CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jacob Murrell Wilson, 24, of Charleston, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Evidence presented to the court established that on Nov.10, 2023, Charleston Police Department officers encountered Wilson while patrolling a high-crime apartment complex. The officers recognized Wilson and were aware that he had an active arrest warrant. When they attempted to approach him, Wilson immediately ran from the officers.
During the chase, officers observed Wilson reaching for a loaded pistol equipped with a 24-round extended magazine and an illegal machine gun conversion device – commonly known as a switch. Wilson stopped, pulled out the gun, and pointed it in the direction of the pursuing officers, then threw the firearm over a fence and continued to run.
When officers apprehended Wilson, they found 6.8 grams of crack cocaine, 8.98 grams of cocaine, 36.35 grams of marijuana, and 187 grams of promethazine in Wilson’s possession. Officers recovered the firearm nearby.
Wilson has a prior felony conviction for attempted armed robbery and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Wilson to 106 months imprisonment to be followed by give years of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case.
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ROBERTO MUY, 35, a citizen of Ecuador, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in February 2006, Muy was admitted to the U.S. using a fraudulent visitor visa under the alias of a Peruvian citizen. In June 2012, Muy was convicted in Connecticut Superior Court in Torrington of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree, and was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after 15 months, and 25 years of probation. In June 2013, Muy was removed to Ecuador.
It is further alleged that Muy illegally reentered the U.S. and, on November 9, 2024, was arrested by the Torrington Police Department and charged with illegal operation of a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drug. On March 18, 2025, he was sentenced in state court to two years of incarceration for violating his state probation related to his 2012 conviction, and a concurrent two days of incarceration for the 2024 motor vehicle offense. He is currently in state custody.
If convicted of illegal reentry, Muy faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – Two men were sentenced today in the District of Minnesota after being convicted at a jury trial for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of four Indian nationals, including a three-year-old and 11-year-old child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
“Every time I think about this case I think about this family—including two beautiful little children—who the defendants left to freeze to death in a blizzard,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “As we’ve seen time and time again, human traffickers care nothing for humanity. I am proud of the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these defendants accountable for their unspeakable crimes.”
“Today’s sentencing marks a crucial moment of accountability in a case that revealed the harrowing realities of human smuggling. The callous disregard for life that led to the tragic deaths of an entire family will not be forgotten,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations St. Paul Special Agent in charge Jamie Holt. “At HSI, we remain steadfast in our mission to work with out partners across borders to dismantle criminal smuggling networks, bring justice to those responsible, and safeguard human dignity.”
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in a human smuggling scheme. The Court did not impose a term of supervised release on defendant Patel, citing the likelihood that Patel will be deported following his prison sentence. Patel’s co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, 50, received a sentence of 78 months followed by 2 years of supervised release.
Trial evidence showed that Patel and Shand were involved in a major human smuggling operation that brought Indian nationals into Canada using fake student visas then illegally moved them across the U.S.-Canada border. Patel handled the coordination of smuggling individuals from Manitoba into the United States, while Shand picked them up after they crossed into the U.S. and transported them to Chicago. Both men were paid for their participation and ignored the life-threatening risks posed by the frigid conditions at the northern border. Testimony revealed that the going rate to be smuggled from India to U.S. from Canada was around $100,000.
During a blizzard in January 2022, Shand and Patel, working with other co-conspirators, attempted to smuggle 11 aliens into the Unites States from Canada. Due to the storm conditions that night, Shand’s van got stuck in the snow. That turn of events forced the aliens to travel on foot for approximately seven hours in minus-36-degree wind chill and severe winter weather conditions while they searched for Shand’s vehicle. Two migrants found Shand while his van was stuck; the rest did not.
A passerby pulled Shand’s van from the ditch. Soon thereafter, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent arrived and suspected alien smuggling. Eventually, five additional aliens were located, one of whom was suffering from hypothermia so severe she had to be airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul. Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police located the bodies of a family of four, two adults and two young children, who had separated from the larger group during the night. The family died of hypothermia. The father was found still holding his infant child wrapped in a blanket. None of the 11 migrants was dressed appropriately for the severe, cold weather conditions.
In November 2024, a federal jury found both defendants guilty of multiple charges, including conspiracy to bring aliens to the Unites States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, conspiracy to transport aliens within the Unites States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, attempted transportation of aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and aiding and abetting the attempted transportation of aliens.
“This case is a tragic reminder of the dangers of Human Smuggling. It is a clear example of how organizations exploit people for financial gain, regardless of the risk. The victims experienced the worst-case scenario firsthand; horrific conditions, injury, and death. We’re glad the smugglers are receiving consequences, but the crimes remain inexcusable. I’m proud of our agent’s persistence and collaboration between agencies; it is a testament to our commitment to border security,” said Special Operations Supervisor Ryan Gilberg of U.S. Border Patrol.
In imposing sentence, U.S. District Court Judge John R. Tunheim explained that “Border smuggling is a very serious problem,” one that “exploits victims.” He noted that the night this family died was one “one of the coldest nights of the winter” and that these were “very dangerous conditions.” Judge Tunheim said that the defendants “could have done something” and it “might have made a difference”—but they did nothing.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”). The RCMP and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
The sentencings are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organization and protect our communities for the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the Department of Justice’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section. Acting United States Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick represented the government at the sentencing hearings.
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joseph Celdon Mullins, age 22, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 210 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country – Second Degree. Mullins was also sentenced to 120 months in prison for one count of using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The terms are set to be served consecutively.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
On November 6, 2024, Mullins pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators on June 20, 2023, Mullins pulled a 9mm pistol during an argument with a neighbor and fired twice. One bullet struck the victim, who died on the scene. The crimes occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Mullins will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.
Two men were sentenced today in the District of Minnesota after being convicted at a jury trial for their roles in an international human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of four Indian nationals, including a three-year-old and 11-year-old child, in January 2022.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national formerly of Florida, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison for his role in the conspiracy. Patel will be removed from the United States following his sentence. His co-conspirator, Steve Anthony Shand, 50, of Florida, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at trial, Patel and Shand were part of a large-scale human-smuggling operation that brought Indian nationals to Canada on fraudulent student visas and then smuggled them into the United States across the northern border. Patel organized the logistics of smuggling aliens from Manitoba, Canada, into the United States, with other co-conspirators, and Shand picked up the aliens just south of the Canadian border in the United States and drove them to Chicago. Both men were paid for their roles in the conspiracy and disregarded the risks posed to the aliens by the cold weather at the northern border. According to evidence at trial, the going rate to be smuggled from India through Canada into the United States was $100,000.
“Patel and Shand endangered thousands of lives for their personal enrichment and are responsible for the deaths of two small children who froze to death on their watch,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the grave danger associated with human smuggling operations. I thank the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners in the U.S. and in Canada who are working to secure the northern border and end the perilous smuggling of aliens into the United States.”
“Every time I think about this case I think about this family—including two beautiful little children—who the defendants left to freeze to death in a blizzard,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick for the District of Minnesota. “As we’ve seen time and time again, human traffickers care nothing for humanity. I am proud of the work of our law enforcement partners in holding these defendants accountable for their unspeakable crimes.”
On Jan. 18 and 19, 2022, Patel and Shand, despite repeated warnings about the dangers, organized the smuggling of 11 aliens from Canada into the United States on foot in severe winter weather conditions, including a family of four – two adults, and their 11-year-old daughter and three-year-old son. On the evening of January 18, Shand sent Patel a screenshot with a blizzard alert warning of wind gusts as high as 50 mph and wind chill temperatures below -45 degrees. The recorded wind chill temperature on the morning of Jan. 19 was -36 degrees. In the early morning hours of Jan. 19, during blizzard conditions in Minnesota, a U.S. Border Patrol agent found Shand’s van stuck in the snow and arrested Shand along with two aliens. Contrary to Shand’s statement to law enforcement that there were no other aliens out in the snow, five more aliens emerged from the fields, including one suffering hypothermia with an internal temperature below 90 degrees who was airlifted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Later that day, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) found the dead bodies of the family of four frozen in an isolated area on the Canadian side of the international border. The boy was wrapped in a blanket with his father’s frozen glove covering his face. As proven at trial, Patel and Shand had been paid to smuggle the family into the United States.
