Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.
“The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”
According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.
One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.
Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.
Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation
Senators to DOI Acting Inspector General: “We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions”
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, joined his ENR colleagues in urging U.S. Department of the Interior Acting Inspector General (IG) Caryl Brzymialkiewicz to evaluate the consequences of the Trump Administration’s workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The Senators warned that these cuts are preventing the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress, including supporting essential water infrastructure projects in California and across the West.
According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants — approximately 25 percent of the agency’s entire workforce — since the Trump Administration began its assault on the federal workforce in January. Additionally, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request proposes a $600 million (34 percent) cut to BOR funding, jeopardizing important water infrastructure projects.
“Recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity,” wrote the Senators.
BOR is the largest wholesale water supplier in the United States — operating many critical California water management projects and delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people and 10 million acres of farmland. The farmland managed by BOR produces over 60 percent of the nation’s vegetables and more than 25 percent of its fruits and nuts.
BOR is also the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operates generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year.
The Senators expressed concern over the lack of strategy and harm to public safety that these workforce reductions pose.
“Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety,” continued the Senators.
“BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions,” added the Senators.
The Senators concluded by pushing the IG to investigate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR prevent the Bureau from carrying out its obligations. The letter was led by ENR Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and signed by fellow ENR Democratic members U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Earlier this year, Senators Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pushed the Department of the Interior to prevent further federal workforce cuts to BOR, warning of the devastating effects of these reductions on water supply systems in California and across the nation. In that letter, Padilla and Schiff highlighted three vital water projects that depend on the expertise of Reclamation staff for managing water in the West: the Klamath Project, the Central Valley Project (CVP), and the Lower Colorado Regional Office. In the face of public pressure from the Senators and 14 California water officials, BOR paused a planned additional round of workforce cuts. Padilla and Schiff previously urged the Department of the Interior to immediately stop its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program, which is managed by BOR.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Acting Inspector General Brzymialkiewicz:
We write to request that your office evaluate the extent to which workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (“Bureau” or “BOR”) prevent the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress. The Bureau is the largest wholesaler of water in the United States—delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people. The Bureau is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operate generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year. However, recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity.
According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants since the administration began its assault on the federal workforce. The positions reportedly eliminated include mechanics, engineers, and fish biology specialists—personnel with considerable expertise. Through firings of probational workers, buyouts, early retirements, and other related actions, BOR has shrunk by 25 percent. This workforce reduction has lacked a coherent, mission- and safety- driven strategy and instead led to the departure of experienced personnel—some with over 20 years of experience—leaving the Bureau susceptible to operational disruptions.
Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety. BOR manages over 450 dams throughout 17 western states. Previously, BOR’s dam safety program identified over 300 high and significant hazard dams at more than 200 facilities. The age and complex nature of dam systems necessitates having experienced staff trained in the operation of such systems. In fact, as your office identified in a September 2023 report, approximately 90 percent of BOR’s dams are more than 50 years old and “[a]ging dams increase the risk of dam failures.” BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions.
Your office is responsible for promoting “accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within” the DOI and identifying “ways to improve the DOI’s programs and operations by offering specific, actionable recommendations that lead to positive change.” We therefore urge you to evaluate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR inhibit the Bureau from carrying out its obligations.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Here are the results:
There’s a new food van on the block, and it’s serving up delicious American-style burgers.
The ‘Oklahoma smash’ beef burger and fried chicken burger have our mouths watering.
The burger van is popping up at various locations and markets around Canberra, so keep an eye out on their social media channels for their next stop.
Made with fresh local ingredients, this burger joint is a Canberra favourite.
The menu has plenty of variety. Pick from their signature beef or chicken burgers or upgrade both to a deluxe with bacon. Plant-based eaters can enjoy the ‘BrodVeg’ made with a house-made veggie patty.
Brodburgers are decent in size, so arrive hungry!
This burger spot caters for villains of all sizes.
If you’re after a regular size burger, go for their traditional chicken and beef options, or one of the vegetarian options including halloumi or veggie patties.
If you’re feeling hungrier (or more evil) than usual, they have ‘super villain’ burger options. They also have a ‘small villain’ option for the kids.
Northsiders are loving BZ Burger’s menu.
From traditional beef and chicken burgers to wild turkey-maple glazed fried chicken, halloumi and prawn burgers – they’ve got something for all burger-lovers.
With it’s vibing beer garden and American style-menu, Greasy’s is a local favourite.
You can’t go past their classic ‘Greasy’ beef burger or the southern-fried chicken burger. They also have a vegan-burger option.
Hot tip: on Tuesdays, you can get a free drink with any burger.
You can find Grill’d venues on northside and southside.
They have a range of burger fillings, buns and sauces to choose from including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
This burger spot in Dickson has an extensive burger menu.
Pick from traditional beef and chicken burgers to pulled meat or vegetarian options like their mushroom burger.
They also have snack sized burgers as a lighter option, or for those feeling hungrier – a 1kg burger!
Awesome chips and awesome burgers.
Kingsley’s offer single and double fillet chicken burgers, as well as schnitzel and tender burgers.
Seasonings include tandoori, Cajun and southern fry.
This old school takeaway shop is so good, it’s been listed in the Good Food Guide.
They have many burgers to choose from. Some menu highlights include their ‘Cheesy McCheese Face’ beef burger, chilli fish burger and the halloumi burger with pesto.
Plus, they have a video game machine and pinball machine to keep you entertained while you wait for your food.
Milky Lane’s burger menu is packed full of deliciousness and hip-hop flair.
Burgers include ‘Big Poppa’, a towering stack of wagyu beef, maple-smoked bacon, American cheese, and truffle aioli, and ‘Lil Weezy’, which features southern fried chicken, mac & cheese patties, and creamy ranch dressing.
Patty Smith’s menu is a celebration of bold flavours and Australian produce.
Highlights include the ‘Kickin’ Chicken burger’ made with a chicken fillet, slaw, tomato, and their OG hot sauce, and the ‘Mac Daddy’ beef burger with gooey mac & cheese on top.
Torrens Takeaway, Torrens
This beloved takeaway shop in Torrens has an extensive burger menu.
Pick from many variations of beef and chicken burgers or upgrade to a scotch fillet steak burger – yum.
They also have veggie burgers and egg and bacon burgers.
Located at Kingston shops, this retro-style burger joint is serving up deliciously stacked burgers.
Take your pick of spiced, smashed or fried meats, loaded with brie or American cheese, or if you’re after a vego option check out their crumbed portobello burger.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53)
May 30, 2025
Yesterday, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) introduced the Digital Oversight of Credentials for Service Members (DOCS) Act alongside Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51). This bipartisan bill streamlines how the Department of Defense verifies licenses for military healthcare providers, ensuring they can deliver care without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
Right now, military doctors, nurses, and specialists often face lengthy re-credentialing processes when they transfer—sometimes even within the same facility. These delays contribute to staffing gaps and put added strain on an already overburdened healthcare system.
“As a Navy veteran and healthcare provider, I know how frustrating and harmful these delays can be,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “The DOCS Act delivers a simple, commonsense solution: verify licenses quickly, centrally, and consistently—so our providers can do what they were trained to do: take care of our service members and their families.”
“Bureaucratic red tape shouldn’t delay military doctors and nurses from seeing and treating their patients for months,” said Congresswomen Jacobs. “But unfortunately, bottlenecks in military treatment facilities (MTFs) recredentialing – even when moving from one military facility to another – can take up to six months. That’s why I’m proud to partner with Congresswoman Kiggans to introduce bipartisan legislation to streamline the MTFs recredentialing process so we can protect patient safety and make patient care more efficient.”
“This commonsense legislation helps protect the value, with high quality and access, of the service-earned health care benefit — a key to the success and stability of the all-volunteer force,” Lt Gen (ret) Brian Kelly, President & CEO, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) said. “MOAA thanks Congresswoman Kiggans for championing this cause, and we look forward to working with Congress on more ways to modernize, strengthen, and support the military health care system.”
You can find the full text of this bill here.
You can find a one-pager on this bill here.
Background:
The Department of Defense employs thousands of licensed medical professionals to care for service members and their families.
Currently, a provider’s move—even within the same base—can require redundant and lengthy re-credentialing processes.
Inconsistent credentialing timelines contribute to workforce shortages, delayed care, and frustration among providers.
Specifically, this legislation would:
Require the Secretary of Defense to create a centralized credentialing system for all uniformed and civilian DoD medical providers.
Ensure that 90% of license verifications are completed within seven days of request—dramatically improving access to care.
Allow commanding officers at any facility to verify a provider’s license, regardless of service branch or location.
Headline: Nicaragua 101st WTO member to formally accept Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies
DG Okonjo-Iweala said: “WTO members’ adoption of this landmark Agreement in 2022 set us on a more sustainable path toward restoring the abundance and vitality of our oceans. The next step is the Agreement’s entry into force. With Nicaragua’s formal acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, we are closer than ever to getting there. We now need just 10 more acceptances to cross the finish line!
This 101st acceptance opens the door for the WTO Fish Fund to open a call later this week for developing and least developed WTO members to submit proposals and funding requests for the technical assistance and capacity building they may need to implement the Agreement”, she added.
Ambassador Bohorquez Palacios said: “Our acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies reaffirms Nicaragua’s support for the rules-based multilateral trading system and our commitment to international efforts to promote the sustainable use of marine resources. As a country bordered by two oceans, Nicaragua recognizes the importance of the blue economy and has always been committed to marine life. We look forward to continuing to work with all WTO members to ensure entry into force of this historic Agreement and its effective implementation.”
Formal acceptances from two-thirds of WTO members are required for the Agreement to enter into force – representing 111 members. The list of the 101 current instruments deposited with the WTO is available here.
At the WTO’s 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) held in Geneva in June 2022, ministers adopted by consensus the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, setting new, binding, multilateral rules to curb harmful fisheries subsidies. The Agreement prohibits subsidies for illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, for fishing overfished stocks, and for fishing on the unregulated high seas. Ministers also recognized the needs of developing economies and least-developed countries by establishing a fund to provide technical assistance and capacity-building to help governments which have formally accepted the Agreement implement the new obligations.
WTO members also agreed at MC12 to continue negotiating on remaining fisheries subsidies issues. The objective is to find consensus on additional provisions to further strengthen the disciplines on fisheries subsidies.
Information for members on how to accept the Protocol of Amendment is available here.
Alderman Stephen Moutray has officially taken up office as the new Lord Mayor following the Annual Meeting of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council on Monday 2 June.
The married father-of-three was co-opted onto council in December 2018 and was subsequently re-elected to represent the Lurgan District Electoral Area in 2019 and in 2023.
A member of the DUP since 1979, his long and distinguished career in local politics made him a strong candidate among his party colleagues to hold the highest civic office within council.
Having held leadership positions on key council committees in recent years, his wealth of experience will be an asset as he assumes the responsibilities of Lord Mayor.
These include Chair of the Economic Development and Regeneration Committee from 2019 to 2020 and later Vice-Chair from 2021 to 2022. He also chaired the Governance, Resources and Strategy Committee from 2022 to 2023.
He previously served as a councillor on Craigavon Borough Council from 2001 to 2013 and held the office of Mayor from 2010 to 2011.
While serving as an MLA for Upper Bann from 2003 to 2016, he played a key role in economic development, environmental policies, community engagement, and was actively involved in shaping initiatives that impacted the region.
Taking over from SF Councillor Sarah Duffy, the new Lord Mayor said:
“It is a huge honour and privilege to serve as the First Citizen for the borough. I am so proud to take on this important ambassadorial role and I am really looking forward to the year ahead meeting with businesses, residents and communities and welcoming visiting dignitaries from home and abroad.
“My top priority is to grow the local economy and do all I can to create a more prosperous business environment while also reinforcing the borough’s reputation as a great place to work, live, and invest.
