Pennies from haven
Last week’s huge leak of the ‘Paradise Papers’ has put the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in the spotlight. But the original tax haven was actually New Jersey, not Jersey.
— New Jersey was struggling financially in the 1880s until governor Leon Abbett liberalised the state’s incorporation laws. This persuaded many companies to set up there rather than in New York, where they were doing business.
— In return, New Jersey charged a franchise tax. It has since lost its status as a tax haven, but it was copied by neighbouring Delaware, which still hosts the corporate HQs of many US companies.
Shooting stars
With 3.65 gun deaths per 100,000 population in 2016, how does the United States compare internationally?
| Lowest | |
| Singapore | 0.03 |
| Japan | 0.04 |
| South Korea | 0.05 |
| China | 0.06 |
| UK | 0.07 |
| Highest | |
| El Salvador | 40.29 |
| Venezuela | 34.77 |
| Guatemala | 26.81 |
| Colombia | 25.94 |
| Honduras | 20.56 |
Source: Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
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