Featured Stories
Smithsonian Institution: Scientists Discover Genetically Distinct Avocados in Nicaragua That People Transported From South America Thousands of Years Ago
WASHINGTON, July 23 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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Scientists Discover Genetically Distinct Avocados in Nicaragua That People Transported From South America Thousands of Years Ago
Using Leaf Samples and Insights From Local Farmers, Researchers Reveal a Hotbed of Avocado Diversity in Central America That Could Boost Sustainable Agriculture and Commercial Varieties
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A team of scientists led by researchers with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and Texas A&M University recently uncovered genetic traces of ancient migration
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WASHINGTON, July 23 (TNSjou) -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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Scientists Discover Genetically Distinct Avocados in Nicaragua That People Transported From South America Thousands of Years Ago
Using Leaf Samples and Insights From Local Farmers, Researchers Reveal a Hotbed of Avocado Diversity in Central America That Could Boost Sustainable Agriculture and Commercial Varieties
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A team of scientists led by researchers with the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and Texas A&M University recently uncovered genetic traces of ancient migrationin DNA from avocados growing in Nicaragua. They found evidence that, around 5,000 years ago, people migrating north from South America carried the oversized seeds of one of their favorite fruits--avocados. As these seeds were dispersed throughout the humid lowlands of Central America, they hybridized with native varieties, producing a diversity of avocado varieties that produce the large, smooth-skinned berries that are now enjoyed around Central America. Despite resembling the avocados found in humid regions like Florida and the Caribbean, these local varieties are genetically distinct from the commercially grown fruits found in guacamole.
In a paper published today, July 22, in the journal Plants, People, Planet (https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.70236), a team led by archaeobotanist Kevin Wann, who conducted the research as a fellow at the museum, examined DNA from avocado leaves collected in Nicaragua, Honduras and southern Mexico. They also spoke with the farmers and gardeners to learn how they cultivate these local avocados.
"There is a much wider breadth of avocado diversity that science had not yet documented," said Wann, who is now pursuing his doctorate in the Department of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Texas A&M and had never eaten an avocado before this project. "We could potentially tap into this genetic diversity to conserve commercial avocado plants that are vulnerable to disease."
A Crop of Clones
The natural range of avocado trees (Persea americana) extends from Mexico to Peru. For more than 10,000 years, humans in this area have coveted the plant's fruit, whose yellowish-green flesh is packed with nutrients and fats. These superfoods are now cultivated around the world--in 2024, growers produced more than 11 million metric tons of avocados.
More than 80% of these avocados were a single variety known as the Hass avocado. These large, long-lasting avocados are produced through clonal grafting, where a branch is taken off one Hass avocado tree and attached to another tree to bear the same exact fruit. As a result, most avocados in grocery stores are genetically indistinguishable. This makes all Hass avocados vulnerable to the same threats. A single disease or change in temperature or precipitation can wipe out an entire population of Hass avocados.
Increasing the genetic diversity of avocados is crucial to protecting this multi-billion-dollar industry. According to Wann, the muggy lowlands of countries like Nicaragua and Honduras are rich in avocado diversity. Here, traditional agricultural practices have honed the region's native avocado varieties, also known as landraces, for thousands of years.
A Hotbed of Avocado Diversity
To document the diversity of avocado landraces in Central America, Wann and his colleagues collected leaf samples from dozens of varieties in southern Mexico, Nicaragua and coastal Honduras. During the field work in southern Mexico, Wann dealt with bouts of food poisoning and was stung in the face by a wasp while collecting samples from a roadside grove of avocado trees.
The researchers also interviewed local gardeners and rural farmers in Nicaragua and Honduras to learn more about native avocado varieties. This agricultural perspective was crucial according to Logan Kistler, the museum's curator of archaeobotany and archaeogenomics who advised Wann during his fellowship and was the senior author of the new paper.
"You can't think about biodiversity without considering agriculture, because it's one of the most impactful ecological activities we do," Kistler said. "Traditional agricultural practices have shaped these plants for thousands of years."