In November 2024, a federal jury convicted both defendants of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, conspiracy to transport aliens within the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, attempted transportation of aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, and aiding and abetting the attempted transportation of aliens.
“Today’s sentencing marks a crucial moment of accountability in a case that revealed the harrowing realities of human smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. “The callous disregard for life that led to the tragic deaths of an entire family will not be forgotten. At HSI, we remain steadfast in our mission to work with our partners across borders to dismantle criminal smuggling networks, bring justice to those responsible, and safeguard human dignity.”
HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. The RCMP and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
The sentencings are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 334 U.S. convictions; more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case was also supported by the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
Trial Attorney Ryan Lipes of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. McBride of the District of Minnesota prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTCQB) announced the launch today of its AI-powered Crime Detection Unit in partnership with leading AI software company Palantir. The new partnership will expand Fannie Mae’s fraud detection capabilities with leading AI-enabled financial crimes data science and investigations technology. This foundation will power Fannie Mae’s Crime Detection Unit, a new platform that the company believes will help detect and prevent mortgage fraud with speed and precision never before seen in the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae’s Crime Detection Unit’s capabilities will save the U.S. housing market millions in future fraud losses.
Palantir designs and deploys artificial intelligence and machine learning technology used by government agencies and commercial clients. The company’s technology provides expansive monitoring for anomalous transactions, activities, and behaviors to help companies detect suspicious activity and trigger investigative action.
“No one is above the law. In partnership with Palantir, Fannie Mae’s Crime Detection Unit will increase safety and soundness by rooting out bad actors in our housing system. This cutting-edge AI technology will help us find criminals who try to defraud our system,” said Fannie Mae Chairman William J. Pulte.
“By integrating this leading AI technology, we will look across millions of datasets to detect patterns that were previously undetectable,” said Priscilla Almodovar, Fannie Mae’s president and chief executive officer. “This new partnership will combat mortgage fraud, helping to safeguard the U.S. mortgage market for lenders, homebuyers, and taxpayers.”
Fannie Mae has more than $4.3 trillion in assets and plays a foundational role in the U.S. housing market. The company is the largest holder of residential mortgage debt outstanding in the country, owning or guaranteeing an estimated one in four single-family mortgages and 20 percent of multifamily mortgages in the U.S.
“This partnership with Fannie Mae will set off a revolution in how we combat mortgage fraud in this country. We are bringing the fight directly to anyone who attempts to defraud our mortgage system and exploit hardworking Americans,” said Alex Karp, co-founder and chief executive officer of Palantir Technologies.
This release includes forward-looking statements, including statements about Fannie Mae’s and Palantir’s plans and expectations with respect to the Crime Detection Unit and the impact of the Crime Detection Unit on Fannie Mae’s business and financial results, and on the U.S. housing market. Actual results and events may turn out to be very different from these statements. Factors that may lead to different results and events are discussed in “Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in the company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and in “Risk Factors,” “Forward-Looking Statements” and elsewhere in the company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. The company’s forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)
WASHINGTON, DC — Governor Abbott (TX) released the following statement in response to the $12 billion in border reimbursements for states that stepped up, including Texas, that Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and others fought to secure in the One Big Beautiful Bill.
“Texas thanks the U.S. House and the Texas Congressional Delegation for including $12 billion in the reconciliation package that will help Texas in its response to the unprecedented illegal immigration in Texas,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “This is a national issue that Texas was proud to address, and we are grateful for the allocation that reduces the financial burden that Texas incurred.”
“The devastating impact of the previous administration’s open border policies has been felt nationwide—but no state has carried the burden more than Texas. Texas spent $11.1 billion on border security, including $5.87 billion on personnel costs and $4.75 billion on border wall and barriers. When the federal government failed to secure our border and protect our communities, Texans stepped up. Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve fought tirelessly to get our state the reimbursements it’s owed, and now, that fight is finally paying off,” said Rep. Pfluger.
Background:
Texas had to take on a massive financial burden to protect our communities when the previous administration failed to do so. Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Pfluger has fought to reimburse Texas for securing the southern border, including
Lone Star Reimbursement Act (2022)
This bill aimed to pay the State of Texas back for the costs of Operation Lone Star incurred in FY21 and FY22, which total $1.43 billion.
Co-led with Rep. Fallon
FY24, FY25, and FY26 Appropriations Requests (2023, 2024, 2025)
FY24: Led a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to reimburse Texas for $5.1 billion.
FY25: Led a letter with 18 signers urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to reimburse Texas $11.26 billion.
FY26: Led a letter with 19 signers urging the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to reimburse Texas $11.2 billion.
Efforts to Reimburse Texas through Supplemental Funding Vehicle
Although the measure failed, Rep. Pfluger led the charge on including Texas reimbursement through supplemental funding packages in the spring of 2024.
Rep. Pfluger has also consigned H.R. 424 and H.R. 1222, and H.R. 3464 to reimburse Texas
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XIAMEN, May 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Kiribati President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau co-chaired the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, on Wednesday.
Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, recalled that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Pacific island countries, adding that China has always regarded these countries as its good friends, partners and brothers.
The Chinese Foreign Minister noted that under the strategic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the Pacific island countries, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and these countries has shown new vitality, achieved new achievements and reached new heights.
Wang Yi put forward a six-point proposal for building a community with a shared future for China and the Pacific island countries. The proposal includes adhering to mutual respect, prioritizing development, focusing on the people’s interests, promoting exchanges and mutual learning, upholding fairness and justice, and overcoming difficulties together.
China firmly believes that peace, development, cooperation and common benefit are the only right choice in the face of epochal changes and historical transformations, the Chinese Foreign Minister stressed.
The foreign ministers of the Pacific island countries expressed their gratitude to China for its valuable support over a long period of time. They said that the cooperation of the Pacific island countries with China is based on mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual understanding and sovereign equality, is an independent decision of these countries, meets their fundamental interests, and is conducive to maintaining peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.
The ministers unanimously reaffirmed their countries’ firm commitment to the one-China principle, noting that they look forward to deepening cooperation with China in areas such as infrastructure, climate change and green development, advancing high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and jointly building a peaceful and prosperous Pacific region. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XIAMEN, May 28 (Xinhua) — All nations of the world should join hands to address climate change, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, on Wednesday.
Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, made the call at a press conference after co-chairing the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Kiribati President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau.
The Chinese diplomat expressed deep regret over the withdrawal of some major countries from the Paris Climate Agreement, stressing that China’s commitment to supporting and playing an active role in global climate governance remains unchanged despite the changing circumstances. Wang Yi added that China will also continue to actively participate in South-South climate cooperation.
The Chinese Foreign Minister said that China has made significant efforts over the years to help Pacific island countries strengthen their capacity to combat climate change. According to him, China will take the initiative to deepen climate cooperation with these countries and expand cooperation with them in the field of sustainable development.
China will implement 100 “small but beautiful” climate change projects for Pacific island countries over the next three years, Wang Yi said.
As a progressive and constructive force in the international community, China will stand firmly by the side of other developing countries and remain a reliable, trustworthy and cordial friend of countries in the Global South, including the Pacific island countries, the Chinese foreign minister stressed. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XICHANG, May 29 (Xinhua) — China launched its first asteroid sample-collecting mission, Tianwen-2, into space in the early hours of Thursday. The mission aims to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.
The Tianwen-2 probe was launched by a Long March-3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
The Tianwen-2 mission has several goals to be achieved during its ten-year expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 and exploring comet 311P in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
China National Space Administration chief Shan Zhongde said the Tianwen-2 mission represents an important step in a new phase of China’s interplanetary exploration.
Despite the mission’s length and significant risks, Shan Zhongde expressed hope that it would bring revolutionary discoveries and expand humanity’s knowledge of space. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
XIAMEN, May 28 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Kiribati President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau co-chaired the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, on Wednesday.
Wang Yi, also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, recalled that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Pacific island countries, adding that China has always regarded these countries as its good friends, partners and brothers.
The Chinese Foreign Minister noted that under the strategic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the leaders of the Pacific island countries, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and these countries has shown new vitality, achieved new achievements and reached new heights.
