it's wednesday, november 11th, 2020. this is the "cbs morning news." transition tension. president elect joe biden is facing delays over his plans for the white house, as president trump is set to make his first public appearance since the election. >> the nation is in a precarious place right now in this pandemic. soaring cases. the covid crisis worsens in the u.s. as cases hit another record high. the future of obamacare. it's now in the hands of the supreme court. how the justices may be leaning as millions of people await a decision.

good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. we are going to begin with new pushback from joe biden against president trump's refusal to accept the results of the election. for the first time president elect biden addressed mr. trump's unwillingness to concede, calling it an embarrassment. the trump administration is blocking the transition process, but mr. biden is moving forward with his plans for the white house. debra alfarone is in washington. debra, how is president elect biden preparing to take office? >> reporter: he's appointed his coronavirus task force, he's spoken to world leaders, now without that formal transition, though, the state department isn't involved in the calls with world leaders, they would normally be, and the biden team, they could take legal action but so far, they're not moving in that direction. president elect joe biden is preparing to take office despite president trump's refusal to concede. >> i just think it's an

embarrassment. i think it will not help the president's legacy. >> reporter: speaking to reporters in delaware, mr. biden says he hopes to announce his cabinet picks this month. >> we're going to do exactly what we would be doing if he had conceded, and said we won, which we have, and so there is nothing really changing. >> reporter: the trump administration is blocking the biden team from accessing federal agencies as well as funding needed for the transition. president trump continues to claim widespread voter fraud, despite providing no evidence. mr. vice president, is it time to concede? is there really any evidence of fraud? many congressional republicans have refused to acknowledge the results. >> the president wasn't defeated by huge numbers. in fact, he may not have been defeated at all. >> reporter: in the closest races of the election, georgia and arizona, the president

trails mr. biden by more than 12,000 votes in both. >> wildly inappropriate. >> reporter: massachusetts governor charlie baker is one of the few republicans speaking out. >> what this president is doing at this point in time is not in the best interest of this country. >> reporter: president trump hasn't made any official public appearances since last thursday. today he's expected to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. the president's schedule is unusual, you might remember that he was doing about three to five rallies a day leading up to the election. and he hasn't had any official public appearances on his calendar for days. today is going to be first day we might be able to hear from him when he heads out to arlington national cemetery at 11:00 a.m. anne-marie? >> well, we will be watching, debra alfarone, thank you. north carolina's close senate race has finally been called. republican thom tillis won a second term after democrat cal cunningham conceded the race.

tillis got 48.7% of the vote and cunningham got 47%. right now republicans are in control of the senate with just 49 seats to the democrats' 48. a pair of runoffs in georgia will ultimately determine which party controls the chamber. and now to the coronavirus crisis. as a number of daily cases in the u.s. hits a new record high, johns hopkins university reported more than 136,000 cases just yesterday. it is the seventh day in a row that cases have topped 100,000. and as danya bacchus reports, some states are issuing restrictions once again. >> reporter: the nation's top infectious disease expert dr. anthony fauci says he expects pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to go through the fda's emergency authorization process in the next week and a half. >> by the time we get into december, we'll be able to have doses available for people who are judged to be at the highest priority.

>> reporter: over 1 million americans have tested positive for covid-19 in the last ten days, making it the worst stretch of infections to date. >> the nation is in a precarious place right now in this pandemic. >> reporter: a surge of cases in des moines, iowa, put hospitals at capacity for the first time ever, and close to capacity state wide. in maryland, state governor larry hogan is reducing indoor capacity at bars and restaurants from 75 to 50% effective wednesday. >> primary goals continue to be keeping our hospitals from overflowing, and stopping more marylanders from dying. >> reporter: here in los angeles, walkup covid-19 testing sites are popping up across the city. state officials blame private household gatherings for the recent spike in cases, halloween festivities are also suspected. >> we haven't been, you know, exposed to a lot of people, but still it is just for safety. >> reporter: on the treatment front, the fda has given emergency approval to eli lilly

for the first antibody treatment for covid patients with mild to moderate symptoms. >> it works by attaching to the virus and blocking its entry into cells. and also possibly by helping the person's immune system clear the virus. the data we have suggests that early treatment may help people avoid the disease progression and avoid hospitalization. >> reporter: safety testing for the drug is ongoing. danya bacchus, cbs news, los angeles. comments by justices of the supreme court suggest obamacare may survive its latest legal challenge. during arguments yesterday, chief justice john roberts and justice brett kavanaugh suggested it was not high court's role to invalidate the healthcare law, even if one or more provisions are deemed unconstitutional. republican challengers want obamacare to be killed, since lower courts previously ruled individual mandates are unconstitutional.

