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Science

Astronomers Detected a Huge New Structure in The Milky Way, And Don’t Know What It Is

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When you’re swimming in a large body of water, calculating its volume or discerning the locations of distant floating objects isn’t easy. The same is true for our galaxy.

From our position inside the Milky Way, much of its size, contents, and three-dimensional structure is really tricky to figure out. There’s a lot that eludes us, or is impossible to calculate; even so, every now and again, a discovery comes along that makes you wonder, how in the heck did we miss that?!

 

A newly discovered structure named the Cattail is just such a wonder. It’s a long curl of gas that’s so large, astronomers aren’t sure whether or not it might actually be part of a galactic spiral arm that we never noticed until now.

Even if it isn’t the sign of an unmapped spiral arm, the Cattail may be the largest filament of gas in our galaxy discovered to date. It’s been described in a paper accepted to The Astrophysical Journal Letters, available on preprint server arXiv.

The structure “appears to be so far the furthest and largest giant filament in the galaxy,” a team of astronomers from Nanjing University in China writes in the paper.

“The question about how such a huge filament is produced at the extreme galactic location remains open. Alternatively, Cattail might be part of a new arm … though it is puzzling that the structure does not fully follow the warp of the galactic disk.”

There are several reasons it’s hard to map the Milky Way in three dimensions. One of them is that it’s very tricky to work out the distances to cosmic objects. Another is that there is a lot of stuff out there, so it can be hard to know if something is a significant grouping or just a random collection spread out along a line of sight.

 

To identify the Cattail, a team led by Nanjing University astronomer Chong Li used the huge Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) to look for clouds of neutral atomic hydrogen (HI). Such clouds are usually found in the spiral arms of galaxies like ours; by studying subtle differences in the hydrogen’s light, it’s possible to map the number and arrangement of the Milky Way’s arms from within.

In August 2019, the researchers used FAST to look for HI radio emissions, and the data revealed what appeared to be a large structure. When they calculated how fast the structure was moving, they got a surprise: its velocity was consistent with a distance of around 71,750 light-years from the galactic center – the outer regions of the galaxy.

That distance – farther than any known spiral arms in that region of the galaxy – would mean the thing is absolutely huge, with a size of around 3,590 light-years in length and 675 light-years in width, based on the FAST data.

But then, when the researchers combined their findings with data from the HI4PI all-sky HI survey, they found that it could be even larger still – as much as around 16,300 light-years in length.

 

That would make it even more colossal than the gas structure known as Gould’s Belt, which was recently found to be 9,000 light-years long.

The Cattail raises some interesting questions. Most gas filaments occur much closer to the galactic center, and are associated with spiral arms. If it’s a filament, it’s unclear how the Cattail could have formed and remained out beyond the known spiral arms of the Milky Way.

On the other hand, if it’s a spiral arm, that’s also peculiar. The galactic disc of the Milky Way is wobbly and warped from an encounter with another galaxy, a long time ago. Yet the Cattail’s shape does not entirely conform to this warp – which it should do if it was a spiral arm.

Even if the discovery wasn’t already fascinating, these peculiarities indicate that we might want to take a closer look at this amazing structure.

“While these questions remain open with the existing data,” the researchers wrote, “the observations provide new insights into our understanding of the galactic structure.”

The research has been accepted into The Astrophysical Journal Letters, and is available on arXiv.

 

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Business

Dow Jones Today, Stocks Slump As July Hiring Data Disappoints; FDA Timeline Lifts BioNTech; Paycom, DaVita Eye Breakouts

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Stocks opened lower, then turned mixed Wednesday after disappointing July hiring data and as concerns rose regarding coronavirus infections and impact. Vaccine maker BioNTech rallied on FDA news. Advanced Micro Devices extended its breakout rally. Earnings news sent Paycom Software and DaVita past buy points. And on the Dow Jones today, Home Depot and UnitedHealth traded just below buy points.




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The Dow industrials sloughed off 190 points, down 0.5%, as oil prices and bond yields dived after a disappointing July hiring report from ADP. The S&P 500 shed 0.3%. The Nasdaq 100 shook off thin early loss and climbed almost 0.1%, although earnings news sent Match Group (MTCH), Kraft Heinz (KHC) and Amgen (AMGN) to the bottom of the Nasdaq 100.

IBD 50 stock Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) surged 4.7%, to the head of the Nasdaq 100, as it aimed to extend its five-day rally. The chipmaker has gained more than 20% in fewer than two weeks, triggering the eight-week hold rule.

Paycom Software (PAYC) vaulted 8.3%, leading the S&P 500. The human resources software developer reported better-than-expected sales and earnings for the second quarter, and raised its guidance. The early move sent shares past a 404.87 double-bottom base buy point.

Delta variant concerns and news reports of a possible full approval from the Food and Drug Administration sent BioNTech (BNTX) up 3.6% to lead the IBD Leaderboard list. BioNTech is in the third week of an eight-week hold rule. IBD 50 stock Moderna (MRNA) opened to a 0.9% gain Wednesday.

In some of the morning’s more dramatic moves, four-day-old Robinhood Markets (HOOD) scrambled 54% higher. The stock finished trade on Tuesday more than 41% above Thursday’s initial offering price. Biotech BeyondSpring (BYSI) spiked 153%, after reporting positive Phase 3 trial results of a lung cancer treatment.

