Photo : Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva/AFP
20 March 2024, Wednesday | NIAS Europe Daily Brief #786
By Padmashree Anandhan
FINLAND
Continues to be the happiest country in the world
On 20 March, the world happiness report published the top 10 countries in the happiness index. According to the report, Finland continued to be the happiest country for seventh time along with other Nordic countries, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland placed in the top. It also found increasing unhappiness amongst the youth in western countries especially with the US and Germany dropping down from top 20. This was replaced by new two countries, Costa Rica and Kuwait in 12 and 13 places whereas eastern European, Serbia, Bulgaria and Latvia also highlighted increase in happiness. It was a grim picture for Afghanistan following the Taliban take over which remained the last one in the list. According to Jennifer De Paola, a happiness researcher at the University of Helsinki: “Finnish society is permeated by a sense of trust, freedom, and high level of autonomy.” Combined with this, the strong welfare society and low corruption and free access to healthcare and education were the key components for Finland to top the index. (“Finland ranked world's happiest country for seventh year,” Deutsche Welle, 20 March 2024)
FRANCE
Operation launched to curb drug trafficking networks in Marseille
On 19 March, France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of a large-scale operation on drug smuggling in Marseille. The move comes as he recalled the death of many due to gang criminality and the city being the host to many events of the Paris Olympics triggered the launch. He visited La Castellane, one of the most affected neighbourhoods due to drug wars. The launched operation to track such drug networks, traffickers and will be destroyed as per Macron’s comments. Marseille being the second largest city has been subject to violence due to increase gang wars. (“France launches major anti-drug crackdown in Marseille,” Deutsche Welle, 19 March 2024)
Court of Paris finds the 28 people guilty of cyberbullying
On 19 March, the BBC reported on imprisonment of 28 people for 18 months under the cyberbullying case. The judges found the suspects guild of harassing a influencer triggered through a campaign by French rapper Booba on “thieving influencers.” The court of Paris stated that the act had “real consequences” to the subject and Booba will also face a separate trial. Defendants of the case were fines EUR 700 and were asked to pay an additional penalty of EUR 54,000 to the influencer. (Ian Casey, “Magali Berdah: Dozens jailed in France's largest cyberbully case,” BBC, 19 March 2024)
France’s Competition Authority fines Google
On 20 March, French authorities announced fining of Google for breach of an agreement in paying media companies. According to the report, it will be fined EUR 250 million for not paying and reproducing the same online. France’s Competition Authority stated that the fine was only for failing the follow the commitment made in June 2022. Google and many other similar platforms have been subject to accusation of making billion from news without splitting the revenues with who circulate it. This has been tried to be addressed by the EU through “neighbouring rights” which grants print media to ask for compensation for the content online. (“French regulator fines Google €250 million,” Le Monde. 20 March 2024)
ROMANIA
NATO to expand its military base in Romania’s Black Sea port
On 19 March, Romanian Defence Ministry announced on NATO’s military expansion in the Black Sea port of Constanta as stronger security guarantee for Romania. This means NATO strengthening its eastern flank in the military base of Constanta which is close to Ukraine’s Black Sea zone. The project is expected to install a new military complex worth EUR 2.5 billion and will be functional fully form 2040. Commander Nicolae Crețu of the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base said: “A new runway, connections between the two existing runways, taxiways for aircraft and anti-aircraft protection systems will be built.” (Ana-Maria Stancu, “NATO expands its Romania Black Sea air base,” Euractiv, 20 March 2024)