Featured Stories
Brazil's Piaui State to Modernize Fiscal Management With IDB Support
WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Brazil's Piaui State to Modernize Fiscal Management with IDB Support
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $53 million investment loan to improve revenue and expenditure management in the Brazilian state of Piaui.
The project, part of the third phase of the IDB-backed PROFISCO program in Brazil, will modernize fiscal management in Piaui, strengthening fiscal sustainability and supporting the alignment of the state with Brazil's consumption tax
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WASHINGTON, July 18 -- The Inter-American Development Bank issued the following news release:
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Brazil's Piaui State to Modernize Fiscal Management with IDB Support
The Board of Executive Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved a $53 million investment loan to improve revenue and expenditure management in the Brazilian state of Piaui.
The project, part of the third phase of the IDB-backed PROFISCO program in Brazil, will modernize fiscal management in Piaui, strengthening fiscal sustainability and supporting the alignment of the state with Brazil's consumption taxreform.
The project will improve public sector governance, planning, and transparency. It includes workforce training and fiscal education programs for the general population, modernization of digital infrastructure and cybersecurity, and expanded use of data analytics and artificial intelligence.
In tax administration, the project will improve revenue collection, update the taxpayer registry, modernize taxpayer services, and enhance oversight through digital tools and artificial intelligence. It will also support more effective budgeting, expenditure management, accounting, and tax-related legal processes, helping the state enhance fiscal health and improve public spending outcomes, and the delivery of public services.
In addition, the project will strengthen the management and recovery of public debt, modernize legal processes, and enhance the management of fiscal and legal risks. It will also support more efficient handling of court-ordered payments and legal claims through digital tools and streamlined procedures.
The project's main beneficiaries include taxpayers, who will benefit from improved systems and processes for meeting their tax obligations, and the broader population of Piaui, who will benefit from greater fiscal transparency and more effective public policies.
The IDB loan has a 24.5-year term, a six-year grace period, and an interest rate based on SOFR. Counterpart financing totals $5.3 million. Following approval by the IDB's Board of Executive Directors, the program will move through the required Brazilian legal and administrative processes before implementation begins.
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About the IDB
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a member of the IDB Group, is devoted to improving lives across Latin America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1959, the Bank works with the region's public sector to design and enable impactful, innovative solutions for sustainable and inclusive development. Leveraging financing, technical expertise, and knowledge, it promotes growth and well-being in 26 countries. Visit our website: https://www.iadb.org/en.
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Original text here: https://www.iadb.org/en/news/brazils-piaui-state-modernize-fiscal-management-idb-support
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Welcomes Appointments of Commissioners
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Welcomes Appointments of Commissioners
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the reappointments of Rachel Laser and Asif Mahmood and new appointments of David A. Anderson, CeCe Heil, Gunisha Kaur, and Gene Mills.
Asif Mahmood was reappointed to USCIRF by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after serving as elected Vice Chair during his first USCIRF appointment. Mahmood is
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WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom issued the following news release:
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U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Welcomes Appointments of Commissioners
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the reappointments of Rachel Laser and Asif Mahmood and new appointments of David A. Anderson, CeCe Heil, Gunisha Kaur, and Gene Mills.
Asif Mahmood was reappointed to USCIRF by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after serving as elected Vice Chair during his first USCIRF appointment. Mahmood isa practicing physician and human rights advocate.
"We warmly welcome the appointments of David A. Anderson, CeCe Heil, Gunisha Kaur, and Gene Mills to the Commission," said Commissioner Asif Mahmood. "Their skillsets offer an invaluable perspective to the work of the Commission as it confronts threats to freedom of religion or belief."
Rachel Laser was reappointed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Laser is the President and CEO of American United for Separation of Church and State as its first female leader.
"The work of the Commission is crucial to advancing freedom of religion or belief abroad and conveys to the world that it is a priority for the United States," said Commissioner Rachel Laser. "We look forward to working with the new Commissioners to advance international religious freedom."
David A. Anderson was appointed to USCIRF by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). He is the founder and President of Gracism Global, working to build bridges across the deep divides of race, faith, culture, and wealth. He is also the senior pastor of Bridgeway Community Church, reaching a multicultural congregation from over 52 nations.
CeCe Heil was appointed to USCIRF by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD). She is Senior Counsel and International Legal Director for the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). She is a human rights attorney who advocates for religious freedom, rule of law, and the protection of vulnerable faith communities worldwide.
