Smartwatch App Helps Smokers Kick the Habit, Study Finds

Smartwatches may help people quit smoking with new motion-sensor software that detects cigarette use. Alerts on the watch offer support and encouragement to stop smoking at vulnerable moments. Researchers from the University of Bristol developed this innovative app, which runs independently on the smartwatch. Positive feedback from participants in a study shows promise for this new method, but further research is needed for long-term effectiveness. Cancer Research UK suggests combining smartwatch support with local cessation services for best results.

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Why Linguists are Compiling the First Complete Dictionary Of Ancient Celtic

A team of researchers in Wales is working to compile the first comprehensive dictionary of ancient Celtic — a project that could reshape our understanding of how early people in Britain and Ireland spoke more than two millennia ago. The dictionary, led by academics at Aberystwyth University, will draw on surviving words dating as far back as 325 BCE and extending up to around 500 CE. It’s expected to include more than 1,000 words, collected from a range of sources including Roman military records, ancient memorial stones, and writings by classical historians such as Julius Caesar. Although the language itself has largely vanished, its remnants have survived in surprising places. Some Celtic words appear in Latin or Greek texts that mention personal names, places, or tribes. Others are carved into stone using the Ogham script — a system of marks designed for inscriptions on stone, metal, wood, or bone. Dr Simon Rodway, a senior lecturer in Welsh and Celtic studies at Aberystwyth, described the project as a rare opportunity to gather all these traces in one place. “These disparate sources have never before been brought together in a way that offers such an insight into the nature of Celtic languages spoken in these islands at the dawn of the historical period,” he said. Though the resulting dictionary may be small in comparison to modern lexicons, it’s the first of its kind — and significant for a language whose written record is both scattered and fragile. The team will mine texts from the Roman period in Britain, when Celtic was still spoken widely, even as Latin became dominant. Most surviving evidence comes from the 1st to 4th centuries CE in Britain, and from slightly later in Ireland, which was never conquered by Rome. Rodway explained that while the texts are mostly in Latin, they sometimes include Celtic names and words. “We’ve got quite a lot of material from Roman Britain, including letters from soldiers stationed here. It’s almost all in Latin but you get the odd Celtic word in there,” he said. Celtic languages were once widespread across northern and western Europe but were largely supplanted by Latin and later by Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Norman French. Modern Celtic languages — including Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, and Breton — trace parts of their vocabulary and structure to these ancient roots. The dictionary will attempt to chart those roots by linking ancient forms to known words in descendant languages. For instance, the ancient Celtic word Mori, meaning sea, appears in place names like Moridunum (“sea fort”) — an early name for Carmarthen in Wales. Its echoes can still be seen in the Welsh môr and the Old Irish muir. While scholars have studied Celtic place names and inscriptions in isolation before, this project will mark the first time the full range of surviving evidence is brought together systematically. Rodway said the work would be of interest far beyond linguistics. “The picture of the linguistic landscape of Britain and Ireland will be of interest not only to linguists but to historians, archaeologists and archaeogeneticists.” The project also reflects how thin the historical record is for northern Europe compared to the Mediterranean. “If you’re in the Mediterranean, you’ve got Greeks and Phoenicians and Romans and Etruscans writing stuff all the time,” Rodway said. “Once you get to the north of France and Britain you don’t have much at all.” That’s why Ogham inscriptions — often found on stones in Cornwall and Ireland — are crucial. They’re some of the only first-hand records of early Celtic writing in these regions. The final dictionary will be available in both printed and online formats, offering researchers and the public alike a chance to explore the linguistic roots of these islands. Though the number of surviving words is small, the team believes the project could offer a powerful window into a world where language, identity, and place were deeply intertwined — and mostly lost to time.

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How a Community is Rallying To Support This Family After a Devastating Fire