Wang Yi put forward a six-point proposal for building a community with a shared future for China and the Pacific island countries. The proposal includes adhering to mutual respect, prioritizing development, focusing on the people’s interests, promoting exchanges and mutual learning, upholding fairness and justice, and overcoming difficulties together.
China firmly believes that peace, development, cooperation and common benefit are the only right choice in the face of epochal changes and historical transformations, the Chinese Foreign Minister stressed.
The foreign ministers of the Pacific island countries expressed their gratitude to China for its valuable support over a long period of time. They said that the cooperation of the Pacific island countries with China is based on mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual understanding and sovereign equality, is an independent decision of these countries, meets their fundamental interests, and is conducive to maintaining peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region.
The ministers unanimously reaffirmed their countries’ firm commitment to the one-China principle, noting that they look forward to deepening cooperation with China in areas such as infrastructure, climate change and green development, advancing high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, and jointly building a peaceful and prosperous Pacific region.
According to Wang Yi, during an in-depth exchange of views on promoting cooperation and international and regional issues of common interest, China and the Pacific island countries reached a five-point consensus:
First, the two sides advocate treating each other as equals. China consistently advocates equality for all countries regardless of size, and highly appreciates the Pacific island countries’ reaffirmation of their firm adherence to the one-China principle, as well as their understanding and support for China’s legitimate rights to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Second, the two sides are committed to advancing common development. The two sides will closely align high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road with the Blue Pacific Strategy 2050. China will provide more opportunities for Pacific island countries to export high-quality products to China so that they can benefit from the huge Chinese market.
Third, the two sides will uphold fairness and justice. Both sides will take advantage of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations to firmly support multilateralism and protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
Fourth, the parties support openness and inclusiveness. The international community should support the autonomy of Pacific island countries in choosing development cooperation partners. When building relations with Pacific island countries, priority should be given to the most pressing issues, such as climate change, economic growth and improving living conditions.
Fifth, the two sides advocate mutual learning and civilizational exchanges. Both the Chinese civilization and the unique maritime civilization of the Pacific island countries are invaluable global heritages. The two sides will strengthen traditional friendship, jointly promote the Global Civilization Initiative, further deepen exchanges and cooperation in fields such as education, culture and media, so as to jointly promote the civilizational progress of human society. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, May 28 /Xinhua/ — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
According to the department, S. Lavrov informed M. Rubio about the progress of implementing the agreements between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on May 19, as well as about the preparation by the Russian side of specific proposals for the next round of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul, Turkey.
It is noted that M. Rubio, in turn, “emphasized D. Trump’s focus on a speedy end to the Ukrainian conflict and expressed Washington’s readiness to facilitate a rapprochement between the parties’ positions.”
“The parties confirmed their mutual commitment to continuing a constructive and mutually respectful dialogue between the foreign policy departments of Russia and the United States,” the Russian Foreign Ministry added.
It is reported that during the conversation, current issues on the bilateral agenda were also touched upon. –0–
In early summer 2024, Squadron Leader Sharon Mwinsote Syme of Ghana ventured into sector North of Abyei, a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan where she was deployed as a military gender advocate with the UN Interim Security Force in Abyei (UNISFA).
There, alongside civilian gender units, Ms. Syme met a group of local community members – both men and women. Partway through, she realised something was different.
“The women were not talking,” she told UN News. “They were very quiet.”
Then she remembered that local cultural norms dictated women do not speak in public.
“We are women like you. We want to be able to help, but we don’t know how we can help you,” she told them in a separate meeting. “Can you please tell us what your problem is so we can see how we can help?”
It is for this sort of work founded in community trust building and a relentless belief in the importance of gender perspectives and empowerment in peacekeeping, that the UN will honour two exceptional women peacekeepers on Thursday as part of International Peacekeepers’ Day.
Ms. Syme is this year’s winner of the UN Military Gender Advocate of 2024 Award.
“[Ms. Syme’s] dedication has not only improved the effectiveness of UNISFA’s operations but also ensured that the mission is more reflective of and responsive to the communities it serves,” said Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
The other honouree is Chief Superintendent Zainab Mbalu Gbla of Sierra Leone who has been named Woman Police Officer of the year for her work with UNISFA.
“Chief Superintendent Gbla embodies the work of the United Nations to improve lives and shape futures,” said Mr. Lacroix.
SEATTLE — Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 15 other attorneys general to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s illegal attempts to cut critical National Science Foundation (NSF) programs and funding that help maintain the United States’ position as a global leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
On April 18, NSF began terminating projects focused on increasing the participation of women, minorities, and people with disabilities in STEM fields. On May 2, NSF announced that it would also cap “indirect costs” of research projects like laboratory space, equipment, and facility services at 15 percent. This arbitrary limit on indirect costs would slash millions of dollars for groundbreaking scientific research across the country, jeopardizing national security, the economy, and public health.
With this lawsuit, Attorney General Brown and the coalition are seeking a court order blocking the implementation of NSF’s new directives to eliminate programs addressing diversity in STEM and cut vital funding for research across the country.
“Washington’s college and university system is at the forefront of critical research and emerging technologies, and relies heavily on support from the National Science Foundation,” said Brown. “Congress created the NSF to promote the progress of science and has recognized America’s need for a preeminent STEM workforce. The Trump administration does not have the authority to unilaterally cut NSF grants and their terminations threaten our national security and economic dominance.”
NSF also has a Congressionally mandated focus on improving diversity in STEM fields. Congress has instructed in law that a “core strategy” of NSF’s work must be to increase the participation of people who have historically been left out of STEM occupations. This policy has been a success. As the coalition of attorneys general notes, between 1995 and 2017, the number of women in science and engineering occupations, or with science or engineering degrees, has doubled. During that same time, people of color went from 15 percent to 35 percent of science and engineering job or degree holders. As a result of NSF’s April 18 directive to terminate programs seeking to increase diversity in STEM, dozens of projects have been canceled.
The coalition also asserts in the lawsuit that NSF’s directive to cap indirect costs at 15 percent would devastate scientific research at universities throughout the country. NSF’s new cap would mean essential research and infrastructure would be cut, leading to critical projects being abandoned, staff laid off, and research essential to national security, public health, and economic stability ending. The administration’s unlawful attempts to cap indirect costs at 15 percent for National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE) grants have already been stopped by courts, in part due to a lawsuit brought by Attorney General Brown and 21 other attorneys general.
Brown and the coalition argue that NSF’s directives violate the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution by unlawfully changing NSF policy and ignoring Congress’s intent for how NSF should function. The lawsuit seeks a court order ruling NSF’s new policies are illegal and blocking them from being implemented.
Joining the Washington state Attorney General’s Office in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.
The lawsuit is available here.
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Two indictments were unsealed today charging a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company, AeroVanti Inc.
As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. As alleged, these RPP tests were medically unnecessary, were never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including for patients who had died. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr allegedly caused more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to be submitted to Medicare, for which Medicare paid more than $5 million.
As alleged in the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti and its affiliated entities. AeroVanti was a private air club that offered members a la carte access to private jets. Britton-Harr allegedly encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr allegedly promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which the Top Gun members would have a securitized interest. Britton-Harr allegedly recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid nearly $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying those aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including to purchase yachts and jewelry, to pay his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. As alleged, Britton-Harr then attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5 million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he had already claimed to have purchased with Top Gun member funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.
“The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”
“It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”
“Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”
“Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve. HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”
Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment related to his AeroVanti scheme. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Ari D. Evans for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two indictments were unsealed today charging a South Carolina man with defrauding Medicare through a laboratory test scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic and with defrauding customers of his private charter jet company, AeroVanti Inc.
As alleged in the first indictment, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Britton-Harr, 41, of Charleston, South Carolina, formerly of Annapolis, Maryland, offered COVID-19 screening tests to nursing home patients across the country. Britton-Harr then allegedly fraudulently billed Medicare, through his company Provista Health, for expensive respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests for these patients. As alleged, these RPP tests were medically unnecessary, were never ordered by a treating physician as required, and many were never actually performed, including for patients who had died. Through Provista Health, Britton-Harr allegedly caused more than $15 million in fraudulent claims for RPP tests to be submitted to Medicare, for which Medicare paid more than $5 million.