“Working for my family’s food retail business, I know the local business community is facing significant challenges. I am keen to engage with businesspeople across the borough, with a view to understanding the issues important to them and how the council can further support them.
“I am focused on delivering initiatives that enhance the borough’s economic and social landscape.
“We are fortunate to have a well-connected network of community and voluntary groups that play a vital role in providing essential services and supporting the most vulnerable in our community. They are the backbone of our community, and I want to ensure they are recognised and celebrated for the invaluable work they do.
“I also plan to take time to get to know council staff working in all departments and based at different locations across the borough. I am keen to thank them for their hard work and dedication to providing essential services to the whole community.”
He also thanked his DUP party colleagues for entrusting him with his senior civic role and his family for their unstinting support during what will be an extremely busy year ahead.
During his term, the Lord Mayor has pledged to raise funds for the Southern Area Hospice Services and Epilepsy Action Northern Ireland. He has a personal connection to both charities, having observed the positive impact that their respective specialist palliative care and support services have had on close family members.
Outside of work commitments, he enjoys a range of activities such as travelling, walking, and spending quality time with his family and five grandchildren who bring him so much joy.
APNI Councillor Jessica Johnston has also been elected Deputy Lord Mayor for the incoming year, taking over from UUP Councillor Kyle Savage.
The 25-year-old from Donaghcloney is the youngest elected representative to hold this senior position on the council. Councillor Johnston was co-opted onto council in May 2022 to represent the Lagan River Area and was subsequently re-elected in 2023.
Her appointment is a historic moment for her party as she is the first member to hold this prestigious civic role. The Alliance Party first had representation on the council after gaining three seats at the 2019 local elections.
The new Deputy Lord Mayor currently works as a researcher for the Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party, Eóin Tennyson MLA.
Speaking about her appointment, the new Deputy Lord Mayor said:
“I am immensely proud to step into this honorary role at such an early stage in my political career and thrilled to be representing people in the place I call home.
“My greatest aspiration is to use this unique platform to make a lasting impact on the local community.
“As a strong advocate for youth engagement in politics, I hope to encourage young people from all backgrounds to get involved in shaping policies that directly impact their lives.
“With fitness a big part of my lifestyle, I am passionate about increasing people’s access to local leisure facilities and promoting the benefits of sport and exercise for both physical and mental health.
“During my term in office, I hope to raise awareness about the Macmillan Move More programme and the vital work it does locally, with council support, to encourage people living with cancer to become more physically active.
“I am also keen to support local cancer charities as my family, like many others, has been impacted by this disease.”
After graduating from Queen’s University Belfast in 2021 and working in the local hospitality industry during her studies, she previously worked in a graduate role at the University’s Widening Participation Unit. She is a member of the Donacloney Primary School Board of Governors and the Lurgan College Board of Governors.
Headline: Introducing Bing Video Creator: Create videos with your words for free
Questions deserve answers, ideas beg for realization, and curiosity seeks satisfaction. Two years ago, we brought this belief forward with Bing Image Creator, helping users everywhere create whatever they can imagine through words—for free. Last month, we continued the next evolution of search with Copilot Search in Bing, blending the best of traditional and generative search to meet you where you are at in your discovery journey.
Today we’re taking the next leap with Bing Video Creator, allowing you to turn your ideas into videos, for free. Powered by Sora, Bing Video Creator transforms your text prompts into short videos. Just describe what you want to see and watch your vision come to life.
[embedded content] Bing, as your AI-powered search and answer engine, not only helps you find what you need, but gives you the freedom to create exactly what you’re looking for.
Bing Video Creator is free and is rolling out starting today on the Bing Mobile App and coming soon to desktop and within Copilot Search. To get started, download the Bing Mobile app.
Bringing creation to your fingertips
Bing Video Creator represents our efforts to democratize the power of AI video generation. We believe creativity should be effortless and accessible to help you satisfy your answer-seeking process.
Whether you’re letting your imagination run wild, bringing a story to life, or looking for that perfect video to communicate what you’re thinking, Bing Video Creator puts the power of video creation at your fingertips. We’re excited to empower anyone to turn their words into wonder through an AI-generated video.
How to use Bing Video Creator
Getting started with Bing Video Creator is easy. Open Video Creator within the Bing Mobile app by clicking on the menu in the bottom right corner and selecting “Video Creator.” You can also type directly into the Bing mobile app search bar “Create a video of…” for quick access to video creation. Once Bing Video Creator becomes available on desktop, you can visit Bing.com/create.
Open the Bing app and click on the menu in the bottom right corner, then select “Video Creator.”
Then, simply type in a description of the video you want to create in the prompt box. The best prompts provide additional context, description, and detail. Click “Create” and let AI generate your video. Feel free to continue dreaming up new videos – you’ll receive a notification when your video is ready to view.
Check out this fun prompt below: “In a busy Italian pizza restaurant, a small otter works as a chef and wears a chef’s hat and an apron. He kneads the dough with his paws and is surrounded by other pizza ingredients.”
Videos are 5 seconds long and can be created in 9:16 format with 16:9 format coming soon. You can also queue up to three video generations at a time. If all three slots are in use, you’ll need to wait for one to finish before starting another.
Once your video is done generating, you’ll receive a convenient notification informing you your video is ready. You can choose to download the video, share it via email or via your favorite social media platforms, or copy and a share a direct link to the video.
Your creations are stored for up to 90 days, giving you plenty of time to download, share, or refine your prompts.
Video creation is free to all users, with the ability to choose between Fast and Standard generation speeds. Start with 10 Fast creations to let your imagination come to life in seconds. After that, keep the creative juices flowing uninterrupted by redeeming 100 Microsoft Rewards points for each Fast creation or continue with Standard creation speeds.*
Bing Video Creator is rolling out starting today Worldwide (Excluding China and Russia).
Use cases and inspiration
Bing Video Creator is for anyone with a story to tell. Here are some ways you can use it:
1. Special moments: Need a quick, compelling visual to commemorate a special moment? Generate a short video that brings it to life!
2. Communication: Turn your idea into something easy to understand, a joke into a lasting memory, or add a customized experience to your everyday conversations. Or stand out in the scroll by sharing your creation to social media.
3. Discover: Brainstorming is now easier than ever with the ability to test creative directions, explore different styles, bring to life objects, build mood boards, and more. It’s a great way to let your curiosity roam free and discover what you can imagine.
Tips and tricks
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your AI-generated videos, these tips will help you unlock the full potential of Bing Video Creator.
1. Be Descriptive with Your Prompts The more vivid and specific your prompt, the better the results. Instead of “a person walking,” try “a young woman in a red coat walking through a snowy forest at sunrise.” The more detail, the better. Including camera angles and lighting also helps the model deliver what you are looking for.
2. Use Action-Oriented and Scene-setting Language Verbs like “dancing,” “exploring,” or “transforming” help the AI understand motion and intent, resulting in more dynamic visuals. Adjectives like “cinematic,” “sunny,” or “dreamy,” help craft the overall feeling of the video.
3. Experiment with Tone and Style Want something cinematic? Add “in the style of a movie trailer.” Looking for something playful? Try “animated like a cartoon.” Prompt modifiers can dramatically shift the aesthetic
Responsible AI
At Microsoft, our teams are guided by our Responsible AI principles and the Responsible AI Standard to help them develop and deploy AI systems responsibly. To curb the potential misuse of Video Creator, we have utilized OpenAI’s existing Sora safeguards and incorporated additional protections to deliver an experience that encourages responsible use of Video Creator. For example, we have put controls in place that aim to limit the generation of harmful or unsafe videos. When our system detects that a potentially harmful video could be generated by a prompt, it blocks the prompt and warns the user. For each video created using Bing Video Creator we have implemented content credentials and provenance based on the C2PA standard to help users identify AI generated videos.
Try Bing Video Creator today
We’re excited to see what you create with Bing Video Creator. We’re continuing to refine and evolve the experience as we bring video generation to more users. Try Bing Video Creator today: https://aka.ms/TryBingVideoCreator
The Bing team
*Up to 10 Fast creations per user. Thereafter, creations will be processed at the Standard speed. To continue using Fast creations, users may redeem 100 Microsoft Rewards points for each video. Learn more about earning Rewards points here.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
A conference abstract presented at NUTRITION 2025 looks at eating rate and its effects on energy intake from Ultra-Processed Diets.
Dr Amanda Avery, Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nottingham, said:
“This very well considered study explores whether eating rate can make a difference to the amount of food we eat. Previous research has suggested that a 20% difference in eating rate leads to a 9-15% difference in food intake.
“In this study, the abstract being showcased at the American Nutrition conference, the researchers used two different diets using commercially prepared ultra processed foods (UPFs). One diet used UPFs with textures that meant that eating rate was slower whilst the second diet used UPFs with textures leading to faster eating rates.
“Healthy young adults, both males and females with healthy body weights were invited to take part in the study where they were then randomised to be in one ‘block’ or the second block for assignment to the diet. They were not aware which diet they were consuming when – they had one diet for two weeks, then had a two week ‘rest’ and then had the second diet for two weeks. This means that we can compare the results between individuals besides between the two groups.
“The participants were offered as much food as they wanted when on either of the two diets. Incredibly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the findings on energy intake were consistent – all participants consumed less energy from food when on the two week UPF – slow eating rate diet. The average energy intake was 369kcal/day less when people were following the slow eating rate diet.
“Whilst there were no significant differences in body weight, this is not surprising given that the study was only being conducted for a two-week period and because participants were switched from one diet to another. However if a person was choosing a diet which led to an extra 350+kcal being consumed each day, then one could expect to see associated increases in body weight over time.
“As mentioned, the study was well conducted with many reasons as to why participants may not be able to take part in the study. The researchers were keen to exclude anyone who had strict control over their food intake and also those people who were intentionally trying to reduce their body weight – thus other factors that may have contributed to the findings were limited in the study design.
“In terms of what this study adds – the study really reinforces the importance of people sitting down and taking time to enjoy their food. Eating foods quickly and ‘on the hoof’ may lead to extra energy intake which may long-term lead to weight gain. Ideally, we should be choosing foods with more texture, such as ultra-processed foods with more texture, but also balanced with vegetables, whole fruits, wholegrain cereals, beans, legumes, lean meat, fish, so that we have to chew the food. As this study has found, food with very little texture, such as certain UPFs, may lead to excess energy intake which over time may increase the risk of obesity, as demonstrated by other studies that have compared the intake of ultra processed with more minimally processed foods.”
Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, Professor in Diabetes and Metabolic Endocrinology, University of Bristol, said:
“This study reinforces previous epidemiological, experimental and clinical trial data demonstrating that any manoeuvre to slow eating rate consistently, in this current study by meal texture, reduces an individual’s total calorie intake. Whilst it can be difficult to sustain a reduced eating speed, altering food texture that slows eating speed seems an attractive additional tool for population-based, weight management strategies.”
The abstract ‘Eating Rate has Sustained Effects on Energy Intake from Ultra-Processed Diets: A Two-Week Ad Libitum Dietary Randomized Controlled Trial’by Ciarán G. Forde et al. was presented at the NUTRITION 2025 conference, and the embargo lifted at 19:00 UK time Monday 2 June 2025.
Declared interests
Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield: I have conducted experimental and trial studies on slowing eating speed by different methodology, finding results for calorie intake in agreement with the study being described
Dr Amanda Avery: besides my academic position, I also hold a very part-time position as Consultant dietitian in Nutrition, Research & Health Policy at Slimming World.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marco Panato, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Department of History, University of Nottingham
Saint Fredianus diverts the Serchio River by Filippo Lippi, 1438 Wikiart
Northern Italy has been hit by a series of devastating floods in recent years. In March 2025 and the previous autumn, heavy rainfall hammered the region, swamping fields, farms and towns. More than 3,000 had to leave their homes in Emilia-Romagna, between Bologna and Ravenna.