A family in Brockholes, near Huddersfield, is trying to piece their life back together after a devastating fire destroyed their home in seconds. Daron and Eunice Healy, along with their daughter Charlotte, had just moments to escape after a van exploded outside their house on New Mill Road on the morning of November 27. The fire tore through their home, leaving them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. “There was a massive bang and then flames all over our windows,” said Daron. “Our home is wrecked and it’s heartbreaking.” Eunice recalled the terrifying moments that followed. “I think we had about 20 seconds between the first explosion, which sent flames up the walls, and the second blast when the fire became really bad all over the door and windows,” she said. “At first I was in shock; I just stood there and stared at it, but Daron grabbed me and shouted that we had to move.” The fire has been logged as "accidental" by West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service. The van was parked near the property as part of utilities work being carried out by subcontractor Lanes Group on behalf of Yorkshire Water. A full investigation is under way. "This was a distressing incident for those involved, and we are very thankful that no one was hurt," Yorkshire Water said in a statement. In the aftermath, the Healy family has been left with no permanent place to stay. For now, they are staying in Huddersfield hotels, living out of suitcases. But they say it doesn’t feel like home. “We’ve been in Brockholes 16 years. We got married here, Charlotte went to school here, and to be forced out like this is devastating,” said Daron. “There’s a house available on the same street, but it’s much more than we were paying in rent, and we’re not sure how we would fund that at the moment.” Friends and neighbours have stepped in to help. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over £2,000 to support the family with temporary accommodation, food, and basic essentials. Eunice said she’s overwhelmed by the kindness. “We’re so grateful for all the donations and the support, but it’s not really about the money; we just want somewhere to live. At the moment we don’t know where we will be from one day to the next.” The timing has made everything harder. With Christmas around the corner, the family is feeling the absence of normalcy. “We should be putting the tree up and wrapping our presents,” said Eunice. “But we can’t do any of that, and we don’t even know where we will be on Christmas morning. Fortunately, we have an amazing community here looking out for us and we are so grateful for that.” Lanes Group has pledged to continue working with all affected parties as it investigates the cause of the fire. In the meantime, the Healys are trying to stay hopeful. “It’s terrifying to lose your home,” Daron said. “But we’re alive, and that’s what matters most.”

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Archaeologists Discover An Ancient Egyptian Luxury Boat Described by the Greek Historian Strabo

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare first-century pleasure boat off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt — and it appears to match descriptions written by the ancient Greek historian Strabo nearly 2,000 years ago. The 35-metre-long vessel, discovered beneath just 7 metres of water near the submerged island of Antirhodos, is thought to have once belonged to the royal court or been used in ceremonial processions. It was likely outfitted with a central pavilion and a luxuriously decorated cabin, designed for leisure and spectacle on Alexandria’s waterways. “It’s extremely exciting because it’s the first time ever that such a boat has been discovered in Egypt,” said Franck Goddio, the underwater archaeologist leading the excavations. “Those boats were mentioned by different ancient authors, like Strabo, and they were also represented in some iconography … but [an actual boat] has never been discovered before.” Strabo, who visited Alexandria around 29–25 BCE, wrote about such lavish boats used for festivities, describing them as “luxuriously fitted out and used by the royal court for excursions,” packed with people “who play the flute and dance without restraint.” Goddio’s team, working under the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM) and in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities, found the boat just 50 metres from the ruins of the Temple of Isis, which may help explain its purpose. The wreck is currently believed to date to the first half of the first century CE, and may have sunk during the destruction of the temple around 50 CE, when a series of earthquakes and tidal waves submerged much of Alexandria’s ancient coastline. “The bow is flat and the stern is round — designed to navigate in very shallow water,” Goddio said, noting the boat’s unusual construction and well-preserved timbers. At about 7 metres wide, the vessel may have needed more than 20 rowers to operate. While it’s possible the boat was used for elite leisure, another theory is that it served a sacred function. Goddio suggested it may have played a role in the Navigatio Iside — a religious procession honoring the goddess Isis, where a richly decorated ceremonial boat known as the Navigium Isidis represented Isis’ solar barque. Graffiti in ancient Greek was found on the central carling of the ship, though it has not yet been deciphered. The find is just the latest in a series of high-profile discoveries made by Goddio’s team in the region. In 2000, they uncovered the lost cities of Thonis-Heracleion and parts of Canopus in the Bay of Abu Qir — finds hailed as some of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries of the century. In 2019, they found another shipwreck that matched descriptions by Herodotus. “This is a type of ship that’s never been found before,” said Prof Damian Robinson, director of the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology. “While we can read about cabin-boats in ancient texts and see them in the artistic record, it’s phenomenal to have the archaeological correlate.” The team will leave the newly discovered wreck where it is, in line with UNESCO regulations for underwater heritage. Only a fraction of the area has been excavated so far, and future explorations are expected to shed more light on daily life, religious customs, and the luxurious lifestyles of ancient Alexandria. “We’re just beginning to understand how much is still down there,” Goddio said.

