5 things you need to know this weekend

As temperatures rise in New York, flooding becomes an increased risk

The Buffalo region, buried under more than 7 feet of snow, now faces the threat of "urban flooding" as weekend temperatures are forecast to climb into the 40s on Saturday and near 50 degrees on Sunday, melting the mounds of snow that have brought the city to a near standstill.

Still reeling from snow, Buffalo now faces floods

Authorities in western New York issued a flood watch as temperatures climb and rain threatens to move in over the weekend.

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The waiting continues for jury decision in Ferguson, Mo.

People around the country are waiting for the St. Louis County grand jury to weigh in on the fatal shooting of Michael Brown that sparked protests and calls to action for the country's treatment of minorities. The pending decision, which could come at some point this weekend, has caused Missouri Governor Jay Nixon to already declare a state of emergency, and neighboring school districts to decide to close their doors following the announcement.

Holder urges police restraint in Ferguson response

Attorney General Eric Holder announced law enforcement guidance for protecting constitutional rights during First Amendment-protected events. The announcement came ahead of the Ferguson Grand Jury announcement.

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Pacquiao, Algieri go for TKOs as they face-off in Macau

Punch, punch, jab — it's on. Manny Pacquiao faces off against Chris Algieri in Saturday night's welterweight contest. After their final weigh-in, Algieri worked to get right under his weight goal. He had to lose 0.2 pounds within 40 minutes to make the cut. So who will win the battle? Stay tuned.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri: Who has the edge?

Manny Pacquiao puts his WBO welterweight title on the line against challenger Chris Algieri in Macau.

Let the mac-and-cheese overload begin

Never has anything sounded more delicious. Californians are in for some cheesy goodness this Saturday, as The Great San Francisco Mac and Cheese Throwdown gets cooking. Local restaurants will add everything from lobster to bacon to pulled pork and truffles to the king of all foods. "Cheesy cover bands and cheap bear specials" round out the event.

Stars align for the American Music Awards

The glitz and glamour of the music industry comes to the forefront on Sunday as the American Music Awards air live on ABC. Hosted by rapper Pitbull, artists from a variety of genres take the stage, among them Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Iggy Azalea and Garth Brooks. Follow Paste BN Music (@usatodaymusic) for the latest on the winners, the losers and all the performances.

In case you missed it:

Racial gap in U.S. arrest rates shows a "staggering disparity."

Allegations of sexual assault continue to Bill Cosby. Hollywood seems to be giving up on the comedian.

Full Cosby exchange with AP on allegations

With sexual assault allegations gaining increasing attention, The Associated Press reviewed an on-camera interview with Bill Cosby earlier this month and made the decision to publish his full reaction to questions about the claims. (Nov. 19)

AP

Alabama football coach Nick Saban is the highest-paid NCAA football coach.

The good, the bad and the ugly at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Good and bad at the LA Auto Show

The Paste BN team covering the Los Angeles Auto Show share their thoughts on the good and the bad after two days of press previews. Video by Robert Hanashiro, Paste BN

Car service Uber is in some hot water after reports surfaced of secretly tracking journalists' rides.

Say goodbye to Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas.

And, the weekend essentials:

The week in pictures:

Missed the top videos of the week? We've got you covered:

Paste BN video threepeat

The world's tallest roller coaster, a magic trick and a panda goes sledding.

The original version of this article misidentified Macau's country as the Philippines. It's since been corrected.