The downpours caused widespread floods, landslides, and infrastructure damage. This has been a repeated event since 2023 when the area saw what has been called the worst flood in a century.
While climate change is a major factor behind the likelihood of these disasters, human neglect has worsened the risk. Decades of poor maintenance of drainage canals and ageing riverbanks – some of which are medieval, like those in Bologna – have made the Po valley particularly vulnerable.
As the meteorologist James Parrish has explained, when dried-out soil suddenly receives half a year’s rainfall in two days, even modern flood defences cannot cope, especially in a landscape prone to waterlogging.
According to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research and the data collected in 2021 by the National Institute of Statistics, in Emilia-Romagna alone, over 2.5 million live in areas of high or medium flood-risk.
Yet if today’s floods feel apocalyptic, history tells us that living with floods is nothing new in these territories. Medieval communities faced similar challenges and how they lived with water may offer lessons for today.
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Since the earliest times, people in the Po valley developed what the historian Petra van Dam calls an amphibious culture: a way of life that continuously adjusted to the threats and benefits posed by rivers. From the Terramare and Etruscan cultures in the second and first millennium BC (but even earlier) to the middle ages and in some cases even now, communities did not just fight floods; they integrated them into their daily lives and economies.
After the fall of the Roman state, Italy entered a period of intense political, socio-economic, climatic and environmental change. As archaeological and historical research shows, settlements from this period often clustered near waterways despite their risks.
Every year, rivers overflowed destroying crops or buildings. Evidence of these events comes from contemporary narratives, such as the life of Saint Fredianus, and in the flood layers buried in the soil. Traces are even found in cave minerals in the Apuan Alps.
Why live so close to something so destructive? Because rivers also brought huge benefits like fertile land, irrigation, mills, fish, woodlands and trade.
Communities adapted in practical ways. They grew crops suited to wet soils, grazed animals in seasonal marshes, and even breached riverbanks on purpose to let in muddy water that deposited rich sediment for farming. To stay dry, they also built houses on natural or artificial high grounds above floodwaters.
These strategies show a deep resilience in medieval societies, something to keep in mind also in the current situation.
A shared responsibility
In early medieval Italy, people dug canals and drained wetlands not just to farm new land, but also to manage flooding and redirect rivers. These projects were often led by monasteries, landowners, and farmers, who worked together out of necessity.
Research research from the Maremma wetlands in Tuscany shows how communities and rulers cooperated to maintain dikes, drainage channels, and salt pans (where seawater was left to dry and leave behind salt). Local know-how and labour mattered as much as political coordination and investment.
Today, people often expect the state to manage floods. But public response is not always quick or fair. For instance, in Traversara, a village severely hit by floods, locals were furious towards proposed mandatory insurance policies, feeling abandoned by authorities.
Modern flood defence relies heavily on centralised systems, satellite monitoring and major infrastructure projects. These tools are crucial, but not enough.
Historical lessons suggest that effective flood resilience must also incorporate local (historical) knowledge and community participation. Some solutions include restoring spaces for rivers to overflow safely and continuous targeted maintenance of canals and levees.
Strengthening and adapting Italy’s consorzi di donifica – local organisations responsible for drainage and water management – could revive a model of shared governance that proved successful for centuries.
As recently suggested in the response strategies to the 2023 floods, responsive resilience takes teamwork. National, regional, and local actors must coordinate. In this case, adopting an “amphibious” mentality – one that views rivers not just as threats but as central, living elements of the landscape – could help reshape flood policy.
Combining historical understanding with modern science and community empowerment can guide better ways to live with water. Medieval societies, through trial and adaptation, managed to coexist with their rivers. Relearning from them today could help build more sustainable futures in flood-prone regions – not only in Italy, but across the globe.
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Marco Panato 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.
Mexico’s drug cartels are often described as powerful rivals to the state, with their influence measured in weapons, money and murdered officials. But this framing misses a fundamental truth. Organised crime in Mexico is also a system of gendered governance – one that disciplines, controls and sometimes eliminates women to consolidate power.
The term “narco-femicide” captures this brutal dynamic. Narco-femicide refers not simply to the killing of women, but to the strategic use of gendered violence by criminal organisations to enforce social norms, maintain control and assert dominance in the absence – or even with the complicity – of the state.
According to a study by Lantia Intelligence, a Mexico-based data intelligence firm, organised crime was responsible for 60% of femicides in Mexico in 2020. That year, 1,891 women were violently murdered by drug cartels – an increase of nearly 40% compared to 2018.
These murders are not private tragedies, nor are they collateral damage. They are political acts, central to how criminal sovereignty in Mexico is exercised and reproduced.
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Mexico has one of the highest rates of femicide in Latin America. According to Amnesty International, approximately ten women were murdered there every day throughout 2020. In cities such as the border town of Ciudad Juárez, which was once labelled the “femicide capital of the world”, these deaths are marked by sexual violence, mutilation and public display.
The causes of femicide in Mexico do vary. But a significant proportion of these murders occur in regions such as Jalisco, Guerrero and Chihuahua, where there is a strong cartel presence. The correlation is no coincidence.
As the Atlantic Council, an international affairs thinktank, observed in 2024: “in areas [of Mexico] controlled by drug cartels, violence against women intensifies”. It added that families often won’t report abuse or rape “out of fear of retribution”.
The same article said that cartels turn attacks on women into “a tool of intimidation and a display of dominance”, warning the community not to defy them. The impunity of cartel violence, and examples of brutal public punishment, enforce an unwritten code that women must “know their place”.
Femicide in cartel-run areas follows a distinct pattern. Women are punished for being too visible, independent or defiant of the patriarchal order imposed by criminal groups. The victims include journalists, business owners and others who pose no military threat but represent a challenge to social control by in some way defying the cartels.
One prominent example is Marisol Macías, a journalist who was killed in 2011 in the border city of Nuevo Laredo after denouncing local gangs on the internet. She was decapitated and a handwritten sign was left beside her body saying she was killed in retaliation for her social media posts.
More recently, in July 2024, Minerva Pérez Castro, the president of an advocacy group for Mexico’s fishing industry, was shot dead hours after making public comments about the presence of illegal fishing in the state of Baja California. Organised crime groups have long participated in illegal fishing in northern Mexico.
Even when women are involved in organised crime, their roles remain precarious. They are valued only insofar as they serve the cartels’ interests, and are easily disposed of if they become liabilities.
A 2016 report by Amnesty International found that gangs routinely recruit vulnerable young women to do “the lowest and most dangerous tasks”, such as smuggling drugs or acting as lookout, precisely because they are “considered expendable if arrested”.
Where is the state?
What makes narco-femicide in Mexico so devastating is not just the violence itself, but the vacuum when it comes to accountability – or worse – the actual collusion of the state. In many regions of Mexico, law enforcement is unwilling or unable to investigate femicides.
Disappearances go unrecorded and families face indifference or hostility when demanding answers. In fact, according to Amnesty International, more than 90% of femicides in Mexico go unpunished. This impunity is a structural failure.
The boundary between criminal and state power is blurred in regions where there is a strong cartel presence. Police, politicians and criminal groups often operate in overlapping networks, leaving little space for genuine accountability.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s security strategy has been heavily shaped by the US-funded Mérida Initiative. Signed in 2007, the initiative deepened security assistance from the US to Mexico to fight organised crime.
The Mérida Initiative officially ended in 2021, but Mexico’s strategy remains focused on military operations against crime groups and the arrest of cartel kingpins. This has diverted attention from much-needed reforms in local policing and justice, perpetuating impunity and weakening trust in institutions.
By failing to protect women, the state effectively legitimises the cartels’ patriarchal rule. As a result, many Mexican women are living under a shadow legal system enforced by cartel violence, one where stepping outside the lines can carry deadly consequences.
Women march in Mexico City in 2022 in protest against soaring levels of gender-based violence. artcgix / Shutterstock
Narco-femicide demands a response that moves beyond militarised crackdowns and technocratic reforms. Mexico needs policies that prioritise community-based justice, survivor-led advocacy and gender-sensitive policing. The experiences of women and frontline defenders need to be central in both research and public the debate.
The problem also needs to be named for what it is. Narco-femicide is not a private horror or a cultural anomaly. It is political violence that is perpetrated systematically and strategically.
If organised crime governs through the control and erasure of women, then any meaningful resistance must begin by making that violence visible. Cartels and the state must both be held accountable, and these deaths must not be treated as inevitable.
Adriana Marin 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.
Modern Britain is plagued by a sense of disempowerment and political exclusion – a feeling that is, somewhat ironically, shared between groups of people who otherwise feel divided from one another.
This division has opened the door to a frightening rightwing populism that seeks to set “us” against “them”. And so far, the response from traditional political parties seems to amount to little more than trying to mimic rightwing rhetoric.
It’s possible that the solution to this drive towards division is simply hiding in plain sight. The term “populist politics” merely means “a political approach that strives to appeal to people who feel their concerns are disregarded”.
It’s unfortunate but not inevitable that voters are being offered merely the illusion of being listened to rather than real action to address their concerns. People don’t actually want more promises. They want a real say – whether they live in a neglected town in northern England or face personal barriers and discrimination.
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But here’s where the biggest contradiction lies. While formal politics has been moving hard right, our personal politics have been headed determinedly in the opposite direction.
We have seen a powerful pressure towards the equalisation of roles and relationships in society, across gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age and disability. And these trends stretch far deeper than any narrow preoccupation with the equality, diversity and inclusion agendas that are attacked as “woke” and “elitist”.
The new social movements that have been the force for such personal, social, cultural and environmental change have also had another underlying agenda – people pressing for a real say in state and other organisations and structures that affect their lives. The growing demand has been for more participation and fewer traditional top-down, paternalistic approaches.
This has been conspicuous in areas like the NHS and care where patients and service users are demanding more information and explanations and staff are being trained to expect this and respond positively.
Thus, the rallying call of the women’s movement, “the personal is political”. And here perhaps lies the way forward – shifting the ground from phoney populism to real participation. Can we build on the quiet transformation that’s been taking place in our personal lives and relationships to rebuild our formal politics – highlighting that “the political is personal” too?
The minority politics we now have which privileges a few over the many is unlikely ever to end until the rest of us can unite as many (albeit overlapping) minorities on equal terms. The present tendency to sort our differences and relative oppression into a hierarchy will merely serve the interest of the ultimate minority – rich and powerful organisations and individuals.
Joining forces
The only convincing way to challenge rightwing populism is to give all the groups now set against each other a real say in change. Crucially, it means building equal and inclusive alliances between our different groups and movements – real grassroots work – emulating and learning from the progress we have undoubtedly made in our personal politics.
It means highlighting what we have in common as much as our differences. None of us has one single monolithic identity – we have multiple overlapping identities which offer insights and understanding into other experiences.
We’re not so different as populists would have us believe – and we don’t have to hate ourselves or others for being tagged as such. You may be divorced or in a blended family. You almost certainly have experienced your own money worries or faced mental health issues personally or with a loved one. Such intersectionality enters all our personal lives, even if we aren’t familiar with the term.
Some of the most disempowered groups have key contributions to offer here. Disabled people, including mental health service users, people with learning difficulties and long-term conditions actually have some of the most helpful learning to offer more broadly because of the scale of routine exclusions they face.
They remind us of the importance of challenging barriers in our environment, such as inaccessible buildings, or communication barriers imposed by ignoring the access needs of deaf, blind and other groups.
Like the black civil rights movement before them, disabled people have majored in sharing their experiences to build their personal confidence and assertiveness as a basis for empowerment.
Of course, all this is easier to say than do, it takes time. That’s why in terms of formal political calendars, it’s a strategy we can’t afford to delay. The general election clock is ticking and already Reform is eyeing up next year’s Welsh elections.
