The United States remains the world's largest contributor to global financial secrecy, according to the Financial Secrecy Index 2025 published by the Tax Justice Network, highlighting ongoing concerns about hidden wealth, offshore finance, and transparency in the international financial system.

The index ranks jurisdictions based on their contribution to global financial secrecy, combining secrecy levels with the scale of financial services provided to non-residents. The latest report places the United States at the top with a Financial Secrecy Index (FSI) value of 2,018, well ahead of Switzerland and Singapore.

The Tax Justice Network found that the United States accounts for 25.54% of the global market for offshore financial services , giving it the largest influence on worldwide financial secrecy.

Analysts say the country's vast financial sector, combined with varying transparency requirements across states, continues to attract international wealth and corporate structures.

Switzerland, long associated with private banking secrecy, ranked second with an FSI value of 1,398, followed by Singapore (1,228) and Hong Kong (1,111).

Several of the world's biggest financial hubs featured prominently in the top 10, including Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan .

According to the Tax Justice Network, the rankings do not necessarily indicate illegal activity. Instead, they measure how laws, regulations and financial practices can enable assets and ownership structures to remain hidden from foreign authorities.

The organisation argues that greater transparency is essential for combating tax evasion, money laundering and illicit financial flows.

Financial secrecy has become an increasingly important issue for governments seeking to recover lost tax revenues and strengthen oversight of cross-border financial transactions.

International bodies such as the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have pushed for greater information sharing and beneficial ownership disclosure in recent years.

Despite those efforts, the Tax Justice Network says major economies and financial centres still play a significant role in facilitating opaque financial arrangements.

India has overtaken China to become the world's most populous nation, marking a historic demographic shift that is already reshaping global economic growth, labour markets and geopolitical influence.

According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 , India's population is projected to continue growing for several decades, while China's is expected to decline steadily as the effects of low birth rates and population ageing intensify.

The latest UN projections highlight a dramatic reversal in demographic fortunes between the two Asian giants, which together account for more than one-third of humanity.

UN estimates indicate that India's population has risen from approximately 201 million in 1800 to around 1.46 billion today , making it the world's largest country by population .

Under the UN's medium-fertility scenario, India's population is projected to reach roughly 1.68 billion by 2050, before gradually declining to around 1.51 billion by the end of the century.

The growth has been driven by improvements in healthcare, declining mortality rates and a relatively young population. India currently has one of the world's largest working-age populations, a demographic advantage economists often refer to as a "demographic dividend."

However, experts note that turning population growth into economic prosperity will depend on creating sufficient jobs, expanding education and improving infrastructure.

China's demographic story is moving in the opposite direction.

The UN estimates China's population grew from around 330 million in 1800 to a peak of more than 1.4 billion in recent decades. Yet falling fertility rates, rising living costs and longer life expectancy have contributed to a sustained population decline.

Under current projections, China's population is expected to fall from about 1.41 billion today to 1.26 billion by 2050, before shrinking further to approximately 633 million by 2100.

The decline reflects one of the most significant demographic transitions in modern history. China's fertility rate remains well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman despite policy efforts aimed at encouraging larger families.

Spain's iconic Sagrada Família is the world's tallest church, surpassing centuries-old European landmarks and reshaping the global ranking of religious architecture.

According to data compiled from Britannica , the basilica's planned central tower will reach 172.5 metres, placing it ahead of Germany's Ulm Minster (161.5m) and Côte d'Ivoire's Basilica of Our Lady of Peace (158m).

The milestone marks the latest chapter in a project that has been under construction for more than 140 years and remains one of the most recognisable symbols of Barcelona and modern religious architecture.

Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, the Sagrada Família has been under construction since 1882. The basilica's central tower, dedicated to Jesus Christ, is expected to elevate the structure to 172.5 metres, making it the tallest church building ever constructed.

The Sagrada Família Foundation has stated that the final height was intentionally designed to remain slightly lower than Barcelona's Montjuïc hill, reflecting Gaudí's belief that human creations should not surpass God's natural work.

The project received a major boost following the completion of the Tower of the Virgin Mary in 2021 and continues toward its final stages, despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Europe dominates the rankings

Europe remains home to most of the world's tallest churches, highlighting the continent's centuries-long influence on Christian architecture.

The current top ten includes:

Germany alone accounts for three of the ten tallest churches on the list.

Although surpassed in height by several structures, St. Peter's Basilica remains one of Christianity's most important sites.

Located in Vatican City, the Renaissance masterpiece was designed by architects including Michelangelo and serves as the spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican News describes it as one of the most visited religious sites in the world, attracting millions of pilgrims annually.

Organisers were seen managing crowds as participants took turns swallowing the live fish.

“I have a breathing problem and a cough. I need to go to the doctor regularly, and my grandfather told me about this place. So I have come here,” one devotee said.

Another participant said he learned about the event through local media .

“There are people from all over India coming here to Hyderabad in Nampally Ground for this,” he added.

The Bathini Fish Prasadam has been organised by the Bathini Goud family for approximately 181 years. According to the family, the remedy was passed down by a Hindu saint in 1845 with the condition that it must always be distributed free of charge.

To support the event, the state fisheries department supplied live murrel fingerlings, while volunteers arranged food, water and shelter for attendees waiting in line.

The practice has faced criticism from medical organisations. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has repeatedly challenged the treatment under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954 and raised concerns about the undisclosed ingredients used in the herbal paste.

Independent medical research has found no scientific or clinical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. Health experts have also warned that swallowing live fish may pose choking hazards and could worsen respiratory distress in some cases.