Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
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U.S Mint Offers Comic Art Three-Medal Set
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury U.S. Mint issued the following news release:
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United States Mint Offers Comic Art Three-Medal Set
The United States Mint (Mint) is accepting subscription orders for the Comic Art Three-Medal Set, 2025 Super Heroes. Each set contains medals featuring Superman(TM), Batman(TM), and Wonder Woman(TM) from the Comic Art Coin and Medal Program.
The Comic Art Three-Medal Set, 2025 Super Heroes, part of the United States Mint Comic Art Coin and Medal Program, created in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products
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WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury U.S. Mint issued the following news release:
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United States Mint Offers Comic Art Three-Medal Set
The United States Mint (Mint) is accepting subscription orders for the Comic Art Three-Medal Set, 2025 Super Heroes. Each set contains medals featuring Superman(TM), Batman(TM), and Wonder Woman(TM) from the Comic Art Coin and Medal Program.
The Comic Art Three-Medal Set, 2025 Super Heroes, part of the United States Mint Comic Art Coin and Medal Program, created in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products(WBDGCP), will be available for purchase beginning August 3, 2026, at noon ET.
Subscriptions are limited to two sets per household, and sales of individual sets are limited to one per household for the first 24 hours (household limits subject to change).
Subscribers enrolled before August 3, 2026, will receive the Comic Art Three-Medal Set, 2025 Super Heroes, when it is released in August.
Sign up once and you will receive the next product released in the series after the date of your registration, then continue to receive products until you end your subscription or until the series ends. Click here for additional details about subscriptions.
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About the United States Mint
Congress created the United States Mint in 1792, and the Mint became part of the Department of the Treasury in 1873. As the Nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, the Mint is responsible for producing circulating coinage for the Nation to conduct its trade and commerce. The Mint also produces numismatic products, including proof, uncirculated, and commemorative coins; Congressional Gold Medals; silver and bronze medals; and silver and gold bullion coins. Its numismatic programs are self-sustaining and operate at no cost to taxpayers.
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About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products
Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery's Revenue & Strategy Division, extends the company's powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home decor, and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.' film, television, animation, and games studios; HBO; Discovery; DC; Cartoon Network; HGTV; Eurosport; Adult Swim; and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
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Original text here: https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/united-states-mint-offers-comic-art-three-medal-set
Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision Involving 4 Companies
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36873) entitled "Union Pacific Corp. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. - Control - Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co.":
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ORDER SETTING DISCOVERY GUIDELINES
Discovery is before the undersigned pursuant to a ruling by the Surface Transportation Board. See Decision (Aug. 28, 2025). The following discovery guidelines shall apply in this matter, including the expeditious resolution of discovery disputes with the setting of a Discovery Calendar.
A.
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WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. FD 36873) entitled "Union Pacific Corp. and Union Pacific Railroad Co. - Control - Norfolk Southern Corp. and Norfolk Southern Railway Co.":
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ORDER SETTING DISCOVERY GUIDELINES
Discovery is before the undersigned pursuant to a ruling by the Surface Transportation Board. See Decision (Aug. 28, 2025). The following discovery guidelines shall apply in this matter, including the expeditious resolution of discovery disputes with the setting of a Discovery Calendar.
A.General
1. The parties shall endeavor to avoid duplicative discovery requests and expeditiously resolve all disputes in good faith.
2. The Board's discovery rules set forth at 49 C.F.R. pt. 1114 will apply to this proceeding, except as modified by Board decision or by these discovery guidelines. Any of the discovery guidelines contained herein may be varied by written agreement between or among a producing party and one or more receiving parties (except if such a variance would adversely affect any other interested party). Any such agreement shall apply only to the parties making that agreement. The Administrative Law Judge ("ALJ") may vary any discovery guideline for good cause. The default rules for non-party discovery shall apply, subject to further review and discussion as the case progresses.
3. Documents produced in response to a discovery request will be Bates numbered such that each page can be uniquely identified and will include the acronym the producing party has chosen pursuant to 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1180.4(a)(2) (e.g., UP or NS) and, if designated by a party, the level of confidentiality assigned to the document or information (i.e., "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL").
4. Within 24 hours of each evidentiary filing, the filing party will serve upon or otherwise make available to all other parties of record all (a) workpapers supporting the filing, (b) documents relied upon by expert witnesses, and (c) documents referenced by fact witnesses, in a manner consistent with the protective order issued in Docket No. FD 36873 (the "Protective Order"). "Make available to" means providing access to digital copies, including via email or FTP site, consistent with the procedures discussed in Paragraph 16 of the Protective Order. To receive documents designated "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL," a representative of a party of record must first execute the appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order and request such materials from the filing party.
