SEATTLE Seattle Ahead of a Decisive Match, Tragedy in the U District and a Windy Weekend
Today’s top stories: Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer has announced the lineup for Decision Day’s decisive match against LAFC; a domestic violence tragedy left two people dead in the University District; and Western Washington is preparing for strong winds this weekend.
Schmetzer names lineup for decisive match against LAFC
The final regular-season MLS match between the Seattle Sounders and LAFC will be crucial for both teams, and Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer announced his starting...
Open article
REACTIONS America After the “Blue Wave”: Why Pretoria, Riyadh and Paris Expect No Stability from...
In recent days, events in the United States have been discussed in South Africa, Saudi Arabia and France not as yet another domestic political drama,...
WEATHER 🌤️ 10-Day Weather Forecast for Seattle, WA
Today, Saturday, November 7, will be mostly cloudy in Seattle, with a few raindrops possible in the morning and scattered brief showers in the...
WORLD Syrian Scientists Back in the World’s Top 2%: Success Despite Constraints
Four Syrian researchers from Damascus University and Syrian research centers have made Stanford University’s 2026 list of the world’s top 2% of...
SEATTLE Washington Democrats Prepare Congress to Scrutinize the White House
Democrats’ victory in the midterm elections will give them control of both chambers of Congress starting January 3, significantly increasing the...
USA Israel After the Election: Arab Parties Hold the Balance, but Are Unwelcome Partners
Israel’s election has created a paradox: Benjamin Netanyahu has lost his parliamentary majority, yet his rival Gadi Eisenkot also lacks enough...
NEIGHBORS A Series of Storms Hits British Columbia
The south coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia is being battered by a series of powerful Pacific storms and atmospheric rivers. New...
SEATTLE Democrats Close to Supermajority in Washington State House
The Washington State Democratic Party said on November 6 that it had secured two-thirds of the seats in the state House of Representatives—a...
SEATTLE Nilu Jenks wins North Seattle and returns a key seat to progressives
Nilu Jenks, a community activist from Lake City and staffer at FairVote Washington, defeated Julie Kang in the special election for Seattle City...
EVENTS Seattle: Events of the Week Starting November 7, 2026
The week in Seattle gets off to a lively start: on November 7, the city and surrounding areas will offer concerts, Diwali and Day of the Dead...
Seattle
After I-638, Seattle residents rallied to defend trans girls’ right to play sports
On the evening of November 5, two days after the vote, opponents of Initiative 638 gathered at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle. The measure...
Ban on transgender girls in sports approved in Washington
Washington state voters backed Initiative 638, a measure barring transgender girls from competing in girls’ school sports and requiring female team...
Seahawks on the Brink, LGBTQ+ Support and a Bookseller’s Anniversary
In Seattle, the Seahawks are losing key players ahead of their game against Arizona, the city is allocating $125,000 to support LGBTQ+ organizations,...
Bird Flu Death in the U.S. Raises Alarm Over Outbreaks
A resident of Yakima County, Washington, has died after a severe illness caused by H5N1 bird flu. It is the first virus-related death in the United...
Migrants Must Leave Tacoma Housing Complex
More than 300 refugees, asylum seekers and other recently arrived families must leave Thrive Center Tacoma—a former Quality Inn on South Hosmer...
Washington State’s Tax on High Earners Will Remain
Washington voters rejected Initiative 645, which sought to repeal the new 9.9% tax on annual income above $1 million and block the state and local...
Gold, Fear and Silence: How Scammers Took Millions from King County Residents
In 2026, King County residents reported losing at least $12 million to various scams, including $4.6 million lost through schemes involving gold...
Sports Digest: Arbitration, the Sonics and the Vikings’ Road Trip
Two Seattle Mariners pitchers, Vargas and Criswell, have qualified for arbitration under the Super Two rule, a development that will affect the...
Progressives Win, Seattle Braces for Storms, and MLS Awaits Decision Day
In Seattle, progressive activist Nilu Jenks has scored a landslide victory in a City Council election, winning by seventeen percentage points and...
Events
December in Seattle: Events from December 5–10, 2026
This roundup is designed to help you plan ahead, so you can choose concerts, shows, games, and holiday events for the first week of December. It covers events across the region, from large arenas and downtown Seattle theaters to intimate clubs and comedy venues in Tacoma, Bremerton, and on Bainbridge Island. You’ll find classic Christmas productions such as The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol, holiday concerts featuring well-known performers, NHL and NFL matchups, basketball games, and parties...
Neighbors
Storms in British Columbia: Evacuations and Ferry Disruptions
Heavy rain and the threat of a landslide have forced the evacuation of Zeballos on Vancouver Island, while storm-force winds have led to widespread BC Ferries cancellations. Another series of storms is on the way.
Flooding and landslide threat force evacuation of Zeballos on Vancouver Island
Residents of the small village of Zeballos on the northwest coast of Canada’s Vancouver Island were forced to leave their homes overnight into Friday after torrential rain caused flooding and created a real...
