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Japan Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Killings at European schools fan concern U.S. problem is spreading
By John Revill Flowers and candles are seen in front of the fences as a banner reads ''Graz standing together'', following a deadly shooting at a secondary school, in Graz, Austria, on June 12. A spate of school killings in western Europe has raised pressure on authorities to tackle a problem long seen as a largely U.S. phenomenon, increasing momentum for tougher gun and security laws and more policing of social media. While mass shootings remain far more common in the United States, four of the worst school shootings in western Europe this century have occurred since 2023 and two - a massacre of 11 people in Austria and another in Sweden- were this year. Last week's killings in the Austrian city of Graz sparked calls for tighter gun laws by political leaders, mirroring the response of the Swedish government after the 11 deaths at the Campus Risbergska school in Orebro in February. "Mass shootings, of which school shootings are a part, were overwhelmingly a U.S. problem in the past, but the balance is shifting," said Adam Lankford, a criminologist at the University of Alabama. "The number in Europe and elsewhere is increasing." Part of the rise stems from copycat attacks in Europe often inspired by notorious U.S. rampages such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, according to shooters' own comments or their internet search histories, Lankford said. "It's like an export from America. These attackers see other people do it and it has a snowball effect." According to research by Lankford and Jason Silva, shootings carried out by people eager for notoriety were twice as numerous in the United States as in the rest of the world between 2005 and 2010. By 2017-2022, the rest of the world had caught up. Their data also shows that Europe accounts for a bigger share of mass shootings than it used to. It should be easier for European politicians to act against mass shootings than the United States, due to the central role of guns in American culture and identity, Lankford said. The European Union has left gun laws and regulation of social media up to member states. Recent killings have seen a drive by several countries to apply tougher rules. In Sweden, the government agreed to tighten the vetting process for people applying for gun licenses and to clamp down on some semi-automatic weapons following the Orebro killings. Incidents of violence and threatening behavior in junior high and high schools rose over 150% between 2003 and 2023, according to a report by Sweden's Work Environment Authority. In Finland, where a 12-year-old shot dead a fellow pupil and badly wounded two others in 2024, schools practice barricading doors and hiding from shooters. The government has also proposed stricter punishments for carrying guns in public. Following a deadly December knife attack at a Zagreb primary school, Croatia's government tightened access to schools and mandated they must have security guards. Germany has gradually imposed tighter controls on gun ownership since school massacres in 2002 and 2009, and last year introduced a ban on switchblades and on carrying knives at public events following a series of knife attacks. RESISTANCE Tightening gun ownership was the only way politicians could show they were taking the issue seriously, said Dirk Baier, a criminologist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. "There will certainly be resistance to this, from hunters, sport shooters, or other lobby groups," he said. "However, I think the arguments for tightening the laws will outweigh the arguments against." Gun laws have also been a hot political topic in the Czech Republic since a student shot dead 14 people at the Charles University in Prague in December 2023. The country made it obligatory for gun sellers to report suspicious purchases and requires doctors to check whether people diagnosed with psychological problems hold gun permits. Britain is holding a public inquiry into an attack in Southport where three young girls were stabbed to death last year. UK drama "Adolescence", a story about a schoolboy accused of murder, explores concerns about toxic online culture. Meanwhile in France, President Emmanuel Macron this month pressed for EU regulation to ban social media for children under 15 following a fatal school stabbing. What motivated the Austrian school gunman is still under investigation. Police said he was socially withdrawn and passionate about online shooting games. Most such shootings are carried out by young men, and criminologist Lankford said there was a global phenomenon of perpetrators seeking notoriety that eluded them in real life, driven in part by social media. "Even if the shooters expect to die, some are excited about leaving behind a legacy." Austria has relatively liberal gun laws, and President Alexander Van der Bellen said after the attack the legislation deserved closer scrutiny. Broad support in Austria for tightening gun ownership laws looked probable, although a general ban on private weapons seems unlikely, said political scientist Peter Filzmaier. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Killings at European schools concern authorities
