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White House Fact Sheet: Building the Next Generation of American Space Leaders
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on Aug. 28, 2026:
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President Donald J. Trump Establishes a Commission to Design the United States Space Academy
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN SPACE LEADERS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to create a Presidential Commission to begin the process of establishing a new federal academy that will prepare the next generation of Americans to advance our Nation's interests in space.
* The Order establishes the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, chaired by the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on Aug. 28, 2026:
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President Donald J. Trump Establishes a Commission to Design the United States Space Academy
BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN SPACE LEADERS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to create a Presidential Commission to begin the process of establishing a new federal academy that will prepare the next generation of Americans to advance our Nation's interests in space.
* The Order establishes the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy, chaired by theNASA Administrator.
* The Commission will advise and assist the President on establishing the United States Space Academy, a proposed NASA-led federal academy dedicated to combining rigorous technical education with leadership development, discipline, and a durable commitment to public service.
- The United States Space Academy will combine rigorous technical education with leadership development and public service, preparing graduates for careers supporting America's military, civil, and broader space enterprise.
* The Commission will submit recommendations to the President addressing various details of the Academy, including proposals regarding a governance framework, curricula, service obligations of graduates, applicant prerequisites, a process for selecting a permanent location, administrative actions for pilot programs and partnerships, legislative strategy, and implementation strategy.
* The NASA Administrator, in coordination with relevant agencies, shall implement the Commission's approved recommendations, following approval by the President and any necessary legislative action.
ADVANCING AMERICAN SPACE SUPERIORITY: American superiority in space depends not only on our technology, but on the strength, skill, and character of the Americans who explore, secure, and build the industries critical to it.
* Space is a critical domain for American national security, economic growth, scientific discovery, and technological innovation.
* As competition in space intensifies, the United States must recruit, train, and retain America's best and brightest to maintain our leadership in exploration and technology while securing and defending our national interests.
* The Academy will encourage and guide the next generation of Americans to pursue cutting-edge, technical fields that currently do not have a sufficient amount of programs and graduates needed to ensure America maintains superiority in space.
BUILDING AMERICAN STRENGTH AND DRIVING ACHIEVEMENT: President Trump has demonstrated consistent leadership as a driving force for American strength and achievement in space.
* President Trump spearheaded the establishment of the Space Force, the first new branch of the Armed Forces since the creation of the Air Force more than 70 years ago. The Space Force is critical to preparing the Department of War for evolving warfighting conditions and expanding our capabilities.
* During his first term, President Trump issued seven groundbreaking Space Policy Directives that instructed NASA to return American astronauts to the Moon and beyond through the Artemis Program, reformed our Nation's commercial space regulatory framework, established cybersecurity principles for space systems, and much more.
- In April 2026, America sent astronauts on Artemis II to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years.
* In August 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order enabling competition in the commercial space industry to ensure the United States maintains its leading role in the commercial use of space.
* In December 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order setting a bold vision for an America First space policy to ensure the United States leads the world in space exploration, security, and commerce.
* In July 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a significant proposed rulemaking to waive burdensome environmental reviews for launch infrastructure and enable a commercial space launch renaissance.
* In August 2026, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum reinvigorating America's leadership in space transportation and enabling over 1,000 launches and reentries on American soil annually by 2030.
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Original text here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/08/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-establishes-a-commission-to-design-the-united-states-space-academy/
Trump's Transportation Department Moves to Reverse Illegal Obama-Era Rule Unfairly Restricting American Engine Manufacturing
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Trump's Transportation Department Moves to Reverse Illegal Obama-Era Rule Unfairly Restricting American Engine Manufacturing
Action will unleash innovators so they can design the engines of the future
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The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today moved to reverse an Obama-era rule regulating standalone medium- and heavy-duty truck engines. The rule - which went far beyond
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Trump's Transportation Department Moves to Reverse Illegal Obama-Era Rule Unfairly Restricting American Engine Manufacturing
Action will unleash innovators so they can design the engines of the future
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The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today moved to reverse an Obama-era rule regulating standalone medium- and heavy-duty truck engines. The rule - which went far beyondCongress' intent - restricted manufacturers' ability to design innovative approaches to meet commercial truck fuel efficiency standards. Under the Trump Administration, NHTSA is returning that authority to vehicle manufacturers who can best decide how to improve fuel efficiency.
