Pharmaceutical company pays $25 million to resolve alleged false claims act liability for price-fixing of generic drug

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05/09/2024

PHILADELPHIA. – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Mahwah, New Jersey, has agreed to pay $25 million, based on its ability to pay, to resolve its alleged liability under the False Claims Act for conspiring to fix the price of a generic drug.

The government alleged that, between 2013 and 2015, Glenmark paid and received compensation prohibited by the Anti-Kickback Statute through arrangements on price, supply and allocation of customers with other pharmaceutical manufacturers for a generic drug manufactured by Glenmark, pravastatin, which is widely used to treat high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

“At a time when excessive drug costs are already imposing unprecedented burdens on our country’s vulnerable citizens, an illegal conspiracy to fix the prices of generic drugs is alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office is proud to work with the rest of the department and our investigative partners to hold companies accountable when they illegally inflate prices on drugs used for the health and well-being of our citizens.”

“Conspiring to raise prices on generic medications is illegal and could prevent patients from being able to afford their needed prescription drugs. Americans have the right to purchase generic drugs set by fair and open competition, not collusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Philadelphia Regional Office. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of health care fraud that put the public and the Medicare program at risk.”

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, seeks to protect the integrity of TRICARE, the healthcare system for U.S. military members and their dependents,” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “When pharmaceutical corporations artificially inflate prices, they place an unnecessary financial burden on the TRICARE program. The settlement agreement announced today demonstrates our commitment to partner with investigative agencies, the Justice Department’s Civil Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to combat healthcare fraud.”

The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits companies from receiving or making payments in return for arranging the sale or purchase of items such as drugs for which payment may be made by a federal health care program. These provisions are designed to ensure that the supply and price of health care items are not compromised by improper financial incentives. This settlement reflects the important role of the False Claims Act to ensure that the United States is fully compensated when it is the victim of kickbacks paid to further anticompetitive conduct.

Glenmark previously entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division to resolve related criminal charges. Glenmark paid a criminal penalty of $30 million based on its ability to pay and admitted to conspiring with two other generic drug companies to fix prices on pravastatin. The civil settlement payment announced today is in addition to the criminal penalty paid by the company.

The civil settlement is the sixth resolution arising from the Justice Department’s investigation of price fixing by generic drug manufacturers and was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with support from HHS-OIG, the Defense Health Agency Program Integrity Office and DCIS.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).

The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Landon Y. Jones III, Rebecca S. Melley, and Anthony D. Scicchitano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with Senior Trial Counsel Jennifer L. Cihon and Senior Litigation Counsel Laurie A. Oberembt of the Civil Division.

Except for those facts admitted to by Glenmark in the deferred prosecution agreement, the claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Shapiro administration highlights work training program for SNAP recipients during hunger action month

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PR/CP

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05/09/2024

Pittsburgh, PA – Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh yesterday toured an employment and training program job site that provides voluntary employment and training programs for people receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), giving participants the opportunity to develop job skills, gain real-world work experience, find good-paying jobs, and succeed in the workforce.

Secretary Arkoosh met with staff and crews from Landforce, a nonprofit that invests in Western Pennsylvania’s workforce while working to repair the local environment. DHS partners with Landforce on its SNAP 50/50 program, which is a collaboration between community-based non-profit organizations, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and DHS.

“Programs like SNAP help Pennsylvanians live with dignity and safety by ensuring they can feed themselves and their families. But we know that food insecurity does not happen in isolation and often there are underlying structural factors that contribute to someone not having enough food to eat,” said Secretary Arkoosh. “In addition to providing nutrition benefits, we also must address the root causes of food insecurity such as lack of stable employment, training, or access to good paying jobs and larger societal issues like racism and intergenerational poverty. Landforce shows that this is possible every day by serving those who face structural barriers to employment and giving them the skills and confidence to take a step forward.”

Non-profit organizations leverage their own funding and funds from USDA to provide career-specific skills training for people receiving SNAP benefits that can help them achieve greater economic security. The programs also help their graduates secure and retain employment and connect them to support services, like transportation and childcare assistance. SNAP 50/50 partnerships come at no cost to the Commonwealth and create great value by helping individuals achieve greater economic security.

Founded in 2015, Landforce combines workforce development and environmental stewardship to recruit, train, and hire individuals who have historically been excluded from jobs that pay family sustaining wages. This may include individuals returning from incarceration, with substance use disorders, mental health diagnoses, almost all of whom have experienced generational poverty. During their nine to 12 months with Landforce, all of which is paid, crew members receive intensive skills training, work on environmental restoration projects, and participate in career coaching sessions. Ultimately, more than 90 percent of program finishers retain jobs for at least the following 12 months after leaving Landforce.

“SNAP 50/50 funding enables us to provide intensive training and certifications, one-on-one career coaching, and meet many of the individual outstanding needs of our crew members,” said Landforce Executive Director Ilyssa Manspeizer, PhD. “Crucially, because it was the first federal or state funding that Landforce ever received, SNAP 50/50 played a critical role in enabling us to prove our model, increase our capacity, and ultimately to attract significant additional federal dollars into our program and our region. We will be forever grateful for their early support.”

