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Metro
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The world's funniest countries revealed — and Brits won't be happy
Laughter might be a universal language, but let's be honest, some people are just funnier than others. And, whether it's deadpan delivery, playful banter or self-deprecating sarcasm, each country has its own comedic signature. If your ideal holiday includes more than just lounging on the beach or ticking off tourist attractions, and you want a place where the locals make you laugh, you might want to listen up. A new global ranking has named the world's funniest countries. But Brits shouldn't get too cocky. We might be a nation of dry humour and relentless sarcasm, but the UK hasn't even made the top 10. In a survey by Remitly, over 6,000 people across 30 countries were asked to complete something called the Humour Styles Questionnaire. It's a psychological tool created in 2003 by researcher Rod Martin, designed to examine not just if someone is funny, but how they express their humour. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. The winner? Perhaps surprisingly, it was Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic). Scoring 72.33 out of a possible 112 on the questionnaire, the Czechs came out top thanks to their strength in self-defeating humour. They also scored high for aggressive humour, which Remitly describes as 'a potent mix of self-deprecation, razor-sharp irony, and expertly wielded sarcasm. The Czech humour isn't loud or performative; it's dry and operates on well-placed jabs and deadpan delivery. According to Remitly: 'Czechs have refined humour into a survival tool, using wit as psychological armour that has evolved into a defining national characteristic.' In second place was Portugal, scoring 71.42. Remitly says Portuguese humour leans more into affiliative and aggressive styles, leaving them with a sense of humour that blends warmth and wit. 'Known for quick-thinking jokes, they often use humour to charm, tease, and disarm,' it explains. Ireland took third place with 71.18 – a result that probably won't shock anyone who's ever been around someone from Ireland. According to Remitly, Ireland scored high for affiliative and self-enhancing humour. 'This may align with the Irish's reputation for friendliness and excellent storytelling. It's a great combination of humour styles, leading to citizens of Ireland being sharp, charming and relatable.' More Trending Belgium followed close behind (71.12), with Chile and Greece tied for fifth at 71.08. As for the UK? Eighteenth. Behind Canada and just ahead of South Africa. A ranking that may leave British comedy fans clutching their box sets of Peep Show and The Office in disbelief. Hey, at least we weren't in last place. Sorry, Norway, we hate to break it to you. Czechia Portugal Ireland Belgium Chile Greece Australia Poland Denmark Hungary Switzerland Netherlands France Mexico Austria Estonia Canada UK South Africa Norway. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: A new high-speed train is set to link three of Europe's coolest capital cities MORE: Prague hit by major power outage impacting thousands of people across Czech capital
Time Out
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
A study just named this European nation the world's funniest country
Are you a quick wit or a master of irony? Have you got good craic or enough comedic timing to get a laugh even out of the cringiest dad jokes? Chances are that you're a funny person. Humour is both universal and incredibly local. It varies enormously between generations, communities and across cultures, but you can bet every nation has its own comedic identity – even if that means not really having one at all. But, which nation is the funniest? Well, Remitly asked more than 6,000 people from 30 different countries to fill out the Humour Styles Questionnaire, which is a study developed back in 2003 by a guy called Rod Martin. It essentially helps researchers and psychologists understand how humour is used by different people in their day-to-day, not just if they're funny but also how they're funny. Recommended: The best comedy movies of all time, according to Time Out. So, was it the Brits, with their dry use of irony, or the Irish, famous for their good craic, who claimed the crown? The answer is neither – the title of the funniest country in the world was actually awarded to (slapstick drum roll, please) ... Czechia (aka the Czech Republic). Scoring 72.33 out of 100, Czechs apparently excel at self-defeating humour and also, according to the study, rank well for aggressive humour (this includes jokes that come at another person's expense, such as sarcasm or ridicule). Portugal came second with a score of 71.42. The Portuguese are characterised by affiliative humour – that's the kind of funny which is warm and helps people bond – and in a close third place was Ireland, which scored 71.18. These are the world's 20 funniest countries, according to Remitly Czech Republic Portugal Ireland Belgium Chile Greece Australia Poland Denmark Hungary Switzerland Netherlands France Mexico Austria Estonia Canada UK South Africa Norway Did you see that these are officially the best islands in the world to visit in 2025? Plus: The Italian city was crowned Europe's best by thousands of travellers.