During a tour of one grove in Nicaragua, a farmer offered Wann an avocado, unaware that the scientist had never tasted the fruit he studied.
"I wanted to see how far I could go into my dissertation studying avocados without ever eating one," he said. "I made it four years but when one of the native farmers offered me one, I couldn't turn him down.
"And it was delicious," adds Wann, who now routinely enjoys guacamole.
The locals shared valuable insights with the researchers. They confirmed that these lowland avocado landraces had not experienced root rot, the most common disease affecting commercial avocados. Some Nicaraguan farmers even graft commercial avocado branches onto native avocado trees, which are better adapted to the local environment.
Ancient Genetic Clues
In the lab, the team extracted and analyzed DNA from the harvested leaf samples. In total, the team collected DNA from 47 native avocado landraces (32 of which came from Nicaragua). The scientists compared the DNA from the various landraces with previously published genetic data from more than 200 other avocado lineages.
The team discovered that the avocado samples collected in southern Mexico were closely related to ancestral highland populations found in other parts of Mexico as well as commercial varieties. In contrast, the landraces sampled in the lowlands of Nicaragua were genetically tied to avocados found further south, including populations along the coast of Colombia.
This revealed that many local landraces in this part of Central America are planted from fruits originally grown in South America. The team posits that human populations brought their local avocado varieties with them as they migrated through the Americas. Based on the genetics, this avocado relocation likely occurred around 5,000 years ago, which is roughly when other South American crops, like chocolate and certain varieties of maize, appear in the Central American archaeological record.
Kistler thinks varieties of this fleshy fruit continued to move back and forth as ancient communities migrated over thousands of years.
"It was a very connected landscape throughout Central and South America," Kistler said. "It's not one big episode of people moving avocados and other food species around, it's a constant interchange."
The Fruit's Future
Wann thinks the trove of avocado diversity preserved in Central America's lowlands could help protect commercial avocados from the fate of other clonal crops like bananas, which have been devastated by fungal pathogens in the past. The region's local landraces are also adapted to warmer and wetter climates.
However, some of these local avocado varieties are at risk. Wann and his colleagues heard that several Nicaraguan farmers have cut down some of their local avocado trees to make more space for commercial varieties. Decreasing this ancient avocado diversity could threaten the fruit's future.
"These locally grown fruit trees are vital to the longevity of avocados as a species," Wann said. "Their high levels of genetic diversity makes them more prepared to face potential shifts in climate or diseases compared to the ones you'd buy at a supermarket."
In addition to Wann and Kistler, the study included authors affiliated with the University of Oklahoma and California State University Long Beach. This research was supported by the Wenner-Gren Society.
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About the National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History is connecting people everywhere with Earth's unfolding story. It is one of the most visited natural history museums in the world. Opened in 1910, the museum is dedicated to maintaining and preserving the world's most extensive collection of natural history specimens and human artifacts. The museum is open daily, except Dec. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit the museum on its website, blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/scientists-discover-genetically-distinct-avocados-nicaragua-people-transported
NASA's Juno Takes Temperature of Jupiter's Fiery Moon Io
PASADENA, California, July 23 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA's Juno Takes Temperature of Jupiter's Fiery Moon Io
The first measurements of the subsurface of the most volcanic world in the solar system reveal heat rising from below.
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NASA's Juno mission has provided the first measurements of the temperature below the surface of Jupiter's moon Io, revealing significant heating within the shallow subsurface of the most volcanically active world in the solar system. Collected during two close flybys, the data also shows that most of Io's surface
... Show Full Article
PASADENA, California, July 23 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA's Juno Takes Temperature of Jupiter's Fiery Moon Io
The first measurements of the subsurface of the most volcanic world in the solar system reveal heat rising from below.
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NASA's Juno mission has provided the first measurements of the temperature below the surface of Jupiter's moon Io, revealing significant heating within the shallow subsurface of the most volcanically active world in the solar system. Collected during two close flybys, the data also shows that most of Io's surfaceis remarkably smooth and composed of material of very low density.