There are currently 27 SNAP 50/50 programs throughout Pennsylvania, offering an array of education and training opportunities. Learn more about SNAP 50/50 partnerships in PA here.

September is Hunger Action Month, which recognizes the prevalence of food insecurity in Pennsylvania and nationally as well as the daily and long-term impacts of not having enough to eat. Inadequate food and chronic nutrient deficiencies have profound effects on a person’s life and health, including increased risks for chronic diseases, higher chances of hospitalization, poorer overall health, and increased health care costs.

For more information on DHS’ employment and training programs and to apply for SNAP or other public assistance programs, visit dhs.pa.gov.

El autor del tiroteo en Georgia tiene 14 años y será juzgado como un adulto por asesinato

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EFE

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04/09/2024

Washington.- El autor del tiroteo registrado este miércoles en un instituto del estado estadounidense de Georgia tiene 14 años, está bajo la custodia de las autoridades, será acusado de asesinato y juzgado como un adulto, informaron las autoridades locales.

El adolescente mató a cuatro personas, dos de ellas estudiantes de la escuela de secundaria Apalachee de Winder y los otros dos profesores, apuntó en una conferencia de prensa el director de la Oficina de Investigaciones de Georgia, Chris Hosey.

Las fuerzas del orden recibieron una llamada de alerta a las 10.20 hora local. El agresor, un estudiante de ese centro educativo, fue hallado por los agentes minutos después de que estos llegaran al lugar y se entregó en cuanto se vio rodeado.

Según se precisó en la conferencia de prensa, cuando se dio cuenta de que si no se entregaba podía ser disparado se rindió, se echó al suelo y quedó bajo custodia policial.

No se sabe todavía si tenía relación con las víctimas, un vínculo que la investigación abierta está analizando, y tampoco se han facilitado detalles del arma utilizada ni de cuántos disparos efectuó.

Al joven se le ha sometido ya a un interrogatorio y está colaborando con las autoridades.

Las fuerzas del orden subrayaron que todavía es demasiado pronto para tener toda la información sobre lo sucedido.

En las imágenes distribuidas por los medios locales por la mañana se vio el centro escolar evacuado, con miles de alumnos en el exterior del mismo. Varias ambulancias y efectivos policiales acudieron a la zona y también un helicóptero médico, que evacuó a varias personas.

Winder, una comunidad a una hora de Atlanta, tiene una población de aproximadamente 18.338 personas, según la Oficina del Censo.

La CNN precisó que el sistema escolar del Condado de Barrow tiene registrados unos 15.340 alumnos, de los cuales 1.932 están inscritos en el instituto Apalachee. Esa escuela permanecerá cerrada el resto de la semana.

The Gun Violence Archive, una plataforma que documenta los actos de violencia con armas de fuego en Estados Unidos, indicó este miércoles que en lo que va de año ha habido en el país 384 tiroteos de masas, un término que incluye un mínimo de cuatro personas heridas o fallecidas, sin contar al agresor.

«No podemos continuar aceptándolo como algo normal», dijo el presidente estadounidense, Joe Biden, en un comunicado difundido por la Casa Blanca y en el que abogó por la colaboración de los republicanos en el Congreso para incrementar los controles y vetos a las armas de fuego.

Alumno de 14 años balea de muerte a 4 personas en secundaria de Georgia

Por

Associated Press

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04/09/2024

WINDER, Georgia, EE. UU.— Un estudiante de 14 años abrió fuego en una secundaria de Georgia y mató a 4 personas el miércoles, dijeron autoridades, obligando a los alumnos a refugiarse en sus aulas —y posteriormente en el estadio de fútbol americano— mientras la policía rodeaba el campus y los padres llegaban corriendo para averiguar si sus hijos estaban a salvo.

Los muertos fueron identificados como dos estudiantes y dos profesores de la secundaria Apalachee, ubicada en la ciudad de Winder, a una hora de Atlanta en coche. Al menos otras nueve personas fueron trasladadas a hospitales con heridas.

El director del Buró de Investigaciones de Georgia, Chris Hosey, dijo que dos agentes de seguridad de la escuela se encontraron al adolescente armado pocos minutos después de que se reportaran los disparos. El sospechoso, un alumno de la escuela, se rindió inmediatamente y fue detenido. Enfrenta cargos de asesinato como si fuera un adulto.

Las autoridades aún analizan cómo fue que el sospechoso obtuvo el arma que usó en la balacera y cómo la metió a la escuela.

La investigación sigue estando “muy activa”, dijo Hosey, ya que todavía quedan por hacer muchas entrevistas y mucho trabajo en la escena del crimen.

Al jefe de la comisaría del condado Barrow, Jud Smith, se le quebró la voz al empezar a hablar durante la rueda de prensa. Dijo que nació y creció en la comunidad y que sus hijos estudian en una escuela local.