5. To the extent two or more parties agree to establish a shared electronic repository, the following procedures shall apply:
a. The party maintaining the repository shall establish reasonable procedures for the operation of the document repository.
b. Access to the repository shall be limited to outside counsel only. To the extent the repository contains material designated "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL," access will only be provided to individuals who have requested access and executed an appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order.
c. Persons reviewing documents designated "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL" shall first execute an appropriate undertaking pursuant to the protective order issued in Docket No. FD 36873.
6. Any discovery response containing confidential information or data as defined in the Protective Order shall be designated "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL" consistent with the requirements of the Protective Order. Discovery responses shall be served by email upon all other parties of record in a manner consistent with the protective order issued in Docket No. FD 36873. To receive discovery responses marked "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL," a representative of a party of record must first execute the appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order and request such materials from the filing party.
B. Discovery Requests
1. Any party wishing to participate in discovery or to receive service of all discovery requests in the proceeding shall file a notice of intent to participate in Finance Docket No. 36873 (with the required certificate of service). Parties of record that have filed notices of intent to participate may receive copies of productions made in response to discovery requests in this proceeding by requesting them from the producing party and identifying the individual(s) to whom the productions should be made available. To receive productions marked "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL," the individual(s) who will receive the productions must first execute the appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order.
C. Depositions
1. Absent agreement among all interested parties or prior approval from the ALJ, all depositions shall be conducted either where the witness is located or in Washington, DC (at the witness's preference) and shall be conducted in a manner that allows for virtual participation by anyone permitted to attend the deposition pursuant to the Protective Order. The parties shall confer regarding appropriate protocols for virtual participation in depositions.
2. Depositions shall be subject to the following limits, which may be modified by agreement among all interested parties or prior approval from the ALJ for good cause shown:
a. A person who has submitted written testimony in this proceeding shall be made available for deposition. A person who has not submitted written testimony in this proceeding may be deposed on notice in accordance with 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.22, which notice shall identify the cause or reason why such deposition will be taken. Any party opposing a deposition shall have the burden to secure a protective order in accordance with 49 C.F.R. Sec. 1114.21(c). Any party seeking a ruling from the ALJ as to a deposition shall follow the procedures set forth below in Section F (Resolution of Disputes).
b. Each witness shall be deposed no more than one time, except (i) upon a showing of good cause to recall the witness for a second deposition due to a failure to timely produce a witness's documents or respond to other relevant discovery requests, and (ii) a witness who submits an additional verified statement after the witness's deposition in this proceeding may be deposed no more than one additional time regarding the content of the additional verified statement; and
c. For fact witnesses, no deposition shall be longer than one day of seven (7) hours. Parties shall use their best efforts to complete depositions as promptly as practicable. With respect to the deposition of any expert witness, the parties shall meet and confer regarding an extended hours cap on an expert-by-expert basis.
3. Counsel for interested parties shall use their best efforts to agree on a deposition date that is convenient for the witness and those interested parties that intend to participate in the examination of the witness.
4. The parties shall use the following procedure for scheduling depositions:
a. Any party wishing to examine a witness may serve notice of intent to depose the witness upon counsel to the party with whom that witness is affiliated and all parties of record.
b. Within 3 business days of the initial notice of intent to depose, if any party other than the noticing party wishes to depose the same witness, that party shall serve notice of intent to participate in the witness's deposition on all parties of record. The party with whom the witness is affiliated is not required to serve a notice of intent to participate in the witness's deposition.
c. Within 3 business days of the initial notice of intent to depose, counsel for the party with whom the witness is affiliated shall propose dates for the witness's deposition.
d. Counsel for all parties intending to depose the witness and counsel for the party with whom the witness is affiliated shall meet and confer to agree upon a date for the deposition. All parties shall coordinate with each other to ensure that no witness is deposed beyond what is permitted under Paragraph C.2.
5. Counsel for the parties that wish to participate in the deposition shall confer prior to the deposition to allocate examination time.
6. At least 10 business days before the date for a witness's deposition, the party with whom the witness is affiliated shall substantially complete production of the witness's custodial documents consistent with the party's discovery responses and objections and any orders of the ALJ or Board.
7. Any party who, after giving a notice of intent to examine, decides not to examine a witness, shall submit a written notice of such decision to counsel for the party with whom that witness is affiliated and to all parties of record no later than 2 business days prior to the date of the deposition.