a former louisville police officer involved in the raid that killed breonna taylor is facing a sexual assault lawsuit. margo borders claims that brett hankison sexually assaulted her after offering her a ride home from a bar in 2018. she says that he then messaged her suggesting the two had engaged in a consensual relationship. hankison's attorney for the case could not be reached for comment. hankison was fired for his role in the taylor shooting. so coming up on the "cbs morning news," what researchers discovered inside a nest of murder hornets in washington state. and a wild shot at augusta, a pond skipper that you have to see to believe. this is the "cbs morning news." e from the inside out? try nature's bounty hair, skin and nails gummies. the number one brand to support beautiful hair, glowing skin, and healthy nails. and try advanced, now with two times more biotin.

now, braava jet mops right where you need it with an adjustable precision jet spray and an advanced pad system. and offers personalized cleaning suggestions unique to your home. braava jet m6 and the irobot home app. only from irobot. our essential mist transforms fragrance infused braava jet m6 and the irobot home app. with natural essential oils to create a mist. to invite the scents, comfort and warmth of the season into your home. it's air care, redefined. connect to nature this holiday season. or psoriatic arthritis, little things can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. for psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring.

don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. tell your doctor about your medicines and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you. indulgent, delicious, irresistible., night; fancy feast makes delighting your cat delightfully easy. every recipe, every last detail. another fancy way to show your love. fancy feast. try fancy feast gourmet naturals recipes! that's security video from a security camera showing a parked van being swallowed up by a huge

sinkhole in los angeles. officials say an eight inch cast iron water main broke yesterday, creating the sinkhole. the van's owner says she slept through the water main break, but woke up when her dogs started barking. there was no one inside the van at the time. the owner says that this is the second time a sinkhole has opened up on the block. u.p.s. is lifting a ban on beards and there are new details on the hunt for murder hornets. those are some of the headlines on "the morning newsstand." the spokane, washington, "spokesman review" says that the first asian giant hornet's nest found in the state contained about 500 live insects in various stages of development. the basketball-sized nest was found last month in a tree along the canadian border. scientists put a tracking device on some captured hornets and followed them to the nest. they say they found nearly 200 queen hornets inside. >> when you see albeit a

relatively small nest like this, able to pump out 200 queens, it does give one a little bit of pause because potentially each of those queens could be anew next year. >> the two-inch hornets can deliver painful and potentially deadly stings to humans. it is believed at least two other nests are in the area. "the wall street journal" reports that u.p.s. is lifting its ban on employees having beards. the delivery giant has also eased restrictions on natural black hairstyles such as afros and braids. it is eliminating gender specific rules as well. the company says it is part of an effort to celebrate diversity. the policy shift comes after u.p.s. hired its first female chief executive earlier this year. she says she listened to employee feedback. and new york's "news day" says a life size bronze statue of sully, president george h.w.

bush's service dog, was unvei d ed on long island. sully was on hand for the ceremony in smithtown yesterday, where the labrador was born and raised before he became the constant companion of the former president. sully stayed by mr. bush's flag-draped casket during his wake and funeral in 2018. sully now comforts service members at walter reed national military medical center in maryland. so still ahead, celebrating thanksgiving safely. the cdc issues new guidelines if you plan to host a turkey dinner. maria had to do everything for me. she had these awful blisters on her back. i don't want shingles when i'm your age. actually, if you're 50 or older, you're at increased risk that's life, nothing you can do... uh, shingles can be prevented. shingles can be whaaaat? prevented. you can get vaccinated. where? at your pharmacy, your doctor's - hold on! don't want to go through that!

