Source: New South Wales Government 2
01 May 2025
All clients submitting the below declarations:
Approved arrangements operators, customs brokers, importers, manned depots, and freight forwarders who are required to book and manage requests…
Source:
Nyah Nyah West brigade members
More than 70 community members attended the anniversary event on Sunday, 27 April to thank volunteers for their dedication.
Nyah Nyah West Fire Brigade Captain Phillip Maher said he is very proud to have led the brigade through this significant milestone.
“The brigade has been such an important part of the town since 1925, and we hope to see it remain that way for the next 100,” Phillip said.
Before amalgamating as a single brigade in July 2012 when it was decided there would no longer be urban and rural fire brigades within the CFA, previously, the brigade was made up of the Nyah West Urban Fire Brigade and the Nyah Rural Fire Brigade.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Phillip has dedicated thirty years to the brigade and is now in his fifth year of captaincy. Over this time, Phillip has witnessed the restructure firsthand, alongside technological advancements and improvements that have shaped the brigade into what it is today.
“With both brigades working closely together previously out of the same building, it was a fairly smooth transition”, Phillip said.
“It’s incredible to see how far we have come from what was two small brigades into now one strong, united team.”
The brigade has seen significant fleet and uniform upgrades over the years.
“We are very privileged to have a modern firefighting fleet, with diesel-powered trucks and a four-wheel drive vehicle. They are a bit different from the trucks we used back in the day,” Phillip said.
“When I started, we would turn up in our workwear or whatever was on the truck. Now, we’ve got appropriate uniforms, structural gear and helmets.”
The brigade has responded to several significant fires over their 100 years of dedication.
“From the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires to the 2003 Victorian Alpine bushfires, 2019/2020 bush fires and more recently the Grampians and Little Desert fires, our crews have stepped in to help,” Phillip said. “We are really proud to still be here serving the community one hundred years later. It’s a credit to every member, past and present, who has worn the uniform and stood up for the community.”
As Nyah Nyah West Fire Brigade enters its second century, Phillip hopes to see recruitment numbers and local engagement continue to rise.
“Everybody is always welcome, and no contribution is too small.”
| Submitted by | CFA Media |
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Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Public space upgrades are being carried out at Lanyon Marketplace in Conder.
Have you noticed some work going on at the shops lately?
Several local shopping areas across Canberra are receiving a bit of a facelift through important public space upgrades.
Two of these are in Tuggeranong:
Some of the upgrades include new play equipment, more places to sit and gather and improved access and parking.
You can also expect improvements to each centre’s overall look and feel, through the addition of new trees and landscaping.
It’s hoped these improvements will encourage residents to shop local and spend more time in their suburbs.
Each project has involved community engagement.
Community groups and local businesses have shared feedback on the changes they’d like to see. This has informed individual designs.
You can find more on the consultation process and feedback received for each project by clicking on the links below.
Upgrades are underway on the public spaces at Calwell shops on Webber Crescent.
Key features include:
Find out more about the improvements at Calwell Group Centre.
Public space upgrades are being carried out at Lanyon Marketplace in Conder.
Key features include:
Find out more about the improvements at Lanyon Marketplace.
Minor improvements at the Monash Commercial Centre were completed recently.
Find out more about the work at Monash shops.
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Cairney, Professor and Head of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences; Director, The Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies, The University of Queensland
Not so long ago, life was pretty simple for sports leagues and teams when it came to connecting with fans: the contests and athletes were the stars of the show, with the on-field action covered and celebrated by sports media accordingly.
Things are rapidly changing.
Sport used to primarily be about performance, competition and entertainment. Now, sport and the athletes who play it are often dynamic media platforms.
This paradigm shift is being driven by the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), data mining, immersive technology and the creator economy. Each exposes anomalies in the old model and demands a new framework for how sport is consumed, valued and organised.
Read more:
The social media games: why sports teams and leagues aren’t just competing on the field
In today’s modern sporting landscape, many leagues, teams and even mega-events are fully functioning media companies.
Athletes are both product and producer.
They not only generate performance-based content (highlights, stats) but also personal narratives, political positions, or cultural influence.
They are creators and media entities in the full sense — with their own brands, platforms and followers.
Professional leagues and events must reckon with the power shift these actions imply.
There is extraordinary opportunity in leveraging athletes’ identities for deeper fan engagement. But there is also caution: narratives may not always align with league and team/owner agendas.
Consider some recent examples.
Former No. 1-ranked women’s tennis player Naomi Osaka used her platforms to create a brand that spans fashion, media and activism.
Her 2021 withdrawal from the French Open, which she announced on her own terms on social media, stemmed from her decision to skip post-match press conferences to protect her mental health.
Osaka’s move highlighted both the opportunity created by authentic, athlete-driven engagement and the challenge it posed to traditional tournament control.
In 2024, Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese baseball phenomenon, offered a different but related case.
A dominant pitcher and elite hitter, Ohtani signed a record-breaking US$700 million (A$1.1 billion) contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the most lucrative deal in baseball history.
Since joining the Dodgers, he has tightly curated his public image, favouring controlled, self-managed media content over traditional press access.
His control over access and messaging means the Dodgers and Major League Baseball can’t fully shape his story.
Ash Barty’s post-retirement career offers a compelling Australian parallel.
Since stepping away from tennis in 2022 while ranked No. 1, Barty has carefully balanced commercial endorsements, a memoir and media appearances.
Like Osaka and Ohtani, Barty’s example speaks to a new form of athlete agency: one where narrative control, emotional transparency and strategic silence all play a role in reshaping sport’s public conversation.
All these cases illustrate a shifting paradigm — where athletes are no longer just performers but powerful media outlets, often with more influence than the familiar institutions they represent.
This opens important questions around ownership, intellectual property, image rights and the ethical stewardship of public platforms.
It also means if athletes, players and leagues are media companies, monetisation is a function — but not the sole purpose. Successful media ecosystems don’t just sell content, they also build belonging.
This means investing in and influencing community, culture and shared values — not just launching branded apps, paid streaming services, or spin-off content that extend the brand.
AI, in this context, becomes a community-builder, not just a recommendation engine. Its ability to support personalised experiences and micro-segmented fan journeys allows for mass intimacy: experiences that feel deeply individual yet can be scaled broadly.
With the help of data and machine learning, leagues and teams can now deliver mass customisation not just of products but of experiences and narratives — tailoring highlight reels, merchandise, content and even storylines for each fan. This shift enables a deeper, more emotional form of engagement.
The National Basketball Association (NBA)’s upgraded app and NBA ID platform bring this to life, using Microsoft Azure AI to serve fans personalised highlight reels, real-time stat overlays and exclusive content based on their favourite teams and players.
These “fan journeys of one” show how leagues can turn data into connection — building not just audiences but communities, powered by AI.
As to what the future may hold, some key questions in this space are:
This ongoing tension between “brand-dom” (controlled or innovative messaging) and “fandom” (grassroots, emotionally driven engagement) will continue to evolve as technology also evolves.
Sport’s future won’t just be something we watch — it will be shaped by fans, athletes and technology working together, and it will keep changing faster than ever.
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.
– ref. Savvy athletes and new technology are flipping traditional sports marketing on its head – https://theconversation.com/savvy-athletes-and-new-technology-are-flipping-traditional-sports-marketing-on-its-head-254596
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
Washington Free Beacon: HHS to Reevaluate $89 Billion Contract Awarded to Shadowy University of California Nonprofit
Sen. Chuck Grassley hails agency’s decision to reverse Biden’s ‘outrageous’ award
Andrew Kerr
April 30, 2025
The National Institutes of Health is having second thoughts about a behemoth $89 billion contract it awarded to a seemingly dormant California nonprofit organization during the final days of former president Joe Biden’s term.