Gunisha Kaur was appointed to USCIRF by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). She is a physician, medical anthropologist, and scientist with two decades of experience and fieldwork in human rights. She has worked to bring clinical care informed by her scholarship to some of the world's most urgent humanitarian crises.
Gene Mills was appointed to USCIRF by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). As the President of Louisiana Family Forum, he brings years of experience working on issues involving life, liberty, and limited government in the Louisiana political landscape.
USCIRF thanks for their service the former Commissioners whose terms ended on May 14, 2026: Mohamed Elsanousi, Maureen Ferguson, Vicky Hartzler, Stephen Schneck, and Meir Soloveichik.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-welcomes-appointments-commissioners
SBA Relief Still Available to Illinois Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Algal Bloom Water Contamination
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release:
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SBA Relief Still Available to Illinois Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Algal Bloom Water Contamination
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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/2026/07/17/sba-relief-still-available-illinois-small-businesses-private-nonprofits-affected-algal-bloom-water-0
SBA Relief Still Available to Arizona Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Post Tropical Storm Event
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release:
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SBA Relief Still Available to Arizona Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by the Post Tropical Storm Event
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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/2026/07/17/sba-relief-still-available-arizona-small-businesses-private-nonprofits-affected-post-tropical-storm
Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission Final Order Affirms Southeast Texas Industrial Services Case Over Steel Mill Worksite Safety Issues
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has made final an administrative law judge decision in Secretary of Labor v. STIS Inc. dba Southeast Texas Industrial Services (Docket No. 24-0702), a case tied to work at a steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado.
The case arose from OSHA's oversight of STIS, which had been hired as a subcontractor by EVRAZ North America to perform construction work at the steel mill on South Freeway in Pueblo. The commission's website lists the matter among its latest administrative law judge decisions and shows the final order date as July 15,
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WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has made final an administrative law judge decision in Secretary of Labor v. STIS Inc. dba Southeast Texas Industrial Services (Docket No. 24-0702), a case tied to work at a steel mill in Pueblo, Colorado.
The case arose from OSHA's oversight of STIS, which had been hired as a subcontractor by EVRAZ North America to perform construction work at the steel mill on South Freeway in Pueblo. The commission's website lists the matter among its latest administrative law judge decisions and shows the final order date as July 15,2026.
According to the commission's public notice, the ALJ decision in the matter became a final order of the commission after the review period ran its course. The agency's notice does not, in the public summary, spell out every factual finding or penalty detail, but it does confirm that the case reached finality at the commission level.
OSHRC, an independent federal agency created by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, hears contests of OSHA citations and penalties after workplace inspections. In that system, an administrative law judge first resolves the dispute, and the resulting decision can become final if it is not further reviewed.
The STIS matter is one of several recent decisions posted by OSHRC on its website, where the agency keeps both ALJ and commission rulings for public access. The commission's docket listing identifies the respondent as STIS, Inc., doing business as Southeast Texas Industrial Services, and pairs that title with docket number 24-0702.
Public summaries indicate that the worksite involved was a steel mill under construction activity, which places the case in the broader category of jobsite safety enforcement. OSHRC's role is to provide a neutral forum for resolving disputed citations, including cases involving construction hazards and employer responsibility.
For readers following workplace safety enforcement, the final order means the legal path in this docket has closed at the commission stage unless a separate, allowable challenge applies. The public record available through OSHRC now marks the matter as a completed agency action, with the docket entry and final order date visible in the commission's decision listings.
-- Vidhi Gianani, Targeted News Service
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Original text here: https://www.oshrc.gov/wp-content/uploads/24-0702-STIS-Inc.-ALJ-Decision-and-Order-redacted.pdf
NASA Study Finds Near-Earth Asteroid Is Actually Comet
PASADENA, California, July 17 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA Study Finds Near-Earth Asteroid Is Actually Comet
The object looks like an asteroid but moves like a comet, so astronomers used some of the most powerful observatories on the planet to confirm its identity.
New research led by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has revealed the identity of a puzzling near-Earth object by precisely tracking its motion through space and using powerful observatories that image faint celestial objects.
This object has
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PASADENA, California, July 17 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
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NASA Study Finds Near-Earth Asteroid Is Actually Comet
The object looks like an asteroid but moves like a comet, so astronomers used some of the most powerful observatories on the planet to confirm its identity.