A spate of school killings in Western Europe has raised pressure on authorities to tackle a problem long seen as a largely US phenomenon, increasing momentum for tougher gun and security laws and more policing of social media. While mass shootings remain far more common in the United States, four of the worst school shootings in Western Europe this century have occurred since 2023 and two — a massacre of 11 people in Austria and another in Sweden — were this year. This week's killings in the Austrian city of Graz sparked calls for tighter gun laws by political leaders, mirroring the response of the Swedish government after the 11 deaths at the Campus Risbergska school in Orebro in February, reported Reuters. 'Mass shootings, of which school shootings are a part, were overwhelmingly a US problem in the past, but the balance is shifting,' said Adam Lankford, a criminologist at the University of Alabama. 'The number in Europe and elsewhere is increasing.' Part of the rise stems from copycat attacks in Europe often inspired by notorious US rampages such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, according to shooters' own comments or their internet search histories, Lankford said. 'It's like an export from America. These attackers see other people do it and it has a snowball effect.' According to research by Lankford and Jason Silva, shootings carried out by people eager for notoriety were twice as numerous in the United States as in the rest of the world between 2005 and 2010. By 2017-2022, the rest of the world had caught up. Their data also shows that Europe accounts for a bigger share of mass shootings than it used to. It should be easier for European politicians to act against mass shootings than the United States, due to the central role of guns in American culture and identity, Lankford said. The European Union has left gun laws and regulation of social media up to member states. Recent killings have seen a drive by several countries to apply tougher rules. In Sweden, the government agreed to tighten the vetting process for people applying for gun licences and to clamp down on some semi-automatic weapons following the Orebro killings. Incidents of violence and threatening behaviour in junior high and high schools rose over 150% between 2003 and 2023, according to a report by Sweden's Work Environment Authority. In Finland, where a 12-year-old shot dead a fellow pupil and badly wounded two others in 2024, schools practice barricading doors and hiding from shooters. The government has also proposed stricter punishments for carrying guns in public, informed Reuters. Following a deadly December knife attack at a Zagreb primary school, Croatia's government tightened access to schools and mandated they must have security guards. Germany has gradually imposed tighter controls on gun ownership since school massacres in 2002 and 2009, and last year introduced a ban on switchblades and on carrying knives at public events following a series of knife attacks. Tightening gun ownership was the only way politicians could show they were taking the issue seriously, said Dirk Baier, a criminologist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. 'There will certainly be resistance to this, from hunters, sport shooters, or other lobby groups,' he said. 'However, I think the arguments for tightening the laws will outweigh the arguments against.' Gun laws have also been a hot political topic in the Czech Republic since a student shot dead 14 people at the Charles University in Prague in December 2023, noticed Reuters. The country made it obligatory for gun sellers to report suspicious purchases and requires doctors to check whether people diagnosed with psychological problems hold gun permits. Britain is holding a public inquiry into an attack in Southport where three young girls were stabbed to death last year. UK drama 'Adolescence', a story about a schoolboy accused of murder, explores concerns about toxic online culture.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Killings at European schools fan concern US problem is spreading
A spate of school killings in Western Europe has raised pressure on authorities to tackle a problem long seen as a largely US phenomenon, increasing momentum for tougher gun and security laws and more policing of social media. While mass shootings remain far more common in the United States, four of the worst school shootings in Western Europe this century have occurred since 2023 and two - a massacre of 11 people in Austria and another in Sweden - were this year. Last week's killings in the Austrian city of Graz sparked calls for tighter gun laws by political leaders, mirroring the response of the Swedish government after the 11 deaths at the Campus Risbergska school in Orebro in February. "Mass shootings, of which school shootings are a part, were overwhelmingly a US problem in the past, but the balance is shifting," said Adam Lankford, a criminologist at the University of Alabama. "The number in Europe and elsewhere is increasing." Part of the rise stems from copycat attacks in Europe often inspired by notorious US rampages such as the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, according to shooters' own comments or their internet search histories, Lankford said. "It's like an export from America. These attackers see other people do it and it has a snowball effect." According to research by Lankford and Jason Silva, shootings carried out by people eager for notoriety were twice as numerous in the United States as in the rest of the world between 2005 and 2010. By 2017-2022, the rest of the world had caught up. Their data also shows that Europe accounts for a bigger share of mass shootings than it used to. It should be easier for European politicians to act against mass shootings than the United States, due to the central role of guns in American culture and identity, Lankford said. The European Union has left gun laws and regulation of social media up to member states. Recent killings have seen a drive by several countries to apply tougher rules. In Sweden, the government agreed to tighten the vetting process for people applying for gun licences and to clamp down on some semi-automatic weapons following the Orebro killings. Incidents of violence and threatening behaviour in junior high and high schools rose over 150% between 2003 and 2023, according