Thousands Attend Release of 'Happy Cows' in Sweden

Cows graze on a farm near Sunchales, Argentina, April 6, 2018. Reuters.
Cows graze on a farm near Sunchales, Argentina, April 6, 2018. Reuters.
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Thousands Attend Release of 'Happy Cows' in Sweden

Cows graze on a farm near Sunchales, Argentina, April 6, 2018. Reuters.
Cows graze on a farm near Sunchales, Argentina, April 6, 2018. Reuters.

Around 5,000 people gathered at a Swedish dairy farm on Saturday to watch a herd of very 'happy cows' jump at their first chance of the year to run free into green pastures after a long, dark winter.

Farmer Karin Lindgren, who runs the farm in Vallentuna some 50 kilometers north of Stockholm with her husband Johan, told Reuters that the annual "cow release" is by far the biggest day of the year for farm visitors.

Though some of the younger calves were not too happy about being led out for the first time, their older friends were delighted to be released into the sunny outdoors.

The barn door opened and after some initial confusion, the cows rushed into the field where they bucked and hopped as they enjoyed their new-found freedom, which will last until the autumn arrives in September/October.



France Bans Smoking in Beaches, in Parks and Bus Shelters

A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
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France Bans Smoking in Beaches, in Parks and Bus Shelters

A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
A beachgoer smokes a cigarette on the beach at La Baule on the Atlantic coast, France, June 25, 2025. REUTERS/Stephane Mahe

France will ban smoking on beaches and in parks, public gardens and bus shelters from Sunday, the government said.

The decree, published in the official government gazette Saturday, will also ban smoking outside libraries, swimming pools and schools, and is aimed at protecting children from passive smoking.

Health and family minister Catherine Vautrin said in May that tobacco must disappear where there are children.

The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts", she said.

Offenders face a fine of up to €135 ($154), Vautrin added.

The ban will not extend to France's iconic cafe terraces however, the minister said.

Electronic cigarettes, which have boomed in France in recent years, are also not covered.

An estimated 35 percent of France's population are smokers – higher than the averages for Europe (25 percent) and the world (21 percent), according to the World Health Organization.

Around 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France.