Global Pulse

分类： society

  • New twist in murder case as four arrested

    New twist in murder case as four arrested

    Almost a year after the body of 49-year-old father-of-two Chris Robertson was discovered in a suburban South Australian workshop, the state’s police investigation has yielded a major new development: four additional people have been taken into custody in connection with the killing, joining a former Hells Angel already charged with murder.

    Robertson, a resident of the coastal suburb of Moana, was last seen alive by the public on September 25 last year – the date of Australian Football League’s annual premiership grand final. Three days after that public appearance, on September 30, his remains were found inside an industrial workshop on O’Sullivan Beach Road in Lonsdale. Post-mortem analysis confirmed his death was the result of homicide, with fatal injuries matching those sustained in a violent assault. The case was immediately upgraded to a major criminal investigation, drawing senior detective resources from across the region.

    The first major break in the case came in December 2023, nearly three months after Robertson’s body was found. Investigators had spent weeks tracing a grey Mitsubishi Triton that Robertson was believed to have been traveling in as a passenger on the day he was last seen; the vehicle was finally located in late November. That breakthrough set the stage for the first arrest: 30-year-old Dylan Danaher, a former member of the Hells Angel outlaw motorcycle club from Happy Valley, who was formally charged with murder. Danaher has remained in custody since his arrest, and is scheduled to next appear before the Adelaide Magistrates Court on July 7 this year.

    Now, the investigation has expanded further, with police taking four more people into custody, all of whom face charges linked to the murder and efforts to derail the official inquiry. All four suspects were denied bail following their arrest, and are set to make their initial court appearances at Adelaide Magistrates Court on Thursday.

    The charges against the newly arrested four vary in severity. A 33-year-old woman from Happy Valley faces the most counts: two charges of assisting an offender, alongside one count of making threats or carrying out reprisals against people connected to the criminal investigation. A 61-year-old man, also from Happy Valley, has been charged with two counts of assisting the person responsible for the killing. Two younger men from Christies Beach – a 29-year-old and a 27-year-old – each face one count of threats or reprisals against investigation participants.

    Detective Superintendent Darren Fielke, the senior officer leading the investigation, made a public statement Wednesday reaffirming police commitment to pursuing all parties linked to the crime. “We will not hesitate to investigate offending of this nature and will vigorously pursue prosecutions against any person found to be assisting those responsible, interfering with investigations or threatening witnesses,” Fielke said, signaling that the inquiry may still be open to further arrests as new evidence emerges.

    The case has drawn sustained public attention in South Australia, due to its link to the high-profile AFL grand final day and the connection to an outlaw motorcycle club member already charged in the killing.

  • BBC reports from court as ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced

    BBC reports from court as ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced

    In a high-profile court hearing covered extensively by the BBC, Jasveen Sangha, a drug trafficker widely known as the ‘Ketamine Queen’, has been handed a 15-year prison sentence. Her conviction links directly to the sale of illicit ketamine that ultimately contributed to the 2023 death of beloved *Friends* actor Matthew Perry.

    The case has captured global public attention, not only because of Perry’s decades of fame as one of the stars of one of the most popular television sitcoms in history, but also because it has thrown a spotlight on the deadly consequences of unregulated recreational drug supply. Sangha was found guilty of facilitating the distribution of the ketamine that was identified as a primary cause of Perry’s death, which shocked fans around the world when it was announced last year.

    Court proceedings laid out how Sangha operated as a key figure in the illegal ketamine trade, supplying the drug that ended up in Perry’s system before his sudden passing. The sentence handed down by the judge reflects the severity of her crimes, particularly given the fatal outcome of her illegal activities. Legal observers note that the case serves as a stark reminder of the lethal risks posed by the black market drug trade, which continues to claim lives of both high-profile individuals and ordinary people across the globe.