As alleged in the second indictment, Britton-Harr owned and controlled AeroVanti and its affiliated entities. AeroVanti was a private air club that offered members a la carte access to private jets. Britton-Harr allegedly encouraged “Top Gun” members to pay $150,000 upfront to secure block flight hours. In return, Britton-Harr allegedly promised to use their money to purchase specific aircraft, in which the Top Gun members would have a securitized interest. Britton-Harr allegedly recruited nearly 100 Top Gun members, who collectively paid nearly $15 million in upfront payments, to purchase five aircraft. Instead of buying those aircraft, Britton-Harr allegedly misappropriated members’ money for his own personal benefit, including to purchase yachts and jewelry, to pay his living expenses, and to rent a property near Tampa, Florida. As alleged, Britton-Harr then attempted to conceal his fraud by obtaining a $1.5 million loan to purchase one of the aircraft he had already claimed to have purchased with Top Gun member funds by withholding material information from the lender to obtain the loan.
“The defendant allegedly perpetrated two fraud schemes, first exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare out of millions of dollars and then stealing millions more from customers of his aviation company, all for his personal benefit,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to rooting out bad actors who steal from taxpayer-supported health care programs and defraud American consumers.”
“It is unconscionable for someone to defraud the government and others for personal gain, especially as we faced a global health crisis,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Britton-Harr showed a total disregard for those who depend on our Medicare system for health care services and for the individuals he scammed through his private-jet company. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our federal law enforcement partners to bring those to justice who break the law and take advantage of others.”
“Patrick Britton-Harr’s repeated crimes reveal a man with no moral compass motivated by pure greed. His deceit and scheming resulted in a staggering amount of loss to American taxpayers and the public,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “He tried to fleece the U.S. government out of millions by taking advantage of a national crisis. After his laboratory testing business failed, Britton-Harr again turned to deception. Time and again, he chose to lie, steal, and deceive. No more. This investigation holds Britton-Harr accountable for his crimes and sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will not allow such despicable behavior to go unchecked.”
“Individuals who steal from Medicare waste taxpayer dollars and create incisions in the fabric that holds our health care system together,” stated Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue the pursuit of upholding the integrity, trust, and confidence in federal health care programs, which benefits the people they serve. HHS-OIG, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, will continuously investigate alleged attempts to defraud these programs.”
“The scope of the alleged fraud is staggering and underscores the extraordinary lengths to which individuals will go to deceive and exploit others under the guise of legitimate business, including private aviation services,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT-OIG), Mid-Atlantic Region. “The DOT-OIG remains steadfast in its commitment to working in coordination with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to pursue those who engage in egregious schemes designed solely for personal enrichment.”
Britton-Harr is charged with five counts of health care fraud and one count of money laundering in the indictment related to his RPP scheme. Additionally, Britton-Harr is charged with six counts of wire fraud in the indictment related to his AeroVanti scheme. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years in prison on each health care fraud and money laundering count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, HHS-OIG, and DOT-OIG are investigating the cases.
Trial Attorneys David Peters and Chris Wenger of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Ari D. Evans for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and eight months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Aug. 12, 2023, Richmond Police (RPD) officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Trevon Barfield, 28, had a gun and was pointing it at his ex-girlfriend. Barfield also had an outstanding arrest warrant.
When the officers arrived at the apartment complex, they found Barfield sitting atop a stairwell. The officers approached Barfield and notified him of the arrest warrant. One of the officers observed a bulge in Barfield’s left front pants pocket that he believed was a firearm, and Barfield reached for the object. After a brief struggle, the officers detained Barfield and recovered a handgun, which was loaded with 21 rounds of ammunition. Officers also found cocaine in Barfield’s pocket.
At the time of the arrest, Barfield had been convicted previously for, among other crimes, possession of cocaine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a weapon in a correctional facility. As a previously convicted felon, Barfield cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-160.
NEWARK, N.J. – On May 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz entered a final judgment forfeiting to the United States approximately $7 million in fraud and money laundering proceeds, as well as a real property purchased with laundered fraud proceeds that has an estimated market value of nearly $2 million, United States Attorney Alina Habba announced.
On May 6, 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint against approximately $7 million in seized and frozen U.S. currency, as well as a real property in Cresskill, New Jersey, that was purchased with nearly $1 million in laundered fraud proceeds, alleging that the assets were the proceeds of fraud and money laundering offenses. As alleged in the complaint, between April 2020 and August 2020, Jae H. Choi (“Choi”) fraudulently obtained Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans totaling approximately $8,971,457, and then laundered those fraud proceeds through various financial accounts held in the names of Choi’s nominees, including Choi’s relative and various corporate entities that Choi controlled. According to the civil forfeiture complaint, Choi then spent the laundered fraud proceeds on personal expenses and purchased the Cresskill real property.
United States Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service –Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General’s Boston New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher A. Nielsen, and special agents of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Braithwaite, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal jury in New Haven today found MELKUAN SCOTT, also known as “Mel,” “Young God,” “Young,” and “YG,” 34, guilty of the drug-related murder of Serafin Velez, 27, in Hartford on February 16, 2012.
According to the evidence introduced during the trial, the murder was in retaliation for a failed marijuana transaction that cost Scott and others tens of thousands of dollars. Velez and an associate had brokered the marijuana deal with individuals in New York. After receiving the cash, the New York individuals gave Scott and his associates fake marijuana. After the failed transaction, Scott forced Velez into a vehicle and ultimately drove him to Waverly Street, where Scott and an associate shot and killed Velez.
The jury found Scott guilty of kidnapping resulting in Velez’s death, and with causing the death of Velez through the use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Scott faces a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reed Durham, Robert S. Ruff, and Christopher J. Lembo.
Wellness tourism is booming. Think yoga retreats in Bali, digital detox weekends in a rainforest, or a break on a luxury island to “find yourself”.
It’s no longer just about taking selfies at the beach or in front of Instagrammable landmarks. Travellers today want to invest in activities aimed at improving their mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing. And, they’re willing to pay for these experiences.
Global spending on wellness tourism is projected to hit US$8.5 trillion by 2027. Rather than being a passing fad, spending in this sector is forecast to nearly triple by 2035. This is big business.
The Wellness Tourism Association says 90% of travellers report wellness activities are an essential part of their travel itineraries.
Behind the luxe retreat
But, while holidaymakers pursue their zen, the workforce is largely overlooked. The massage therapists, spa staff, yoga instructors and retreat hosts – often women, migrants and workers from the Global South – frequently experience substandard, undignified working conditions.
Our new report, In Decent or Dirty Work?, examines an often overlooked part of the wellness industry. We propose a model to shift the industry from “dirty to decent” in line with the United Nations’ sustainable development goal eight supporting “decent work and economic growth”.
The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) were adopted by all UN member states in 2015. They support ending poverty and other deprivations as part of improving health and education, reducing inequality and encouraging economic growth – while tackling climate change and protecting the environment. These goals are designed to help businesses and governments develop sustainable and inclusive economies.
Progress towards decent work in wellness tourism is undermined by workers in some cases facing low pay, insecure employment and poor working conditions.
Wellness is often viewed as feminised work, rather than skilled or professional. Workers are expected to be calm, warm and nurturing, as well as emotionally available while juggling demanding workloads and unpredictable hours.
Weak regulation
Gaps in standards and regulation leave workers vulnerable. For example, Massage and Myotherapy Australia has raised concerns about exploitative contracting and loose employment arrangements. Without regulated certification, enforcement of fair contracts, and professional recognition, many workers experience underemployment or unsafe conditions.
Wellness workers are often underpaid and sometimes treated with disrespect by clients. Shellygraphy/Shutterstock
Research shows workers at some spas even describe their roles as feeling uncomfortably close to sex work, especially in settings where the boundaries are blurred and expectations can cross a moral line.
The case of the Melbourne business penalised for underpaying migrant workers and reports of Asian massage therapists being asked regularly for “happy endings” reflect the devaluation and gendered risks for this workforce.