Federal statute and court decisions make it clear that NHTSA's authority is limited to regulating the fuel efficiency of vehicles, not standalone engines or vehicle subcomponents. Today's interpretive rule aligns the agency's regulatory footprint with law.
"American innovators - not Big Government - know how best to design vehicle engines. The Trump Administration is getting out of the way so manufacturers can decide how they want to meet fuel efficiency requirements," said NHTSA Administrator Jonathan Morrison. "Ensuring the commercial truck fuel efficiency program complies with Federal law will also lower commercial truck prices and allow American manufacturers - and the thousands of hardworking people they employ - to thrive."
Highlights of the Rule
* Focus on Vehicles: The Energy Independence and Security Act explicitly directs NHTSA to establish a fuel efficiency program for commercial vehicles. Unlike the Clean Air Act - which gives the Environmental Protection Agency explicit authority to set emissions standards for engines - EISA contains no statutory authority for NHTSA to regulate engines or components like transmissions or tires.
* Alignment with Judicial Precedent: The interpretation applies the best reading of the law in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, as well as a recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that found the agency has no authority to regulate the fuel efficiency of non-vehicle components.
* Support for Market Flexibility: Regulating complete vehicles gives manufacturers greater flexibility to innovate and tailor designs to the real-world operational demands of commercial customers that could include improvements to the engine as well as other parts of the vehicle such as transmissions, cab design, and tires.
Next Steps and Enforcement
The interpretive rule does not itself change existing standards. It establishes the legal foundation for a forthcoming notice-and-comment rulemaking to officially reset the MDHD program.
Pending that rulemaking process, NHTSA will exercise its enforcement authority in alignment with this interpretation.
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Original text here: https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/truck-engine-fuel-efficiency-rule-reversed
Treasury Dept.: Iran's Access to UAE Banks Targeted Under Operation Economic Outcast
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Iran's Access to UAE Banks Targeted Under Operation Economic Outcast
Banque Misr UAE Processed Suspected Billions for Iranian Regime in Just 2.5 Years
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Today, under Operation Economic Outcast, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed a rule that would revoke Banque Misr UAE's correspondent banking access to U.S. financial institutions.
"Treasury promised to sever every economic lifeline Tehran has left and finally end the
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Iran's Access to UAE Banks Targeted Under Operation Economic Outcast
Banque Misr UAE Processed Suspected Billions for Iranian Regime in Just 2.5 Years
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Today, under Operation Economic Outcast, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed a rule that would revoke Banque Misr UAE's correspondent banking access to U.S. financial institutions.
"Treasury promised to sever every economic lifeline Tehran has left and finally end thethreat of the Iranian regime," said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. "We also warned that Iran's enablers cannot continue to enjoy access to the U.S. dollar and the global financial system. Banque Misr UAE decided to find out the hard way, and today, we are taking the first step in holding it accountable for its continued, egregious support of the Iranian regime."
Additionally, Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Reza Mohammad Taeedi, the manager of Bank Melli's Dubai branch. OFAC also sanctioned a Hong Kong-based front company that has helped launder funds for a sanctioned Iranian exchange house.
BANQUE MISR UAE IS A KEY FINANCIAL LIFELINE FOR THE REGIME
Treasury assesses that Banque Misr UAE is a critical node for the Iranian regime's access to U.S. dollars. Treasury estimates that between January 2024 and June 2026, Banque Misr UAE processed approximately $1.8 billion for 103 companies that are potentially part of Iranian shadow banking networks.
Because Iran is already subject to comprehensive U.S. sanctions, in order to generate revenue abroad, it relies on multi-jurisdictional shadow banking networks that provide key access to U.S. dollar correspondent banking relationships. Iran uses these shadow banking networks to launder funds, procure weapons, and bankroll its regional terrorist proxy groups.
Banque Misr UAE's customers include apparent front companies used by Iran's Ministry of Defense and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to evade U.S. sanctions, as well as to launder money on behalf of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
FinCEN's proposed action against Banque Misr UAE would cut off a key financial lifeline and sanctions evasion vehicle for the Iranian regime. Under Operation Economic Outcast, financial institutions around the world face heightened sanctions risk due to their exposure to Banque Misr UAE and other Iranian financial facilitators.