Dow Jones Today: Boeing Test Flight Delayed

Amgen slumped 2.9%, to the bottom of the Dow Jones today, after reporting second-quarter sales and earnings that beat views. But management trimmed its full-year earnings guidance.

Boeing (BA) dropped 1.1% after further delays to a test flight of the company’s autonomous, reusable space capsule. Boeing stock is attempting to add a third week to its advance off a mid-July low.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) added 0.2% in early trade. A 1.5% jump on Tuesday lifted shares to within 2% of a 422.63 buy point in a 12-week cup-with-handle base.

Home Depot (HD) — a stock that has benefited during periods of tighter Covid restrictions — edged a fraction lower. Home Depot stock rose 1.4% on Tuesday, ending less than 1% below a 333.55 entry, also in a 12-week cup with handle.

Econ Data: Hiring Fades In July

ADP launched the ramp-up to Friday’s July payrolls report from the Labor Department with its July National Employment Report. The report showed U.S. nonfarm private employers added 330,000 workers in July. That was less than half of June’s 692,000-job increase, and was less than half expectations for an increase of 700,000.

Join IBD experts as they analyze actionable stocks in the stock market rally on IBD Live

Oil prices and bond yields turned lower after the ADP report. West Texas Intermediate futures tumbled more than 3%, moving below $69 a barrel. The 10-year yield held dipped four basis points to 1.13%, after settling just below 1.18% on Tuesday.

IHS Markit releases its final composite purchasing managers index for July at 9:45 a.m. ET. The Institute for Supply Management reports its July services PMI at 10 a.m. And weekly petroleum inventories data are set for release from the Energy Information Administration at 10:30 a.m.

Earnings News: Donnelly, DaVita Head For Buy Points

In early earnings news, eXp World Holdings (EXPI) rocketed 28% higher. United Therapeutics (UTHR) and Landmark Infrastructure Partners (LMRK) each gained more than 11%.

Dialysis treatment leader DaVita (DVA) jumped 7.8%, scoring an early breakout past a 124.98 buy point in a double-bottom base. Investors could use a breakaway gap buying strategy, which would place an entry at 129.10.

Video game developer Activision Blizzard (ATVI) gained 2.7%. The company reported second-quarter earnings late Tuesday. Activision has been wracked by an employee walk-off and executive shake-ups tied to a lawsuit alleging widespread sexual harassment and discrimination within the company.

On the downside, in addition to Amgen on the Dow Jones today, General Motors (GM) tumbled 7.7%, despite beating its second-quarter targets, as annual per-share earnings guidance stopped short of expectations.

China Ramps Up Covid Restrictions

China’s markets took a healthy bounce on Wednesday, with the Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index each jumping 0.9%. That put the Shanghai Composite up 2.4% for the week as it rebounds from last week’s 4.3% dive. The Hang Seng ended Wednesday up 1.8%, vs. the prior week’s 5% fall.

The positive market action came even as China on Wednesday imposed “massive travel restrictions,” with a large number of airports and rail travel canceled, according to state-run media agency Xinhua.

Stock Market ETF Strategy And How To Invest In The Current Uptrend

Widespread Covid testing regimens have also been implemented, and Beijing imposed strict entry and exit controls on Sunday. CNBC reported early Wednesday that China’s National Health Commission said it confirmed 96 Covid cases on Wednesday — the third straight day it reported 90 cases and above. Of the newly confirmed cases, 71 were locally transmitted, said the health commission.

The question of how far China will have to go to lock down the new spread of the Delta variant coronavirus comes as a broadening regulatory crackdown left China’s markets reeling. Stocks began selling off aggressively on July 23, as authorities rolled out a series of reforms that reframed regulations for education companies, food delivery operations and companies listing on exchanges outside of China.

Tech and internet stocks fell hard Tuesday, on fears that online gaming would be the next sector on which the government would focus its broadening crackdown.

Tracking Global Stock Markets

Among China gauges in the U.S. early Wednesday, the iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI) rose 1.8%, and the Xtrackers Harvest CSI 300 China A-Shares ETF (ASHR) gained 0.9. Technology tracker KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB) rebounded 2.9% in early trade. The ETF fell 4% on Tuesday.

In Europe on Wednesday, stocks defended narrowed gains in afternoon trade.  The CAC-40 in Paris pared back to a 0.3% advance. Frankfurt’s DAX swung 0.5% higher. London’s FTSE 100 mustered a 0.1% gain. The SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF (SPEU) added 0.5%.

IBD 50 Earnings: Roku, HubSpot, Innovative

At least a dozen IBD 50-listed companies have reported or will report earnings this week. Of the companies due to report, Roku (ROKU), HubSpot (HUBS) and Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR) are among those near buy points.

Roku gained 0.2% in early trade, angling to avoid a fourth straight decline. The stock had dropped below its 21-day exponential moving average on Monday, finishing Tuesday about 10% below a 463.09 buy point in a cup-with-handle base. Roku reports after Wednesday’s close.

HubSpot shares were down 0.2% Wednesday, testing support at their 21-day average. HubSpot stock remains in a buy range above a 574.93 buy point in a cup base. Its pullback to the 10-week line didn’t trigger the automatic sell rule. So the breakout remains in play. The buy zone extends to 603.68. The company reports after today’s close.

Nasdaq, S&P 500, Dow Jones Today

The stock market gave the U.S. economy a vote of confidence Tuesday, with the major indexes all rebounding from short-term support. The gains came even as concerns and restrictions increased, due to what appears to be the accelerating spread of the coronavirus Delta variant in the U.S.

