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Real Estate Developer Sentenced to Jail for Filling Protected Mississippi Wetlands

William R. “Rusty” Miller, a real estate developer from Fairhope, Ala., was sentenced today in federal district court in Gulfport, Miss., for the unpermitted filling of wetlands near Bay St. Louis, Miss., in violation of the Clean Water Act.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Signs Agreement That Will Bring It into Compliance with the Clean Air Act

Under an agreement announced today by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice, the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (VIWAPA) will come into compliance with air pollution control requirements in the federal Clean Air Act at its Estate Richmond Generating Facility located on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Maryland Man Sentenced for Defrauding Thousands of Homeowners in $4 Million Nationwide Home Loan Modification Scam

A Maryland man was sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Million Dollar Scheme Using Prisoner Identities to Obtain False Tax Refunds

Harvey James was sentenced today to serve 110 months in prison for his role in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Executive Director of Virgin Islands Legislature Charged with Bribery and Extortion in Award of Government Contracts

The former executive director of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands was indicted today by a federal grand jury in the Virgin Islands for accepting bribes and engaging in extortion in the award of contracts with the Legislature.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Utah Certified Public Accountant Convicted of Filing False Claims for Tax Refunds Totaling More Than $8 Million and Presenting a $300 Million Fictitious Financial Instrument

Dick Reid Jenkins, of Heber City, Utah, was convicted today, in U.S. District Court for the District of Utah, of eighteen counts of filing false claims for income tax refunds and one count of presenting a fictitious financial instrument, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Announces Investigation of Detention Center in Hinds County, Mississippi

The Justice Department announced today that it is opening a pattern or practice investigation of Hinds County Detention Center including both the Hinds County facility in Raymond, Mississippi, and the Jackson Detention Center, in Jackson, Mississippi.



  • OPA Press Releases

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One Year After Supreme Court’s Historic Windsor Decision, Attorney General Holder Issues Report Outlining Obama Administration’s Work to Extend Federal Benefits to Same-sex Married Couples

Following the Supreme Court’s historic decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday issued a formal report on the yearlong effort by the Justice Department and other federal agencies to implement the decision smoothly across the entire government



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Union Official Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $190,000 in Funds

JC Stamps, a former union official, pleaded guilty today to embezzling more than $190,000 from two labor organizations he founded and an employee benefit plan



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Bail Bondsman Indicted in Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

Roderick Neal, of Dothan, Alabama, was indicted for stolen identity refund fraud crimes, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Ronald A. Cimino of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama announced today following the unsealing of the indictment



  • OPA Press Releases

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Caribbean-Based Investment Advisors and Attorney Plead Guilty to Using Offshore Accounts to Launder and Conceal Funds

Joshua Vandyk, a U.S. citizen, and Eric St-Cyr and Patrick Poulin, Canadian citizens, have each pleaded guilty to conspiring to launder monetary instruments, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Finds Pattern and Practice of Excessive Force and Violence at New York City Jails on Rikers Island That Violates the Constitutional Rights of Adolescent Male Inmates

Attorney General Eric Holder and United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara announced today the completion of the Justice Department’s multi-year civil investigation pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (“CRIPA”) into the conditions of confinement of adolescent male inmates on Rikers Island. The investigation, which focused on use of force by staff, inmate-on-inmate violence, and use of punitive segregation during the period 2011-2013, concluded that there is a pattern and practice of conduct at Rikers Island that violates the rights of adolescents protected by the Eighth Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The investigation found that adolescent inmates are not adequately protected from physical harm due to the rampant use of unnecessary and excessive force by New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) staff and violence inflicted by other inmates



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Russian National Arraigned on Indictment for Distributing Credit Card Data Belonging to Thousands of Card Holders

A Russian national indicted for hacking into point of sale systems at retailers throughout the United States and operating websites that distributed credit card data of thousands of credit card holders appeared today for arraignment in U.S. federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan of the Western District of Washington and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division



  • OPA Press Releases

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U.S. Citizen Extradited from the Netherlands Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

