Finland is the happiest country in the world again. This European country has held the title for eight consecutive years. Does a country become happier just by having more wealth or power? The list shows that even wealthier countries lag far behind Finland in terms of happiness. So what is Finland's secret?

The report was released on Thursday (March 20) by the research organization Gallup, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Oxford Wellbeing Research Center. The list is published every year on this day in anticipation of the International Day of Happiness. Earlier, data was collected through surveys in 147 countries. The survey participants provided information about how their lives had been over the last three years. The news agency AP reported this information.

The top 10 happiest countries in the world are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg and Mexico.

What is the reason for Finland's superiority? Finnish resident Aino Virolanien works in digital commerce. He said, "I go abroad for work, and I have to stay. But I want to come back to Finland again and again. I grew up here; I'm raising my children here. Finland is a place of peace, silence and trust. We talk directly to nature. The air is so clean and fresh, who wouldn't love this country?"

Another Finnish resident named Alexandra Peth said that Finnish people trust and rely on each other a lot. She said, "We always try to cooperate with each other. The system here has become such that you can safely trust or rely on someone." She said that Finnish culture prioritizes trust and communication.

The researchers said that beyond wealth and health, there are some things that play an important role in happiness. For example, coming to each other's aid, helping each other, stepping forward in the plight of others, etc. Research has shown that these factors play an important role in making people happy.

John Clifton, CEO of the research firm Gallup, said, "Being happy does not mean having wealth. Rather, it is about trust and communication with others. If we want a strong society and economy, we must give importance to these factors."

The United States, one of the world's superpowers, is gradually falling behind in the list of happiest countries. This time, the United States is in 24th place. In 2012, the country was in 11th place. The United Kingdom is one step above the United States, that is, in 23rd place.

Where is Bangladesh?

Bangladesh is in 134th place out of 147 countries. India is in 118th place, Pakistan is in 109th place, Sri Lanka is in 133rd place. Nepal is in 92nd place.

The name of the unhappiest country in the world is Afghanistan.

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore left for space on an eight-day mission. The two returned to Earth after 9 months due to a technical glitch. Sunita now holds the record for spending the most time in space as a female astronaut. She is in second place on the list of NASA astronauts who have spent the most time in space.

Even after a certain period of time, 59-year-old Sunita has returned to Earth after dealing with the situation skillfully. The eyes of the whole world are now on her. However, her childhood dream was not to become an astronaut! Sunita used to dream of becoming a veterinarian when she was young!

Sunita loved science since childhood. She really wanted to become a veterinarian. However, according to the news media NDTV, Sunita's life took a turn because of her brother. Her brother got the opportunity to get admitted to the US Naval Academy. Sunita went to the academy to see her brother. After that, she wanted to join the Navy. She also got the opportunity to join in 1989. Sunita joined the Helicopter Combat Support Squadron. She has worked in the Middle East, including the Mediterranean. Sunita has worked to deliver humanitarian aid to disaster-stricken areas.

She joined NASA as an astronaut in 1998. She gained her first spaceflight experience in 2006. In 2007, she participated in a marathon by running on a treadmill at the International Space Station (ISS) for 4 hours and 24 minutes. In 2012, she went to the International Space Station for four months and performed multiple duties, including station operations.

Sunita Williams and Butch Ulmore went to the ISS on an eight-day mission in June last year. They were stranded due to a malfunction in the spacecraft. However, they did not face any complications because they had enough food and other facilities. The spacecraft carrying them landed in the sea near the coast of Florida on Tuesday night, Bangladesh time.

Two astronauts stranded in the International Space Station, Sunita Williams and Bach Moore, are returning to Earth from space after a long 9 months. They went to space for only 8 days last year. But they got stuck there due to technical problems.

Indian media NDTV reported that the SpaceX spacecraft Dragon was locked at 9:05 am Bangladesh time on Tuesday (March 18). Then the crew put on their flight suits and completed safety checks. After all the waiting, the spacecraft separated from the International Space Station at 11:05 am.

It is known that if everything goes well, it will hit the sea off the coast of Florida, USA, at 3:57 am Bangladesh time on Wednesday. At that time, a rescue team will ensure their extraction from the space and safety. After a safe landing, they will head to Houston.

The US space research agency NASA had earlier announced the start of their journey towards Earth. The agency also said that it will take them a total of 17 hours to land on Earth from the International Space Station.

Sunita and Bach More went on a regular space mission from Cape Canaveral in June 2024. Then they arrived at the International Space Station. But the vehicle they were supposed to return to was found to have a fault a few hours later. It was found that the spacecraft was leaking helium. In addition, there was a problem with the thruster. After that, NASA postponed their return mission indefinitely.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to restart talks in the Middle East to end the war in Ukraine.

The British media outlet BBC reported that the two leaders' 90-minute long phone call on Tuesday (March 18) focused mostly on the ceasefire.

A statement issued by the White House after the phone call said that the two leaders agreed to start the peace process through a ceasefire in energy and infrastructure. The statement said that talks in the Middle East will begin very soon to start the peace process.

Middle East-based news outlet Al Jazeera said that the two leaders agreed to end the conflict through a long-term peace process. They also agreed to stop the use of strategic weapons in the Middle East. They also discussed Iran.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt said in an X-Handle that Trump and Putin discussed the need for a ceasefire in Ukraine and the peace process.

In an X-Post, Carolyn Leavitt said, “Both leaders agreed on the need to end this war through a long-term peace process.”

Both sides expressed optimism about establishing better relations between Russia and the United States, she said. Carolyn Leavitt said that the amount of blood and resources that Russia and Ukraine are spending on this war would be better used for the people of both countries. This conflict was unnecessary and could have ended long ago.

The two leaders also discussed reducing tensions between Israel and Iran, she said.

A Kremlin statement after the call said that the two presidents had detailed and frank discussions on the situation in Ukraine.