05-14-2024  9:48 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather
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NORTHWEST NEWS

Portland OKs New Homeless Camping Rules That Threaten Fines or Jail in Some Cases

The mayor's office says it seeks to comply with a state law requiring cities to have “objectively reasonable” restrictions on camping.

Safety Lapses Contributed to Patient Assaults at Oregon State Hospital

A federal report says safety lapses at the Oregon State Hospital contributed to recent patient-on-patient assaults. The report by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services investigated a recent choking attack and sexual assault, among other incidents. It found that staff didn't always adequately supervise their patients, and that the hospital didn't fully investigate the incidents. In a statement, the hospital said it was dedicated to its patients and working to improve conditions. It has 10 days from receiving the report to submit a plan of correction. The hospital is Oregon's most secure inpatient psychiatric facility

Police Detain Driver Who Accelerated Toward Protesters at Portland State University in Oregon

The Portland Police Bureau said in a written statement late Thursday afternoon that the man was taken to a hospital on a police mental health hold. They did not release his name. The vehicle appeared to accelerate from a stop toward the crowd but braked before it reached anyone. 

Portland Government Will Change On Jan. 1. The City’s Transition Team Explains What We Can Expect.

‘It’s a learning curve that everyone has to be intentional about‘

NEWS BRIEFS

Governor Kotek Issues Statement on Role of First Spouse

"I take responsibility for not being more thoughtful in my approach to exploring the role of the First Spouse." ...

Legislature Makes Major Investments to Increase Housing Affordability and Expand Treatment in Multnomah County

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Poor People’s Campaign and National Partners Announce, “Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington, D.C. and to the Polls” Ahead of 2024 Elections

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Legendary Civil Rights Leader Medgar Wiley Evers Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Evers family overwhelmed with gratitude after Biden announces highest civilian honor. ...

April 30 is the Registration Deadline for the May Primary Election

Voters can register or update their registration online at OregonVotes.gov until 11:59 p.m. on April 30. ...

Who's laughing? LateNighter, a digital news site about late-night TV, hopes to buck media trends

NEW YORK (AP) — At first glance, Jed Rosenzweig's new venture would seem like a fool's errand: launching a digital news site during brutal economic times for the media to cover an industry that, by traditional measures, is waning in influence. That didn't dissuade him. LateNighter,...

No criminal charges in rare liquor probe at Oregon alcohol agency, state report says

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Criminal charges are not warranted in the rare liquor probe that shook Oregon’s alcohol agency last year and forced its executive director to resign, state justice officials said Monday. In February 2023, the Oregon Department of Justice began investigating...

Defending national champion LSU boosts its postseason hopes with series win against Texas A&M

With two weeks left in the regular season, LSU is scrambling to avoid becoming the third straight defending national champion to miss the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers (31-18, 9-15) won two of three against then-No. 1 Texas A&M to take a giant step over the weekend, but they...

The Bo Nix era begins in Denver, and the Broncos also drafted his top target at Oregon

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — For the first time in his 17 seasons as a coach, Sean Payton has a rookie quarterback to nurture. Payton's Denver Broncos took Bo Nix in the first round of the NFL draft. The coach then helped out both himself and Nix by moving up to draft his new QB's top...

OPINION

The Skanner News May 2024 Primary Endorsements

Read The Skanner News endorsements and vote today. Candidates for mayor and city council will appear on the November general election ballot. ...

Nation’s Growing Racial and Gender Wealth Gaps Need Policy Reform

Never-married Black women have 8 cents in wealth for every dollar held by while males. ...

New White House Plan Could Reduce or Eliminate Accumulated Interest for 30 Million Student Loan Borrowers

Multiple recent announcements from the Biden administration offer new hope for the 43.2 million borrowers hoping to get relief from the onerous burden of a collective

Op-Ed: Why MAGA Policies Are Detrimental to Black Communities

NNPA NEWSWIRE – MAGA proponents peddle baseless claims of widespread voter fraud to justify voter suppression tactics that disproportionately target Black voters. From restrictive voter ID laws to purging voter rolls to limiting early voting hours, these...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Anti-abortion activist who led a clinic blockade is sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison

WASHINGTON (AP) — An anti-abortion activist who led others on an invasion and blockade of a reproductive health clinic in the nation's capital was sentenced on Tuesday to nearly five years in prison. Lauren Handy, 30, was among several people convicted of federal civil rights...

Appeals court upholds ruling requiring Georgia county to pay for a transgender deputy's surgery

ATLANTA (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court's ruling that a Georgia county illegally discriminated against a sheriff's deputy by failing to pay for her gender-affirming surgery. In its ruling Monday, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said it was tasked with...

Takeaways from AP investigation into police training on the risks of handcuffing someone facedown

For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long. Recommendations first made by major departments and police associations...

ENTERTAINMENT

Police investigating shooting outside Drake's mansion that left security guard wounded

TORONTO (AP) — Police are investigating a shooting outside rapper Drake's mansion in Toronto that left a security guard seriously wounded. Authorities did not confirm whether Drake was at home at the time of the shooting, but said his team is cooperating. The shooting happened...