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Veteran fundraiser stunned by £12,300 donation from Instagram stranger

A 74-year-old veteran known for selling poppies on trains was left speechless after receiving a surprise £12,300 donation from a stranger on Instagram — pushing his decade-long fundraising total to more than £38,000. Denis Scaife, who served with the Royal Engineers and lives in Retford, had just celebrated raising £25,770 over the last ten years when he was told about the donation. The gift came without warning, and the identity of the donor has not been shared. "I'm amazed," Scaife said. "It was totally unexpected. The money just came out of the blue." He shared the news with fellow volunteers on Saturday during their regular veterans' Breakfast Club in Bridlington. The announcement was met with disbelief and joy from the group, many of whom have supported his efforts over the years. "Quite astonishing, isn't it?" said Andrew Budd, a fellow veteran. "Ten years of it now, but this year has blitzed all records." Martin Jolly, another member of the group, called the final total "phenomenal" and emphasized that the cause was bigger than any individual. "It's not about us, it's about what that money can do… and it helps in a lot of areas." Scaife has long used train journeys to raise funds for the Royal British Legion by selling poppies and sharing conversations with commuters. His efforts have become well known in the area — not only for the money raised, but for the warmth and persistence behind them. The Army veteran, who served in Northern Ireland, has previously spoken about living with post-traumatic stress disorder. "It's sometimes a battle," he said. But the poppy campaign, and the community around it, has provided a sense of purpose. Now, thanks to one generous stranger, Scaife’s mission has taken on new meaning. He said the donation was a powerful reminder of the impact even one person can have. "I'm just trying to do my bit," he said. "This really means a lot."

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“Our Lando”: Norris wins Formula 1 title and inspires a new generation back home

Lando Norris is officially a Formula 1 world champion — and back home in Somerset, the people who knew him as a shy, trophy-winning schoolboy say it couldn’t have happened to a nicer kid. The 26-year-old driver clinched his first F1 title in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, finishing third in the final race of the season to edge out rival Max Verstappen by just two points. It marks the biggest moment of Norris’ racing career — and it’s sent waves of pride through the communities where he grew up. “There’s a massive influx into karting and motorsport in general, really. Especially because Lando is so personable,” said Rob Dodds, Norris’ former karting coach from BKC Racing. Dodds began training Norris when he was just seven years old. Dodds said it’s been “very surreal” to watch the once-quiet young boy become the face of the sport. “It’s massive. I don’t think people actually realise how much pressure these young lads are under,” he said. Born in Bristol and raised in Glastonbury, Norris has always been competitive. Dodds recalled a healthy sibling rivalry between Lando and his brother Oliver that helped push him forward. “He had his brother to aspire to. He was a competent driver himself and there was a sibling rivalry. Whenever he went testing or racing, Lando wanted to be the fastest.” At Millfield Prep School, where Norris was a student before going fully international, staff remember a grounded and humble boy who just happened to be racking up racing wins around the globe. “He’s got everything he deserves. He’s been on this journey since he joined us in Year Three,” said Dan Close, deputy head of the school. “He would take time off school, to travel the country and eventually the world. He’d come back with these trophies and initially didn’t want them presented in assembly because he was too shy. We are very proud of everything he’s achieved.” Sue Lewis, a teaching assistant at Chew Stoke Church School, where Norris attended primary school, said he was determined to succeed from an early age. “Even as a little boy, Lando had always wanted to win,” she said. Watching the final race of the season was “really nerve-racking,” she admitted, but she and others at the school had no doubt. “We were all very confident our Lando could win it,” she said. “Lando has always been and always will be a lovely, thoughtful little boy and young man.” As news of his title win spreads, Norris is being hailed not only as a champion driver but as a role model, especially for young people across the UK. For Dodds, who still coaches young drivers, the impact has already been visible on the ground. “When Lando’s career took off, we started seeing more kids wanting to try karting,” he said. “And now that he’s world champion? I think it’s just going to explode.” At just 26, Norris now joins the ranks of F1’s elite, but to many back home, he’ll always be the shy kid who didn’t want his trophies shown off in assembly — and who quietly built himself into a champion.

