Free Republic

The Mexican Senate is considering a bill to increase the tobacco tax, arguing that it would improve health by discouraging use and increase the government’s bank account.It could also fill the accounts of some of Mexico’s major cartels. Experts say the cartels have a significant hand in Mexico’s black market for cigarettes and stand to gain an even bigger share from the tax.President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for raising Mexico’s ad valorem tobacco tax from 160% to 200%. The per-cigarette quota tax would nearly double by 2030.The inevitable result would be a bigger black market for cartels to exploit, said...

The researchers conducted a war game simulation, which showcased China’s military sinking the carrier fleet by launching a relentless onslaught of 24 hypersonic anti-ship missiles across 20 intense battles.

Bird flu viruses diversifying, making vaccine target harder to pick: WHO 19:23:04 EDT Aug 18, 2006 Canadian Press: HELEN BRANSWELL, The Canadian Press (CP) - The World Health Organization urged influenza vaccine makers Friday to use newer strains of virus when making vaccine to protect against H5N1 avian flu, saying the evolution of the microbe has led to increased variety in circulating strains. While the diversity creates challenges for vaccine manufacturers - and potentially additional costs for the governments paying them to make and test vaccine against H5N1 - it does not mean the worrisome virus has moved closer to...