OFAC SANCTIONS ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL FACILITATORS
OFAC is taking additional action against Bank Melli and Iran's shadow banking network. Iranian national Reza Mohammad Taeedi serves as the general manager of Bank Melli's Dubai Branch. Bank Melli has facilitated billions of dollars' worth of transactions through accounts controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force (IRGC-QF). It has allowed the IRGC-QF and its parent organization, the IRGC, to move funds inside and outside of Iran. The IRGC-QF's accounts at Bank Melli have also been used to fund Iranian-aligned proxies and partners, including in Iraq.
Hong Kong-based Kameng Trading Limited has aided sanctioned Iranian persons in accessing the international financial system. Sanctioned Iranian exchange house Pedram Pirouzan Exchange House, also known as Opal Exchange, has used Kameng Trading Limited to launder money for Iran. Pedram Pirouzan Exchange House was designated pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy.
Reza Mohammad Taeedi is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, a counterterrorism authority, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bank Melli. OFAC is designating Kameng Trading Limited pursuant to E.O. 13902 for operating in the financial sector of the Iranian economy.
OPERATION ECONOMIC OUTCAST IS ISOLATING THE IRANIAN REGIME
Announced by Secretary Bessent on August 24, 2026, Operation Economic Outcast is severing the remaining financial lifelines that sustain the Iranian regime. Treasury has mapped the networks, facilitators, and financial channels that Iran uses to smuggle oil, evade sanctions, and fund terror. Working with partners across the U.S. government, along with our allies, Treasury is targeting any source of the regime's illicit revenue.
Operation Economic Outcast significantly expanded sanctions risk for those who continue to choose to do business with Iran. Treasury warned that any entity facilitating money laundering or sanctions evasion on behalf of Iran will be cut off from the U.S. financial system. It also expands secondary sanctions exposure for those who continue doing business with the Iranian regime and will accelerate the pace of U.S. enforcement. More information on Operation Economic Outcast is available here.
IMPLICATIONS OF TODAY'S FINCEN ACTION AND NEXT STEPS
FinCEN today issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) finding that Banque Misr in the United Arab Emirates is a financial institution operating outside the United States of primary money laundering concern. In the NPRM, FinCEN proposes, pursuant to section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, Banque Misr UAE.
The rule would also require U.S. financial institutions to take reasonable steps not to process a transaction for a correspondent account in the United States of a foreign banking institution if such a transaction involves Banque Misr UAE and to apply to their foreign correspondent accounts special due diligence that is reasonably designed to guard against their use to process transactions involving Banque Misr UAE. This finding and the accompanying proposed special measure apply only to Banque Misr UAE, as defined in the NPRM, and not to Banque Misr operations in any other country.
The text of FinCEN's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking can be found here. The public comment period will close 30 days after the NPRM is published on the Federal Register.
For questions about this NPRM, please contact FinCEN at http://www.fincen.gov/contact.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS
As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons.
Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated or blocked person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. Individuals located in the U.S. or abroad who provide information about sanctions violations to FinCEN's whistleblower incentive program may be eligible for awards if the information they provide leads to a successful enforcement action that results in monetary penalties exceeding $1,000,000. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities with designated or otherwise blocked persons.
Furthermore, engaging in certain transactions involving the persons designated today may risk the imposition of secondary sanctions on participating foreign financial institutions. OFAC can prohibit or impose strict conditions on opening or maintaining, in the United States, a correspondent account or a payable-through account of a foreign financial institution that knowingly conducts or facilitates any significant transaction on behalf of a person who is designated pursuant to the relevant authority.
The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, or to submit a request, please refer to OFAC's guidance on Filing a Petition for Removal from an OFAC List.
Click here for more information on the persons designated today (https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20260828).