It means building from the bottom, not yielding to top-down rhetoric, and learning from the massive amount of experience we already have from our different movements and activism. As the black lesbian feminist Audre Lorde wrote: “We will not rebuild the master’s house using the master’s tools.” We have to the have confidence instead to join forces to use our own.
Peter Beresford receives funding from the National Institute for Health Reseearch Applied Research Collaboration East of England as a part-time academic at the University of East Anglia and some of the work in this book was made possible through reseearch undertaken as part of this post
Source: World Trade Organization – WTO (video statements)
The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies marks a major step toward ocean sustainability by prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies, which are a key factor in the widespread depletion of the world’s fish stocks. With over 100 WTO members having deposited their instruments of acceptance, the Agreement is close to entering into force. Here’s why this matters — and how the Agreement will make a difference.
Download this video from the WTO website:
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/webcas_e/webcas_e.htm
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Sean Buckley as Deputy U.S. Attorney.
Mr. Buckley joins the Office from Kobre & Kim, where he has served since 2018 and handled a wide variety of securities and other criminal and regulatory matters for companies and individuals. Mr. Buckley previously served as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice for nearly a decade, where he was most recently the Co-Chief of the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. In that role, he oversaw complex international investigations involving terrorism financing, economic espionage, sanctions violations, and anti-money laundering matters across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
From 2009 to 2018, Mr. Buckley served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, handling a wide range of national security and international criminal matters.
Prior to joining the government, Mr. Buckley practiced at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Buckley received his A.B. from Princeton University, an M.A. from the University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has been recognized with several honors, including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award and the Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award.
“We are excited to welcome Sean Buckley back to the Office as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Sean demonstrated exceptional leadership and case-making skills during his prior service in the Office. He is deeply respected by the New York Bar and embodies the commitment to professionalism and the safety of the people of New York that runs through our Office. We are fortunate to once again benefit from Sean’s tremendous intellect and strategic thinking. With the combination of Sean, Amanda Houle, and Jeff Oestricher, I am confident that the Office could not have a more formidable and effective leadership team.”
As long as the item is listed above under what you can put into your recycling bin and it fits in your bin with the lid closed, you can recycle it. Items like large cardboard boxes must be empty and flattened.
For items that are too big to fit in your recycling bin, you can:
What’s the smallest item I can recycle?
Avoid placing anything smaller than the size of a credit card in your recycling. These can slip through the machines and won’t be recycled.
Oh, and those little plastic fish-shaped soy sauce containers belong in landfill, as they are made from different grades of plastic and are too small for the machines.
I saw someone rummaging through my recycling bin. What can I do?
Some individuals have reported that their recycling bins are being checked for containers eligible for the 10-cent refund container deposit scheme.
If you have experienced this, you can contact the ACT No Waste Team to request stickers for your bins, indicating that you do not have any eligible containers (such as 10-cent bottles).
What about containers with food or liquid remaining?
Make sure to wipe, scrape or rinse out any food or drink before placing containers in the recycling bin. Clean and empty containers are ideal.
Why can’t I recycle plastic or metal lids?
Metal and plastic lids smaller than a credit card will fall through the machines can’t be recycled.
If you group metal lids (and coat hangers) together, you can place them all together and take to the scrap metal area at the resource management centres at Mitchell or Mugga Lane.
Plastic lids can be recycled through Lids4Kids who have a range of options. Lids4Kids is a Canberra-based volunteer organisation that rescues plastic bottle lids, and lots of other small items from landfill and recycles them into new items which you can purchase.
They also have a local school program, so if your child’s school participates in Lids4Kids, you can drop them off there.
Empty blister packs, and medicine packs can be dropped off at all ACT Chemist Warehouse stores.
Polystyrene is not recyclable in ACT recycling bins or at recycling drop-off centres.
You can ask the retailer where you purchased your goods if they can take it back. If a retail take-back option is not available, please dispose of it in your rubbish (red or dark-green lid) bin.
Unfortunately, there is no soft plastic recycling in the ACT and they must be disposed of in your household landfill bin. This includes all plastics which can be easily scrunched such as chip packets, plastic bags, freezer bags, bread bags, bubble wrap and pasta bags.
The best thing you can do to recycle soft plastics like plastic shopping bags or freezer bags is to re-use them.
If you’ve recently updated your house with a lick of paint, have left over fertiliser, or have an old gas bottle lying around these are classed as hazardous waste. These items cannot go in household landfill or recycling bins for safety and environmental reasons.
It’s important to keep batteries out of household landfill and recycling bins. This includes devices like phones, laptops, or toys if they contain embedded batteries.
When batteries are compressed and crushed in waste collection trucks and facilities, they can spark fires putting staff’s lives, collection trucks, facilities and the environment at risk.
Batteries also contain chemicals like lead which can be harmful to human health and the environment.
Brushes can be re-used for craft projects or if good condition, may be dropped off for free at Goodies Junction.
However, if the bristles of your paintbrush are stiff or don’t move, they should be disposed of in landfill.
Paint and paint tins are considered hazardous materials. A few options for them:
How do I recycle my old clothes?
A huge number of textiles end up in landfill each year.
Clothing, blankets, and fabrics cannot be placed in your recycling bin. They can get tangled and damage the machinery, which is designed to recycle household packaging.
Canberra has a vibrant second-hand clothing community. You can find a store or organisation near you by checking for a drop-off location or consider donating through an online Buy Nothing page.
Where can I dispose of my car seats and prams?
Roundabout Canberra provides safe, high quality, essential baby and children’s items to families in need. They take donations for a range of good quality second-hand children’s items especially car seats and prams.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, alongside 14 of his colleagues, is urging the Trump Administration to swiftly reinstate terminated employees at the National Weather Service (NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as Maine faces an unpredictable hurricane season ahead. In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Acting Administrator of NOAA Laura Grimm, King and his fellow Senators emphasized that staff reductions at both agencies pose a threat to public safety and emergency preparedness by undercutting essential forecasting and weather monitoring systems. The Senators requested information on how the administration plans to address staffing at both agencies.
“NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide. In addition to daily forecasting operations, weather forecast offices are responsible for issuing emergency weather warnings ahead of events such as major floods, wildfire hazards, hurricanes, and blizzard conditions,” wrote the Senators. “As the frequency and severity of such disasters increase, maintaining NWS’s real-time forecasting operations is essential to saving lives and reducing the cost of recovery for disaster-affected communities.”
The Senators continued: “NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year. On February 27, 2025, 108 probationary NWS employees were terminated, adding to the 170 staff who accepted the Administration’s ‘deferred resignation’ plan earlier that month. These staffing cuts are already impacting NWS services, forcing NWS to halt weather balloon launches in New York, Maine and Alaska that provide daily weather data to meteorologists at weather forecast offices across the country.”
“As we head into hurricane season, 30 weather forecast offices are without a meteorologist-in-charge, one is completely without any managers at all, and nearly a dozen are preparing to shut down 24/7 services without immediate action to address shortages,” wrote the Senators. “We urge you to reassess the staffing needs at NOAA and NWS and reinstate terminated probationary employees swiftly.”
NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. The NWS Forecast Offices in Gray and Caribou are vital to providing Maine people across the state with information on how to prepare for and protect their families from flooding and extreme weather events. The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from NOAA, including at NWS, in the coming weeks. These cuts, combined with current staffing constraints, could reduce the NWS workforce by 15% just months into 2025. Maine fishermen have raised concerns about the layoffs which have impacted the fish management division and reliable data for weather forecasts.
In addition to Senator King, the letter was signed by Senators Peter Welch (D-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Brian Schatz (D-HI).
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
+++
Dear Secretary Lutnick, and Acting Administrator Grimm,
We write to express our concern with recent layoffs at the National Weather Service (NWS). Reports indicate that over 550 employees have been terminated or accepted deferred resignation offers. We believe that these staff reductions pose a threat to public safety and emergency preparedness by undercutting essential forecasting and weather monitoring systems. We urge you to reinstate terminated NWS employees and request additional information on how the administration plans to address staffing at NWS.
NWS maintains 122 weather forecast offices across the United States which are responsible for providing 24/7 weather monitoring and forecasts. NWS would be unable to provide accurate and timely forecasts without sufficient staffing levels at weather forecast offices nationwide. In addition to daily forecasting operations, weather forecast offices are responsible for issuing emergency weather warnings ahead of events such as major floods, wildfire hazards, hurricanes, and blizzard conditions. As the frequency and severity of such disasters increase, maintaining NWS’s real-time forecasting operations is essential to saving lives3and reducing the cost of recovery for disaster-affected communities.
NWS employees and the programs they support are essential to the safety of the millions of Americans impacted by storms and disasters each year. On February 27, 2025, 108 probationary NWS employees were terminated, adding to the 170 staff who accepted the Administration’s “deferred resignation” plan earlier that month. These staffing cuts are already impacting NWS services, forcing NWS to halt weather balloon launches in New York, Maine, and Alaska that provide daily weather data to meteorologists at weather forecast offices across the country. As we head into hurricane season, 30 weather forecast offices are without a meteorologist-in-charge, one is completely without any managers at all, and nearly a dozen are preparing to shut down 24/7 services without immediate action to address shortages.
The Department of Commerce is reportedly planning to eliminate an additional 1,000 staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including at NWS, in the coming weeks. All told, NWS offices, already suffering from staffing constraints, could see a 15% reduction in force just months into 2025.
We request a response to the following questions by June 10, 2025:
How many of the NWS regional weather forecast offices were impacted by terminations or deferred resignations since January 20, 2025? Please provide a list of affected offices, including how many staff departed and how many remain.
With reports of at least one weather forecast office in Goodland, Kansas stopping 24/7 operations due to staffing shortages, how do the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to maintain continued 24/7 operation of forecasting offices without requiring excessive overtime hours from staff?
With a requested budget cut of $1.311 billion for NOAA’s overall budget, and a $209 million cut for NWS procurement of weather satellites and infrastructure9 , how does the Department of Commerce and NOAA plan to ensure adequate staffing and preparedness in the midst of worsening storm seasons, increasing heat waves, and changing weather patterns?
As NWS employees are critical to public safety, especially heading into hurricane season, will the Department of Commerce grant an exemption to the hiring freeze to fill these crucial positions?
We urge you to reassess the staffing needs at NOAA and NWS and reinstate terminated probationary employees swiftly. We appreciate your attention to this matter and look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Washington, D.C. — Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-1),a member of the House Small Business Committee, welcomed Oysterponds Shellfish Co., the largest oyster farm on Long Island, to the House Small Business Showcase on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
“Small businesses like Oysterponds Shellfish are the backbone of Long Island’s economy and a testament to the values that define our region. Aquaculture plays a vital role in preserving our maritime heritage, supporting good local jobs, and providing fresh, sustainable seafood to communities across the Northeast,” said LaLota. “Owners Phil Mastrangelo and Brian Tuthill exemplify the long hours, deep dedication, and personal sacrifice that small business owners invest in their craft, their customers, and their employees. I was proud to have them represent our district at the House Small Business Showcase. Oysterponds Shellfish is a powerful example of how local innovation and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand—strengthening our economy while protecting the Long Island Sound for future generations.”
Background:
The House Small Business Showcase provides Members of Congress with a platform to spotlight the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of small businesses within their districts.
Owned and operated by Phil Mastrangelo and Brian Tuthill, Oysterponds Shellfish is a family-owned business located in Orient, NY. The farm cultivates oysters using sustainable methods in the waters of Long Island’s East End. The company continues the local shellfishing tradition, supplying its oysters to local establishments, including the Halyard, North Fork Table & Inn, and Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market. The company also offers raw bar services for events and is committed to delivering fresh, high-quality oysters while honoring the maritime heritage of the East End.
LaLota serves as Chairman of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure and as a member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access.