The National Cancer Institute, a subsidiary of the NIH, awarded a 25-year, $89 billion contract to the Alliance for Advancing Biomedical Research to operate a cancer research lab at Maryland’s Fort Detrick on January 17, just three days before Biden left office. The reward marked a remarkable turn of fortune for the nascent nonprofit organization, which shares close ties to the University of California’s National Laboratories but hadn’t raised or spent a penny since its founding in 2022, according to its available Form 990 tax filings. The nonprofit group exists with the “specific purpose to operate exclusively for the benefit of, to perform the functions of, and/or to carry out the purposes of The Regents of the University of California,” according to its 2022 tax filing.
But the Alliance for Advancing Biomedical Research now risks seeing its multibillion-dollar taxpayer-funded windfall slip through its fingers, according to an April 8 notice obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, showing that the Department of Health and Human Services—NIH’s parent agency—is reevaluating all the original bids for the contract and will possibly award it to another company.
The agency’s move came just weeks after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) sent a letter in late February to the NIH demanding to know why the agency awarded the massive contract to an untested nonprofit with close ties to the University of California, a system that, according to the senator, not only has a history of spending around 40 percent of its federal research funding on administrative costs, but also has a dubious record of leaving its laboratories open to national security breaches by the Chinese Communist Party.
“It’s outrageous Biden’s NIH shoved a nearly $90 billion contract out the door just days before President Trump returned to office,” Grassley told the Free Beacon. “Even worse, the money would have flowed to an organization that can’t clearly protect itself from adversaries like China. I’m very glad HHS heeded my calls to reverse course and is now re-evaluating its initial proposal. I urge the department to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars as it works to defeat cancer and save lives.”
…
The nonprofit’s close ties to the University of California was of great concern to Grassley, who noted in his February 26 letter to NIH acting director Matthew Memoli that the university has a record of keeping about 40 percent of its federal research funding for research costs, a figure that far exceeds the Trump administration’s cap on such expenditures at 15 percent.
“It is critical to ensure taxpayer-funded research dollars are actually spent on research, not university administrative expenses,” Grassley wrote in his letter.
Grassley also said he was concerned about the University of California’s well-documented failure to protect its labs from security breaches by China’s government.
“It has been reported that between 1987 and 2021, at least 162 scientists who had worked at Los Alamos [National Laboratory] returned to China to support a variety of domestic research and development programs, including at least 59 who were involved with China’s talent programs,” Grassley wrote. “It appears that the University of California’s inability to keep China out of U.S. R&D is an issue that spans nearly four decades.”
…
HHS notified Leidos on April 9 that NIH had taken the “voluntary corrective action” to reevaluate the initial contract proposals and possibly make a new reward determination, according to a letter obtained by the Free Beacon.
…
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US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
April 30, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today delivered remarks honoring Fred Wertheimer, this year’s recipient for the University of Illinois System’s Senator Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government. In his remarks, Durbin praised Mr. Wertheimer’s work as founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonpartisan, nonprofit dedicated to strengthening American democracy, safeguarding election integrity, and promoting government accountability.
Named for the late Illinois Senator, the Senator Paul H. Douglas Award for Ethics in Government is presented to a person whose public actions and contributions have demonstrated a deep understanding and respect for ethical behavior and standards in government. Past recipients include former President Barack Obama, the late Senator Paul Simon, the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the late Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and former Representative Liz Cheney.
Photos of Durbin delivering his remarks can be found here.
Durbin’s remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin Remarks at Paul Douglas Award Ceremony
April 30, 2025
As prepared for delivery
Thank you, President Killeen, for those kind words. I want to welcome my dear friends, Jean Douglas Bandler and Ned Bandler, Senator Douglas’s daughter and son-in-law, his great-grandson, Matthew Douglas.
It is always an honor to join the Douglas family, the University of Illinois, and its outstanding Institute of Government and Public Affairs in presenting the Senator Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award.
People ask me how I’ve survived 42 years in Congress. The short answer is: I try to follow the Gospel of St. Paul—by which I mean, I try to follow the examples of Paul Simon and Paul Douglas.
They showed me that the bedrock of a long career in public service is a commitment to honesty and integrity. Without that North Star to guide you, you are liable to get lost. I’ve seen it happen.
Paul Douglas held himself to high ethical standards—even stronger than Congress required—because he understood when people lose faith in their government, democracy crumbles. That basic truth is also what has driven Fred Wertheimer for more than 50 years.
I have known Fred for many of those years. I admire him greatly. I am also a big fan of his brilliant wife, Linda Wertheimer. We’re honored that you could join us, Linda.
For more than five decades—first at Common Cause and then at Democracy 21—he has been a leading voice in advancing the causes of honesty and integrity in government, free and fair elections, and protecting Americans’ right to vote. The bedrock issues of democracy.
Fred Wertheimer is not intimidated by Big Money or long odds, and he is not afraid of bullies—which means he is exactly the kind of leader America needs, urgently, now.
Today is Day 101 of the second Trump Administration. If America had been invaded by a hostile nation, I’m not sure they could have done so much damage, in such a short period of time, to our economy, our democracy, and our standing in the world.
What would Professor Paul Douglas say about an Administration threatening to withhold federal funding for education and research—and jeopardizing universities’ solvency–in order to dictate what can be taught, and who can teach?
What would economist Paul Douglas think of a President who needlessly drives up costs for America’s families and businesses and harms the global economy at risk by waging an
incoherent trade war against our foes and allies?
Our government is being dismantled, essential services are being crippled, and tens of thousands of federal workers are being fired, many illegally, on instructions from the richest man on Earth, who bought his influence in this Administration with hundreds of millions of dollars in cold, hard campaign cash.
The autocrats and oligarchs are at the gate. If Paul Douglas were here, he would be appalled, as we all should be.
So, what do we do to save our democracy? First, we need to break the corrupt chokehold of unlimited, unaccountable special interest money on our elections and public policies.
Second, we need to protect the right to vote.
I know that you are committed to both of these imperatives, Fred, and I am with you.
Finally, we must safeguard the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
During the Biden Administration, Democrats held a majority, and I held the gavel on the Senate Judiciary Committee. And the Senate confirmed 235 federal judges of impeccable character and qualifications—including Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
These and other federal judges are now holding the line against his most serious assaults on the rule of law. We must continue to defend this line. Without the rule of law, there is no democracy.
In 1970, when John Gardner founded Common Cause, he knew he wanted Fred Wertheimer to spearhead its campaign finance reform efforts. He warned Fred that that, quote: “Reform is not for the short-winded.”
Fortunately, in the race to make our democracy more open, honest, and accountable, Fred Wertheimer is a long-distance runner and a champion. He is a leader for these times, and a worthy recipient of the 2025 Senator Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award.
Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Fred, and thank you for your decades of service to our democracy.
And now, it is my pleasure to introduce Senator Douglas’ great-grandson Matthew Douglas, who is representing the Douglas family.
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Source: US State Government of Utah
Today, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a five-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire.
The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack. While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark colored bicycle shortly thereafter.
Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene. After his arrest, officers found a hand drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location.
“If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.”
“ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.”
“There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.”
“I would like to recognize the dedicated work of the Mesa Police and Mesa Fire Departments on this case,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson taskforce cannot be overstated.”
“My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.”
“I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Superstition District Patrol officers who played a crucial role in this investigation. Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent police work,” said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.”
Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years and up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KYLIN SEXTON (“SEXTON”), age 25, a resident of Hammond, pleaded guilty on April 24, 2025 to possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, in violation of 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C) and 841(b)(1)(D). SEXTON faces up to twenty (20) years imprisonment, a fine of up to a $1,000,000.00, a period of supervised release of at least 3 years up to life, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Chief U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown will sentence SEXTON on July 24, 2025.
On October 10, 2024, SEXTON pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
According to court records, on May 18, 2022, the Ponchatoula Police Department received a complaint that SEXTON a co-conspirator, was in possession of a firearm. Upon arrival at the scene, the officers observed the co-conspirator and SEXTON seated inside of a vehicle. Officers approached the vehicle and ordered the co-conspirator to show his hands. The co-conspirator ignored the officers’ commands and refused to place his hands behind his back when the officers attempted to remove him from the vehicle. After eventually removing the co-conspirator from the vehicle, officers observed a Glock Model 17, nine-millimeter handgun and extended magazine, loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, tucked between the passenger seat and the center console. The firearm had a machine gun conversion device, a “Glock switch,” attached to it.
The officers also observed a green backpack on the floorboard of the driver’s side where SEXTON was seated. Upon opening the backpack, the officers located marijuana and cocaine hydrochloride.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Ponchatoula Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit.
* * *
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JIUQUAN, April 30 — The return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship, carrying astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday.
The three astronauts are all in good health condition, according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The Province of British Columbia has declared Friday, May 2, 2025, an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.
Eleven people were killed and dozens more injured while celebrating Filipino culture and history in a senseless attack at the Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver. As we learn more about the victims, we are also learning their loss is felt deeply across the province.
This tragedy has had profound impact on the Filipino community in B.C. and many others in Vancouver and throughout the province.
The day of remembrance and mourning is an opportunity for people in British Columbia to come together, grieve the loss of innocent lives and recognize the contributions the victims made to their communities and the province. It is also a time to offer comfort to all of those impacted, including those who have lost loved ones, those recovering and those who witnessed the horrific scene, and to offer deep appreciation to community partners, the police, paramedics and those working at the hospitals for their dedicated service at a trying time. Hundreds of volunteers and community members are also stepping up to help at a trying time.
A backgrounder follows.
People in British Columbia impacted by the tragic events at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day Festival can access the following supports:
The Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) is working closely with the City of Vancouver and meeting with Filipino BC, the Vancouver Emergency Management Agency (VEMA), the Red Cross, United Way and other partners to identify further supports required.
Those wishing to sign the book of condolences for victims of this tragedy can visit the Hall of Honour at the B.C. legislature or visit: https://submit.digital.gov.bc.ca/app/form/submit?f=f4944988-5402-45a8-bb9c-7b2a95f928d9
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Wilmington, DE, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aimfinity Investment Corp. I (the “AIMA”) (Nasdaq: AIMAU), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced that, as anticipated, AIMA received a notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”), stating that in accordance with Nasdaq rules, its securities will be delisted from the Exchange. At the open of trading on Monday, May 5, 2025, AIMA’s securities will be suspended on Nasdaq and are expected to begin trading on the OTC Markets under the tickers “AIMAU,” “AIMBU,” and “AIMAW”, for its units, new units and warrants, respectively.
AIMA’s previously announced business combination (the “Business Combination”) with Docter Inc. (“Docter”), a Taiwanese health technology company, which received shareholder approval on March 27, 2025, will not be materially affected by the venue change, as AIMA and Docter remain committed to working closely to secure Nasdaq listing approval for the post-combined entity and to close the Business Combination as soon as practicable.
In addition, in order to extend the date by which AIMA must complete the Business Combination from April 28, 2025 to May 28, 2025, on April 28, 2025, I-Fa Chang, manager of the sponsor of AIMA, deposited into AIMA’s trust account (the “Trust Account”) an aggregate of $55,823.80, or $0.05 per Class A ordinary share held by public shareholders of AIMA (the “Monthly Extension Payment”).
Pursuant to AIMA’s fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (“Current Charter”), effective January 9, 2025, AIMA may extend the date by which AIMA must complete the Business Combination on a monthly basis from January 28, 2025 until October 28, 2025 or such earlier date as may be determined by its board of directors by depositing the Monthly Extension Payment for each month into the Trust Account. This is the fourth of nine monthly extensions available under the Current Charter of AIMA.
About Aimfinity Investment Corp. I
Aimfinity Investment Corp. I is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) focused on merging with high-growth potential businesses and facilitating their entry into the capital markets.
About Docter Inc.
Docter Inc. is a leading health technology company dedicated to developing innovative health monitoring solutions that enhance the accessibility and efficiency of global healthcare services.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
As previously disclosed, on October 13, 2023, AIMA entered into that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (as may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), by and between AIMA, Docter, Aimfinity Investment Merger Sub I, a Cayman Islands exempted company and wholly-owned subsidiary of AIMA (“Purchaser”), and Aimfinity Investment Merger Sub II, Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Purchaser (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which AIMA is proposing to enter into a business combination with Docter involving an reincorporation merger and an acquisition merger. This press release does not contain all the information that should be considered concerning the proposed business combination and is not intended to form the basis of any investment decision or any other decision in respect of the business combination. AIMA’s shareholders and other interested persons are advised to read, when available, the proxy statement/prospectus and the amendments thereto and other documents filed in connection with the proposed business combination, as these materials will contain important information about AIMA, Purchaser or Docter, and the proposed business combination. The proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials for the proposed business combination have been mailed to shareholders of AIMA as of the record date of February 25, 2025, established for voting on the proposed business combination. Such shareholders will also be able to obtain copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC, without charge, once available, at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to AIMA’s principal office at 221 W 9th St, PMB 235 Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the proposed transactions described herein, and the parties’ perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the proposed transaction, including the anticipated initial enterprise value and post-closing equity value, the benefits of the proposed transaction, integration plans, expected synergies and revenue opportunities, anticipated future financial and operating performance and results, including estimates for growth, the expected management and governance of the combined company, and the expected timing of the proposed transactions. The words “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, assumptions (including assumptions about general economic, market, industry and operational factors), known or unknown, which could cause the actual results to vary materially from those indicated or anticipated.
Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: (i) risks related to the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the proposed business combination, including the risk that the transaction may not close due to one or more closing conditions to the transaction not being satisfied or waived, such as regulatory approvals not being obtained, on a timely basis or otherwise, or that a governmental entity prohibited, delayed or refused to grant approval for the consummation of the transaction or required certain conditions, limitations or restrictions in connection with such approvals; (ii) risks related to the ability of AIMA and Docter to successfully integrate the businesses; (iii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the applicable transaction agreements; (iv) the risk that there may be a material adverse change with respect to the financial position, performance, operations or prospects of AIMA or Docter; (v) risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed transaction; (vi) the risk that any announcements relating to the proposed transaction could have adverse effects on the market price of AIMA’s securities; (vii) the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of Docter to retain customers and retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with their suppliers and customers and on their operating results and businesses generally; (viii) risks relating to the medical device industry, including but not limited to governmental regulatory and enforcement changes, market competitions, competitive product and pricing activity; and (ix) risks relating to the combined company’s ability to enhance its products and services, execute its business strategy, expand its customer base and maintain stable relationship with its business partners.
