07-01-2024  5:45 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

Summer Classes, Camps and Experiences for Portland Teens

Although registration for a number of local programs has closed, it’s not too late: We found an impressive list of no-cost and low-cost camps, classes and other experiences to fill your teen’s summer break.

Parts of Washington State Parental Rights Law Criticized as a ‘Forced Outing’ Placed on Hold

A provision outlining how and when schools must respond to records requests from parents was placed on hold, as well as a provision permitting a parent to access their student’s medical and mental health records. 

Seattle Police Officer Fired for off-Duty Racist Comments

The termination stemmed from an altercation with his neighbor, Zhen Jin, over the disposal of dog bones at the condominium complex where they lived in Kenmore. The Seattle Office of Police Accountability had recommended a range of disciplinary actions, from a 30-day suspension to termination of employment.

New Holgate Library to Open in July

Grand opening celebration begins July 13 with ribbon cutting, food, music, fun

NEWS BRIEFS

Governor Kotek Endorses Carmen Rubio for Portland Mayor

The campaign to elect Carmen Rubio as Portland’s next Mayor has announced that Governor Tina Kotek has thrown her support...

PCC’s Literary Art Magazines Reach New Heights

Two of PCC’s student-led periodicals hit impressive anniversaries, showcasing the college’s strong commitment to the literary...

Merkley Champions Legislation to Repeal the Comstock Act

The Stop Comstock Act would repeal the 1873 law that could be misused to ban abortion nationwide. ...

Art Exhibit 'Feeling Our Age-Sixty Over Sixty' Opens

The exhibition runs through mid-August, 1540 NW 13th Ave. at NW Quimby. ...

PCCEP Forum on Brain Injuries, Policing, and Public Safety

This Wednesday, June 26, 6-8:30 p.m. in person at The Melody Event Center ...

Arizona wildfire advances after forcing evacuations near Phoenix

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — More than 200 firefighters were battling a wildfire northeast of Phoenix on Saturday that threatened scores of homes and has forced dozens of residents to evacuate. No structures have been damaged as the wildfire traversed nearly 6 square miles (15 square...

Air tankers and helicopters attack Arizona wildfire that has forced evacuations near Phoenix

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Air tankers and helicopters helped douse flames from the sky as nearly 200 firefighters on the ground battled a wildfire northeast of Phoenix on Friday that threatened scores of homes and forced dozens of residents to evacuate. Authorities expanded the...

Missouri governor says new public aid plan in the works for Chiefs, Royals stadiums

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday that he expects the state to put together an aid plan by the end of the year to try to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals from being lured across state lines to new stadiums in Kansas. Missouri's renewed efforts...

Kansas governor signs bills enabling effort to entice Chiefs and Royals with new stadiums

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' governor signed legislation Friday enabling the state to lure the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Major League Baseball's Royals away from neighboring Missouri by helping the teams pay for new stadiums. Gov. Laura Kelly's action came three days...

OPINION

Minding the Debate: What’s Happening to Our Brains During Election Season

The June 27 presidential debate is the real start of the election season, when more Americans start to pay attention. It’s when partisan rhetoric runs hot and emotions run high. It’s also a chance for us, as members of a democratic republic. How? By...

State of the Nation’s Housing 2024: The Cost of the American Dream Jumped 47 Percent Since 2020

Only 1 in 7 renters can afford homeownership, homelessness at an all-time high ...

Juneteenth is a Sacred American Holiday

Today, when our history is threatened by erasure, our communities are being dismantled by systemic disinvestment, Juneteenth can serve as a rallying cry for communal healing and collective action. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

After 32 years as a progressive voice for LGBTQ Jews, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum heads into retirement

NEW YORK (AP) — For more than three decades, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum has led the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ synagogue through the myriad ups and downs of the modern gay-rights movement — through the AIDS crisis, the murder of Matthew Shepard, the historic civil-rights advances that included...

Today in History: June 30, Night of the Long Knives

Today in History Today is Sunday, June 30, the 182nd day of 2024. There are 184 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On June 30, 1934, Adolf Hitler launched his “blood purge” of political and military rivals in Germany in what came...

Things to know about the case of Missouri prison guards charged with murder in death of a Black man

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Five prison guards have been charged in the December death of a Black man who was pepper sprayed, had his face covered with a mask and was left in a position that caused him to suffocate while in custody at a correctional facility. The charges, announced on...

ENTERTAINMENT

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 30-July 6

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 30-July 6: June 30: Actor Nancy Dussault (“Too Close For Comfort”) is 88. Singer Glenn Shorrock (Little River Band) is 80. Jazz bassist Stanley Clarke is 73. Actor David Garrison (“Married...with Children”) is 72. Guitarist Hal Lindes...

‘Hawaii Five-0’ fan favorite and former UFC fighter Taylor Wily dies at 56

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Taylor Wily, a former sumo wrestler who became known for his role as confidential informant Kamekona Tupuola on both “Hawaii Five-0” and “Magnum P.I,” has died, his friend and a “Hawaii Five-0” producer both said Friday. He was 56. “Hawaii Five-0”...

Lyles and Snoop help NBC post best track trials ratings in 12 years

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The combination of Noah Lyles, Snoop Dogg and 16-year-old Quincy Wilson running for a spot in the Olympics lifted NBC to its largest audience for the U.S. track trials since 2012, according to Nielsen. Viewership for the Sunday night presentation of the trials...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Trump ally Steve Bannon will report to federal prison to serve 4-month sentence on contempt charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon is scheduled to report to a federal prison in Connecticut on...

The Republicans who want to be Trump's VP were once harsh critics with key policy differences

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s hard to refer to someone as “Hitler” and end up in their good graces, let alone...

US Supreme Court Latest: Court expected to rule on Trump immunity case as end of term nears

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court justices will take the bench today to release their last few opinions...

North Korea test-launches 2 ballistic missiles, after end of new US-South Korea-Japan drill

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea test-fired two ballistic missile Monday but one of them possibly flew...

R. Sampanthan, face of the Tamil minority's campaign for autonomy after Sri Lanka's civil war, dies

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Rajavarothiyam Sampanthan, an ethnic Tamil leader and lawmaker who became the face of...

Millions in Nigeria have little to no electricity. It's straining businesses and public services

IBADAN, Nigeria (AP) — Dimly lit and stuffy classrooms stir with life every morning as children file in. Rays 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.