Michael Reaves/Getty Images for IRONMANBy GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN, ABC News
(PANAMA CITY, Fla.) — It’s a feat few people will ever achieve: finishing the Ironman.
For Chris Nikic, who didn’t walk until he was 4 years old, the Ironman may have, at one time, seemed like an impossibility.
But, for Nikic, who has Down syndrome, anything is possible. Even an Ironman. He completed the 2.4-mile swim, the 112-mile bike ride and the 26.2-mile run on Saturday at the Panama City, Florida, event. The Ironman organization updated it’s social media all day with Nikic’s progress and time splits, a livestream of the last two miles and a celebratory post upon his finish. It read:
“Chris Nikic, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!
“Congratulations Chris on becoming the first person with Down syndrome to finish an IRONMAN. You have shattered barriers while proving without a doubt that Anything is Possible!
“We are beyond inspired, and your accomplishment is a defining moment in IRONMAN history that can never be taken away from you. You swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran 26.2 miles and now you get to brag for the rest of your life.
“The opportunities you have created for others around the world through this journey you embarked upon, is immeasurable. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your remarkable life story and we can’t wait to see what you achieve next.
The entire IRONMAN `Ohana
#onepercentbetter #anythingispossible”
The #onepercentbetter refers to a philosophy adopted by Nikic and his dad, Nik Nikic, to get one percent better every day.
Nikic finished the race with just 14 minutes to spare to make the 17-hour cutoff time.
Nikic is a Special Olympics athlete. In a press release, the organization said, “During the race, Chris suffered an attack by ants during a nutrition stop and fell off of his bike a couple of times. With blood dripping from his knee, he jumped right back on in a show of true sportsmanship and grit.”
The newly minted Ironman has also been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. “It’s an honor to welcome Chris into the Guinness World Records fraternity as the first athlete with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman and I look forward to seeing what more is in store from this remarkable young man,” said Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday.
The Ironman organization said that Nikic used the the 42-year-old event and it’s Ironman Foundation as a way to raise money for causes he is passionate about. He’s raised nearly $40,000 so far.
“We are extremely honored and proud that Chris chose Ironman as his vehicle to prove that anything is possible. His journey has inspired so many and reminded us of the power and resiliency of the human spirit,” said Andrew Messick, president and CEO of The Ironman Group.
Ovidiu Dugulan/iStockBy MORGAN WINSOR and EMILY SHAPIRO, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — A pandemic of the novel coronavirus has now killed more than 1.2 million people worldwide.
Over 50.9 million people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new respiratory virus, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The actual numbers are believed to be much higher due to testing shortages, many unreported cases and suspicions that some national governments are hiding or downplaying the scope of their outbreaks. The criteria for diagnosis — through clinical means or a lab test — has also varied from country to country.
Since the first cases were detected in China in December, the virus has rapidly spread to every continent except Antarctica. The United States is the worst-affected nation, with more than 10 million diagnosed cases and at least 238,251 deaths.
Nearly 200 vaccine candidates for COVID-19 are being tracked by the World Health Organization, at least 10 of which are in crucial phase three studies. Of those 10 potential vaccines in late-stage trials, there are currently five that will be available in the United States if approved.
Here’s how the news is developing Tuesday. All times Eastern: Nov 10, 1:27 pm Fauci says ‘I will take the vaccine’
Now that Pfizer Inc. said Monday that its vaccine may be 90% effective, Dr. Anthony Fauci says it’s possible that “by the time we get into December, we’ll be able to have doses available for people … at the highest priority to get it first.”
“Hopefully, since this is such an effective vaccine, or efficacious at least in the trial, that after a reasonable period of time, we will get vaccine to everyone who wants and needs it and hopefully that will be the overwhelming majority of the country,” Fauci told MSNBC Tuesday. “The vaccine is a very, very important tool in ending this pandemic both domestically and internationally.”
Fauci added that he will take the vaccine and he’ll “recommend that my family take the vaccine.” ABC News’ Sophie Tatum contributed to this report.
Nov 10, 12:28 pm Every state is reporting an increasing number of new cases
Every state in the country is reporting an increasing number of new COVID-19 cases, according to the COVID Tracking Project
In Washington, D.C., and five states — California, Hawaii, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont — cases are low, but increasing.
In the remaining 45 states as well as Guam, and Puerto Rico, cases are high and staying high. ABC News’ Arielle Mitropoulos, Soorin Kim, Brian Hartman and Ben Bell contributed to this report.
