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Mass Killings Near 20‑Year Low amid Deadly Crete Shipwreck, Historic Ballroom Fire, Holiday Debt Guidance, and Alarms over Kids’ Low‑Quality Screen Time
Mass killings drop to lowest level in nearly 20 years, national database finds
Mass killings drop to lowest level in nearly 20 years, national database finds, with 17 recorded so far in 2025—the fewest since 2006—according to a database maintained by the Associated Press, USA Today and Northeastern University. The database defines a mass killing as four or more people intentionally killed within 24 hours, excluding the perpetrator. Fourteen of this year’s incidents involved firearms; the others typically involve stabbings, arson, blunt-force attacks, or vehicles. Criminologist James Alan Fox notes the total is down about 24% from 2024, which itself fell roughly 20% from 2023, but warns the small annual numbers swing sharply—what goes down can go back up. James Densley adds that broader declines in homicide and violent crime, plus faster trauma response, may be limiting death tolls; he cited the Minnesota church shooting where rapid care likely saved lives. Still, the most recent case—a California child’s birthday party where four people, including three children, were killed—underscores the stakes. For context, 2019 saw a modern peak of 49 mass killings.
Fire engulfs historic former ballroom; firefighters on scene
Fire engulfs historic former ballroom; firefighters on scene as West Yorkshire crews tackle a major blaze at Venue 73, the former Ritz Ballroom, in Brighouse. The long-vacant building on Bradford Road has suffered extensive damage, prompting road closures on Bradford Road and Bonegate Road. Police urge people to avoid the area and advise nearby residents to keep doors and windows closed due to smoke.
Migrant Shipwreck Near Crete Leaves at Least 18 Dead
Migrant shipwreck near Crete leaves at least 18 dead, as Greek authorities conclude a major search for survivors along the island’s southern coast.
Overspent on Thanksgiving? How to recover from holiday debt
Overspent on Thanksgiving? How to recover from holiday debt by stopping the bleed—pause nonessential spending, return impulse buys, and audit your statements—then prioritize high-interest balances, consider a 0% balance transfer you can clear within the promo window, or call issuers to negotiate rates and set up payment plans; automate above-minimum payments, mute promo emails, and for smoother holidays ahead, set a realistic gift budget, start a monthly “holiday” sinking fund, cap per-person spending, and favor experiences over stuff—because the only thing that should snowball is your savings, not your interest.
Researchers Raise Concern That Five-Year-Olds Are Already Heavily Engaged With Low-Quality Digital Content
Researchers Raise Concern That Five-Year-Olds Are Already Heavily Engaged With Low-Quality Digital Content—and the numbers aren’t cute. Citing Ofcom’s May 2025 data, the Centre for Social Justice warns that 37% of British parents say their three-to-five-year-olds have access to social media, about one in five of those kids use it independently, and CSJ estimates that’s roughly 814,000 under-fives marinating in algorithmic mush. A quarter of eight- to nine-year-old gamers have interacted with strangers online—an obvious safety hazard, not a character-building exercise. Teachers report knock-on effects from nonstop screens, from anxiety and sleep problems to children lacking the core strength to sit on a carpet. Other research links early social media use to poorer memory and reading, plus depression and addictive behavior. “Children who haven’t yet learned to read, being fed content and algorithms designed to hook adults, should concern us all,” says Lord Nash. CSJ’s fix list: raise social media age limits to 16, ban smartphones in classrooms, and launch a national public-health campaign. Translation: stop letting billion-dollar engagement machines babysit toddlers.
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