A U.S. citizen living in Amsterdam, Netherlands, was sentenced today to serve 35 years in prison for sexually exploiting a minor in California and elsewhere and producing images of that abuse.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Justice Department Requires Divestiture in Tyson Foods Inc. Acquisition of the Hillshire Brands Company

The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Tyson Foods Inc. to divest Heinold Hog Markets, its sow purchasing business, in order to proceed with its $8.5 billion acquisition of The Hillshire Brands Company. The department said that, without the required divestiture, the transaction would have combined companies that account for more than a third of sow purchases from U.S. farmers, thereby likely reducing competition for purchases of sows from farmers.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Former Secretary-Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Theft of Union Treasury Funds

The former Secretary-Treasurer of Security Police Fire Professionals of America Local 287 pleaded guilty today to theft from a labor organization in violation of his fiduciary responsibilities as a union officer.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Caribbean-Based Investment Advisor Sentenced for Using Offshore Accounts to Launder and Conceal Funds

Joshua Vandyk, an investment advisor, was sentenced today to serve 30 months in prison for conspiring to launder monetary instruments, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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Utah Resident Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Claims for Tax Refunds

Stanley J. Wardle, of Spanish Fork, Utah, was sentenced today to serve 33 months in prison for filing false claims for income tax refunds, the Justice Department and Internal Revenue Service announced.



  • OPA Press Releases

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AHPA Recommends Regulatory Improvements in Comments Submitted to CFSAN

The American Herbal Products Association submitted nearly 100 pages of comments to the Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition identifying ways to improve regulations, guidance documents and enforcement practices to better protect public health.




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OmniActive Expands Gingever Range and Showcases New Prototypes at Engredea 2018

At Engredea 2018 in March in Anaheim, CA, OmniActive will be highlighting the latest addition to its ginger ingredient range, Gingever 10% powder, expanding its application to tablets, capsules and beverages.




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Recent Weight Management Ingredient Research Reflects Emerging Trends

Emphasis on fat and protein intake, reduced carbohydrate intake and gut health for managing weight are trends affecting the global weight management category.




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Study: Eating almonds may help lower CVD risk factors and associated healthcare costs

A recent study conducted by researchers at Tufts University suggests that consuming 1.5 ounces of almonds per day, compared to no almond consumption, may help reduce CVD risk factors such as elevated LDL cholesterol levels, and as a result, reduce an individual's healthcare costs associated with treating such conditions.




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Trump Hasn’t Released Funds That Help Families of COVID-19 Victims Pay for Burials. Members of Congress Want to Change That.

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published.

Democratic members of Congress are urging President Donald Trump to authorize FEMA to reimburse funeral expenses for victims of the coronavirus pandemic, citing ProPublica’s reporting about the administration’s policies.

“Just as with all previous disasters, we should not expect the families of those that died — or the hardest hit states — to pay for burials,” said the statement issued Friday from Rep. Bennie Thompson, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Rep. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “President Trump needs to step up and approve this assistance so FEMA can pay for the funerals of our fellow Americans so they can be buried in dignity. It is the least he can do.”

ProPublica reported last week that Trump has yet to free up a pool of disaster funding specifically intended to help families cover burial costs, despite requests from approximately 30 states and territories. In lieu of federal help, grieving families are turning to religious institutions and online fundraisers to bury the dead.

Trump has sharply limited the kinds of assistance that FEMA can provide in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. In an April 28 memorandum, he authorized FEMA to provide crisis counseling services but said that authority “shall not be construed to encompass any authority to approve other forms of assistance.”

In a statement last week, a FEMA spokesperson said the approval of assistance programs “is made at the discretion of the President.” A spokeswoman for the White House’s Office of Management and Budget last week referred questions to FEMA, and she and two White House spokesmen did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The administration’s failure so far to pay for funeral costs does not appear to be because of a lack of funds. Congress gave FEMA’s disaster relief fund an extra boost of $45 billion in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act in March.