Nov 10, 10:23 am Paris prosecutor opens judicial inquiries into COVID-19 response complaints
The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened four judicial inquiries in response to complaints related to how French authorities have handled the coronavirus pandemic.
Remy Heitz, the chief public prosecutor in the French capital, said in a statement Tuesday that the judicial inquiries bring together 253 complaints against decision-makers and national public structures from the general population, health workers, civil servants as well as sick or dead people that were addressed to the Paris prosecutor’s office since March 24.
The investigations will enable the prosecutor’s office to carry out complex investigations intended to bring to light any criminal offenses on counts of voluntary abstention from fighting a disaster, endangering the lives of others and unintentional homicides and injuries.
France, along with much of Europe, is in the grip of a second wave of COVID-19 infections. Paris and its suburbs have been particularly hard-hit. ABC News’ Ibtissem Guenfoud contributed to this report.
Nov 10, 9:14 am Denmark abandons plan for mass mink cull
Denmark’s government will not move ahead with its plan to immediately slaughter all 17 million mink in the country, due to legal obstacles and a lack of political backing.
Last week, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced the mass cull of the country’s entire mink population — including those that are healthy — amid concerns that a COVID-19 mutation moving from farmed mink to humans could evade future vaccines. But on Monday, Danish Environment and Food Minister Mogens Jensen admitted that the government did not have the legal basis for the order.
Frederiksen’s minority Social Democratic government still plans to put forward emergency legislation to back the cull on Tuesday, but the draft needs a three-quarters majority in parliament and opposition parties have already suggested they won’t support it.
There are doubts over whether the mass cull is actually scientifically based as well as concerns that it would threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of mink breeders. Denmark is the largest exporter of mink fur in the world.
Meanwhile, mink breeders will continue to cull any infected animals on farms. As of Tuesday morning, around 2.5 million mink have been culled so far, a spokesman for Denmark’s Ministry of Environment and Food told ABC News. The animals are gassed and then either incinerated or buried in mass graves on military land.
Nov 10, 6:43 am Russia registers over 20,000 new cases for fifth day in a row
Russia confirmed 20,977 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, marking the fifth consecutive day where daily infections exceeded 20,000.
An additional 368 deaths from COVID-19 were also registered nationwide over the past day. The cumulative total now stands at 1,817,109 cases with 31,161 deaths, according to Russia’s coronavirus response headquarters.
Moscow remains the epicenter of the country’s outbreak and recent surge. More than 28% of the newly confirmed cases — 5,902 — and over 18% of the new deaths — 68 — were reported in the capital, according to the coronavirus response headquarters.
Despite rising infections, Russian authorities have repeatedly said they have no plans to impose another nationwide lockdown.
The Eastern European country of 145 million people has the fifth-highest tally of COVID-19 cases in the world, behind only the United States, India, Brazil and France, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Nov 10, 5:45 am Employee at Shanghai’s main international airport tests positive
Authorities in China’s largest city have quarantined dozens of people after an airport employee tested positive for COVID-19.
A 51-year-old man who works as a freight handler at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, a major aviation hub of East Asia, was confirmed to be infected on Monday and has since been transferred to an area hospital for treatment, authorities said.
It’s the first domestic case of COVID-19 reported in Shanghai in months, and it remains unclear how the patient contracted the disease. He has not left Shanghai and reported no history of being in high-risk areas in the 14 days prior to the onset of illness. He also has no history of contact with anyone infected with COVID-19 and has not been to any other hospitals within the past three months, according to authorities.
Twenty-six close contacts, including the man’s family members and colleagues, have been quarantined and have all tested negative for COVID-19. More than 100 others were also placed in isolation for medical observation, authorities said.
So far, no additional cases have been found.
The local health authority has raised the COVID-19 risk area to medium in the village where the patient lives in Shanghai’s district of Pudong. The rest of Shanghai remains low-risk.
Nov 10, 4:38 am US sees highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations since July
There were 59,275 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 across the United States on Monday, according to data collected by The COVID Tracking Project.
That figure — up from 56,768 on Sunday — marks the largest single-day increase since July 10 and the highest total amount since July 25, The COVID Tracking Project said.
Nov 10, 4:24 am US reports over 100,000 new cases for sixth straight day
There were 119,944 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the United States on Monday, according to a real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
It’s the sixth straight day that the country has reported over 100,000 new infections. The latest daily tally is slightly less than the nation’s all-time high of 128,412 new cases set on Saturday.
An additional 670 fatalities from COVID-19 were also registered nationwide Monday, down from a peak of 2,666 new deaths in mid-April.
