2
Mindy Kaling has signed on to produce and star in HBO Max's upcoming original movie, "Good in Bed," based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Jennifer Weiner. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Mindy Kaling has signed on to produce and star in Good in Bed, an HBO Max original movie based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Jennifer Weiner. Liz Sarnoff, a writer and producer for HBO series Barry, is adapting the screenplay for Good in Bed, a semi-autobiographical novel following an up-and-coming Philadelphia journalist dealing with personal issues including self-esteem, revelations about her mother's sexuality, her father's absence and a messy break-up. Advertisement
The protagonist learns to accept herself and her life over the course of a year with help from her "fairy godmother," a famous movie star.
Kaling (The Mindy Project) is producing the film via Kaling International with Jessica Kumai Scott. Chris Bender and Jake Weiner of Good Fear are also signed on produce with Howard Klein of 3Arts.
The news of Kaling's involvement was welcomed by Jennifer Weiner in a social media post.
"October surprise! I couldn't be happier about this," the author tweeted.


upi--2020-10-28--Study: One-third of prostate cancer tumors in Black men have dangerous gene mutations

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- More than one-third of Black men with prostate cancer carry potentially dangerous genetic mutations that cause more severe disease , an analysis published Wednesday by the journal Molecular Cancer Research found .
Researchers sequenced 39 genes of interest in prostate cancer tumors and matched normal tissue from 77 Black-American men with prostate cancer , finding that roughly 35 % of patients ' tumors harbored potentially damaging mutations in several genes .
`` Our research suggests that there may be key genetic differences in the prostate tumors of individuals who belong to different race groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UPI .
`` This could impact the way their cancer progresses and the treatment options available to them . ''
`` And we found that certain mutations that contribute to disease aggressiveness are more frequent in the tumors of African-American men compared to Caucasian men , '' said Xu , vice president of translational research at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago .
However , this latter finding requires further confirmation from other independent studies , Xu said .
Some 200,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each year , according to the American Cancer Society .
Black American men are about twice as likely to suffer from prostate cancer and die from it as White American men , the National Cancer Institute estimates .
The genetic mutations found among Black prostate cancer patients were in several DNA repair genes , the researchers said .
Specifically , nine of 77 Black-American men with prostate cancer , or 12 % , had tumors harboring mutations in one of the genes , compared with about 3 % of tumors from 410 White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mutations in that gene have been linked to poor prognosis in prostate cancer , according to the researchers .
The researchers also compared data from 171 Black American patients and 860 White American patients from several public databases , finding more genetic change differences between Black American and White American men with more aggressive , high-grade prostate tumors , but not in low-grade tumors , the researchers said .
High-grade tumors , or those that grow and spread more quickly , in Black men were found to have more copies of a gene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deletions of four other genes than were found in tumors from White patients , they said .
These copies and deletions have been linked with more advanced tumors , according to the researchers .
`` We already know that certain mutations in a person 's genes could help ... when choosing the right treatment and management plan for cancer patients , '' Xu said .
`` We advise that patients work closely with their physician to discuss how these findings could impact their care management plan , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done until we can make use of these findings , but personalized cancer care offers great opportunities for customizing the way we manage prostate cancer . ''

