World News: 'We’re not going to control the pandemic'

USA TODAY: Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend

Sunday, October 25

Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, speaks with members of the media outside the White House, Nov. 19, 2019, in Washington.

Here's the biggest news you missed this weekend

COVID-19 cases surge in the United States as more in White House test positive. And the Tampa Bay Rays tie the World Series at 2-2. It's the weekend's biggest news.

White House eyes cure over control in COVID-19 battle

On the same weekend that Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff tested positive for COVID-19, President Donald Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows says, "We're not going to control the pandemic." Meadows told CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday that the Trump administration won't be able to do much about the spread of COVID-19, and is instead focusing on cures. Even so, COVID-19 continues to rage throughout the White House. Pence's chief of staff Marc Short tested positive for the coronavirus, according to reports Saturday, along with others aides in Pence's office. The vice president's office announced that both he and Karen Pence have tested negative for COVID-19 and that Pence will not quarantine.

•	What we know about Marc Short, other senior aides to Vice President Pence testing positive for the coronavirus.

83,757 new COVID-19 cases in one day

The United States topped its one-day record for COVID-19 cases on Friday with 83,757 new cases, according to Johns Hopkins University data . Virus seasonality, pandemic fatigue and return of schools have been attributed by epidemiologists to the rise in cases. The news comes on the heels of a study by the University of Washington School of Medicine that projected more than 500,000 Americans could die by the end of February. As of Sunday, more than 225,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19. At the height of the summer surge, on July 16, the U.S. reported more than 77,362 reported new cases of COVID-19.

•	Tracking COVID-19 in the US: Daily case counts continue to rise.

Reminder: The election is 9 days away

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she will run for another term as Speaker should Democrats keep control of the lower chamber . When asked whether she would seek reelection in 2021, Pelosi told CNN "State of the Union" host Jake Tapper, "Yes, I am. But let me also say, we have to win the Senate." Will Democrats flip the Senate? There are 35 seats up for election, and of those, 23 belong to Republicans and 12 to Democrats. Democrats would need a net gain of three or four seats to win a majority. Will Republicans flip the House? Analysts have predicted that Democrats will not only keep the House, but have many opportunities to pick up seats.

•	Women donors emerge as new power brokers in 2020 election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a weekly news conference, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Jacquelyn Martin, AP

Real quick

•	"We're helping each other to get the vote out": Native Americans battle COVID-19 and other voting obstacles as Election Day nears.
•	Tropical Storm Zeta, the 27th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, forms with sights set on Gulf Coast.
•	"Saturday Night Live": Rudy Giuliani crashes final Trump-Biden debate with "Borat"-like mishap.
•	Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton suffers concussion on huge hit to head from Washington linebacker Jon Bostic.
•	"Untouchable" attorney arrested and charged with human trafficking after USA TODAY Network investigation.
•	Authorities locate two girls abducted from a Kansas home where two boys were discovered dead Saturday; a suspect is in custody.

Rays stun Dodgers with ninth inning rally

The Tampa Bay Rays stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers with a whacky ninth inning comeback Saturday night, tying the World Series at 2-2. In a final play that has to be seen to be believed, Rays outfielder Brett Phillips – who had just three hits for the team in the regular season – was down to his last strike when he came through with a 2-run single that gave Tampa Bay a walk-off victory. But the game-winning run only scored because of a pair of fielding miscues by the Dodgers. "I'm about to live 15 years shorter," said the Rays' Brandon Lowe. "My God, I think I lost 10 years on that last play. That a storybook baseball game. That was insane.'' The series now heads to a pivotal Game 5, where the Dodgers are scheduled to start Clayton Kershaw, a historically great starting pitcher known for some postseason collapses.

•	Opinion: The Dodgers aren't desperate (yet). That may bode well for Clayton Kershaw in World Series Game 5.

Game 4: Brandon Lowe hits a three-run homer in the sixth.

Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Borat is causing a fuss in real life

Borat is back in America, and he's already trading barbs with politicians on Twitter . President Trump called Sacha Baron Cohen "a creep" after previously unseen footage from the new "Borat" movie showed Tutar (played by actress Maria Bakalova) apparently getting into the White House. "Years ago, you know, he tried to scam me," Trump said, claiming Baron Cohen had disguised himself as a BBC anchor about 15 years ago. "That's a phony guy. And I don't find him funny. To me he was a creep." Baron Cohen then took to Twitter to address Trump: "Donald — I appreciate the free publicity for Borat!" he wrote. "I admit, I don't find you funny either."