Largest

• British health authorities announced a one-off vaccination programme on Friday, June 12, to protect thousands of students against meningococcal B (MenB) disease. • The initiative follows the largest outbreak of the disease in the UK's history, which occurred earlier this year and notably affected students in Canterbury, Kent. • This urgent public health response aims to curb the spread of the bacteria and prevent further severe cases of meningitis among high-risk student populations.

JPMorgan Chase leads 65 banks making decisions incompatible with restraining rising temperatures, researchers sayThe world’s largest banks committed $906bn in financing to the fossil fuel industry last year, an “unfathomable” increase in investment locking in years more of coal, oil and gas production as the world continues to overheat, a new report has found.The surge in new fossil fuel lending, up $64bn or nearly 8% on 2024, shows that the world’s largest 65 banks are making decisions incompatible with international agreements to restrain rising global temperatures, according to the coalition of environmental groups behind the new analysis. Continue reading...

• South Korea has surpassed India to become the world's sixth-largest stock market by market capitalization. • The shift was driven by a massive surge in the valuation of semiconductor heavyweights, which are critical to the global artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout. • This transition highlights the significant economic impact of the AI boom on South Korea's chip-centric economy compared to India's growth trajectory.

• South Korea has ascended to become the world's 6th-largest stock market, overtaking India, which has dropped to 7th place. • The shift is driven by an AI-led rally that pushed the Kospi and Taiwan's markets to record highs, while India's Nifty 50 experienced a decline. • This realignment highlights the global market's current prioritization of AI-centric economies over India's broader growth trajectory.

• South Korea has surpassed India to become the world's sixth-largest stock market. • The East Asian nation achieved this ranking in 2024 by vaulting past several major economies, including Canada, Germany, the UK, and France. • This shift highlights a significant increase in the valuation and global competitiveness of South Korean equity markets relative to other G7 and emerging nations.

New data suggests success in Gavin Newsom’s crackdown, as Illinois, Hawaii and Florida also report notable decreasesCalifornia reported one of the largest decreases in homelessness over the past year, according to a new report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (Hud).The Golden state recorded a total unhoused population of 181,934 in 2025 – an almost 3% decrease since the year prior, placing it among the five states with the largest decreases from 2024. However, more significant drops were recorded in Illinois (44%), Hawaii (41%), Florida (11%) and New York (8%). Continue reading...

• NASA announced in December 2025 that construction of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is complete, with a scheduled launch by May 2027 or potentially as early as fall 2026. • During its five-year primary mission, the observatory aims to discover approximately 100,000 new transiting planets and create the largest catalog of rogue worlds in history. • This mission is significant because it will drastically expand the known exoplanet population and provide unprecedented data on planets drifting without host stars.

Announcement by Marco Rubio is being widely seen as setback for Brazil’s president, and a boost for his far-right challengerThe United States has designated Brazil’s two largest criminal gangs, the First Capital Command (PCC) and the Red Command, as foreign terrorist organisations.The announcement, made by Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on Thursday, is being widely seen in Brazil as a setback for Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the president who had strongly opposed the designation – and a boost for Lula’s main challenger in October’s presidential election, the far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Continue reading...

German-owned discounter’s sales rise 8.8% year on year as households seek ways to keep bills downLidl has overtaken Morrisons to become the UK’s fifth largest grocer as its sales were powered ahead by households seeking to keep a lid on their weekly bills.The German-owned discounter increased its sales by 8.8% year on year – making it the fastest-growing store-based grocer – to hit a record high market share of 8.6% over the 12 weeks to 17 May, according to figures from the market analysts Worldpanel by Numerator. That compared with an 8.3% share for Morrisons in the period as the Bradford-based chain grew its sales by only 1.3% compared with a year earlier. Continue reading...

• Singapore has officially become the largest stock market in Southeast Asia as of May 21, 2026, reaching a total market capitalization of $645 billion. • Other major regional markets follow closely, with Indonesia ranking second at $618 billion, Thailand third at $577 billion, Vietnam fourth at $521 billion, and the Philippines fifth at $200 billion. • This shift highlights Singapore's growing dominance as a primary financial hub for the region, attracting significant investment and capital.