World

Finland takes top spot, US gets lowest-ever rank in World Happiness Report

Published

12 months ago

March 20, 2025

Finland takes top spot, US gets lowest-ever rank in World Happiness Report

The US fell to its lowest-ever ranking in the 2025 edition of the World Happiness Report amid rising social isolation and political polarisation, while Finland and other Nordic countries remained at the top of the index.

Published on Thursday by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the report evaluates various factors, including health, wealth, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption, to measure overall happiness across societies based on self-reported assessments from 147 countries.

Finland continued in the top spot this year, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, and Mexico.

At the bottom of the index, Afghanistan ranked the lowest, followed by Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Comoros and Lesotho.

The United States ranked 24th, one spot lower than last year, continuing its downward trajectory from a high of 11th place in 2012, when the survey began.

The report highlighted growing unhappiness in the US, noting an increasing preference for eating alone.

“In 2023, roughly one in four Americans reported eating all of their meals alone the previous day – an increase of 53 percent since 2003,” the report stated.

“Dining alone has become more prevalent across all age groups, but especially among young people.”

A man eats alone in a food court at New York City’s Coney Island, US, on July 4, 2017 [Andrew Kelly/Reuters]

The report also pointed to a rise in “deaths of despair” in the US, which contradicts a global downward trend. Since 2000, such deaths have declined by 75 percent across 59 countries, though they remain high in nations like South Korea and Slovenia.

Researchers suggested that rising unhappiness may contribute to growing political polarisation – a trend also observed in Europe.

“The decline in life satisfaction explains the overall rise in anti-system votes, but trust in others then comes into play. Among unhappy individuals drawn to the extremes of the political spectrum, those with low trust are more often found on the far right, whereas high-trust individuals are more inclined to vote for the far left,” the report noted.

The sense of social isolation in the US contrasts with countries like Mexico, which broke into the list of top 10 happiest countries this year. According to the report, factors such as regularly sharing meals and living in larger households contribute to wellbeing.

“Sharing meals has a strong impact on subjective well-being – on par with the influence of income and unemployment,” the World Happiness Report stated. “This is true across ages, genders, countries, cultures, and regions.”

Larger households also “offer a potential advantage in fostering positive social interactions”, which may explain why Mexico and Costa Rica – ranked sixth this year – score as highly as many European countries despite having lower overall wealth, according to the report.

“Latin American societies, characterised by larger household sizes and strong family bonds, offer valuable lessons for other nations seeking higher and more sustainable wellbeing,” the report added.

Another key finding was the strong correlation between happiness and the belief that someone would return a lost wallet. While seemingly a small act, Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup, emphasised that it reflects deeper societal forces.

“Happiness isn’t just about wealth or economic growth – it’s about trust, connection, and knowing people have your back,” he said in the report. “If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other.”

Social cohesion and a robust social safety net were common characteristics of the highest-ranking countries.

Click to comment

World

Investors brace for a bigger backlash from Middle East war

Published

4 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Investors brace for a bigger backlash from Middle East war

From being just a fringe risk, conflict in the Middle East has become a top worry for investors unsettled by the prospect of a power struggle in Iran and a protracted regional war, with ramifications for everything from global trade to inflation.

World

Tel Aviv analyst shelters from 30 missile sirens in 48 hours, says Iran ‘won’t recover’

Published

5 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Tel Aviv analyst shelters from 30 missile sirens in 48 hours, says Iran ‘won’t recover’

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The past 48 hours in Tel Aviv have been unlike anything seen before, a leading security analyst has said, as sirens blared amid missile threats following Operation Epic Fury and U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran.

“We are facing a biblical event — nothing less,” Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital, speaking from his shelter in the city.

Like many Israelis, Michael said he had spent hours in reinforced rooms during the ongoing barrage, adding that he was “very experienced in this.”

“But this all requires time and determination, and I do hope that Trump will also have them both,” he said, speaking shortly after the president released a video message stating that the military operation would continue “until all of our objectives are achieved.”

Explosions from projectile interceptions by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system over Tel Aviv. (JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images)

“Trump is the only one who can make the change — and that change will impact the entire region and the international order for years to come,” Michael added.

As of Sunday, Tel Aviv remained under a state of emergency following Iranian missile attacks that caused casualties and widespread damage.

