The results are according to the United Nations General Assembly’s second World Happiness Report, which rated six areas like GDP per capita; social support; healthy life expectancy at birth; freedom to make life choices; generosity; and perceptions of corruption to calculate overall happiness in 156 countries.

Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, praised the achievement for Emiratis which he described as an “approach followed by the founding fathers of the UAE, a vision in all government sectors, levels and institutions as well as a manner of work that governs all of our policies and decisions”, he said in a statement according to Emirates News Agency.

Meanwhile, the UN report shows that Greece ranked 70th out of 156 countries, with a happiness index of 5.4, making it the least happy country in Europe.

Of all the European countries, Greece seems to have suffered the most from the Eurozone crisis, since it marked the greatest drop in the happiness index 29010-12 period, To Vima reports.

On the other hand, the countries in the north of Europe are at the top of the happiness index, with Denmark 1st, followed by Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Canada, Finland, Austria, Iceland and Australia rounded out the top 10.

Egypt and Saudi Arabia in the wake of recent political upheaval Egypt had the greatest fall in Happiness levels.

Oman was ranked 23 happiest country, Qatar 27, Kuwait 32, Saudi 33 and Bahrain 79.

Leading experts in several fields – economics, psychology, survey analysis, national statistics, and more – describe how measurements of well-being can be used effectively to assess the progress of nations.

The Report is edited by Professor John F. Helliwell, of the University of British Columbia and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research; Lord Richard Layard, Director of the Well-Being Programme at LSE’s Centre for Economic Performance; and Professor Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Director of the SDSN, and Special Advisor to the UN Secretary General.

The remaining category E claim was submitted by the Government of Kuwait on behalf of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, stated a news release issued by the Geneva-based Commission.

In 2000, the claim was awarded $14.7 billion for oil production and sales losses as a result of damages to Kuwait’s oil field assets and represents the largest award by the UNCC’s Governing Council.

With this payment, the Commission has paid out $42.3 billion of its total awarded amount of $52.4 billion to over 100 governments and international organizations for distribution to 1.5 million successful claimants in all claim categories, leaving approximately $10.1 billion remaining to be paid.

Successful claims are paid with funds drawn from the UN Compensation Fund, which is funded by a percentage of the proceeds generated by the export sales of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

The UNCC’s Governing Council has identified six categories of claims: four are for individuals’ claims, one for corporations and one for governments and international organizations, which also includes claims for environmental damage.

The Commission was established in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the UN Security Council. It has received nearly three million claims, including from nearly 100 governments for themselves, their nationals or their corporations.

On July 17, 2013, the court of appeals confirmed the conviction of Sara al-Drees, 26, on charges of offending Kuwait’s emir and misusing her mobile phone when sending tweets that the authorities considered offensive. She is free on bail, awaiting the outcome of a further appeal.

“The Kuwait authorities over the past year have prosecuted dozens of people for peaceful political statements,” said Joe Stork, acting Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

“The government should tolerate this kind of criticism, not persecute people who dare express it.”

Since a political crisis between the government and the political opposition in June 2012, the authorities have charged several dozen politicians, online activists, journalists, and others with “offending” the emir, Kuwait’s head of state.

The government should drop charges against those accused or convicted of crimes solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression, and it should amend Kuwait’s criminal code to remove the crime of “offending the emir,” Human Rights Watch said.

On May 29, 2013, a Kuwaiti criminal court convicted al-Drees of offending the emir in four tweets that she admitted sending. One referred to an October 2012 protest that local activists said was met with a violent government response and many arrests. She wrote: “What’s taking place now is a shame on Kuwait’s history. Damn this era! The curse of Allah shall rest on the oppressors!”

In another, referring to the ruling family, she wrote: “We loved you as a part of Kuwait’s history, rejecting violations by some of you, but we now feel that you are spongers imposed on us by our constitution.”

Al-Drees, who teaches high school students about human rights under Kuwait’s constitution, is not the only woman to be sentenced to prison for political speech.

