Around The world
GT keeps the newswire ticking by bringing you news from around the globe
GREECE
Paris Olympics flame lit
The flame for the 2024 Paris Olympics has been lit at the site of ancient Olympia. Various dignitaries and members of the public witnessed the lighting in the stadium where the earliest recorded Games were held in 776 BC. The flame will now begin its journey towards Paris in a relay to mark the opening of the Games in July. Greek Olympic gold medallist rower Stefanos Ntouskos was chosen as the first runner of the Olympic torch relay.
DENMARK
Børsen on fire
Denmark’s historic stock exchange building, Børsen, which is located in the centre of Copenhagen, was engulfed by fire, with its iconic spire collapsing due to the flames. No casualties were reported, however, people rushed to save the historic paintings donning the halls of the notable building. The building was undergoing renovation and was covered in scaffolding and plastic covering. The cause of the fire is unknown, but the officials have said that the scaffolding created a hindrance in dousing the fire.
SOUTH KOREA
Samsung beats Apple
According to research by International Data Corporation, the South Korean giant Samsung Electronics has surpassed USA’s Apple as the leading smartphone provider in the first quarter of 2024. Apple’s shipments dropped 9.6% in the first quarter despite the market for smartphones expanding 7.8% overall. Samsung delivered almost 60 million smartphones, securing a 20.8% global market share. Apple came in second with 50.1 million units, accounting for 17.3% of the 289.4 million smartphone shipments worldwide.
TANZANIA
J&J cough syrup recalled
The drug officials in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe have withdrawn an entire lot of Johnson & Johnson children’s cough syrup as Tanzania’s Medicines and Medical Devices Authority received a laboratory test report stating high toxicity in the syrup. Drug regulators have found high levels of diethylene glycol in the syrup, which results in acute kidney failure and has been linked to the deaths of many children.
INDIA
Fishing ban imposed
A two-month fishing restriction has been imposed in Odisha in order to conserve marine fish stock during the breeding period. Fishing by mechanised vessels, including 553 trawlers and 131 mechanised boats from the Paradip fishing harbour, has been banned from April 15 to June 14, 2024. Under section 4 of the Odisha Marine Fishing Regulation, 1982, fishermen have been prohibited from embarking onto the sea.
SINGAPORE
PM steps down
Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong has announced that he is stepping down from his position and will be replaced by deputy prime minister Lawrence Wong, who will now be Singapore’s fourth prime minister. A statement by the PMO stated that Wong had the unanimous backing of the PAP members. Wong has said that Lee Hsien Loong would serve as a senior minister in his cabinet after he is sworn in as PM on May 15, 2024.
New Zealand
Sustainable fuel deal
In an attempt to decarbonise and meet its net-zero carbon emission targets, Air New Zealand has signed its largest deal for nine million litres of sustainable aviation fuel with Finland-based petroleum refiner Neste. Manufactured at Neste’s Singapore refinery, the green fuel will be combined with normal jet fuel and supplied to Los Angeles International Airport between April 1 and November 30, 2024.