  • Major clampdown on ‘cashies’ at vineyards in South Australia

    Major clampdown on ‘cashies’ at vineyards in South Australia

    A coordinated, multi-agency law enforcement crackdown on worker exploitation and illegal business practices has led to surprise inspections of 18 vineyards across three of Australia’s most celebrated wine-growing regions, law enforcement officials confirmed this week. Codenamed Operation Zephyr, the initiative brings together the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), and Australian Border Force (ABF) to root out systemic unlawful activity in South Australia’s iconic wine districts of Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. The targeted vineyards have not been publicly named as the investigation remains ongoing.

    The operation was launched to address longstanding concerns about unfair and illegal labor practices in Australia’s viticulture sector, an industry that employs thousands of seasonal and casual workers across the country. Investigators are specifically probing a range of violations, including underpayment of wages, penalty rates and superannuation entitlements, failure to provide mandatory pay slips to employees, and unreported cash-in-hand (off-the-books) payments that cut government revenue and leave workers without legal protections. The probe also covers broader regulatory noncompliance, such as failure to lodge tax returns and activity statements, incorrect reporting of business income and expenses, refusal to remit Pay as You Go Withholding tax, and breaches of the Migration Act, including the exploitation of migrant workers and unlawful immigration assistance.

    ATO Assistant Commissioner Tony Golding emphasized that these illegal shortcuts do not just harm individual workers—they damage the reputation of the entire Australian wine industry, which relies on global consumer trust and ethical production standards. “Paying workers off the books, ignoring ATO obligations and using disreputable labour hire providers doesn’t just break the law, it erodes trust in the viticulture industry which employs thousands of people across Australia,” Golding said. He warned vineyard owners against turning a blind eye to problematic practices from contracted labour hire firms, noting that implausibly low labour costs almost always signal illegal activity. “In the end, those shortcuts don’t just exploit workers, they leave the whole industry with sour grapes,” he added.

    FWO Assistant Director Anna Booth echoed Golding’s concerns, pointing out that the South Australian wine sector is globally celebrated for its high-quality produce, but labor standards have not always matched that reputation. “We know there are a large number of vulnerable workers employed in grape-picking, packing and pruning vineyards. Not paying workers their entitlements cannot be part of any grower’s business model,” Booth said. ABF Commander John Taylor reinforced the joint agencies’ commitment to ending worker exploitation and visa abuse, sending a clear warning to noncompliant employers. “Exploiting vulnerable workers or misusing the visa system is unacceptable and the consequences can be serious,” Taylor said. “Operations like this send a clear message: Australia is not a safe haven for worker exploitation or visa abuse.”

    As of the latest update, the investigation remains active, with authorities yet to announce any formal charges or penalties following the surprise inspections.

  • Memorial ceremony pays respects to martyrs Wu Shi and He Sui in Fuzhou

    Memorial ceremony pays respects to martyrs Wu Shi and He Sui in Fuzhou

    Against the backdrop of Qingming Festival, a time-honored Chinese tradition for honoring deceased ancestors and fallen heroes, a solemn commemorative service gathered attendees to pay heartfelt respects to two revered revolutionary martyrs, Generals Wu Shi and He Sui, at Fuzhou Sanshan Memorial Park’s Hero Square, located in Fuzhou, the capital of East China’s Fujian Province.

    The two revolutionary figures shared deep personal and ideological bonds that shaped their contributions to the Chinese revolution. Both natives of Fujian and graduates of the prestigious Baoding Military Academy, He Sui stood as Wu Shi’s early revolutionary mentor, and it was He who introduced Wu to the Communist Party of China. Following his induction, Wu went on to become a critical intelligence operative on the Party’s covert underground front in Taiwan, operating amid constant risk to advance the revolutionary cause.

    Tragedy struck in early 1950, when Wu’s covert identity was revealed following a betrayal. Putting his colleague’s safety above his own, Wu immediately arranged for He Sui to evacuate Taiwan, ensuring He and his family could escape unharmed. Choosing to remain at his post to continue his critical work, Wu was ultimately executed as a martyr in Taipei on June 10 of that same year.