On June 10, a court sentenced Huda al-Ajmi, a 37-year-old teacher, to 11 years in prison, including 5 years for “offending the emir,” after convicting her on charges based on a series of tweets. She is free on bail, awaiting the outcome of her appeal.

Article 25 of Kuwait’s penal code of 1970 sets out sentences of up to five years in prison for anyone who publicly “objects to the rights and authorities of the emir or faults him.” This provision violates the free speech protections in international treaties to which Kuwait is a party, Human Rights Watch said.

“Kuwait used to have a better reputation than most other Gulf states in respecting the right to free speech,” Stork said. “But with each case like this, the authorities are lowering themselves to the standards of the rest of the region.

Forty-three MPs voted in favour of a bill on Wednesday with only two abstentions. In order to take effect, the law must now be signed by the Amir of Kuwait.

“While this bill is a welcome step, the Kuwaiti government must intensify its efforts to find a lasting solution for all the Bidun in the country,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Director for Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme.

“The Bidun’s human rights must be upheld without discrimination, in particular their rights to health, education and work.

“The absence of policies to resolve the plight of the Bidun, rooted in human rights standards, is a stain on the country’s international reputation. It deprives thousands of Bidun families of their basic political, economic and social rights and bars them from contributing fully to Kuwaiti society.”

In February, the Kuwait parliament passed the first reading of the bill, which stipulated the naturalisation of at least 4,000 of Kuwait’s stateless people. The bill has since been amended from “4,000 stateless” to a “maximum of 4,000 foreigners”, which could essentially exclude the Bidun, or at least limit the number that could receive citizenship.

Amnesty International has previously raised concerns about the Bidun and, in October 2012, Kuwait’s Prime Minister, Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah told Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Salil Shetty, that his government would resolve the status of the Bidun people within five years.

In the past the Kuwaiti government pledged to address some Bidun’s grievances but stated that only 34,000 Bidun were eligible for citizenship.

The benefits for Bidun that were promised by the Government in April 2011 have not yet materialised, leaving many Bidun without access to employment, health care, education, and other vital public services, as well as documents such as birth certificates. Bidun children are excluded from primary and secondary education.

Inspired by protests which broke out in 2011 in the Middle East and North Africa region, the Bidun community have protested peacefully since February 2011, demanding to be recognized as citizens of Kuwait.

The security forces have used force to disperse demonstrations and arrested protesters, some of whom are facing trial for participating in the demonstrations.

The Kuwait Criminal Court this week reportedly postponed until 19 May 2013 the trial of 33 Bidun for participating in “unauthorised demonstrations” in December 2012.

Background Information

Many Bidun are descended from nomadic Bedouin tribes that roamed freely across the borders of the Gulf countries. Their ancestors did not apply for nationality around the time Kuwait gained independence in 1961. As a result, the Bidun have been trapped in limbo and denied Kuwaiti nationality and access to some public services.

“The criminal court’s decision to acquit five online activists could become a victory for free speech,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Kuwaiti authorities should take a cue from this decision and revoke sentences and drop charges against others accused of offending the emir.”

Authorities should suspend and then abolish laws that criminalize peaceful criticism of public officials because they violate international human rights standards, Human Rights Watch said.

Since October 2012, the Public Prosecution Office has charged at least 35 individuals, including online activists, with offending the emir, the defendants, their lawyers, and human rights activists told Human Rights Watch. Criminal courts havesentenced at least six of them, including the three former members of parliament, to prison terms. Al-Enzi, acquitted in this case, is currently serving a two-year prison term for “offending the emir” in a different case.

“The Kuwaiti judicial system is clearly at odds with itself, sentencing some for offending the emir, while freeing others,” said Whitson. “The court needs to set clear and unequivocal precedent that offending the emir is not a legitimate charge.”

The latest round of payments brings the total amount of compensation disbursed by the Commission to $40.1 billion for more than 1.5 million successful claims of individuals, corporations, governments and international organizations, leaving some $12.3 billion remaining to be paid.

