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Gold bars found in Sen. Bob Menendez’s home linked to 2013 armed robbery: report
Four of the gold bars Sen. Bob Menendez stashed at his home were previously stolen from the businessman accused of bribing the New Jersey Democrat, according to a report.
The serial numbers on some of the gold found by the FBI during a June 2022 raid on Menendez’s Englewood Cliffs, NJ, home match identifiers that Fred Daibes reported to police after a 2013 armed robbery, according to NBC News.
Robbers made off with $500,000 in cash and 22 gold bars from Daibes’ Edgewater, NJ, home during the 2013 heist, the outlet reports.
Police later nabbed four suspects and recovered the stolen gold.
The matching serial numbers indicate that authorities have directly linked at least some of the gold found in Menendez’s home to Daibes, a New Jersey real estate developer and Menendez fundraiser.
Daibes has been accused of bribing the senator for a series of favors, including help in disrupting a federal prosecution against him.
“Each gold bar has its own serial number,” Daibes told investigators in 2014 when questioned about the stolen gold. “They’re all stamped … you’ll never see two stamped the same way.”
Daibes also signed “property release forms” to get the gold back, which certified that the stolen goods belonged to him, according to the outlet.
Menendez, 69, was hit with federal corruption charges in September related to an alleged years-long bribery scheme.
The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York charged Menendez and his wife, Nadine, 56, with three conspiracy counts in connection with what prosecutors call a “corrupt bribery agreement” that benefited the couple, three New Jersey businessmen — Daibes, Wael Hana and Jose Uribe — and the government of Egypt.
Prosecutors allege that in March 2022, Daibes gave Nadine two gold bars of a kilogram each — when gold went for $60,000 per kilogram.
Daibes’ driver’s fingerprints were later discovered on an envelope containing thousands of dollars in cash that was recovered from the couple’s home, according to the indictment.
In total, 13 gold bars and $566,000 in cash, some stuffed into the pockets of the senator’s jackets, were found by the FBI during its investigation into the alleged bribery scheme.
Menendez has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has refused to resign from the Senate, despite numerous calls for him to do so, even from fellow Democrats.
Menendez and his wife are accused of accepting bribes from Daibes in exchange for the senator’s help shielding him from criminal prosecution in a bank fraud case.
-Victor Nava, New York Post
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BREAKING: House Judiciary Committee Launches Inquiry into Fani Willis For Colluding with January 6 Committee!
A couple days ago, I brought you a story about how President Trump could use a 1795 Law called “The Insurrection Act” to clean up America.
Oh the irony!
That story here:
Trump May Deploy “Ironic” 1795 Law To Clean Up America
And now today it looks like Fani Willis is finally in the hot seat, for of all things....."collusion".
The irony is thick recently, isn't it?
You gotta love it, and you gotta wonder if God doesn't have quite the sense of humor sometimes!
Check this out:
JUST IN: The House Judiciary committee has launched an inquiry into Fulton County DA Fani Willis for colluding with the January 6th committee.
The committee discovered a letter between Willis and Chairman Bennie Thompson.
"We have learned that Willis's office coordinated its investigative actions with the partisan Select Committee," the House Judiciary committee said.
-Noah, 100 Percent Fed Up
Supreme Court raises concerns over tax law, how to interpret income
Image Credit: This Sept. 3, 2021, file photo shows the Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
The Supreme Court struggled Tuesday over which side’s argument would have the biggest consequences in a legal battle over a $15,000 tax bill that could potentially upend part of the 2017 tax reform law passed by Congress and signed by then-President Trump.
Charles and Kathleen Moore‘s case centers on unrealized profits from investments in a foreign company.
In 2006, they invested in a friend’s business, KisanKraft Machine Tools Private Ltd., which serves rural farmers in India. The Moores put up $40,000 for a 13% share in the company. They said they never realized any profits because the money was always reinvested to help the company grow.
But in 2018, they were told they owed money to the federal government as part of the mandatory repatriation tax, part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. They were taxed on a proportion of their ownership dating to 2006, producing a tax bill of $14,729.