50 years or older? get vaccinated for shingles. now. now roomba vacuums exactly where you need it. alexa, tell roomba to vacuum in front of the couch. and offers personalized cleaning suggestions for a clean unique to you and your home. roomba and the irobot home app. only from irobot. here's to the duers. to all the people who realize they can du more with less asthma thanks to dupixent, the add-on treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma. dupixent isn't for sudden breathing problems. it can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as 2 weeks and help prevent severe asthma attacks. it's not a steroid but can help reduce

or eliminate oral steroids. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. are you ready to du more with less asthma? talk to your asthma specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. veterans and gold star families can now visit national parks and wildlife refuges for

free for the rest of their lives. the program starts today. veterans day. they will be able to visit about 2,000 public places sitting on over 400 million acres of public lands across the u.s. the national park service came up with the idea to give back to those who fought to protect these treasured lands. on "the cbs moneywatch," a warning about a stimulus check scam and new thanksgiving guidelines from the cdc. diane king hall is in new york with those stories and more. good morning, diane. >> good morning, anne-marie. such muscle memory. stock futures point to a continued rally on hopes of a possible coronavirus vaccine. wall street was mixed yesterday, the dow rallied 262 points, the nasdaq sank 159 for its second straight day of losses, that's a rollover of stocks out of the tech sector and the s&p 500 lost 4. if you get a text message promising a $1200 stimulus check, don't click on it. the irs says the text includes a

fraudulent link impersonating the agency's website. it asks people to enter their personal and financial account information. now the real irs website will only request personal data like your social security, birth date and bank account data. the irs warns the text is part of a phishing scam to get your personal and financial information. the centers for disease control and prevention is out with updated recommendations for thanksgiving. the agency says virtual gatherings or enjoying turkey day with members of your own household are the safest bet this year. in person gatherings from people with -- excuse me, in person gatherings with people from other households including college students returning home fr campus are higher risk scenarios. the cdc says guests should wear masks, except when eating. avoid singing and shouting and windows should be open to increase ventilation. here is a holiday treat for red lobster lovers. starting next monday, the restaurant chain is selling its popular cheddar bay biscuits and

festive gift boxes. customers can place their orders on red lobster's website. the biscuits can be picked up at participating restaurants or have the gifts sent through contactless delivery, available throughout the holiday season while supplies last. anne-marie? >> that is a brilliant idea. they are so good. and if you're going to have to virtually celebrate, then you know you send a bunch off to all your friends and family and you get online and -- >> you do a zoom and show your biscuits, yes. >> show your biscuits on zoom, sounds like we shouldn't talk about that this early in the morning. thank you, diane king hall. thank you so much. have a good day, diane. >> you too. all right, so up next, a rare diamond hits the auction block. you'll need a lot of green to buy this pink gem though. mornings were made for better things than rheumatoid arthritis. when considering another treatment, ask about xeljanz...

a pill for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis when methotrexate has not helped enough. xeljanz can help relieve joint pain and swelling, stiffness, and helps stop further joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections. before and during treatment, your doctor should check for infections, like tb and do blood tests. tell your doctor if you've had hepatitis b or c, have flu-like symptoms, or are prone to infections. serious, sometimes fatal infections, cancers including lymphoma, and blood clots have happened. taking a higher than recommended dose of xeljanz for ra may increase risk of death. tears in the stomach or intestines and serious allergic reactions have happened. don't let another morning go by without asking your doctor about the pill first prescribed for ra more than seven years ago. xeljanz.

hi jen! hi. so you're the scientist here. does my aveeno® daily moisturizer really make my dry skin healthier in one day? it's true jen. really?! this prebiotic oat formula moisturizes to help prevent dry skin. impressive! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.