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Original text here: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0617/
Justice Department Files a Statement of Interest in Support of the Primary Aluminum Smelter Project in Inola, Oklahoma
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Justice Department Files a Statement of Interest in Support of the Primary Aluminum Smelter Project in Inola, Oklahoma
Yesterday, the Justice Department's Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit brought by the Oklahoma Attorney General, expressing support for the construction of a primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
ENRD's filing concerns a case where the Oklahoma Attorney General has sued Century Aluminum Company and Aluminum
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
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Justice Department Files a Statement of Interest in Support of the Primary Aluminum Smelter Project in Inola, Oklahoma
Yesterday, the Justice Department's Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) filed a statement of interest in a lawsuit brought by the Oklahoma Attorney General, expressing support for the construction of a primary aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma.
ENRD's filing concerns a case where the Oklahoma Attorney General has sued Century Aluminum Company and AluminumOklahoma, alleging environmental violations under state nuisance laws. Plaintiff's allegations concern the federal Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, which require environmental permits for the construction and operation of the primary aluminum smelter. Instead of allowing review of these environmental permits in the first instances, the Oklahoma Attorney General seeks to enjoin construction through this premature lawsuit, threatening vital materials critical to our nation's defense.
"This project advances national and economic security by reducing the country's reliance on foreign sources of materials critical to the national defense," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. "The Department of Justice is committed to supporting military readiness and opposing litigation that subverts environmental regulatory processes established by Congress."
President Donald J. Trump's recently issued executive order Further Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum into the United States, recognizing that the quantities of aluminum imported into the United States threaten to impair our national security. Domestic production and supply of primary aluminum is imperative in producing an irreplaceable strategic material that is indispensable to our modern defense manufacturing. The Department of War requires primary aluminum for aerospace and air dominance, ground combat vehicles, naval systems, missiles, and space programs. However, the United States now represents less than 1 percent of the global primary aluminum production. As a result, China, the leading global producer of primary aluminum, has sought to leverage its position in primary aluminum production to gain advantage over the United States.
As outlined in ENRD's statement of interest, the primary aluminum smelter in Inola is the nearest-term solution in combating this national security risk. Once completed, the smelter would be the first constructed in the United States in over 40 years and would rank as the largest primary aluminum production facility in the United States, more than doubling the nation's output. The Department of Energy recently awarded $500 million in support of this project, recognizing its importance in increasing domestic production of primary aluminum while avoiding an estimated 75 percent of emissions from a traditional smelter. A delay in construction would place the United States at risk of foreign reliance and severely limits our ability to produce the armor, aircraft, and munitions required for national defense.
The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act provide the appropriate mechanism to address environmental concerns raised by the Oklahoma Attorney General. In its filing, ENRD asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma to dismiss the lawsuit, which would otherwise stop construction of the primary aluminum smelter and threaten America's security by denying access to this critical material necessary for military readiness.
Attorneys with ENRD's Environmental Defense Section are handling this matter.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-statement-interest-support-primary-aluminum-smelter-project-inola
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Releases Comprehensive Museum Guide
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Releases Comprehensive Museum Guide
Richly Illustrated, "Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook" Is a Portable Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art Through Key Works in the National Collection
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The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has published Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook, a vividly illustrated portable paperback guide to the permanent collection of the Hirshhorn, the national museum of modern and contemporary art.
"We are delighted
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Releases Comprehensive Museum Guide
Richly Illustrated, "Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook" Is a Portable Introduction to Modern and Contemporary Art Through Key Works in the National Collection
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The Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden has published Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook, a vividly illustrated portable paperback guide to the permanent collection of the Hirshhorn, the national museum of modern and contemporary art.
"We are delightedto publish this welcoming book for both fans of modern art and readers new to it," said Melissa Chiu, director of the Hirshhorn. "The book builds on research we undertook during the pandemic, which resulted in both our scholarly collection book, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: The Collection, and this portable handbook."
The Art Handbook offers a concise yet deeply informed overview of one of the most significant modern and contemporary art collections in the United States, as well as the artistic movements that have given rise to its compelling treasures. Through hundreds of color and black-and-white images, the handbook traces the evolution of the collection from its Modernist foundations--celebrated at the museum's 1974 opening--to its present-day focus on the most innovative practices of the postwar and contemporary eras. Featured works include sculpture, painting, drawing, performance art, installations and new media art, drawn from traditions ranging from Impressionism to Surrealism and Dada to Abstract Expressionism to Conceptual art, alongside sidebars providing definitions of key artistic schools and ideas from the late 19th century to the present day.