They said the bill runs afoul of the 16th Amendment, which allows Congress to tax personal income, because they never received the profits from their investment and thus it’s not “income.”
Andrew M. Grossman, the lawyer representing the Moores, said that unless investment gains are cashed in (“realized” in finance-speak) they should not count as income.
“Without realization, there is no limiting principle,” he said. “The court should reaffirm there is no income without realization.”
A ruling for the Moores could undo the mandatory repatriation tax. Some tax experts say that could potentially affect how other corporations like partnerships and limited liability companies are taxed.
That was also a concern from some of the justices during Tuesday’s oral arguments.
“It’s Subpart F, it’s S Corporations, it’s partnerships, and it’s taxing on an accrual basis. So give me why it is that you think we can decide for you, without putting any of those kinds of very established taxation schemes at risk,” Justice Elena Kagan asked the Moores’ attorney.
-Alex Swoyer, The Washington Times
Judge orders new election for Caddo Parish Sheriff
CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Retired Louisiana Supreme Court justice E. Joseph Bleich ruled Tuesday the results of the election for Caddo Parish Sheriff are void.
In the Nov. 18 runoff election, Henry Whitehorn defeated candidate John Nickelson by a single vote. When the recount occurred, officials confirmed found three additional votes for each candidate and Whitehorn remained one vote ahead of his opponent.
Nickelson filed a lawsuit challenging the results and requesting a special election. He said the process was rushed and unlawful votes were cast in the election. Multiple people were found to have voted both by mail and in person.
In a brief submitted to the First Judicial District Court, Whitehorn asserted, “The judiciary should not decide elections. Louisiana courts have made it clear that the results of an election are to be disturbed only under extraordinary circumstances where a plaintiff introduces compelling evidence that is sufficient to change the result in the election.”
Four judges recused themselves from the case due to their friendships with Nickelson. The Louisiana Supreme Court assigned the case to Justice Bleich.
On Dec. 5, he ruled the runoff election results are void and ordered a new runoff election. Whitehorn’s team is likely to appeal the decision.
In his ruling, Justice Bleich stated, “This runoff election involved a one-vote margin. It was proven beyond any doubt that there were at least 11 illegal votes cast and counted. It is legally impossible to know what the true vote should have been.”
-Christa Swanson, KTAL News
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Israel Considers Flooding Hamas Out
Israel is considering using seawater to flood the extensive network of tunnels used by Hamas militants under the city of Gaza. The terrorists use the tunnels beneath the city to smuggle goods in and out of the Palestinian enclave, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing sources.
According to US officials interviewed by the WSJ, the Israeli military assembled an extensive flooding system not far from the Al-Shati refugee camp in northwest Gaza in mid-November. The unit reportedly consists of five pumps capable of drawing thousands of cubic meters of water per hour from the Mediterranean Sea, potentially allowing Israel to flood the underground maze within a few weeks.
The WSJ further reports that this plan could drive Hamas fighters out of the sprawling system of tunnels, which span hundreds of kilometers, with some passages reaching into Egypt. However, there’s a catch.
The network of tunnels also provides Hamas and other local Islamist terrorist groups with formidable cover from missile strikes and allows them to evade Israel’s blockade. Some tunnels are tall enough for an average man to stand up in, are built from reinforced concrete, and boast a network of communication lines, reported RT.
This could be a humanitarian disaster for the already water-deprived city of Gaza. The flooding could ruin Gaza’s freshwater supply and damage infrastructure relied on by civilians.
Wim Zwijnenburg, who is an environmental expert, noted that the flooding could wash hazardous materials out of the tunnels, further contaminating the soil in Gaza. He also said that Gaza’s aquifer has been getting saltier recently due to rising sea levels already and flooding could ruin the freshwater supply.
The war, which began October 7th, has also exacerbated the ever-present water crisis in Gaza City. According to the United Nations, Palestinians receive no more than three liters per day, compared to the minimum of 15 liters.
-Mac Slavo, SHTFplan
Zelensky Abruptly Cancels Address To Senators, Lashes Out At Failure To Secure More Taxpayer Funds
On Tuesday Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky unexpectedly canceled at the last minute a planned appearance via video link before US Senators mulling an emergency aid package containing over $60 billion for Kiev.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was the one to announce it to reporters: "Zelensky by the way could not make it to -- something happened at the last minute -- to our briefing," Schumer said.