As a result, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed narrowly off record highs. The Dow Jones today also opens near its record high, and back above the 35,000 level, which has acted as a cap on its progress since May.

For more detailed analysis of the current stock market and its status, study the Big Picture.

August is generally treated as a sleepy month for the market, a month in which traders take vacations before the kids head back to school. But for the past decade, August performances have been erratic. The Dow and S&P 500 have posted moves up and down of more than 1.5% in seven of the past 10 years. The Nasdaq has seen such moves in eight of the past 10 years.

IBD’s Big Picture cautions that “after rising in eight of the past nine months, a stock market pullback would not come as a surprise. For now, though, there’s no clear sign of such a pullback.” Distribution days are somewhat elevated, particularly on the S&P 500. But Tuesday’s action showed institutional buyers remained engaged. And there has not been any new distribution for the past two weeks.

The stock market’s status remains in “confirmed uptrend.”

Find Alan R. Elliott on Twitter @IBD_Aelliott

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Health

CDC data reflects spiking RSV cases into July

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National reports of a common respiratory virus increased into July, according to laboratory data submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections typically occur during the fall, winter and spring, suggesting an unusual summertime uptick coinciding with rising cases of the delta variant.

CLICK HERE TO FIND A COVID-19 VACCINE NEAR YOU

RSV usually results in mild, cold-like symptoms and while most recover within two weeks, certain populations face a higher risk of severe illness, like infants and older adults, according to the CDC. Cases dropped dramatically last year, with people staying home and social distancing, but began cropping up as pandemic restrictions eased.

The health agency’s national surveillance system suggests PCR tests positive for the virus began to climb by June, with approximately 3% test positivity, before further increasing into mid-July with a test positivity over 13% by July 17. The latest figures may reflect an undercount due to lags in reporting.

CDC WARNS ON UPTICK IN RSV CASES AFTER LOW ACTIVITY DURING COVID-19: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RESPIRATORY ILLNESS

Antigen detection for RSV suggests a greater uptick in about the same time period, with the test positivity increasing from about 10% in early April to over 35% by mid-July.

Symptoms typically crop up in stages within 4-6 days following infection, and can include a runny nose, smaller appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever and wheezing, the CDC states on its webpage. Younger infants may only show irritability, less activity and breathing issues.

COLD WEATHER VIRUS IN SUMMER BAFFLES DOCS, WORRIES PARENTS

Among U.S. kids under age 5, RSV typically leads to 2 million doctor-office visits each year, 58,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 deaths — higher than the estimated toll on kids from COVID-19. Among adults aged 65 and up, RSV can lead to pneumonia and causes almost 180,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly. Cases in kids and adults usually occur in fall through early spring.

In adults, symptoms are typically consistent with upper respiratory tract infections including rhinorrhea, pharyngitis, cough, headache, fatigue and fever. For severe cases, however, it can also cause more severe infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and pneumonia, an infection of the lungs. It is also the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children younger than 1, according to the CDC. 

Most infections resolve on their own and there is no specific treatment for RSV, though efforts to develop medicines are underway, per the CDC. To ease symptoms, the agency advises acetaminophen or ibuprofen, plenty of fluids and consulting a healthcare provider.

The Associated Press and Fox News’ Alexandria Hein contributed to this report.

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Health

Philadelphia COVID-19: City now seeing ‘substantial’ level of community coronavirus transmission: CDC data

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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Philadelphia is now seeing what the CDC considers a “substantial” level of community COVID-19 transmission.

According to the CDC, the “substantial” category means 50-99.99 total new cases per 100,000 persons in the last seven days.

“What this really means is our level of concern and the CDC’s level of concern are now in alignment,” said Acting Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole. “It’s a continuation of what we have seen over the past couple of weeks, it just takes us over the threshold for the CDC.”

Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware counties in Pennsylvania have also been added to the “substantial’ category.

CDC COVID-19 Transmission Levels by U.S. County

Map not displaying correctly? Click here to open in a new window.

As of Monday, 62.4% of adults 18 and older are fully vaccinated in Philadelphia.

The Department of Public Health reports 75 patients with COVID-19 are currently being treated in Philadelphia hospitals, with a total of six on ventilators. In the last two weeks, 4% of COVID-19 tests in Philadelphia have come back positive, officials said.

Last month, local health leaders once again strongly recommended everyone wear masks in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status.

They also recommend:
– Choosing outdoor rather than indoor spaces
– Avoiding crowded indoor spaces
-Wear a mask while indoors around people whom you don’t know are vaccinated
-Unvaccinated people should consider double masking while in indoor public spaces.

On Monday, The Philadelphia Department of Public Health provided a statement to Action News reading:

“On July 22, we instituted a strong recommendation for everyone over age 2 in Philadelphia to mask while indoors in public places. The CDC has now seconded that recommendation. All Philadelphians should pay attention to this warning to prevent the kind of surge that’s being seen in other parts of the country, which are seeing increases in hospitalizations of both adults and children. The delta variant spreads more easily than previous forms of COVID-19, but that spread can be prevented by vaccination, masking, avoiding crowded indoor places, and keeping distance from others. None of these measures are fully effective alone, so we recommend layering protections: get vaccinated and wear a mask indoors in public places.”