On May 3, 2025, at approximately 6:55 p.m., a male suspect drove a stolen trackhoe into the parking lot of the Bonnyville RCMP detachment. Investigation has revealed that just prior to this occurring at the detachment, the suspect stole the trackhoe from a local business. In the process of stealing the trackhoe, the suspect drove through a fence of the business, causing significant damage.
The suspect then headed to the detachment, picking up boulders along the way. He then dumped several boulders in front of the prisoner bay of the detachment, believed to be an attempt to delay officer’s ability to respond to calls. He then drove the trackhoe into five unoccupied parked police vehicles, making them inoperable. The suspect then fled from the detachment on foot.
Thanks to assistance from the RCMP RTOC (Real Time Operations Center), numerous resources were called in to assist, including St. Paul Police Dog Services (Chase), Cold Lake RPAS (drone), Eastern Alberta District General Investigation Section and Crime Reduction Unit and Elk Point Detachment. The real-time operations center is based out of K Division headquarters and is comprised of RCMP officers who are able to oversee and quarterback high risk incidents, such as this as they unfold. Their involvement in these types of incidents not only increase our chances of catching a fleeing suspect, but officer safety also increases. They are truly an invaluable resource.
Containment was set up and the search began for the suspect. A short time later, PDS Chase located the suspect hiding in a tree line just north west of the detachment. During his arrest, the suspect resisted and fought officers, and as a result, he was bitten by PDS Chase. Once in custody, he was taken to a local hospital to get treated for minor injuries and was released.
A 62-year-old individual, a resident of Bonnyville, has been charged with 13 criminal code offences:
· Dangerous driving
· Mischief over $5000 (x6)
· Break and enter
· PSP over $5000
· Theft over $5000
· Obstruct/resist peace officer (x2)
· Utter threats
The last charge of uttering threats was as a result of an April 17, 2025, incident in which the individual called OCC (dispatch) in Saskatchewan and uttered threats to kill RCMP officers.
After a judicial interim release hearing, the individual was remanded into custody for Alberta Court of Justice in Bonnyville on May 6, 2025.
Detachment Commander Staff Sgt. Sarah Parke states, “Incidents like this can be frightening for communities. In this instance, we believe there was no threat to the public and the RCMP was the target. Alberta RCMP officers from neighbouring detachments did not hesitate to assist to ensure the suspect was quickly taken into custody, as well as assisting with ensuring on-going police service in Bonnyville.
This incident has garnered a lot of attention on social media, and unfortunately, many of the comments are negative, some of which are threatening towards RCMP to the point of expressing disappointment that officers were not injured or killed during the incident. All RCMP officers come to work, day in and day out, to protect and serve their community. It is extremely disheartening to see these types of comments made.
Alberta RCMP have seen a steady increase in violence towards police in recent years. Most recent statistics indicate that on average, there are 2.3 incidents of violence occurring every day towards Alberta RCMP officers. In 2023, 70 Alberta officers were injured as a result of use of force incidents.
Thankfully, no one was injured during this incident.”
Senior law enforcement officials from across Europe gather in Athens to tackle serious international crime
ATHENS, Greece – The increasing complexity of international crime is being addressed at INTERPOL’s 52nd European Regional Conference, which is hosted in Athens, Greece this week.
The three-day (2 – 4 June) conference brings more than 150 senior police representatives from Europe, and around the world, to address major challenges for European policing and the impact of international crime on the region.
The conference was opened by Michalis Chrysochoidis, Minister of Citizen Protection of Greece, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, Chief of the Hellenic Police, Major General Ahmed Nader Al-Raisi, President of INTERPOL and Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL.
Delegates will be addressing the evolving nature of crime in Europe, including changing security threats in Europe, the dark side of Artificial Intelligence, and the Silver Notice, a pilot launched by INTERPOL this year to help trace and recover criminal assets.
Chaired by INTERPOL’s Vice President for Europe, Peter de Buysscher, the meeting of senior police officials will also look at some of the most serious criminal activity, including drug and firearms trafficking and the link between organized crime and terrorism.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the conference, Michalis Chrysochoidis, Minister of Citizen Protection of Greece, said:
“It is a great honor to host in Athens the 52nd INTERPOL European Regional Conference, an important meeting, which in those days of global and regional instability is more important and necessary. We need to stay united, with a common approach to security and policing. The main topics of this year’s conference are absolutely timely. Emerging security threats and especially organized crime, the abuse of artificial intelligence, environmental crime, and human trafficking, are not isolated challenges, but very important and interconnected security threats. To counter those threats we need intelligence, technology, and new tools and above all partnership. We need to work together.
“I want to express my sincere thanks to INTERPOL’s leadership for their tireless work in supporting operational coordination, innovation, and capability development. The tools and platforms offered by INTERPOL as the Biometric Hub and the ICSE database, or joint operations like Lionfish—are examples to what international cooperation can achieve when backed by political will and professional excellence.”
Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, Chief of the Hellenic Police, said:
“For the Hellenic Police, international cooperation is imperative. Greece’s geographic location at the crossroad of three continents, with a fluid security landscape, marked by successive crises are reasons to remain vigilant. We are dedicated to contributing to Europe’s security architecture and we do this by actively engaging in all Interpol’s activities.
“This Conference offers us a vital opportunity to deepen that cooperation, to share knowledge, and to explore new tools and strategies that will help us respond swiftly and effectively to all evolving
threats. Whether it is building capacity in digital forensics, enhancing border security, or dismantling criminal networks, our success depends on coordination, trust, and shared commitment. Let us also not forget the human side of our work—the communities we protect, the victims we serve, and the future generations we strive to safeguard.”
INTERPOL President, Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, said:
“We are grateful to the Greek authorities for hosting us in Athens, the birthplace of a civilization that shaped the world, when Europe is at a critical moment. It faces threats that cross borders, spread online, and deeply affect human lives. And while national efforts are vital, only strong regional and global cooperation can truly stop them.
“We must be even more determined to find these criminals, stop them, and bring them to justice. We must also keep our eyes on the future. From artificial intelligence to biometric identity systems and darknet surveillance, we are entering an era of complexity.
“That is why INTERPOL is investing in innovation to ensure you stay ahead of evolving crime. From artificial intelligence and digital forensics to virtual training and detection of synthetic media, we are equipping police with the technology needed to act in today’s complex environment.”
Valdecy Urquiza, Secretary General of INTERPOL, said:
“Law enforcement in Europe and around the world is facing increasingly complex, evolving criminal threats and challenges. Whether from emerging technologies, changes to existing serious criminal activity, or new networks being created by criminal groups, these innovations make it harder for police to prevent criminal activity and maintain public safety.
“This conference shows that the international policing community can and will respond. I am delighted to be working alongside colleagues to share best practice, develop cutting-edge capabilities and to work together to prevent international crime.
“INTERPOL is committed to bringing more critical data into Europe, supporting more high-value operation actions and supporting European police, including through improved systems to enable law enforcement across Europe and the world to have the best possible tools.”
During the three-day conference, delegates will also elect members of the INTERPOL European Committee and address motions on organized crime, cybercrime and a new INTERPOL information sharing system.
INTERPOL’s European region is the most active, contributing nearly half of INTERPOL’s 150 million records.
Yangon (Agenzia Fides) – Extensive flooding, caused by heavy rains that lasted for about a week, has affected northern Myanmar, particularly the Sagaing region and Kachin State. The emergency further complicates the lives of the civilian population, already severely affected by four years of civil conflict. Furthermore, in the Sagaing region, the earthquake of March 28 caused damage to homes and infrastructure and displaced thousands of people. “The situation in the districts affected by natural disasters is serious. Floods have inundated the upper part of Kachin State; villages in the mountainous areas are underwater, as are refugee camps in the city of Chizaw. Many rivers, such as the Malikha, have overflowed, and agricultural lands are completely flooded due to the continuous rains,” a local source from the Catholic community in Kachin State told Fides. “Farms have been submerged in Laeshi City, in the Sagaing Region, as have villages along the banks of the Arayati river. River levels usually rise in late June or July, at the height of the rainy season, but this year the rains have arrived early, causing premature flooding. Unfortunately, this is the harvest season, so the losses are particularly severe,” the source explains. “The local population is finding it increasingly difficult to cope. They are mostly farmers who have already been affected by the war and are now also suffering the effects of natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods. Humanitarian aid is increasingly needed for thousands of displaced people, whose number continues to grow,” he adds. A new report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights confirms the worsening humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, fueled by military violence and economic collapse. The document, which will be presented at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council in early July, describes the situation as “increasingly catastrophic, marked by incessant atrocities that have affected all aspects of life.” According to the report, the economic crisis has had a severe impact on already disastrous humanitarian conditions. Myanmar is estimated to have lost around $94 billion since the coup to date, and its gross domestic product is not expected to return to pre-2021 levels before 2028, even if recovery were to begin today.The UN Human Rights Council calls for “a multifaceted response to the crisis,” including “urgent humanitarian support, cross-border assistance for displaced populations, and increased political commitment” from the international community. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 2/6/2025)
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ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Stephen Andrew Cipkin, 38, a former tutor from Suffolk County in New York, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 65 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for two counts of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Cipkin was charged in a Bill of Information and Indictment with enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity and pleaded guilty to the charge on August 13, 2024.
At the guilty plea hearing, Cipkin admitted that from January 2022, through April 23, 2022, he used a smart phone and computer to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor female under the age of 18 years old to engage in sexual activity. Cipkin, posing as an adolescent female seeking a friendship, used an online catfish account to contact the minor victim. He later admitted to being a male and began an online relationship with the minor victim after gaining her trust. During this relationship, Cipkin asked the minor victim to send sexually explicit photographs of herself to him and also asked her to meet up with him for sexual intercourse. After receiving the photographs and videos, he used them as blackmail to extort and threaten the minor victim.
From April 16, 2022, through April 23, 2022, Cipkin traveled from the State of New York to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to meet with the minor victim. Cipkin picked up the minor victim from her home and brought her to a hotel in the Western District of Louisiana where they engaged in sexual intercourse.
Cipkin also admitted that between January 1, 2021, and continuing through January 1, 2022, in the Northern District of Tennessee, he used his smart phone and computer to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce another minor female under the age of 18 years old to engage in illegal sexual activity. Cipkin reached out to the minor female victim using an online account that he had created and began an online relationship with the minor female victim, asking her to send sexually explicit photographs to him and to meet with him for sexual intercourse.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey N. Stelly in the Western District of Louisiana.
Nearly everyone has encountered the unthinkable: Your smartphone landed in the toilet. Or you forgot to take off your smartwatch before jumping into the pool. Or maybe you meant to take those earbuds out of your pocket before running the laundry. What now?
Internet forums are chock-full of advice to dry out that drenched device, but problematic myths about liquid protection and repair make it hard for consumers to separate fact from fiction.
Here are five common myths about getting devices wet:
Myth 1: My device turned back on! It’s fine
While it’s a relief to see your technology rise from the dead, what you can’t see are subtle processes occurring inside, like corrosion. The breakdown of your device’s metal parts due to moisture often happens over time, in a period that can take place days, weeks or months after the offending incident.
That’s why even humidity from moist climates or your steamy shower can make a long-term impact, despite the fact that everything booted up right away after a splash or dunk.
Myth 2: My ‘waterproof’ device can tolerate any kind of wetness
The term “waterproof” is a controversial one – so controversial, in fact, that the Federal Trade Commission has strict rules about using the term in advertising, once even banning it from ad copy selling wristwatches.
Given the vagueness of the term, it’s better to examine different water resistance standards, such as ingress protection, or IP, ratings and MIL-SPEC, or ISO in the case of watches, and to read the fine print about what those standards actually cover.
Myth 3: My device has a great IP rating, so it’s been tested under real-world conditions
Companies often advertise IP ratings as a way to entice consumers to purchase their products, but it’s important to know that these ratings are based on contact with fresh water. If you’re worried about Jacuzzi suds or that tipped-over can of beer, there’s no guarantee that a manufacturer has tested your device in these – often sticky – situations, and an IP rating won’t account for them.