Black men with prostate cancer are more likely to have potentially dangerous genetic mutations, a new study has found. Photo by Free-Photos/Pixabay
Oct. 28 (UPI) -- More than one-third of Black men with prostate cancer carry potentially dangerous genetic mutations that cause more severe disease, an analysis published Wednesday by the journal Molecular Cancer Research found. Researchers sequenced 39 genes of interest in prostate cancer tumors and matched normal tissue from 77 Black-American men with prostate cancer, finding that roughly 35% of patients' tumors harbored potentially damaging mutations in several genes. Advertisement
"Our research suggests that there may be key genetic differences in the prostate tumors of individuals who belong to different race groups," study co-author Jianfeng Xu told UPI. "This could impact the way their cancer progresses and the treatment options available to them."
"And we found that certain mutations that contribute to disease aggressiveness are more frequent in the tumors of African-American men compared to Caucasian men," said Xu, vice president of translational research at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Chicago.
However, this latter finding requires further confirmation from other independent studies, Xu said.
Some 200,000 men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually, and more than 30,000 die from the disease each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
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Black American men are about twice as likely to suffer from prostate cancer and die from it as White American men, the National Cancer Institute estimates.
The genetic mutations found among Black prostate cancer patients were in several DNA repair genes, the researchers said.
Specifically, nine of 77 Black-American men with prostate cancer, or 12%, had tumors harboring mutations in one of the genes, compared with about 3% of tumors from 410 White American patients, the data showed.
Mutations in that gene have been linked to poor prognosis in prostate cancer, according to the researchers.
The researchers also compared data from 171 Black American patients and 860 White American patients from several public databases, finding more genetic change differences between Black American and White American men with more aggressive, high-grade prostate tumors, but not in low-grade tumors, the researchers said.
High-grade tumors, or those that grow and spread more quickly, in Black men were found to have more copies of a gene that converts regular cells into cancer cells and deletions of four other genes than were found in tumors from White patients, they said.
These copies and deletions have been linked with more advanced tumors, according to the researchers.
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"We already know that certain mutations in a person's genes could help ... when choosing the right treatment and management plan for cancer patients," Xu said.
"We advise that patients work closely with their physician to discuss how these findings could impact their care management plan," he said.
"There is still much work to be done until we can make use of these findings, but personalized cancer care offers great opportunities for customizing the way we manage prostate cancer."


upi--2020-10-28--Watch: Kazakhstan tourism spots embrace Borat's 'very nice' catchphrase

Oct. 28 ( UPI ) -- The tourism board of Kazakhstan is embracing the new Borat movie by using the character 's catchphrase , `` Very nice , '' in a series of campaign videos .
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , the sequel to 2006 's Borat : Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan , stars Sasha Baron Cohen as fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev and takes numerous shots at the former Soviet country .
The first movie was banned in Kazakhstan , where officials took issue with the depiction of the country as a hotbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board appropriated the character 's catchphrase this time around for videos encouraging visitors to make up their own minds about the nation .
The videos show tourists experiencing the country 's food , markets , cities and landscapes , and each video ends with a visitor exclaiming : `` Wow , very nice ! ''
`` The slogan offers the perfect description of Kazakhstan 's vast tourism potential in a short , memorable way .
Kazakhstan 's nature is very nice ; its food is very nice ; and its people , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are some of the nicest in the world , '' Kairat Sadvakassov , deputy chairman of Kazakh Tourism , said in a news release .
`` We would like everyone to come experience Kazakhstan for themselves by visiting our country in 2021 and beyond , so that they can see that Borat 's homeland is nicer than they may have heard , '' he said .

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Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The tourism board of Kazakhstan is embracing the new Borat movie by using the character's catchphrase, "Very nice," in a series of campaign videos.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the sequel to 2006's Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, stars Sasha Baron Cohen as fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev and takes numerous shots at the former Soviet country.
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The first movie was banned in Kazakhstan, where officials took issue with the depiction of the country as a hotbed of poverty, but the Kazakh tourism board appropriated the character's catchphrase this time around for videos encouraging visitors to make up their own minds about the nation.
The videos show tourists experiencing the country's food, markets, cities and landscapes, and each video ends with a visitor exclaiming: "Wow, very nice!"
"The slogan offers the perfect description of Kazakhstan's vast tourism potential in a short, memorable way. Kazakhstan's nature is very nice; its food is very nice; and its people, despite Borat's jokes to the contrary, are some of the nicest in the world," Kairat Sadvakassov, deputy chairman of Kazakh Tourism, said in a news release.
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"We would like everyone to come experience Kazakhstan for themselves by visiting our country in 2021 and beyond, so that they can see that Borat's homeland is nicer than they may have heard," he said.