“Me duele el corazón por estos niños. Me duele el corazón por nuestra comunidad”, dijo. “Pero quiero dejar muy claro que el odio no prevalecerá en este condado. Quiero que eso quede muy claro y se sepa. El amor prevalecerá sobre lo que ocurrió hoy”.

El superintendente Dallas LeDuff dijo que las escuelas del condado permanecerán cerradas el resto de la semana para colaborar con la investigación, pero se ofrecerá ayuda psicológica a quien lo solicite.

Este tiroteo escolar fue el más reciente entre docenas de tiroteos similares ocurridos en todo Estados Unidos en los últimos años, incluidos los de Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida, y Uvalde, Texas, los cuales fueron especialmente letales. Los asesinatos en las aulas han desencadenado acalorados debates sobre el control de armas y han exacerbado el nerviosismo entre los padres, cuyos hijos crecen acostumbrados a la realización de simulacros de tiroteos en las aulas. A pesar de ello, las consecuencias de estos casos no han logrado inclinar la balanza a favor de una legislación más estricta sobre el control de armas a nivel nacional.

Jacob King, jugador de fútbol americano de segundo año, dijo que se había quedado dormido en su clase de historia mundial después de un entrenamiento matutino cuando escuchó unos 10 disparos.

King dijo que no creyó que el tiroteo fuera real hasta que escuchó a un agente gritarle a alguien que soltara su arma. King señaló que, cuando su grupo fue evacuado, vio a varios agentes protegiendo al que parecía ser un alumno lesionado.

Antes del tiroteo del miércoles, se habían producido 29 masacres en Estados Unidos en lo que va del año, según una base de datos elaborada por The Associated Press y el periódico USA Today en colaboración con la Universidad del Noreste. Al menos 127 personas han muerto en esas masacres. Estos incidentes son clasificados así cuando hay cuatro o más muertos en un periodo de 24 horas, sin incluir al asesino, la misma definición que utiliza el FBI.

El año pasado hubo 42 masacres en Estados Unidos en los que 217 personas fueron asesinadas, con lo que el 2023 se convirtió en uno de los años con el mayor número de muertes ocurridas en ataques de este tipo que se han registrado en el país.

Mothers of victims, survivors of femicide denounce institutional violence in Mexico

Por

EFE

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04/09/2024

Mexico City.– Survivors and mothers and daughters of femicide victims in Mexico accused the government and the justice system on Tuesday of perpetuating institutional violence, amid the reform of the judicial branch promoted by the ruling party in Congress.

Lorena Gutiérrez Rangel, mother of Fátima Varinia Quintana Gutiérrez, who was murdered in 2015, denounced that one of the perpetrators received a minimum sentence for being a minor and was released in 2022, now threatening another of her children.

Gutiérrez called on the government to reform the justice system to eliminate the «privileges» for underage criminals and, especially, «listen to the victims.»

Paz Rodríguez García, daughter of Melesia García, who was murdered in 2021 in Milpa Alta, Mexico City, said that to date there have been no arrests over the death of her mother, who was tortured and sexually assaulted.

«We demand that the laws be reformed so that minors who commit femicides are tried as adults and that the concealing relatives are also punished. It is not fair that a minor receives only five years in prison while our lives are destroyed,» she said.

Fabiola Posadas, survivor of femicide, speaks at a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sep. 3, 2024. (Foto: EFE/José Méndez)

Collateral victims of femicide

Gutiérrez accused the Mexican State of the 2020 death of her son Daniel, who died due to negligence in a psychiatric hospital in Monterrey while under protective measures.

«My son was murdered by the State through omission and indolence, because the victims do not have access to the health system in this country (…) They displace you and tell you that it is for your safety, they send you to another state, but they tell you that you cannot access the health system to safeguard your integrity,» she said.

She warned that displacement, mainly of collateral victims of femicide, such as her son Daniel, «is a crime against humanity, a State crime.»

On the anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on Sep. 3, Gutiérrez regretted that President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, who assumes power on Oct. 1, denied the responsibility of the Mexican State in the death of her son, and urged her to recognize the collateral victims of femicide and to guarantee «non-repetition.»

«One of my demands is to stop pretending and apply all the resources to the (victims’) commissions as they should be, but above all, to our children,» she said, and denounced that since January of last year, the Victims’ Commission of the State of Mexico withdrew support to avoid electoral «proselytism.»

Ana María López, mother of Julianne Zoé Sánchez López, victim of disappearance, speaks at a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico, on Sep. 3, 2024.(Foto: EFE/José Méndez)

Survivors and vicarious violence

Fabiola Posadas, survivor of an attempted femicide in 2019, denounced the lack of will of the authorities to prevent and eradicate gender-based violence in which she said survivors are invisible.

«Survivors do not know about Victims’ Commissions (…) We do not have support, we are not seen, we do not exist. We survived and that’s it, we must continue,» she said.

She also pointed out that no one mentions the possibility of corruption in the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection or in the prosecutor’s offices, and expressed concern that reform could worsen the situation for victims, if justice ends up in the hands of organized crime.