Published Wednesday in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, these findings break new observational ground for both fiery and icy worlds beyond our planet.
Io's extreme volcanism is powered by tidal heating. The moon is constantly stretched and squeezed by Jupiter's immense gravity as it travels its slightly elliptical orbit, generating internal heat output many times greater than Earth's. Until now, virtually everything known about that heat came from infrared observations, which sense only the temperature of the top surface. The latest findings are derived from data collected by the spacecraft's Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument.
"The Juno Microwave Radiometer directly observed Io's heat output by looking below the surface," said Scott Bolton, study coauthor and Juno's principal investigator at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. "The surprising discovery that we could see below a rocky moon's surface has important implications for studying Earth's volcanoes. Juno has taught us that if we look with an MWR-type instrument near a volcano on Earth, we might see a similar signature in the subsurface temperature gradient, providing new information on how terrestrial volcanoes work."
Fire, ice
Juno's Microwave Radiometer was designed by Bolton to peer beneath Jupiter's cloud tops to investigate the dynamics and composition of the gas giant's deep atmosphere. The MWR's six microwave antennas serve as a single instrument, simultaneously detecting microwaves at a wide range of wavelengths, from about half an inch to 20 inches (1.3 to 51 centimeters). During the mission's extended phase, the MWR instrument has provided the opportunity to observe three of the planet's Galilean moons: Ganymede, Europa, and Io.
"The technique is novel in that each wavelength explores different depths, providing a new way to characterize the deep atmosphere of giant planets and the subsurface crusts of icy and rocky moons," said Bolton. "At Ganymede and Europa, we explored tens of miles below the surface, assuming their ice shells were mostly pure water, but the ability to probe into the volcanic rock at Io was an unexpected discovery."
During flybys on Dec. 30, 2023, and Feb. 3, 2024, the solar-powered Juno spacecraft came within about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of the moon's surface.
"The instrument measured Io's thermal emission at depths ranging from a few inches down to tens of feet. Everywhere we looked, we found the temperature rising by more than 40 degrees Fahrenheit just several feet into the surface -- a gradient far steeper than solar heating alone can explain," said Shannon Brown, the paper's lead author at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
The data suggests two possible explanations. First, heat could be rising steadily through a conductive crust. While this background heat flow -- measured at 1 to 3 watts per square meter -- is relatively gentle on a local scale (roughly equivalent to a small nightlight glowing under every square yard), across the entire moon it represents a release of energy up to 30 times Earth's average. Alternatively, the signal could be coming from cooling lava flows, capped by roughly 30 to 35 feet (9 to 11 meters) of solidified crust, that cover about 10% of the moon's surface at any given time.
"Io provides a unique window into learning how tidal heating works throughout the cosmos, a fundamental process that provides energy and heat to worlds that are far from their parent star," said Bolton. "This process can not only create the most volcanic body in the solar system, in the case of Io, but also fuels the subsurface oceans on the moons of giant planets, such as Europa and Ganymede. Up until this point we could only observe the heat escaping at the surface or through eruptions. Now we can characterize how the heat is moving from the interior toward the surface."
Great plains of Io
Another big insight gained from the two flybys is just how smooth Io is. Prior to the recent findings, the moon was known for its tall mountains, but the MWR indicates that apart from this visible topography, the surface features expansive smooth patches that stretch for 60 miles (100 kilometers) or more. Because Juno flew by overlapping regions of Io at different angles, the team was able to map how the surface reflects microwaves, much like an airline passenger might see the ocean flash with sunlight only at specific angles.
"Away from its mountains, the surface is more like the Great Plains of North America, and even though Io is a rocky body, the surface material has a very low density -- more like pumice or a fluffy volcanic ash than solid rock," said Brown.
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More about Juno
A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute. Juno is part of NASA's New Frontiers Program, which is managed at the agency's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and operates the spacecraft.
