House passes bill to expand and accelerate visa process for Afghans who helped Americans
CBSN
Washington — The House on Thursday passed a bill to expand and accelerate the special immigrant visa process for Afghans who helped Americans forces who are stranded in the country as the U.S. prepares to withdraw combat troops by August 31.
The House's bill would eliminate excess paperwork and increase the number of visas granted to eligible Afghans. Afghans who fear retribution from the Taliban after working alongside American forces are placing their hopes on the Biden administration's promise of evacuations. But even if evacuated, applicants still need to complete the full SIV process, which can take years to finish.A cybercriminal group claims it stole personal data belonging to more than 500 million Ticketmaster customers. Although the event ticketing service, owned by Live Nation Entertainment, hasn't confirmed the attack, security experts warn that it could put users of the platform at risk for a range of scams.
Two climbers were waiting to be rescued near the peak of Denali, a colossal mountain that towers over miles of vast tundra in southern Alaska, officials said Wednesday. Originally part of a three-person team that became stranded near the top of the mountain, the climbers put out a distress call more than 30 hours earlier suggesting they were hypothermic and unable to descend on their own, according to the National Park Service.