Now, more businesses are wondering if they should require employees and customers to show proof of vaccination.

Ben Fileccia of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association began fielding calls last week from restaurant owners looking for guidance on the topic, a few in our area already announced they would only serve vaccinated customers.

“As of this point we don’t have any guidance. I’ve just been asking them to call other restaurants that are also doing it just to share best practices,” said Fileccia.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced today all healthcare workers and employees in congregate settings must be vaccinated or tested, at least bi-weekly, starting September 7.

So far New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware state employees have not been told they have a requirement to get vaccinated. The City of Philadelphia is in discussions about what they will require.
Click here to get more information about scheduling a COVID-19 vaccine.

Copyright © 2021 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Health

Less than 0.001% of fully vaccinated Americans died after a Covid-19 breakthrough case, CDC data shows

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The CDC reported 6,587 Covid-19 breakthrough cases as of July 26, including 6,239 hospitalizations and 1,263 deaths.

At that time, more than 163 million people in the United States were fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Most of the breakthrough cases — about 74% — occurred among adults 65 or older.

Since May, the CDC has focused on investigating only hospitalized or fatal Covid-19 cases among people who have been fully vaccinated. The agency says the data relies on “passive and voluntary reporting” and are a “snapshot” to “help identify patterns and look for signals among vaccine breakthrough cases.”

“To date, no unexpected patterns have been identified in the case demographics or vaccine characteristics among people with reported vaccine breakthrough infections,” according to the CDC.

The agency shared a study this week that showed the Delta variant produced similar amounts of virus in vaccinated and unvaccinated people if they get infected. Experts continue to say that vaccination makes it less likely you’ll catch Covid-19 in the first place. But for those who do, the findings suggest they could have a similar tendency to spread it as unvaccinated people.
That study also convinced CDC leaders to update the agency’s mask guidance on Tuesday, recommending that fully vaccinated people also wear masks indoors when in areas with “substantial” and “high” Covid-19 transmission to prevent further spread of the Delta variant. Guidance for unvaccinated people remains to continue masking until they are fully vaccinated.

Pace of vaccinations is going up

But experts say those vaccinated, while they may be able to transmit the virus, remain very well protected against getting seriously ill. Amid the latest surge of Covid-19 cases nationwide fueled by the Delta variant, local leaders across the US are reporting that the majority of new infections and hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people.
The Delta variant is now so contagious, one former health official recently warned that people who are not protected — either through vaccination or previous infection — will likely get it.

Amid concerns over the rising cases and the dangerous strain, the country has seen a steady rise in the pace of vaccinations in the past three weeks — and an even sharper increase in states that had been lagging the most, according to a CNN analysis of CDC data.

The seven-day average of new doses administered in the US is now 652,084, up 26% from three weeks ago.

The difference is even more striking in several southern states: Alabama’s seven-day average of new doses administered is more than double what it was three weeks ago. The state has the lowest rate of its total population fully vaccinated in the US, at roughly 34%.

Arkansas, with just 36% of its population fully vaccinated, has also seen its average daily rate of doses administered double in the last three weeks.

Louisiana, which had by far the most new Covid-19 cases per capita last week and has only fully vaccinated 37% of its population, saw daily vaccination rates rise 111% compared to three weeks ago.
Meanwhile, Missouri, which has been among the hardest-hit states in the latest Covid-19 surge, now has a daily average of new vaccinations 87% higher than three weeks ago.
Roughly 57.5% of the US population has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose and about 49.5% is fully vaccinated, CDC data shows.

CNN’s Matthew Hilk contributed to this report.

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Business

Liberals from White House to Hawaii push for mask mandates but data is underwhelming

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Democratic leaders from the White House down are mulling or enacting new coronavirus mask mandates following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – even as new infections vary widely in different areas.

The new guidance recommends masks indoors in communities reporting at least 50 new cases per 100,000 people in a seven-day span. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows there are such hot spots across the U.S., but especially in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.

But it was Hawaii, Nevada and Washington, D.C., that had indoor mask mandates in place for fully vaccinated individuals as of Friday.

WHITE HOUSE WON’T RULE OUT FUTURE LOCKDOWNS, SCHOOL CLOSURES IF CDC SAYS SO

Numbers show a seven-day rolling average of 57 COVID-19 cases in the nation’s capital, and there was just one coronavirus death there in all of July, according to a New York Times analysis of data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Washington, D.C., has a population of more than 692,000, according to the Census Bureau. Both the White House and the U.S. House of Representatives have returned to masking up indoors.

President Joe Biden talks with reporters before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Friday, July 30, 2021, as he heads Camp David for the weekend. (Associated Press)

In Hawaii, where there are more than 1.4 million residents, according to the Census Bureau, state health officials on Thursday reported a 186-case rolling average over the past two weeks.

And Nevada, which has a population of more than 3 million, according to the Census Bureau, reported 14-day averages of 870 new daily cases and seven daily deaths as of Thursday. Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a return of the indoor mask mandate there within hours of the CDC’s updated guidance.

CONSERVATIVE REACTION POURS IN AFTER DEM MAYORS, GOVERNORS IMPOSE NEW MASK MANDATES: ‘KISS MY MASK’

Los Angeles County, which has a population of more than 10 million, reported a seven-day average of 2,428 new cases and 10 deaths Wednesday. It reported 3,248 new cases and 17 deaths Thursday, almost two weeks after officials there reinstated the mask mandate for indoor public settings.