More information about Juno is at:
https://www.nasa.gov/juno
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-juno-takes-temperature-of-jupiters-fiery-moon-io/
IDB Group to Support Ecuador 2040 Growth Agenda With Ecuador Crece
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release on July 22, 2026:
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IDB Group to Support Ecuador 2040 Growth Agenda with Ecuador Crece
QUITO -- Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) President Ilan Goldfajn today announced $7.5 billion in support from the institution to accompany Ecuador's development over the next five years. This financial package could reach up to $10.5 billion, depending on the evolution of enabling conditions for investment and implementation.
The support, aligned with the new Country Strategy between Ecuador
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 23 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release on July 22, 2026:
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IDB Group to Support Ecuador 2040 Growth Agenda with Ecuador Crece
QUITO -- Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) President Ilan Goldfajn today announced $7.5 billion in support from the institution to accompany Ecuador's development over the next five years. This financial package could reach up to $10.5 billion, depending on the evolution of enabling conditions for investment and implementation.
The support, aligned with the new Country Strategy between Ecuadorand the IDB Group, will combine sovereign financing and private-sector operations through IDB Invest and IDB Lab, as well as technical assistance and support for reforms to foster growth and improve the lives of Ecuadorians.
Ecuador Crece: Supporting the Implementation of the Ecuador 2040 Agenda
As part of this support, the IDB Group launched Ecuador Crece, a new initiative to advance the implementation of the Ecuador 2040 Growth Agenda promoted by the government of Ecuador. Ecuador Crece is part of LAC Crece, an IDB Group initiative designed to support private investment-led growth across the region.
"Ecuador has defined a clear agenda to accelerate growth. Our commitment is to support that agenda with financing, knowledge, and technical assistance. Ecuador Crece will be the initiative to help turn the 2040 Agenda into concrete results for Ecuadorian families and businesses," President Goldfajn said.
Ecuador Crece will focus its support on sectors with high growth potential, including energy, mining, agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism, and housing. It will also promote improvements in regulation, access to finance, logistics infrastructure, human capital, and security.
Expected results from Ecuador Crece include expanding access to housing and mortgage financing for 23,800 families, training and certifying 265,000 people, and supporting approximately 500 small and medium-sized enterprises to increase their exports.
New Guarantee to Support the Reduction of Chronic Child Malnutrition
As part of the support for the country, President Goldfajn also announced that the IDB Executive Board today approved a policy-based guarantee of up to $250 million to support Ecuador's efforts to reduce chronic child malnutrition. The guarantee will back the country's issuance of a results-linked financing instrument, expected to mobilize approximately $500 million in international capital markets.
Through this operation, the IDB will support Ecuador in closing structural gaps in governance, financing, and health service delivery to achieve sustained reductions in chronic child malnutrition. The program will benefit 250,000 pregnant women and 500,000 children under the age of two, with special attention to vulnerable populations.
Broad Agenda During President Goldfajn's Visit
The announcements were made during President Goldfajn's visit to the country, where he met with government authorities and private-sector representatives. Together with President Daniel Noboa, he participated in the launch of the Ecuador 2040 Growth Agenda and visited the Miti-Miti social housing program, which the IDB has supported since its initial stages. For this program, the IDB also recently approved another $250 million guarantee that enabled the mobilization of $500 million for mortgage financing.
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About the IDB Group
The Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB Group) is the leading source of financing and knowledge for improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises the IDB, which works with the region's public sector and enables the private sector; IDB Invest, which directly supports private companies and projects; and IDB Lab, which spurs entrepreneurial innovation.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-group-support-ecuador-2040-growth-agenda-ecuador-crece
SBA Disaster Relief Still Available to New York Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Red Hook Five-Alarm Fire
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release:
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SBA Disaster Relief Still Available to New York Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Red Hook Five-Alarm Fire
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Honor America's 250th anniversary by taking the Freedom 250 Small Business Pledge. Sign up now to get your free certificate.
