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Finland crowned world´s happiest nation for fifth year

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3 years ago

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  • Finland has been crowned the happiest nation for the fifth time.
  • Afghanistan has again ranked as the unhappiest.
  • Among other things, Finland has low levels of crime and inequality.

HELSINKI: Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for the fifth year running, in an annual UN-sponsored index that again ranked Afghanistan as the unhappiest, followed closely by Lebanon.

Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania recorded the biggest boosts in wellbeing. The largest falls in the World Happiness table, released on Friday, came in Lebanon, Venezuela and Afghanistan.

Lebanon, which is facing economic meltdown, fell to second from last on the index of 146 nations, just below Zimbabwe.

War-traumatised Afghanistan, already bottom of the table, has seen its humanitarian crisis deepen since the Taliban took power again last August.

UN agency UNICEF estimates one million children under five could die of hunger this winter if not aided.

“This (index) presents a stark reminder of the material and immaterial damage that war does to its many victims,” co-author Jan-Emmanuel De Neve said.

The World Happiness Report, now in its 10th year, is based on people´s own assessment of their happiness, as well as economic and social data.

It assigns a happiness score on a scale of zero to 10, based on an average of data over a three-year period. This latest edition was completed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Northern Europeans once again dominated the top spots — with the Danes second behind the Finns, followed by the Icelandic, the Swiss and the Dutch.

The United States rose three places to 16th, one ahead of Britain, while France climbed to 20th, its highest ranking yet.

As well as a personal sense of wellbeing, based on Gallup polls in each country, the happiness score takes account of GDP, social support, personal freedom and levels of corruption.

This year the authors also used data from social media to compare people’s emotions before and after the Covid-19 pandemic. They found “strong increases in anxiety and sadness” in 18 countries but a fall in feelings of anger.

“The lesson of the World Happiness Report over the years is that social support, generosity to one another and honesty in government are crucial for wellbeing,” report co-author Jeffrey Sachs wrote.

“World leaders should take heed.”

The report raised some eyebrows when it first placed Finland at the top of its listings in 2018.

Many of the Nordic country’s 5.5 million people describe themselves as taciturn and prone to melancholy, and admit to eyeing public displays of joyfulness with suspicion.

But the country of vast forests and lakes is also known for its well-functioning public services, ubiquitous saunas, widespread trust in authority and low levels of crime and inequality.

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Aryan Khan’s Netflix debut web series is announced by Shah Rukh Khan.

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2 days ago

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The premiere web series of Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s firstborn son, will be available for streaming on Netflix India starting next year, the streaming service formally announced on social media Tuesday night.

Aryan is the director and creator of the untitled “one-of-a-kind series” about Bollywood, which is produced by SRK’s wife Gauri Khan. “Explore Bollywood like never before… on Netflix,” they stated.

For the series, Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Khan, collaborates with Netflix.

The “multi-genre” show is said to be set against the backdrop of the glamorous film industry and “promises an unabashed, entertaining ride through the adventures of a charming, ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood,” though cast details are still unknown.

“We are thrilled to present this new series with Netflix that offers a refreshing look into the glamorous cinematic world and what it takes to succeed as an outsider,” the “Jawan” actor said in reference to the production.

“The team at Red Chillies Entertainment, along with Aryan and numerous enthusiastic minds, have brought this unique story to life.” “This one will be full of heart, hustle, and entertainment,” he continued.

Monika Shergill, the programming head for Netflix India, said, “Aryan takes a bold and dynamic approach to directing and has produced something genuinely unique and incredibly entertaining.” “We can’t wait for our members to watch it because it builds on our shared passion for outstanding storytelling and new voices.”

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Aamir Khan declared his retirement from the film industry.

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1 week ago

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Aamir Khan, a prominent actor and director with over 35 years of service in Bollywood, revealed that he nearly withdrew from his work a few years ago, but his family persuaded him to reconsider this choice.

In a recent joint interview with his former spouse Kiran Rao, Khan stated, “I resolved to resign prior to Laal Singh Chadha.” I was undergoing a personal journey.

“As the Covid pandemic waned, I abruptly recognised that I have devoted the majority of my adult life, from the age of 18 to the present, entirely to cinema and films.” Consequently, I perceived that I had not sufficiently supported my connections with my children, siblings, and family. Regardless of whether it was Kiran or Reena during my marriage to them. He articulated that he believed he had not sufficiently supported these individuals. I experienced significant shame and was dissatisfied with my actions. Having completed numerous films over the past 35 years, I can now concentrate on my family.

The ‘Taare Zameen Par’ actor recalled the moment he informed his family of the news. He remembered, “I gathered my family and expressed my desire to abandon my film career to spend time with all of you.” My reaction was not due to any disappointment with the film.

“Junaid and Ira, his elder children from his first wife Reena Dutta, persuaded me to continue.” Junaid enquired, ‘Why must you oscillate between extremes?’ There exists an intermediary space in which one can reside. They elucidated that to me, and I returned. Khan disclosed that no one was aware of his resignation, ultimately stating, “No tangible outcome resulted from it.” It was merely my individual path.

Aamir Khan will next appear in the self-produced film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, alongside Genelia Deshmukh and Darsheel Safary. The spiritual successor to ‘Taare Zameen Par’ (2007) is set for theatrical release on December 25.

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Pink is Yumna Zaidi’s favorite color.

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2 weeks ago

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After proving herself in a number of roles, Pakistani actress Yumna Zaidi is rightfully considered a household name in Hollywood.

The “Zara Yaad Kar” starlet enthusiastically shared new images on Instagram. She wears something pink in the clips. Their distinctive posing style is one of the images’ strongest qualities.

The photographs all have their own unique style. “The Waris Shah’s Heer” is the title of the book she is seen carrying in one of the clicks.

She captioned the photo with: “Today’s wellness was Pink.”

Many gushed fans shared their thoughts in the comments area after being utterly enchanted. A user gushed, calling it “Gorgeous.” Along with the starlet’s compliments, another user dropped a slew of emojis.

Yumna has amassed more than 9.4 million Instagram followers as a result of her steadfast dedication to her career.

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