    As descendants of the two martyrs joined the ceremony, family members Wu Hong (granddaughter of Wu Shi) and He Daining (eldest grandson of He Sui) prepared beloved local Fuzhou delicacies, a intimate, personal tribute to their ancestors’ legacy that blended familial remembrance with national respect for the pair’s sacrifice. The ceremony stands as a reminder of the hidden sacrifices made by underground revolutionaries that laid the foundation for modern China, keeping the pair’s contributions alive in public memory decades after their passing.

  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University celebrates 130th anniversary with a vision for global excellence

    Shanghai Jiao Tong University celebrates 130th anniversary with a vision for global excellence

    One of China’s most prestigious higher education institutions, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), commemorated its 130th founding anniversary Wednesday with a grand formal ceremony hosted at its sprawling Minhang campus. The milestone gathering drew a diverse lineup of high-profile attendees, including senior officials from China’s Ministry of Education and the Shanghai municipal government, as well as institutional leaders and distinguished scholars from more than 130 universities across the globe. Also in attendance were representatives from the university’s key strategic collaborative partners, descendants of early pioneers who shaped SJTU’s century-long development, retired and incumbent university leadership, and elected delegates from the school’s teaching faculty and current student body.

    In his keynote address to the assembled guests, Xiong Sihao, member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Education and vice-minister of education, laid out clear expectations for the university’s next chapter. He urged SJTU to leverage its century of accumulated expertise to deliver new, transformative contributions to China’s national push to build global leadership in education, scientific research, and talent development.

    Speaking on behalf of the university, SJTU president Ding Kuiling outlined the institution’s bold strategic vision as it enters its 131st year of operation. Ding stressed that to reach its long-term goals, the university must prioritize cultivating a world-class hub for exceptional talent through deliberate, long-term strategic planning, generate groundbreaking original research and lead global academic progress through proactive, forward-thinking initiative, and build an open, interconnected academic ecosystem rooted in a global outlook.

    A day ahead of the main anniversary ceremony, the university unveiled a new statue of Qian Xuesen, widely known as the founding father of China’s space program and a 1934 graduate of SJTU, on its Minhang campus. Inscribed on the statue’s stone pedestal is a message Qian left to his alma mater: “In the 21st century, (the faculty shall) strive to build SJTU into a world-class university.”

    Reaffirming the university’s long-term roadmap during Wednesday’s celebration, Ding announced SJTU’s official timeline for global academic leadership: the institution aims to secure a place among the world’s leading top-tier universities by 2035, and rise to join the very top ranks of global higher education by 2050, fulfilling the vision set out by its famous alumnus decades ago.

  • Shanghai Disney Resort is a top cultural tourism destination, report says

    Shanghai Disney Resort is a top cultural tourism destination, report says

    A new study published Wednesday by the China Center for International Economic Exchanges has formally recognized Shanghai Disney Resort as one of China’s premier cultural tourism destinations, highlighting its decade-long success in weaving global Disney intellectual property with deeply rooted Chinese cultural traditions to attract millions of domestic and international travelers.

    Since welcoming its first guests more than a decade ago, the resort has broken visitor milestones by leaning into its unique positioning slogan: “Authentically Disney, Distinctly Chinese.” This innovative, cross-cultural approach has not only driven consistent growth in tourist footfall but also yielded a string of globally celebrated original attractions and concepts that set it apart from Disney parks across the world.

    Per the report’s official data, the Shanghai resort has welcomed more than 100 million cumulative guests since its opening, a landmark figure that underscores its widespread popularity and commercial and cultural success. Standout creations born from this localized strategy include LinaBell, the pink fox Disney character that sparked a global fan frenzy following her debut at the Shanghai resort, as well as the world’s first ever Zootopia-themed land, a cutting-edge attraction that draws fans of the franchise from every corner of the globe.

    Unlike traditional international theme park entries that rely on importing pre-existing, unaltered content to Chinese markets, Shanghai Disney Resort has prioritized cultural integration. Examples of this approach stretch beyond new attractions: the resort regularly hosts seasonal events that celebrate traditional Chinese festivals such as Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival, and has even collaborated with local performing arts groups to create cross-cultural experiences, such as the popular photo opportunity showing Disney character LinaBell performing alongside a young Shanghai opera actress. This blend of global entertainment and local cultural resonance has turned the resort into more than a tourist attraction — it has become a model for how international cultural brands can adapt and thrive in China’s dynamic consumer market.