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Original text here: https://www.sba.gov/article/2026/07/22/sba-disaster-relief-still-available-new-york-businesses-private-nonprofits-affected-red-hook-five
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: U.S.-India Satellite Delivers Data, Reveals 'Hummingbird' in Antarctica
PASADENA, California, July 22 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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US-India Satellite Delivers Data, Reveals 'Hummingbird' in Antarctica
Data from NISAR, one of the most powerful radar systems ever launched, is now available to the world. A vivid image of Antarctic ice showcases what the satellite can do.
As of July 20, the public can access data from the two powerful radar instruments aboard the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite. Teams in the United States and India will release files processed from the satellite's L-band and S-band
... Show Full Article
PASADENA, California, July 22 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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US-India Satellite Delivers Data, Reveals 'Hummingbird' in Antarctica
Data from NISAR, one of the most powerful radar systems ever launched, is now available to the world. A vivid image of Antarctic ice showcases what the satellite can do.
As of July 20, the public can access data from the two powerful radar instruments aboard the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite. Teams in the United States and India will release files processed from the satellite's L-band and S-bandradars on an ongoing basis, helping researchers and other users track the movement of Earth's land and ice masses, monitor changes in ecosystems like forests and wetlands, and respond to natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes.
The release comes as NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) prepare to celebrate the first anniversary of NISAR's July 30, 2025, launch from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre. Since that time, the mission engineering and science teams have been busy calibrating instrumentation, refining algorithms, and monitoring nearly all the planet's land- and ice-covered surfaces twice every 12 days. Along the way, the team has captured scenes from around the globe -- urban street grids, agricultural fields, landslides, earthquakes, and sinking land in Mexico City.
An early image released Tuesday revealed the fractured, barren surface of an Antarctic landscape in stark detail. In a merging of science and serendipity, it also resembles something else entirely: a hummingbird.
Despite its otherworldly quality, the Antarctic image shows a very real geographical feature called Nunatak Zaterjavshijsja, a mountaintop in East Antarctica, poking out amid a stream of ice flowing northeast to the ocean. As the moving glacier passes the obstruction, the mountain's topography causes stresses in the ice, heavily fracturing the surrounding surfaces with deep cracks, called crevasses, which show as sharp green lines in the image.
"First, it's a beautiful image, with rich details of features that provide insights to how the glacier is moving. Then, because radar can often see through snow and deep into the ice, NISAR can observe fundamentally different properties of Antarctic ice than can be seen in optical imagery," said Seongsu Jeong, the signal analysis engineer who produced the image at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. "With NISAR we're seeing what's hidden beneath the surface."
Story in magenta, green
Generated with measurements that NISAR's L-band instrument gathered in August 2025, as U.S. and Indian mission teams tested the satellite's systems, the "hummingbird" exemplifies one of the young mission's hallmarks: intricately detailed imagery that is both informative and eye-catching.
The colors show differences in the way polarized microwave signals, which vibrate in different directions, interact with and reflect from the ice. Over Antarctica, NISAR transmits radar waves toward Earth with a horizontal polarization. The orientation of the signals that return -- either horizontal, vertical, or both -- provide clues about the object or surface that reflected them.
Signals that come back with a horizontal polarization likely bounced off a more regular surface, such as smooth ice. Those signals appear magenta in the image. Signals that return with vertical polarization may have refracted as they partially penetrated the snow and ice or scattered at different angles as they reflected off irregular surfaces, such as the faces of crevasses. Called volume scattering, these observations are displayed in green.
The white represents areas in which magenta and green signals scatter back strongly, a possible indication that there is an equal blend of surface and volume scattering.
The same scene viewed in optical light is almost entirely white with ice and snow. Slight shadows and rippling indicate the presence of the mountaintop, and textures in the surrounding area suggest the ice is not completely smooth.
Access to data
The NISAR satellite is the first free-flying space mission to feature two radar instruments: an L-band system and an S-band system. The systems are complementary due to their differing wavelengths. For example, the longer-wave L-band can pass through tree canopies, imaging the ground beneath. Meanwhile, depending on leaf sizes, S-band can collect observations of those canopies.
