Latest news with #StockholmSyndrome
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Swedish lawn game 'Kubb' rises in popularity across UK
A Swedish lawn game which is steadily growing in popularity in the UK is being dominated by a team from five players called "Stockholm Syndrome" were crowned UK champions in June and recently placed in the top 20 at the European Kubb Championships in Normandy, often dubbed Viking chess, involves two teams throwing wooden batons to knock over their opponents' wooden blocks, called kubbs, and ultimately trying to topple the central "king"."If you can throw a stick, you can play Kubb. It's friendly, fun, and completely addictive," said Alistair Goulding, Stockholm Syndrome team member. The team trains twice a week in Queen's Square and Bedminster and has been playing together since Goulding first discovered Kubb in 2017 at a family gathering, when his brother-in-law - who is part Danish - introduced the game."I got hooked straight away," he said. "I asked for a set for my birthday a few days later, and we entered the UK championships that same year."The team name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to both their obsession with the game and its Nordic roots. "Most teams go for puns based on Kubb, but we wanted something different," said Mr Goulding. Although still relatively unknown in the UK, Kubb is a fixture in parts of Europe, where teams regularly compete in national leagues and local its UK fanbase is growing, with games now popping up at weddings, parks, and community Woodward, organiser of the UK Kubb Championships, has witnessed the sport's evolution firsthand."When we started the tournament in 2016, the format was very loose," he said. "Back then, it was hard to even find a Kubb set, and hardly anyone had heard of it." Since then, interest has steadily risen. "On 28 June this year, we had nearly 90 teams and almost 300 people playing Kubb in the sun," Mr Woodward said. "People travel from all over the UK and Europe. Every year, players come up to us saying it was their first time and that they'll be back, bringing friends."As for Stockholm Syndrome, the team hopes the laid-back but tactical nature of the sport will continue to attract new players.
Euractiv
14-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Europe's ‘Washington Syndrome' just got a lot worse
Europe's leaders have done everything but genuflect in front of the White House of late to placate US President Donald Trump and avert a looming trade war. It hasn't worked. Trump's latest threat to slap 30% tariffs on EU goods, now slated for August 1 , has sent Europeans into a frenzy of appeasement, a strategy that resembles not so much realpolitik as it does a continental-scale case of Stockholm Syndrome. For some Europeans, it could be tempting to think concessions are worth it to avoid the damage of a full-blown trade war. 'We will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests,' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said over the weekend, insisting that the EU has "always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution." The European Commission drew up a list of potential countermeasures earlier this year – including duties on bourbon and Harley-Davidson's – yet these tools remain locked away amid Brussels' hope for a last-minute deal. Von der Leyen on Sunday decided to postpone imposing retaliatory tariffs of up to 20% on some €21 billion of US exports, originally set to take effect on Tuesday. While most EU member states support the EU executive's stance on trade and said they will not push for retaliation before the 1 August deadline, some are also growing sceptical of von der Leyen's wait-and-see approach, according to EU diplomats speaking amid emergency talks on Sunday. Part of the problem is deeply differing views between EU member states, which have prevented the EU from standing up as an equal partner. Ever since Trump took office, EU officials and leaders have struggled to secure even fleeting face time with the administration. On the rare occasions they did, outside of formal summit settings, they celebrated each encounter as though it were in itself a diplomatic triumph. But as Trump wields tariffs as an extension of hard power rather than a mere tool of balancing his economy, Brussels looks towards a tough choice. France has clamoured for immediate retaliation, keen to show it will not be strong-armed. Denmark learned early with Greenland that confronting Trump head-on might avert worse outcomes and it has supported a tougher line. Another bloc of countries, notably Germany and Italy, but also Poland, clings to hopes of a negotiated reprieve amid fear of further incurring Trump's wrath and imperilling their exports. At the EU summit in June, some of the bloc's leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, indicated that a 'quick and simple' deal, somewhere around the 10% base tariff, wouldn't be a bad deal Underlying the messy approach is a grim truth: after decades of transatlantic co-dependency, Europe cannot imagine life without America's approval. A key example came last month, when European leaders dutifully backed Trump's demand for NATO allies to spend at least 5% of GDP on defence. True, most European capitals - perhaps with the exception of Spain - agree that Europe rightfully must shoulder more responsibility for its own security. But many saw the move as a veiled bribe to keep Trump from pulling the tariff-trigger. The logic was painfully transparent: indulge the man