Myth 4: I’ve got some rice in the kitchen. I can fix this myself!
It’s natural to panic and seek out the quickest household solution when a spill or dunk happens, and a cup of rice is still a commonly sought-out option.
However, the rice hack doesn’t work very well, and rice particles can enter the device to cause even further damage. Aside from bringing your device to a professional repairer, you’re better off immediately powering down your product, removing its battery and plug if you can, and letting all the components dry over a day or two.
Myth 5: Well, this device is broken, but I’ve got a warranty to replace it
While you’re pulling your product from its watery grave, you might find relief in the fact that it came with a warranty. Not so fast.
Most traditional consumer technology limited warranties don’t cover liquid damage. These days, you usually need to purchase an add-on warranty, often called Accidental Damage from Handling. Beware, though: Even those policies may limit how many wetness “incidents” or “events” you’re allowed per year.
Air flow is the best way to dry a device that’s taken a dunk. Don’t expose your device directly to rice, cat litter or other particles.
Keeping it realistic
Water resistance features on devices like laptops, tablets, smartphones and smartwatches have recently improved, but the deck is still often stacked against consumers who must wade through the hype of advertising claims, mystifying classification systems and penalizing policies.
That’s why it’s critical for manufacturers to think carefully and ethically about how their products are designed, marketed and serviced. In terms of design, water resistance is no longer a niche feature meant solely for industrial workers or outdoor adventurers. While it’s unrealistic to expect a device that’s designed to resist every hazard, it’s also unreasonable to ask consumers to tiptoe around the products that provide them with access to critical resources and social support.
It’s important for manufacturers to avoid promising consumers the Moon. Samsung Australia, for instance, paid AU$14 million in penalties for exaggerating its phones’ protection for swimming. It’s certainly fun to watch commercials with Lil Wayne spray a smartphone with champagne or see him dunk it in a fish tank, but if manufacturers are advising against these practices, then they shouldn’t be romanticizing them.
Sure, it’s probably common sense that your phone shouldn’t take a bath in champagne. Yet life is constantly happening around – and with – our devices, from the shower and the kitchen to the gym and the beach. This means that fairer policies around repair, like those promoted by the right-to-repair movement, and warranties should stop treating consumers like they’re “bad” users.
After all, we’re each just one splash away from crying over spilled milk.
Rachel Plotnick does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Earlier this year, a robot completed a half-marathon in Beijing in just under 2 hours and 40 minutes. That’s slower than the human winner, who clocked in at just over an hour – but it’s still a remarkable feat. Many recreational runners would be proud of that time. The robot kept its pace for more than 13 miles (21 kilometers).
But it didn’t do so on a single charge. Along the way, the robot had to stop and have its batteries swapped three times. That detail, while easy to overlook, speaks volumes about a deeper challenge in robotics: energy.
Modern robots can move with incredible agility, mimicking animal locomotion and executing complex tasks with mechanical precision. In many ways, they rival biology in coordination and efficiency. But when it comes to endurance, robots still fall short. They don’t tire from exertion – they simply run out of power.
As a robotics researcher focused on energy systems, I study this challenge closely. How can researchers give robots the staying power of living creatures – and why are we still so far from that goal? Though most robotics research into the energy problem has focused on better batteries, there is another possibility: Build robots that eat.
Robots move well but run out of steam
Modern robots are remarkably good at moving. Thanks to decades of research in biomechanics, motor control and actuation, machines such as Boston Dynamics’ Spot and Atlas can walk, run and climb with an agility that once seemed out of reach. In some cases, their motors are even more efficient than animal muscles.
But endurance is another matter. Spot, for example, can operate for just 90 minutes on a full charge. After that, it needs nearly an hour to recharge. These runtimes are a far cry from the eight- to 12-hour shifts expected of human workers – or the multiday endurance of sled dogs.
The issue isn’t how robots move – it’s how they store energy. Most mobile robots today use lithium-ion batteries, the same type found in smartphones and electric cars. These batteries are reliable and widely available, but their performance improves at a slow pace: Each year new lithium-ion batteries are about 7% better than the previous generation. At that rate, it would take a full decade to merely double a robot’s runtime.
Robots such as Boston Dynamic’s Atlas are remarkably capable – for relatively short amounts of time.
Animals store energy in fat, which is extraordinarily energy dense: nearly 9 kilowatt-hours per kilogram. That’s about 68 kWh total in a sled dog, similar to the energy in a fully charged Tesla Model 3. Lithium-ion batteries, by contrast, store just a fraction of that, about 0.25 kilowatt-hours per kilogram. Even with highly efficient motors, a robot like Spot would need a battery dozens of times more powerful than today’s to match the endurance of a sled dog.
And recharging isn’t always an option. In disaster zones, remote fields or on long-duration missions, a wall outlet or a spare battery might be nowhere in sight.
In some cases, robot designers can add more batteries. But more batteries mean more weight, which increases the energy required to move. In highly mobile robots, there’s a careful balance between payload, performance and endurance. For Spot, for example, the battery already makes up 16% of its weight.
Some robots have used solar panels, and in theory these could extend runtime, especially for low-power tasks or in bright, sunny environments. But in practice, solar power delivers very little power relative to what mobile robots need to walk, run or fly at practical speeds. That’s why energy harvesting like solar panels remains a niche solution today, better suited for stationary or ultra-low-power robots.
Why it matters
These aren’t just technical limitations. They define what robots can do.
A rescue robot with a 45-minute battery might not last long enough to complete a search. A farm robot that pauses to recharge every hour can’t harvest crops in time. Even in warehouses or hospitals, short runtimes add complexity and cost.
If robots are to play meaningful roles in society assisting the elderly, exploring hazardous environments and working alongside humans, they need the endurance to stay active for hours, not minutes.
New battery chemistries such as lithium-sulfur and metal-air offer a more promising path forward. These systems have much higher theoretical energy densities than today’s lithium-ion cells. Some approach levels seen in animal fat. When paired with actuators that efficiently convert electrical energy from the battery to mechanical work, they could enable robots to match or even exceed the endurance of animals with low body fat. But even these next-generation batteries have limitations. Many are difficult to recharge, degrade over time or face engineering hurdles in real-world systems.
Fast charging can help reduce downtime. Some emerging batteries can recharge in minutes rather than hours. But there are trade-offs. Fast charging strains battery life, increases heat and often requires heavy, high-power charging infrastructure. Even with improvements, a fast-charging robot still needs to stop frequently. In environments without access to grid power, this doesn’t solve the core problem of limited onboard energy. That’s why researchers are exploring alternatives such as “refueling” robots with metal or chemical fuels – much like animals eat – to bypass the limits of electrical charging altogether.
Robots could one day harvest energy from high-energy-density materials such as aluminum through synthetic digestive and vascular systems. Yichao Shi and James Pikul
An alternative: Robotic metabolism
In nature, animals don’t recharge, they eat. Food is converted into energy through digestion, circulation and respiration. Fat stores that energy, blood moves it and muscles use it. Future robots could follow a similar blueprint with synthetic metabolisms.
Some researchers are building systems that let robots “digest” metal or chemical fuels and breathe oxygen. For example, synthetic, stomachlike chemical reactors could convert high-energy materials such as aluminum into electricity.
This builds on the many advances in robot autonomy, where robots can sense objects in a room and navigate to pick them up, but here they would be picking up energy sources.
Other researchers are developing fluid-based energy systems that circulate like blood. One early example, a robotic fish, tripled its energy density by using a multifunctional fluid instead of a standard lithium-ion battery. That single design shift delivered the equivalent of 16 years of battery improvements, not through new chemistry but through a more bioinspired approach. These systems could allow robots to operate for much longer stretches of time, drawing energy from materials that store far more energy than today’s batteries.
In animals, the energy system does more than just provide energy. Blood helps regulate temperature, deliver hormones, fight infections and repair wounds. Synthetic metabolisms could do the same. Future robots might manage heat using circulating fluids or heal themselves using stored or digested materials. Instead of a central battery pack, energy could be stored throughout the body in limbs, joints and soft, tissuelike components.
This approach could lead to machines that aren’t just longer-lasting but more adaptable, resilient and lifelike.
The bottom line
Today’s robots can leap and sprint like animals, but they can’t go the distance.
Their bodies are fast, their minds are improving, but their energy systems haven’t caught up. If robots are going to work alongside humans in meaningful ways, we’ll need to give them more than intelligence and agility. We’ll need to give them endurance.
James Pikul receives funding from the Office of Naval Research. He is affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Metal Light Inc.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Prime Minister hails trade deal successes for Scotland
From the Highlands to the Borders, Scottish people are set to benefit from the UK’s landmark trade deals with India, US and EU announced in recent weeks.
Prime Minister visits historic distillery in Glasgow to discuss trade deal benefits for the Scotch Whisky industry
Follows UK hat trick of trade deals with India, US and EU – improving people’s lives across the country
Deals will help drive growth in Scotland and put more money in the pockets of the hardworking Scottish people
From the Highlands to the Borders, Scottish people are set to benefit from the UK’s landmark trade deals with India, US and EU announced in recent weeks.
The Prime Minister discussed the huge growth opportunities and benefits for Scotland during a visit Clydeside Distillery in Glasgow today.
Visit comes after Prime Minister visited BAE Govan this morning to announce the Strategic Defence Review, which will see significant investment in Scotland . More than £2 billion a year is already spent by the Ministry of Defence with industry organisations of all sizes in Scotland, supporting over 25,000 skilled jobs in Scotland.
The world-renowned Scotch Whisky industry is set to boom globally – with the Scotch Whisky Association announcing they forecast £1 billion of extra exports in five years, plus 1,200 new jobs thanks to the tariff reductions as part of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.
India is an important market for Scotland, with 457 Scottish businesses exporting a total of £610 million in goods there last year.
Under the India trade deal, tariffs have been cut on a range of iconic Scottish goods, from whisky tariffs halved from 150% to 75% and dropping to 40% after 10 years to salmon reduced from 33% to 0%. Iconic Scottish brands like Irn Bru and Scottish shortbread will also see reduced tariffs.
Scotland’s thriving life sciences and health tech hubs will be strengthened by IP commitments on areas such as trade secrets and copyright, helping companies export to India with confidence.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
Our trade deals with India, US and the EU will slash tariffs on key industries and open markets set to help drive growth in Scotland and put money in the pockets of the hardworking Scottish people, delivering on our Plan for Change.
Scotland is home to some of the most world-renowned products, which can now be enjoyed across the globe – all whilst saving Scottish businesses money.
That is why we have secured these deals, and why we will continue to go further and faster to improve the lives of everyone in the UK.
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said:
Our trio of trade deals shows we are championing Scottish products and businesses on the global stage. From our world-renowned whisky distilleries to our cutting-edge green energy sector, Scotland has so much to offer international markets. But more importantly as part of our Plan for Change this means more money in people’s pockets.
By securing better access to the European Union, United States and India, we’re creating real opportunities for Scottish businesses to grow, supporting jobs in communities from the Highlands to the Borders.
Mark Kent, Chief Executive Officer of the Scotch Whisky Association, said:
As the UK’s largest food and drink export to 180 markets worldwide, Scotch Whisky producers welcome the work being done to reduce trade barriers around the world. The landmark UK-India free trade agreement will be transformational for the Scotch Whisky industry over the longer term and has the potential to increase exports to India by £1bn over the next 5 years and creating 1,200 jobs across the UK.
It’s also constructive to see a potential reduction in the burden on exporters through the UK agreement with the EU. We continue to support the UK government’s efforts to address the issue of tariffs with the US and establish a pathway to return to the zero-for-zero tariff arrangement we have had with the US on spirits for more than 30 years.
