In with the new
How the new year is being celebrated around the world. From 1 January…
BRITAIN: Annual Investment Allowance for businesses cut from £500,000 to £200,000. Deposit Guarantee Limit for savers — the sum which the government will refund to savers after a bank collapse — is cut from £85,000 to £75,000. Drink industry workers face a fine unless they sign up with the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme.
RUSSIA: Food imports from Ukraine banned.
SWITZERLAND: Cost of private language schooling no longer tax-deductible.
SOUTH AFRICA: Carbon tax introduced.
Out with the old
In 2015…
— 142m people were born and 56m people died, making for population growth of 83m.
— 2,030m tonnes of grain were harvested.
— 1,989m tonnes were consumed.
— 26bn barrels of oil were consumed.
— Atmospheric CO2 concentration grew from 397 parts per million to 400 p.p.m.
Sources: worldometers.com, International Grains Council, Joint Oil Data Initiative, NOAA
Cities of death
Attacks in London and California have forced authorities to question what is the difference between terrorism and ordinary murder.
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