Carbon dioxide at record levels
Carbon dioxide measurements taken at varying intervals from an Antarctic ice core:SOURCE World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder, and NOAA Paleoclimatology Program
USA TODAY1 –May 13, 2019, highest recorded in human history.1000200800,
Years ago Today400,000 0300400500Emergence of
homo sapiens191 ppm415 ppm^1Life could hang in balance for animals, plants, people
What would life on Earth be like
without the Amazon rainforest?
Fires that have been ravaging the re-
gion have prompted global concern
about the impact on the planet’s climate
and wildlife – and raised questions
about whether the world could survive
with a devastated Amazon.
The Amazon rainforest is biologically
the richest region on Earth, hosting
about 25% of global biodiversity, and is
a major contributor to the natural cycles
required for the functioning of the
Earth, according to the environmental
group Panthera.
Animals, plants and humans would
all face dire consequences if the Ama-
Of 80,000 fires across Brazil this year, nearly half have been in the biologically rich Amazon region.JOEDSON ALVES/EPA-EFE
See AMAZON, Page 3A
Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
IF THE RAINFOREST
VANISHED ...
AMAZON ON FIRE
©* Reflects current conference alignment.
Some championships were won when teams
were members of other conferences. Multiple
championships were awarded in some years.
SOURCE NCAA.com
AMY BARNETTE, DAVID ANESTA/USA TODAYAll-time champs
- BIG TEN: 41
3. SEC: 31
4. ACC: 20 - PAC-12: 15
- BIG 12: 12
- OTHER: 19
NCAA-recognized college football
national championship winners
by conference since 1869:- IVY LEAGUE: 48
When federal investigators contact-
ed the Shaw family at their farm in West
Virginia last winter, they had an un-
usual request: They wanted to exhume
the body of George Nel-
son Shaw Sr., who had
died several months
earlier, to examine his
body for foul play.
The family had
thought his death was
suspicious. They didn’t
understand how in just
a few weeks the retired Air Force veter-
an had gone from bowling to hospice at
the local VA medical center.
Last month, investigators returned
to the 111-acre farm to tell the family
what they had learned: Shaw had not
died of natural causes. He had been
killed – one of a string of suspicious
deaths at the hospital.
It’s the second death at the hospital
that USA TODAY has learned was
ruled a homicide after autopsies by an
Armed Forces medical examiner at
Dover Air Force Base.
Those two are among 10 at the Louis
A. Johnson VA Medical Center in
Clarksburg, West Virginia, that have
drawn the scrutiny of investigators
with the FBI and the VA Office of In-
spector General.
The body of another victim, 82-
year-old Army veteran Felix Kirk
McDermott, was exhumed and autop-
sied in October. Like Shaw, his death
was declared homicide by insulin in-
jection.
Diabetics can take insulin to control
their blood sugar levels. But if a person
without diabetes receives an insulin
injection, it can lower their blood sugar
too much and cause death.
Authorities are investigating a “per-
son of interest” in the case, according
to the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin,
D-W.Va.
After learning how Shaw died, his
daughter Mary Wood spent the rest of
the day in a daze.
“How does one react to that infor-
mation, that their loved one did not
just pass away, that it was a homicide?
And that it happened at a VA hospi-
tal?” she told USA TODAY.
“We put all our trust and faith into
that hospital to take care of him.”
A spokesman for the VA hospital,
Wesley Walls, did not immediately re-
turn a message seeking comment
Wednesday. Walls said Tuesday that
the VA was cooperating with the In-
spector General’s investigation.
Mike Nacincik, spokesman for VAFederal health officials are under
fire for their unclear public warnings
after one death and nearly 200 cases
of vaping-related lung illnesses, which
some say are related to the far riskier
practice of vaping marijuana oil rather
than nicotine.
Some state health department and
news reports suggest many of the
cases of lung problems involve tetra-
hydrocannabinol, known as THC, the
chemical in marijuana that causes
psychological effects.
Boston University public health
professor Michael Siegel said the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention
is being “unnecessarily vague” about
describing the injuries as simply vap-ing-related when many people might
have been injured by vaping THC oil.
“Based on what we know now, I think
there’s enough to tell people: Don’t vape
THC oils – especially products that are
bought off the street,” Siegel said.
“There are certain things the agency
could be recommending right now that
could potentially save lives and prevent
this from happening by being much
more specific.”Vaping-related illnesses
being linked to THC use
Some criticize CDC
for ‘vague’ warnings
Jayne O’Donnell and Ken Alltucker
USA TODAYSee VAPING, Page 3A“Based on what we
know now, I think there’s
enough to tell people:
Don’t vape THC oils.”
Michael Siegel
Boston University public health professorAfter a stellar freshman year, Trevor
Lawrence getting used to stardom
IN SPORTS
JOSHUA S. KELLY/USA TODAY SPORTS
Spotlight gets bigger
for Clemson’s QB
Thieves are looking to defraud
Medicare through identity theftIN MONEYDoor-to-door scam
seeks DNA swabs
Second
veteran’s
death a
homicide
10 VA hospital fatalities
are under investigation
Donovan Slack
USA TODAYSee VA DEATHS, Page 2AShawINTERNATIONAL SPECIAL EDITION
This is a special edition of USA TODAY designed and
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INTERNATIONAL: AN EDITION OF USA TODAY AUGUST 30 - SEPTEMBER 1, 2019
WEEKEND