11-03-2024  3:15 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

NORTHWEST NEWS

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

Police Say Fires Set at Ballot Boxes in Oregon and Washington Are Connected; ‘Suspect Vehicle’ ID'd

Surveillance images captured a Volvo stopping at a drop box in Portland, just before security personnel nearby discovered a fire inside the box. That fire damaged three ballots inside, while officials say a fire at a drop box in nearby Vancouver, Washington, early Monday destroyed hundreds of ballots.

Two Major Affordable Housing Developments Reach Milestones in Portland

Both will provide culturally specific supportive services to residents. 

Washington State AG and Ex-Sheriff Face off in Governor's Race

Former U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert is trying to become Washington’s first GOP governor in 40 years. But he faces a difficult hurdle in the Democratic stronghold against longtime Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a darling of liberals for his many lawsuits against the Trump administration. 

NEWS BRIEFS

Oregon Begins Rollout of New Housing Benefits for Eligible OHP Members With Health Conditions

The housing benefits include rent assistance for up to six months, utility set-up and payments for up to six months, home...

Oregon Department of Education Releases Cell Phone Policy Guidance

ODE recommends creating policies to limit or reduce cell phone use during the school day. ...

Metro, Central City Concern and Partners to Mark Affordable Housing Complex Grand Opening With Halloween Celebration

Meridian Gardens will offer 85 single room occupancy and studio apartments to people who are in substance use disorder recovery and...

Oregon MESA Expands with Two New Regional Centers in Washington County and Lane County

“Our regional partners are embedded in the communities MESA serves, bringing a wealth of local knowledge and expertise. Regional...

Historic Seattle Black Church Hosts "Bring Your Ballot to Church" Event to Mobilize Voters

As Seattle's oldest African American-founded church, FAME carries forward the legacy of Black churches as centers of civic engagement...

Nevada lithium mine will crush rare plant habitat US said is critical to its survival, lawsuit says

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Conservationists and an advocacy group for Native Americans are suing the U.S. to try to block a Nevada lithium mine they say will drive an endangered desert wildflower to extinction, disrupt groundwater flows and threaten cultural resources. The Center for...

AP Top 25: Oregon a unanimous No. 1 ahead of 1st CFP rankings, followed by Georgia, Ohio State

Oregon was the unanimous choice for No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll on Sunday, strengthening its bid for the top spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee's first rankings of the season. The Ducks are No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the third straight...

Memphis Tigers open season at home against the Missouri Tigers

Missouri Tigers at Memphis Tigers Memphis, Tennessee; Monday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -4.5; over/under is 152.5 BOTTOM LINE: Memphis opens the season at home against Missouri. Memphis finished 13-2 at home a season ago while...

Many top players from one-bid leagues left for bigger schools. Here are some of the best who stayed

Identifying the top returning players in the era of the transfer portal is trickier than ever. Now that players can transfer without having to sit out a season, mid-major and low-major programs have essentially become farm systems for power-conference teams. Players who earn...

OPINION

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

Measure 117 is a Simple Improvement to Our Elections

Political forces around the country have launched an all-out assault on voting rights that targets Black communities. State legislatures are restricting voting access in districts with large Black populations and are imposing other barriers and pernicious...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Moldova’s pro-Western president wins 2nd term in runoff overshadowed by Russian meddling claims

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu has won a second term in a pivotal presidential runoff against a Russia-friendly opponent, in a race that was overshadowed by claims of Russian interference, voter fraud, and intimidation in the European Union candidate...

Mexico City’s floating gardens have fed people for hundreds of years. Now they’re threatened

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Cassandra Garduño squinted in the sunlight, her pink boots smudged by dirt as she gazed out over her family's chinampa — one of the islands first built up by the Aztecs with fertile mud from the bottom of a lake that, later drained, would one day become Mexico City. ...

2 Ohio officers charged with reckless homicide in death of man in custody after crash arrest

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Prosecutors in Ohio have announced reckless homicide charges against two police officers in the death of a man who was handcuffed and left face down on the floor of a social club in Canton while telling officers he couldn’t breathe. Stark County prosecutor Kyle...

ENTERTAINMENT

Samuel L. Jackson lauded at MoMA film benefit by close family and friends

NEW YORK (AP) — The Museum of Modern Art was filled with expletives and laughter Wednesday evening as Samuel L. Jackson’s family and friends celebrated the actor and director’s storied career of box office hits, larger-than-life characters and explosive one-liners at the annual film benefit. ...

A playwright in Africa hopes to break the cultural silence on rape

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Under a spotlight in an otherwise dark room, Oliva Ouedraogo held up a piece of fabric that looked stained with blood. “Long live the girl!” she cried, her voice competing with the loud hum of a generator. Ouedraogo was starring in her own play —...