Meanwhile, Ana María López Pérez, mother of Julianne Zoé Sánchez López, who disappeared more than four years ago during a visit with her father, expressed desperation and fear for her daughter, a victim of vicarious violence.

«I have expressed this both in the seventh family court and in the Prosecutor’s Office, however, they answer: it is her father, there is no crime to pursue,» denounced the mother who has custody of the girl due to the violence exercised by the father.

«The fact that they told me that she is with her father does not give me peace of mind. The authorities must fulfill their duty and look for my daughter,» she declared, while showing a portrait of Julianne Zoé, who would now be 8 years old and who her mother hopes is still alive.

Mexico will have its first female president next month, while the country faces a wave of gender-based violence with an average of 10 women murdered a day.

Governor Shapiro joins legislators, educators, and students at Highlands High School in allegheny County to celebrate historic K-12 education funding in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget

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PR/CP

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04/09/2024

As students across the Commonwealth return to school, the 2024-25 budget signed by Governor Shapiro last month includes a historic $1.1 billion increase for K-12 education — marking the largest single-year investment in the Commonwealth’s history

Highlands School District will benefit directly from the new adequacy formula, receiving more than $740,000 through that formula designed to ensure schools with the greatest need receive the most support

Natrona Heights, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro visited Highlands High School in Allegheny County to meet with students, teachers, and legislators and mark the historic investments in public K-12 education secured in the 2024-25 bipartisan budget – including the creation of a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the public schools that need them most like Highlands.

As students across the Commonwealth return to school, they are benefitting from substantial new investments secured by Governor Shapiro and a bipartisan group of legislators. The 2024-25 budget includes a historic $1.1 billion in total increases in K-12 public education funding, the largest year-over-year increase in Commonwealth history. This budget delivers significant progress on building strong and safe school communities, adequately and equitably funding public schools, supporting our teachers, and ensuring that every Pennsylvania child has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.

«In the bipartisan budget I signed this summer, Pennsylvania is making an unprecedented commitment to K-12 public education with $11 billion in funding — an increase of $1.1 billion from last year, the largest increase in history. There’s nothing more important than investing in our children’s future, and we’ll keep working together to deliver for them,» said Governor Shapiro. «This budget builds on our progress by funding student teacher stipends, enhancing mental health resources, and addressing environmental repairs in schools. Additionally, we’re refining our school funding formula to ensure that resources reach the schools that need them most.»

Highlands High School will significantly benefit from the 2024-25 bipartisan budget’s investments and the new adequacy formula. The high school is part of Highlands School District — set to receive approximately $1.5 million more than last year thanks to this budget, bringing their total to $19.2 million for the 2024-25 school year. The district serves around 2,200 students across three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school and is located about 20 miles from Pittsburgh.

The 2024-25 budget delivers significant progress for K-12 education that will give every student the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. This budget includes funding for:

Historic Basic Education Funding: Building on the investments in the Governor’s first budget, the 2024-25 budget makes another historic down payment in K-12 education funding in Pennsylvania with an increase of $1.1 billion. Of this funding, nearly $526 million will be distributed through a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the schools that need them most.

Increases to Special Education: Governor Shapiro’s budget increases special education funding by $100 million to ensure that school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide high-quality special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.

Cyber Charter Reimbursement: The 2024-2025 budget sets aside $100 million to reimburse schools for payments they must make to cyber charter schools.

Career and Technical Education and Dual Enrollment: Creating real opportunity for students includes expanding options for them to gain experience, training, and advanced credit for college while still in high school. The Governor’s budget includes a $30 million increase for Career and Technical Education and continues $7 million in support of dual enrollment.

School Safety and Security and Mental Health Services: Every student deserves to be safe and feel safe in their school. The 2024-25 budget continues a $20 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and provides $100 million in sustainable funding for environmental repairs and other facility projects in schools – $25 million of which is set aside for solar projects at schools. This budget also delivers $100 million to put more mental health and physical safety resources in our schools.

Providing Period Products for Students: No student should have to miss school due to not being able to afford basic necessities like menstrual hygiene products. The Governor’s budget invests $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students in schools.

Investing in Early Childhood Learning: Every child in Pennsylvania deserves the support and resources to succeed, from infancy through adulthood. The budget invests an additional $2.7 million in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and an additional $15 million for the Pre-K Counts program.

Universal Free Breakfast for Students: Students cannot be expected to focus, learn, and succeed on an empty stomach. The Governor’s budget ensures that 1.7 million students across Pennsylvania will receive free breakfast at school, regardless of their income.

Supporting Student Teacher Stipends: To further strengthen the educator pipeline and address the education workforce shortage, the 2024-25 budget doubles funding for student teacher stipends, for a total of $20 million tosupport Pennsylvanians training to become certified and committed educators in the Commonwealth.

The Governor was joined for a ceremonial bill signing by Highlands School District Assistant Superintendent Dr. Cathleen Cubelic, Highlands High School teacher Michelle Dickerson and student Agastya Narang, as well as local and state legislators.