Image Credit: Zelensky’s prior in-person visit to Capitol Hill, via CQ Roll Call
With just weeks to go before Ukraine aid stops flowing, and amid a row in Congress which threatens to discontinue the war funding, Ukraine is now saying it will lose the war if it can't access more US funds and weaponry.
Zelensky's chief of staff issued the words Tuesday:
If the United States postpones military aid to Ukraine, there is a “big risk” the country could lose its war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said Tuesday.
Speaking at the U.S. Institute for Peace during a visit to Washington, Yermak said failure by Congress to approve more aid to Ukraine could make it “impossible” to liberate more territory captured by Russia and “give the big risk to lose this war.”
“If the help which (is) now debating in Congress will be just postponed. ... It gives the big risk that we can be in same position (where) we’re located now,” said Yermak, speaking in English.
“That is why it is extremely critically important that this support will be voted and will be voted as soon as possible,” he said.
But the reality is that Ukrainian forces were already losing the war, given top US officials have long acknowledged the counteroffensive has stalled and failed, even with all the weapons the US has already poured in.
Thus Yermak's statements seem more like an early blame-game: Ukraine seems to be saying it will be Washington's fault when the war is lost and Kiev is forced to finally negotiate and cede territory.
Senate Republicans have tied Biden's foreign defense funding to tackling the migrant crisis at the southern border, prolonging the Ukraine aid holdup further, and maybe indefinitely.
Interestingly, the Senate forum that Zelensky was to address involved a classified briefing. Likely he realized he was not going to convince anyone, and his 'star status' has long since been in decline. At this moment, even the mayor of Kyiv is attacking him, calling Zelensky an "autocrat" and "corrupt" - and saying Ukraine is losing because of this.
-Tyler Durden, Zerohedge
Venezuela seeks to annex Guyana's oil fields
The Venezuelan government approved a referendum Sunday that would allow the country to claim sovereignty over an area of Guyana that is reportedly rich in oil and minerals, according to AP News. The referendum, called for by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, argues that the land in the neighboring country in South America was stolen from them when their border was drawn over 100 years ago.
The referendum, which was heavily promoted by the Venezuelan government as an act of patriotism that would bring the country together regardless of politics, asked participants if they support establishing a state in Essequibo, the disputed territory in question. This would also grant Venzuelan citizenship to current and future residents in the area, "rejecting the jurisdiction of the United Nations’ top court in settling the disagreement between the South American countries," as AP reports.Essequibo is rich in minerals and has access to where ExxonMobil recently discovered massive amounts of oil in the Atlantic circa 2015. The territory is 61,600-square-miles and is "larger than Greece."
Contrary to first-hand reports that few Venezuelan voters showed up to the polling sites throughout the voting period, the National Electoral Council claimed it counted over 10.5 million votes. Even after the country's top electoral authority, Elvis Amoroso, announced the 12-hour voting period would be extended by two hours, the event did not see long lines of voters in Caracas, typical of electoral events.If the figure is accurate, it would mean more people voted in the referendum than they did for Hugo Chávez, Maduro’s mentor and predecessor.
It remains unclear how the results of the vote will be enforced, but Maduro celebrated it as a "total success for our country, for our democracy" and said the referendum had a “very important level of participation.”
Guyana residents however, are reportedly on edge over the vote and the country considers it a step toward annexation. It asked the International Court of Justice to halt parts of the vote and the court subsequently ordered Venezuela not to take any action that would alter Guyana’s control over Essequibo on Friday. The judges, however, did not ban officials from carrying out the five-question referendum vote on Sunday.
Court president Joan E. Donoghue said Venezuela’s government “is taking steps with a view toward acquiring control over and administering the territory in dispute" based on statements it has made.
“Furthermore," she said, "Venezuelan military officials announced that Venezuela is taking concrete measures to build an airstrip to serve as a ‘logistical support point for the integral development of the Essequibo.'"
Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali told the Guyanese people on Sunday that his government is working continuously to ensure the country’s borders “remain intact” and said people have “nothing to fear over the next number of hours, days, months ahead.”
“I want to advise Venezuela that this is an opportunity for them to show maturity, an opportunity for them to show responsibility, and we call upon them once more [to] join us in ... allowing the rule of law to work and to determine the outcome of this controversy,” Ali said.
Guyana's Defense Ministry said in a statement earlier this week that it has “intensified its defense actions” and military presence in the disputed region.-Jessica Barshis, Human Events
FBI director says terror threats elevated to all-time high since Oct. 7: 'Blinking lights everywhere'
FBI Director Christopher Wray testified Tuesday that the terror threat facing the United States has reached unprecedented levels since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Wray to describe the current "threat matrix" facing the United States at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
"What I would say that is unique about the environment that we're in right now in my career is that while there may have been times over the years where individual threats could have been higher here or there than where they may be right now, I've never seen a time where all the threats or so many of the threats are all elevated, all at exactly the same time," the FBI director replied.
"So, blinking red lights analogy about 9/11 — all the lights were blinking red before 9/11, apparently," Graham continued. "Obviously, all of us missed it. Would you say there's multiple blinking red lights out there?" he asked.
Image Credit: Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on December 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. Wray used the oversight hearing to call for a renewal the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act's Section 702 authorities, which allow the FBI and other intelligence agencies to spy on foreigners. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
"I see blinking red lights everywhere," Wray answered.
He later told Graham that since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, when Hamas terrorists brutally murdered at least 1,200 Israelis, a "veritable rogue's gallery of foreign terrorists" has called for attacks against the U.S.
"The threat level has gone to a whole nother level since Oct. 7," Wray emphasized.
The director's comments on Tuesday echo what he said in October, when he warned Senate lawmakers, "The actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven't seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate several years ago.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said in October that reported threats against Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities in the United States spiked in the days and weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.
The number of attacks on U.S. military bases overseas by Iran-backed proxy groups rose in November as well, with the Pentagon confirming at least 74 attacks on U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East since Oct. 17.
The 74 attacks on U.S. troops have taken place in Iraq and Syria and began on Oct. 17 by Iraqi militia groups. The attacks are reportedly linked to the U.S.’s support for Israel in its retaliation against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, following its attack on Oct. 7.
The attacks do not include ballistic missiles being shot in the direction of U.S. military vessels, which commanding officers on those ships have ordered to be shot down.
At home, the FBI and Las Vegas police this week foiled an alleged "lone wolf" terror plot by a teenager who pledged support to ISIS.
On Friday, a 16-year-old suspect was arrested, and federal agents found components to build an explosive device and terrorist propaganda, officials said. The arrest was made after the suspect allegedly made special media posts announcing his plan for "lone wolf operations in Las Vegas against the enemies of Allah."
-Chris Pandolfo, Fox News
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Kamala Harris Pledges $3 Billion in Taxpayer’s Money to Fight Climate Change in Other Countries
Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged $3 billion in taxpayer funds to fight the climate crisis in poor countries.
The American taxpayers will foot the bill for a United Nations fund to fight climate change in other countries.
Talk about America last.
Harris said during a speech at the UN climate summit in Dubai:
“Today, I am also proud to announce a new $3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund, which helps developing countries invest in resilience, clean energy, and nature-based solutions.”
The pledged cash still needs to be approved by Congress, however.
The UN so far has plowed $2 billion into the fund, which is then sent to developing countries.
According to the Guardian, the Biden administration kicked in $17.5 million to a loss and damage fund to address the impacts of climate change.
The donation was labeled “embarrassing” by climate zealots, the report said.
However, Harris talked a bold game, saying:
“This is a pivotal moment — our action collectively, or worse, our inaction, will impact billions of people for decades to come.”
Harris added:
“Around the world there are those who seek to slow or stop our progress, leaders who deny climate science, delay climate action and spread misinformation.”
Politico reported that the $3 billion is the same size as the payment made by former President Barack Obama.
-Jason Walsh, The Daily Fetched
Pennsylvania may see biggest drop in decade for new gas wells
(The Center Square) — Natural gas production is increasing nationally, but not in Pennsylvania.
