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WHO pushes for higher taxes on alcohol, sugary drinks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

(The Hill) — The World Health Organization (WHO) is pushing for higher taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks, arguing many countries are not using taxes to encourage healthier habits. The WHO on Tuesday released new data showing the global tax rates on products like alcohol and sweetened beverages and claimed such rates are "low." The UN health agency found 108 of its 194 member states are taxing some sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), though such excise taxes — which are applied for certain products — are only about 6.6 percent of the price of soda. At least 148 nations applied excise taxes to alcoholic beverages, but wine is exempt from such taxes in at least 22 countries, according to WHO. "Globally 2.6 million people die from drinking alcohol every year and over 8 million from an unhealthy diet, implementing tax on alcohol and SSBs will reduce these deaths," the organization wrote in a statement. The average excise tax rate imposed on the most sold brand of beer is 17.2 percent of i...

$2M scratch-off lottery ticket sold in Tinley Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

TINLEY PARK, Ill. — One lucky Illinois lottery player nabbed a winning scratch-off ticket valued in the millions.Purchased at the 1st Stop Tobacco, located at 8021 West 183rd Street in Tinley Park, the player won the $2 million top prize on a $64,000,000 Cash Blast ticket.As is customary, the win nets the convenience store a selling bonus (1% of the prize amount) of $20,000.Illinois Lottery officials say more than 60 million winning Illinois Lottery scratch-off tickets have been sold this year, netting over $1.3 billion in prizes.

3 men accused in $100K soda-syrup scheme

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

OKLAHOMA COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – A major soda heist has fizzled out. Three men in Oklahoma City have been charged in connection with the theft of thousands of dollars worth of Dr. Pepper syrup which they allegedly re-sold to the owner of a local gas station, Oklahoma County District Court records reveal.The suspects are accused of scheming to steal whole pallets of the syrup from a Keurig Dr Pepper facility in Oklahoma City over the course of several months. A representative for the company estimates that over $100,000 worth of the syrup was stolen during that time. Master of deception admits guilt in $109K Walmart heist Jimmy Robinson III was first caught breaking into the Keurig Dr Pepper facility in October by a security guard, according to court documents. Following his arrest, a regional manager for the company identified Robinson as a former employee who had quit in August.The manager added that whole pallets of the syrup — known as Dr. Pepper 5-Gallon Bag in a Box — had...

Retail group retracts claim that half of losses were from theft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

A much-publicized claim from the National Retail Federation that “nearly half” of the $94 billion in retail losses in 2021 were due to organized retail crime has now been retracted. The report gained considerable attention because it came at a time when crime rates were soaring in many cities, including Chicago, and retailers were closing brick-and-mortar stores for a host of reasons.  Now the National Retail Federation says the claim was based on faulty data and an unconfirmed statement made during a Senate hearing.“We stand behind the widely understood fact that organized retail crime is a serious problem impacting retailers of all sizes and communities across our nation,” a NRF spokesperson said in an emailed statement to WGN Investigates. “At the same time, we recognize the challenges the retail industry and law enforcement have with gathering and analyzing an accurate and agreed-upon set of data to measure the number of incidents in communities across the country.”Sur...

DOJ charging four Russian soldiers with war crimes, says AG Garland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – In an historic move, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the Justice Department is charging four Russian soldiers with war crimes.“The charges include conspiracy to commit war crimes, unlawful confinement, torture and inhuman treatment,” Garland said.Garland went on to say that it's the first time the U.S. has used the war crimes statute.According to the indictment, the Russian soldiers kidnapped, beat and tortured an American living in Ukraine during the Russian invasion.He announced, "We allege that as they interrogated him, they tortured him, they beat him again with a gun, they punched him in his chest and stomach, they threatened to shoot him.”Garland said the American victim wasn't participating in the war and was a protected person.“When an American citizen’s human rights are violated, their government will spare no effort and spare no resources to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said.Mayork...