The new agreement with the European Union, the UK’s largest trading market, will directly address challenges faced by Scottish exporters since 2019. The Scottish salmon industry has estimated that between 2019 and 2023, Scottish Salmon export values experienced a net loss of around £75 million. The deal with the EU makes it significantly easier to sell Scottish goods to European markets.
Question for written answer E-002051/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Flavio Tosi (PPE), Massimiliano Salini (PPE), Letizia Moratti (PPE)
Presented in March 2025, the EU steel action plan aims to make the European steel industry more competitive, but does not provide a clear definition of the term ‘green steel’. The absence of objective criteria for production processes (their carbon footprint, the type of energy and raw materials they use) makes it impossible to introduce a labelling system that incentivises low-emission processes.
This legal vacuum is also reflected in the current design of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which does not guarantee a level playing field between EU producers and importers. Basing CBAM on the Emissions Trading System’s (ETS) free allocation benchmarks – which unfortunately take into account the process used rather than the product’s actual carbon footprint – will grant seamless access to the European market to third country steel products made using gas and virgin raw materials (DRI-EAF). Such a state of affairs would put the companies that use recycled scrap and renewable energies – which have to buy ETS credits for all their emissions – at a disadvantage.
In the light of the above:
1.Will the Commission provide a legal basis for green steel that is based on a product’s actual carbon footprint?
2.Will it amend CBAM to prevent any distortions that will harm circular steelmaking processes for flat and long products?
3.How will the Commission push for decarbonised steel to be included in industrial policies and public tenders?
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DHAKA, June 2 (Xinhua) — Chief Adviser to Bangladesh’s Caretaker Government Muhammad Yunus on Sunday called on Chinese investors to make the country their homeland and manufacturing hub.
Speaking at the China-Bangladesh Investment and Trade Conference, M. Yunus said Chinese companies are masters of manufacturing and Bangladesh wants to be their partner.
According to him, the interim government of Bangladesh is consistently implementing reforms, improving the investment climate, streamlining the legal framework and providing favorable conditions for business activities.
M. Yunus suggested that Chinese investors explore the vast opportunities that Bangladesh offers in textile, pharmaceutical, food and agro-processing, fisheries and information technology.
The conference was attended by more than 400 representatives from Chinese and Bangladeshi enterprises and business associations. –0–
According to Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, the latest emissions data show “we are on track to reach our 2030 targets” under the Paris Agreement. In 2024, Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions were “27% below 2005 levels”. That’s great news, right?
Well, yes and no. Australia continues to rely on changes in land use to compensate for emissions released into the atmosphere.
In other words, Australia’s plants are considered to be taking more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere now than in 2005. Their efforts are captured in the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, which is the single largest reason for the significant reduction in Australian emissions.
Without accounting for land use, Australia’s emissions have only decreased 3% since 2005, not 27%.
If Australia is serious about reducing emissions and tracking towards net zero by 2050, we need to tackle a series of inconvenient truths about fossil fuels. Fossil fuels feed into almost every aspect of our lives, not just cars and power plants. There are substitutes, but they are not easy to source – and they don’t come cheap.
How fossil fuel exports drive up emissions here and overseas
Australia is one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel exporters. The coal, oil and natural gas we export is either burnt or combined with our sizeable iron ore exports to produce iron. But the greenhouse gases are released overseas, so they don’t count in Australia’s emissions data.
This is in line with our international commitments under the Paris agreement. But there is an argument to be made that even though Australia doesn’t burn those exports, we should acknowledge our central role in contributing to global emissions. We may need to account for these in future reporting.
Australia’s export emissions are likely to be triple that of our domestic emissions. These emissions have been increasing consistently over the last decade.
But the process of extracting fossil fuels and preparing them for export does show up in Australia’s domestic emission figures, through what’s called “fugitive emissions”. These fugitive emissions are the unavoidable leaks that occur when we pull fossil fuels out of the ground, store, transport and process them.
In the year to 2024, fugitive emissions accounted for 10.6% of our emissions, which is far greater than emissions from industrial processes (6.8%).
Disturbingly, recent analysis suggests fugitive emissions could be drastically underreported. Because these emissions are tricky to measure, they are often estimated on an average basis. This means reported values do not accurately reflect true releases.
When it comes to fugitive and export emissions, Australia is not on track to meet 2030 targets. Recent export-focused fossil project approvals such as the North West Shelf gas project suggest we might even be backtracking.
Chris Bowen on Insiders, Sunday June 1, 2025 (ABC News)
The transition to renewables
Closing dirty old coal-fired power stations and replacing them with renewable energy such as solar and wind power does cut emissions. The reduction in emissions from the electricity sector, down 23.7% on 2005 levels, is good news. But the difference is still small enough that seasonal variations from Tasmania’s hydro power plants can distort the annual figures.
At least there is a plan in place for the energy transition. Big, slow wheels are in motion.
Unfortunately the reality is we will need much, much more renewable energy in the future. Up to three times the current capacity of the National Electricity Market will be needed to cover future domestic energy requirements across electricity and other sectors out to 2050.
Significantly more would be required to generate enough additional green energy to also produce green value-added commodities.
Australia’s clean energy challenge
Discussions around transitioning from fossil fuels typically overlook how deeply they are embedded in our everyday lives.
Not just the fuel we use in our cars, but the roads we drive on. Not just the electricity we use to power our hospitals, but the steel used to build them and the pharmaceuticals we rely on.
Electricity can be used to make hydrogen from water through electrolysis. This hydrogen can then replace fossil fuels in manufacturing – making products such as green steel and ammonia for fertiliser.
When combined with non-fossil sources of carbon, hydrogen can also be turned into renewable fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel. It can be used to synthesise green versions of petrochemicals used in industrial processes such as ethanol, propylene and ethylene, which are currently sourced from fossil fuels.
This takes energy. Lots of it. Fortunately Australia has all the ingredients needed for a booming green industry – one that’s much broader than just renewable electricity.
Most people talk about green hydrogen in the context of energy storage or export. But it can also enable the transition away from fossil fuels in other sectors. The technology exists to make these chemicals and products, without the emissions and it’s slowly but steadily moving closer toward price parity.
If we can nail this switch to fossil-free alternatives to petrochemicals, Australia would be able to add value onshore, rather than exporting raw materials. For example, we could export iron, not iron ore. Methanol or ammonia, not hydrogen. Export the jumper, not the wool.
Heavy industry driven by renewables?
On Sunday, Bowen said he found some areas of the 2024 emissions figures “encouraging, like industrial emissions, way down and lower than 2021”.
Unfortunately, this result was partly due to a decline in manufacturing. Onshore manufacturing capability has been steadily decreasing, despite increased fossil fuel extraction.
Unless we ramp up green manufacturing – replacing fossil fuel exports with much needed renewable products and fuels – we will continue to bear responsibility, if not direct accountability, for large, exported emissions as well as onshore fugitive emissions.
And no amount of changes to land use can account for that.
The authors 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.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Aumua Amata (Western Samoa)
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata released the following statement:
“These islands within PRIMNM are not Hawaiian islands nor are they American Samoan islands; these are America’s islands and waterways, and food security is national security. Insuring the safe supply of domestic American canned tuna for our military, schoolchildren and consumers is paramount and a national emergency that President Trump has recognized and acted upon with the urgency that is needed.
“I commend his Administration for both enacting his Executive Orders in this regard in his first 100 days and for doing so on April 17, American Samoa’s Flag Day, when the union between the United States and American Samoa was enacted.
“The President recognized and honored Fa’a Samoa, the Samoan way of life, by taking this action on the historic 125th Flag Day just a few weeks ago and helped all Americans during these critical times of food and other resource needs to protect our whole country.
“Lastly, neither Presidents Bush, Obama or Biden ever asked American Samoa what they wanted before they took away our indigenous fishing rights without any science — they decided what they wanted first, gave us lip service and back filled their decisions with bureaucracy and outside interests. President Trump asked and acted, and I thank him again for his EO for the safety and security of the food supply for American Samoa and all America.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)
Lafayette, CO — Today, Congressman Joe Neguse, founder and Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, is leading a bipartisan effort to streamline homeowners’ access to federal assistance after natural disasters. Neguse, who represents a congressional district that is no stranger to natural disasters, introduced two bills that would modernize how the Small Business Administration (SBA) distributes aid for homeowners: the Disaster Loan Interest Relief Act, co-led by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), and the Disaster Loan Application Flexibility Act, co-led by Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC).
“After working with constituents impacted by natural disasters from Granby to Fort Collins and everywhere in between, I know the road to recovery can be slow, all-consuming, and too often lacking in resources and support,” said Congressman Neguse. “With these bills, we’re taking action to ensure those affected receive clear guidance on next steps, along with the time they need to react and recover. You never know when tragedy will strike, and I’m proud to join Reps. Ciscomani and Edwards in this bipartisan effort to equip homeowners, small business owners, and individuals with the foundational tools they need to ensure the people we represent have a safety net to fall back on.”
“As we head into the summer and temperatures in Arizona continue to rise, we have seen wildfires ignite across the state, disrupting small businesses and impacting the lives of thousands of residents,” said Congressman Ciscomani. “Unfortunately, the road to recovery from these disasters can often be slow and burdensome. As families and businesses look to rebuild, the last thing they should encounter are unnecessary financial hurdles. This is why I am proud to co-lead the Disaster Loan Interest Relief Act to codify a policy within the Small Business Administration to provide zero-interest loans for victims of natural disasters and give homeowners and entrepreneurs up to a year from the date of the loan to begin making payments.”
“After Hurricane Helene, many business and home owners did not know Small Business Administration disaster loans were needed until after they had gone through the FEMA application process. Despite extensions to the SBA application window, there were still folks left behind without access to this vital recovery resource because the FEMA process took too long and the SBA application closed before victims realized they needed to apply,” said Congressman Edwards. “The Disaster Loan Application Flexibility Act will make sure that homeowners and small business owners have sufficient time and information to get the assistance they need after their lives have been turned upside down. It’s a commonsense way to better support disaster survivors in their greatest times of need.”
Find additional details on both bills below:
The Natural Disaster Loan Interest Relief Act codifies a policy previously implemented by the SBA that would waive the interest rate for the first year on new disaster loans and extend the initial payment deferment period automatically to 12 months. Read bill text HERE.
The Disaster Loan Application Flexibility Act modifies application deadlines and communication requirements for disaster assistance by directing the SBA to extend loan application deadlines past the current window of two to three months post-disaster declaration, and issuing guidance for public awareness campaigns in affected areas to better educate individuals on the application process and ensuring the Members of Congress who represent these districts stay informed and receive regular updates. Read bill text HERE.
Background
Congressman Joe Neguse has prioritized efforts to extend the access of federal disaster assistance for communities responding to and recovering from natural disasters, like wildfires, since first being elected to Congress. Earlier this year, he helped introduce the Small Business Disaster Damage Fairness Act, a bill that would allow borrowers to get a SBA disaster assistance loan for up to $50,000, rather than the current $14,000, without pledging collateral.
Additionally, last summer, Neguse moved quickly to secure federal funding to help Coloradans fight the Alexander Mountain Fire burning in Larimer County and the Stone Canyon Fire burning in Boulder County. He also took swift action to ensure that Coloradans had secured proper cost coverage after the Marshall Fire in 2021, leading a successful effort alongside Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, to get the SBA to update their formula used to calculate the Disaster Loan Program amount survivors can borrow to rebuild after the Marshall Fire.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)
Lafayette, CO — With Memorial Day upcoming, Congressman Joe Neguse called for a renewed commitment by the Congress to supporting American servicemembers by introducing two bills aimed at expanding support for veterans after their service. The Veterans Jobs Training Act and the Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act focus on the essentials for successful reintegration: employment, housing, and establishing a clear path forward.