Though production jumped 4% in 2022, most of that growth came from outside the Appalachian region, even though it’s responsible for 60% of all production.
The Permian, Haynesville, and Eagle Ford regions (crossing New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana) increased production by 2.5%, 2%, and 1% in 2022, respectively, but Appalachian production hardly budged, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Nor does it look like that status quo will change much. A report from the Independent Fiscal Office noted that Pennsylvania has seen a 35% drop in new natural gas wells compared to quarter three of last year, setting up a record decline.
“If the current pace holds, there will be fewer wells drilled in 2023 than any year in the last decade,” the IFO report noted.
Price declines have also been dramatic. The average Pennsylvania price for natural gas was $1.31 in Q3 of 2023, an 81% fall compared to the $6.92 price in Q3 of 2022.
“Pennsylvania production growth continued to lag several other top-producing states in 2023 Q3 compared to the prior year,” the IFO noted. “Pennsylvania accounted for 16.8% of national production (not shown) in 2023 Q3. This share peaked in 2021 Q1 at 18.9% and has steadily declined since then.”
Though the Appalachian region produces the most natural gas in the nation, about 30%, it’s hitting against a ceiling.
“Even as Appalachia remained the most prolific U.S. natural gas-producing region, its production growth has been slowing because sufficient pipeline takeaway capacity is not available to transport more natural gas,” the EIA noted. “No new major pipeline capacity additions from the Northeast came online in 2022.”
Other states like Texas and Louisiana, however, continue to green-light pipeline projects to expand capacity. They also lead in liquified natural gas exports, which Pennsylvania is considering as well.
A decline in natural gas production and new wells also means less local revenue for gas-producing counties. The IFO warned earlier this year that impact fees from natural gas could go bust after some recent boom years.
-Anthony Hennen, Just the News
NZ Government administrator who leaked data showing a one-in-four DEATH rate for some COVID jab batches ARRESTED
In recent days, damning government data was leaked out of New Zealand showing that more than 24 percent of Pfizer's Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccine" batches cause death. We have since learned that the government administrator whistleblower who dropped the goods has been arrested.
According to reports, the man in question was taken into custody by law enforcement for "accessing computers for deceptive purposes." This is rich, considering the New Zealand government's hiding of said data in the first place is the true deception.
The following edited clip lays out the facts of what the data shows, so have a watch:
When telling the truth is called spreading "misinformation"
The man, 56, helped manage the database where said data was being held. All he did was share that data publicly, apparently against the government's wishes, and now he is being persecuted by the state.
The claim is that the man misused the database by disclosing vaccination data that exposes Pfizer's COVID jabs as death jabs. The New Zealand government is also charging the man with "spreading misinformation about COVID-19."
Still to this day, governments around the world, including in New Zealand, are hiding the ugly truth from the public about COVID jabs. They keep this information under strict lock and key while pretending the shots are safe and effective, this being a form of misinformation and deception.
Those who try to tell the truth, conversely, are assigned labels the government deserves: names like criminal or misinformation peddler or deceiver. The Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic" only made this problem worse as everyone who defies the official story is dubbed a liar.
-Ethan Huff, Natural News
23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users
Image Credit: David Paul Morris / Bloomberg / Getty Images
On Friday, genetic testing company 23andMe announced that hackers accessed the personal data of 0.1% of customers, or about 14,000 individuals. The company also said that by accessing those accounts, hackers were also able to access “a significant number of files containing profile information about other users’ ancestry.” But 23andMe would not say how many “other users” were impacted by the breach that the company initially disclosed in early October.
As it turns out, there were a lot of “other users” who were victims of this data breach: 6.9 million affected individuals in total.
In an email sent to TechCrunch late on Saturday, 23andMe spokesperson Katie Watson confirmed that hackers accessed the personal information of about 5.5 million people who opted-in to 23andMe’s DNA Relatives feature, which allows customers to automatically share some of their data with others. The stolen data included the person’s name, birth year, relationship labels, the percentage of DNA shared with relatives, ancestry reports and self-reported location.
