In a new survey, Switzerland has been crowned as the world's best country for the third year in a row.&nbsp;

U.S. News &amp; World's report in its ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’ has ranked 15 European countries in the top 25 spots, east and Southeast&nbsp;Asia in four spots, the Middle East in two spots and North America and Oceania in another two spots.&nbsp;

The rankings were done after taking the views of more than 17,000 people across the world who ranked the countries on categories like power, openness for business, cultural influence, adventure, agility, heritage, entrepreneurship and quality of life.&nbsp;

Switzerland stood at the top of the ranking. It has been clinching the first rank since 2017.&nbsp;

The report stated that it was "bolstered by notable performances in three of the heaviest-weighted subrankings: quality of life, entrepreneurship and social purpose."&nbsp;

Climbing up four spots, Japan took the number two spot in the rankings in the entrepreneurship and movers categories.&nbsp;

The United States was ranked in third place, two spots ahead of its previous ranking.&nbsp;

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In the category of power and agility, it was ranked number one, number two in entrepreneurship and number three in cultural influence.&nbsp;

The other top 10 countries were Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, the UK, New Zealand and Denmark.&nbsp;

From 11th to 25th position were ranked Norway, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Italy, China, the UAE, South Korea, Spain, Finland, Austria, Iceland Belgium, Ireland and Qatar.&nbsp;

At the bottom of the ranking were countries from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America.&nbsp;

<h2>What was the rank of India?</h2>

In this year's ranking, India grabbed the 33rd position, as it dropped three spots from its place on the list in 2023.&nbsp;

<h2>What about the warring countries?</h2>

Ukraine, which has been engaged in a brutal war with Russia for 30 months, was ranked the lowest in the world, at Number 80.&nbsp;

The Israel and Hamas war pushed Tel Aviv down 10 places in comparison to last year's ranking.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Upscale travel soars among Americans&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/upscale-travel-soars-among-americans-world-business-watch-wion-756823/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Speaking to U.S. News &amp; World, CEO and president of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Clionadh Raleigh said, "Israel's standing on the world stage will be drastically affected by this conflict, but I hesitate to say it will be entirely negative."

"The reason being is that other rising powers and regional power-brokers are far less critical about how Israel has gone about this conflict and (I think) will seek to resuscitate their new, stronger relationship as soon as time allows," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new survey, Switzerland has been crowned as the world's best country for the third year in a row. U.S. News & World's report in its ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’ has ranked 15 European countries in the top 25 spots, east and Southeast Asia in four spots, the Middle East in two spots and North America and Oceania in another two spots.

In a new survey, Switzerland has been crowned as the world's best country for the third year in a row. U.S. News & World's report in its ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’ has ranked 15 European countries in the top 25 spots, east and Southeast Asia in four spots, the Middle East in two spots and North America and Oceania in another two spots. The rankings were done after taking the views of more than 17,000 people across the world who ranked the countries on categories like power, openness for business, cultural influence, adventure, agility, heritage, entrepreneurship and quality of life. Switzerland stood at the top of the ranking. It has been clinching the first rank since 2017. The report stated that it was "bolstered by notable performances in three of the heaviest-weighted subrankings: quality of life, entrepreneurship and social purpose." Climbing up four spots, Japan took the number two spot in the rankings in the entrepreneurship and movers categories. The United States was ranked in third place, two spots ahead of its previous ranking. Also Read: Philippines plans full e-Visa service for Indians, space MoU with ISRO In the category of power and agility, it was ranked number one, number two in entrepreneurship and number three in cultural influence. The other top 10 countries were Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, the UK, New Zealand and Denmark. From 11th to 25th position were ranked Norway, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Italy, China, the UAE, South Korea, Spain, Finland, Austria, Iceland Belgium, Ireland and Qatar. At the bottom of the ranking were countries from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America. What was the rank of India? In this year's ranking, India grabbed the 33rd position, as it dropped three spots from its place on the list in 2023. What about the warring countries? Ukraine, which has been engaged in a brutal war with Russia for 30 months, was ranked the lowest in the world, at Number 80. The Israel and Hamas war pushed Tel Aviv down 10 places in comparison to last year's ranking. Watch: Upscale travel soars among Americans Speaking to U.S. News & World, CEO and president of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Clionadh Raleigh said, "Israel's standing on the world stage will be drastically affected by this conflict, but I hesitate to say it will be entirely negative." "The reason being is that other rising powers and regional power-brokers are far less critical about how Israel has gone about this conflict and (I think) will seek to resuscitate their new, stronger relationship as soon as time allows," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

This country has been ranked 'best in the world' in a global survey. India ranks....