A total of 10,110,552 people in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and at least 238,251 of them have died, according to Johns Hopkins. The cases include people from all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and other U.S. territories as well as repatriated citizens.
Much of the country was under lockdown by the end of March as the first wave of pandemic hit. By May 20, all U.S. states had begun lifting stay-at-home orders and other restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The day-to-day increase in the country’s cases then hovered around 20,000 for a couple of weeks before shooting back up and crossing 100,000 for the first time on Nov. 4.
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic(LOS ANGELES) — Actor Wentworth Miller has taken a stand, and for fans of Prison Break, that means they won’t see him return as Michael Scofield in a rumored sixth season of the Fox drama.
In an Instagram post, the 48-year-old actor, who came out in 2013, said, “I’m out. Of PB. Officially.”
Addressing online harassment he’d received in the past, which at the time left him “suicidal”, the actor explained his decision wasn’t born because of “static on social media (although that has centered the issue).” He noted, “I just don’t want to play straight characters. Their stories have been told (and told).”
Miller explained, “If you were a fan of the show, hoping for additional seasons… I understand this is disappointing. I’m sorry…If you’re hot and bothered [because] you fell in love with a fictional straight man played by a real gay one… That’s your work,” he added.
Some of Miller’s co-stars were quick to champion the decision, including his on-screen brother, Dominic Purcell. “It was fun mate,” he commented. “What a ride it was. Fully support and understand your reasoning. Glad you have made this decision for you health and your truth.” He added, “love ya brother.”
The Walking Dead and Prison Break vet Sarah Wayne Callies, who played Miller’s onscreen love interest, Dr. Sara Tancredi, posted on Instagram: “with gratitude for all the work we did together, & with deep love, i’m voicing my support for that choice.”
She also expressed, “to all the fans, know this: the cast of prison break is a queer friendly space. we stand with — and among — our friends & family in the LGBTQ+ community with full throated support for their rights and artistic work. all the time. always.”
Centering on Miller’s character’s plot to spring his wrongly accused brother from the pokey, Prison Break aired for four seasons on Fox from 2005 to 2009, and was followed by a made-for-TV film revisiting the characters called The Final Break. The success of that led to a fifth season of the show on Fox in 2016, and another season reportedly in the works.
“Tough As Nails” – Monty Brinton/CBS 2020 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (LOS ANGELES) — Emmy-winning shows like The Amazing Race and Survivor are about to get a much-needed infusion of color.
CBS has vowed to increase its inclusion of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) for all of its reality shows by 50%, beginning in the 2021-2022 broadcast season.
“The reality TV genre is an area that’s especially underrepresented, and needs to be more inclusive across development, casting, production and all phases of storytelling,” George Cheeks, president and chief executive officer for the CBS Entertainment Group, said in a statement.
What’s more, the network is also increasing the number of BIPOC producers creating or co-creating shows by at least 25%, CBS announced.
Cheeks added, “As we strive to improve all of these creative aspects, the commitments announced…are important first steps in sourcing new voices to create content and further expanding the diversity in our unscripted programming, as well as on our Network.”
In July, CBS unveiled plans to increase diversity both on and behind-the-screen for its scripted series as well. The network set a targeted boost for BIPOC writers and new show creators of at least 25%. It also promised its shows’ writers’ rooms would be staffed “with a minimum of 40% BIPOC representation beginning with the 2021-2022 broadcast season,” with the numbers jumping to 50% in the following programming year.
Last summer, the network announced that the producers and staff of its police and legal dramas like Blue Bloods and S.W.A.T. would receive consultation via an agreement with the police reform group 21CP Solutions.
CMALuke Combs is one of the most nominated artists at the 2020 CMA Awards, and he feels a deep sense of humility in the accomplishments.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the multi chart-topper was asked which award of the six awards for which he’s nominated he wants more: Entertainer of the Year or Album of the Year, for What You See Is What You Get.
“That’s a loaded question. I feel like either one,” Luke admitted. “I feel like I was never supposed to make it this far in the sense of I can’t believe all the things that have happened to me have happened to me. I think just doing anything like this is incredible. So just being nominated is great.”
Luke is also nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and two appearances in the Song of the Year category: for “Even Though I’m Leaving,” and as a co-writer on Carly Peace and Lee Brice‘s “I Hope You’re Happy Now.”
Luke will perform “Cold as You,” one of the bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of What You See Ain’t Always What You Get, during the CMA Awards broadcast tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images for IRONMANBy GENEVIEVE SHAW BROWN, ABC News