  • Key moments in the Gilgo Beach serial killings case

    Key moments in the Gilgo Beach serial killings case

    One of the most haunting cold case serial killing investigations in modern U.S. history has reached a pivotal turning point, as architect Rex Heuermann has formally entered guilty pleas for the deaths of eight women whose bodies were discovered scattered along Gilgo Beach on New York’s Long Island between the late 1990s and early 2010s.

    The case first captured national attention more than a decade ago, when investigators began unearthing a series of shallow graves along the remote Ocean Parkway between 2010 and 2011, revealing a pattern of violence that targeted primarily sex workers working along the South Shore of Long Island. For years, the identity of the killer remained a mystery, leaving communities terrified and families of the victims without answers, as law enforcement pursued thousands of leads and employed evolving forensic techniques to crack the case.

    The breakthrough came in 2023, when Heuermann, a Long Island-based architect with a decades-long career and a seemingly ordinary suburban life, was taken into custody and charged with multiple counts of murder. In the weeks leading up to his guilty plea, court documents and investigative reporting had laid out a growing body of evidence linking Heuermann to the crimes, including DNA evidence, cellphone records, and physical evidence recovered from the burial sites.

    By pleading guilty to all eight counts of murder, Heuermann brings a long-awaited measure of closure to the families of the victims, who waited nearly 30 years for justice after their loved ones disappeared. The plea also avoids a lengthy, high-profile public trial that would have retraced the details of the brutal crimes for a national audience. The case stands as a testament to the persistence of law enforcement in cold case investigations, and the impact of decades-long violence on tight-knit coastal communities.

  • ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced to 15 years in Matthew Perry overdose death

    ‘Ketamine Queen’ sentenced to 15 years in Matthew Perry overdose death

    More than two years after beloved *Friends* star Matthew Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home, the ringleader of an illegal drug ring linked to his death has received a substantial federal prison sentence. Forty-two-year-old Jasveen Sangha, the woman infamously labeled the ‘Ketamine Queen’, was handed a 15-year prison term after pleading guilty to federal charges that included distributing the illicit ketamine that contributed to Perry’s October 2023 death.

    Sangha, an American-British dual citizen, entered her guilty plea back in September 2024, reversing her initial not guilty plea just weeks before her trial was set to begin. Prosecutors painted a damning picture of her operation, describing her Los Angeles residence as a full-fledged ‘drug-selling emporium’ that generated massive profits to fund a luxury lifestyle. When federal agents raided her North Hollywood stash house and personal home, they uncovered dozens of vials of injectable ketamine alongside thousands of pills containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and Xanax. Court records also confirm Sangha’s connection to a second fatal overdose: she admitted to selling ketamine to Cody McLaury in 2019, who died just hours after purchasing the drug from her.

    Before the sentencing hearing, Perry’s family made a impassioned plea to the judge for the harshest possible penalty. In a written victim impact statement submitted to the California federal court, Debbie Perry, Matthew Perry’s stepmother, emphasized that Sangha had caused irreversible harm to their family. ‘You who has talent for business enough to make money chose the one way that hurts people,’ she wrote. ‘Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won’t be able to hurt other families like ours.’

    Sangha’s legal team pushed for leniency, noting that she had taken responsibility for her crimes and had no prior criminal convictions. Dozens of letters from her family and friends advocating for a reduced sentence were also submitted to the court. The judge ultimately handed down a 15-year sentence, far below the statutory maximum of 65 years that Sangha faced. She has been in federal custody since August 2024.

    Perry, who captured global audiences for his decades-long portrayal of quick-witted Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom *Friends*, had openly discussed his decades-long battle with substance use disorder. At the time of his death, he was receiving supervised ketamine-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant depression, a legal medical treatment. Investigators later concluded his death was caused by acute ketamine toxicity from the illicit supply of the drug.