Successful claims are paid funds monies drawn from the UN Compensation Fund, which is financed by a percentage of the proceeds generated by the export sales of Iraqi petroleum and petroleum products.

In a news release, the UNCC said the two remaining claims were awarded compensation for damages to Kuwait’s oil field assets including wells, pipelines and related equipment, and associated production and sales losses.

The Geneva-based UNCC’s Governing Council has identified six categories of claims: four are for individuals’ claims, one for corporations and one for governments and international organizations, which also includes claims for environmental damage.

The Commission was established in 1991 as a subsidiary organ of the UN Security Council. It has received nearly three million claims, including from nearly 100 governments for themselves, their nationals or their corporations.

In several statements the Interior Ministry justified the use of force on the grounds that protesters had blocked traffic, thrown stones at the police, and attacked them. However, Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 20 protest organizers, participants, rights activists, and witnesses, who said that demonstrations they took part in or witnessed were largely peaceful. They said that masked riot police used tear gas and sound bombs without warning to disperse demonstrations and beat protesters while arresting them for participating in “unauthorized protests.”

“There is no justification for attacking peaceful protesters,” said Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “The authorities should show they will not tolerate abuses by investigating all allegations of abuse by security forces and punishing those responsible for violating rights.”

Since mid-October, online activists and opposition groups have organized numerous demonstrations in various parts of Kuwait, protesting a decree by Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and an election process that they said undermined their rights. The government initially banned all protests, then rescinded the decision.

The Kuwaiti authorities should respect the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and investigate police use of force during the demonstrations, Human Rights Watch said. If force is required to stop violence by demonstrators, security forces should use the minimum force necessary to carry out lawful objectives.

Kuwait should increase the accountability of its police forces by ending the use of masked anti-riot forces who wear no badges identifying themselves, Human Rights Watch said. While police agents may have legitimate reasons to mask their identities in limited circumstances, such as when conducting surveillance, policing demonstrations is not one of them.

The political crisis in Kuwait began in June, when the emir suspended parliament for a month. The Constitutional Court then dissolved parliament but on September 25 rejected a government motion to amend the country’s electoral law. On October 7, the emir set December 1 for an election for a new parliament.

On October 19, the emir decreed amendments to the electoral law that reduced from four to one the number of votes each voter could cast. Opposition groups, including Islamists, liberals, nationalists, and tribal elements, condemned the move saying it had violated the constitution and that the electoral law should be amended only by an elected parliament.

Security forces used force and made arrests at several demonstrations, the protesters and witnesses said. In October, protesters said, security forces beat protesters near parliament after some protesters tore down a barrier. Security forces used teargas and sound bombs to disperse a demonstration  in Abraj and another on that date at Tahrir tower in Kuwait City. Security forces also used teargas and sound bombs at a demonstration on November 4 in Mishrif.

On October 21, the Interior Ministry issued a statement saying it would only allow protests at al-Irada Square, across from the National Assembly (parliament) building in Kuwait City, then permitted demonstrations on November 30 and December 8, both of which ended peacefully.

Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Kuwait ratified in 1996, states that “the right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized,” and that “no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and that are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”

Kuwait’s constitution guarantees the right to freedom of assembly. In 2006, the constitutional court struck down 15 of the 22 articles of the 1979 Kuwaiti Public Gathering Law, including article 4, which requires permission to hold public gatherings. However permission is still required for marches.

“Kuwait’s rulers need to fully respect the right to assemble peacefully,” Goldstein said. “Declaring a gathering “unauthorized” does not give police license to beat protesters.”

Since October security forces have used teargas and stun grenades to disperse at least three large rallies protesting an effort by the country’s ruler to amend the country’s electoral law in a way that might reduce opposition representation in parliament.

Opposition groups – consisting of Islamists, liberals, and nationalists – have called for another gathering in al-Erada Square in front of the National Assembly building in Kuwait City on November 11, marking the 50th anniversary of the country’s constitution.