8. All parties shall have access to and shall be entitled to use the transcript of any deposition (provided the use is otherwise consistent with the Protective Order), regardless of whether that party participated in the deposition.
D. Service
1. All discovery requests, objections, and motions to compel shall be served in the most expeditious manner possible, by e-mail on the ALJ, the party to which the requests, objections or motions are directed, and on all other parties of record. The parties shall not copy the ALJ on routine discovery correspondence, including any correspondence reflecting an agreement to modify or narrow the scope of the discovery requests, unless such correspondence requests a decision by the ALJ consistent with the procedures described in paragraph F.1.
2. Discovery responses shall be served by email upon all other parties of record in a manner consistent with the Protective Order. Discovery responses containing information designated as "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL" shall be served only in redacted form on parties who have not executed an appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order. To receive unredacted copies of discovery responses designated "CONFIDENTIAL" or "HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL," a representative of a party of record must first execute the appropriate undertaking to the Protective Order and then request such materials from the responding party in writing.
3. A party producing documents in response to a discovery request by another party shall provide written notice to all parties of record that it has produced documents responsive to a discovery request. The producing party shall make the produced documents available only to parties requesting in writing copies of such productions who have executed an appropriate undertaking pursuant to the Protective Order. To comply with this requirement, the responding party may maintain a digital repository of its discovery productions and provide access to that repository to the party requesting access.
E. Responses
1. All objections to discovery requests propounded after entry of these discovery guidelines shall be made within 5 business days from the date of service of the discovery request by means of a written objection containing a general statement of the basis for the objection. Interrogatory responses shall be made within 10 business days from the date of service of the interrogatory request.
2. The responding party may produce documents through reasonable digital means of its choosing, including through an FTP site or electronic document depository. The responding party shall endeavor to produce documents by placing those documents in its document depository or otherwise making them available within 21 days from the date of service of the discovery response. If the responding party is not able to produce such documents within the 21-day period, it shall contact the propounding party at the earliest possible time within the 21-day period and indicate its best judgment as to the date the documents will be provided.
F. Resolution of Disputes and Discovery Calendar
1. The ALJ will hold virtual discovery conferences every other Friday at 10:00 a.m. ET/ 9:00 a.m. CT (beginning June 26, 2026), which the ALJ anticipates will continue on a bi-weekly basis (as needed) through at least the end of December 2026. All parties shall attempt to resolve discovery disputes voluntarily (or significantly narrow the disputed issues) whenever possible and shall meet and confer regarding any such dispute before seeking a ruling from Administrative Law Judge Soulikias. However, if the party against whom relief is sought fails to meet and confer in good faith within four calendar days of the request, the party seeking relief may seek a ruling from the ALJ. Otherwise, discovery disputes will be presented via letter briefs to the ALJ filed with the Board in the public docket using the following procedures and deadlines:
a. Opening Letter Briefs. Opening letter briefs shall not exceed 5 pages single-spaced in a 12-point, standard font. Opening letter briefs shall be submitted by 6:00 p.m. ET the Thursday before the next scheduled bi-weekly conference (i.e., eight days before the hearing).
b. Supporting Letter Briefs. Any duplicative briefing may be struck from the record. Supporting letter briefs shall not exceed 3 pages single-spaced in a 12-point, standard font. Supporting letter briefs shall be submitted by 6:00 p.m. ET the Friday before the next scheduled bi-weekly conference (i.e., seven days before the hearing).
c. Opposition Letter Briefs. Opposition letter briefs shall not exceed 5 pages single-spaced in a 12-point, standard font. Opposition letter briefs shall be submitted by 6:00 p.m. ET the Tuesday before the hearing (i.e., three days before the hearing).
2. Letter to the ALJ. The following letter(s) must be sent to the ALJ by the set deadline.
a. Parties to the Discovery Dispute(s). No later than 6:00 p.m. ET on the Wednesday immediately preceding the conference, the moving party must send a letter to ALJ via email to the ALJ's inbox [alj.soulikias.inbox@stb.gov], with a copy to all parties. The letter will indicate whether the conference will be necessary, and if so, whether the issues have been narrowed and what remains to be resolved. If the parties to the dispute expect confidential or highly confidential material to be discussed, the letter should so state. At any discovery conference, those parties seeking and resisting discovery are expected to be represented by counsel authorized to speak for the party on the matter at issue. The letter to the ALJ will have the names of the individuals who are expected to be present at the hearing. This letter must also be filed with the Board in the public docket.
