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Two years after fall of Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans languish in limbo, waiting for US visas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Shukria Sediqi knew her days in safety were numbered. As a journalist who advocated for women’s rights, she’d visited shelters and safe houses to talk to women who had fled abusive husbands. She went with them to court when they asked for a divorce.According to the Taliban, who bar women from most public places, jobs and education, her work was immoral.So when the Taliban swept into her hometown of Herat in western Afghanistan in August 2021 as the U.S. was pulling out of the country, she and her family fled, eventually making their way to Pakistan.The goal? Resettling in the U.S. via an American government program set up to help Afghans at risk under the Taliban because of their work with the U.S. government, media and aid agencies.But two years after the U.S. left Afghanistan, Sediqi and tens of thousands of others are still waiting. While there has been some recent progress, processing U.S. visas for Afghans has moved...

Two years after fall of Kabul, tens of thousands of Afghans languish in limbo waiting for US visas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, Shukria Sediqi knew her days in safety were numbered. As a journalist who advocated for women’s rights, she’d visited shelters and safe houses to talk to women who had fled abusive husbands. She went with them to court when they asked for a divorce.According to the Taliban, who bar women from most public places, jobs and education, her work was immoral.So when the Taliban swept into her hometown of Herat in western Afghanistan in August 2021 as the U.S. was pulling out of the country, she and her family fled. First they tried to get on one of the last American flights out of Kabul. Then they tried to go to Tajikistan but had no visas. Finally in October 2021, after sleeping outside for two nights at the checkpoint into Pakistan among crowds of Afghans fleeing the Taliban, she and her family made it into the neighboring country. The goal? Resettling in the U.S. via an American government program set up to help...

Teachable moments galore for Vikings in preseason loss to Seahawks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

It wasn’t pretty. The preseason opener rarely is and this was no exception.That said, the Vikings got better on Thursday night at Lumen Field, even if they struggled down the stretch in a 24-13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.As expected, head coach Kevin O’Connell rested most of his starters, including but not limited to quarterback Kirk Cousins, running back Alexander Mattison, receivers Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn, tight end T.J. Hockenson, nearly every starter in the trenches, edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport, linebackers Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah, cornerback Byron Murphy, and safety Harrison Smith.That left a ton of of reps for young players trying to make a name for themselves. The results were a mixed bag with a lot of ups and downs over the course of 60 minutes.The biggest standout for the Vikings was running back Ty Chandler. He looked explosive throughout the game, finishing with 11 carries for 41 yards despite the fact that there wasn&#...

Catastrophic Russian troop losses in Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

Russia has lost a quarter of a million soldiers in Ukraine: the Ukrainian army keeps inflicting huge damage on Russian troops, Dispatches, IFBG.The destruction of the Russian army in Ukraine is proceeding at a shocking pace. The number of Russian military dead in the war has already reached more than a quarter of a million (250 thousand).For the third month in a row, the Ukrainian army has been breaking records in destroying Russian troops' equipment, in particular artillery, MLRS and air defence equipment, which are deployed in the second and third lines of defence. The Russian army continues to steadily lose combat capability.The Ukrainian armed forces are confidently grinding down the potential of the Russian army, which is fighting with Soviet-style equipment. Today, the Ukrainian army is purposefully disrupting logistics in the rear of the Russian-occupied territories, which unambiguously reduces the combat potential of Russian servicemen in the area of the Ukrainian counteroff...

Apparent Native American remains found by construction workers in Davis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

(FOX40.COM) — The Davis Police Department said skeletal remains found near the Veteran's Memorial Center in Davis on Wednesday were confirmed by an anthropologist to be "Native American in nature."According to a Facebook post by the department, police said officers and officials from the Yolo County Coroner’s Office responded to the Veterans Memorial Center after a report of skeletal remains found. War of words continues between Mayor Steinberg, DA Thien Ho Police said the remains were located by workers while they were digging a trench for the placement of a new fire hydrant. An anthropologist helped coroner's officials determine that the remains “appeared to be archaeological/Native American in nature."   Human remains found in car pulled from California Delta in San Joaquin County Police said the coroner’s office is in contact with the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) to determine the proper actions regarding how to handle and what to do with the rem...

