World News for Students of English

10-01-2019 07:00

Qatar has a new tax which some people call a ‘sin tax’, and this tax took effect at the beginning of the year, and it was implemented on goods that may be harmful to human health and the environment.

The extra money from the tax will go toward public services like schools, infrastructure and hospitals.

Exact prices are not clear, but there is a 100 percent tax increase on alcohol, tobacco products, and energy drinks, as well as a 50 percent tax on soft drinks. However, the alcohol tax only affects foreigners living in Qatar, since they are the only people legally allowed to buy alcohol.

Qatar is hosting the men’s football World Cup in 2022, and it is not yet clear how this new tax will affect foreigners who plan to visit. People suggested that alcohol could be served to visitors in special areas.

Difficult words: sin (an action against religious rules), implement (apply), harmful (damaging, unhealthy), infrastructure (the basic physical and organizational structures and services needed for a city or a country), increase (rise, growth).

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