New research led by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has revealed the identity of a puzzling near-Earth object by precisely tracking its motion through space and using powerful observatories that image faint celestial objects.
This object hasa dual personality: Past images hadn't revealed obvious cometlike activity, suggesting it might be an asteroid, but its motion recently proved to be irregular like that of a comet. The scientists detailed their findings in a study published (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-026-02913-7.epdf?sharing_token=9Tyupu4lm8WCiQN9V4uRpNRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0O84-m2iWHZz4iV2hT32uLAbHe5sb0xl89wktx4_l0h7YzBZMRyDOSyjQNggyMpO13q_DgXU9bhmcGdlhgM_FYaPgkyxjrDRZbEUugt7jKl1K-HJuNbYtqdlXGXWfBi114%3D) in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The puzzle began on Aug. 28, 2025, when the object, provisionally known as the asteroid 1998 SH2, passed safely within 2 million miles (3 million kilometers) of our planet during its 41/2-year orbit around the Sun. Researchers looking to observe 1998 SH2 with NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) planetary radar system had calculated its position using data from previous orbits and factored in the effects that the gravity of the Sun and planets would have on its path. But when 1998 SH2 didn't show up where they expected, they realized that something unanticipated had been influencing the object's motion.
Object tracking
By using optical astrometry to precisely measure the object's position in the sky, the researchers were able to identify the cause.
"After we measured the nongravitational perturbations affecting the motion of 1998 SH2 and recognized they weren't compatible with the object being an asteroid, we suspected the object could be an active comet," said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer with NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at JPL and study lead.
Although 1998 SH2's orbit around the Sun had been well-tracked from 1998 to 2016, the object had completed two solar orbits without additional observations by telescopes until the 2025 DSN attempts. Analyzing all observations collected since the object's discovery in 1998, researchers determined the perturbations to 1998 SH2's motion and hypothesized that the object may be generating a small thrust by venting gas into space, causing it to deviate from its predicted path.
This venting results from the Sun heating ice mixed with rocky material, turning the ice into a gas. With regular comets, this activity forms a trademark bright tail and coma -- the gas and dust surrounding a comet's nucleus. But when an object produces gas and dust in much smaller quantities, its tail and coma may not be detectable to most observatories.
Tail, coma emerge
The August 2025 close approach to Earth of 1998 SH2 provided the perfect opportunity for the paper's authors to gather observational evidence of visible cometary activity. They reached out to astronomers at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, a 3.6-meter (12-foot) optical/infrared telescope near the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, and the 1.5-meter (5-foot) European Southern Observatory's Danish Telescope in La Silla, Chile, to observe. Astronomers at the powerful European Southern Observatory's 8.2-meter (27-foot) Very Large Telescope on the Chilean mountain Cerro Paranal also tracked the object.
"The images we collected from these observatories showed a weak but clear tail, thus confirming that 1998 SH2 is, in fact, a comet," said Olivier Hainaut, an astronomer with the European Southern Observatory and coauthor of the study. "That's how science works -- you form a hypothesis, and you set out to test it. This data is exactly what was needed to confirm our hypothesis that 1998 SH2 was a comet."
As an outcome of the investigation, 1998 SH2 will receive an additional comet provisional designation, P/1998 SH2.
Planetary defense implications
The research also sheds light on another, even more unusual, class of objects called dark comets. Like 1998 SH2, dark comets exhibit significant irregularities, or perturbations, in their trajectory but lack other visible evidence of comet activity -- there's no coma, tail, or visible outgassing. These enigmatic objects fall into two distinct populations: larger ones with orbits similar to those of Jupiter-family comets (short period comets with highly elliptical, or eccentric, orbits), and smaller ones that orbit closer to the Sun. Since the 2016 discovery of the first dark comet, about a dozen more have been identified.
The paper's authors suggest that many of the larger dark comets, which have orbits like 1998 SH2's, could turn out to be regular comets if astronomers get the right opportunity to observe them with powerful telescopes capable of imaging incredibly faint objects. And by analyzing the motion of all near-Earth objects using precision astrometry data, researchers may reveal more comets that were previously designated as asteroids if they exhibit cometlike nongravitational perturbations.
"This work shows the importance of continuously tracking near-Earth objects," said Farnocchia. "Because of outgassing, the motion of comets is more significantly perturbed than that of asteroids. Detecting these perturbations can be an important diagnostic tool for planetary defense that will help understand which objects may be comets rather than asteroids, how their orbits evolve, and how that influences their Earth impact risks."