to a report by Sweden's Work Environment Authority. In Finland, where a 12-year-old shot dead a fellow pupil and badly wounded two others in 2024, schools practice barricading doors and hiding from shooters. The government has also proposed stricter punishments for carrying guns in public. Following a deadly December knife attack at a Zagreb primary school, Croatia's government tightened access to schools and mandated they must have security guards. Germany has gradually imposed tighter controls on gun ownership since school massacres in 2002 and 2009, and last year introduced a ban on switchblades and on carrying knives at public events following a series of knife attacks. Tightening gun ownership was the only way politicians could show they were taking the issue seriously, said Dirk Baier, a criminologist at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences. "There will certainly be resistance to this, from hunters, sport shooters, or other lobby groups," he said. "However, I think the arguments for tightening the laws will outweigh the arguments against." Gun laws have also been a hot political topic in the Czech Republic since a student shot dead 14 people at the Charles University in Prague in December 2023. The country made it obligatory for gun sellers to report suspicious purchases and requires doctors to check whether people diagnosed with psychological problems hold gun permits. Britain is holding a public inquiry into an attack in Southport where three young girls were stabbed to death last year. UK drama "Adolescence", a story about a schoolboy accused of murder, explores concerns about toxic online culture. In France, President Emmanuel Macron this month pressed for EU regulation to ban social media for children under 15 following a fatal school stabbing. What motivated the Austrian school gunman is still under investigation. Most such shootings are carried out by young men, and criminologist Lankford said there was a global phenomenon of perpetrators seeking notoriety that eluded them in real life, driven in part by social media. "Even if the shooters expect to die, some are excited about leaving behind a legacy."
Forbes
7 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Meditate For Brain Health: AI Research & Science Promote This Solution
Digital human brain with connections. It's not hard to find science showing that chronic stress can be hard on the brain. We know intuitively that stress can be harmful to our bodies, and even though it's a natural part of life, excessive stress is to be avoided. To be sure, there are different kinds of stress. There's the kind that propels you forward to finish a project, that, if handled correctly, can be fine. Then there's the kind of stress that puts too much pressure on the cardiovascular system and, ultimately, the brain too, that you might describe as 'eating away' at you – chronic or episodic stress. New science suggests that inappropriate stress responses can rewire the brain, and that decreasing stress can have a very positive effect on cognition. Here's a piece from the University of Alabama at Birmingham that talks about the difference between chronic stress and common short-term stress activity 'The key differences between 'normal' stress and chronic stress lie in duration and intensity,' writes Teresa Hicks. 'Acute stress is typically short-term, triggered by a specific event or situation. It causes a temporary reaction that subsides once the stressor is resolved, allowing the body to recover and return to a balanced state. Chronic stress arises when a persistent stressor lingers for an extended period with few opportunities for resolution.' The recommendations from experts are often the same – eat a good diet, maintain fitness, and sleep well, also enjoying fun and relaxing activities. And then there's meditation. Brian - neuroinflammation Balachundhar Subramaniam is a professor of anesthesiology who has done research on the role of meditation in combating conditions like brain fog, which can cause forgetfulness and make it hard to concentrate. Subramaniam started the Sadhguru Center for a Conscious Planet to expand our understanding of Consciousness, Cognition, and Compassion. In a presentation, he shows how the experience of life improves with regular meditation and lower stress levels in general, starting with an explanation of what we face. 'There is this slow fire that is burning in your brain,' he said. 'It's not large enough to recognize, but surely and slowly, (it's) burning down your neurons and the supporting structure, and accelerating your mental thoughts and your fear, your anxiety, your stress, and also the aging process.' He called this 'neuro-inflammation.' 'It can accelerate memory loss,' he said. 'It can worsen your anxiety, it can worsen your stress, and above all, it can be facilitating dementia. It's important to note, not just that, what you eat … can add fuel to this fire. If you don't have a good night, restorative sleep, it also adds fuel to the fire. And (if you are) deprived of joy, that also adds fuel to the fire of this slow decline that is inflammation.' Blood Proteins Subramaniam went over some of the history of this research through the pandemic years, which were uniquely stressful for most of us. 'We looked at 5000 people who were doing this meditation at the time of the pandemic,' he said. 'Even before the vaccine was announced, they were practicing it five days a week, for at least six months or longer, and (we) compared it to 2500 people from similar zip codes, and of the same age group and gender mix.' What did they find? 'They had the lowest levels of stress, not just once, but repeated after four weeks and another four weeks, so three time points, even before the vaccine was announced,' he added. 