A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on April 26, 2022 relating to AIMA’s initial public offering (File No. 333-263874), the annual report of AIMA on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2024, filed with the SEC on April 15, 2025, and in the final prospectus/proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 6, 2025 relating to the proposed transactions (File No. 333-284658) (the “Final Prospectus”), and other documents that the parties may file or furnish with the SEC, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and AIMA, Docter, and their subsidiaries or affiliates undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transactions described herein, Purchaser filed the Final Prospectus with the SEC on March 6, 2025. The proxy statement and a proxy card has been mailed to AIMA’s shareholders of record as of February 25, 2025. Shareholders of AIMA will also be able to obtain a copy of the Final Prospectus without charge from AIMA. The Final Prospectus may also be obtained without charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF AIMA ARE URGED TO READ THESE MATERIALS (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS THAT AIMA WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT AIMA, DOCTER AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTIONS.
Participants in the Solicitation
AIMA, Docter, and their respective directors, executive officers, other members of management, and employees, under SEC rules, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of AIMA’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions described herein. Information regarding the persons who may, under SEC rules, be deemed participants in the solicitation of AIMA’s shareholders in connection with the proposed business combination is set forth in the Final Prospectus.
No Offer or Solicitation
This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of any potential transaction and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of AIMA, Purchaser or Docter, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act or an exemption therefrom.
Contact Information:
Aimfinity Investment Corp. I
I-Fa Chang
Chief Executive Officer
221 W 9th St, PMB 235
Wilmington, Delaware 19801
ceo@aimfinityspac.com
Source: United States Attorneys General 1
Today, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a five-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire.
The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack. While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark colored bicycle shortly thereafter.
Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene. After his arrest, officers found a hand drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location.
“If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.”
“ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.”
“There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.”
“I would like to recognize the dedicated work of the Mesa Police and Mesa Fire Departments on this case,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson taskforce cannot be overstated.”
“My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.”
“I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Superstition District Patrol officers who played a crucial role in this investigation. Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent police work,” said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.”
Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years and up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Department of Justice 2
Today, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a five-count indictment against Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona for Maliciously Damaging Property and Vehicles in Interstate Commerce by Means of Fire.
The charging documents filed in the case allege that Moses was at the Tesla dealership in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on Monday, April 28, wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, tan ballcap, grey pants, black boots, and a black mask. He also carried a red plastic gas can and a black backpack. While in the Tesla parking lot, Moses was captured on video as he placed fire starter logs next to the dealership building. Moses then poured gasoline onto the starter logs, the building, and three Tesla vehicles. At around 1:38 a.m., Moses ignited the starter logs, causing a fire that destroyed a silver Tesla Cybertruck. Video shows Moses leaving the dealership on a dark colored bicycle shortly thereafter.
Mesa police officers arrested Moses approximately a quarter mile from the Tesla dealership at around 3 a.m., still dressed in the same clothes as he was seen wearing at the scene. After his arrest, officers found a hand drawn map of the area in Moses’ pocket, which included a box with the letter “T” marking the dealership’s location.
“If you engage in domestic terrorism, this Department of Justice will find you, follow the facts, and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No negotiating.”
“ATF’s Special Agents and forensic investigators, working with the FBI and local partners, quickly recovered and analyzed critical evidence following this deliberate attack,” said ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll. “This attack poses a serious threat to public safety and the ATF remains committed to aggressively pursuing anyone who endangers our communities through violence or destruction.”
“There is nothing American about burning down someone else’s business because you disagree with them politically,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine for the District of Arizona. “These ongoing attacks against Tesla are not protests, they are acts of violence that have no place in Arizona or anywhere else. If someone targets Tesla with violence, they will be found and confronted with the full force of the law.”
“I would like to recognize the dedicated work of the Mesa Police and Mesa Fire Departments on this case,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Brendan Iber. “Cooperation with our law enforcement partners acts as a multiplier in our efforts to remove violent criminals from the streets and make our communities safer. The professionalism and extensive investigative knowledge of the police and fire investigators within our arson taskforce cannot be overstated.”
“My office will be engaged in this investigation, and I’m pleased to be able to share our expertise,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “We have a high level of success in prosecuting these types of crimes. My office stands ready to assist our federal law enforcement partners in the prosecution of this individual.”
“I would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Superstition District Patrol officers who played a crucial role in this investigation. Their swift action in identifying and monitoring the suspicious van parked near the dealership was critical to the success of this operation. I am truly grateful for their diligent police work,” said Mesa Police Chief Ken Cost. “Special thanks also go to the Mesa Police specialty units and the partnering agencies involved. Your collaboration was instrumental in bringing this suspect to justice and enhancing the safety of our community.”
Each count of conviction for Malicious Damage to Property in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years and up to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond K. Woo, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Legislation builds on Heinrich’s work to increase criminal penalties for straw purchases and stop illegal gun trafficking out of our country
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the core bipartisan group of senators who negotiated and passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), co-sponsored the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act, legislation to protect communities from gun violence by requiring federal law enforcement to coordinate efforts to prevent the importation and trafficking of machinegun conversion devices including ‘auto-sears’ — illegal gun modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons — and seize all profits that come from the illegal trafficking of these devices.
“I’m proud that the provisions I wrote in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act have already led to hundreds of arrests and kept firearms out of the hands of dangerous criminals. But with at least 91 mass shooting in the United States already this year, it’s clear we have more work to do,” said Heinrich. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act, which will help law enforcement keep New Mexicans safe from gun violence by providing new tools to combat illegal gun trafficking.”
Specifically, the Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act will:
Direct the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Department of the Treasury to develop a coordinated national strategy to prevent or intercept the importation and trafficking of automatic gun conversion devices;
The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The legislation is endorsed by GIFFORDS and Brady: United Against Gun Violence.
The text of the bill is here.
Heinrich-Led Gun Trafficking and Straw Purchase Provisions:
Heinrich-led provisions in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act increased criminal penalties for straw purchasers and made it a crime, for the first time ever, to traffic firearms out of the United States. Straw purchasers are people who buy guns for those who cannot buy them directly themselves due to their age, felony criminal convictions, or other limitations. By increasing penalties for straw purchasing, Heinrich’s provision is helping to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and those who would use them against our communities. By making it illegal to traffic firearms out of the country, Heinrich’s provision gave law enforcement the tools needed to prosecute and disrupt the flow of firearms to Mexico and the Northern Triangle, fueling the violence that has driven so many to flee their home countries.
To date, the Department of Justice has charged more than 600 defendants using BSCA’s gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws, removing hundreds of firearms off the streets in the process. These cases are significant, often preventing and prosecuting highly dangerous activity, such as crimes linked to organized trafficking rings and transnational criminal organizations.
For example, in March 2024, the Justice Department charged several defendants with trafficking and straw purchasing over 100 firearms, including many military-grade weapons, that were allegedly intended to be smuggled to a Mexican drug cartel. In April 2024, a defendant was sentenced to 276 months in prison for firearms trafficking and straw purchasing, as well as distribution of fentanyl, where the evidence showed that two of the trafficked firearms had been used in gang-related shootings. In 2o23, a defendant was sentenced to two years in prison for running an illegal gun trafficking enterprise, repeatedly taking money to lie on firearm purchase forms and obtain weapons for convicted felons.
In New Mexico, the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico has charged 11 defendants with BSCA violations.
Heinrich’s Longtime Leadership to Tackle Gun Violence:
A gun owner and father, Heinrich has long worked to advance and pass bipartisan policies that save lives, protect public safety, and reduce gun violence.
This month, Heinrich introduced his Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act and bipartisan Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, commonsense legislation designed to protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes.
Heinrich recently convened a press conference in Albuquerque with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, Everytown, community leaders, and students to announce the introduction of his GOSAFE Act. For photos and videos of that event, click here.