On Sunday, NJ Advance Media reported that as of April 25, FEMA had committed less than $6 billion in disaster relief for the coronavirus pandemic, and it has $80.5 billion in available disaster relief funds. The information was attributed to a FEMA spokesperson. FEMA did not respond to a request to confirm the figures.

Calls for FEMA aid are likely to spike in the coming months, as hurricane season approaches and wildfire activity hits an anticipated peak.

The amount FEMA reimburses for funeral expenses can vary, but a September 2019 report from the Government Accountability Office found that FEMA paid about $2.6 million in response to 976 applications for funeral costs of victims of three 2017 hurricanes, or an average of about $2,700 per approved application. If FEMA provided that amount for every one of the nearly 68,000 people in America reported to have died in the pandemic thus far, it would cost the government about $183 million.

Do you have access to information about the U.S. government response to the coronavirus that should be public? Email yeganeh.torbati@propublica.org. Here’s how to send tips and documents to ProPublica securely.





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Pharmacies' dispensing increases by up to a third as a result of COVID-19, survey finds

Pharmacies dispensed approximately 35% more prescriptions in March 2020, compared with the previous month, according to a survey by the National Pharmacy Association.

To read the whole article click on the headline




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One in three pharmacists unable to access PPE, finds RPS survey

A third of pharmacists cannot obtain continuous supplies of personal protective equipment, according to a survey conducted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

To read the whole article click on the headline




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As COVID-19 Pandemic Continues, Promotion of Unapproved “Cures” Abounds

May 4, 2020 – An important part of protecting the public health during the COVID-19 pandemic is making sure that the marketing of treatments or remedies that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the virus is stopped before consumers waste their money or potentially are harmed by these products. […]




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Despite sales bump, brands that are not preparing for stormy seas ahead could struggle, consultant says

The dietary supplement industry as a whole is enjoying booming sales as consumer stock up on products to support optimum health. But an industry strategist warns that that sales bump is likely to be ephemeral, and brands that are not strategizing vigorously now may be caught out in the near future.




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Casein-encapsulated calcium eases GI concerns, study finds

Researchers working with a group of postmenopausal women found that a technology using casein to encapsulate calcium nanoparticles reduced GI issues compared with more conventional calcium carbonate or calcium citrate supplements.




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Tens of thousands of California college students to get relief from emergency grants

California college students will get emergency CARES grants




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MLB's June amateur draft reduced from 40 rounds to five in 2020

Major League Baseball will hold a five-round draft in June, a big reduction from the usual 40 rounds. Many Southland players are expected to be taken.







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10 years of biosimilars: lessons and trends




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Formation of liquid-like cellular organelles depends on their composition




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Get The Best Minds on Board, Hindustan Times

Years ago, working in the archives in New Delhi, I came across a brief, handwritten, letter from Jawaharlal Nehru to C. Rajagopalachari. It was dated 30th July 1947, and it read: ‘My dear Rajaji, This is to remind you that you have to approach Shanmukham Chetty—this must be done soon. I have seen Ambedkar and [...]




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Changing trends of ocular trauma in the time of COVID-19 pandemic




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Generational trends in US opioid-overdose deaths




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Headline: WFH demands change in skill set, mind set, says Indian Oil head HR

"We institutionalised WFH guidelines even before the commencement of the lockdown," said Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, director (HR), Indian Oil.




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Deadly friends




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Renault rounds off season in style

Robert Kubica said that finishing fifth in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a good way to finish the season after fighting his way through the field from 11th on the grid










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Mercedes understands pit lane tyre incident

Ross Brawn says that his Mercedes team understands why Nico Rosberg's wheel came off in the pit lane during the Hungarian Grand Prix




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Bahar defends Renault approach

Dany Bahar, chief executive of the Lotus Group, has defended Renault's approach to its drivers after Kimi Raikkonen hurt his wrist in a skidoo accident




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Trends in online disinformation campaigns

Ben Nimmo, director of investigations at Graphika, discusses two main trends in online disinformation campaigns: the decline of large scale, state-sponsored operations and the rise of small scale, homegrown copycats.