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He’s Driven 5 Million Miles Without an Accident — Now, This Marine Vet Just Won a Custom Semi and $50K

Truck drivers often go unnoticed—but Stacy Batiste’s dedication couldn’t be ignored. The Marine Corps veteran from Lafayette, Louisiana, was just awarded a custom red Kenworth semi-truck and $50,000 after being named this year’s Road Warrior by Pilot Company, which runs Flying J travel centers across the U.S. Batiste, who’s driven more than 5 million accident-free miles over his 34-year career, was nominated by his best friend, who was there to hug him when the Diesel Brothers handed him the keys. “I was speechless. It was a shocker,” Batiste said. “But I was very, very happy. It speaks to the time I’ve put in—and a lot of people appreciated it.” As a second-generation trucker and proud owner-operator, he says the military helped shape his driving instincts. “You have to watch everyone out there,” he told What The Truck. “I back off and take my time. I’m always early.” The surprise moment happened at a Flying J in Texas, where Batiste’s family was waiting inside to celebrate with him. He had no idea what was coming. “I love what I do and I can’t see myself doing anything else,” he said. “I’ve got diesel in my veins.” Now, with his dream rig and prize money, he says he’s ready for more miles—and more mentoring. He often takes time to guide younger drivers and give back to his community. “I’m gonna ride til I die or they take me out this truck,” he laughed. Bonus winner: Bobby Peeker of South Carolina, also a Marine veteran, received $10,000 and a $25,000 donation to a veterans charity of his choice after racking up over 1 million accident-free miles. Both men were honored for their service, safety, and leadership behind the wheel. Pilot’s Road Warrior contest has been celebrating truckers for over a decade. Know someone who goes the extra mile? Nominations are open at Pilot’s official contest page.

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Why This Former Police Officer Launched a Mobile Laundromat to Aid the Homeless Community in Maryland

A voice Wade Milyard did not expect changed the direction of his life. It happened a few years ago, while Milyard was still working as a canine officer with the Frederick Police Department in Maryland. He was responding to a domestic dispute at a homeless camp when, after handling the call, a thought cut through. “Ask them about their laundry.” Milyard says the voice came “out of nowhere.” He believed it was God, or some higher power, pushing him to do something different. So he asked. The unhoused couple told him they usually washed their clothes in a nearby creek. “That stuck with me,” Milyard said. At the time, he moved on from the call. But he never moved on from the answer. Today, Milyard is no longer a police officer. He retired in January. Instead, the 45-year-old now drives a custom-built laundromat on wheels through Frederick and surrounding areas, offering free laundry services to people without housing. The project is called Fresh Step Laundry, and its goal is simple: clean clothes, no questions asked. “If you’re clean, you just feel better,” said Chris Washington, one of the people who has used the service, in a video produced by CBS. Milyard does not charge a cent. Detergent, water, electricity, pickup and drop-off are all free. The cost is covered through donations and his own savings. He says he does not see it as charity, but as dignity. “You’re doing it to maybe give them a little bit of a boost,” Milyard said. “If having clean clothes can help them just a little bit, then my mission is fulfilled.” Fresh Step Laundry began when Milyard pooled donations with his own money and converted a vehicle into a mobile laundry unit. The truck can wash and dry multiple loads at once. He posts a regular schedule online so people know where and when to meet him. Anyone can show up. For people experiencing homelessness, laundry is rarely simple. Public laundromats cost money, require transportation, and often feel unwelcoming. Washing clothes in streams or public sinks can damage fabric and does little to remove bacteria. Clean clothes also affect how people are treated when looking for work, medical care, or housing. Milyard says the work has shown him how something so basic can change how people carry themselves. “You see their shoulders straighten,” he said in the CBS report. “There’s pride.” Since launching the project, Fresh Step Laundry has cleaned more than 2,000 pounds of clothing in just the last several weeks. Sleeping bags, jackets, socks and everyday clothes all go through the machines. Milyard often stays on site, talking with people while the cycles run. The work reflects a shift in how he now sees service. As a police officer, Milyard often encountered people at their lowest points, usually during crises. The laundry truck offers a different kind of interaction. There is no emergency, no enforcement, no paperwork. It is just help. Those encounters have stayed with him. Some people come back week after week. Others stop by once, then move on. Milyard says both outcomes matter. This is not his first step into community-focused work, but it is the one he says feels most connected to that moment at the homeless camp. “I never forgot that response,” he said of the couple who washed clothes in a creek. Fresh Step Laundry’s website includes Milyard’s email address, and he personally responds to messages from people asking about locations or offering donations. His next goal is to add a second vehicle, which would allow him to serve twice as many people. He says there is no shortage of need. “What people don’t always realize is how fast life can change,” he said. “A medical bill, a job loss, something unexpected. Clean clothes won’t fix everything, but they can help someone feel human again.” For Washington, the impact was immediate. “You feel a little bit more proud of yourself,” he said. Milyard says moments like that confirm he listened to the right voice. The mission that began with a single question continues to move through the city, one load of wash at a time.