Sociologists call this “dirty work” – jobs that are not physically messy but carry an emotional or moral burden. And while these roles are pivotal to customers’ experiences, the people doing them are often invisible. This makes it even harder to push for better training or fairer conditions.
Proposed changes
To improve the wellness industry’s sustainability and fairness, our research proposes three key changes.
On an individual level, workers need to be empowered. Workers who have a connection with their job will gain personal fulfilment from helping clients with their health and relaxation. Satisfied workers means happier customers and superior work quality.
However, workers should also receive external support to help improve job satisfaction.
For example, management regularly reinforcing the value of staff to a business can enhance a worker’s sense of dignity. Additionally, protecting workers from such threats as immoral requests by customers, is key to cultivating the sense of a safe and dignified workplace.
At the macro-level, policies, social structures and public perceptions shape how wellness work is valued. Without professional accreditation or recognition, these jobs will remain undervalued. Broader changes, like government reforms and public campaigns, would lift professional recognition and support dignity.
Employees’ working conditions should be examined. Decent work – as per the UN sustainable development goals – means providing fair pay, safe environments, recognition and genuine opportunities for employees to develop and thrive at work.
Also, investing in better training and standards benefits everyone, whether workers, businesses or customers.
Leonie Lockstone-Binney receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Liz Simmons, Rawan Nimri, and Tom Baum do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects one in eight women globally. However, this complex hormonal condition is under-researched and often misunderstood.
This is partly due to its name, which overemphasises “cysts” and the ovaries. In fact, you can have PCOS without cysts.
It can affect many parts of the body, not just the ovaries, leading to acne, excess body hair, changes in metabolism and even mental health issues.
Our new research, published today, shows that changing the name would help better reflect the complexity of PCOS and improve awareness about this condition. We surveyed 7,700 health professionals and people with PCOS and found the majority supported a name change.
What is PCOS?
PCOS is a chronic condition caused by an imbalance of multiple hormones – the body’s chemical messengers – that circulate through the body.
Genes and environment play a role. Lifestyle factors, such as diet (especially ultraprocessed foods) and activity, can also lead to weight gain and worsen its severity.
In PCOS, the “cysts” are actually partially developed eggs that, due to underlying hormonal imbalance, remain dormant. This means they are less likely to be released (ovulation).
Unlike conventional ovarian cysts, these dormant eggs will generally not grow larger, cause pain, require surgery or burst. Instead, they are slowly reabsorbed over time back into the ovary.
Having dormant eggs in your ovaries is not, by itself, enough to be diagnosed with PCOS – and you can have PCOS without any dormant eggs.
2) high levels of certain hormones (androgens), such as testosterone, which is evident either in blood tests or symptoms (excess facial and body hair, acne, and thinning/balding scalp)
3) excess dormant eggs detected either on an ultrasound or ovarian hormone blood test
In adolescents, only the first two criteria are needed for a diagnosis. Ovary tests (ultrasound or blood tests) are not recommended until after age 20, as changes in the ovaries are common during normal adolescent development.
However, these criteria focus heavily on the ovaries and menstrual cycles, neglecting the condition’s broader impacts.
Widespread health effects
In fact, hormonal imbalances in PCOS affect multiple systems in the body. This can include:
metabolism – higher blood pressure and cholesterol, and greater risk of heart disease and diabetes.
reproductive system – irregular menstrual cycles, reduced fertility and pregnancy complications and increased endometrial cancer risk.
skin – excess facial/body hair, acne, scalp hair thinning and dark skin patches.
mental health – anxiety, depression, disordered eating and body image concerns.
PCOS has also been linked to sleep apnoea (a sleep disorder involving irregular breathing, snoring and fatigue) and inflammatory conditions such as asthma.
It’s not uncommon for women with PCOS to see two or three doctors and wait years for a diagnosis. Many types of doctors, including GPs and hormone, skin and fertility specialists, may be involved in care.
Common but problematic approaches include not informing women of the diagnosis, telling them not to “worry” about their PCOS until they wish to conceive, providing inadequate information or only addressing the problem in their speciality area, such as infertility.
This fragmentation creates a troubling paradox. Some are told they’ll face infertility. Yet without proper education they may be unaware they can still occasionally ovulate and may experience unexpected pregnancies.
Conversely, others planning for families often face unforeseen fertility difficulties that early comprehensive care – such as reproductive life planning, healthy lifestyle and early treatment – could have addressed.
The case to change the name
In our new study, we surveyed 3,462 health professionals and 4,246 people with PCOS across six continents.
We wanted to find out what health-care professionals, doctors and those affected by the condition understood about PCOS, and whether understanding has improved over time.
We also wanted to understand whether changing the name – for example, to include “endocrine” or “metabolic” – could have a positive impact, given frequent confusion and misdiagnosis.
Support for a name change was widespread: 86% of women with PCOS and 76% of health professionals said renaming PCOS would better reflect the condition, reduce confusion and likely lead to better outcomes.
We are now leading an international process to find a consensus on a new name and formally change it in the International Classification of Diseases. This involves engaging widely with health professionals and people with PCOS.
By reframing PCOS beyond a purely reproductive disorder, a name change can support
broader research funding, education and advocacy. It may lead to better recognition and improved diagnosis, care and outcomes for people with PCOS.
Combating misinformation with evidence
Accurate information is critical for proper PCOS management. Yet misinformation about the condition – for example, that PCOS can be cured through diet or exacerbated by the oral contraceptive pill – is rife on social media.
We have also co-designed and developed evidence-based guidelines and free resources for people with PCOS to find out more about the condition, including the free “Ask PCOS” app.
Renaming PCOS is another key step in improving knowledge about this understudied condition – and care for the 170 million women affected worldwide.
Helena Teede receives funding from the Australian Government and the NHMRC
Chau Thien Tay (Jillian) receives funding from NHMRC supported Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health in Reproductive Life. She is affiliated with Endocrine Society of Australia.
Lorna is employed by MCHRI Monash Uni as consumer lead for women with PCOS.
Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday called former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to enquire about his health after he was hospitalized in Kuwait.
Azad is part of an all-party delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, which is visiting partner countries to highlight India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism. PM Modi extended his best wishes and hoped for Azad’s speedy recovery.
Earlier on Tuesday, in a post on X, Azad shared an update on his health, saying that he is recovering well. “Blessed to share that despite the extreme heat in Kuwait affecting my health, by God’s grace I’m doing fine and recovering well. All test results are normal. Thank you all for your concern and prayers — it truly means a lot!” he said.
Baijayant Panda responded to Azad’s post, also wishing him a speedy recovery. “That is wonderful news indeed! Wishing you a speedy recovery. We were touched by your warm bonhomie, and truly admired your dedication to speak for India despite poor health through a grueling schedule in two countries,” Panda said.
He also praised Azad’s contributions during the visit. “Halfway into our delegation’s tour, Shri @ghulamnazad has had to be admitted to hospital. He is stable, under medical supervision, and will be undergoing some tests and procedures. His contributions to the meetings in Bahrain and Kuwait were highly impactful, and he is disappointed at being bedridden. We will deeply miss his presence in Saudi Arabia and Algeria,” Panda added.
The Baijayant Panda-led delegation has now reached Saudi Arabia after presenting India’s position on terrorism in Kuwait. The delegation was welcomed by Maj. Gen. Abdulrahman Alharbi, Chair of the India-Saudi Arabia Friendship Committee of the Shura Council.
“India’s stand on terrorism is resolute and uncompromising — a message we bring to Saudi Arabia with our all-party delegation. Appreciate the warm welcome by H.E. Maj. Gen. Abdulrahman Alharbi, Chair of the Friendship Committee, Shura Council, as we begin key engagements to strengthen our growing partnership,” Panda said in his X post.
The all-party delegation includes BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu; AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi; Ghulam Nabi Azad; and former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla.
Alberta Student Aid is an effective tool to reduce financial barriers to post-secondary education and helps students cover basic learning and living costs required for them to attend a post-secondary institution. Students are encouraged to apply at least 60 days in advance of their study period start date.
“Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring post-secondary education is accessible and affordable for those who wish to pursue it. In addition to the variety of bursaries, awards and scholarships available, student aid is an effective tool to help reduce financial barriers for students who are most impacted by rising costs.”