“Over the course of my 30 year career, I’ve had the privilege of working with educators across Pennsylvania who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their students, often in the face of limited resources and support — their dedication and tireless efforts to provide a quality education, nurturing environment, and guidance to their students has truly been inspiring,” said Dr. Cubelic. “This dynamic has never been more evident than here at Highlands, and with the generous support and foresight of the Commonwealth — Highland School District is positioned to embark on a journey that will transform our students’ futures.”

“Schools really are the center of a community. They bring people together — it’s where you meet your friends and our families make connections. They give us a mascot and someone to cheer for on the stage and on the field. They provide our children with their first opportunities to prepare for their next chapter,” said Dickerson. “A true commitment to public schools is multifaceted — not only is it the dollars and the cents that are dedicated to schools across the Commonwealth, but is also the time, energy and passion that educators pour into their students and schools. Public education thrives when policymakers, administrators, teachers, staff, families, and communities all commit to support our schools and strive to provide the resources necessary for all students.”

“Being born in India, there was always a sense of family and community. When I left India in 2017, I was not only leaving behind my school, but also a way of life. On the first day of school, I had no friends, no family except my parents, and no idea what I was doing in a country I used to dream of being. I didn’t even know who Michael Jordan was,” said Narang. “But, from that moment on, I knew that I wanted this, but it wouldn’t be without the unlimited support that I received from the students, teachers, and administrators here at Highlands, who spent countless hours to make sure students like me feel welcome. We have to reach for the stars, because even if we stumble, then we land on the moon.”

“The $1.1 billion increase for education funding in the bipartisan budget we crafted this year is strong evidence that Democrats and Republicans can actually get stuff done when we work together,” said Representative Mandy Steele. “Under the leadership of Governor Shapiro, all of Pennsylvania’s public school students are in good hands, including students here at Highlands High School.”

For more information on how the 2024-25 budget will create opportunity for Pennsylvanians, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.

Cada año se liberan más de 52 millones de toneladas de plásticos al medioambiente

Por

EFE

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04/09/2024

Cada año se liberan más de 52 millones de toneladas de plásticos al medioambiente — Operarios retiran plásticos de la vegetación que cubre el lago Dal, en Srinagar, la capital de verano de Cachemira (India). (Foto: EFE/ Farooq Khan/Archivo)

Cada año se vierten en el medioambiente la friolera de 52 millones de toneladas de productos plásticos, unos desechos que, colocados en línea, darían la vuelta al mundo más de 1.500 veces, según un estudio publicado este miércoles en la revista Nature.

El estudio, liderado por la Universidad de Leeds (Reino Unido), ha utilizado la inteligencia artificial para cartografiar la gestión de residuos en 50.702 ciudades de todo el mundo y calcular cuántos residuos se generan y qué ocurre con ellos.

El artículo concluye que las principales vías de contaminación plástica en el mundo son la basura no recogida y la quema al aire libre de estos residuos, una práctica que supone una grave amenaza para la salud humana.

Según el estudio, más de dos tercios de la contaminación plástica mundial procede de la basura no recogida, ya que casi 1.200 millones de personas (15 % de la población mundial) carece de estos servicios.

Además, el estudio concluye que en 2020 se quemaron sin ningún control medioambiental unos 30 millones de toneladas de plásticos, lo que supone el 57 % de toda la contaminación por plásticos, en hogares, calles y vertederos.

Por áreas geográficas, la investigación revela que la India es el país que más plásticos vierte al medioambiente -y no China, como se había sugerido en modelos anteriores-, seguida de Nigeria e Indonesia.

A la vista de estos datos, los investigadores advierten de que la recogida de basuras debería considerarse una necesidad básica, como los servicios de agua y alcantarillado, y que aunque la quema incontrolada de plástico ha recibido muy poca atención en el pasado, es un problema tan grave como el de la basura arrojada al medioambiente.

La India, el país más contaminante

Cada año se producen más de 400 millones de toneladas de plástico, muchos de ellos de un solo uso o difíciles de reciclar pero que pueden permanecer en el medioambiente décadas o siglos, algunos con aditivos químicos potencialmente nocivos, sobre todo si se queman al aire libre.

Según los datos mundiales estimados por el documento en 2020, los países más contaminantes eran: La India, con 9,3 millones de toneladas, alrededor de una quinta parte del total; Nigeria (3,5 millones de toneladas) e Indonesia (3,4).

China, hasta ahora considerado el peor, ocupa ahora el cuarto lugar, con 2,8 millones de toneladas, gracias a las mejoras introducidas en los últimos años en la recogida y el tratamiento de residuos, mientras que el Reino Unido ocupa el puesto 135, con unas 4.000 toneladas anuales.

Según el estudio, en los países de renta baja y media la generación de residuos plásticos es mucho menor, pero una gran parte no se recoge o se deposita en vertederos.

La India aparece como el mayor contribuyente porque tiene una gran población, unos 1.400 millones de habitantes, y gran parte de sus residuos no se recogen.

En los países del hemisferio norte, pese al elevado consumo de plástico, la contaminación por macroplásticos (de más de 5 milímetros) es relativamente un problema gracias a los sistemas de gestión de residuos. En esta zona, el vertido de basura es la principal causa de contaminación por macroplásticos.