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This New Underwater Tech is Revealing The Hidden Voices of Coral Reefs

Coral reefs aren’t quiet places. Beneath the surface, they’re alive with an orchestra of thumps, pops, snaps, and crackles from shrimp and fish — a soundscape as rich as any rainforest. But until now, marine scientists could only guess who was making the noise. A new tool, developed by the FishEye Collaborative, is changing that. By combining underwater audio with 360-degree video, researchers have begun to identify which fish are making which sounds — a breakthrough that could transform how we monitor reef ecosystems and protect marine biodiversity. The invention, called the UPAC-360 (Omnidirectional Underwater Passive Acoustic Camera), is the product of a collaboration between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Aalto University. The team has already used it to identify 46 fish species in the coral reefs of Curaçao in the Caribbean — more than half of which were never previously known to make sound. Matching sound to species “The diversity of fish sounds on a coral reef rivals that of birds in a rainforest,” said Marc Dantzker, lead author of the study and Director of the FishEye Collaborative. “In the Caribbean alone, we estimate that over 700 fish species produce sounds.” But unlike birds, whose calls can often be linked to specific species with years of practice, fish voices have remained largely anonymous. That’s where the UPAC-360 steps in. The device combines spatial audio — which tracks the direction of incoming sounds — with a 360° camera. When a fish makes a noise, the system overlays the sound location on the panoramic video, allowing researchers to visually confirm which fish made the sound. This kind of synchronized data capture “lets us decode reef soundscapes,” said Dantzker. “It transforms acoustic monitoring into a powerful tool for ocean conservation.” Building a sound library for the sea The FishEye team has now published the most extensive collection of reef fish sounds ever assembled. The recordings, freely available at fisheyecollaborative.org/library , serve not just as a reference for researchers but as raw material for machine learning. Just as smartphone apps like Merlin Bird ID can identify bird species by their songs, the FishEye team hopes the same can eventually be done for underwater recordings. With enough labeled data, artificial intelligence could soon detect which fish species are present in a reef — just by listening. “We’re a long way from building ‘Merlin for the oceans,’” said Aaron Rice, senior author and principal ecologist at the Cornell Lab, “but the sounds are already useful for scientists and conservationists.” Because the UPAC-360 can be left in place without a diver or boat, it can record continuously for long periods — capturing rare behaviors and vocalizations never heard before. That extended presence in the water is already revealing fish sounds tied to courtship, territory defense, feeding, and other behaviors that had gone undocumented. A tool for conservation Being able to detect and identify fish species by their sounds gives researchers a new, non-invasive way to monitor reefs — especially those in remote or difficult-to-access locations. And it could be vital for measuring the health of coral ecosystems, which are under increasing pressure from climate change, pollution, and overfishing. “Acoustics will become a powerful indicator of reef health,” said Matt Duggan, a co-author and PhD candidate at Cornell. “And a strategy to monitor wider and deeper.” The team is now expanding its research across more of the Caribbean and preparing to deploy the UPAC-360 in reefs around Hawai’i and Indonesia. As Rice put it, “We’re hearing behaviors and species that have never been witnessed. It’s like turning on a new sense underwater.” And for the first time, the quiet language of fish is beginning to speak volumes.

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Olympic torch begins symbolic journey across Italy ahead of Milan-Cortina 2026

