1. American Hikers Freed From Iranian Prison. Two Americans who were held in Iran on espionage charges have been released into the custody of the government of Oman. Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer were arrested in 2009 along with Sarah Shourd, who was released in mid-September of 2010. Organizing their release was complicated by the fact that Iran and the United States do not have diplomatic relations. The three have maintained their innocence since their arrest, saying that they crossed the unmarked Iraq-Iran border by accident while hiking in the area. Fattal and Bauer will spend several days in the custody of the Omani government before continuing to the United States. (Source: CNN)

2. Palestinians Push U.N. for Recognition. In an unprecedented move, the Palestinian National Authority asked the United Nations to recognize a Palestinian state on Sept. 16. The move would upgrade the Palestinians’ seat at the United Nations General Assembly from a non-voting observer to a voting member, able to propose and vote on resolutions, among other privileges. Over 120 nations currently recognize a Palestinian state. The U.S. has threatened to veto the resolution in the U.N. Security Council, saying that only negotiations with Israel can bring about a Palestinian state. (Source: BBC)

3. Typhoon Hits Japan. Typhoon Roke has hit Japan, killing 10 people and causing widespread flooding and landslides. The storm is threatening areas that were severely affected by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake earlier this year, where cleanup and recovery efforts are still continuing. The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is also in the projected path of the typhoon. Though the crisis at the nuclear plant is more contained than before, it is unknown how much damage may be done to the facility. Approximately 330,000 people have been ordered to evacuate before the storm. (Source: BBC)

4. Flooding in China Kills 57. Record flooding inundated central China, with as many as 12 million people impacted. Fifty-seven people were reported dead, and 600,000 were evacuated from flood zones. The Sichuan, Henan and Shaanxi provinces in China were most affected by the flooding. Dramatic video showed rivers out of their banks, sweeping away many properties along major waterways. Rescue personnel have had difficulty reaching people trapped by floodwaters. Initial estimates put the total damage and economic losses at US $2.7 billion. (Source: BBC)

5. NASA Prepares for Satellite Impact with Earth. The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is expected to collide with Earth around Sept. 24 – but where exactly it will come down remains a mystery. Projections by NASA place the satellite anywhere between latitude 57 degrees north and 57 degrees south, which covers nearly the entire global population. The satellite is expected to break apart, but 26 separate pieces of debris could survive reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere, which could spread across 300 miles. However, taking into account unpopulated areas and oceans where the satellite debris may fall, there is only a 1/3200 chance of human injury. (Source: BBC)