23andMe also confirmed that another group of about 1.4 million people who opted-in to DNA Relatives also “had their Family Tree profile information accessed,” which includes display names, relationship labels, birth year, self-reported location and whether the user decided to share their information, the spokesperson said. (23andMe declared part of its email as “on background,” which requires that both parties agree to the terms in advance. TechCrunch is printing the reply as we were given no opportunity to reject the terms.)
It is also not known why 23andMe did not share these numbers in its disclosure on Friday.
Considering the new numbers, in reality, the data breach is known to affect roughly half of 23andMe’s total reported 14 million customers.
In early October, a hacker claimed to have stolen the DNA information of 23andMe users in a post on a well-known hacking forum. As proof of the breach, the hacker published the alleged data of one million users of Jewish Ashkenazi descent and 100,000 Chinese users, asking would-be buyers for $1 to $10 for the data per individual account. Two weeks later, the same hacker advertised the alleged records of another four million people on the same hacking forum.
TechCrunch found that another hacker on a separate hacking forum had already advertised a batch of allegedly stolen 23andMe customer data two months before the widely reported advertisement.
When we analyzed the months-old leaked data, TechCrunch found that some records matched genetic data published online by hobbyists and genealogists. The two sets of information were formatted differently, but contained some of the same unique user and generic data, suggesting the data leaked by the hacker was at least in part authentic 23andMe customer data.
In disclosing the incident in October, 23andMe said the data breach was caused by customers reusing passwords, which allowed hackers to brute-force the victims’ accounts by using publicly known passwords released in other companies’ data breaches.
Because of the way that the DNA Relatives feature matches users with their relatives, by hacking into one individual account, the hackers were able to see the personal data of both the account holder as well as their relatives, which magnified the total number of 23andMe victims.
-Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, Tech Crunch
WHO says time to hike alcohol, sugary drinks tax
Image Credit: Unsplash
Countries need to increase their taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, saying too few states were using tax to incentivise healthier behaviours.
After studying taxation rates, the WHO said the average global tax rate on such “unhealthy products” was low, and hiking taxes could result in healthier populations.
“WHO recommends that excise tax should apply to all sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and alcoholic beverages,” the UN health agency said in a statement.
Excise taxes target particular goods and services.
The WHO said 2.6 million people a year die from drinking alcohol, while more than eight million die from having an unhealthy diet.
“Implementing tax on alcohol and SSBs will reduce these deaths,” it said.
It would not only help cut down use of these products but also give companies an incentive to make healthier products, it added.
The WHO said that although 108 countries do impose some taxation on SSBs, globally, excise taxes on average represent just 6.6 percent of the price of a soda.
Half of those countries also tax water, the WHO noted — something not recommended by the UN agency.
“Taxing unhealthy products creates healthier populations. It has a positive ripple effect across society — less disease and debilitation and revenue for governments to provide public services,” said Rudiger Krech, the WHO’s health promotion director.
“In the case of alcohol, taxes also help prevent violence and road traffic injuries.”
The Geneva-based WHO on Tuesday released a manual on alcohol tax policy and administration for its 194 member states.
It said minimum pricing, combined with taxation, could curb consumption of cheap booze and reduce drink-related hospitalisations, deaths, traffic violations and crimes.
“A significant body of research has demonstrated that people who engage in heavy episodic drinking tend to drink the cheapest available alcoholic beverages,” it said.
Some 148 countries apply national excise taxes on alcoholic drinks.
“However, wine is exempted from excise taxes in at least 22 countries, most of which are in the European region,” the WHO said.
Globally, on average, the excise tax in the price of the most sold brand of beer is 17.2 percent, while for the most sold brand of the most sold type of spirits, it is 26.5 percent, the organisation claimed.
“A pressing concern is that alcoholic beverages have, over time, consistently become more affordable,” said WHO assistant director-general Ailan Li.
“But increasing affordability can be curbed using well-designed alcohol tax and pricing policies.”
The manual said the drinks industry often argues that alcohol taxes hit the poorest hardest — but said this ignores the “disproportionate harm per litre for alcohol consumers in lower socioeconomic groups”.
-Insider Paper
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