'So they were not just surviving, but really thriving.' Subramaniam talked about looking at reactive proteins, and presented a graph with results for surveyed patients with severe Covid. 'Meditation can cool the fire of neuroinflammation,' he said. 'We are actually in a position to fight against infection … maybe when the next pandemic comes.' Pandemic Stress There's also additional research on relevant topics, where you can see more about the role of stress on the body. For example, a landmark study on stressed caregivers suggests that daily Kirtan Kriya yoga meditation, according to the authors, 'down-regulated pro-inflammatory gene expression.' The upshot of it? 'Compared to a relaxation-control group, meditators had reduced transcription of cytokine genes and lower activity of the pro-inflammatory NF-κB pathway in their immune cells.' And there's more on brain aging and neuroplasticity. Many of these pieces of research help to paint a better picture of how we improve our neurology, including with anti-stress practices. Subramaniam also talked about the recent designation of the gut as the 'second brain,' and the ways that the microbiome works with our cognition. Identifying higher levels of healthy lactobacillus in the guts of people engaging in good anti-stress behaviors. He noted that the secondary effect can be good, too. Subramaniam mentioned situations where you experience your mind wandering – a lot. 'How many of you have been having that problem? Your mind always wanders. Something is happening in the back of your brain all the time. Right at the front of the brain, you have a switch center … and in these people, at baseline, the connection between the switch and the mind wandering center is enhanced after meditation. So you can actually switch it between the two, whether you're going to do the task, or whether you're going to go to the mind wandering states.' Meditation, he said, helps you get control of your brain, not wrangling with what he called a 'monkey brain,' but being adaptive and capable in key ways. Specifically, Subramaniam recommends a practice called shoonya meditation. (read about it here.) Neuroinflammation and Measurability In aid of explaining this further, Subramaniam revealed something he calls the 'brain age index,' and showed how after a retreat, people were feeling better due to interactions with endocannabinoids and what he called the 'bliss molecule.' You might ask: what is the relevance of AI here? Before we learned to aggregate data, crunch it, and reveal insights, in an automated way, a lot of this kind of research was simply not possible. I've written about various types of research that bring AI to neuroscience, to put the human brain under a microscope. There's the synergistic idea that as we learn about our brains, we learn to better understand the work of neural nets, and vice versa. That's why I am including this blog post here. Another compelling part of the talk involved Subramaniam showing a line of the conjunction between awareness, and life experience, again showcasing some of the science of gaining better neurological control. 'This is a gift to be born as a human,' he said, exhorting us to think about life hacks that will improve our experiences. 'Time is short.' The bottom line is that meditative techniques may be able to help us to live better and ward off cognitive problems later in life. Think about it.
The Hill
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Todd Chrisley shares first social media message since Trump pardon
(NewsNation) — Todd Chrisley has shared his first post on social media since the release of him and his wife, Julie Chrisley. Chrisley posted Tuesday on Instagram about his son, Grayson Chrisley, making the Dean's list at the University of Alabama for the spring semester. 'God is good all the time. I love you to the moon and back and we couldn't be more proud,' Chrisley wrote about his 19-year-old son. 'You have shown great character and fortitude and stood with your lord and savior amidst the fire and came out the other side never smelling of smoke, you are proof of Gods word.' Todd Chrisley and Julie Chrisley were pardoned by President Trump just a few weeks ago. Their daughter, Savannah Chrisley, has been fighting for her parents' release since they were convicted of conspiring to defraud banks in the Atlanta area out of over $30 million in loans. Chrisley was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison but later had his sentence reduced to 10 years. His wife was originally sentenced to seven years in a Kentucky prison before her sentence was shortened by 14 months before the pardons. It was recently reported that an untitled Chrisley project is in the works at Lifetime. The new show is supposedly going to focus on the family's challenge of carrying on the Chrisley legacy and name without their parents. 'The multigenerational family will also be exposing the raw truth of their lives — past and present — and the reality is far different from what audiences have seen before,' the network reportedly said. Trump told Savannah Chrisley in a phone call that he was granting full pardons to her parents. Chrisley has been a vocal Trump supporter, endorsing him in a speech at the Republican National Convention in 2024. The Chrisley family originally skyrocketed to fame in 2013 with their hit series, 'Chrisley Knows Best,' on the USA Network. The new series is scheduled for release later this year. Before the couple was pardoned, NewsNation's Brian Entin had talked exclusively to Todd Chrisley twice. In December, he expressed his concerns about the conditions at the facility where he was residing. He said he and other inmates had to deal with filthy conditions. The reality star had also claimed that prosecutors and the prison staff had it out for him. 'The prosecutor said that we were the southern version of the Trumps,' he told Entin at the time.
