Federal agencies

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission can approve large spaceflight projects on its own, including ventures that could visibly alter the night sky worldwide. Critics have voiced strong objections, but space law experts note there are few other regulatory avenues to challenge such approvals, making the agency's decisions effectively final.

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday asking the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency ignored the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy, reopening debate over how the FCC assesses environmental harm from commercial space ventures.

The New Jersey Department of Health has issued executive directives aimed at ensuring residents maintain access to influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and routine childhood vaccines. The directives instruct health providers and local agencies to continue offering immunizations regardless of shifting federal guidance. Officials frame the move as protecting seasonal vaccination efforts and childhood immunisation schedules, and the story is drawing attention in regional health coverage.

The Environmental Protection Agency says it will reconsider air quality rules at a time when Texas is dealing with sharply elevated diesel prices, described by some as a disaster. The move raises questions about whether federal emissions standards may be eased to relieve cost pressures on trucking and industry in the state.

A union representing US Environmental Protection Agency employees has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, seeking to restore its collective bargaining agreement. The legal action challenges efforts to strip away negotiated workplace protections at the agency. The case adds to a series of disputes between federal sector unions and the administration over labor rights and working conditions for government employees.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is set to purchase modified Boston Dynamics robot dogs under a $1.3 million contract, according to the Boston Globe. The deal puts the quadruped robots, originally developed by the Massachusetts robotics firm, into the hands of a federal immigration enforcement agency, raising questions about how the technology will be used.

A data breach at a Pentagon personnel agency has affected three million people, according to security reporting. The incident involves the US Defense Department's personnel records, making it one of the more significant federal data exposures disclosed recently. Details on how the breach occurred and what specific data was compromised have not yet been made public.

Federal agencies are quietly removing the so-called Trump 'loyalty question' from US government job applications. The move follows a federal judge's ruling earlier this month that the question, which asked applicants about their support for the administration's policies, is likely unconstitutional. Commenters are discussing the rollback as a sign of limits on politically charged hiring practices in the federal workforce.

Politico reports that Donald Trump has signed an executive order renaming artificial intelligence to 'super intelligence'. If confirmed, the move would change official US government terminology for the technology across federal agencies and policy documents. The reported order has drawn attention because of its unusual scope, rebranding a widely used scientific term by decree rather than through technical or legislative processes.

A subsidiary of Akiak has been awarded a $43 million bridge contract by the Defense Health Agency to provide Technology Life Cycle Support services. Bridge contracts are typically used to maintain continuity of services while a follow-on competitive procurement is completed. The award underscores continued federal investment in health IT support infrastructure, though details on the subsidiary and work scope have not been released.

US federal agencies are reportedly moving ahead with concrete decisions on quantum computing, covering adoption, procurement and preparedness for quantum-era cybersecurity. The development signals that quantum technology is shifting from research interest to operational planning across government, with agencies weighing both the opportunities of quantum systems and the security risks posed by future quantum decryption capabilities.