US expands online immigration filing options, touts faster processing and fraud checks

USCIS is expanding its online filing system to improve immigration application processing. (Unsplash)

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expanding its online filing system to improve immigration application processing, strengthen identity verification and enhance fraud detection and national security screening, the agency said in a recent announcement. USCIS is expanding its online filing system to improve immigration application processing. (Unsplash) In a post on X, USCIS … Read more

In 1910, Japans gift of 2,000 cherry trees to Washington was burned after pest checks, helping spur a new US plant-quarantine law

The first Japanese cherry trees sent to Washington in 1910 were burned after inspectors found pests. The episode strengthened support for the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912. Japan sent 3,020 replacement trees, two of which were planted on the Tidal Basin in 1912, beginning a lasting tradition. (Wikimedia Commons)

Every spring, Washington, D.C., turns pink and white, and crowds gather along the Tidal Basin to take photos. Few know that the first cherry trees Japan sent to the capital ended up in a bonfire. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the trees had to be destroyed because of an insect infestation. The incident helped … Read more

Trump claims his uncle invented radar; social media fact checks POTUS on Dr John Trump

US President Donald Trump claimed his uncle had invented the radar. (REUTERS)

President Donald Trump was fact-checked on social media after he claimed his uncle invented the radar. Trump made his comments on October 24 during early voting for the 2026 midterms in Palm Beach, Florida. US President Donald Trump claimed his uncle had invented the radar. (REUTERS) With wife Melania at his side, Trump said “My … Read more

Social Security October 2026 payment dates and steps to take if checks are delayed

Social Security October 2026 payment dates and steps to take if checks are delayed. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP) (Photo by Andrew Harnik / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)

Social Security recipients in the US generally receive their monthly payments on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of each month. The exact payment date depends on the recipient’s date of birth, according to Yahoo Finance. Social Security October 2026 payment dates and steps to take if checks are delayed. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP) (Photo by … Read more

Social Security October 14 payments: Who gets checks as 2027 COLA forecast hits 3.6%?

Social Security recipients await October 14 payments and the 2027 COLA announcement. (AFP)

Millions of Americans are set to receive their next Social Security payments on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Some retired workers may qualify for monthly checks worth up to $5,181. Social Security recipients await October 14 payments and the 2027 COLA announcement. (AFP) The October 14 payments will reach eligible Social Security recipients born between the … Read more

Trump $90 checks for seniors ahead of midterms: Who qualifies and which states get the most?

Trump announces $90 checks for seniors across the US ahead of the November midterm elections. (AP Photo)

US President Donald Trump has announced plans to send one-time payments of $90 to more than 20 million senior citizens in October. The payments are the latest government-funded cash giveaway announced by Trump ahead of the November midterm elections. Trump announces $90 checks for seniors across the US ahead of the November midterm elections. (AP … Read more

‘Will sign those checks’: Trump repeats $5,000 promise to US adults if Republicans win 2026 midterms

‘Will sign those checks’: Trump repeats $5,000 promise to US adults if Republicans win 2026 midterms

US President Donald Trump. US President Donald Trump has again promised to give every adult US citizen $5,000 if Republicans win control of both the House of Representatives and Senate in the November midterm elections.In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Trump repeated the pledge, writing: “If Republicans win the House of Representatives … Read more

Trump announces $90 checks for 20 million ‘wonderful’ people: Who are eligible for one-time payment?

Seniors eligible for Medicare Part B will receive a one-time $90 payment, funded by the Medicare Improvement Fund. (AP Photo)

President Donald Trump declared on Friday that more than 20 million “wonderful seniors” will get $90 checks this month to help with their Medicare premium payments. Seniors eligible for Medicare Part B will receive a one-time $90 payment, funded by the Medicare Improvement Fund. (AP Photo) Seniors who qualify for Medicare Part B coverage will … Read more

A Maryland homeowner received an unsolicited $234,368.25 check tied to an offer for her property; a state law that took effect on October 1 now bans sending such checks with unsolicited purchase offers

A Maryland homeowner received an unsolicited $234,368.25 check tied to an offer for her property; a state law that took effect on October 1 now bans sending such checks with unsolicited purchase offers

A homeowner in Parkville, a suburb of Baltimore, opened her mail one day to find an unexpected check for $234,368.25 (£176,000) made out to her. It was not a lottery prize or a bank mistake. Instead, it was a tactic used by a potential buyer who wanted to purchase her home without putting it on … Read more

Trump $500 Obamacare refund checks: Who will get the ACA payments in 30 states?

Trump announces $500 Obamacare refund checks for eligible Americans in 30 states. (REUTERS/Mike Blake) (REUTERS)

Nearly 1 million Americans are set to receive $500 Obamacare refund checks starting Sept. 30. The Trump administration says the payments are for people who were overcharged through the Affordable Care Act’s federal health insurance exchange. Trump announces $500 Obamacare refund checks for eligible Americans in 30 states. (REUTERS/Mike Blake) (REUTERS) More than 950,000 people … Read more