Alberta students only need to submit one application to Alberta Student Aid and are assessed for both Canada and Alberta student grants and loans. Information, guidelines and requirements are available on the Alberta Student Aid website. Students can also access information about a wide range of student aid programs, including loans, grants, bursaries, awards, and scholarships – all of which can be used to support living costs.
Alberta’s government has taken action to make post-secondary study more affordable by capping tuition increases, rejecting exceptional tuition increases, reducing interest rates on student loans and extending the interest-free grace period, increasing access to the Repayment Assistance Plan, and modernizing shelter allowances for student aid.
Quick facts
Students can get more information and submit their application at studentaid.alberta.ca.
To avoid delays, students are encouraged to upload all required documentation with their initial application.
Alberta Student Aid does not cover all financial costs associated with attending post-secondary education and is a supplement to other funding sources such as savings, part-time employment or family assistance.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)
Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) nominated 15 community projects in Washington’s 1st Congressional District for dedicated Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) funding. The projects, totaling more than $40 million, include road and trail upgrades, water infrastructure projects, and public safety improvements.
“The requests submitted in this year’s federal FY26 funding package continue to be a critical resource for our community, providing investments for programs that Washington’s 1st Congressional District needs to continue meeting the needs of our growing region,” said DelBene. “These 15 projects will enhance infrastructure, improve transportation services, guarantee access to safe drinking water, and expand early childhood education programs and access to health care, further strengthening our district.”
The 15 community projects spanning the 1st Congressional District include:
$14.1 million for projects in King County
$26.6 million for projects in Snohomish County
The projects submitted are listed below:
Applicant
Project
Amount
Description
City of Arlington
SR-531 Trail
$1,000,000
This project will build a multi-use trail to provide a safe pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists
City of Bellevue
Lake Washington Sanitary Sewer Lake Lines Program
$500,000
This project will help Bellevue and nearby areas plan to replace old sewer pipes along Lake Washington.
City of Bothell
Woodcrest Utility Replacement Project
$3,333,000
This project will replace the Woodcrest neighborhood’s failing water utilities and provide improved water infrastructure.
City of Kenmore
Environmentally Sustainable Public Works Operations Center
$2,400,000
This project will modernize infrastructure throughout Kenmore.
City of Marysville
156th St. NE Railroad Overcrossing Project
$5,000,000
This project will reinstate an overcrossing on the railroad track at 156th Street NE.
City of Monroe
Railroad Grade Separation
$1,400,000
This project will assess and design five critical railroad crossings to improve safety and emergency response.
City of Mountlake Terrace
Community Center Resiliency Project
$2,500,000
This project will fund repairs for the Mountlake Terrace emergency services shelter building
City of Redmond
AC Water Main Replacement
$3,500,000
This project will replace an asbestos-cement water pipe that has reached the end of its useful life.
City of Snohomish
Infrastructure Investments for Public Safety & City Services Campus
$5,000,000
This project will create a new safety campus for the City of Snohomish Fire and Police Departments while revitalizing critical infrastructure along Pine Ave and throughout the Pilchuck District.
Community Transit
Swift Green Line Extension Southern Terminal Facility
$3,800,000
This project will extend Sound Transit’s Green Line, connecting Canyon Park to downtown Bothell.
EvergreenHealth Monroe
EvergreenHealth Monroe Specialty Care Expansion
$3,000,000
This project will expand EvergreenHealth in Monroe’s specialty care facilities to improve medical services for residents.
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
The Early Learning Center Childcare Project
$2,500,000
This project will allow Lake Washington Institute of Technology to expand its early childhood learning program.
Snohomish Conservation District
Natural Resources Center
$2,000,000
This project will create the Snohomish County Natural Resources Center, an all-ages educational facility.
Snohomish County
Alderwood Mall Parkway: SR525 to 168th St SW
$4,000,000
This project will widen the SR 525 Northbound On and Off Ramps.
Sno-Isle Intercounty Rural Library District
Lake Stevens Early Learning Library
$750,000
This project will fund the construction of a new, high-tech library
Descriptions of the 15 projects submitted by DelBene can be found here.
The House and Senate must reach an agreement on the FY26 package, which will determine which projects are ultimately approved and how much they are funded for. In previous years, DelBene secured a total of $44.4 million in dedicated federal funding for projects.
Project submissions came directly from non-profit, city, county, and Tribal entities. More information about the House FY26 government funding process can be found here.
SAN DIEGO — An illegal alien from Guatemala was sentenced in federal court May 23 to 14 years in prison for managing a cocaine trafficking organization that smuggled more than 1,000 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Guatemala. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“This sentencing sends the message that those who traffic dangerous drugs into our country will be held accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Diego Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson. “Thanks to the outstanding investigative work and strong domestic and international law enforcement partnerships, we were able to disrupt a key supply line of a major drug trafficking network. We remain committed to targeting high-level drug trafficking organizations and keeping deadly narcotics, like cocaine, out of our communities.”
Following his surrender to U.S. authorities in June 2024 at Los Angeles International Airport, Arnoldo Oswaldo Vargas-Samayoa, 50, of Zacapa, Guatemalan, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to import cocaine that were filed in January 2020.
In imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo noted that Vargas-Samayoa was a “manager of a very extensive international drug ring” and money laundering effort who did not make a “mistake” but rather “chose a lifestyle.”
Vargas admitted he sourced the cocaine from two different Guatemalan suppliers and coordinated delivery to a Mexico-based drug trafficker. Vargas and the Mexico-based trafficker arranged for the drugs to be hidden in vehicles and smuggled into the United States through ports of entry in Southern California and Southern Texas.
Vargas, whose communications were being intercepted by law enforcement, messaged with the trafficker while cocaine loads were being moved into the United States to confirm the drugs were successfully smuggled. Once in the United States, some of that cocaine was moved to the Chicago area for further distribution. Vargas received a commission of $1,000 U.S. dollars for each kilogram of cocaine he delivered to the Mexico-based trafficker.
“Cocaine continues to be a dangerous and highly addictive drug with devastating consequences for individuals and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We remain committed to dismantling the entire supply chain — from powerful cartel leaders to street-level dealers — and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.”
The U.S. Attorney’s office has previously convicted, and the court has sentenced, multiple couriers attempting to smuggle narcotics for the same drug trafficking organization as well as individuals engaged in related money laundering efforts. Through the related investigation of this matter, law enforcement has seized more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than $2 million in bulk currency, and firearms.
Vargas’ father, Arnoldo Vargas Estrada, is the former mayor of Zacapa, Guatemala who was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of New York in Case No. 90cr00855-SJF of five counts related to the importation of narcotics. He was sentenced to 365-months in custody. Vargas Estrada was one of the first Guatemalan drug traffickers to be extradited to the United States in the early 1990s. He was released in 2017, returned to Guatemala, and then reelected as mayor of Zacapa holding that position until 2024.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Casper.
DALLAS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in a joint operation with state and federal law enforcement, arrested Daikerlyn Alejandraa Gonzalez-Gonzalez, a 22-year-old citizen of Venezuela in Dallas, Texas, May 27, following a state warrant execution for felony manslaughter.
Gonzales was operating a personal watercraft with a female passenger at high speed near the shoreline of Oak Grove Park when it collided with a kayak occupied by 18-year-old Ava Moore, May 25, resulting in her death. Gonzalez fled the scene with her passenger onboard.
Gonzalez and the passenger returned to Oak Grove Park. The passenger remained on scene with witnesses and was interviewed by Grapevine Police Department, while Gonzalez left in a vehicle with 21-year-old Maikel Coello Perozo, also of Venezuela.
Perozo has been charged with hindering apprehension. As the investigation unfolds, more state charges could be filed.
“This criminal alien and her boyfriend will account for the tragic accident that ended the life of a young woman who exhibited enormous potential,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. ICE Dallas will remain steadfast in our commitment to arresting and removing criminal aliens who pose a threat to the safety of our communities.”
ERO Dallas lodged immigration detainers with the Grapevine Police Department following the arrest of Gonzalez and Coello. Both are in removal proceedings pursuant to the policies of the Immigration and Nationality Act as aliens present without admission or parole.