The Indian science team, based at ISRO's Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, recently started releasing S-band data via the Bhoonidhi portal.
On July 20, the U.S. side of the mission started releasing calibrated products continuously for all L-band measurements collected since June 17. By the end of the year, the team expects to have released all data acquired earlier during science operations. The NISAR project science team previously had two limited releases of L-band data, the first in January of about 25 sample products and a release in February of thousands of pre-calibrated products.
As with the earlier releases, data users will be able to download the latest files at the Alaska Satellite Facility Distributed Active Archive Center in Fairbanks, which hosts and distributes all NASA synthetic aperture radar data.
The NISAR mission's science data output is vast, on the order of dozens of terabytes a day, due to the satellite's frequent coverage of nearly all the land and ice surfaces on Earth. It scans from within a few degrees of the South Pole in Antarctica to 77.5 degrees north latitude, above the Arctic Circle.
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More about NISAR
Managed by Caltech, JPL leads the U.S. component of the project and provided the satellite's L-band SAR and antenna reflector. The spacecraft bus and its S-band SAR were provided by ISRO.
The NISAR satellite is the first to carry two SAR instruments at different wavelengths, collecting data using the spacecraft's giant drum-shaped reflector, which measures 39 feet (12 meters) wide -- the largest radar antenna reflector NASA has sent into space.
To learn more about NISAR, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/nisar/
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/us-india-satellite-delivers-data-reveals-hummingbird-in-antarctica/
Governor Hochul, Amtrak and New York State Department of Transportation Announce Tickets Now on Sale for Direct Train Service to Great New York State Fair
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.) issued the following news:
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Governor Hochul, Amtrak and New York State Department of Transportation Announce Tickets Now on Sale for Direct Train Service to Great New York State Fair
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Daily Train Service Offers Convenient and Cost-Effective Way for Fairgoers To Travel to Upstate New York's Largest Agricultural and Entertainment Event
Governor Kathy Hochul, in collaboration with Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation, today announced that tickets are now on sale for direct train service to and from
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, July 22 -- Amtrak (National Railroad Passenger Corp.) issued the following news:
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Governor Hochul, Amtrak and New York State Department of Transportation Announce Tickets Now on Sale for Direct Train Service to Great New York State Fair
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Daily Train Service Offers Convenient and Cost-Effective Way for Fairgoers To Travel to Upstate New York's Largest Agricultural and Entertainment Event
Governor Kathy Hochul, in collaboration with Amtrak and the New York State Department of Transportation, today announced that tickets are now on sale for direct train service to and fromThe Great New York State Fair. Daily train service allows State Fair visitors a safe, convenient and environmentally friendly travel option to experience one of New York's signature summer events. The Great New York State Fair features agricultural exhibits, musical performances from top artists, mouth-watering food and fun for the whole family as the most affordable state fair in the country. Throughout The Fair's 13-day duration, Amtrak trains will make five daily stops starting Wednesday, August 26 and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Tickets are available now at Amtrak.com, via the Amtrak mobile app, at the station ticket counters, or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
"Nothing says summer in New York like the Great New York State Fair, with its spectacular exhibits, musical performances, delicious food and exciting rides and games," Governor Hochul said. "It's something everyone should experience firsthand and taking the train makes that even easier. Riding the rails gets you right to The Fair's doorstep without the hassles of driving. It's easy, convenient and affordable. So get on board and come to The Great New York State Fair. You won't regret it."
By taking the train, visitors will save on gas, traffic and parking fees by arriving steps from The Fairgrounds via select Empire Service and Maple Leaf trains, which will make daily stops at The State Fair (in between stops at Rochester and Syracuse stations). To purchase tickets, customers should select the "NYF" destination on Amtrak's website; tickets are only available on dates when the fair is open. Train service to The Fair includes:
* Maple Leaf Train 63 - Departs Moynihan Train Hall at 7:15 a.m. and arrives at The Fair at 1:11 p.m.
* Maple Leaf Train 64 - Departs Toronto at 8:20 a.m. and arrives at the Fair at 2:29 p.m.
