Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Verde-n față

ore de drum

Londra, 2015

Când se tăia câte un dud pe strada noastră, eram necăjită zile-n șir. Apucasem să mă împrietenesc cu toți, unii îmi ofereau umbră, alții fructele lor albe, rozulii sau negre, pe care nu m-am săturat niciodată să le adun de prin țărână. Pe alte străzi mai erau și alți copaci, tei, castani, arțari și paltini, și merg adeseori să-i revăd ca pe niște prieteni dintotdeauna.

La câțiva ani după ce am vizitat Kew Gardens, am citit Overstory (L’Arbre-monde în traducere franceză) de Richard Powers și mi-am dat seama că văzusem în grădina londoneză aproape toate speciile imaginate ca personaje ale cărții, printre care și prietenii mei din copilărie.

În jurul acestor copaci se agită o lume diversă, fărâmițată de tot felul de constrângeri și prejudecăți, care se înverșunează să-i apere cu orice preț.

Sfidarea vine din partea Patriciei, cercetătoarea care susține că arborii au capacitatea sa comunice…

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As international negotiations end in Jamaica, the threat of deep-sea mining hangs over the world’s oceans · Global Voices

From mid-March to April 1, representatives of Greenpeace International assembled in Kingston, Jamaica to express their concerns about the possibility and potential ill-effects of deep-seabed mining. Along with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, which calls the looming industry “the most recklessly destructive thing we could do to our planet,” Greenpeace — one of 32 non-governmental organisations observing the 27th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) — is calling for a moratorium on such activities.

Additional meetings are carded for later this year, with the goal of putting in place a mining code to allow deep-seabed mining to start in June 2023. Assuming this code is passed and instituted by this date, all of the deep sea, comprising nearly half of the planet, will be open to mining.

 

Source: As international negotiations end in Jamaica, the threat of deep-sea mining hangs over the world’s oceans · Global Voices

Former Pain Management Clinic Owner Sentenced to Over 16 Years for Unlawful Opioid Distribution | OPA | Department of Justice

According to court documents, Habib Geagea Palacios, 40, of Miami, owned General Care Center Inc., a cash-only pain management clinic in Miami. At General Care, Palacios paid doctors to prescribe opioids to nearly all patients who visited the clinic, resulting in the illegal distribution of more than three million oxycodone pills and generating $9 million in cash. Seven doctors who worked at General Care have been charged in connection with their unlawful prescribing practices at the clinic, and six have pleaded guilty to date.

Palacios pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2021, to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distributing a controlled substance. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Palacios was sentenced to serve three years of supervised release.

 

Source: Former Pain Management Clinic Owner Sentenced to Over 16 Years for Unlawful Opioid Distribution | OPA | Department of Justice

Naturopathic Doctor Pleads Guilty to Fake COVID-19 Immunization and Vaccination Card Scheme | OPA | Department of Justice

According to court documents, in April 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) received a complaint from a member of the public that Juli A. Mazi, 41, of Napa, was offering homeoprophylaxis immunization pellets which she claimed would provide lifelong protection from COVID-19. Mazi also provided fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination record cards with instructions on how to complete the cards to make them falsely appear to be records of the FDA-authorized Moderna vaccine. The investigation revealed that Mazi provided fake CDC COVID-19 vaccination cards for more than 200 individuals.

According to court documents, Mazi also offered homeoprophylaxis immunization pellets in place of childhood vaccinations required for attendance at school. Mazi provided her patients with deceptive “immunization” cards which she knew would be submitted to schools, and which fraudulently indicated that authorized vaccines had been administered. The investigation revealed that Mazi provided these fake immunization cards to more than 100 individuals.

“Juli Mazi has admitted that she engaged in a scheme to sell fake health care records to her customers,” said U.S. Attorney Stephanie Hinds for the Northern District of California. “Mazi made profits by selling false immunization cards she knew would be used to mislead schools into believing students had been immunized from childhood illnesses as required by law. Mazi also sold fake COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards suggesting she administered the Moderna vaccine to her customers when, in fact, she had not. Mazi’s fake health care records scheme endangered the health and well-being of students and the general public at a time when confidence in our public health system is of critical importance.”

“During a time when the public has been heavily reliant on our medical professionals for advice and guidance, Mazi has brazenly violated the trust of the public by instilling fear and spreading misinformation surrounding COVID-19 immunizations and treatments,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “There is no place for fraudulent activity, and the FBI will continue to investigate and pursue those who abuse their positions of authority to try and profit in this criminal manner.”

“By falsifying vaccine cards, providers not only undermine important measures to address the ongoing public health emergency; they can also endanger the health of their patients and the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven Ryan of HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG is proud to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that all health care providers who misuse their medical professional status for financial gain are held accountable.”

Mazi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of making false statements related to health care matters. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

 

Source: Naturopathic Doctor Pleads Guilty to Fake COVID-19 Immunization and Vaccination Card Scheme | OPA | Department of Justice

Study: COVID-19 patients at increased risk for serious blood clots up to six months after infection – UPI.com

People infected with COVID-19 are at increased risk for potentially life-threatening blood clots in their legs for up to three months after catching the virus, a study published Wednesday by the BMJ found.

In addition, they have a higher risk for developing dangerous blood clots in their lungs, or pulmonary embolisms, up to six months after infection, the data showed.

Source: Study: COVID-19 patients at increased risk for serious blood clots up to six months after infection – UPI.com