b. Other Parties Who Want to Attend. Any other party who has filed the required notice of intent (with the required certificate of service) and wants to attend by telephone, must send a letter via email to the ALJ's inbox [alj.soulikias.inbox@stb.gov] and copied to all parties no later than 12:00 p.m. ET on the Thursday immediately preceding the conference. The letter must indicate the party's name and contact information (i.e., phone number and email address). Letters from parties seeking to attend a discovery conference by telephone and providing contact information do not need to be filed with the Board in the public docket. For any discovery conference in which the moving party has stated that confidential or highly confidential material is expected to be discussed, a party seeking to attend the conference must also attach to their email a copy of the appropriate undertaking to the protective order issued in Docket No. FD 36873 signed by the person seeking to attend.
3. Additional Discovery Conference Information. To coordinate the discovery conferences and ensure the discovery conferences are conducted orderly:
a. In advance of the discovery conference, STB staff will advise the moving party to the discovery dispute of the videoconference and dial-in information. The moving party must make the videoconference and dial-in information available to the attending counsel for the other parties to the discovery dispute.
b. At her discretion, the ALJ may permit interested parties who are not involved in the discovery dispute to attend by video. The ALJ will request that STB staff advise representatives for such parties of the videoconference and dial-in information.
b. In advance of the discovery conference, STB staff will advise any non-moving party who submitted a timely letter to the ALJ inbox of the dial-in information, so the non-moving party may attend the discovery conference by telephone.
c. All discovery conference participants and telephone attendees are requested to join early. Once the ALJ starts the discovery conference, no additional telephone attendees will be admitted. Please MUTE your phone or device, unless you are speaking to the ALJ about the discovery dispute.
d. The ALJ will memorialize rulings made at the discovery conferences by a written order.
It is ordered:
1. The above set forth Discovery Guidelines shall apply in this matter.
2. This decision is effective on the date of service.
By the Board, Jenifer J. Soulikias, Administrative Law Judge.
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Original text here: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/DCMS_External_PROD/1781815556027/53135.pdf
NRC Schedules Public Outreach to Discuss Columbia Generating Station Performance
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release on June 18, 2026:
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NRC Schedules Public Outreach to Discuss Columbia Generating Station Performance
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold an informal public outreach session June 27 in Richland, Washington, to give local residents a clear look at how Columbia Generating Station performed in 2025. The event offers an opportunity for the public to speak one-on-one with NRC inspectors who evaluate the plant throughout the year.
The NRC's annual assessment found that the
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following news release on June 18, 2026:
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NRC Schedules Public Outreach to Discuss Columbia Generating Station Performance
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff will hold an informal public outreach session June 27 in Richland, Washington, to give local residents a clear look at how Columbia Generating Station performed in 2025. The event offers an opportunity for the public to speak one-on-one with NRC inspectors who evaluate the plant throughout the year.
The NRC's annual assessment found that theColumbia plant operated safely in 2025. However, for part of the year, the plant was under increased agency oversight due to two inspection findings of low safety significance related to occupational radiation safety. The NRC conducted a supplemental inspection in February and determined that the issues were properly corrected. As a result, the plant returned to normal oversight by the end of 2025.
The single-unit plant is operated by Energy Northwest and is located in Richland. The informal public outreach will take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Pacific time during the Cool Desert Nights community event at 1317 George Washington Way in Richland. NRC employees responsible for plant inspections, including the resident inspector based full-time at the site, will be available to answer questions at the event.
The agency evaluates plant performance using a color-coded system that tracks inspection findings and performance indicators. The annual assessment letter for the Columbia plant, including upcoming inspection plans, is available on the NRC website.
Current performance information for all U.S. reactors is also available and updated quarterly.
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created as an expert, technical agency to protect public health, safety, and security, and regulate the civilian use of nuclear materials, including enabling the deployment of nuclear power for the benefit of society. Among other responsibilities, the agency issues licenses, conducts inspections, initiates and enforces regulations, and plans for incident response. The NRC is collaborating with interagency partners to implement reforms outlined in new Executive Orders and the ADVANCE Act to streamline agency activities and enhance efficiency.