Aunque muchos países del África subsahariana todavía tienen bajos niveles de contaminación, se convierten en puntos conflictivos cuando se consideran per cápita, con una media de 12 kilogramos por persona y año, equivalente a más de 400 botellas de plástico, mientras que el Reino Unido, por ejemplo, tiene menos de tres botellas de plástico por persona y año.

El estudio advierte de que el África subsahariana podría convertirse en las próximas décadas en la mayor fuente mundial de contaminación por plásticos, debido a la falta de gestión de residuos el rápido crecimiento de población.

Los investigadores concluyen que este primer inventario mundial de la contaminación por plásticos proporciona una base de referencia -comparable a la de las emisiones del cambio climático- que los responsables políticos pueden utilizar para hacer frente a este inminente desastre medioambiental.

Luzerne County – Shapiro administration will announce $36 million investment to support projects that assist Low-Income people and improve Pennsylvania communities

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Por

PR/CP

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04/09/2024

Wilkes-Barre, PA – On Thursday, September 5, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger will join local leaders to announce $36 million in new awards through the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP), which provides tax credits to businesses that contribute to nonprofit organizations’ efforts to support neighborhoods and communities across Pennsylvania.

Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan 2024-2025 budget includes a doubling of the Neighborhood Assistance Program from $36 million to $72 million — a significant win for the nonprofits that provide vital services to neighborhoods in distress, create jobs, and revitalize communities.

During his visit, Secretary Siger will meet with representatives of the Diamond City Partnership and the owner of Building Blocks Early Learning Center which was attracted to downtown Wilkes-Barre as the result of a project completed with NAP support, meet with members of the Downtown Ambassador Team which helps maintain business district enhancements through NAP support, and visit a downtown movie theatre which will be revitalized with assistance from the NAP program.

WHO:

Rick Siger, DCED Secretary

Representative Eddie Day Pashinski

Mayor George Brown

Larry Newman, President, Diamond City Partnership

WHEN:

Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 10:30 AM

WHERE:

116 South Main Street (outside courtyard area), Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702

VISUALS:

Secretary Siger and local leaders will make formal remarks, then visit the above-mentioned NAP projects. Participants will be available for interviews before and after the walking tour, which will occur rain or shine.

Election Day is about 2 months away and ready or not, the first ballots could go out within days

Por

Associated Press

-

04/09/2024

It might feel like the presidential election is still a long way off. It’s not.

Election Day on Nov. 5 is only about two months away, and major dates, events and political developments will make it fly by. The stretch between now and then will go as fast as summer break from school in most parts of the country.

The first mail ballots are scheduled to be sent to voters this Friday. The first presidential debate is set for Sept. 10. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, is scheduled to be sentenced in his New York hush money case on Sept. 18. And early in-person voting will start as soon as Sept. 20 in some states.

Here’s a look at why the calendar will move quickly, with the Democratic and Republican conventions over and Labor Day signaling the traditional start of campaign season.

Who’s ready to vote?

The first batch of ballots typically sent out are ones to military and overseas voters. Under federal law, that must happen at least 45 days before an election — which this year is Sept. 21.

Some states start earlier.

Election offices in North Carolina are scheduled to begin sending mail ballots to all voters who request them on Friday. That could be delayed because presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has sued to have his name removed from the state’s ballot after he suspended his campaign.

In Pennsylvania, counties are allowed to begin processing mail ballot applications up to 50 days before the election, or Sept. 16 this year, unless a county decides to do it earlier. But counties do not yet have a certified ballot from the state because there are three third-party ballot-access challenges pending in the state Supreme Court. After certification, counties will need time to print and test the ballot, leading some county officials to caution that they might not go out until late September or early October. Kennedy has successfully withdrawn from the ballot in Pennsylvania.

Voter registration deadlines vary by state, with most falling between eight and 30 days before the election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The deadline is Oct. 7 in Georgia, one of this year’s most prominent presidential battlegrounds.

Nearly all states offer some version of in-person voting, though the rules and dates vary considerably.

The gloves come off

Whether, where and under what rules the Democratic and Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees will debate has been a point of contention for weeks. But for now, two match-ups are on the calendar.

Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris have accepted an invitation from ABC News to debate Sept. 10 in Philadelphia.

Harris’ pick for vice president, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and Trump’s, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have agreed to an Oct. 1 debate hosted by CBS News in New York City.

Harris has forecast a possible second debate with Trump, but her proposal appeared to be contingent on the GOP nominee’s participation in the Sept. 10 debate. Trump has proposed three presidential debates with different television networks.

Vance has challenged Walz to another vice presidential debate on Sept. 18, although it’s not been set.

A possible criminal sentence for Trump

Trump is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 in his hush money criminal case, though his lawyers have asked the judge to delay the proceeding until after Election Day. A decision is expected early this month.

In a letter to Judge Juan M. Merchan, Trump’s lawyers suggested that holding the sentencing as scheduled, about seven weeks before Election Day, would amount to election interference. On Sept. 16, Merchan is expected to rule on Trump’s request to overturn the guilty verdict and dismiss the case because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s July presidential immunity ruling.

Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election. Falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison. Other potential sentences include probation, a fine or a conditional discharge that would require Trump to stay out of trouble to avoid additional punishment.

Next steps in Trump’s other New York cases

On Friday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in Trump’s appeal of a jury’s verdict last year ordering him to pay $5 million to writer E. Jean Carroll after it found him liable for sexually assaulting and defaming her. Trump also is appealing a verdict in a second trial in January in which a jury found him liable on additional defamation claims and ordered him to pay Carroll $83.3 million. Trump’s lawyers have until Sept. 13 to file a brief in that appeal.

On Sept. 26, a New York appeals court will hear oral arguments in Trump’s challenge of a nearly $500 million civil fraud judgment in state Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against him. The court typically rules about a month after arguments, meaning a decision could come before the November election. Trump’s lawyers argue that a judge’s Feb. 16 finding that the former president lied for years about his wealth as he built his real estate empire was “erroneous” and “egregious.” State lawyers responded in court papers this week that there’s “overwhelming evidence” to support the verdict.

What about Trump’s election and document cases?

A state case in Georgia that charged Trump and 18 others in a wide-ranging scheme to overturn his 2020 loss in the state is stalled with no chance of going to trial before the election.

Federal prosecutors have brought two criminal cases against Trump, but one was dismissed by a judge last month and the other is likely to be reshaped by the recent U.S. Supreme Court opinion that conferred broad immunity on former presidents for official acts they take in office.

Special counsel Jack Smith has appealed the dismissal by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon of an indictment charging Trump with hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and obstructing the FBI’s efforts to get them back. But even if a federal appeals court reinstates the case and reverses the judge’s ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional, there’s no chance of a trial taking place this year.

In light of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling, a federal judge in Washington is now tasked with deciding which allegations in a separate case charging Trump with plotting to overturn the 2020 election can remain part of the prosecution and which ones must be discarded. Deciding which acts are official and which are not is likely to be an arduous process.

Fights over voting and the election

Before the first ballots are even cast, both camps are gearing up to fight over voting.

Battles over election rules have become a staple of American democracy, but they’re expected to reach new heights this year. Trump installed his own leadership team at the Republican National Committee, including a director of election integrity who helped him try to overturn Biden’s win in 2020. The RNC has filed a blizzard of lawsuits challenging voting rules and promises that more are on the way.

Democrats also are mobilizing and assembling a robust legal team. Among other things, they are objecting to GOP efforts to remove some inactive voters or noncitizens from voter rolls, arguing that legal voters will get swept up in the purges.

Republicans have particularly escalated their rhetoric over the specter of noncitizens voting, even though repeated investigations have shown it almost never happens. Some also are pushing to give local election boards the ability to refuse to certify election results.

All indications are these efforts are laying the groundwork for Trump to again claim the election was stolen from him if he loses and to try to overturn the will of the voters. But there’s no way to know if that will happen until the ballots are cast.

___

EE. UU. busca tranquilizar a votantes de que las elecciones presidenciales serán seguras

Por

VOA

-

04/09/2024

Los votantes estadounidenses deben tener confianza en que cuando vayan a las urnas sus votos serán contados con precisión afirmaron funcionarios de seguridad electoral.

Los principales funcionarios de seguridad electoral de Estados Unidos están pidiendo a los votantes estadounidenses que hagan caso omiso del ruido y rechacen lo que describen como afirmaciones infundadas de que las próximas elecciones presidenciales estarán amañadas.

En cambio, en la primera de una serie de reuniones informativas sobre seguridad electoral planificadas en el período previo a las elecciones de noviembre, dicen que los votantes estadounidenses deben tener confianza en que cuando vayan a las urnas sus votos serán contados con precisión.

«Durante los próximos meses, van a escuchar muchas cosas diferentes de diversas fuentes. Lo más importante es reconocer la señal a través del ruido, los hechos de la ficción», dijo Jen Easterly, directora de la Agencia de Seguridad de Infraestructura y Ciberseguridad de Estados Unidos (CISA), que es responsable de la seguridad electoral.

«Nuestro proceso electoral, nuestra infraestructura electoral nunca ha sido más segura, y la comunidad de interesados en las elecciones nunca ha sido más fuerte», dijo Easterly en una conferencia de prensa el martes. «Es por eso que tengo confianza en la integridad de nuestras elecciones y por eso el pueblo estadounidense también debería tenerla».

El esfuerzo de Easterly para tranquilizar a los votantes se produce poco más de un mes después de que la comunidad de inteligencia estadounidense emitiera su propia advertencia de que los adversarios de Estados Unidos, encabezados por Rusia, Irán y China, están tratando de interferir en las elecciones de noviembre.

Pero esos esfuerzos, que se destacan en la advertencia de la comunidad de inteligencia, están encabezados por operaciones de influencia o campañas de desinformación diseñadas para sembrar dudas sobre el proceso electoral estadounidense y ayudar o dificultar a ciertos candidatos.

