Zomi Press

20/08/2026

📰 NEW: 'The number of refugees admitted to the United States has fallen significantly during President Donald Trump’s second term in office and could hit its lowest level on RECORD this fiscal year'

20/08/2026

A GUITAR ACROSS GENERATIONS: A ZOMI LEGACY FINDS A HOME IN TULSA

TULSA, Oklahoma | August 19, 2026

A guitar handcrafted by Rev. Suan Khen Mung in Tedim around 1975 has been donated to Zomi Innkuan USA, Inc. for preservation and future display at the Zomi Innpi Museum in Tulsa.

Rev. Suan Khen Mung is a pastor, author and musician who also served for many years as General Secretary of the Zomi Christian Literature Society (ZCLS). His lifelong contributions to Christian ministry, literature and music have left a meaningful imprint on Zomi faith and cultural life.

The historic instrument was presented by his son, a well-known Zomi composer and singer Pa Vai, together with his family. Special appreciation was also extended to Pa Thang Mang and his family for helping transport the guitar from Yangon to Tulsa.

This is more than an old musical instrument. It is a living record of Zomi creativity, craftsmanship and love for music.

For generations, music has accompanied Zomi worship, family life, celebrations, times of sorrow and community gatherings. Through songs, the Zomi people have preserved their faith, memories and identity—even across migration and displacement.

The guitar’s arrival in the United States carries special meaning for the family. In their later years, Rev. Suan Khen Mung and his wife applied for U.S. visas but were not granted them. Although they could not make the journey themselves, a treasured legacy shaped by his own hands has now reached American soil.

His family described the guitar’s arrival as a mission fulfilled.

Now entrusted to Zomi Innpi, the instrument connects Tedim, Yangon and Tulsa. It tells the story of a father’s hands, a family’s love and a people whose music continues to resonate across generations.

The family expressed heartfelt gratitude to ZIUSA leader Pu Andrew Pau Lian Nun and all members of Zomi Innkuan USA for recognizing the guitar’s cultural significance and receiving it with honor.

The guitar may no longer sound exactly as it did five decades ago—but it still speaks.

It speaks of Zomi artistry.
It speaks of faith and family.
It speaks of a people determined to preserve their history.

Read more: https://zomipress.com/a-guitar-across-generations-rev-suan-khen-mungs-handcrafted-legacy-finds-a-home-at-zomi-innpi

18/08/2026

🚨 U.S. SANCTIONS ICC PRESIDENT AS NETANYAHU DISPUTE ESCALATES

WASHINGTON / THE HAGUE | August 18, 2026

The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court President Judge Tomoko Akane and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, escalating Washington’s confrontation with the international court.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the two officials had directly participated in ICC efforts to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute officials whose governments had not consented to ICC jurisdiction.

Seye is particularly connected to the Netanyahu case: he served on the ICC prosecution team involved in proceedings against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

⚖️ THE NETANYAHU CONNECTION

On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and then-Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Gaza.

The allegations remain allegations—not convictions. Israel rejects the accusations and disputes the ICC’s jurisdiction.

Importantly, ICC President Tomoko Akane did not personally apply for or single-handedly issue Netanyahu’s warrant. The warrant application came from the Prosecutor’s office, and the warrant was issued by ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I.

🇺🇸 THE U.S. POSITION

Neither the United States nor Israel is a party to the Rome Statute.

Washington argues that the ICC should not be able to prosecute nationals of countries that never consented to its jurisdiction.

🌐 THE ICC POSITION

The ICC argues that nationality is not the only basis for jurisdiction.

The Court maintains that it can prosecute alleged crimes committed within territory under its jurisdiction even when the accused is a national of a non-member country.

The ICC says its jurisdiction in the Palestine situation extends to Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

🔥 WHY THIS MATTERS

This is therefore much bigger than Netanyahu.

The confrontation raises fundamental questions about:

▪️ National sovereignty
▪️ International criminal jurisdiction
▪️ Judicial independence
▪️ Accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity
▪️ The power of U.S. economic sanctions
▪️ The future authority of the ICC

The ICC condemned Washington’s latest action, warning that threatening judicial officials for applying the law puts the international legal order at risk.

Meanwhile, the U.S. sanctions do not cancel Netanyahu’s ICC arrest warrant. The warrant remains a judicial action of the Court unless the ICC itself withdraws, vacates or modifies it.