Colorado is home to over 300,000 veterans, many of whom rely on regular access to federal assistance as they adjust to civilian life. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration’s reckless federal cuts have impacted these individuals’ ability to access their hard-earned and well-deserved benefits. In response, the bills Congressman Neguse introduced are a step toward ensuring our nation’s veterans aren’t left to navigate these hurdles on their own.
“As we memorialize the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our Armed Forces, we must also recommit ourselves to supporting the veterans in our communities. Our neighbors who sacrificed so much to keep us safe. In their honor, I’m proud to introduce legislation that ensures they have access to good-paying jobs and a roof over their heads. And these bills do exactly that—helping employ veterans in careers where their skills and service are valued, including among our wildland firefighting workforce,” said Congressman Joe Neguse.
Find details on the bills below:
The Veterans Jobs Training Act would increase the authorization level for the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program (HVRP) by $15 million in federal funding, expanding the already successful initiative’s ability to provide competitive employment for unhoused veterans. HVRP’s core objectives are to provide services to assist in reintegrating unhoused veterans into meaningful employment and to stimulate the development of effective service delivery systems that will address problems facing unhoused veterans. Read the bill text HERE.
The Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act would establish a pilot program to help employ veterans into wildland firefighting positions, putting their valuable skill set to work. More specifically, the bill would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to collaborate in an effort to help employ veterans in any temporary, seasonal, or permanent wildland firefighting activities. Read the bill text HERE.
The Veteran Wildland Firefighter Employment Act is supported by the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFEE) and Grassroots Wildland Firefighters.
“NFFE is proud to support legislation that would encourage our military veterans to continue serving their country as federal wildland firefighters,” said Randy Erwin, National President, NFFE. “These men and women understand the sacrifice of public service and the importance of defending American communities. Thank you to Representative Neguse for his continued support of veterans, wildland firefighters, and federal workers.”
“The Grassroots Wildland Firefighters applaud Congressman Neguse on his continued efforts to bolster and address wildfires in the United States. United States Veterans and federal wildland firefighting have a long and storied history. Any effort to reinforce and build a bridge between United States military veterans and the work of wildland firefighting should be robustly supported by Congress. The Grassroots Wildland Firefighters fully support the efforts and intent of Congressman Neguse,” said Luke Mayfield, President, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters.
Background
Congressman Joe Neguse has been a strong advocate for veterans and service members since first being elected to Congress. Significantly, he was successful in getting his bill the Mental Health for Military Families Act signed into law, expanding access to counseling and mental health services for Colorado’s military families. Neguse has also championed proposals that would improve the treatment and compensation for veterans experiencing PTSD and create regional “network hubs” for veterans, service members, and their families to seek resources and support. And in 2022, the Colorado lawmaker helped secure $650,000 for the Veterans Community Project Transitional Housing in Longmont, Colorado. A project that supports veterans in Colorado’s Second Congressional District through the construction of modular homes.
A New Zealand-born Niuean educator says being recognised in the King’s Birthday honours list reflects the importance of connecting young tagata Niue in Aotearoa to their roots.
Mele Ikiua, who hails from the village of Hakupu Atua in Niue, has been named a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to vagahau Niue language and education.
She told RNZ Pacific the most significant achievement in her career to date had been the promotion of vagahau Niue in the NCEA system.
The change in 2023 enabled vagahau Niue learners to earn literacy credits in the subject, and receive recognition beyond “achieved” in the NCEA system. That, Ikiua said, was about continuing to increase learning opportunities for young Niue people in Aotearoa.
“Because if you look at it, the work that we do — and I say ‘we’ because there’s a lot of people other than myself — we’re here to try and maintain, and try and hold onto, our language because they say our language is very, very endangered.
“The bigger picture for young Niue learners who haven’t connected, or haven’t been able to learn about their vagahau or where they come from [is that] it’s a safe place for them to come and learn . . . There’s no judgement, and they learn the basic foundations before they can delve deeper.”
Her work and advocacy for Niuean culture and vagahau Niue has also extended beyond the formal education system.
Niue stage at Polyfest Since 2014, Ikiua had been the co-ordinator of the Niue stage at Polyfest, a role she took up after being involved in the festival as a tutor. She also established Three Star Nation, a network which provides leadership, educational and cultural programmes for young people.
Last year, Ikiua also set up the Tokiofa Arts Academy, the world’s first Niue Performing Arts Academy. And in February this year, Three Star Nation held Hologa Niue — the first ever Niuean arts and culture festival in Auckland.
Niuean community members in Auckland . . . Mele Ikiua with Derrick Manuela Jackson (left) and her brother Ron Viviani. Image: RNZ Pacific
She said being recognised in the King’s Birthday honours list was a shared achievement.
“This award is not only mine. It belongs to the family. It belongs to the village. And my colleagues have been amazing too. It’s for us all.”
She is one of several Pasifika honoured in this weekend’s list.
Cook Islander, Berry Rangi has been awarded a King’s Service Medal for services to the community, particularly Pacific peoples.
Berry Rangi has been awarded a King’s Service Medal for services to the community, particularly Pacific peoples. Image: Berry Rangi/RNZ Pacific
Lifted breast screening rates She has been instrumental in lifting the coverage rates of breast and cervical screening for Pacific women in Hawke’s Bay.
“When you grow up in the islands, you’re not for yourself – you’re for everybody,” she said.
“You’re for the village, for your island.”
She said when she moved to Napier there were very few Pasifika in the city — there were more in Hastings, the nearby city to the south.
“I did things because I knew there was a need for our people, and I’d just go out and do it without having to be asked.”
Berry Rangi also co-founded Tiare Ahuriri, the Napier branch of the national Pacific women’s organisation, PACIFICA.
She has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer with the Red Cross in Napier since 1990 and has been recognised for her 34 years of service in this role.
Maintaining a heritage craft She also contributes to maintaining the heritage craft of tivaevae (quilting) by delivering workshops to people of all ages and communities across Hawke’s Bay.
Another honours recipient is Uili Galo, who has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Tokelau community.
Galo, of the Tokelau Aotearoa Leaders Council, said it is very gratifying to see his community’s efforts acknolwedged at the highest level.
“I’ve got a lot of people behind me, my elders that I need to acknowledge and thank . . . my kainga,” he said.
“While the award has been given against my name, it’s them that have been doing all the hard work.”
He said his community came to Aotearoa in the 1970s.
“Right through they’ve been trying to capture their culture and who they are as a people. But obviously as new generations are born here, they assimilate into the pa’alangi world, and somehow lose a sense of who they are.
“A lot of our youth are not quite sure who they are. They know obviously the pa’alangi world they live in, but the challenge of them is to know their identity, that’s really important.”
Pasifika sports duo say recognition is for everyone Two sporting recipients named as Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday Honours say the honour is for all those who have worked with them.
Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten with Eroni Clarke of the Pasifika Rugby Advisory group. Image: RNZ Pacific
Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten, who is of Tongan heritage, has been involved with rugby at different levels over the years, and is currently a co-chair of New Zealand Rugby’s Pacific Advisory Group.
Annie Burma Teina Tangata Esita Scoon, of Cook Islands heritage, has been involved with softball since she played the sport in school years ago.
While they have been “committed” to their sports loves, their contribution to the different Pasifika communities they serve is being recognised.
Luyten told RNZ Pacific she was humbled and shocked that people took the time to actually put a nomination through.
“You know, all the work we do, it’s in service of all of our communities and our families, and you don’t really look for recognition,” she said.
“The family, the community, everyone who have worked with me and encouraged me they all deserve this recognition.”
Luyten, who has links in Ha’apai, Tonga, said she has loved being involved in rugby, starting off as a junior player and went through the school competition.
Community and provincial rugby After moving down to Timaru, she was involved with community and provincial rugby, before she got pulled into New Zealand Rugby Pacific Advisory Group.
Luyten made New Zealand rugby history as the first woman of Pacific Island descent to be appointed to a provincial union board in 2019.
She was a board member of the South Canterbury Rugby Football Union and played fullback at Timaru Girls’ High School back in 1997, when rugby competition was first introduced .
Her mother Ailine was one of the first Tongan women to take up residence in Timaru. That was back in the early 1970s.
As well as a law degree at Otago University Luyten completed a Bachelor of Science in 2005 and then went on to complete post-graduate studies in sports medicine in 2009.
Pauline-Jean Henrietta Luyten with Sina Latu of the Tonga Society in South Canterbury. Image: RNZ Pacific
She is also a founding member of the Tongan Society South Canterbury which was established in 2016.
Opportunities for Pasifika families On her rugby involvement, she said the game provides opportunities for Pasifika families and she is happy to be contributing as an administrator.
“Where I know I can contribute has been in that non-playing space and sort of understanding the rugby system, because it’s so big, so complex and kind of challenging.”
Fighting the stereotypes that “Pasifika can’t be directors” has been a major one.
“Some people think there’s not enough of us out there. But for me, I’m like, nah we’ve got people,” she stated.
“We’ve got heaps of people all over the show that can actually step into these roles.
“They may be experienced in different sectors, like the health sector, social sector, financial, but maybe haven’t quite crossed hard enough into the rugby space. So I feel it’s my duty to to do everything I can to create those spaces for our kids, for the future.”
Call for two rugby votes Earlier this month the group registered the New Zealand Pasifika Rugby Council, which moved a motion, with the support of some local unions, that Pasifika be given two votes within New Zealand Rugby.
“So this was an opportunity too for us to actually be fully embedded into the New Zealand Rugby system.
“But unfortunately, the magic number was 61.3 [percent] and we literally got 61, so it was 0.3 percent less voting, and that was disappointing.”
Luyten said she and the Pacific advisory team will keep working and fighting to get what they have set their mind on.
For Scoon, the acknowledgement was recognition of everyone else who are behind the scenes, doing the work.
Annie Scoon, of Cook Islands heritage, has been involved with softball since she played the sport in school years ago. Image: RNZ Pacific
She said the award was for the Pasifika people in her community in the Palmerston North area.
Voice is for ‘them’ “To me what stands out is that our Pasifika people will be recognized that they’ve had a voice out there,” she said.
“So, it’s for them really; it’s not me, it’s them. They get the recognition that’s due to them. I love my Pacific people down here.”
Scoon is a name well known among the Palmerston North Pasifika and softball communities.
The 78-year-old has played, officiated, coached and now administers the game of softball.
She was born in the Cook Islands and moved with her family to New Zealand in 1948. Her first involvement with softball was in school, as a nine-year-old in Auckland.
Then she helped her children as a coach.
“And then that sort of lead on to learning how to score the game, then coaching the game, yes, and then to just being an administrator of the game,” she said.
Passion for the game “I’ve gone through softball – I’ve been the chief scorer at national tournaments, I’ve selected at tournaments, and it’s been good because I’d like to think that what I taught my children is a passion for the game, because a lot of them are still involved.”
A car accident years ago has left her wheelchair-bound.
She has also competed as at the Paraplegic Games where she said she proved that “although disabled, there were things that we could do if you just manipulate your body a wee bit and try and think it may not pan out as much as possible, but it does work”.
“All you need to do is just try get out there, but also encourage other people to come out.”
She has kept passing on her softball knowledge to school children.
In her community work, Scoon said she just keeps encouraging people to keep working on what they want to achieve and not to shy away from speaking their mind.
Setting a goal “I told everybody that they set a goal and work on achieving that goal,” she said.
“And also encouraged alot of them to not be shy and don’t back off if you want something.”
She said one of the challenging experiences, in working with the Pasifika community, is the belief by some that they may not be good enough.
Her advice to many is to learn what they can and try to improve, so that they can get better in life.
“I wasn’t born like this,” she said, referring to her disability.
“You pick out what suits you but because our island people — we’re very shy people and we’re proud. We’re very proud people. Rather than make a fuss, we’d rather step back.
“They shouldn’t and they need to stand up and they want to be recognised.”
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