    Ketamine is a federally controlled dissociative anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects that is only legally permitted for use administered by licensed medical professionals. Sangha is one of five people charged in connection with the illegal ketamine ring that supplied Perry, with all five co-defendants agreeing to plead guilty. Two medical professionals have already been sentenced: Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who supplied Perry with ketamine in the weeks before his death, received a 30-month prison sentence in December 2024, while Dr. Mark Chavez, who fraudulently obtained ketamine and sold it to Plasencia, was sentenced to eight months of home detention and three years of supervised release. Two remaining co-defendants are awaiting sentencing: Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who assisted in purchasing and injecting ketamine, has requested a postponement for his sentencing scheduled for this month, while Eric Fleming, who obtained ketamine from Sangha to sell to Perry, is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2025.

  • Watch: Fire damages roof of Rio’s Olympic velodrome

    Watch: Fire damages roof of Rio’s Olympic velodrome

    A significant fire has caused structural damage to the roof of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Olympic velodrome, prompting a large-scale emergency response from local fire authorities in the early hours of the incident. The state military fire department confirmed that roughly 80 frontline firefighters and 20 specialized fire trucks were deployed to bring the blaze under control, working for several hours to fully extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to other sections of the venue. Fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or casualties resulting from the incident, according to official updates from the department. Built for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, the velodrome remains a key cycling and sports facility in the region, and local authorities have launched an initial investigation to determine the root cause of the fire. Emergency crews have cordoned off the damaged area to conduct safety inspections before any plans for repairs are finalized.

  • Cross-Strait passenger routes under ‘Mini Three Links’ see peak travel during the holiday

    Cross-Strait passenger routes under ‘Mini Three Links’ see peak travel during the holiday

    The 2026 Qingming Festival holiday brought a notable surge in cross-Strait travel along the ‘Mini Three Links’ ferry routes, with official data recording a year-on-year rise in passenger volumes that underscores growing people-to-people exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

    Between April 1 and 6, the ferry routes connecting mainland China’s Fujian province to the Taiwan-administered islands of Jinmen and Matsu handled 34,100 passenger trips, marking a 9.49 percent increase compared to the same period last year. This data was shared by Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, during a press briefing on April 8.

    First established to facilitate direct small-scale travel, trade and postal services between Fujian and the outlying Taiwan-controlled islands, the ‘Mini Three Links’ has long emerged as one of the most critical and accessible transportation arteries for cross-Strait interactions. It is particularly relied on by residents of Fujian and Taiwan for routine visits, family reunions, and cultural exchanges, Zhu noted.

    To accommodate the holiday travel rush, port management authorities across Fujian rolled out targeted service upgrades and enhanced cross-agency coordination. Special green channels were activated to guarantee priority passage for cross-Strait ferries, reducing wait times for travelers. On the busy Xiamen-Jinmen route, dedicated family lanes and oversized baggage processing channels remained operational around the clock throughout the holiday to serve groups traveling with children or carrying large personal items. The Fuzhou-Matsu route added six extra round-trip sailings to meet unmet demand from passengers looking to travel during the tomb-sweeping holiday.

    Beyond transportation upgrades, local authorities at the Quanzhou-Jinmen terminal partnered with a regional museum to host a special Qingming Festival-themed cultural event and exhibition. The exhibition centered on highlighting the shared ancestral and cultural roots that bind communities on both sides of the Strait.

    Zhu added that the Qingming holiday, a traditional time for ancestral remembrance in Chinese culture, saw large numbers of Taiwan compatriots travel across the Strait to participate in worship and memorial activities. Many traveled from Taiwan to ancestral hometowns across the mainland to hold family worship ceremonies and clan gatherings, while a group of Taiwan representatives attended the annual public memorial ceremony for the Yellow Emperor — the legendary common ancestor of the Chinese nation — held in Shaanxi province.

    These annual activities serve as a powerful reminder of the deep, unbroken sense of kinship that connects people across the Taiwan Strait, Zhu emphasized.