The US&nbsp;military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-ordered-ukraine-deal-to-probe-biden-us-diplomat-sondland-263493">President Donald Trump</a>, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said.

A trident review board hearing is set for December&nbsp;2 to weigh whether Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who was charged with committing war crimes during a 2017 deployment to Iraq, is fit to remain in the SEALs, Navy Captain Tamara Lawrence said.

She told Reuters that three of Gallagher's commanding officers face separate hearings to review whether they, too, should be removed from the SEALs.

Gallagher's civilian lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, confirmed his client was served with papers in San Diego, where he is based, informing him of the upcoming review, convened by Naval Special Warfare commander Rear Admiral Collin Green.

Parlatore said Green's move to strip Gallagher of his SEAL status marked a direct challenge to Trump's authority as commander-in-chief and an act of insubordination for which Parlatore said the admiral himself could be court-martialed.

Parlatore contested the move in a complaint filed on Tuesday with the US&nbsp;Defense Department inspector general's office.

Gallagher's notice of a trident review board hearing cited the verdict rendered in his court-martial trial in July as evidence calling into question his suitability to continue serving in naval special warfare, the Navy said.

A military jury acquitted him of charges he fired at unarmed civilians and murdered a captured Islamic State fighter by stabbing the wounded prisoner in the neck. But he was found guilty of illegally posing with the detainee's corpse.

Although spared prison time, he was sentenced to a demotion in rank and pay, from chief petty officer to petty officer first-class, along with a two-month forfeiture of his salary.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/donald-trump-says-us-is-still-talking-to-china-on-trade-263477">Trump last Friday intervened in the case</a> to restore his rank and pay, allowing Gallagher to retire later this year on a full pension. The president also granted pardons to two Army officers separately accused of war crimes in Afghanistan.

Critics said Trump's moves undermined military justice and sent a message that US&nbsp;battlefield atrocities would be tolerated.

The US military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by President Donald Trump, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said.

The US military formally notified a court-martialed Navy SEAL commando on Wednesday that he faces proceedings to expel him from the ranks of elite special forces after his demotion was reversed by President Donald Trump, his lawyer and a Navy spokeswoman said. A trident review board hearing is set for December 2 to weigh whether Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who was charged with committing war crimes during a 2017 deployment to Iraq, is fit to remain in the SEALs, Navy Captain Tamara Lawrence said. She told Reuters that three of Gallagher's commanding officers face separate hearings to review whether they, too, should be removed from the SEALs. Gallagher's civilian lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, confirmed his client was served with papers in San Diego, where he is based, informing him of the upcoming review, convened by Naval Special Warfare commander Rear Admiral Collin Green. Parlatore said Green's move to strip Gallagher of his SEAL status marked a direct challenge to Trump's authority as commander-in-chief and an act of insubordination for which Parlatore said the admiral himself could be court-martialed. Parlatore contested the move in a complaint filed on Tuesday with the US Defense Department inspector general's office. Gallagher's notice of a trident review board hearing cited the verdict rendered in his court-martial trial in July as evidence calling into question his suitability to continue serving in naval special warfare, the Navy said. A military jury acquitted him of charges he fired at unarmed civilians and murdered a captured Islamic State fighter by stabbing the wounded prisoner in the neck. But he was found guilty of illegally posing with the detainee's corpse. Although spared prison time, he was sentenced to a demotion in rank and pay, from chief petty officer to petty officer first-class, along with a two-month forfeiture of his salary. Trump last Friday intervened in the case to restore his rank and pay, allowing Gallagher to retire later this year on a full pension. The president also granted pardons to two Army officers separately accused of war crimes in Afghanistan. Critics said Trump's moves undermined military justice and sent a message that US battlefield atrocities would be tolerated.

US Navy moves to expel court-martialed SEAL commando after Trump restored his rank

India is among the bottom five countries on the Environmental Performance Index 2018, plummeting 36 points from 141 in 2016, according to a biennial report by Yale and Columbia Universities along with the World Economic Forum.

While India is at the bottom of the list in the environmental health category, it ranks 178 out of 180 as far as air quality is concerned.

Its overall low ranking -- 177 among 180 countries -- was linked to poor performance in the environment health policy and deaths due to air pollution categories.

The report was released on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

It said deaths attributed to ultra-fine PM2.5 pollutants have risen over the past decade and are estimated at 1,640,113 annually in India.