* Empire Service Train 281 - Departs Moynihan Train Hall at 10:20 a.m. and arrives at The Fair at 4:21 p.m.
* Empire Service Train 283 - Departs Moynihan Train Hall at 1:20 p.m. and arrives at The Fair at 7:13 p.m.
* Empire Service Train 284 - Departs Niagara Falls at 6:27 a.m. and arrives at The Fair at 9:29 a.m.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "The Great New York State Fair is always a highlight of the summer and NYSDOT is proud to once again partner with Amtrak to bring fairgoers to this exciting, family friendly event. Traveling to The Fair by train is affordable, fun and good for the environment. It's also easy, as Amtrak drops you right off at The Fair's doorstep! Whether you're traveling from Buffalo, New York City, or points in between, leave the driving to Amtrak and come enjoy all that The Great New York State Fair has to offer. See you at The Fair."
New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, "The Great New York State Fair is where communities come together. Every year, The Fair gives visitors a chance to connect with the people and products that make our state so special. We're grateful for our continued partnership with Amtrak and NYSDOT, and look forward to welcoming fairgoers for a 13-day celebration of agriculture, entertainment and family fun."
New York State Fair Director Julie LaFave said, "We want The Great New York State Fair to be part of everyone's summer plans. By partnering with Amtrak and NYSDOT, The Fair as a destination is more accessible than ever, with the comfort and convenience travelers have come to know. We're excited to invite families, friends and visitors from across New York and beyond to experience all the fun, food and festivities that make The Fair a beloved summer tradition."
Amtrak Executive Vice President, Strategy & Planning Jennifer Mitchell said, "The annual tradition of Amtrak, NYSDOT, and the Governor partnering to deliver convenient, comfortable travel to The Great New York State Fair proudly continues for another summer. Whether you need to relax before or after fun games, thrilling rides and great food, Amtrak has the large, spacious seats, picturesque windows and direct service to The Fair where you can unwind without having to sit in traffic.
Direct train service to The Great New York State Fair has been offered by Amtrak since 2002. Customers can save when booking online at least five days in advance of travel with Amtrak's See NY and Save discount, in addition to everyday discounts for kids, seniors, military members and more. Passengers can enjoy free Wi-Fi with excellent service, spacious Business Class seats, a cafe car and ample leg room.
The Great New York State Fair opens Wednesday, August 26 and continues through Labor Day, September 7. Admission is $8 plus fees for adults. Tickets are free for adults ages 65 and over and children ages 12 and under. Tickets include access to all grounds entertainment, agricultural competitions and exhibits and admission to concerts in Chevy Court and Suburban Park.
Founded in 1841, The Great New York State Fair showcases the best of New York agriculture, provides top-quality entertainment, and is a key piece of the State's CNY Rising strategy of growing the Central New York economy through tourism. It is the oldest fair in the United States and is consistently recognized as being among the top five state fairs in the nation.
The New York State Fairgrounds is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. Audiences are encouraged to learn more about The Great New York State Fair online, browse photos on Flickr, and follow the fun on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
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Original text here: https://media.amtrak.com/2026/07/governor-hochul-amtrak-and-new-york-state-department-of-transportation-announce-tickets-now-on-sale-for-direct-train-service-to-great-new-york-state-fair/
FHLBank Chicago Announces Q2 2026 Financial Highlights
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 22 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, posted the following news:
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FHLBank Chicago Announces Q2 2026 Financial Highlights
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The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) today announced its preliminary and unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2026.
Second Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights
* Net income increased to $180 million, compared to $151 million for the second quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily driven by higher net interest income, due to growth in advances
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 22 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, posted the following news:
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FHLBank Chicago Announces Q2 2026 Financial Highlights
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The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) today announced its preliminary and unaudited financial results for the second quarter of 2026.