Democrat-led cities as far apart as Provincetown, Mass., with a rolling average of fewer than 40 cases, and Kansas City, Mo., with 158, also rushed to reimpose mask mandates – and even private companies, including Ford and Walmart, are looking at requiring masks, testing or vaccines for employees at some facilities.

White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre arrives for a news briefing at the White House in Washington, Friday, July 30, 2021. (Associated Press)

‘Was true at the time’

The CDC update marks a stark reversal from May when the administration said fully vaccinated individuals could ditch the masks and get back to life as normal.

“That was true at the time,” Biden told Fox News’ Peter Doocy on Thursday when pressed about the flip-flop. “Because I thought there were people that were going to understand that getting vaccinated made a dramatic difference. And what happened was the new variant came along, they didn’t get vaccinated, it spread more rapidly, and more people were getting sick.”

MORE STATES AND CITIES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON DC, BRING BACK MASK MANDATES AFTER CONTROVERSIAL CDC GUIDANCE

Meanwhile, Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas issued bans on mask mandates. 

“The path forward relies on personal responsibility rather than government mandates,” Abbott said in a statement.

Despite the new CDC guidance and the liberal rush to reinstate mask rules, critics across the country have also risen up in protest.

WHERE TO FIND COVID VACCINES

“Joe Biden wants to mandate that federal employees must get the vaccine,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said on the Senate floor Friday. “Who the heck is the federal government to tell people they must stick a needle in their arm?” 

Cruz added that he and his family had been vaccinated – but that it was by their own free will.

Some Democrats push back

Some Democrats have resisted the push for new mask mandates, including Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, the latter of whom said he would wait for more details from the CDC.

MASK MANDATES POUR IN NATIONWIDE AFTER CDC REVISES GUIDANCE FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE

The CDC says vaccinated people can still spread the more contagious delta variant – and it now accounts for 83% of new U.S. cases.

Former Assistant Secretary of Health Adm. Brett Giroir said he wants to see more specific numbers behind the CDC’s new recommendations before accepting them.

“They said it’s a rare occasion,” he told Fox News’ Charles Payne on Wednesday. “If it’s rare, 1%, point-1%, then you don’t need to mask, and you shouldn’t recommend that. If it’s 20 or 30%, then what they said makes sense.”

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However, he later warned that unvaccinated individuals were at great risk for the delta variant.

“Anyone who’s not vaccinated and who did not have COVID previously, the delta variant is so contagious that you’re going to get it,” he told “America Reports” on Thursday.

In its most recent available findings on breakthrough cases, which cover Jan. 1 to April 30, the CDC reported that 2% of patients had died and 10% required hospitalizations. And 29% of the hospitalizations involved asymptomatic patients or came from “a reason unrelated to COVID-19.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Health

CDC COVID risk map: Cook County could issue mask guidelines as data shows ‘substantial’ COVID-19 transmission

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Cook County Health officials are expected to issue new mask guidelines Friday as CDC data shows “substantial” COVID-19 transmission.

County and state health officials looking at an uptick in case numbers they haven’t seen in months.

“As public health officials, we are extremely, extremely concerned about this rise,” said Dr. Rachel Rubin, senior medical officer at Cook County Dept. of Public Health.

“It’s time for caution,” said Steve Brandy, public information officer for Will County Health Dept. “That is a reminder that we are far from done here, and the fact that about 80% of these new cases in Will County are connected to the Delta variant.”

Cook, DeKalb, Grundy, Kendall, LaSalle and Boone counties have now joined the list of Illinois counties showing “substantial” community transmission of COVID-19. DuPage, McHenry and Will counties are also at the “substantial” risk level.

In Indiana, Newton and Jasper counties are at “high” rates of transmission. Racine County in Wisconsin is at the “substantial” level.

SEE ALSO | Illinois COVID vaccine map shows how many residents vaccinated by county

The new CDC guidelines recommend everyone in those counties start wearing masks indoors again, even if they’re vaccinated.

CDC COVID-19 Transmission Levels by U.S. County

Map not displaying correctly? Click here to open in a new window.

“Honestly it makes sense, even though it kind of sucks, but I’d rather do that than like another shutdown,” said Kelly O’Brien.

County health officials say the only way to slow this uptick down is to get more people vaccinated.

“The only thing this virus cares about is surviving …to really take advantage of people who aren’t vaccinated,” said DuPage County Health Dept. Executive Director Karen Ayala.

Chicago’s top doctor believes the city will also be moving into the “substantial” risk category very soon.

“I would expect that as we watch this over these next few days, you know,” Dr. Allison Arwady said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if by, you know, early next week we’re making some formal announcements. This is related to the Delta variant, and the fact that it is here, and it is spreading.”
Right now, Chicago is seeing an average of 190 new cases per day and that number keeps inching higher.

Copyright © 2021 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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Technology

Eevee CD quests, new Forms, Ultra Unlock and more discovered by data miners

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Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee

Hello Trainers!  Some updates have been pushed, including some Text for the recently announced Eevee Community Day Weekend , an upcoming 0.215.0 update, the Ultra Unlock, and more!

You know the drill by now, everything in this article is datamined, and therefore subject to be changed or not even being released at all. So bear that in mind while we go through the pushed updates.  Also, there are spoilers below, so if you don’t like spoilers I suggest you skip past the first section.