The larger question is becoming increasingly significant:

Can an international court prosecute citizens of countries that never joined it when alleged crimes occurred on territory over which that court claims jurisdiction?

Washington says the ICC has exceeded its authority.

The ICC says the Rome Statute gives it territorial jurisdiction.

That legal and geopolitical battle is now entering a new stage.

🔎 Read the full Zomi Press Policy Explainer:
ZomiPress.com

Zomi Press | Beyond News & Views

16/08/2026

🚨 TPS STATUS UPDATE — AUGUST 16, 2026 🇺🇸

The U.S. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) landscape has changed significantly. Here is the Zomi Press verified status tracker based primarily on current USCIS/DHS information.

🔴 TPS TERMINATED — 12 COUNTRIES

1. 🇦🇫 Afghanistan — July 21, 2025
2. 🇨🇲 Cameroon — Aug. 4/5, 2025
3. 🇳🇵 Nepal — Aug. 5, 2025
4. 🇭🇳 Honduras — Sept. 8, 2025
5. 🇳🇮 Nicaragua — Sept. 8, 2025
6. 🇻🇪 Venezuela — Oct./Nov. 2025*
7. 🇾🇪 Yemen — July 20, 2026
8. 🇭🇹 Haiti — July 27, 2026
9. 🇸🇾 Syria — July 27, 2026
10. 🇲🇲 Burma (Myanmar) — Aug. 7, 2026
11. 🇸🇸 South Sudan — Aug. 7, 2026
12. 🇸🇴 Somalia — Aug. 14, 2026

*Venezuela had separate 2021 and 2023 TPS designations with different termination dates.

🟠 COURT-BLOCKED — 1 COUNTRY

13. 🇪🇹 Ethiopia

DHS sought to terminate Ethiopia TPS effective Feb. 13, 2026, but a federal court stayed the termination. Therefore, Ethiopia should NOT currently be counted as effectively terminated.

🟡 TERMINATION PENDING — 3 COUNTRIES

14. 🇸🇻 El Salvador — scheduled for Sept. 9, 2026
15. 🇺🇦 Ukraine — scheduled for Oct. 19, 2026
16. 🇸🇩 Sudan — scheduled for Oct. 19, 2026

These countries still have TPS protections today, but DHS has announced future termination dates.

🟢 ACTIVE — 1 COUNTRY

17. 🇱🇧 Lebanon — TPS currently extended through Nov. 27, 2026

⸻

🇲🇲 IMPORTANT FOR THE ZOMI & MYANMAR COMMUNITY

Burma/Myanmar TPS is now TERMINATED.

DHS originally scheduled Burma TPS to end on Jan. 26, 2026, but federal litigation delayed implementation.

Following subsequent court developments and updated federal guidance, USCIS now states that:

🔴 Burma/Myanmar TPS terminated effective AUGUST 7, 2026.

This is especially important because older posts and documents may still show January 26 or describe Burma TPS as temporarily protected by litigation.

August 7, 2026 is the current controlling termination date reported by USCIS.

📊 TPS COUNT — AUGUST 16, 2026

🔴 Terminated: 12 countries
🟠 Court-blocked: 1 country
🟡 Termination pending: 3 countries
🟢 Active: 1 country

⚠️ IMPORTANT: TPS termination does not automatically mean every national of that country must immediately leave the United States.

Some individuals may have another lawful status, pending asylum, granted asylum, adjustment of status, another employment-authorization category, withholding/CAT protection, or another immigration process.

Individual cases are different. Anyone affected should verify their personal immigration status and seek qualified immigration legal assistance when necessary.

📌 Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) / Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official TPS notices and implementation updates.

Status verified: August 16, 2026

Zomi Press | Beyond News & Views

14/08/2026

RESTORING AMERICA'S MARITIME DOMINANCE. 🇺🇸🚢

Today, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum to decisively usher in a new Maritime Golden Age, expand commercial shipbuilding capacity, build a resilient workforce, and revitalize a crucial industry.

14/08/2026

🚨 BREAKING: TYSON FOODS TO CLOSE TWO U.S. FACILITIES, SEEK BUYER FOR THIRD

August 13, 2026 | Zomi Press

Tyson Foods has announced another major restructuring of its U.S. beef business as the American cattle industry struggles with one of its most severe supply shortages in decades.

