World Cup tops Google searches in Singapore

What were Singaporeans most curious about in 2018?

Sports and current affairs, says Google.

The 2018 Fifa World Cup, which was held in Russia, was the top trending search here, ahead of Malaysia's general election and the Australian Open 2018, which came in second and third, respectively.

The Malaysian election, which saw the Pakatan Harapan coalition end the 61-year rule of Barisan Nasional, was also second on the trending international news list.

Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak was fourth among trending searches and international news.

The Trump-Kim summit was also on Singaporeans' minds, topping the Singapore news trends.

Held at the Capella Singapore hotel, it was the first meeting between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Tech and electronics exhibitions were also popular, with the Singapore Comex 2018 and IT Show 2018 being the top trending events.

Apple's new flagship smartphone, the iPhone XS, was No. 1 among trending gadgets.

Singaporeans also had their eye on superhero movies, with Marvel blockbusters Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War on the list of trending searches.

Black Panther was the top trending movie, grossing US$1.35 billion (S$1.85 billion) worldwide.

Marvel stalwart Stan Lee, who created many of the comics giant's iconic characters such as Spider-Man and the Hulk, was fifth among trending searches on Google. He died last month at the age of 95.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 13, 2018, with the headline World Cup tops Google searches in Singapore. Subscribe