You can read the Pokéminers Reddit post here, go give them an upvote!  Let’s get into it!

Eevee Community Day

General Text & Field Research

RESOURCE ID: community_day_eevee_event_name 
TEXT: Community Day: Eevee 

RESOURCE ID: general1.ticket.2_eevet_description 
TEXT: A ticket to access the Who You Choose to Be Special Research from August 14, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. to August 15, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. local time each day, wherever you are. Details can be found in the in-game News. 

RESOURCE ID: photobomb_five_eevee 
TEXT: 5 Photobombs from Eevee in GO Snapshot 

RESOURCE ID: quest_eevet_catch_b 
TEXT: Catch {0} Eevee 

RESOURCE ID: quest_eevet_evolve_b 
TEXT: Evolve {0} Eevee

Special Research: Who You Choose to Be

RESOURCE ID: quest_complete_eevet 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be

The Special Reseach for Eevee Community Weekend will be called “Who you Choose to Be”

Willow Texts – Step 1

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_eevet_0 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be (1/5) 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_0 
TEXT: Hey there, %PLAYERNAME%! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_1 
TEXT: Not sure if you’ve noticed, but the surrounding areas seem to be experiencing a huge influx of Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_2 
TEXT: It’s been said that within its genetics lies the key to the mysteries of Pokémon Evolution. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_3
TEXT: I can understand that hypothesis—after all, Eevee can evolve into EIGHT Pokémon!

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_4 
TEXT: Talk about being adaptable to different situations. I don’t even have eight different outfits. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_5 
TEXT: I basically wear this lab coat to every occasion—even formal events! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_6 
TEXT: Anyway, perhaps by researching Eevee, we’ll be the lucky ones who’ll uncover the mysteries of Pokémon Evolution! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_0_7 
TEXT: I’m excited already. Let’s GO learn about Eevee!

Willow Texts – Step 2

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_eevet_1 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be (2/5)

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_1_0 
TEXT: Great work, %PLAYERNAME% with your research thus far on Eevee! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_1_1 
TEXT: Apparently its DNA is irregular which is what gives it the ability to evolve into so many different Pokémon. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_1_2 
TEXT: For example, it has three Evolutions originally discovered in the Kanto region: a Water type, an Electric type, and a Fire type. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_1_3 
TEXT: The type of Evolution that occurs apparently depends on the radiation it receives. Isn’t that fascinating! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_1_4
TEXT: Continue on your Eevee research and perhaps you might find yourself encountering its Kanto Evolutions.

I think it’s safe to say that your rewards for Step 2 will be Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon

Willow Texts – Step 3

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_eevet_2 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be (2/5)

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_0 
TEXT: Wow %PLAYERNAME%, you encountered not one, two, but all three of its Kanto Evolutions: Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_1 
TEXT: These incredible creatures are capable of some impressive feats. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_2 
TEXT: Did you know Vaporeon can melt away into water? 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_3 
TEXT: Or that Jolteon can blast out 10000-volt lightning bolts? 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_4 
TEXT: And Flareon blows out fire that is over 3,000F degrees? 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_5 
TEXT: And they all evolved from the same Pokémon too! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_6 
TEXT: Outside of genetics, is there something more to this creature that makes it capable of so much potential? 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_7 
TEXT: Eevee is known to evolve if its environment changes, as well and that’s key to its Evolutions originally discovered in the Johto region: a Psychic type and a Dark type. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_2_8 
TEXT: Continue on your Eevee research and perhaps you might find yourself encountering them as well!

Yup.  Looks like Espeon and Umbreon will be rewards in Step 3

Willow Texts – Step 4

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_eevet_3 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be (4/5)

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_0 
TEXT: Great work, %PLAYERNAME%! Looks like you’ve caught yourself an Espeon and an Umbreon too! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_1 
TEXT: The Psychic-type Espeon can use the fine hair on its body to sense air currents and predict its enemies’ next move. It usually evolves from Eevee during daytime. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_2 
TEXT: As for the Dark-type Umbreon, it evolves from Eevee during nighttime and it's said that its rings glow yellow under the full moon. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_3 
TEXT: Perhaps this is what researchers were referring to when they said Eevee can evolve if its environment changes! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_4 
TEXT: Can this clue us into the mysteries of Evolution? 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_5 
TEXT: Maybe its Evolutions originally discovered in the Sinnoh region will shed more light. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_6 
TEXT: Those ones are Grass type and Ice type and are known to have evolved in that way in order to adapt to harsh conditions. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_3_7 
TEXT: Continue on your Eevee research and perhaps you might find yourself encountering them as well!

Right again, now Leafeon and Glaceon are next.

Willow Texts – Step 5

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_eevet_4 
TEXT: Who You Choose to Be (5/5)

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_0 
TEXT: %PLAYERNAME%—I’m amazed. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_1 
TEXT: You’ve managed to catch Leafeon and Glaceon, Eevee’s Evolutions originally discovered in the Sinnoh region! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_2 
TEXT: The vastly different environments in that region appear to have encouraged the adaptable Eevee to evolve into a Grass-type and an Ice-type Pokémon. It’s inspiring to see how resilient this little Pokémon can be! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_3 
TEXT: We might not discover the secrets of Pokémon Evolution today, but I think we can learn a lot about ourselves through Pokémon. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_4 
TEXT: Researching Eevee today has taught me that being able to become who we choose to be is a powerful skill and a gift. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_5 
TEXT: I hope that Eevee can inspire you, %PLAYERNAME%, to reach your fullest potential and choose your path in life that suits you best. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_6 
TEXT: Ahem, enough of this Professor’s ramblings: Eevee is known to have just one more Evolution—a Fairy type originally discovered in the Kalos region. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_7 
TEXT: It has ribbon-like feelers that it uses to calm others and evolves from Eevee when it reaches a certain level of friendship and trust with its beloved Trainer. Knowing that almost brings a tear to my eye! 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_8 
TEXT: I hope you have the fortune of crossing paths with a wonderful Pokémon like this one soon. 