Switzerland leads the world in sustainability, followed by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden in the EPI, which found that air quality is the leading environmental threat to public health.

Overall, India (at 177) and Bangladesh (179) come in near the bottom of the rankings, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nepal rounding out the bottom five.

&quot;India&#39;s low scores are influenced by poor performance in in the Environmental Health policy objective. Deaths attributed to PM2.5 have risen over the past decade and are estimated at 1,640,113, annually (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2017).

&quot;Despite government action, pollution from solid fuels, coal and crop residue burning, and emissions from motor vehicles continue to severely degrade the air quality for millions of Indians,&quot; the report said.

There was no immediate reaction available from India&#39;s environment ministry.

The 10th EPI report ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across 10 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

&quot;Of the emerging economies, China and India rank 120 and 177 respectively, reflecting the strain population pressures and rapid economic growth impose on the environment,&quot; the researchers noted. 
The EPI said air quality remains the leading environmental threat to public health.

In 2016, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated that diseases related to airborne pollutants contributed to two-thirds of all life-years lost to environmentally related deaths and disabilities.

&quot;Pollution is particularly severe in places such as India and China, where greater levels of economic development contribute to higher pollution levels (World Bank and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2016).

&quot;As countries develop, increased population growth in large cities, as well as increased industrial production and automotive transportation, continue to expose people to high levels of air pollution,&quot; it said.

India ranks 177 out of 180 in Environmental Performance Index

India is among the bottom five countries on the Environmental Performance Index 2018, plummeting 36 points from 141 in 2016, according to a biennial report by Yale and Columbia Universities along with the World Economic Forum. While India is at the bottom of the list in the environmental health category, it ranks 178 out of 180 as far as air quality is concerned. Its overall low ranking -- 177 among 180 countries -- was linked to poor performance in the environment health policy and deaths due to air pollution categories. The report was released on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. It said deaths attributed to ultra-fine PM2.5 pollutants have risen over the past decade and are estimated at 1,640,113 annually in India. Switzerland leads the world in sustainability, followed by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden in the EPI, which found that air quality is the leading environmental threat to public health. Overall, India (at 177) and Bangladesh (179) come in near the bottom of the rankings, with Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nepal rounding out the bottom five. "India's low scores are influenced by poor performance in in the Environmental Health policy objective. Deaths attributed to PM2.5 have risen over the past decade and are estimated at 1,640,113, annually (Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2017). "Despite government action, pollution from solid fuels, coal and crop residue burning, and emissions from motor vehicles continue to severely degrade the air quality for millions of Indians," the report said. There was no immediate reaction available from India's environment ministry. The 10th EPI report ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across 10 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. "Of the emerging economies, China and India rank 120 and 177 respectively, reflecting the strain population pressures and rapid economic growth impose on the environment," the researchers noted. The EPI said air quality remains the leading environmental threat to public health. In 2016, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimated that diseases related to airborne pollutants contributed to two-thirds of all life-years lost to environmentally related deaths and disabilities. "Pollution is particularly severe in places such as India and China, where greater levels of economic development contribute to higher pollution levels (World Bank and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2016). "As countries develop, increased population growth in large cities, as well as increased industrial production and automotive transportation, continue to expose people to high levels of air pollution," it said.

1,640,113 people die annually in India due to PM2.5 pollutants

About 60,000 people have fled South Sudan since violence escalated over the past three weeks, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;They brought to us very disturbing reports, armed groups operating on roads to Uganda are preventing people from fleeing,&quot; UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a briefing. 
 
&quot;Armed groups are looting villages, murdering civilians and forcibly recruiting young men and boys into their ranks.&quot; 
 
The bulk headed to neighbouring Uganda, doubling the flow over that border over the past 10 days, and the rest to Sudan and Kenya, the agency added. 
 
(Reuters)

The UNHCR said armed groups in the country have been forcibly recruiting young boys in their ranks

About 60,000 people have fled South Sudan since violence escalated over the past three weeks, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said on Tuesday. "They brought to us very disturbing reports, armed groups operating on roads to Uganda are preventing people from fleeing," UNHCR spokeswoman Melissa Fleming told a briefing. "Armed groups are looting villages, murdering civilians and forcibly recruiting young men and boys into their ranks." The bulk headed to neighbouring Uganda, doubling the flow over that border over the past 10 days, and the rest to Sudan and Kenya, the agency added. (Reuters)

60,000 South Sudanese flee violence, report looting, killing

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