According to The Associated Press, Iranian missile and drone strikes have killed approximately 11 Israeli civilians and wounded dozens more in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran.

Shrapnel from missile impacts damaged at least 40 buildings in Tel Aviv, and authorities reported at least one death in the area from falling debris.

The Philippine Embassy in Israel confirmed the death of a Filipino national after a missile strike hit Tel Aviv on Saturday.

TOMAHAWKS, B-2 STEALTH BOMBERS AND ATTACK DRONES POUND OVER 1,000 IRANIAN TARGETS IN 24-HOUR BLITZ

People take shelter as Iran launched missiles and drones towards Israel following the US-Israeli attacks. ( Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“We enter our shelter once the siren is heard and stay there until the Home Front Command announces that we can leave,” Michael said.

“Usually, it is about 20 to 30 minutes — unless there are further sirens during our stay. Since yesterday morning, it has happened around 30 times.”

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog also visited an impact site in Tel Aviv Sunday, delivering a message of resilience.

“The people of Israel and the people of Iran can live in peace. The region can live in peace. But what undermines peace time and again is terror instigated by this Iranian regime,” Herzog said.

EXILED IRANIAN CROWN PRINCE SAYS US STRIKES MARK ‘BEGINNING OF THE VERY END’ FOR REGIME

Israeli emergency service officer walks past building debris at the scene of a Iranian missile attack. (Ahmad GHARABLI / AFP via Getty Images)

Following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and roughly 40 senior Iranian officials, Iran formed a provisional leadership council.

Iran named Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i to lead roles.

“The Supreme Leader did not complete the necessary groundwork regarding his own succession,” Michael added.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“Pezeshkian will face very troubling challenges due to their heavy losses, severe disruptions to control and command systems, and the massive bombing and attacks across Iran, including Tehran,” he said.

“Even if this regime doesn’t collapse, it will never be able to reconstitute itself, recover or return to its previous position,” Michael added.

Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.

World

Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM

Published

6 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Israel FM says Europe too divided, slams Spanish PM

Israeli minister Gideon Sa’ar said Europe “does not have unified position” on what role it should play in Iran as European ministers sought to establish a joint approach Sunday.

As Israel and the United States conducted a joint military strike on Iran, leading to the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Europe was kept on the sidelines.

EU member states did not participate in the operation and, in some cases, they were not informed prior as it is customary among strategic allies.

Asked whether Israel sought to keep Europe on the margins, Sa’ar said internal divisions within EU member states had kept them out of critical exchanges of operational details, unlike the United States, which the minister described as his country’s greatest ally.

“In Europe, you have all kinds of approaches,” he told Euronews. “You have countries like the Czech Republic which is strongly supporting this operation and then you have Spain, which is standing with all the tyrants of the world.”

On Saturday, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez was among the most critical voices in Europe, suggesting the US-Israeli strikes on Iran risk plunging the region into total war.

“We reject the unilateral military action of the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order,” Sánchez said Saturday. The Spanish PM reiterated that message on Sunday.

“We urge for de-escalation and call to respect international law in all conflicts,” Sánchez added. “You can be against a heinous regime, like the Iranian regime, while also rejecting a military intervention that is unjustified, dangerous and outside of international law.”

Sa’aar said Israel considers the operation “fully justified” citing the right to self-defense from a regime that “has called for the destruction of Israel” and lashed at the Spanish prime minister for sending an “anti-Israeli, anti-American message.”

“Read the statement, they are standing with Iran!” he added.

When asked if any of his European counterparts had manifested an interest in joining the military operation or provide support on the ground, Sa’ar said he held multiple exchanges with European ministers over the weekend and suggested that “if others want to join, they will know have to convey the message.”

On Sunday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appeared to back regime change in Iran in line with Israel and the US, saying that the “risk of further escalation is real. This is why a credible transition in Iran is urgently needed” in comments on Sunday.

Sa’ar told Euronews said the strategic strikes and the elimination of Khamenei alongside top regime commanders could “create the conditions to weaken the regime enough to allow the Iranians to take their future into their own hands”.

“The future leadership of Iran should be determined by the Iranian people through free elections. Our only requirement is that whoever comes to power in Iran must not pursue the destruction of Israel,” he said.

Watch the full interview on Euronews from 8pm CET