The company confirmed Thursday that it will:

🔴 Close its beef facility in Joslin, Illinois
🔴 Close its case-ready beef facility in Eagle Mountain, Utah
🟠 Seek a buyer for its beef facility in Pasco, Washington
🟢 Concentrate its core beef operations around Dakota City, Nebraska; Holcomb, Kansas; and Amarillo, Texas

Tyson says the changes are intended to create a more efficient beef-processing network while dealing with what it describes as one of the most historic cattle shortages the United States has experienced. (Tyson Foods)

🐄 WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

U.S. cattle supplies have fallen to approximately a 75-year low. Prolonged drought, shrinking cattle herds and disruptions involving Mexican cattle imports have contributed to the shortage.

With fewer cattle available, meatpackers must pay substantially more for livestock. Tyson says its beef business is now expected to record an adjusted operating loss of approximately $500 million to $650 million in fiscal 2026. (Reuters)

👷 WHAT ABOUT THE WORKERS?

The human impact could be significant.

The latest restructuring follows Tyson’s January shutdown of its huge Lexington, Nebraska beef plant, which employed approximately 3,200 workers. Tyson also previously reduced operations in Amarillo, affecting roughly 1,700 workers.

For the newly announced restructuring, Tyson has not yet disclosed the total number of workers who will ultimately be affected across Illinois, Utah and Washington. The company says it will help affected employees apply for available positions at other Tyson facilities. (Reuters)

⚠️ WHY THIS MATTERS TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

Large meatpacking facilities are more than factories. In many American communities, they provide employment for immigrant and refugee families and support surrounding housing, restaurants, churches, schools, stores and other local businesses.

When thousands of jobs disappear, the economic consequences can spread throughout an entire community.

There is currently no verified public figure showing how many Zomi workers are employed at the newly affected Tyson facilities, so Zomi Press will not speculate.

However, we will continue monitoring the situation for any confirmed impact on Zomi families and communities, as well as information about layoffs, worker assistance and employment opportunities.

📌 IMPORTANT: Tyson Foods itself is NOT shutting down.

This is a restructuring of its beef-processing network. Tyson remains one of America’s largest food companies and continues major operations in beef, chicken, pork and prepared foods.

The bigger story is about the changing American beef industry: historically low cattle supplies, rising livestock costs, expensive beef for consumers, processing-plant consolidation—and thousands of workers whose livelihoods may be affected.

🔎 Zomi Press will continue following this developing story.

Zomi Press — Beyond News & Views.

11/08/2026

The Future of Zotuallai | PRESERVING THE ZOMI NATIVE SCRIPT

Our language is the heartbeat of our identity, and our script is the vessel that carries it to the next generation. We are proud to highlight the Zomi Native Script Writing Course that officially commenced on August 10, 2026, under the State Government.

This initiative is more than a class—it is a commitment to the standardization and preservation of "Zotuallai." By mastering our own writing system, we ensure that the Zomi voice remains clear, systematic, and strong for years to come.

Let’s celebrate the teachers and students dedicated to keeping our cultural flame alive.

Read the full article https://zomipress.com/zomi-native-script-writing-course-begins-in-chin-state

11/08/2026

ZOMI NATIVE SCRIPT WRITING COURSE BEGINS IN CHIN STATE

August 10, 2026 | Zogam, Myanmar

Under the leadership of the Chin State Government, the Zomi Native Script Writing Course officially commenced on August 10, 2026.

The training aims to strengthen the systematic learning, correct writing, and practical use of the Zomi Native Script. Participants are being introduced to the fundamental principles of the script, proper writing methods, and practical applications through classroom instruction and hands-on exercises.

The course director, instructors, and teachers are providing guidance to participants from various departments and professional backgrounds, helping them develop greater knowledge and proficiency in reading and writing the Zomi Native Script also known as the “Zotuallai.”

The training is an important initiative toward strengthening the knowledge and practical use of the script and contributing to its preservation, development, standardization, and transmission to future generations.

Preserving a native script is more than preserving letters and symbols—it is also about safeguarding a people’s language, cultural heritage, knowledge, and identity for generations to come.

📸 Photos: Course director, instructors, teachers, and participants during the Zomi Native Script Writing Course.

Read more https://zomipress.com/zomi-native-script-writing-course-begins-in-chin-state

11/08/2026

The Zomi existed before registration, before colonialism, before any map 🗺️ or boundary. Their ancestors didn’t register their bloodline—they lived it.

And the Zomi people inherit that legacy today, not through paperwork, but through blood and history.

10/08/2026