Junk food tax targets obesity in Mexico
MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s congress neared final approval of new taxes on junk food and soft drinks Thursday as the government announced a campaign to fight obesity in a country with one of the world’s highest rates of overweight people.
President Enrique Pena Nieto announced a plan to award products that meet standards for having lower calories or higher fiber content a “seal of nutritional quality,” which he said would give industry an incentive to re-formulate products. He also announced plans for educational, health-monitoring and sports programs.
Earlier, Mexico’s Senate approved an 8 percent tax on high-calorie foods, defined as those having more than 275 calories per 100 grams. The proposed levy is higher than the originally envisioned 5 percent, and still must be approved by the House of Deputies.
Both houses have already agreed to a 8-cent per-liter tax on soft drinks, a move that was hotly opposed by major soft drink bottlers.
Kenya attacks camp tied to mall assault
NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya’s military says its air force has attacked a militant training camp in Somalia in retaliation for last month’s al-Shabab assault on a Nairob mall.
Col. Cyrus Oguna said Thursday the militants who carried out the Westgate attack received training at the camp, which he said was 30 miles east of Binswor, Somalia.
Oguna said the military won’t know how many of the 300 militants in the camp were killed or wounded until an assessment Friday. He said four military trucks were destroyed. Oguna said “many more” such attacks will be carried out.
The four-day siege of Westgate Mall began Sept. 21. The al-Qaida-affiliated al-Shabab said it carried out the attack, which killed at least 67 people, in retaliation for the Kenyan military’s push into Somalia in 2011.
Associated Press
