NewsRoundUp | 260525

 

Wondering what’s trending around the world at this time? Not to worry, SEB is got you covered. Here are some of the biggest global trends right now:

·       X (formerly Twitter) outage: The platform suffered two major outages within 24 hours, leaving thousands of users unable to log in or access their feeds. Elon Musk has yet to provide an official explanation, but speculation ranges from cyberattacks to infrastructure failures. Some services have been restored, but issues persist for many.

·       Top billionaire cities: New York City continues to lead the world with the highest number of billionaires, followed by Hong Kong and Moscow. Mumbai has also climbed the ranks, reflecting India's growing economic influence. Mumbai has dropped to sixth place, reflecting shifts in global wealth distribution.

·       India's economic growth: India has officially surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy, with a GDP of $4.19 trillion. The country is expected to continue its rapid growth, driven by strong private consumption and government investments. India's GDP growth for Q4 FY25 is projected at 7%, but the full-year estimate has been revised down to 6.3%. The country remains one of the fastest-growing major economies.

NewsRoundUp | 040525

 

GLOBAL

Singapore: The ruling People's Action Party (PAP) won a landslide victory in the general election, securing 87 of 97 parliamentary seats. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong received a strong mandate to navigate economic challenges, particularly in response to looming U.S. tariffs. Wong, who succeeded Lee Hsien Loong last year, emphasized stability and economic resilience in his campaign.

Israel: The Israeli military has called up tens of thousands of reservists ahead of an expanded Gaza offensive. Reports indicate that reservists are being mobilized to replace active-duty soldiers in Israel and the occupied West Bank, allowing for redeployment to Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticized Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire negotiations, accusing it of playing "both sides".

Vietnam: The country has lodged a formal protest against China over an alleged airspace violation near disputed islands in the South China Sea. The incident involved a Chinese helicopter and coast guard vessels, prompting Japan to also issue a diplomatic protest. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions in the region.

NewsRoundUp 010723

NewsRoundUp at this time takes-off from the United States with the now trending story about the Supreme Court solidifying protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations. 

NewsRoundUp 040523

NewsRoundUp at this time sets out with the shocking story from Egypt of a Mum allegedly hacking her 5-year-old son to death and then cooking and eating his head. According to the local Egyptian media report which also claims the suspect committed the crime with a machete and cooked and ate part of his head, her arrest has been effected after the boy's horrified uncle found body parts in buckets at the home in Abu Shalabi, Egypt. Officers were shocked when the suspect, Hanaa, confessed that she had eaten part of her son's head because she "wanted him to stay with her forever".

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NewsRoundUp at this time begins with Bobrisky, opening up about his experience of being deported from the United Arab Emirates due to their strict Islamic laws. He revealed that he has visited Dubai many times before, but was sent back to Nigeria during his last trip. Speaking on the TokeMoments audiovisual podcast hosted by Toke Makinwa, Bobrisky submitted that his deportation was due to his attire and the day he arrived. “The last time I went to Dubai, I was sent back to Nigeria. I have been there so many times. But that one was their prayer, I think one of their special days. It happened to be on Friday, they go to the mosque. They are holy so extra on that day. When I got there, the camera did not accept my face. You know me na, I was on makeup, I want to brag first class, I want to talk ‘oh! guys, I’ve been to Dubai. Your mummy is in first class’.” , he narrated and added further.  “So, I got to the Immigration where you are going to do everything. They saw my passport, they looked at my face. They said ‘face camera’. And I faced the camera. It rejected my face several times. They [Immigration officers] said ‘Are you sure you’re the same person?’ And I said ‘yes’. The man looked at me, he said ‘Idris, you are a Muslim?’. I said ‘yes’. He looked at my passport. He was confused.” According to him while he was later taken to a private office where he was questioned about his gender identity, “So, we went to one of their private offices. And they said ‘Are you trans or..’ I said ‘Well, I used to be a guy’. And they said ‘Oh! on a normal day if it is not Friday’ they would have just allowed me in. But because it was Friday, jumʿah day, they said ‘no, they can’t allow me in’,” he recalled.