“Our partnerships with law enforcement across jurisdictions are key during these types of investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge for ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Travis Pickard. “This investigation will continue to be driven by facts, evidence and a firm commitment to
justice. The arrests of these two illegal aliens reflect the diligence and professionalism of our law enforcement team.”
On Sept. 28, 2023, Gonzalez illegally entered the United States without inspection or parole by an immigration officer. On that same day, the U.S. Border Patrol arrested and processed Gonzalez as a Notice to Appear and released on an order of recognizance.
On Jan. 22, 2023, Maikel Alexander Coello-Perozo arrived at the Camino Real Port of Entry without authorization. Coello was released pending an immigration hearing.
This investigation included law enforcement from the following agencies: The Texas Department of Wildlife, the Grapevine Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Office of the Attorney General, the Dallas Police Department, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas, Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, and the Dallas U.S. Marshals office.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form .
Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @ERODallas or @HSI_Dallas.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan W. Marshall, Associate Professor & Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Edith Cowan University
“Tamaokoshi (たまおこし-) – Evocation” (2013) by Yumi Umiumare. Performers: Umiumare, Felix Ching Ching Ho, Fina
Po, Helen Smith, Willow Conway, Sevastian Peters-Lazaro, Takashi Takiguchi.Photo by Vikk Shayen, reproduced courtesy of Umiumare and Shayen.
Post-war Japan was home to exciting new theatrical forms. These included the often grotesque and contorted, but at times flowing, dance style “butoh”, created by dancer/choreographer Hijikata Tatsumi – and the intensely focused, sometimes militaristic, sometimes dreamy theatre of Suzuki Tadashi.
Both Hijikata’s and Suzuki’s work attracted followers in Australia, and continue to have influence today. They often exchanged ideas, and several of Hijikata’s former dancers performed in Suzuki’s productions.
Here’s a brief history of how these two helped bring Japanese performance to Australia – and how local artists made it their own.
Suzuki’s training method
Visits by Japanese performing artists to Australia increased during the 1990s, with Melbourne’s Playbox Theatre commissioning Suzuki Tadashi to direct an Australian cast in The Chronicle of Macbeth (1992). But even before he came here, several Australians visited his training institution in the Japanese mountains.
Suzuki is best known for his training method, in which performers stomp up and down in a line, or swiftly move from one physical position to another.
Suzuki claims this generates an actor who, even when standing still, is full of suppressed energy like a “Boeing 747, its brakes on and engines full-throttle just before take-off”.
The performances themselves often have a dreamlike quality, similar to the Japanese noh theatre that inspired Suzuki.
Tanaka brings butoh to Australia
The first of Hijikata’s students to reach Australia was Japanese performer Tanaka Min. Tanaka appeared at the 1982 Sydney Biennale, showcasing his dance style of “Body Weather”.
The Sydney Morning Herald described it as “the relationship between body and place […] improvisation and […] textures” – viewed as a shifting microclimate of impulses moving between the dancer’s body and their surroundings.
Tanaka claimed Hijikata and his principal dancer Ashikawa Yoko taught him 1,000 embodied states that were prompted or described by poetic images or motifs. He passed these on to several Australian performers through his own training.
Although similar to Hijikata’s approach, Tanaka’s focus on the body as an interactive landscape was unique to his version of butoh.
Yumi Umiumare
Japanese choreographer-director Maro Akaji had the greatest influence on Australian physical performance. His butoh company, Dairakudakan, appeared at the 1992 Melbourne Festival and left behind dancer Yumi Umiumare, who settled in the city. Dairakudakan established some of the key motifs recognisable in early Australian butoh.
Maro’s Tale of the Sea-Dappled Horse (1991), opens with a group of almost-naked dancers in white makeup performing a grotesque group dance, coming together in a pulsating mass. As author Bruce Baird describes it, “on their hands and knees […] they convulse progressively energetically”.
Umiumare’s Japanese heritage gives her the most direct link to butoh’s origins. After performing solos, duets and character roles, she developed what she calls “butoh cabaret”. This often surrealistically funny style is similar to Melbourne’s zanier comedy shows, as well as Dairakudakan’s own “grand seminarrative spectacles”.
Umiumare says even her serious works in Melbourne were aimed at “audiences [who] really wanted a laugh”. In a 1995 cabaret skit, she parodied Madonna’s famous pointed cone bra costume. She pulled out accordian-style tubes placed over her breasts to render herself a phallic woman, before threatening and flirting with spectators.
Umiumare continues to train and direct ensembles.
Tess de Quincey
Choreographer-dancer Tess de Quincey was the first non-Japanese, Australian-based artist to focus on Japanese physical theatre. She trained with Tanaka in Japan from 1985, before returning to performing in Sydney in 1988.
De Quincey’s early Australian shows of 1988 and 1989 featured her naked body, all white like the Japanese butoh dancers, twisting and shifting in semi darkness.
She later produced introspective multimedia works such as Nerve 9 (2001-05), structured around the slow unfolding of dissociated bodily gestures.
Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre
Hijikata’s butoh style was further explored by the Brisbane-based Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre, founded by performer/director/trainer Lynne Bradley and director/trainer Simon Woods. The pair also witnessed Suzuki’s training in Japan.
Zen Zen Zo’s fusion of butoh, Suzuki’s method, and Jacques Lecoq’s approach to clowning culminated in the 1996 production The Cult of Dionysus, performed at the Brisbane Festival.
Audiences described a “glamorously grotesque” chorus, attired in “ragged skirts of rich reds, oranges and pinks, and strings of beads across their […] bare torsos,” “smeared” with ochre.
Although Zen Zen Zo’s work became increasingly varied during the 2000s, it still trains in Suzuki’s method.
Frank Theatre
Another pair dedicated to Suzuki’s theatre and training were former contemporary dancers Jacqui Carroll and John Nobbs. The pair founded Frank Theatre in Brisbane in 1992, drawing on many of the same performers as Zen Zen Zo.
Nobbs rejected any dilution of Suzuki’s method, going on to develop what he characterises as an unsullied “regional variant”. Carroll and Nobbs also retained the often riotous grotesquerie and absurdism of Suzuki’s productions.
Frank Theatre’s masterpiece was Carroll’s Doll Seventeen (2002), an adaptation of Ray Lawler’s Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1955). Very similar to a Japanese noh play in its sense of inevitability, the characters intoned their words as though trapped in a slowly unfolding nightmare.
Crisscrossing the Pacific
Hijikata and Suzuki have also inspired performance-makers more distant from Japanese tradition.
Australian dance company Marrugeku combines certain elements of Japanese theatre with First Nations performance.
Similarly, multidisiplinary Māori–Australian artist Victoria Hunt combines butoh influences with her own whakapapa, or Māori genealogy.
And Tony Yap, of Malaysian Chinese descent, has developed what he calls “trance dance”, drawing on Hijikata’s writings, Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski’s’s theatre of bodily and spiritual transfiguration, and Yap’s own background in Southeast Asian possession rituals.
In these, and other exchanges, performance practices crisscross the Pacific, from Japan to Aotearoa New Zealand, to Australia, to Malaysia, and back.
Some of Jonathan W. Marshall’s research into butoh was supported by an ARC-LIEF grant.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacqui Stuart, Postdoctoral Researcher in Marine Ecology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington
Antarctica is the world’s great cooling unit. This vital part of Earth’s climate system is largely powered by the annual freeze and melt of millions of square kilometres of sea ice around the continent.
Our research shows changes to this annual freeze cycle in McMurdo Sound can lead to shifts in the diversity of algal communities that live within the sea ice.
At the start of the southern winter, as sea water begins to freeze, it expels salt and forms heavy and very cold brine. This sinks to the seafloor, ultimately forming what’s known as Antarctic Bottom Water. This is then pumped out to the rest of the world through several major oceanic currents.
Historically, this cycle meant that Antarctica effectively doubled in size and the continent was surrounded by an enormous apron of sea ice at the peak of winter. But the changing climate is shifting this annual cycle.
Major ocean currents transport cold Antarctic Bottom Water out to the rest of the world. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
For the past decade, Antarctic sea ice has been in decline. It hasn’t been a steady trend, but each year since 2016 less sea ice has formed compared to historic averages.