here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. it is a purple pink diamond, sitting at 14.83 carats with internally flawless clarity. >> that's an official with sotheby's describing a rare pink

diamond that will be auctioned off today in switzerland. the gem known as the spirit of the rose can fetch up to $38 million. it is the largest diamond of its kind to ever appear at an auction. the stone was cut from a rough diamond and mined in russia in 2017. we now know when the nba is coming back. the league's board of governors approved terms for a new shortened 72-game season to start on december 22nd. the last season delayed by the coronavirus ended last month when the los angeles lakers defeated the miami heat in the finals. check out this amazing shot during yesterday's practice round of the masters. golfer jon rahm purposefully skipped his shot across the pond at the par 3 16th hole, it is a tradition during the practice rounds to try to hit your ball across the water at 16th to see how close you can get to the pin. well, rahm's ball ran on to the green and found its way to the bottom of the cup for a hole in one.

as if that's not enough, he did it on his 26th birthday. what a great birthday gift. a 21-year-old florida man is proving that if you put your heart, mind and body into it, you can accomplish almost anything. chris nikic has down syndrome and he's never let that slow him down. one of his goals was to complete a grueling 140-mile ironman triathlon where you swim, bike and run. the special olympics paired him with a veteran ironman. chris completed the race in 16 hours and 46 minutes. he was the first ironman finisher ever with down syndrome. >> you have to earn it. it is 140 miles of blood, sweat and tears. the expectations for him and everyone who followed behind him are now gone. >> one thing that helped chris accomplish his goal, every day he vows to be 1% better. what a great goal. so coming up on "cbs this

morning," a cbs news investigation into the treatment being received by some service members with serious brain injuries. i'm anne-marie green. this is the "cbs morning news." feed a healthy lifestyle, with pure protein. high protein. low sugar. tastes great! high protein. low sugar. so good. high protein. low sugar. mmm, birthday cake. and try pure protein shakes, with 24 vitamins and minerals. now, braava jet mops right where you need it with an adjustable precision jet spray and an advanced pad system. and offers personalized cleaning suggestions unique to your home. braava jet m6 and the irobot home app. only from irobot. our essential mist transforms fragrance infused braava jet m6 and the irobot home app. with natural essential oils to create a mist. to invite the scents, comfort and warmth of the season into your home. it's air care, redefined. connect to nature this holiday season.

our top stories this morning, president elect joe biden is addressing president trump's refusal to concede, calling it an embarrassment. the trump administration is blocking the transition process, but mr. biden is moving forward with plans to take office. he said he hopes to announce his cabinet picks this month. and the u.s. yesterday hit a record high of more than 136,000 new coronavirus cases. this is the first time we surpassed 130,000 cases in a single day. meantime, dr. anthony fauci says he expects pfizer's coronavirus vaccine to go through the fda's

emergency authorization process in the next week and a half. apple held its third product event in three months, and this time the tech giant is revealing a new line of machines. nancy chen reports. >> there is just one more thing. >> reporter: apple's ceo tim cook's one more thing is the tech company's latest line of personal computers. all coming with a new brain. >> m1. >> reporter: the m1 chip is made by apple and replaces the processors from intel inside previous macs. the company claims the m1 makes its mac books much faster. of pc laptops sold in the last year. >> reporter: and the mac book pro there is the promise of sharper graphics, and up to 20 hours of battery life. >> and with this combination of performance and awesome battery life, the productivity of our pro users goes through the roof. >> reporter: apple's announcement comes as computer purchases are surging.

mac sales jumped nearly 30% in the last quarter. >> you're at a point where every single person in your household basically needs their own computer of some type now. >> reporter: cnet's dan ackerman says with people working and students learning at home, all the tech companies are offering a range of options for the holidays. the microsoft surface has a touch screen. many laptops double as a tablet. the think pad can even fold. there are plenty of google powered chrome books. >> which can be very inexpensive, $300, $350, you can get a perfectly good 13 or 15 inch chrome book, they usually have touch screens on them which is great because kids are used to everything having the touch screen. >> reporter: the mac book starts at $999, the mac book pro is $1299 and both are available to order right now. nancy chen, cbs news, new york. coming up on "cbs this morning," a cbs news investigation into the treatment being received by some service members with serious brain injuries.

plus, a look at the possible national security risks that come with the delay of a peaceful presidential transition. and we talk with thomas middleditch and anna lee ashford, stars of the new cbs sitcom "be positive." that's the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great day. -marie green. have a great day.