RESOURCE ID: quest_special_dialogue_eevet_4_9 
TEXT: Until then, let's GO!

Last but not least, Sylveon

Rocket Radar Updates

RESOURCE ID: item_leader_map_fragment_desc 
TEXT: Each time you Battle and defeat a Team GO Rocket Grunt, they’ll drop a Mysterious Component. Collect all 6 to see what they combine into! 

RESOURCE ID: leader_map_assembled_description 
TEXT: Your Mysterious Components have combined into a Rocket Radar. Use the Rocket Radar to locate Team GO Rocket Hideouts!

A couple of updates to the Rocket Radar texts.

Ultra Unlock Texts

RESOURCE ID: ultra_unlock_event_name_time 
TEXT: Ultra Unlock Part 1: Time 

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_uu1_jul21_0 
TEXT: Ultra Unlock 2021: Time (1/5) 

RESOURCE ID: ultra_unlock_event_name_space 
TEXT: Ultra Unlock Part 2: Space 

RESOURCE ID: quest_title_uu2_aug21_0 
TEXT: Ultra Unlock 2021: Space (1/5)

Ultra unlock parts 1 and 2 each get their own 5 step special research.

All the Forms!

RESOURCE ID: form_arceus_dark
TEXT: Dark-Type

RESOURCE ID: form_greninja_ash
TEXT: Ash-Greninja

RESOURCE ID: form_hoopa_confined
TEXT: Hoopa Confined

RESOURCE ID: form_hoopa_unbound
TEXT: Hoopa Unbound

RESOURCE ID: form_primal
TEXT: Primal Reversion

The texts for all of the forms were pushed separately, I’ve highlighted a couple of the ones I find most exciting above.  The complete list can be found here, courtesy of the PokéMiners as always.

0.215.0 Update

+Patch from: 0.213.2-SHA-4db157d3, 0.215.0-SHA-c7a959cd

A hint that a new update is coming, what will be in that update?  Stay tuned here to GoHub to find out when it drops!

Loading Screen Text Updates

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_battle_switch_charged_move 
TEXT: Switch out Pokémon during battle for more charge moves. 
TEXT: Switch out Pokémon during battle to utilize your Battle Party’s different Charged Attacks. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_discard_all_items 
TEXT: Quickly discard all items from your inventory by tapping on the (-) button once. 
TEXT: Quickly discard your entire stock of any one item in your Item Bag by tapping the − button on the discard screen. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_evolve_knocked_out 
TEXT: Evolving knocked out Pokémon returns them to full health. 
TEXT: When you evolve a Pokémon that’s been knocked out in battle, that Pokémon will automatically return to full health. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_friendship_lucky_egg 
TEXT: Maximize the XP you earn when leveling up your Friendship Level with a Lucky Egg. 
TEXT: Use a Lucky Egg to double the XP you earn by increasing your Friendship level with other Trainers. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_golden_razz_gym 
TEXT: Feeding a Golden Razz to your Pokémon in a gym will fully heal your Pokémon. 
TEXT: Feeding a Golden Razz Berry to a Pokémon defending a Gym will fully heal that Pokémon. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_raid_egg_hatch 
TEXT: For difficult Raids, it is more likely for players to gather at the moment the Raid Egg hatches. 
TEXT: It’s common for Trainers to challenge difficult raids the moment the Raid Egg hatches. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_loading_screen_raid_party_prep 
TEXT: Prepare a Battle Party in advance to best battle with different Raid Bosses. 
TEXT: Prepare a Battle Party in advance to lock in your strategy before challenging a Raid Boss.

Miscellaneous Updates

RESOURCE ID: form_full_belly 
TEXT: Fully Belly Mode 
TEXT: Full Belly Mode 

RESOURCE ID: abi_contact_signed_up_notification 
TEXT: Trainers on your contacts list have started their adventures in Pokémon GO! Go to the Friends menu to send Friend Requests to them. 

RESOURCE ID: poi_category_nom_title 
TEXT: PokéStop Category 
TEXT: Location Category 

RESOURCE ID: poi_category_select_error 
TEXT: {0} doesn't exist in our category list 
TEXT: {0} isn’t on the category list. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_tagging_tutorial_body_0 
TEXT: As your Pokémon collection grows, you can now use tags to categorize and easily access your Pokémon based on characteristics you are most interested in. 
TEXT: As your Pokémon collection grows, try using tags to easily categorize and sort your Pokémon based on specific characteristics. 

RESOURCE ID: tips_tagging_tutorial_body_1 
TEXT: You can use tags in many ways. Here are some examples. 
TEXT: Here are some examples of ways you can utilize tags. 