militarily to win leniency economically. The strategy held for about an hour. While Trump hailed NATO's spending boost as a 'monumental win,' he promptly turned on Spain for daring to seek an exemption, vowing to negotiate 'directly with Spain,' before presumably realising it is, inconveniently, part of the EU. Europe's road to strategic autonomy on security remains more aspirational than practical. European NATO allies have begun private preparations for how the Western military alliance should handle a potential drawdown of US troops on the continent, despite Washington's limited indications of its plans. Meanwhile, von der Leyen tried to curry favour by pivoting back to a more hawkish stance on China, after flip-flopping since the start of the year. Brussels swung back in line with Trump's confrontational approach towards Beijing, perhaps also in the hope of staying in Washington's good books. Europe's once-proud digital sovereignty agenda has similarly evaporated. Instead of slapping penalties on Elon Musk's X for its disinformation breaches and allegations of foreign influence, or advancing a long-discussed digital services tax, the EU has hesitated. Despite these contortions, Trump remains unmoved - and the tariff threat stands. (mk)
The Citizen
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Story of 1990s serial killer Moses Sithole set to make its debut on Showmax
While serving a 2 410-year prison sentence, Sithole is currently studying law after completing a degree in theology. In just over a year, 1990s serial killer Moses Sithole murdered 38 people, sexually molested 40 and committed six robberies. These crimes were in broad daylight, while Sithole was sober and just a few months after Nelson Mandela had become South Africa's first democratically elected president. 'This was the biggest case of our history at the time,' says former detective Derrick Nosworthy in the trailer of the series on Sithole. 'I don't think we had ever had a case where there were so many people murdered by potentially one offender.' The abovementioned crimes are the ones for which Sithole was later convicted, and his story will be told in a three-part series on Showmax, directed by Jasyn Howes, who also directed another doccie of a Mzansi 1990s serial killer, Boetie Boer. 'It was a natural progression from my previous series, where I had met one of the principal characters in the story during my research phase on the last series,' Howes tells The Citizen. 'When I heard the story, I immediately knew I needed to tell this story, but it would need to wait. Often stories happen upon us, and I am very grateful that this one did.' ALSO READ: Lasizwe cuts ties with MultiChoice amid podcast payment dispute Telling the Sithole story Thirty years ago, then-rookie journalist Tamsen de Beer was working the night shift at The Star newspaper when she received a life-changing call from someone claiming to be South Africa's most prolific serial killer. Through repeated conversations, the two developed a disturbing rapport that bears resemblance to Stockholm Syndrome. 'It was like a journey I was on with him,' de Beer says in the trailer. 'We were bonded in a strange, ugly way. I was hoping he was okay all the time, which is absolutely crazy.' 'He was our Ted Bundy,' says Howes about Sithole, comparing him to the famed US serial killer, Bundy, who murdered dozens of young women and girls between 1974 and 1978. The ABC Killer is his second series in a row for Showmax about a 90s serial killer, the first Boetie Boer, which received a nomination at last year's South African Film and Television Awards for Best Documentary Series and Best Editor (Jaco Laubscher, who also cut The ABC Killer). For the new series, Howes tracked down many of those closest to the story, including de Beer and her night editor, Alameen Brendan Templeton, who admits in the trailer that he was worried his journalist 'could end up as one of his victims.' While serving a 2,410-year prison sentence, Sithole is currently studying law after completing a degree in theology. ALSO READ: Hey Neighbour Festival postponed as organisers negotiate new dates with artists Howes — the storyteller Howes was a nine-year-old during the time and says he remembers the atmosphere of the country at the time. 'I remember the long lines of people standing to vote, and I remember the social fabric of my classrooms beginning to change. It was an exciting time, and it felt like every day something new and interesting was happening,' said The director, who has worked in film, commercials, and documentaries, says South Africa has a wealth of stories to tell across multiple genres. Saying the country's landscape, history and varied cultural mix make South Africa a storytelling goldmine. 'It excites me that our local platforms are providing more and more opportunities to tell local stories, and I think it is only a matter of time before international audiences start to see our content as viable viewing options,' said Howes. Howes says he's always hands-on with his projects, thanks to his background in writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. 'So I apply all of those skills in the projects I create, and it's very important for me to have a meaningful handle on the research, interviewing the story stakeholders and then figuring out how I want to visually tell the story. 'The first longer form documentary I made, I played all the creative roles bar illustration, and this gives me confidence in knowing that I can take on a project and feel confident to execute it,' he said. The ABC Killer will be available to binge on Showmax from Tuesday, 22 July. NOW READ: How the last episode of 'Shaka iLembe' made Nomzamo Mbatha feel like a 'new person'