Hunting for near-Earth objects
NASA's upcoming Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor will collect data that can be used to support this effort. The first space survey telescope to be built for planetary defense, this next-generation mission will seek out some of the hardest-to-find near-Earth objects, such as dark asteroids and comets that don't reflect much visible light.
NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, the Goldstone Solar System Radar Group, and NEO Surveyor all are managed by JPL and supported by the agency's Planetary Defense Coordination Office in Washington. Caltech in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. The DSN receives programmatic oversight from the SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) program office, also at NASA headquarters.
More information about planetary radar, NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, and near-Earth objects can be found at:
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch
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Original text here: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-study-finds-near-earth-asteroid-is-actually-comet/
EPA Statement on Cross-Border Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Impact on U.S.
WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Statement on Cross-Border Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Impact on U.S.
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WASHINGTON - Today, amid a large portion of the United States currently experiencing wildfire smoke from Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin released the following statement:
"The impacts of the Canadian wildfires are causing great concern and harm across the United States. Since the U.S. first started to experience the impact of the wildfires, EPA has been working around the
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WASHINGTON, July 17 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release:
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EPA Statement on Cross-Border Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Impact on U.S.
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WASHINGTON - Today, amid a large portion of the United States currently experiencing wildfire smoke from Canada, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin released the following statement:
"The impacts of the Canadian wildfires are causing great concern and harm across the United States. Since the U.S. first started to experience the impact of the wildfires, EPA has been working around theclock on behalf of impacted Americans. The agency is using our resources to monitor air quality and provide the public with timely access to our data. We are in direct communication with the Canadian government, as well as federal, state, local, and Tribal partners," said EPA Administrator Zeldin. "We are going to remain continuously engaged with Canadian leadership at the highest levels of their government and strongly encourage them to do everything in their power to extinguish these fires as fast as possible. EPA will do everything in the agency's authority to continue to protect human health and the environment throughout this event. Providing clean air for all Americans remains a top priority of the Trump EPA."
EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) and AirNow's Fire and Smoke Map are vital resources for Americans to check throughout the day to get updates on their local air quality and take the necessary steps to reduce smoke exposure and protect their health. This map, produced in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), provides timely information about wildfire smoke, smoke outlooks, and fire locations. State and local air quality agencies and public health agencies are also providing information on their websites.
As part of the agency's response to the wildfires, EPA has also deployed a Vehicle Add-On Mobile Monitoring System for use by the USFS in Minnesota. EPA's Wildfire Smoke Air Monitoring Response Technology project loans out specific air monitoring technologies to state, local, and Tribal air agencies to support supplemental air monitoring in areas that experience wildfire smoke.
EPA is committed to full transparency to the public as the Canadian wildfires continue and the agency will keep working to ensure Americans have all necessary information.
Hear more from Administrator Zeldin on the wildfires Exit EPA's website.
Stay informed on current air quality with EPA resources:
* EPA's AirNow's Fire and Smoke Map includes the most comprehensive information about current wildfire smoke and air quality.
* Air quality can change rapidly. Stay up to date on current air quality and forecasts near you through the AirNow app, which includes the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, available for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
* Follow EPA and State and local air quality and public health agencies on various digital channels to stay updated on air quality conditions and steps to protect your health.
* Check to see if an air quality alert has been issued for your area through the National Weather Service Exit EPA's website.
* A specialized Smoke Outlook may be issued for your area and can be viewed in the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map or through the Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program Exit EPA's website.
Protect your health during a smoke event
Wildfire smoke can impact human health. Most people will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not have long-lasting health effects. However, everyone should take precautions when the air quality index trends into unhealthy (red), very unhealthy (purple), and hazardous levels (maroon).
Smoke from outdoors can enter your home and make the air indoors unhealthy to breathe. Being prepared to reduce wildfire smoke exposure indoors is important, especially for those who are at greatest risk of health impacts, including children, older adults, and people with heart or lung disease. Visit EPA's Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality webpage to learn how you can protect your family from wildfire smoke.
Visit EPA's wildfires webpage for additional resources and to learn more about what EPA is doing to help communities across the country prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildland fires and smoke events.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-statement-cross-border-wildfire-smoke-and-air-quality-impact-us