Antarctica’s annual maximum sea ice extent in September 2023 was the lowest on record, with approximately 1.75 million square kilometres less sea ice than normal – an area equivalent to about 6.5 times the land area of Aotearoa.
Change happening at the continental scale is usually well documented and publicised. However, smaller, more local changes are also occurring in places such as McMurdo Sound, the home of Aotearoa New Zealand’s only Antarctic outpost.
For four of the last seven years, unseasonable winter southerly storms have been associated with significant delays in the timing of sea-ice formation within McMurdo Sound.
Where measurements were taken during these “unusual” years, the sea ice that formed later was thinner (1.5 metres compared to 2.5 metres) and had less snow cover (about 5 centimetres versus 15-30 centimetres) compared to the same locations during “typical” years.
Ken Ryan and Jacqui Stuart measuring the depth of sea ice and the sub-ice platelet layer in McMurdo Sound in 2022. Svenja Halfter, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND
Icy reefs and algal meadows
Another type of ice, known as “platelet ice”, also appears to be affected by the later formation of sea ice.
A layer of platelet ice extends into the ocean below the sea ice in some regions around Antarctica, including McMurdo Sound. It is a fragile lattice structure made up of loosely consolidated plate-shaped ice crystals, creating an upside-down reef-like structure.
The resulting protective environment is a hot spot for primary productivity – microscopic algae that support the base of the marine food web. When sea ice forms later, the platelet ice doesn’t have as much time to accumulate beneath and can be metres thinner than beneath older ice (down to about 1 metre from more than 3 metres).
Scientist collecting cores of sea ice in McMurdo Sound. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
Why should we care about sea ice? Because, it isn’t just a frozen, lifeless sheet expanding out from the continent, broken by the odd silhouette of a seal or a gathering of penguins on the top.
Beneath the desolate surface, where ice meets water, green meadows of microalgae can spread out as far as the eye can see.
View from under the sea ice in McMurdo Sound, with the sub-ice platelet layer extending down into the water. The green-yellow tinge shows thriving microalgae living within the reef-like structure. Leigh Tate, NIWA, CC BY-NC-ND
Microalgae are single-cell, plant-like organisms that use sunlight to create energy. Similar to land-based meadows, they provide food for many other creatures. In winter, when other sources of food can be scarce, this sea-ice superstore plays a crucial role in feeding other inhabitants of McMurdo Sound.
Diminishing algal diversity under thinner sea ice
Our research indicates that when the sea ice forms later, microalgal communities living within the ice are also different. In later-forming sea ice, these vital communities are less diverse and dominated by fewer species.
Some species usually abundant in earlier-forming sea ice are absent or in low numbers when the sea ice forms later. Interestingly, though, it appears the quantity of microalgae in later-forming ice conditions is similar to “typical” ice. However, instead of being spread out through almost three metres depth of the platelet layer, they are crammed into a metre-thick habitat instead.
These microscopic snacks are diverse in shape, size and the roles they play in the ecosystem. It can help to think of microalgal communities as the produce section in the supermarket. Each type has preferred growing conditions and different nutritional values, producing varied quantities of important resources such as proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids.
Microalgae come in different shapes, sizes and nutritional content, like fruits and vegetables. Jacqui Stuart, VUW, CC BY-NC-ND
Imagine, one winter the weather is different and all that grows are cabbages and sweet peas. These won’t provide you with all the nutrients you need. This mirrors the problem when there is less diversity at the base of the food web. As the microalgal communities shift in the ways our research has observed, the quantity and quality of resources they provide are likely to change, too.
These early signals matter. They foreshadow wider ecological impacts, especially, if Antarctic sea ice continues to thin, retreat or form later each year.
We need more research to establish the nuances of these changes and the extent of their impact. But it is worth remembering that what happens at the base of the food web in Antarctica doesn’t necessarily stay there. These changes could ripple through ecosystems further afield with the potential to affect key fisheries in the Southern Ocean.
By paying close attention now, we have a chance to understand and adapt, to ensure ecosystems stay resilient in a changing world.
Natalie Robinson receives funding from the Marsden Fund and Antarctic Science Platform. She is affiliated with New Zealand Antarctic Society.
Jacqui Stuart does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In a new study published today in Nature, we report the discovery of a new long-period transient – and, for the first time, one that also emits regular bursts of X-rays.
Long-period transients are a recently identified class of cosmic objects that emit bright flashes of radio waves every few minutes to several hours. This is much longer than the rapid pulses we typically detect from dead stars such as pulsars.
What these objects are, and how they generate their unusual signals, remains a mystery.
Our discovery opens up a new window into the study of these puzzling sources. But it also deepens the mystery: the object we found doesn’t resemble any known type of star or system in our galaxy – or beyond.
An image of the sky showing the region around ASKAP J1832-0911. The yellow circle marks the position of the newly discovered source. This image shows X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, radio data from the South African MeerKAT radio telescope, and infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Author provided
Watching the radio sky for flickers
There’s much in the night sky that we can’t see with human eyes but can detect when we look at other wavelengths, such as radio emissions.
Our research team regularly scans the radio sky using the Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP), operated by CSIRO on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia. Our goal is to find cosmic objects that appear and disappear (known as transients).
Transients are often linked to some of the most powerful and dramatic events in the universe, such as the explosive deaths of stars.
In late 2023, we spotted an extremely bright source, named ASKAP J1832-0911 (based on its position in the sky), in the direction of the galactic plane. This object is located about 15,000 light years away. This is far, but still within the Milky Way.
Some of the ASKAP antennas, located at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia. CSIRO
A dramatic event
After the initial discovery, we began follow-up observations using telescopes around the world, hoping to catch more pulses. With continued monitoring, we found the radio pulses from ASKAPJ1832 arrive regularly – every 44 minutes. This confirmed it as a new member of the rare long-period transient group.
But we did not just look forward in time – we also looked back. We searched through older telescope data from the same part of the sky. We found no trace of the object before the discovery.
This suggests something dramatic happened shortly before we first detected it – something powerful enough to suddenly switch the object “on”.
Then, in February 2024, ASKAPJ1832 became extremely active. After a quieter period in January, the source brightened dramatically. Fewer than 30 objects in the sky have ever reached such brightness in radio waves.
For comparison, most stars we detect in radio are about 10,000 times fainter than ASKAPJ1832 during that flare-up.
A lucky break
X-rays are a form of light that we can’t see with our eyes. They usually come from extremely hot and energetic environments. Although about ten similar radio-emitting objects have been found so far, none had ever shown X-ray signals.
In March, we tried to observe ASKAPJ1832 in X-rays. However, due to technical issues with the telescope, the observation could not go ahead.
Then came a stroke of luck. In June, I reached out to my friend Tong Bao, a postdoctoral researcher at the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics, to check if any previous X-ray observations had captured the source. To our surprise, we found two past observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, although the data were still under a proprietary period (not yet public).
We contacted Kaya Mori, a research scientist at Columbia University and the principal investigator of those observations. He generously shared the data with us. To our amazement, we discovered clear X-ray signals coming from ASKAPJ1832. Even more remarkable: the X-rays followed the same 44-minute cycle as the radio pulses.
It was a truly lucky break. Chandra had been pointed at a different target entirely, but by pure coincidence, it caught ASKAPJ1832 during its unusually bright and active phase.
A chance alignment like that is incredibly rare – like finding a needle in a cosmic haystack.
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope, in orbit around Earth since 1999. NASA/CXC & J. Vaughan
Still a mystery
Having both radio and X-ray bursts is a common trait of dead stars with extremely strong magnetic fields, such as neutron stars (high-mass dead stars) and white dwarf (low-mass dead stars).
Our discovery suggests that at least some long-period transients may come from these kinds of stellar remnants.
But ASKAPJ1832 does not quite fit into any known category of object in our galaxy. Its behaviour, while similar in some ways, still breaks the mould.
We need more observations to truly understand what is going on. It is possible that ASKAPJ1832 is something entirely new, or it could be emitting radio waves in a way we have never seen before.
Ziteng Wang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