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Original text here: https://www.nrc.gov/sites/default/files/cdn/doc-collection-news/2026/26-011-iv.pdf
Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. Apartment Fraud Using Fake Government Job Offers
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia posted the following news release on June 17, 2026:
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Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. Apartment Fraud Using Fake Government Job Offers
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WASHINGTON -Tisha Lee, 38, a former contract employee for the U.S. Government Publishing Office, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme in which she used her position at the federal agency to create fake employment offer letters that individuals used to fraudulently rent District apartments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris
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WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia posted the following news release on June 17, 2026:
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Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty in D.C. Apartment Fraud Using Fake Government Job Offers
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WASHINGTON -Tisha Lee, 38, a former contract employee for the U.S. Government Publishing Office, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme in which she used her position at the federal agency to create fake employment offer letters that individuals used to fraudulently rent District apartments, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine FerrisPirro.
"Tisha Lee turned a federal government email address into a forgery shop, selling phony job offers so people could secure D.C. apartments they couldn't legitimately afford," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. "That's not a victimless con. It's a fraud on every landlord and every honest renter playing by the rules."
Lee, who resided Maryland, pleaded guilty June 16 before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of fraud in the second degree, in violation of D.C. Code section 3221(b). The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years' imprisonment, a $12,500 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for October 19.
According to court documents, Lee was a contract employee in the Human Capital section of the U.S. Government Publishing Office from March 2025 to March 2026, where she had no authority to issue or verify employment offers.
On at least 10 occasions, Lee used her government email account to send false offer letters on GPO letterhead to individuals seeking to rent apartments in the District, falsely representing that the recipients had been offered GPO positions with salaries ranging from about $85,500 to $207,500 a year.
When apartment management companies contacted Lee directly to verify the false employment claims, she confirmed them. At least one recipient used Lee's fraudulent letter to secure a lease at an apartment building in Southwest. Lee was paid by the scheme's beneficiaries.
The investigation was conducted by the D.C. Fraud Cell, Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations, Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Government Publishing Office, Office of Inspector General. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Deitch and Kevin Reddington.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/maryland-resident-pleads-guilty-dc-apartment-fraud-using-fake-government-job-offers
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: Research Sheds New Light on Laser Polarization Effects in NIF Experiments
LIVERMORE, California, June 19 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Research sheds new light on laser polarization effects in NIF experiments
Experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) require breathtaking precision. Each of the 192 lasers is focused to a width of a few millimeters to enter a 3-millimeter hole at the top or bottom of a 2-centimeter gold canister known as a hohlraum.
As they enter, the beams intersect in plasma and transfer power, a process known as crossed-beam
... Show Full Article
LIVERMORE, California, June 19 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Energy Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Research sheds new light on laser polarization effects in NIF experiments
Experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) require breathtaking precision. Each of the 192 lasers is focused to a width of a few millimeters to enter a 3-millimeter hole at the top or bottom of a 2-centimeter gold canister known as a hohlraum.
As they enter, the beams intersect in plasma and transfer power, a process known as crossed-beamenergy transfer (CBET). In designing a NIF inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiment, the scientists precisely tune the beams' wavelengths to balance power via CBET and achieve better symmetry.
Small changes in wavelength have delivered big results -- CBET is one key factor in achieving ignition on NIF. But what would be the effect of a more significant change in the laser architecture: namely, its polarization state? LLNL scientists have calculated that this change would make the optics more resilient to filamentation damage.
"This could mean that the NIF laser could be operated at higher power, but we also would need to understand what other effects such a change might cause," said LLNL physicist Pierre Michel, the paper's lead author. "In examining the effect on CBET, we found that circularly polarized light might cause less backscatter, which means less damage to the optics."
The results are reported in a new paper, "Laser polarization effects on crossed-beam energy transfer in inertial confinement fusion," (https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0335309) recently published as a feature article in Physics of Plasma. The authors are Michel, Albertine Oudin, Nuno Lemos, Annie Kritcher and Thomas Chapman.
The beams that enter the hohlraum at the same angle form cones where CBET occurs. Beam-to-beam variations in CBET, meaning that some beams enter with significantly higher or lower laser energy than other beams in their cone, can then trigger backscatter instabilities. This can cause increased damage to NIF's optics.
Michel and his team conducted simulations of CBET to compare the effects of linearly polarized light with the effects of circularly polarized light. They found that circularly polarized light improves CBET by reducing variations between beams within the same cone.
Implementing circular polarization at NIF is no simple matter. It would require a specialized waveplate element to reorient the electromagnetic field components of transmitted light.
"As of today, there is no known straightforward path to manufacture such a device (a quarter waveplate) at the aperture size and requirements needed for NIF. We're currently investigating potential fabrication methods including through our patented metasurface technology," said Jean-Michel Di Nicola, chief laser systems engineer at NIF and co-program director for Laser Science and System Engineering.
