Hurricane Lala passed south of Hawaii’s Big Island with 75 mph winds as forecasters warned of life-threatening flooding, mudslides, damaging winds and dangerous surf across the island chain.

USCIS will require new editions of Forms I-539 and I-765 beginning Sept. 15, 2026. Older editions submitted on or after that date will be rejected, with no grace period.

The White House alleges that Chinese products are being routed through more than 40 countries to avoid U.S. tariffs, potentially costing the government $19 billion to $26 billion annually. However, not all third-country manufacturing or trade constitutes illegal transshipment.

USCIS says 11 people have been charged in a nationwide scheme that allegedly arranged more than 1,000 sham marriages over more than a decade, with some foreign nationals paying as much as $100,000 to obtain U.S. immigration benefits.

Kīlauea began its 53rd lava-fountaining episode on August 12, with fountains rising 80 to 100 feet above Halemaʻumaʻu crater. USGS says the eruption remains confined to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and does not currently threaten nearby communities.

U.S. nationals represented 23% of investment-migration applications processed by Henley & Partners in 2024, while the firm’s American client numbers increased more than 1,000% from 2019, highlighting growing interest among wealthy Americans in overseas residency options.

India’s Parliament has passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, paving the way for Kerala to officially become “Keralam,” the name traditionally used for the state in Malayalam.

UNESCO says an estimated 2.4 million Afghan girls are now excluded from secondary education, five years after the Taliban returned to power, reversing decades of progress in girls’ schooling.

Indonesia is confronting renewed forest and land-fire risks as dry-season conditions increase the threat of peat fires and smoke haze spreading across parts of Southeast Asia.

A wildfire has burned about 176 hectares of Mount Bromo in East Java, prompting authorities to close the popular Indonesian national park while helicopters and hundreds of responders battle the flames.

The World Bank projects China’s economy to grow 4.2% in 2026, supported by policy stimulus, infrastructure investment and resilient technology-related exports, while weaker consumer confidence and property-sector pressures remain challenges.

Japan and the United States are advancing a strategic investment initiative that could provide up to $550 billion in investments, loans and guarantees for projects aimed at strengthening critical supply chains and industrial cooperation.

Iran has linked the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to a broad set of political and security demands, reducing hopes for a quick return to normal shipping despite progress in talks with Oman. Iran and Oman are continuing negotiations over safe and stable navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, as shipping companies remain cautious amid security concerns and evolving transit conditions.

India’s Finance Ministry says UPI will remain free for consumers and person-to-person payments, while any future merchant charges would be limited, threshold-based and apply only to select transactions.