Name: Why the World’s Happiest Country was ranked first once again | March 20, 2026
Uploaded: 2026-03-20T06:48:32.000Z
Duration: 10 min 31 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

I'm so excited to be with you for another episode of the best 10 minutes in news.

We have a lot of important stories to tell you about today, so let's get right into it.

We begin with an update on the war in Iran and the impact it is having on some of the countries most important cultural sites.

Iranian state media says that in the nearly four weeks since the war began, US And Israeli strikes have caused extensive damage to at least 100 museums, mosques and other historic buildings.

The Ministry of Culture has strongly condemned the attacks and the strikes and says that they've even damaged several of the country's UNESCO heritage sites.

That includes the 400-year-old Goleston palace in Tehran, which suffered extensive damage following nearby strikes.

The main concern for us is the resilience of these structures, especially given their age and historical fragility.

central Command says it has not deliberately targeted civilians, and

the Israeli Defense Forces says measures have been taken to minimize collateral damage that could damage these cultural sites.

But UNESCO officials are warning that the escalating violence could impact more sites throughout the region.

We have communicated all the geographical coordinates to all the parties so that everyone is aware and that this World Heritage Site should not be subject to any attack.

Now to a huge update in the world of women's sports.

All eyes may be on the NCAA tournaments, but

the biggest breakthrough this week was at the pro level.

The WNBA and its players union announced that they have reached a new agreement that promises to forever change the league.

The collective bargaining deal is expected to greatly increase players salaries, which is an issue that had been at the center of ongoing negotiations.

The players union opted out of their previous deal nearly 18 months ago, claiming player salaries were not reflective of the league's explosive growth in popularity.

This new deal will increase player salaries and team salary caps by, listen to this, more than 400%.

It will also pave the way for million dollar players for the first time in the league's 30 year history.

Now, both sides still need to finalize details of that deal before a final vote, but

it's expected to be done well ahead of next month's rookie draft.

Speaking of rookies, a quick programming note.

The 2026 Naismith Girls High School Player of the Year has just been announced.

Kate Harpering from the Marist School in Atlanta was honored this week just after she committed to UNC Chapel Hill.

And Coy just got to play a little one on one with Harpering where they talk about what it's like to be a student athlete and how to even balance it all out.

We'll bring you that story next week, so be sure not to miss it.

What brain chemical is most commonly associated with feelings of happiness and reward?

Studies show that you can instantly trigger a dopamine release by listening to your favorite music, getting some sunlight, petting an animal, or even splashing cold water on your face.

Today is the International Day of Happiness and in this next story, one country is finishing first again.

For the ninth straight year, Finland leads the World Happiness Report, setting the gold standard for good vibes.

But in other parts of the world, happiness is actually declining and researchers say social media may be a factor.

Here's Scout Richards with what's boosting well being.

In the world's happiest country ranking, one place keeps coming out on top.

Finland is still the happiest country in the world, but

in some parts of the world, happiness is falling.

Gallup just released its annual World Happiness Report.

And for the ninth year in a row, Finland ranked number one.

And Costa Rica hit the highest ranking ever for Latin American country fourth.

In fact, for the second year in a row, no English speaking country cracked the top 10.

The rankings are based on years of surveys from more than 140 countries looking at things like income, social support, life expectancy and corruption.

But this year, researchers pointed to another factor that could impact happiness among young people, social media use.

They say it could be contributing to falling happiness among young people, particularly those spending five hours or more a day on social media.

And it's not just how much time people spend, but how they use it.

Messaging and staying connected is linked to higher well being, while endless scrolling and algorithm driven feeds are tied to lower life satisfaction.

So no matter where you are, a little less screen time could do some good for your well being.

This Women's History Month, we've been spotlighting some of the lesser known trailblazers who created positive change in our world.

Today we're introducing you to Jung Kwan.

She's the director of a historic Buddhist temple complex in South Korea, which by the way is an accomplishment in its own right.

Male monks vastly outnumber nuns in most Buddhist colonies, but

Kwon has gained world renowned appreciation for her cooking and innovative ways of encouraging people all over the world to eat a more plant based diet.

This is the home of Buddhist monk Jong Kwan.

She's putting the spotlight on Korean temple cuisine where food is deeply connected to spiritual practice.

Zhong's plant based masterclass begins here in the temple garden.

The monk hopes the chefs bring some temple cooking philosophy home with them and reimagine it in new ways.

One musically gifted family is proving that talent can span generations.

And in this case, all the way to one of the world's most iconic stages.

Preparing to take the stage at Carnegie hall is the Brinton family of pianists.

At the center is Sally Peterson Brinton, a Juilliard trained concert pianist who has passed her passion for music down through her family.

Seven children and dozens of grandchildren.

Playing is a spiritual experience for me.

Fifteen family members are now set to perform together, turning a shared passion into a full family ensemble.

I feel like we owe it to share our talents, to develop them, to contribute that to our children as well.

It's a performance built on more than talent, shaped by family support and years of practice.

All right, superstars, I've got time for two shout outs on this Friday, starting with Ms.

Carden at Ascent Academy in West Jordan, Utah.

Thank you so much for subscribing to our YouTube channel.

And next up, Mr. Ingram's class at Bartonville Public School in Bartonville, Illinois.

Thank you guys so very much for this super chic beaded purse.

And I'm sorry to tell you, Koi, I'm not giving this back.

Well, hope you guys all have an amazing weekend.