In October 2024, Heinrich secured critical funding for New Mexico law enforcement to purchase four new NIBIN machines for Las Cruces, Farmington, Gallup, and Roswell. This allows law enforcement to trace firearms used in crimes and hold criminals accountable, all while saving officers valuable time and resources.
In 2017, Heinrich cosponsored the bipartisan Fix NICS Act, which now requires federal and state authorities to produce background check implementation plans and holds federal agencies accountable for reporting relevant criminal records to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). He also led the successful call to repeal the Dickey Amendment, which had previously prevented the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from funding research on gun violence and its effects on public health.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement on the 2025 Q1 GDP estimate showing that the U.S. economy shrank during the first quarter of President Trump’s administration:
“100 days ago, America’s economy was growing and inflation was slowing.
“Instead of sustaining this economic trajectory, President Trump has driven our economy into a ditch with a self-inflicted trade war. This trade war targets our allies and close partners and is implementing the biggest tax increase in decades on working families — even as Elon Musk and DOGE illegally slash and hold up key investments in research, health care, agriculture and more.
“Americans elected Donald Trump in part because he vowed to lower the price of ‘everything’ – yet in the first quarter of Trump’s presidency, our GDP shrank, prices jumped and business leaders and economists across the political spectrum are saying a recession is likely this year.
“It’s time for the President to immediately reverse course, stop the wasteful trade war that is crushing small businesses and American families and lower costs like he said he would. Today, the Senate has a chance to do the right thing and vote to halt the largest of these tariffs – I hope my colleagues take that opportunity to help get our economy back on a better track.”
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN DIEGO – Naim Lajud Libien was arrested and charged with smuggling 12 protected Orange Fronted Parakeets into the U.S. stuffed inside the boots he was wearing and inside a seat compartment in his car. At least two of the birds died, and a third appeared to have a broken neck.
Lajud Libien, a citizen of Mexico, attempted to cross the border in his vehicle after presenting a Border Crossing Card at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on April 29 at 3:10 p.m. He was diverted to secondary inspection. Once he stepped outside of his 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Customs and Border Protection officer noticed bulges around his ankles. For safety reasons, the officer conducted a pat down and discovered what appeared to be birds wrapped in nylon stockings concealed inside the boots.
A CBP Agricultural Specialist responded to the security office and removed six birds from the defendant’s boots – three in the right, three in the left, all tied at the feet and wrapped in panty hose. The birds were later identified by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector as Orange Fronted Parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis). The birds were placed in a bird cage with food and water until they could be cared for by Veterinary Services. Some of the birds appeared to have injuries on their feet where they were tied.
“Smuggling at the border takes many forms, but the tragic impact on animals forced into such perilous conditions is deeply troubling,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We are committed to holding accountable those who endanger wildlife and public health through these reckless and inhumane smuggling practices.”
Lajud Libien was taken into custody on April 29, 2025. On April 30, 2025, CBP personnel could hear birds crying from his impounded vehicle. CBP officers and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Inspector began a dismantling the car in search of the birds. Six more orange parakeets were found inside the seat cushion of the passenger seat of the vehicle. The birds were wrapped in panty hose and bound. Two of the birds were dead when they were discovered. One of the birds appears to have a broken neck. Three of the birds were still alive; however, in poor health.
Orange Fronted Parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis) are native to Western Mexico and Costa Rica. The Orange Fronted Parakeet is protected and has been listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 2005. Libien’s concealment of the parakeets would have resulted in their entering the United States without any quarantine period or process.
To import many types of wildlife, the wildlife must be subject to quarantine before it can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals that can have disastrous health effects to human or animal populations. For example, birds can carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Allen and and Elizabet Brown.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-mj-02213
Naim Lajud Libien Age: 54 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Importation Contrary to Law – 18 U.S.C. § 545
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in custody, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement
Homeland Security Investigations
* The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: Microsoft
Headline: It’s been a busy few weeks – between today’s earnings and some of our recent announcements. Here are a few things I wanted to highlight…
It’s been a busy few weeks – between today’s earnings and some of our recent announcements. Here are a few things I wanted to highlight: We are riding multiple compounding S curves in pre-training, inference time, and systems design, driving model performance that is doubling every 6 months. Azure is the infrastructure layer for AI, optimized across every layer: DCs, silicon, systems software, and models to lower costs and increase performance. We are delivering more performance per megawatt, lower cost per token, and faster dock-to-live times. Frontier firms are incorporating AI into everyday workflows, transforming work and work artifacts. Microsoft 365 Copilot is now being used by hundreds of thousands of customers across industries, up 3X year-over-year. I’m especially excited about our new Researcher and Analyst agents, like having a highly trained expert on call 24/7. And our customers have created over 1 million agents of their own using SharePoint and Copilot Studio. On the consumer side: Our ad revenue surpassed $20 billion over the past year. Only at Microsoft could that almost get overlooked! LinkedIn continues to grow fast, with double-digit membership gains. And we again took share across Bing and Edge. And we are building daily engagement and successful sessions with our Copilot app, which got a big update earlier this month. And, yes, blocks can be stars: Minecraft weekly active users jumped 75% year-over-year after the movie release. You can read more about our results here: https://lnkd.in/gjWnuT9H
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John James (Michigan 10th District)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution led by Representative John James (MI-10) utilizing the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Biden Administration’s approval of California’s Advanced Clean Trucks rule. This Biden era waiver would allow California to ram its comply-or-die “zero-emission truck” rule down the throat of America– essentially killing Michigan’s trucking industry. It would mandate truck makers to only sell zero-emission trucks which would increase vehicle prices for consumers, increase costs and manufacturing complexities for automakers, and convolute the regulatory environment.
James’ legislation would nullify an overreaching and impractical mandate that threatens American consumers, small businesses, and the nation’s supply chain. The Advanced Clean Trucks rule, if left unchecked, would force costly transitions to electric trucks, driving up prices for goods and disproportionately burdening working families and truckers across the country.
“Michigan is not afraid of the future, but we demand to be a part of it. The Biden Administration left behind comply-or-die Green New Deal mandates that threaten to crush our trucking industry and drive-up costs for hardworking Americans,” said Congressman James. “I know — my family has a trucking company. Republicans are working hard to implement President Trump’s America First agenda, and the first step is repealing the rules and waivers that fueled Bideninflation.”
“The passage of these resolutions is a victory for Americans who will not be forced into purchasing costly EVs because of California’s unworkable mandates,” said Chairmen Brett Guthrie and Morgan Griffith. “If not repealed, the California waivers would lead to higher prices for both new and used vehicles, increase our reliance on China, and strain our electric grid. The passage of these three resolutions will help to protect Americans from some of the worst policies of the Biden-Harris Administration. Thank you to Vice Chairman Joyce, Congressman Obernolte, and Congressman James for your work to ensure that families and businesses can continue choosing the vehicles they need.”
“This is not the United States of California. California should never be given the keys to set policies that impact our interstate supply chains. The trucking industry is grateful to our Congressional leaders who are removing Sacramento from the driver’s seat and restoring common sense to our nation’s environmental policies. ” Said Chris Spear, American Trucking Associations President & CEO.
“The Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) is urging Congress to adopt the House resolutions this week authored by Congressman John James and his colleagues that would reverse the Biden EPA waivers that allows California to impose electric vehicle (EV) sales mandates,” said Jake Jacoby, Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) President & CEO. “TRALA wishes to thank Congressman James in his leadership on this critical issue and it asks the…Senate to follow suit and pass the CRAs immediately.”
“America’s small business truck dealers want to sell trucks that their customers want to buy, and those trucks must be affordable and fit their customers’ needs,” said the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). “A one-size-fits-all ZEV mandate that restricts then bans the sale of diesel trucks would reduce customer choice without an affordable replacement and could have unintended consequences for the supply chain and the economy.”