“The right to peaceful assembly is enshrined in the constitution Kuwaitis will be celebrating,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Authorities should lift the ban and permit people to express their views.”

Some of the rallies brought out tens of thousands of protesters, such as a “March of Dignity” on October 20 – the largest in the country’s history. The Interior Ministry justified the use of force to disperse protesters, saying that they “rioted and used violence,” “threw stones at police forces,” and “blocked traffic.” At the October 20 event, dozens of people were injured, according to news reports, including at least 11 policemen, according to the Interior Ministry.

However accounts from Kuwaiti human rights activists and videos examined by Human Rights Watch indicate that the demonstrations have been largely peaceful. In any event the use of violence by some protesters would not justify as drastic a step as the prohibition of all demonstrations. Restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly must be proportionate, Human Rights Watch said.

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Kuwait’s emir, issued the decree to amend the electoral law on October 19. The next day, the Interior Ministry warned that it would “absolutely not allow” sit-ins, gatherings, and marches regardless of how long they will last except within a designated area near the National Assembly building in Kuwait City.

The political upheaval in Kuwait began on June 18, when the ruler suspended the parliament that had been elected in February for a month following growing tensions between the legislature and the government. On June 20, the constitutional court voided the February elections and reinstated the previous parliament, elected in 2009, which included more government supporters.

In August the government petitioned the court to allow it to amend the electoral law to reduce the number of people for whom each eligible voter can cast a vote from four to one in parliamentary elections. Opposition groups strongly oppose such a change which they have described as an attempt to reduce the opposition presence in future parliaments. The groups say that the next elected parliament should make any needed changes to the law.

On September 25 the constitutional court rejected the government’s request. On October 7 the emir dissolved the reinstated 2009 parliament and set December 1 to elect a new parliament. Then on October 19, he changed the electoral law by decree.

Kuwait ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 1996. Article 21 of the ICCPR states that “the right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized,” and that “no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”

“The government has an obligation to respect the right to gather peacefully regardless of whether demonstrators support or oppose its policies,” Stork said. “If force is required to quell violence by protesters it should be the absolute minimum necessary to protect lives and property.”

Al Hasawi announced the takeover had been successful last night on his Twitter account. “I can officially announce that the acquisition of Nottingham Forest is complete,” he said, the newspaper writes.

In an official statement, yesterday, Fazaz, Abdulaziz and Omar Al Hasawi said, inter alia: “We are delighted to announce that we have just completed our acquisition of Nottingham Forest Football club from the Estate of the late Nigel Doughty.

It is an honor and privilege for the Al Hasawi Family to assume control of this great Club steeped in history and with the outstanding legacy left by its previous owner Nigel Doughty.

We know there are challenging times ahead of us to bring the club back to its glory days and we look forward with excitement towards a successful future…”

The idea of the Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC) to advance their entity into a union and replace what exists now as simply a cooperative was first proposed by Saudi Arabia in December.

Bahrain’s information information, Samira Rajab, revealed that a Saudi proposal to evolve the GCC into a union will be on the agenda of the Riyadh meeting, adding that the idea backed by Bahrain could start with two or three members, she told AFP.

“It could follow the “European Union model,” she added.

A united Gulf is the great dream of GCC people and this will enable all to live in security, peace, prosperity and stability, accoridng to  Bahrain’s Prime Minister yesterday.

Bahrain led by  a Sunni dynasty,  was hit last year by a wave of protests inspired by the Arab Spring and led by its Shiite majority.

The Gulf Council Cooperation (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE was formed in 1981 by Sunni-dominated monarchies aimed to boost security after the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and its war with Iraq.

Riyadh argues that evolving the GCC into a union has economic potential.

 Such a union would turn the oil-rich GCC into a “solid economic bloc,” said the Saudi foreign minister, as the combined economic output of the group hit $1,400 billion in 2011, according to Al Arabiya.

But the GCC continues to face obstacles preventing the group from reaching goals set at its launch as only four members Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have signed a monetary council agreement in their bid to launch a single currency initially set up for 2010.