Senate approves hundreds of military promotions after Tuberville ends blockade

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-AL), held up the confirmations to protest a Pentagon abortion policy, which offers travel expenses and time off for service members and their dependents seeking legal abortions."This fight is not over," Tuberville said on the Senate floor Wednesday. "These young, unborn will never have a chance for a promotion because they want to kill them before they're born."The policy was a response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Tuberville argues lawmakers should have had the ultimate say."I'm 110 percent military, but I'm also for the people of this country having the opportunity to have their representatives vote on legislation that goes through this Congress," he said.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), applauded the Republicans who ultimately stood up to Tuberville."After all the damage he caused, Senator Tuberville has nothing, absolutely nothing to show for his obstruction, except for the harm done to our...

Connor Bedard is living up to the hype, but the Blackhawks remain one of the NHL's worst teams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Asked how he processes losing, Connor Bedard recalled one of his seasons with the Regina Pats — his junior hockey team in Canada.He didn't have to look back very far. After all, the rookie center just turned 18 in July.“I remember my 16-year in Reg, we didn’t make playoffs and had a slow patch, kind of similar to what we’ve had right now just at the start of the year," he said. "It was pretty slow, we had a losing streak and stuff. It sucks, you never want to lose games.“We know we’re a better team than what our record shows. We just got to keep coming to the rink every day and being positive and trying to get better, and hopefully that shows in the win column.” White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf meets with Nashville mayor during Winter Meetings While Bedard has lived up to the considerable hype he brought with him to Chicago, he can only do so much. The Blackhawks still look like a team at the beginning of a rebuilding project, albeit with a budding offensive star ...

UNLV shooting: Here's what we know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A suspect in the reported active shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is dead, police confirmed Wednesday. In a brief press conference at 1:30 p.m., less than two hours after the first shots rang out, law enforcement said there was no further threat, but didn't give an update on the number of victims or the extent of their injuries. Here's what we know so far. When and where did the shooting happen?The shooting started at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday on UNLV's campus, said Adam Garcia, the vice president and director of the school's police services. The university said on X, formerly Twitter, the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School. The school also said police were responding to an additional report of shots fired at the nearby student union. Massive police response to shooting on UNLV campus, students told to run, hide, fight “This is not a test,” the university wrote. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.”Officers from eve...

LIVE: Six people dead after shooting spree in Austin, double homicide in Bexar Co.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The attacks in Austin on Tuesday, which led to several homicides, as well as shooting of an Austin Independent School District officer and an Austin police officer, appear to be random, a law enforcement sources told KXAN on Wednesday. Austin Police said a man was arrested on capital murder charges Tuesday as a result. What we know about the suspect in Tuesday’s shooting spree in Austin, San Antonio According to police, both officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries in Tuesday's shootings.APD did not name the suspect Tuesday night but identified the man Wednesday as Shane James, 34. Travis County Jail records show a man with the same name was booked into the jail at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and was charged with capital murder of multiple people.Mugshot of Shane James (APD photo) Interim Chief Robin Henderson said the department did not connect the shootings until after a shooting on Austral Loop in the Circle C neighborhood just before 7 p.m. Leaders, agencies...

Leaders, agencies respond to fatal shooting spree in Austin, Bexar County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was arrested on capital murder charges following a fatal shooting spree Tuesday in Austin and Bexar County.Austin Police identified the suspect as 34-year-old Shane James. Travis County jail records showed James booked into the jail early Wednesday and charged with capital murder of multiple people.Mugshot of Shane James (APD photo) Interim Chief Robin Henderson said the man was accused in the deaths of two people on Shadywood Drive in south Austin, as well as the shooting of an Austin ISD officer at Northeast Early College High School Tuesday morning.The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office also said the man was a suspect in a double homicide near San Antonio. The two people killed were identified as James' parents. RELATED: Six people dead after shooting spree in Austin, double homicide in Bexar Co. State and local officials and agencies responded following the incident. Here’s what they had to say:Travis County District Attorney’s Of...