Outside Lands music festival sold out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Outside Lands kicks off on Friday at Golden Gate Park. The three-day music festival in San Francisco is expected to draw some 75,000 attendees per day.Crews put the finishing touches on at Golden Gate Park Thursday – the eve of the 15th annual Outside Lands music festival."We can't wait to get the gates open and have everyone come in,” said Outside Lands co-founder Allen Scott. Regulators approve expansion of SF driverless car service Scott is expecting a large crowd. More than 225,000 tickets have been sold. Headliners include Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion, the Foo Fighters, and Zedd. And new this year, festival-goers can enjoy the new club “Dolores.”"It's an open-air dance space that celebrates the queer and trans community that is so vital to San Francisco's culture, and we are partnering with three local queer promoters, each programming is a different day. That is going to be a lot of fun and I think you may find me there,” Scot...

España clasifica a semifinales del Mundial de fútbol femenino tras vencer a Países Bajos

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

(CNN) — España se convirtió en la primera selección clasificada para las semifinales del Mundial de fútbol femenino tras vencer a Países Bajos por 2 a 1 en Wellington.Japón y Suecia se enfrentarán en su choque de cuartos de final en Auckland a las 3:30 a.m. hora de Miami. El resultado determinará quién se enfrentará a La Roja en la próxima etapa.La española Salma Paralluelo celebra con sus compañeras tras marcar el segundo gol de su equipo durante el partido contra Países en Wellington, Nueva Zelandia, el 11 de agosto. (Crédito: Maja Hitij /FIFA/Getty Images)Tras un empate 1 a 1 en el tiempo reglamentario, el partido fue a tiempo extra. En la segunda mitad del tiempo complementario la delantera española  Salma Paralluelo metió el gol que clasificó a las españolas y dejó fuera a las holandesas, semifinalistas en la edición de de 2019.Puedes seguir ttoda la información sobre el Mundial de fútbol femenino aquí.The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warn...

QB C.J. Stroud shaky in preseason debut as Texas beat Patriots 20-9

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — C.J. Stroud had a short and at times shaky NFL debut, Davis Mills threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tank Dell and the Houston Texans beat the New England Patriots 20-9 in the teams’ preseason opener Thursday night. Stroud, drafted second overall out of Ohio State, played the first two series and went 2 of 4 for 13 yards with an interception. He rushed twice for 6 yards and was sacked once.Mills — who started 15 games last season — took over for Stroud and finished 9 of 12 for 99 yards while playing the balance of the opening half. His touchdown pass capped a seven-play, 62-yard drive that ended with Dell juggling and pulling in the score from his back.Dalton Keene added a 1-yard touchdown run and Case Keenum had a 5-yard TD pass to Alex Bachman.The Patriots gave most of their projected starters the night off, including quarterback Mac Jones. Backup Bailey Zappe started in his place and went 12 of 14 for 79 yards, playing the entire first half and one s...

Drew Lock throws 2 touchdown passes to lead Seahawks to a 24-13 win over Vikings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Drew Lock threw a pair of touchdowns passes, including a 19-yard strike to Jake Bobo late in the third quarter, and the Seattle Seahawks beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-13 on Thursday night in the preseason opener for both teams.With starting quarterback Geno Smith serving as a spectator – along with most of the starters for both teams – Lock showed that the Seahawks should feel comfortable about their backup QB.Lock completed 17 of 24 passes for 191 yards. His one mistake was a tipped pass intercepted by Minnesota’s Jaylin Williams in the third quarter. Lock threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Easop Winston Jr. in the first half, and gave Seattle a 17-13 lead by hitting Bobo in the final seconds of the third quarter. Bobo badly beat Andrew Booth Jr. off the line of scrimmage and hauled in pass near the goal line.Bobo has impressed during training camp and could be the latest undrafted rookie wide receiver to earn a spot on Seattle’s roster.Third-string QB Holton Ahlers a...

Real Madrid goalkeeper Courtois will need surgery after tearing knee ligament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:15 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid was dealt a major blow on Thursday when goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois tore a ligament in his left knee, just two days before the team’s first game of the season.The club said its star goalkeeper will require surgery, meaning he will likely be out for a large part of the campaign.“You never expect to go through something like this, but now it’s time to accept it and do everything possible to overcome it and come back even stronger,” Courtois said on his social media accounts. “Thank you all for the energy, love and encouragement, I assure you that they motivate me to recover as quickly as possible.”The injury, which occurred during training, comes after an offseason that featured the exit of veteran striker Karim Benzema.Newly signed midfielder Arda Güler also won’t be available for some time — reportedly several weeks — because of a knee problem that will also likely require surgery.The 31-year-old Courtois has been a pillar of Madrid’s succ...