Perth Now
11-06-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
Aussie men urged not to delay seeking health treatment
Australian men are being urged not to put off routine health checks as early conversations with a doctor can save lives. In the second week of June, Men's Health Week aims to draw attention to preventable health issues and close life expectancy gaps between men and women. On average, men have a shorter life expectancy than women and are more likely to die from preventable conditions like heart disease, cancer and suicide. During this year's Men's Health Week, Aussie men are being urged to prioritise their wellbeing and 'see your GP'. Men living in regional and rural areas are particularly encouraged to do so as they often put off seeing their doctor. This can be due to distance, busy workloads, or the 'she'll be right' attitude, Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine president Rod Martin said. "Men will look after their cars, tools and families better than themselves," he told AAP. "The truth is, early checks and conversations with your doctor can save your life and your Rural Generalist (RG) doctor is there to help you, not judge you." Men living in very remote areas die up to 13 years earlier than those in cities, and rates of potentially avoidable deaths are two and a half times higher. Dr Martin sees the biggest influx in check ups among men after their mates have been diagnosed with something. "There's sometimes a bit of denial and thinking it won't happen to me," he said. "But it needs to become a normal part of the discussion for men to talk about lots of different aspects of their health." The Australian Men's Health Forum is hosting a record number of events, including webinars on prostate cancer and stroke, mental health expos, walking football and community BBQs. The national campaigns are aimed at promoting prevention, connection and visibility in men's health. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Epoch Times
07-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Tariffs Rock China
Foreign orders have 'evaporated' for many Chinese exporters, borrowing the word from one in southern China. He is not alone. On social media platforms in China, they discuss their dilemma. A few said they were immune from the impact of U.S. tariffs owing to their irreplaceable products. These exporters reported that U.S. orders formed most of their business —and were the most lucrative. Without the American market, no other region, including Europe, can fill the void. Ocean container bookings from China to the United States have dropped by 60 percent since universal tariffs were announced on April 2, according to Ryan Petersen , CEO of Flexport, an international shipping company. Exports drove one-third of China's economic growth last year, the highest level since 2017. China's economy is growing more slowly; that's the official story . Some experts dispute these figures—they say the Chinese economy is already in recession, and U.S. tariffs may make things a lot worse. Related Story 5/4/2025 'China's in a real problem period,' Rod Martin , founder and CEO of Martin Capital, told The Epoch Times. Beijing will have trouble backing down from its standoff with the United States , he said, because Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping 'has clearly created his whole persona around being the leader who can stand up to America.' Given the irreplaceable nature of the U.S. consumer market in China's export-driven economy , Martin said, Beijing will 'have to make a deal at some point, or this recession does turn into a depression.' William Lee , chief economist at the Milken Institute, an economic think tank based in California, said Xi will likely subsidize Chinese exporters at the cost of further increasing deficits of heavily indebted local governments. The Chinese regime can probably keep exporters afloat for about six months to a year if it doesn't resolve the trade war with the United States, Lee projected. A recession is defined as a decline in GDP in two consecutive quarters . A depression is a prolonged recession. Two key forward-looking indicators point to a downward trend. In April, China's factory activity contracted the fastest —a 3 percent month-over-month drop—in two years, according to the country's National Bureau of Statistics. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) was 49 in April, the lowest since December 2023. China's official youth unemployment rate was at 16.5 percent in March. Frank Xie , business professor at the University of South Carolina Aiken, said the situation will worsen when a new wave of college graduates enters the job market this summer. More than 12 million college students will graduate in June . Among them, about 7 million will enter the job market, and the remainder will pursue advanced studies. The regime paused reporting the number in June 2023 , when it hit a record of 21.3 percent. The Epoch Times reported at the time that the actual youth unemployment rate may have been much higher. A college law professor estimated it at as high as 80 percent. The regime resumed reporting unemployment figures in January 2024 , but began excluding students from its methodology. 'China's economic structure was built based on globalization ,' Yeh Yao-Yuan , professor of international studies at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, told The Epoch Times. 'However, after China's overcapacity distorted the global markets for so long, and the global markets began to say 'no,' the domestic market won't be able to absorb the overproduction. It's only a matter of time before the Chinese economy enters a depression.' So, if the official data from the Chinese regime will never confirm anything but growth , let alone a recession or depression, what signs can observers watch for to know whether it has entered a worse phase? Among all statistics, export data is difficult to forge because one country's exports would need to equal other countries' imports, Xie said. Social unrest due to the lack of jobs will be another sign of China entering a depression, according to Yeh. China's Commerce Ministry, in a subtle shift of tone on May 2 , indicated that it was open to trade talks. Now, for many Chinese exporters, competing internally seems to be the only viable way to move piled inventories and keep producing. A shoe wholesaler in Guangdong Province keeps posting advertising videos showing the difficulties of keeping 1,000 jobs alive and the high quality of its products because they are tailored for exports. The sales manager said the shoes are made for well-known Western brands, 'they are just without the logos.' Read more . — Terri Wu BOOKMARKS President Donald Trump says he will offer TikTok another extension to divest from its Beijing-based parent company before it faces a ban in the United States, The Epoch Times' Jacob Burg . The president said he has a 'little sweet spot' for the video-sharing application. Trump said that military annexation of Canada is 'highly unlikely,' but he won't rule it out with Greenland, The Epoch Times' Joseph Lord . Trump said that action against Greenland was also unlikely, but added he could see circumstances where he would be open to it. California tugboat operators are struggling to keep up with the state's costly new emissions rules, The Epoch Times' Allan Stein . Industry officials said the revised harbor watercraft rule requires air filtration technology that does not exist. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'will be enlisting the entire agency to activate a scientific process to treat a host of diseases, including measles,' The Epoch Times' Zachary Stieber . The commitment comes following a measles outbreak in Texas and elsewhere, with 935 confirmed cases of the disease in 2025. The Vatican Conclave to replace the late Pope Francis will begin on May 7. The Epoch Times' TJ Muscaro on what to know about the election and the cardinals involved.