Organized for browsing as well as sustained reading, the handbook features key works by such trailblazing artists as Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse, Joan Mitchell, Yoko Ono, Pablo Picasso, Auguste Rodin, Betye Saar, Andy Warhol and many others, alongside later figures such as Mark Bradford, Wangechi Mutu, Doris Salcedo, Hito Steyerl and Henry Taylor. Its clear definitions of major art movements and styles are accompanied by statements from artists about their own work, making the book especially accessible.
More than a collection catalog, Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook functions as an armchair museum that allows readers to engage with the breadth of the Hirshhorn's holdings whether they are preparing for a visit, reflecting afterward or encountering the collection from afar. At 216 pages with nearly 400 illustrations, this compact book is designed for portability and reflects the institution's role as a leading voice in 21st century art and culture.
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About the Hirshhorn
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is the national museum of modern and contemporary art and a leading voice for 21st-century art and culture. Part of the Smithsonian, the Hirshhorn is located prominently on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Its holdings encompass one of the most important collections of postwar American and European art in the world. The Hirshhorn presents diverse exhibitions and offers an array of public programs on the art of our time--free to all. The Hirshhorn Museum is open Mondays noon-5:30 p.m. and Tuesdays-Sundays 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (except Dec. 25). For more information, visit hirshhorn.si.edu. Follow the museum on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Book Details
Hirshhorn Museum: The Art Handbook
Paperback | 61/2 x 81/4 inches | 216 pages
ISBN 978 1 58834 765 7 | $24.95
Smithsonian Books
For review copies, images or additional information, contact Smithsonian Books.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/hirshhorn-museum-and-sculpture-garden-releases-comprehensive-museum-guide
FCC Denies Request to Delay Comment Period for Drone Restrictions
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau together with the Office of Engineering and Technology issued an order on Aug. 28, 2026, denying three requests to extend the comment period for a proceeding titled "Prohibiting the Importation and Marketing of Certain Foreign-Produced Military-Grade UAS and UAS Critical Components" (PS Docket No. 26-189).
The requests were submitted by American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, DRONERESPONDERS, and Commercial Drone Alliance. The entities sought additional time--ranging up to 30 days beyond
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Federal Communications Commission Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau together with the Office of Engineering and Technology issued an order on Aug. 28, 2026, denying three requests to extend the comment period for a proceeding titled "Prohibiting the Importation and Marketing of Certain Foreign-Produced Military-Grade UAS and UAS Critical Components" (PS Docket No. 26-189).
The requests were submitted by American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, DRONERESPONDERS, and Commercial Drone Alliance. The entities sought additional time--ranging up to 30 days beyondthe current September 2, 2026 deadline--to gather feedback from members, evaluate supply chain impacts, and review complex technical and operational questions. Petitioners noted that the summer window creates scheduling hurdles for emergency response personnel and industry operators needing to provide input across multiple operating facilities.
In denying the extensions, agency officials emphasized that commission policy disfavors routinely granting extra time. The order highlights that urgent national security considerations require swift action to protect the communications equipment supply chain. Maintaining the existing schedule ensures timely evaluation of the proposals, which address foreign-produced uncrewed aircraft systems and components on the Covered List.
Public comments regarding the proposed restrictions on military-grade uncrewed aircraft systems remain due on or before September 2, 2026.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-892A1.pdf
End of Summer at the Smithsonian: Visitors Can Celebrate All September Before Major Exhibitions and Historic Buildings Close
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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End of Summer at the Smithsonian: Visitors Can Celebrate All September Before Major Exhibitions and Historic Buildings Close
Free Circus Arts Programming, Final Days To Visit the Castle and Arts & Industries Building and New Exhibitions Opening This Fall
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September is a month of both farewells and fresh experiences, and as summer gives way to fall, the Smithsonian invites visitors to take advantage of a month filled with special events, major exhibition closings and new openings across its museums.
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Smithsonian Institution issued the following news release:
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End of Summer at the Smithsonian: Visitors Can Celebrate All September Before Major Exhibitions and Historic Buildings Close
Free Circus Arts Programming, Final Days To Visit the Castle and Arts & Industries Building and New Exhibitions Opening This Fall
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September is a month of both farewells and fresh experiences, and as summer gives way to fall, the Smithsonian invites visitors to take advantage of a month filled with special events, major exhibition closings and new openings across its museums.Visitors can take advantage of final opportunities to visit the Smithsonian Castle and Arts & Industries Building while exploring exhibitions throughout various museums that highlight the nation's history, culture and creativity.