For Michel, the next steps are to validate the new theory of circularly-polarized CBET by doing dedicated experiments at a smaller scale facility (such as LLNL's Jupiter Laser Facility), while continuing to improve the simulation code by adding more physical effects.
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Original text here: https://www.llnl.gov/article/54566/research-sheds-new-light-laser-polarization-effects-nif-experiments
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Statement Regarding Treasury Securities Small Value Exercise
NEW YORK, June 19 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of New York issued the following statement on June 18, 2026:
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Statement Regarding Treasury Securities Small Value Exercise
The Open Market Trading Desk (the Desk) at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York undertakes small value transactions for the purpose of testing operational readiness to implement existing and potential policy directives from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) including testing trade execution platforms.
The FOMC authorizes and directs the Desk to conduct these exercises in the Authorizations and Continuing Directives
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NEW YORK, June 19 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of New York issued the following statement on June 18, 2026:
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Statement Regarding Treasury Securities Small Value Exercise
The Open Market Trading Desk (the Desk) at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York undertakes small value transactions for the purpose of testing operational readiness to implement existing and potential policy directives from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) including testing trade execution platforms.
The FOMC authorizes and directs the Desk to conduct these exercises in the Authorizations and Continuing Directivesfor Open Market Operations and Authorization for Foreign Currency Operations.
In connection with these authorizations, the Desk intends to conduct a small value Treasury purchase operation, which will occur on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 beginning around 9:00AM ET and ending at 9:20AM ET.
The purchase will not exceed a face value of $25 million and will be limited to Treasury Floating Rate Notes maturing between 1 month and 2 years from the date of operation.
Results will be posted on the New York Fed's website following the completion of the operation. The results will include the securities and total amounts accepted and submitted.
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Original text here: https://www.newyorkfed.org/markets/opolicy/operating_policy_260618b
CPSC Issues Recall Alert Involving Joolz Aer2 Car Seat Adapters for Joolz Aer 2 Stroller
WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following recall alert:
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Name of Product: Joolz Aer2 Car Seat Adapters for Joolz Aer 2 Stroller
Hazard: The recalled car seat adapters can fail to properly attach to the stroller, which may allow the car seat to fall, posing a risk of serious injury from a fall hazard.
Remedy: Refund
Recall Date: June 18, 2026
Units: About 3,840 (In addition, about 148 were sold in Canada)
Consumer Contact: Joolz Customer Service Team toll-free at 888-943-4889 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at http://joolzcarseatadapter.expertinquiry.com
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WASHINGTON, June 19 -- The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued the following recall alert:
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Name of Product: Joolz Aer2 Car Seat Adapters for Joolz Aer 2 Stroller
Hazard: The recalled car seat adapters can fail to properly attach to the stroller, which may allow the car seat to fall, posing a risk of serious injury from a fall hazard.
Remedy: Refund
Recall Date: June 18, 2026
Units: About 3,840 (In addition, about 148 were sold in Canada)
Consumer Contact: Joolz Customer Service Team toll-free at 888-943-4889 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at http://joolzcarseatadapter.expertinquiry.comor www.joolz.com and click "Product Recalls" at the bottom of the page for more information.
Recall Details
In Conjunction With:
Description: This recall involves the Aer2 Car Seat Adapters for Joolz Aer2 Strollers. The adapters are designed to transfer the car seat from a car to the stroller. The black adapters are sold in a set of two and are made of plastic. They are sold as accessories. Only the car seat adapters are involved in the recall; the stroller is not involved in the recall. A product identifier starting with NL311 can be found on the inside of the adapter.
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the Joolz Aer2 Car Seat Adapters immediately, detach them from the stroller and go to http://joolzcarseatadapter.expertinquiry.com to register for a full refund. The firm will provide a video on how to remove the Joolz Aer2 Car Seat Adapters from the stroller. Consumers must return the recalled adapter sets using the prepaid shipping label to receive a refund. Full refunds will be reimbursed via an electronic payment method or a virtual prepaid gift card to use anywhere.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received one report of the car seat adapters detaching from the strollers. No injuries have been reported.
Sold At: Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and specialty stores nationwide, and online at www.joolz.com, www.bloomingdales.com, www.nordstrom.com, and www.amazon.com from June 2025 to May 2026 for about $50.
Importer(s): Joolz USA Inc., of New York, New York
Manufactured In: China
Recall number: 26-568
Fast Track Recall
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Original text here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2026/Joolz-Recalls-Aer2-Car-Seat-Adapters-for-Strollers-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-from-Fall-Hazard