This bill is a part of a broader package introduced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which included two additional CRA’s:
The California Clean Truck CRA builds on James’ efforts to push back on the Biden Administration’s burdensome regulations. In 2024, he successfully introduced a CRA to block Biden Administration rules on electric vehicle mandates for light- and medium-duty vehicles, as well as the National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer rule. His latest effort has garnered support from industry leaders, including the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, who have praised the move to safeguard truckers and the broader economy.
Rep. James’ CRA to nullify the Clean Trucks rule passed the House with 231 bipartisan votes. This is James’ second legislative item to pass the House this week.
Click here to view the CRA text.
###
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese vice premier urges efforts to consolidate poverty alleviation achievements, prevent agricultural disasters
ZHENGZHOU, April 30 — Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has urged sustained poverty alleviation efforts, and emphasized the need to fully implement agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation measures to secure a bumper summer grain harvest.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during a research trip to the provinces of Shaanxi and Henan which took place from Monday to Wednesday.
In Shangluo City of Shaanxi, he called for targeted measures to boost industries with distinctive local features and advantages to create job opportunities and enrich farmers.
As winter wheat is in a critical period of growth that will affect the year’s output, he went to the fields in Weinan City of Shaanxi and Luoyang City of Henan, urging strengthened technical guidance and precise irrigation to minimize the impact of drought. He also stressed the importance of enhancing weather forecasting and early warning services and guarding against potential disasters such as plant diseases and insect pests to secure a bumper harvest.
During the trip, Liu visited health service stations and child care centers, stressing the need to enhance prevention and control of key infectious diseases, leverage the unique advantages of traditional Chinese medicine to improve primary healthcare services, and boost integrated child care services.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, April 30 — China’s national lawmakers on Wednesday voted to adopt the country’s first fundamental law dedicated to promoting the private sector, underscoring support for a key part of the world’s second-largest economy.
After over a year of legislative process, the private sector promotion law, passed at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, will take effect on May 20, 2025.
The law stipulates that the promotion of the sustainable, healthy and high-quality development of the private economy is a significant and long-term policy of China.
From ensuring fair market access and financing support to enhancing services and protection of original innovation, the 78-article law cements efforts to encourage, support and guide the growth of the private sector.
The law will provide a clearer and more solid legal guarantee for the private sector, said Li Shuguang, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law.
This marks China’s latest step in strengthening the sector — recognized by the law as a key component of the socialist market economy — amid efforts to tackle economic headwinds both at home and abroad.
Officials and analysts view the formation and adoption of the law as “highly timely and absolutely essential,” given the private sector’s significant role in the economy.
Boosting the private sector should feature prominently on the country’s economic policy agenda: Whether it is to stimulate domestic demand, expand the domestic market, or boost production and improve the quality of supply, private businesses will be a key participant and contributor, according to Anbound, an independent think tank in China.
Private enterprises have long been a key driving force behind China’s economic growth, contributing more than 60 percent of GDP and 80 percent of urban employment. By the end of March 2025, the country’s more-than-57-million registered private enterprises made up over 92 percent of all businesses in China.
From electric vehicle maker BYD to artificial intelligence innovator DeepSeek and robotics pioneer Unitree Robotics, private enterprises have also become key players in China’s push for innovation-driven growth.
Yet, industry insiders note that challenges remain — domestically, private businesses may face financing constraints and invisible market access barriers in some sectors; while abroad, they must navigate increasing impact from external shocks.
The law will transform policy support into legal guarantees, giving entrepreneurs greater reassurance and motivation to keep moving forward, said Qi Xiangdong, chairman of cybersecurity firm Qi-Anxin and vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.
“The rule of law is the best business environment,” Qi said.
In February, the country held a high-level symposium on private enterprises, which was widely viewed as a strong signal to boost the confidence and growth of the private sector.
A month later, at the “two sessions”, the country reiterated support for private enterprises, vowing to take effective moves to stimulate the vitality of all market entities.
To support the private sector, China has established a special bureau under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) dedicated to serving the sector’s development. Multiple provincial-level regions, including Guangdong, Shanxi, Qinghai and Zhejiang, have all set up such bureaus.
Efforts to level the playing field are also underway. Last week, the NDRC unveiled the new version of the market access negative list, which specifies fields that are off-limits to both domestic and overseas business entities, reducing the number of items on the list from 117 to 106.
Nan Yi, chairman of Wontai Group, said the law will support private firms’ entry into sectors such as infrastructure and energy, and provide a strong guarantee for their continuous investment in research and development.
“The enactment of this law will inject strong impetus into the sound development of the private economy,” Nan said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, April 30 — China’s economic output continued to rise in April, though changes in the external trade environment brought a level of disruption to the manufacturing sector, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Wednesday.
In April, China’s composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 50.2, indicating that overall business activity continued to expand, according to data released by the NBS.
The PMI for the manufacturing sector fell to 49, while the PMI for the non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.4. The composite PMI is calculated based on the weighted average of the two indices.
A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
NBS statistician Zhao Qinghe attributed the manufacturing PMI decline to a high base effect from the previous period’s rapid growth in the sector and drastic changes in the external environment.
Wen Tao, an analyst at the China Logistics Information Center, said that April saw market demand and production cool temporarily amid rising external pressures, which also led to fluctuations in raw materials procurement and market prices.
However, he noted that China’s economic fundamentals remain solid, supported by its supersized domestic market and resilient industrial and supply chains, along with policy measures that have helped sustain steady growth.
Though overall manufacturing activity moderated, certain sectors continued to show resilience and growth.
The PMI for high-tech manufacturing stood at 51.5 percent, well above the overall manufacturing level, with both production and new orders sub-indices exceeding 52 percent, reflecting the sector’s continued strong momentum.
Sectors such as agricultural and sideline food processing, food, liquor, pharmaceuticals, and beverages and refined tea also saw their production and new orders sub-indices come in above 53 percent, driven by the continued release of demand potential in China’s supersized domestic market.
Despite headwinds, business expectations remained in expansion territory, with the production and business activity expectations index standing at 52.1 percent in April.
In particular, enterprises in sectors such as food, liquor, beverages and refined tea, automobiles, and railway, ship and aerospace equipment all saw their expectations indices rise above 58, indicating strong business optimism.
In the non-manufacturing sector, the PMI has stayed above 50 for four consecutive months this year, indicating a stable pace of expansion.
Business activity indices in sectors related to air transport, telecommunications, radio, television and satellite transmission services, internet software and information technology services, and insurance remained above 55, indicating robust growth in overall business volume.
The business activity expectations index came in at 56.4, remaining in a relatively high range, with most services enterprises maintaining a positive outlook.
China’s economy has started 2025 with renewed vigor, with its gross domestic product registering 5.4 percent year-on-year growth in the first quarter.
Chinese policymakers recognized this positive trend at a high-level meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee last Friday, while cautioning that an economic recovery requires further consolidation to withstand intensifying external shocks.
Looking ahead, it is imperative that the country coordinates domestic economic work with responses to international economic headwinds, and deals with the uncertainty of drastic changes in the external environment with the certainty of its own high-quality development, Zhao said.
Source: US Geological Survey
A new USGS Data Release provides data associated with the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano.
Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi – ScienceBase-Catalog
During the 2020–2021 summit eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi, staff at the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) conducted 17 helicopter overflights of the eruption area between the dates of 21 December 2020 and 8 June 2021. Images captured during these flights were processed using the structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry technique to produce digital elevation models (DEMs) and orthomosaics of a lava lake filling Halemaʻumaʻu crater. This data release contains the DEMs and orthomosaics processed to achieve the highest possible accuracy and spatial resolution. A pre-eruption DEM and orthomosaic produced using overflight images from 8 April 2019 and 29 May 2020, used for spatial reference, are also included. Vector shapefiles are included for each eruption overflight identifying the eruption vents, the perimeter of the eruption deposits (combined vent area and lava lake surface), islands on the lava lake surface, and the mobile surface of the lava lake (where incandescent, flowing lava was observed).
Full reference:
Carr, B.B., Zoeller, M.H., DeSmither, L.G., Downs, D.T., Hamilton, C.W., Mulliken, K., Parcheta, C.E., and Patrick, M.R., 2025, Digital elevation models, orthomosaics, and GIS shapefiles of the 2020–2021 summit eruption at Kīlauea volcano, Island of Hawaiʻi: U.S. Geological Survey data release,
Source: US Department of Homeland Security
So-called “Maryland Dad’s” Track Record of Violence
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday April 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the ex-wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — the so-called “Maryland Dad”—filed a petition for protection against him in 2020.
“The facts are clear: Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a violent illegal alien who abuses women and children. He had no business being in our country and we are proud to have deported this violent thug,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “We have now found two petitions for protection against him, in addition to the fact that he entered the country illegally and is a confirmed member of MS-13. Our country is safer with him gone.”
According to the petition filed by Jennifer Vasquez on August 3, 2020, in the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County, Garcia verbally abused her, kicked her, slapped her, shoved her, mentally abused her kids, locking them in their bedroom while they cried, and detained Vasquez against her will. In November 2019, Vasquez alleges that Garcia grabbed her by the hair while in a vehicle. In December 2019, she states Garcia grabbed her from her hair in the car and dragged her out of the vehicle–abandoning her in the street. In January 2020, Vasquez claims Garcia broke her son’s tablet and broke doors in their house. In March 2020, she alleges that Garcia pushed her against the wall while breaking phones and TVs.
This newly released petition was filed in 2020, prior to the petition Vasquez filed against Garcia 2021. In that filing, Vasquez claimed he bruised, punched, and scratched her while ripping off her shirt.
DHS has previously revealed that Garcia was involved in a suspected human trafficking incident, is an MS-13 gang member, and had been accused of domestic abuse on at least one other occasion. Still, the media continues to call him a victim while ignoring the real victims: the women he battered, the children he terrorized, and the communities he endangered.
The Aug. 2020 protection order petition can be found here.
Source: US Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON – The mainstream media’s latest attempt at a criminal gang sob story includes a self-admitted member of Tren de Aragua. The real story here is that the previous administration was releasing gang members into American communities.
Jeferson Daniel Escalona Hernandez, a 19-year-old self-admitted Tren de Aragua gang member from Venezuela, illegally entered the United States on March 27, 2024. The previous administration released this gang member into our country. He was arrested for felony evading arrest with a vehicle and put in a Denton County jail. An immigration judge ordered Escalona removed from the U.S. on April 11, 2025, and he remains in ICE custody at the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, pending his removal from the U.S.
Diover Millan Leon, a 24-year-old Venezuelan and documented member of Tren de Aragua, illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Millan on May 3, 2023, near Brownsville, Texas, and he was processed as a notice to appear and released on his own recognizance. ICE officers arrested Millan in Lawrenceville, Georgia on March 12, 2025. ICE transferred Millan from the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, to the Bluebonnet Detention Center in Anson, Texas, April 15, where he remains pending disposition of his immigration proceedings.
Statement Attributable to Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin:
“This is more irresponsible, lazy reporting by Reuters. Why do they continue to peddle the sob stories of these gang members but ignore their American victims?
Tren De Aragua is one of the most violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth. They rape, maim, and murder for sport. The previous administration released these gang members into our communities. President Trump and Secretary Noem have ended catch and release and will not allow criminal gangs to terrorize American citizens.”
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSE MELVIN LOPEZ-LORENZO (“LOPEZ-LORENZO”), age 29, a native of Honduras, was indicted on April 24, 2025,for re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
According to the indictment, LOPEZ-LORENZO was found in the United States on April 10, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on July 26, 2018.
LOPEZ-LORENZO faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge, and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2
Around 65,000 Scottish homes and businesses, including many in some of the most isolated areas of the United Kingdom, will receive access to fast, reliable broadband.
Broadband upgrade for Scotland’s remote locations.
Around 65,000 homes and businesses in Scotland to gain access to lightning-fast broadband for the first time, helping to break down barriers to opportunity and kickstart economic growth under the Government’s Plan for Change
UK Government signs largest ever contract worth £157 million to bring gigabit-capable internet to the Highlands, Outer Hebrides, and hard-to-reach areas across most of Scotland
Rollout to help break down barriers to opportunity for those struggling to get online and boost local economic growth under the Government’s Plan for Change
Around 65,000 Scottish homes and businesses, including many in some of the most isolated areas of the United Kingdom, will receive access to fast, reliable broadband as government helps break down barriers to opportunity and boost economic growth under the Plan for Change.
Digitally isolated communities across Scotland, where using the web can be almost impossible due to outdated infrastructure, will be able to work, bank, shop and study online without buffering, thanks to gigabit-capable broadband funded by the UK government.
Several remote islands off Scotland’s west coast will benefit, including thousands of premises across the Outer Hebrides – a chain of over 100 islands where currently just seven per cent of premises can access gigabit broadband, among the lowest in the UK – as well as the isles of Skye, Islay and Tiree.
Rural parts of the Highlands will also be covered by this boost, such as Applecross, an extremely remote peninsula, and Durness, the most north-westerly village on the UK mainland.
The £157 million contract with Openreach is the largest ever under Project Gigabit. It will power up efforts to tackle digital exclusion across the entire UK – delivering the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change, from boosting local economic growth through giving businesses the vital tools they need, to improving access to public services like virtual NHS appointments.
Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant said:
Digital exclusion for people living and working in hard-to-reach areas across Scotland can be a huge obstacle to living a better and healthier life. Elderly and vulnerable people could miss out on the best treatment options in North Ayrshire, while budding entrepreneurs could be held back from their dream of running a successful business in Moray.
With our recent Digital Inclusion Action Plan, we have pledged to take everyone along with us in the digital revolution so that we don’t entrench existing inequalities as technological progress races ahead.
This huge UK Government investment is a commitment to using technology to make lives in Scotland better as well as turbocharging local economies to deliver on our growth mission under the government’s Plan for Change.
Openreach Deputy CEO, Katie Milligan, said:
Full fibre is the UK’s most reliable broadband technology, and more than half of Scotland’s homes can already order it thanks to Openreach. But we believe everyone deserves access to fast, reliable connections, so we’re proud to be helping extend access to communities that would otherwise be left behind. Our new network’s a catalyst for growth and jobs, with experts predicting it’ll bring a £4.4 billion boost to the Scottish economy and a raft of social and environmental benefits. We’re confident we’ll reach as many as 30 million UK premises by 2030, assuming the right economic conditions exist.
Yvonne Boles, Senior Site Manager of Tayside Reserves at RSPB Scotland, said:
We fell between a few gaps in local network improvements, but now we have gigabit capable fibre to the RSPB Loch Leven visitor centre, which has been a game changer for us.
The old internet was constantly going down or being very slow, which impacted our ability to work in the office as well as taking card payments in both the shop and the café.
We wasted so much time on the phone to IT trying to fix things for us. It’s been such a relief and a benefit to have reliable, powerful internet.