The Olympic flame is officially on the move. On Friday, President Sergio Mattarella lit the Olympic brazier at Rome’s Stadio dei Marmi, marking the ceremonial start of the torch tour for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The flame will now travel across all 20 regions of Italy, visiting 110 provinces and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites before reaching Milan on 5 February, the eve of the Games. Calling for global peace in the spirit of the Olympics, President Mattarella underscored the values of unity and resilience that the flame represents. A powerful start in Rome The torch relay in Rome began on Saturday morning with a vibrant and emotional handoff between sporting legends. Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri kicked things off, followed by Olympic fencing gold medallist Elisa Di Francisca, and high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi. A particularly moving moment came when Achille Polonara, a professional basketball player currently battling myeloid leukaemia, took the flame and carried it out of the stadium to resounding applause. The relay continued across the capital, with torchbearers including Laura Lunetta, president of the Italian Dance Sport Federation, and Giovanni Malagò, head of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Foundation. At Piazza Cavour, tennis star Matteo Berrettini added his signature to the event. The torch then made its way to Castel Sant'Angelo, where it was greeted by basketball icon Gigi Datome, before reaching its final Roman stop at Piazza del Popolo on Saturday evening. What to expect from the torch tour Starting Sunday, the Olympic flame will be carried by 10,000 torchbearers over 63 days, weaving through Italy’s historic cities and countryside to build momentum ahead of the Winter Games. The tour aims to showcase the country’s cultural and regional diversity, making stops in every corner of the peninsula, from the Alpine north to the Mediterranean south. The Milan-Cortina 2026 torches themselves, called “Essential,” feature a minimalist design to highlight the flame at their core. They were produced by Eni in collaboration with Versalis, and are the first Olympic torches to earn ReMade class A certification — a recognition for their high content of recycled materials. The flame’s journey through Italy is not just a build-up to the Games but a celebration of Olympic ideals — friendship, respect, excellence, and hope — in a country preparing to host the world.

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Afghan Refugee Women in the U.S. are Carving Their Own Path in Soccer

By day, Sodaba Khinjani works at a dentist’s office in Houston. Rabia Yaqobi prepares food for customers. But after their shifts end, the two Afghan refugees lace up their boots and head to the soccer pitch, where they are rebuilding lives that were violently interrupted. They play for Houston Shine FC, a women’s team made up largely of Afghan players who fled their country after the United States withdrew in 2021 and the Taliban retook power. Soon after, the Taliban banned women from sports. “Everybody that was in sport, was in kill list of Taliban,” Khinjani said. She was only 14 when she was selected for the Afghan women’s national team. Training, however, happened in secret. “It was really hard, because I already lost my brother, the Taliban killed him, and they sent his dead body,” Khinjani said. For many female athletes, survival meant escape. FIFA helped arrange emergency visas that allowed some players to leave Afghanistan, but the cost was steep. Families were left behind, often still living under Taliban rule. Khinjani has not seen her family in four years. Houston Shine FC became a place where those losses are understood without explanation. Rachel Fabre, the team’s coach, said the players’ daily resilience is impossible to ignore. “The sheer magnitude, the trauma that they have been through to just get to this point here is massive,” Fabre said. The players’ lives in the United States are far from easy. Most work low-paying jobs while supporting relatives thousands of kilometres away. Sending money home is a constant obligation. “Sometimes I'm not eating, save money, send it [to] my mom because my mom needs it,” Yaqobi said. Still, soccer remains a grounding force. Practices and matches offer a sense of control that was stripped away when the Taliban outlawed women’s public participation in sports, education and many forms of work. In May, FIFA announced the creation of an Afghanistan women’s refugee team. The group would consist of players resettled in other countries, a move that allowed Afghan women to compete internationally again and raised hopes of a return to top-level competition at the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup. For players in Houston, the announcement felt like long-delayed recognition. That optimism dimmed in September. FIFA informed American-based players that they would not be invited to international training camps, which are required to evaluate players for the official squad. FIFA cited immigration and safety concerns, despite the fact that all Shine players hold US green cards. In a statement, FIFA said, “When it comes to players who are not selected for the inaugural squad, FIFA remains committed to providing opportunities to all players eligible for the Afghan Women United.” The decision frustrated players who believe their exclusion contradicts FIFA’s stated goal of inclusion and support. For many, soccer was never only about competition. It was an assertion of existence. Khinjani said she refuses to step aside quietly. “I will fight with FIFA. I will fight with Taliban. I will fight about my rights,” she said. For Fabre, the situation highlights the limits of symbolic support when structures do not fully follow through. “These women did everything that was asked of them. They survived. They trained. They rebuilt their lives,” she said. The Shine players continue to train while waiting for clarity that may or may not come. For now, the pitch offers certainty where the larger system does not. Each match is played in defiance of a regime that tried to erase them, and in tension with a governing body that has yet to fully include them. Their presence in Houston is proof that the ban failed. Their fight to play internationally is far from over.

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