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
Clark Olofsson, Notorious Criminal Who Helped Inspire the ‘Stockholm Syndrome' Phrase, Dies at 78
Clark Olofsson, one of the criminals who inspired the 'Stockholm syndrome' phrase, died on June 24, 2025, at 78 Olofsson died in a hospital in Sweden after a prolonged illness Olofsson rose to worldwide infamy in 1973 when he helped hold four people hostage in a bank in Stockholm and seemingly gained the sympathy of his captorsClark Olofsson, the notorious Swedish criminal who partly inspired the phrase 'Stockholm syndrome,' has died. He was 78. Olofsson died after a prolonged illness at Sweden's Arvika Hospital on June 24, according to his family, per Swedish news outlet Dagens ETC. Olofsson rose to worldwide infamy in 1973 when he helped fellow criminal Jan-Erik Olsson hold four people hostage in a bank in Stockholm for six days. Olsson initiated the robbery and kidnappings alone, but then demanded that police bring him his friend Olofsson, who at the time was imprisoned for an unrelated crime. Olofsson later maintained that authorities had told him he would receive a reduced sentence if he helped keep the hostages safe — a promise he said was ultimately not honored, per the BBC. Over the course of the week, the hostages seemingly began to sympathize with their captors and even defended their actions to authorities, according to the outlet. One of the hostages, 23-year-old Kristin Enmark, spoke to the Swedish prime minister during hostage negotiations and asked that she be allowed to leave the bank in a getaway car with the bank robbers. "I fully trust Clark and the robber ... They haven't done a thing to us,' she said during the call, per the BBC. "On the contrary, they have been very nice ... Believe it or not, but we've had a really nice time here." When police stormed the bank with tear gas, the hostages refused to leave Olofsson and Olsson for fear that authorities would shoot them, per the BBC. Years later, Enmark criticized the Stockholm syndrome theory — which was coined by Swedish psychiatrist Nils Bejerot — saying that she was merely trying to survive. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "It's a way of blaming the victim. I did what I could to survive,' she said on the BBC's Sideways podcast in 2021. Olofsson was raised by a single mother in Gothenburg, Sweden, per ETC. He began working on a cargo ship at age 15. By 19, he was involved in a police shooting after escaping prison. He was convicted of numerous crimes over his lifetime, including drug trafficking and a high-profile art heist, per the outlet. Several projects have been made about Olofsson's life, including a 2022 Netflix series — titled Clark — starring the actor Bill Skarsgård. Read the original article on People
Malay Mail
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Swedish robber Clark Olofsson who inspired the term ‘Stockholm syndrome', dies at 78
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Clark Olofsson, the Swedish criminal whose role in a 1973 Stockholm bank robbery inspired the term 'Stockholm syndrome,' has died at 78, his family confirmed to Dagens ETC, as reported by the BBC. The six-day bank siege saw Olofsson and his accomplice, Jan-Erik Olsson, take four hostages who grew sympathetic towards them while increasingly distrustful of the police. This counterintuitive response was later named Stockholm syndrome, a theorised psychological condition where captives develop feelings of attachment to their captors. The BBC reported that the siege began with Olsson taking three women and one man hostage at a Stockholm bank, demanding Olofsson be brought from prison to the scene. Swedish authorities complied, allowing Olofsson to join Olsson inside the bank, which was under heavy police surveillance. Olofsson claimed in a later interview with Sweden's Aftonbladet newspaper that authorities had asked him to protect the hostages in exchange for a reduced sentence. However, he alleged the agreement was not honoured. During the standoff, Olofsson persuaded one of the hostages, Kristin Enmark, to call the Swedish prime minister, Olof Palme. She expressed trust in her captors and asked to leave the bank with them, telling Palme: 'I fully trust Clark and the robber... They haven't done a thing to us.' The incident concluded when police used tear gas to storm the building. Despite being freed, hostages initially hesitated to leave, fearing their captors would be harmed. They later refused to testify against Olofsson and Olsson in court. As highlighted by the BBC, the term Stockholm syndrome was coined by Swedish criminologist Nils Bejerot. While the concept gained attention in high-profile cases, such as the 1974 kidnapping of Patty Hearst, it remains contested among experts. Enmark herself dismissed the idea during a BBC Sideways podcast in 2021, saying it unfairly blames victims. Olofsson, who spent much of his life in prison for armed robbery, drug offences, and other crimes, was released in 2018. The BBC noted that his life story was dramatized in the 2022 Netflix series 'Clark', with actor Bill Skarsgård portraying him. The BBC reported that Olofsson's family confirmed his death following a lengthy illness, marking the end of a life that profoundly impacted criminal history and popular psychology.