Music Review: Muna frontwoman Katie Gavin makes her solo debut with folky, evocative 'What A Relief'

On “What a Relief,” the debut solo album from Katie Gavin, the Muna frontwoman tackles love, family and selfhood through folk and country twang that departs from the band's usual dance-forward pop. Don't worry, this isn't the end of Muna — the trio of Gavin, Naomi McPherson and...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

US says Iranian-American held in Iran as tensions high following Israeli attack on country

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An Iranian-American journalist who once worked for a U.S. government-funded...

Mpox cases in Congo may be stabilizing. Experts say more vaccines are needed to stamp out virus

GOMA, Congo (AP) — Some health officials say mpox cases in Congo appear to be “stabilizing” — a possible...

Iran’s help has transformed Yemen's Houthi rebels into a potent military force, UN experts say

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been transformed from a local armed group with limited...

Ukraine's Zelenskyy urges allies to act before North Korean troops reach the front

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged its allies to stop “watching” and take...

Cyprus is committed to expanding defense ties with the US, says its president

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The president of Cyprus said Sunday his administration is committed to expanding defense...

Israel's path of destruction in southern Lebanon raises fears of an attempt to create a buffer zone

BEIRUT (AP) — Perched on a hilltop a short walk from the Israeli border, the tiny southern Lebanese village of...

By Ed Payne and Mitra Mobasherat CNN




Afghan President Hamid Karzai lashed out Wednesday at the United States over the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, pulling out of security talks with U.S. officials and refusing to take part in peace talks with the Taliban that he said would only benefit "foreigners' strategies and goals."

In a statement issued Wednesday, Karzai's office said Taliban rhetoric about continuing to take the fight to Afghan and foreign fighters, even as the group pursues a political solution, was "completely in contradiction to the assurance that was given to Afghanistan by the United States of America."

He used similar justification for suspending security negotiations with the United States over the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan past the scheduled pullout next year.

Krazai's office said "foreign powers" were behind Tuesday's opening of the Taliban office in Doha, Qatar -- where U.S. officials are expected to begin talks with the Taliban on Thursday, according to a source close to the talks who did not want to be identified.

And Karzai appeared to renew earlier claims that the Taliban and Western officials want to destabilize Afghanistan, saying the Taliban polices are "for the well of foreigners' strategies and goals."

In March, he appeared to accuse the United States and the Taliban of collusion, saying violent attacks by the group "show that the Taliban are serving the foreigners and are not against them."

He later walked the remarks back, saying they were misinterpreted.

Speaking Thursday in Berlin, U.S. President Barack Obama said he wasn't surprised by Karzai's response.

"We had anticipated that at the outset there were going to be some areas of friction, to put it mildly, in getting this thing off the ground," Obama said.

But he said that he believes Karzai remains committed to political reconciliation, and that he needs to be.

"We don't expect that it will be easy," Obama told reporters at a news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "But we do think ultimately we're going to need to see Afghans talking to Afghans about how they can move forward and end the cycle of violence so they can start actually building their country."

Karzai's statements come one day before the United States is scheduled to have its first formal meeting with the Taliban in the group's new Qatar office.

The Taliban opened the office Tuesday with a promise to renounce international terrorism and commit to peace negotiations, conditions the United States had set before it would support establishing the office as part of peace talks.

But a Taliban spokesman also said the group would continue its military campaign, a promise soon followed by the group's claim of responsibility for the death of four U.S. troops.

Karzai's office said Wednesday that his administration wants peace with the Taliban.

"But the messages of continuation of fighting which were sent out during the opening of the Taliban office in Qatar are completely in contradiction with the peace-wanting spirit of the government of Afghanistan," Karzai said.

He said Afghanistan's High Peace Council would not take part in the talks with the Taliban in Doha "until the process is completely left to Afghans."

The council also expressed frustration Wednesday about the name the Taliban had chosen for the office.

The council is willing to talk to the Taliban, but "not under the name 'Political office of Islamic Emirate,' " it said in a statement.





Karzai earlier Wednesday suspended talks with the United States over maintaining a troop presence in Afghanistan to help train Afghan forces past the scheduled 2014 pullout date for Western troops.

The agreement could provide the basis for any future NATO role in Afghanistan.

Karzai's decision to suspend those talks came a day after NATO-led troops transferred security responsibility to Afghan forces.

The Afghan government suspended the talks "in view of the contradiction between acts and the statements made by the United States of America in regard to the Peace Process," it said in a statement.

CNN's Masoud Popalzai and Michael Pearson also contributed to this report.

theskanner50yrs 250x300