Labor Day Weekend Highlights
Folklife Festival Presents the Circus Arts
Saturday, Sept. 5-Monday, Sept. 7; 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Visitors can step right up for a weekend of free performances, hands-on activities and behind-the-scenes looks at the artistry, skill and traditions of the American circus. For three days, the "Circus Arts Conservatory: Artistry, Education, and Labor of Circus Arts" pop-up program will feature more than six performances a day at the Arts & Industries Building and clown story time on Monday at the National Museum of American History.
Armenian Food Demo and Musical Performance With the Folklife Festival
Saturday, Sept. 5; 1-2:30 p.m.
Visitors can experience the sights, sounds and flavors of an Armenian American wedding celebration on the National Museum of American History's Wallace H. Coulter Plaza. The free program features cooking demonstrations by Maryland chefs Boris and Berj Ghazarian and live music by acclaimed Armenian a cappella trio Zulal.
Final Opportunities Before They Close
Last Chance To Visit the Smithsonian Castle and the Arts & Industries Building
Both buildings close Monday, Sept. 7
Visitors have a rare opportunity to explore the Smithsonian Castle and Arts & Industries Building, the Institution's first- and second-oldest buildings, respectively, during their final week open to the public before they close Sept. 7. The Castle offers a final chance to experience the historic building before it closes for several years to complete its first major renovation in more than 50 years. When it reopens, more than 60% of the building will be accessible to the public, compared to just 20% before renovations began. At the Arts & Industries Building, visitors can explore the traveling exhibition "Voices and Votes," shop the SAMASAMA Market Aug. 29-30 and celebrate Labor Day weekend with the circus.
Renwick Gallery: "State Fairs: Growing American Craft"
Closes Monday, Sept. 7
"State Fairs" is the first exhibition dedicated to artists' contributions to the great U.S. tradition of state fairs, featuring more than 240 artworks on view. Visitors will not want to miss crowd favorites, including an over 700-pound butter cow sculpture and the towering size-96 boots of Big Tex from the State Fair of Texas.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: "Basquiat x Banksy"
Closes Monday, Sept. 7
"Basquiat x Banksy" is an exhibition of two major paintings by two of the world's most recognizable artists, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy, marking the first time that an artwork by either artist has been presented at the Hirshhorn. The exhibition also includes 20 small works on paper and wood that were made by Basquiat between 1979 and 1985.
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum (New York City): "Made in America: The Industrial Photography of Christopher Payne"
Closes Sunday, Sept. 27
For museumgoers in Mew York, the exhibition "Made in America" explores photographer Christopher Payne's decade-long exploration of American industrial and artisanal manufacturing. The exhibition features large-scale photographs of American makers at work, from a Herman Miller furniture factory in Michigan to New Balance sneakers in Massachusetts and Alstom high-speed trains in New York.
Opening This September
Smithsonian American Art Museum: "Much Here Is Beautiful: Photography Surveys of the U.S. Bicentennial"
Opens Friday, Sept. 18
From the California coast to the Kansas heartland to the streets of New York City, the photographs in "Much Here Is Beautiful" capture the people, places and landscapes that defined the nation in the years around the Bicentennial in 1976. The exhibition will be on view through April 18, 2027.
National Museum of Asian Art: "From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art"
Opens Saturday, Sept. 26
Making its first and only U.S. stop at the Smithsonian, "From the Louvre: Masterpieces of Islamic Art" presents 26 extraordinary objects spanning more than a millennium of artistic achievement. The masterpieces were created between the seventh and 19th centuries and in a vast geographic area that extends from Spain to India. Visitors can see a striking Syrian-Egyptian basin inlaid with silver figures, an Andalusian bronze lion and a monumental portrait of a Persian king covered with jewels. The exhibition will be on view through January 18, 2027.
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Original text here: https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/end-summer-smithsonian-visitors-can-celebrate-all-september-major-exhibitions-and
