Press releases

NASA Assigns Astronaut Deniz Burnham to First Space Station Mission

NASA has assigned astronaut Deniz Burnham to her first mission to the International Space Station as an Expedition 76 flight engineer. She is scheduled to launch in March 2027 aboard a Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft to conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations.

BLM to Temporarily Close Ennis Lake Road

Home Info Press Releases Press Releases The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement actions with former employee of Regions Bank and former employee of First Interstate Bank

Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement actions with former employee of Regions Bank and former employee of First Interstate Bank

Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with Iuka Bancshares, Inc. and The Iuka State Bank

Federal Reserve Board issues enforcement action with Iuka Bancshares, Inc. and The Iuka State Bank

Starburst Galaxy Centaurus A

NASA released a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) showing the dusty structures and activity within the nearby galaxy Centaurus A.

SEC Announces Continuation of Small Business Advisory Committee Meeting

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee meeting held on July 21, 2026, will reconvene August 6, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET, virtually, on SEC.gov. The committee will…

US Department of Labor awards $5.6M to serve eligible individuals in Florida communities impacted by Spirit Airlines closure

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of $5.6 million to the Florida Department of Commerce to support employment and training services for eligible individuals in communities impacted by the closure of Spirit Airlines. The abrupt closure of Spirit Airlines Inc. on May 2, 2026, displaced more than 5,000 workers in Florida and triggered related layoffs at aircraft cleaning, fueling, ramp services, concessions, food service, retail, ground transportation, airport logistics, and security service providers. To date, an additional 223 workers have received Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices, with further layoffs expected as aviation-dependent businesses continue to adjust operations.“The National Dislocated Worker Grant to support Floridians in the wake of the Spirit Airlines closure empowers dislocated workers with rapid, employer-driven reskilling pathways to quickly secure new, high-wage jobs,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling. “This critical funding will support the Florida Department of Commerce’s ongoing efforts to ensure all impacted workers have a smooth pathway back into a mortgage-paying career.”Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, this National Dislocated Worker Grant will allow the Florida Department of Commerce to provide retraining and skills development services for dislocated workers seeking assistance in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Orange counties.Authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants provide a state or local board with funding for direct services and assistance in areas experiencing a major economic dislocation event that leads to workforce needs exceeding available resources. Explore Labor Department resources for job seekers.To connect with former Spirit Airlines employees or contractors who have found new employment or upskilling opportunities, reach out to one of the media contacts listed below.

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report

In the week ending July 25, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 197,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 187,000 to 188,000. The 4-week moving average was 202,750, a decrease of 5,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 207,500 to 207,750.

US Department of Labor cites Maine hardwood pulp mill more than $700K for exposing workers to chemical hazards

AUGUSTA, ME – A federal investigation into the release of a deadly gas at a Baileyville-based wood pulp mill found that the employer exposed workers to safety and health hazards that resulted in the death of two workers.The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that on Jan. 27, 2026, Woodland Pulp LLC workers were performing a cold weather shutdown causing exposure to high concentrations of deadly, uncontrolled, hydrogen sulfide gas. Two employees died from the exposure.OSHA also investigated a March 7, 2026, chemical fire at Woodland Pulp that started after the employer released 4,400 gallons of 50 percent hydrogen peroxide that mixed with wood pulp that had accumulated on the ground. Woodland Pulp received four willful citations for exposing workers to deadly hydrogen sulfide gas levels without proper alarms or breathing devices and allowing overflow wood pulp to build up in storage areas. The employer also received eight serious citations for lack of worker training on hydrogen peroxide risks; failure to conduct medical evaluations and fit tests for respirator users; and neglecting to label chlorine and acid lines, or control hydrogen sulfide exposure risks. OSHA proposed $794,456 in penalties.The employer has been inspected 13 times since 2017 resulting in 13 serious and one other-than-serious citation, including an inspection started in 2017 when 14 employees were taken to the hospital after a chemical exposure in the same area covered by the current inspections.The company has 15 business days from receipt of their citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Hydrogen sulfide, also known as H2S and sewer gas, is a colorless gas known for its powerful rotten egg odor. It is extremely flammable and highly toxic. Used or produced in several industries, hydrogen sulfide also occurs naturally in sewers, manure pits, well water, and oil and gas wells. Visit OSHA’s website for more information on how hydrogen sulfide can affect your health, and how to prevent harmful exposures.Visit OSHA’s website for information on developing a workplace safety and health program. Employers can also contact the agency for information about OSHA’s compliance assistance resources and for free help on complying with OSHA standards.

Federal court order requires 4 Detroit-metro Leo’s Coney Island franchises, owner to pay $515K in back wages, damages to 143 workers

DETROIT – The U.S. Department of Labor has obtained a consent judgment requiring the owner of four Leo’s Coney Island franchises in Clarkston, Dearborn, Livonia, and Sterling Heights to pay more than $500,000 in owed overtime wages and damages to 143 employees. The consent judgment resolves the department’s case alleging that the four Leo’s Coney Island franchise locations and owner Kiriakos Vlahadamis paid workers straight-time rates for all hours worked when they were legally obligated to pay them time-and-one-half their regular rate of pay for all hours over 40 in a workweek as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Investigators with the department’s Wage and Hour Division alleged that the defendants maintained two sets of timecards for employees to separate regular hours worked up to 40 per week from any overtime hours worked each week. The division’s investigators also alleged that the timecards tracking overtime hours were regularly destroyed. Entered May 26, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, the judgment requires Vlahadamis and the four Leo’s franchises – Sterling Ponds LLC, doing business as Leo’s Coney Island #61; Clarkston Restaurant Inc., doing business as Leo’s Coney Island #22; Dearborn Plaza Coney Island Inc., doing business as Leo’s Coney Island #41; and Stass Restaurant Inc., doing business as Leo’s Coney Island #38 – to pay 143 employees $515,857 in overtime wages and damages.The consent judgment also requires the defendants to pay $73,784 in penalties. Finally, the defendants paid $10,000 in attorney fees to resolve a contempt petition alleging Vlahadamis and Sterling Ponds LLC violated a 2018 consent judgment requiring compliance with the FLSA.Workers and employers can call the division with questions and requests for compliance assistance at its toll-free helpline, 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Employers are encouraged to use the agency’s industry-specific compliance assistance toolkits to learn about their responsibilities under the laws enforced by the division. The agency’s PAID program offers employers an opportunity to self-report and resolve potential FLSA minimum wage and overtime violations, as well as certain potential violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act.Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including a search tool that workers can use if they think they may be owed back wages collected by the division. Download the agency’s free timesheet app for iOS and Android devices to track hours and pay.

NASA Johnson Interns Shaping the Future of Exploration

NASA highlights the contributions of interns at the Johnson Space Center who are gaining hands-on experience in fields such as strategic communications, AI, and machine learning to support human spaceflight missions. The agency showcases how these students are developing skills and contributing to real-world projects like the Moon Base Program and the Orion spacecraft.

APOD: 2026 July 30 – Red Sun trough Wildfire Smoke

NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day features a photograph of the Sun appearing red and dim due to wildfire smoke acting as a natural solar filter in British Columbia. The image highlights how smoke particles scatter light and reveals active solar regions like sunspot group AR 4493.