The deal was struck under an £800 million agreement with Openreach announced last August as part of wider plans to end the plight of digital exclusion across rural Britain, with work already underway to connect over 227,000 premises in hard-to-reach parts of Wales and England as part of the agreement. The agreement is funded by the UK government who will work alongside the Scottish Government and Openreach to deliver the coverage.
The contract will support significant work already being carried out through the Scottish Government’s R100 programme. It also builds on another Project Gigabit contract in Scotland, awarded in February through a partnership with the Scottish Government, for up to 11,000 premises in the Borders and Midlothian. More contracts are also expected to be signed later this year for Orkney, Shetland and across the east of Scotland.
Scottish Government Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:
This new contract brings even more investment to Scotland and we are committed to working with the UK Government and Openreach to drive efficiencies across both the R100 and Project Gigabit programmes and maximise gigabit coverage.
Through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme and our ongoing efforts with R100, over one million faster broadband connections have been delivered across Scotland through public investment – developing infrastructure, knowledge and experience that will be essential in ensuring the success of Project Gigabit in Scotland.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said:
This £157 million UK Government investment is a game changer for tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the most remote areas of Scotland. Rolling out lightning-fast broadband will equip and inspire local businesses to thrive, enable families to access vital services, and build resilient communities. Our Plan for Change recognises that rural communities are the backbone of our nation and economic growth must reach every corner of Scotland, ensuring that opportunity isn’t determined by postcode but by potential.
Project Gigabit targets places too difficult or expensive for providers to reach in their commercial build and would otherwise be left behind with older digital infrastructure. The world-class networks being built across the UK is laying the foundations needed to kickstart economic growth, creating and supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs, empowering industries of all kinds to innovate and increase productivity by taking up digital technology.
It’s also crucial to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity, ensuring people can access vital services now and in the future, no matter where they are, from government services like Universal Credit and HMRC to online courses for those looking to improve their job prospects through new skills to helping pensioners combat loneliness by catching up with loved ones over higher quality video calls.
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Source: US State of Pennsylvania
May 01, 2025 – Honesdale, PA
The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women and Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs will be joined by state legislators, local leaders, and childcare advocates to discuss Governor Shapiro’s proposed investment of $55 million to support childcare workforce recruitment and retention bonuses.
During his first two years in office, Governor Shapiro signed into law a historic expansion of the Child and Dependent Care Enhancement Tax Credit and created a new tax credit for businesses who want to contribute to their employees’ child care costs. Those two initiatives helped make child care more affordable – and the Governor’s proposal this year would make child care more available through an investment of $55 million to support child care workforce recruitment and retention grants.
WHO:
Ashley Walkowiak, Executive Director of Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women
Olga Negron, Executive Director of Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs
State Senator Rosemary Brown, 40th Legislative District
Kristen Mang, Owner/Director of Tiny Steps Learning Center of Cherry Ridge
Pantea Shademani, Education Director for Wayne Pike Workforce Alliance
WHEN:
Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 11:45AM
WHERE:
Tiny Steps Learning Center of Cherry Ridge
2555 Lake Ariel Highway
Honesdale PA
RSVP: Press who are interested in attending must RSVP to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Michael M. Simpson announced today that SOLVIN ARRIALO-ROMERO, a/k/a “ Solvin Regina Arriola-Romero, ” a/k/a “Solvin Romero,” (“ARRIALO-ROMERO”), age 28, was indicted on April 24, 2025 for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), and failure to register, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1306(a).
According to the indictment, ARRIALO-ROMERO, reentered the United States after being previously deported on December 29, 2017. If convicted, ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to two years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee, for reentry of a removed alien. ARRIALO-ROMERO faces up to 6 months imprisonment, up to $1,000 fine, up to one-year of supervised release, and a mandatory $10 special assessment fee for failure to register.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBUQUERQUE – Nathen Richard Garley, recently convicted of a deadly gang-related shooting that claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy, has now been sentenced to 20 years in prison for trafficking over 94,000 fentanyl pills in a case that underscores the deadly impact of drug and violent crime in New Mexico.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on September 13, 2023, Garley, 22, was stopped by law enforcement as a passenger in a vehicle near mile marker 85 in Cibola County, New Mexico, during a return trip from Phoenix, Arizona. A search of the vehicle, prompted by the odor of marijuana and Garley’s admission to recent use, led officers to discover a glass jar of marijuana on Garley and a duffel bag in the trunk containing approximately 10.97 kilograms of fentanyl pills-estimated to be over 94,000 pills in total.
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Gray duffel bag and fentanyl |
Fentanyl on scale |
Garley admitted to possessing the duffel bag and acknowledged his addiction to prescription pills. Further investigation revealed evidence on Garley’s cell phone indicating his involvement in drug distribution. Testing confirmed the pills contained fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a significant rise in overdose deaths nationwide.
This federal drug arrest came just one week after Garley was involved in a tragic shooting in Albuquerque. On September 6, 2023, Garley, along with accomplices, opened fire on a vehicle they mistakenly believed was driven by a rival gang member. The attack killed 11-year-old Froylan Villegas and left his cousin paralyzed as the family was leaving an Isotopes baseball game. Authorities later linked Garley to the shooting, and he was convicted of first-degree murder and multiple other felonies related to the incident.
Following the shooting, Garley fled to Arizona, abandoning the vehicle used in the crime and evading authorities by staying at various Airbnbs and hotels. During this period, he searched for news articles about the murder, demonstrating awareness of the tragedy, yet continued his criminal activities by arranging to transport the massive fentanyl load back to New Mexico.
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Garley selfie taken in Arizona |
Garley selfie taken in Arizona |
Garley is scheduled for sentencing in New Mexico District Court on May 21, 2025, for the murder and related charges.
Upon his release from prison, Garley will be subject to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and New Mexico State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Trembley.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN DIEGO – Elizabeth Ugarte Rios of Vista was sentenced in federal court today to 41 months in prison for striking and critically injuring a 71-year-old cyclist while transporting undocumented immigrants in her vehicle.
According to court documents, on August 4, 2024, Rios drove to Otay Lakes County Park with her minor daughter as a passenger and picked up a group of undocumented aliens who had earlier scaled a fence at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The crash occurred minutes later on Wueste Road, a two-lane highway in Chula Vista. According to the government’s sentencing memo, the defendant was travelling at 67 mph – almost twice the posted speed limit – when she swerved across the double-yellow line to pass another vehicle. A uniformed Border Patrol agent was following in an unmarked vehicle.
Rios hit the brakes four seconds before the collision, striking the cyclist at a speed of approximately 30 miles per hour. One witness said the cyclist flew approximately 10 feet in the air and landed on the side of the road.
The cyclist, Robert Hilborn, attended today’s sentencing hearing with his wife, Sharon, and two adult sons. Sharon Hilborn read statements on behalf of the family. She said her husband was hospitalized for 68 days and suffered several strokes. He was on a ventilator for many days and suffered lacerations to his head, neck, and stomach plus orthopedic injuries and deep lacerations to his legs.
Sharon Hilborn told the court her husband used to ride his bike 80-100 miles per week, and being fit and active was a major source of his joy. Their lives are now dominated by going to medical appointments and therapy sessions. Members in the court gallery were audibly crying as Sharon Hilborn spoke about how her family has been impacted by this event.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Chiang.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr01772-RBM
Elizabeth Ugarte Rios Age: 38 Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation of Certain Aliens During and in Relation to Which the Person Causes Serious Bodily Injury to, or Places in Jeopardy the Life of, Any Person – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii) and (a)(1)(B)(iii)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
United States Border Patrol