Second Quarter 2026 Financial Highlights
* Net income increased to $180 million, compared to $151 million for the second quarter of 2025. The increase was primarily driven by higher net interest income, due to growth in advancesand investment debt securities balances and lower funding costs on our discount notes. Lower noninterest expense also contributed to the increase, primarily due to the timing of community investment program activity and member utilization of programs in 2026 compared to the same period in 2025.
* Total assets increased to $163.2 billion, up from $141.2 billion at Dec. 31, 2025, reflecting growth primarily in advances and the liquidity portfolio.
* Advances outstanding increased to $71.1 billion, compared to $61.1 billion at Dec. 31, 2025, driven by increased borrowing by depository institutions and insurance company members.
* Mortgage loans held for portfolio through the Mortgage Partnership Finance (r) (MPF (r) ) Program increased to $15.2 billion from $14.7 billion at Dec. 31, 2025, as acquisition volume outpaced principal paydowns.
"Our preliminary second quarter results reflect the strength of our cooperative model and the commitment to our mission," said Michael Ericson, president and chief executive officer of FHLBank Chicago. "Growth in advances, disciplined balance sheet management and a strong capital position contributed to our strong financial performance this quarter. These results position us to continue providing reliable funding solutions for our members while supporting housing and community development initiatives that benefit communities across Illinois and Wisconsin."
Housing and Community Development
Statutory Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Assessments : FHLBank Chicago is required by statute to contribute 10% of its income before assessments to support affordable housing and community development in the communities served by its members. As of June 30, 2026, FHLBank Chicago accrued $38 million to its AHP funding pool.
Voluntary Housing and Community Development Contributions : In addition to its statutory AHP assessments, the Board of Directors may elect to make voluntary contributions to the AHP or other housing and community development activities to increase funding available to members. During the first half of 2026, FHLBank Chicago contributed $16 million in community investment grants and Community Advance subsidies, which were recognized as noninterest expense. Community investment advance and grant activity is expected to increase during the second half of 2026 as additional funding opportunities become available.
For more financial details, please refer to the Condensed Statements of Income and Statements of Condition below. The Form 10-Q for the quarter ending June 30, 2026, is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) next month.
Forward-Looking Information: This announcement uses forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements with respect to beliefs, plans, objectives, projections, estimates, or predictions. These statements are based on FHLBank Chicago's expectations as of the date hereof. The words "believe", "estimate", "expect", "preliminary", "continue", "remain", "commit", and similar statements and their plural and negative forms are used to identify some, but not all, of such forward-looking statements. For example, statements about future dividends and expectations for financial commitments are forward-looking statements. FHLBank Chicago cautions that, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: legislative and regulatory developments that affect FHLBank Chicago, its members, or counterparties; instability in the credit and debt markets; economic conditions (including banking industry developments and liquidity in the financial system); prolonged inflation or recession; maintaining compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements (including relating to dividend payments and retained earnings); any decrease in levels of business which may negatively impact results of operations or financial condition; the reliability of projections, assumptions, and models on future financial performance and condition; political, national and world events (including geopolitical conflicts); changes in demand for advances or consolidated obligations; membership changes; changes in mortgage interest rates and prepayment speeds on mortgage assets; FHLBank Chicago's ability to execute its business model and pay future dividends (including enhanced dividends on activity stock); FHLBank Chicago's ability to protect the security of information systems and manage any failures, interruptions, or breaches in its technology, controls or operating processes; and the risk factors set forth in FHLBank Chicago's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available through the SEC's reporting website. FHLBank Chicago assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made herein. In addition, FHLBank Chicago reserves the right to change its business plan or plans for any programs for any reason, including but not limited to, legislative or regulatory changes, changes in membership or member usage of programs, or changes at the discretion of the board of directors. Accordingly, FHLBank Chicago cautions that actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements or could impact the extent to which a particular plan, objective, projection, estimate or prediction is realized. New factors may emerge, and it is not possible to predict the nature of each new factor or assess its potential impact. Given these uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.
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Original text here: https://www.fhlbc.com/news/news-detail/2026/07/22/fhlbank-chicago-announces-q2-2026-financial-highlights