Asteroids, Myst, Resident Evil, SimCity and Ultima inducted into World Video Game Hall of Fame

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — The World Video Game Hall of Fame inducted its 10th class of honorees Thursday, recognizing Asteroids, Myst, Resident Evil, SimCity and Ultima for their impacts on the video game industry and popular culture. The inductees debuted across decades, advancing...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 19-25

Celebrity birthdays for the week of May 19-25: May 19: TV personality David Hartman is 89. Actor James Fox is 85. Actor Nancy Kwan is 85. Musician Pete Townshend is 79. Singer-actor-model Grace Jones is 73. Drummer Phil Rudd AC/DC is 70. Actor Steven Ford is 68. Actor Toni Lewis...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

Takeaways from AP investigation into police training on the risks of handcuffing someone facedown

For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone...

Georgian lawmakers approve a divisive foreign influence bill that has sparked weeks of protests

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a “foreign influence” bill that sparked weeks...

Survey finds 8,000 women a month got abortion pills despite their states' bans or restrictions

Thousands of women in states with abortion bans and restrictions are receiving abortion pills in the mail from...

Xi's visit to Hungary and Serbia brings new Chinese investment and deeper ties to Europe's doorstep

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — When Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Hungary last week, he arrived to one of the...

A monarchy reform activist in Thailand dies in detention after a monthslong hunger strike

BANGKOK (AP) — A young activist in Thailand who went on a hunger strike after being jailed for advocating reform...

An attack on a prison van in France kills 2 officers. An inmate escapes

PARIS (AP) — Armed assailants killed two French prison officers and seriously wounded three others in an attack...

By Reza Sayah and Ed Payne CNN



Uncertainty ruled in Egypt on Wednesday as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan began and the military said it would address the issues of this week's deadly violence.

It wasn't clear whether the observance would calm or inflame tensions a week after a military coup.

The military, which ousted President Mohamed Morsy from office last week, said that 206 people who had been detained Monday during deadly clashes with security forces face charges of manslaughter, voluntary manslaughter, acts of violence and illegal possession of firearms. The suspects will remain in police custody for another 15 days while investigations into their actions continue.

The announcement comes as the military seeks to portray itself as a stabilizing force in the splintering nation.

The question remains: Who's on board?

Not the Muslim Brotherhood, according to the group's high official of religious law.

Grand Mufti Abdulruhman Albir told the Reuters news agency that he does not recognize the authority of the nation's interim president and will not negotiate until Morsy regains power.

"Therefore, there is no need to speak about any decrees, because they were issued by people without authority," Albir said.

That's a direct reference to Interim President Adly Mansour, who has issued a constitutional declaration giving himself limited power to make laws and outlined a timetable for parliamentary and presidential elections, according to state media.

The grand mufti's position is important because the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, won the most seats in parliamentary elections. Morsy was elected president under the Freedom and Justice Party banner.

On Wednesday, prosecutors issued arrest warrants for the Brotherhood's chairman, Mohammad Badei, and for the vice chairman of the Freedom and Justice Party, Esam El Arian, state-run Nile TV reported.

The Egyptian government said Wednesday that Morsy -- arrested last week during his ouster -- was in a safe place, and that no charges have been filed against him.

Interim government begins to take shape

Filling other key roles are Hazem El-Beblawi, a liberal economist who was finance minister and deputy prime minister, who will serve as the interim prime minister, and Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning diplomat, who will serve as interim vice president, the fledgling government said.

MENA, Egypt's official news agency, also reported that cabinet posts will be offered to the Freedom and Justice Party, as well as to the Salafist al-Nour Party.

But their participation seems questionable with the Muslim Brotherhood not recognizing the interim government and al-Nour -- which supported Morsy's ouster -- withdrawing from the talks to form an interim government after this week's deadly confrontation between the military and Morsy supporters.

Fifty-one people died in the clashes outside Republican Guard headquarters. The military has promised to investigate.

Money pours in

Even as the interim government struggled to unify political support at home, it picked up the financial support of some regional heavyweights -- neither are fans of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Saudi Arabia's finance minister said the kingdom has pledged $5 billion in grants and loans to the interim government, according to the official Saudi news agency SAPA.

And the United Arab Emirates will give $1 billion to Egypt and lend it another $2 billion as an interest-free central bank deposit, state news agency WAM reported Tuesday.

Washington's support

For now, the United States continues to support Egypt financially.

The White House has refused to describe as a coup the military's ouster of Morsy, who was reportedly being held under arrest at the Republican Guard headquarters. Doing so would require the United States to suspend its $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt.

It is in the interest of the United States and the Egyptian people "in their transition to democracy to take the time necessary to evaluate the situation before making such a determination," White House spokesman Jay Carney said Tuesday.

But he added that U.S. officials were "cautiously encouraged" that the interim government's plan "includes a return to democratically elected government that includes presidential and parliamentary elections."

In response to a question, State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki told reporters that, "broadly speaking," the administration still believes that continuing military aid is a U.S. national security priority.

But Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, has called for a suspension of military aid to Egypt.

CNN's Reza Sayah reported from Cairo. Ed Payne reported and wrote from Atlanta.

The Skanner Foundation's 38th Annual MLK Breakfast