Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2021)
August 18, 2021 Page 2 Kabul Falls without a Fight Taliban promise women’s rights under Islamic rule (AP) — The Taliban vowed Tuesday to respect women’s rights, forgive those who fought them and ensure Afghanistan does not become a haven for terrorists as part of a publicity blitz follow- ing the fall of Kubul in a message aimed at reassuring world powers and a fearful population. Following a lightning offensive across Afghanistan that saw Kubul and many cities fall to the insur- gents without a fight, the Taliban have sought to portray themselves as more moderate than when they imposed a strict form of Islamic rule in the late 1990s. But many Afghans remain skeptical — and thousands have raced to the air- port, desperate to flee the country. Older generations remember the Taliban’s previous rule, when they largely confined women to their homes, banned television and music, and held public executions. A U.S.-led invasion drove them from power months after the 9/11 attacks, which al-Qaida had or- chestrated from Afghanistan while being sheltered by the Taliban. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Tal- The Zabihullah Mujahid iban’s longtime spokesman, emerged from the shadows Tues- day in his first-ever public appear- ance to address those concerns at a news conference. He promised the Taliban would honor women’s rights within the norms of Islamic law, without elaborating. The Taliban have en- couraged women to return to work and have allowed girls to return to school, handing out Islamic head- scarves at the door. A female news anchor interviewed a Taliban offi- cial Monday in a TV studio. The treatment of women varies widely across the Muslim world and sometimes even within the same country, with rural areas tend- ing to be far more conservative. Some Muslim countries, including C ontinued on P age 11 Week in Review COVID Surge Hits Hospitals Oregon reported a new daily COVID-19 hospitalization record Monday as the state’s health sys- tem battles another surge fueled by the highly transmissible delta variant. On Monday, 752 people in Oregon were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, health officials said. In addition, 14 more people have died from COVID-19. Housing Moratorium Extended Oregon Gov. Kate Brown an- nounced Monday she is extending the statewide residential mortgage foreclosure moratorium for those experiencing financial hardship during the ongoing pandemic un- til Dec. 31. “ I am committed to ensuring that Oregonians have a warm, dry, safe place to live during this pandemic,” Brown said. amas County home in late July, believed to be the largest weapons seizure in the agency’s history. Arrests in connection with the sei- zure are expected, authorities said. Pride, BLM Flags Banned The school board in the Portland suburb of Newberg voted last week to ban pride flags, flags read- ing Black Lives Matter and any broadly “political” signs, clothing, and other items. The action drew the ire of lawmakers of color in Salem who said it goes against re- cent state efforts to support black and LGBTQ+ students. Nabisco Bakers Strike Nabisco bakery workers in north- east Portland walked off their jobs and called a strike last week, demanding a fair contract. The employees said the company is destroying union jobs by out- Recall Effort Goes Slow An effort to remove Portland May- sourcing work, eliminating pen- or Ted Wheeler from office in a sions, increasing healthcare costs, recall election is failing to gather cutting pay for overtime. the number of signatures necessary Firefighter Arrested to place the measure on the ballot An off-duty Portland firefighter is this fall, organizers reported last accused of kidnapping a man off week. Absent a substantial infu- the street by gunpoint because he sion of cash or a surge in volunteer believed the man was burglarizing support, the TotalRecall PDX cam- a marijuana dispensary he owned. paign said it may not reach its goal. Douglas L. Bourland, 46, and two Hundreds of Firearms Seized other men are accused of holding Multnomah County deputies the abductee in a storage container seized 337 firearms from a Clack- at a marijuana farm in Estacada.
