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Senior UN official denounces ‘blatant disregard’ in Israel-Hamas war after many UN sites are hit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees told The Associated Press on Wednesday there is no safe haven in besieged Gaza for civilians — not even in U.N. shelters and so-called “safe zones” designated by Israel.Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, also known as UNRWA, said in an interview with the AP that since the outbreak if the Israel-Hamas war, more than 80 U.N. facilities in the Gaza Strip have been hit. During the deadly Hamas-led Oct. 7 incursion into southern Israel, the militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took captive some 240 men, women and children. Israel responded with an aerial bombardment and ground offensive inside Gaza that has so far killed more than 16,200 people in the enclave, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths.The U.N. facilities hit “directly or indirect...

White House delays menthol cigarette ban, alarming anti-smoking advocates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House officials will take more time to review a sweeping plan from U.S. health regulators to ban menthol cigarettes, an unexpected delay that anti-tobacco groups fear could scuttle the long-awaited rule.Administration officials indicated Wednesday the process will continue into next year, targeting March to implement the rule, according to an updated regulatory agenda posted online. Previously, the rule was widely expected to be published in late 2023 or early January.The Food and Drug Administration has spent years developing the plan to eliminate menthol, estimating it could prevent 300,000 to 650,000 smoking deaths over several decades. Most of those preventable deaths would be among Black Americans, who disproportionately smoke menthols.Previous FDA efforts on menthol have been derailed by tobacco industry pushback or competing political priorities across several administrations. The latest delay comes amid lingering worries from some Democrats about Pres...

Jill Biden and military kids sort toys the White House donated to the Marine Corps Reserve program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden and children from military families on Wednesday helped sort toys donated by the White House to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, which gives playthings to needy children.The children also enjoyed skating on the South Lawn’s new holiday ice rink.“So did you have fun ice skating?” the first lady asked about the rink, which she opened last week. “I think the rink is really neat, don’t you? I love seeing it. I can see it out my window.”The annual event typically is held at an area military base. Biden said she brought it to the White House because “our holiday theme celebrates children and the way all of you experience the season.”She said military children also serve their country and praised their bravery, kindness and compassion.“You may not hear this a lot but kids have something important to teach us grownups, especially military kids like you,” Biden said. “You teach us how to be brave, even when we’re scared...

Changes to G class driving test done without full review, may have risked safety: AG

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

Ontario’s acting auditor general says the province’s removal of three-point turns, parallel parking and other requirements from G class driving tests was done without a full review and may have impacted road safety.Acting auditor general Nick Stavropoulos says in the annual report that certain manoeuvres were removed from the examinations in an effort to clear the backlog of road tests caused by COVID-19 closures.The report says test requirements were reduced in January 2022 without formal approval from cabinet, and the driver examinations also no longer required a roadside stop or included a residential section.The auditor’s report also flagged “limited” retraining for suspended drivers, saying those who received two or more suspensions in the previous year had a fatal collision rate six times higher than the general driver population. Related: Ford government’s decision to move science centre to Ontario Place ‘not fully informed’: auditor g...

Venezuela’s AG orders arrest of opposition members, accuses them of plotting against referendum

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s top prosecutor on Wednesday ordered the arrest of a dozen opposition members, including former National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó and three campaign staffers of presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado.Attorney General Tarek William Saab accused them of conspiring against the referendum the government held Sunday to claim sovereignty over a large swath of neighboring Guyana that Venezuela has long argued was stolen when the border was drawn more than a century ago. Saab did not present any evidence during the nationally televised announcement of treason, conspiracy and other charges against the 12 government adversaries, only three of whom now live in Venezuela. He also linked to the case Savoi Jadon Wright, a U.S. citizen arrested Oct. 24 during a visit to Venezuela.Saab alleged the opposition members worked together to affect the outcome of the referendum. He accused Wright of using cryptocurrencies and cash to “avoid financial cont...

US House chair probes ballot shortages that hampered voting in Mississippi’s largest county

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The chair of a congressional committee with oversight of U.S. federal elections says ballot shortages in Mississippi’s largest county could undermine voting and election confidence in 2024 if local officials don’t make changes.Rep. Bryan Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin who chairs the Committee on House Administration, sent a letter, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, to the five-member Hinds County Election Commission, all Democrats. He demanded information on what steps local officials will take to prevent polling precincts from running out of ballots in future elections. The ballot shortages, which sowed chaos and confusion on the evening of the November statewide election, could undermine trust in election results, Steil said. “Situations like this reported ballot shortage and the distribution of incorrect ballot styles have the potential to damage voter confidence at a time when we can least afford it,” Steil wrote. In Mississippi’s ...

Inbound Kennedy work nearly done, IDOT says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Construction on the inbound Kennedy Expressway is nearing completion, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.A sequenced reopening to remove the work zone is scheduled to begin, weather permitting, Thursday.IDOT says overnight lane and ramp closures will be needed to safely remove the barricades and apply new pavement markings. At least one inbound lane will remain open at all times.Those closures include:Thursday, Dec. 7Starting at 8 p.m., the inbound Kennedy will be reduced to one lane between Kimball and Milwaukee avenues.At the same time, intermittent ramp closures between Belmont/Kedzie Avenue and Division Street will take place. Starting at midnight, the reversible express lanes will be fully closed.By 5 a.m. Friday the inbound Kennedy (lanes/ramps) will be fully reopened from Kimball Avenue heading south. The express lanes will remain open in the inbound direction only.  Friday, Dec. 8Starting at 8 p.m., the inbound Kennedy will be reduce...

Elgin police officer charged with possession of child porn

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 GMT

DEKALB COUNTY — An Elgin police officer was charged with possession of child pornography Wednesday, according to the Office of the Illinois Attorney General (IAG).Jordan Collins, a 33-year-old Kirkland resident and five-year member of the Elgin Police Department (EPD), was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography, a class 2 felony, with each charge carrying up to seven years in prison.“All child predators, particularly those in a position of authority, must be held accountable for the horrific crime of child pornography that can leave life-long scars on victims and their families,” Raoul said. Man shot in apparent road rage incident at gas station on South Side: police Investigators with the IAG and the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office searched Collins' Kirkland residence Monday and discovered evidence of child pornography. With the cooperation of EPD, Collins was arrested later that evening.“This officer was placed on administrative leave immediately following th...

WHO pushes for higher taxes on alcohol, sugary drinks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:10 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 10:50:10 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.