RESOURCE ID: wayfarer_eligible_body 
TEXT: Congratulations on reaching eligibility! Complete your Wayfarer onboarding to unlock PokéStop nomination and editing features. 
TEXT: Congratulations! You’ve become eligible for Niantic Wayfarer, a feature that allows you to nominate interesting and unique places in the world around you as points of interest in Niantic games. Complete your Wayfarer training to unlock PokéStop nomination and editing features. 

RESOURCE ID: wayfarer_eligible_title 
TEXT: You're Eligible for Wayfarer! 
TEXT: You’re eligible for Niantic Wayfarer! 

RESOURCE ID: wayfarer_eligible_goto 
TEXT: GO TO WAYFARER 
TEXT: CHECK IT OUT 

RESOURCE ID: wayfarer_eligible_unlock_msg 
TEXT: Unlock by onboarding to Wayfarer! 
TEXT: Complete Wayfarer training to unlock!

Parting Words

Looks like we’ll get an already evolved version of each of the 8 Eeveelutions through the special research.  Hopefully you can nab a couple of evolved shinies!

Are you exited for Eevee community day?  Did you miss the last one, or did you start playing after it happened, or are you just excited for more shiny Eevee?  What about shiny Dialga and Palkia?  Let us know!

That’s all for now Trainers, I suspect 0.215.0 will drop soon enough so stay tuned for that breakdown when it pops.  Stay safe out there trainers!

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Business

Tech firm hit by giant ransomware hack gets key to unlock victims’ data | Cybercrime

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The software company at the center of a huge ransomware attack this month has obtained a universal key to unlock files of the hundreds of businesses and public organizations crippled by the hack.

Nineteen days after the initial attack over the Fourth of July weekend, the Florida-based IT management provider, Kaseya, has received the universal key that can unlock the scrambled data of all the attack’s victims, bringing the worst of the fallout to a close.

The so-called supply-chain attack on Kaseya is being labeled the worst ransomware attack to date because it spread through software that companies, known as managed service providers, use to administer multiple customer networks, delivering software updates and security patches.

It affected 800 to 2,000 businesses and organizations – including supermarkets in Sweden and schools in New Zealand whose systems were frozen for days.

News of the key comes after the Russia-linked criminal syndicate that supplied the malware, REvil, disappeared from the internet on 13 July.

The group had asked for $50m to $70m for a master key that would unlock all infections. It is not clear how many victims may have paid ransoms before REvil went dark.

A Kaseya spokesperson, Dana Liedholm, would not say on Thursday how the key had been obtained or whether a ransom had been paid. She said only that it had come from a “trusted third party” and that Kaseya was distributing it to all victims. The cybersecurity firm Emsisoft confirmed that the key worked and was providing support.

Ransomware analysts offered several possible explanations for why the master key has now appeared. It is possible Kaseya, a government entity, or a collective of victims paid the ransom. The Kremlin in Russia also might have seized the key from the criminals and handed it over through intermediaries, experts said.

Hackers might also have handed over the decryptor for the Kaseya attack without payment – a move that would not be unprecedented for ransomware criminals.

By now, many victims will have rebuilt their networks or restored them from backups. But some, Liedholm said, “have been in complete lockdown”.

Liedholm had no estimate of the cost of the damage and would not comment on whether any lawsuits had been filed against the company.

Obtaining the key was a major step toward recovery from the hack, but Kaseya would probably be cleaning up the damage for some time, said Tim Wade, the technical director at the cybersecurity firm Vectra.

“From a distance, the emergence of a master key may appear more comforting than it should,” he said. “The value of accelerating the restoration of data and services shouldn’t be trivialized, but it won’t exactly erase the already extensive cost of these attacks.

“It may have some positive outcomes but as they say – it isn’t over ’til it’s over,” he added.

Joe Biden called his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after the hack to press him to stop providing safe haven for cybercriminals whose costly attacks the US government deems a national security threat. He has threatened to make Russia pay a price for failing to crack down but has not specified what measure the US may take.

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Health

New Data Revive Early Theory on Pandemic’s Origin

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(Newser)
–
One of 18 scientists to sign a May letter upping the idea that the novel coronavirus may have leaked from the Wuhan Institute of Virology says new evidence points in another direction: the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. “I do think transmission from another species, without a lab escape, is the most likely scenario by a long shot,” Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona, tells NPR. “The data are very consistent with it starting at the market.” A March report from the World Health Organization was inconclusive on whether the outbreak started at the market, though it did suggest transmission from bats to humans through another animal. Worobey—co-author of a new online review who’s used computer models to show how SARS-CoV-2 spread through Wuhan, China—says that report failed to look at the location of early known COVID-19 cases in relation to the market.

Since signing the letter, Worobey has worked with microbiologist Robert Garry of Tulane University to map where people with early confirmed cases lived in Wuhan. The Wuhan Institute of Virology sits outside the initial cluster of cases. But the seafood market, more than 10 miles away, “seems like the bull’s-eye,” says Worobey. “It’s pretty extraordinary.” Plus, a recent study showed the market was one of four in Wuhan selling illegal wildlife, including palm civets and raccoon dogs, “which are the likely suspects as intermediaries to SARS-CoV-2,” says Worobey. Civets are thought to have caused the SARS-CoV pandemic in 2003, per NPR. This new research comes as WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus calls on China to release early “raw data” and allow greater access to its labs so scientists can better understand SARS-CoV-2’s origin, per Science. (Wuhan’s only foreign virologist thinks the lab-leak theory is unlikely.)

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