En contraste, los esfuerzos de los adversarios de Estados Unidos para atacar o piratear los sistemas utilizados para llevar a cabo las elecciones y contar los votos han sido hasta ahora inexistentes.

«No hemos visto ninguna intención de interferir en el proceso electoral», dijo a los periodistas Cait Conley, asesora principal de CISA.

Y si bien parte de eso podría explicarse por lo que los funcionarios describen como un flujo constante de inversiones en infraestructura de seguridad electoral, incluida la contratación de más oficinas de campo y asesores de seguridad electoral, los funcionarios de CISA no dan por sentado que no haya actividad maliciosa.

«Eso es algo que podría cambiar en cualquier momento», dijo Conley. «Cuando observamos este panorama de amenazas para este ciclo electoral, realmente es posiblemente el más complejo hasta ahora».

CISA dijo que otros esfuerzos para salvaguardar las próximas elecciones presidenciales incluyen una variedad de ejercicios de seguridad electoral, pruebas de precisión de las máquinas de votación y medidas de seguridad mejoradas para proteger las redes informáticas relacionadas con las elecciones.

También destacan que ninguno de los sistemas que registran los votos está conectado a Internet y que el 97 % de los votantes estadounidenses emitirán su voto en jurisdicciones que tienen papeletas de voto de respaldo.

Sin embargo, nada de eso impedirá que países como Rusia, Irán y China intenten convencer a los votantes de que las cosas van mal.

Easterly dijo que una de las mayores preocupaciones es que los adversarios de Estados Unidos presenten pequeños contratiempos como grandes escándalos.

«Es casi inevitable que en algún lugar del país alguien se olvide de traer las llaves para abrir el lugar de votación», dijo. «Alguien desenchufará una impresora para enchufar una olla de cocción lenta. Una tormenta puede hacer que un lugar de votación se quede sin electricidad».

Los cibercriminales podrían incluso encontrar una forma de desactivar temporalmente lo que los funcionarios describen como sistemas adyacentes a las elecciones, incluidos los sitios web de las agencias estatales y locales que registran y cuentan los votos.

«Podemos esperar absolutamente que nuestros adversarios extranjeros sigan siendo una amenaza persistente que intente socavar la confianza estadounidense en nuestra democracia y nuestras instituciones y sembrar discordia partidista», dijo. «Depende de todos nosotros no permitir que nuestros adversarios extranjeros tengan éxito».

Easterly y Conley dijeron que la mejor manera de evitar un pánico innecesario es que los votantes estadounidenses confíen en los funcionarios electorales estatales y locales para obtener información.

Pero si los estadounidenses confían en las cuentas de las redes sociales que se transmiten de boca en boca, podría causar problemas.

«Es un problema difícil para las empresas de redes sociales», dijo un alto funcionario de inteligencia de Estados Unidos en una reciente reunión informativa, hablando con periodistas bajo condición de anonimato para discutir temas delicados.

«La República Popular China definitivamente utiliza a actores influyentes en las redes sociales para intentar al menos provocar discordia en Estados Unidos», dijo el funcionario. «Por lo tanto, esperaría que esa plataforma sea [utilizada]».

Y hay cada vez más evidencia de que China puede estar intensificando sus esfuerzos.

Graphika, una empresa de análisis de redes sociales, emitió un informe el martes advirtiendo que una operación de desinformación vinculada a China conocida como «Spamoflage» se ha vuelto cada vez más agresiva.

Graphika dijo que ha identificado más de una docena de cuentas en plataformas como X, anteriormente conocida como Twitter, y en TikTok «que afirman ser ciudadanos estadounidenses y/o defensores de la paz, los derechos humanos y la integridad de la información centrados en Estados Unidos, frustrados por la política estadounidense y Occidente».

«Estas cuentas han sembrado y amplificado contenido que denigra a los candidatos demócratas y republicanos, sembrando dudas sobre la legitimidad del proceso electoral estadounidense y difundiendo narrativas divisivas sobre cuestiones sociales delicadas», afirma el informe de Graphika, aunque añade que pocas de las cuentas han logrado ganar mucha tracción.

Las conclusiones de Graphika parecen ser coherentes con las evaluaciones anteriores de Meta, la empresa de redes sociales detrás de Facebook e Instagram, cuando identificó por primera vez el esfuerzo el año pasado.

«A pesar de la gran cantidad de cuentas y plataformas que utilizó, Spamouflage luchó constantemente para llegar más allá de su propia cámara de resonancia [falsa]», dijo Meta en ese momento. «Solo se han reportado unos pocos casos en los que el contenido de Spamouflage en Twitter y YouTube fue amplificado por personas influyentes del mundo real».

Collateral victims of femicide

Survivors and vicarious violence

La India, el país más contaminante

Who’s ready to vote?

The gloves come off

A possible criminal sentence for Trump

Next steps in Trump’s other New York cases

What about Trump’s election and document cases?

Fights over voting and the election

Before the first ballots are even cast, both camps are gearing up to fight over voting.

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