Real Estate, Housing Policy and a Storm in British Columbia
The historic Springwater Lodge on Mayne Island is for sale for C$1.999 million—less than the average price of a home in Vancouver. The property has been vacant since 2024 but could be revived. The province’s new Conservative government plans to repeal Bills 43 and 44, which promoted denser development; according to expert Tom Davidoff, doing so could worsen the housing shortage and drive prices higher. Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued a heavy-rainfall warning for much of Vancouver...
Fires, Mourning and Financial Scandals in Canada
A bench at a SkyTrain station in Burnaby caused a transit shutdown, a funeral procession passed through Richmond to honor a soldier killed during training, and accounts belonging to a British Columbia couple suspected of insider trading were frozen.
Burnaby bench fire: How a morning incident on SkyTrain disrupted transit—and what lies behind it
Early Wednesday morning, SkyTrain passengers in Burnaby, a Vancouver suburb, faced an unexpected transit disruption: three stations were closed after a...
A change in the weather, a legal precedent and a winter festival in British Columbia
British Columbia is bracing for a sharp change in the weather: after a record-dry October, an atmospheric river is moving into the province, bringing torrential rain, mountain snow and strong winds, with a risk of flooding and power outages. Meanwhile, the Civil Resolution Tribunal has overturned a fine imposed on X, ruling that geoblocking an intimate image was a reasonable measure under Canadian jurisdiction and underscoring the challenges of regulating global platforms. And the resort...
Child’s death in British Columbia, Indigenous lawsuits and airport concession protests...
Prosecutors have charged two people in connection with the death of 11-year-old Kai Pavlovich of Burnaby, who went missing in September 2025. Their names, motives and the specific charges have not been disclosed, and the case has entered the criminal prosecution stage. At the same time, Indigenous communities in British Columbia—the Tsartlip First Nation and the St’at’imc Chiefs Council—are challenging in Federal Court the designation of the Pacific Link pipeline as a project of national...
Nature, Roads and Time: Three Perspectives on Life in British Columbia
In West Vancouver, a creek has been named after conservationist Hugh Hamilton; a CityNews story about “Gastown ghosts” is actually about a series of pedestrian collisions in Metro Vancouver, two of them fatal; and sleep experts are criticizing British Columbia’s decision to adopt permanent daylight saving time, warning of disrupted circadian rhythms and winter sleep loss.
West Vancouver creek named after conservationist Hugh Hamilton
West Vancouver has dedicated an unusual memorial to a man who...
British Columbia Stops Changing Its Clocks, and Other Canada News
This roundup covers British Columbia’s decision to stop changing its clocks and the technical challenges that come with it, a CFL semifinal in Vancouver amid worrying pedestrian collision statistics, and the designation of the Vancouver port expansion as a project of national interest to diversify exports.
British Columbia skips the clock change for the first time in decades: What it means for residents and technology
For the first time in decades, residents of the Canadian province of British...
Courts, Politics and Sustainable Infrastructure in Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada overturned the acquittal of a driver who struck and killed a child in Vancouver, and ordered a new trial. Jennifer Whiteside became interim leader of the B.C. NDP after its defeat by the Conservatives. The Holdom Overpass in Burnaby received Envision’s Platinum certification for sustainability.
Supreme Court of Canada overturns acquittal of driver who killed child in Vancouver
The story began in July 2021 at one of downtown Vancouver’s busiest intersections and...
New Fire Chief, City Hall Shake-Up and Tragedy Near the Airport
Vancouver is preparing for changes in city leadership: Robert Weeks will head the fire department, while mayor-elect Pete Fry is assembling a transition team and appointing a deputy mayor. Meanwhile, a woman was fatally struck by a cement truck near the airport, renewing questions about pedestrian safety.
Robert Weeks to lead Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, bringing experience and continuity
The City of Vancouver has announced the appointment of a new fire chief. Robert Weeks will officially...
USA
Nintendo Turns Zelda Nostalgia into a Switch 2 Strategy
The re-release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and a limited-edition console marking the series’ 40th anniversary are more than just celebratory releases for Nintendo. Together, they show how the company is pairing a beloved classic with the promotion of a new platform—and looking to sustain interest in the Switch 2 amid slowing sales following a price increase. The first signs are encouraging: Nintendo says the game has had a strong launch and demand for the console is good, though it...
Measles in the US: From Local Outbreaks to a National Vaccination Crisis
Measles has once again become a serious public health threat in the United States: confirmed cases have topped 5,000, the infection has spread across nearly the entire country, and outbreaks have led to the deaths of children and adults. The main risk factor is insufficient vaccination: the vast majority of those infected are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status. The reports show how declining community protection can turn a vaccine-preventable disease into a large-scale epidemic...
Stock Sell-Off Exposes Market’s Vulnerability to the AI Bet
A sharp drop in U.S. stocks after the midterm elections showed just how heavily the market’s current rally depends on the artificial intelligence boom. Investors were rattled by Democrats’ plans to restrict data center construction—the infrastructure needed to expand AI. While some market participants see the sell-off as a painful but limited correction, others worry about project delays and higher costs. The impact on retirement savings will vary: much depends on portfolio composition, time...
Health—from Everyday Habits to Political Decisions
Three articles look at health from different angles: habits associated with dementia risk, research on coffee and liver cancer, and the growing number of doctors among US lawmakers. Together, they show that health is shaped by more than one “magic” habit: lifestyle, access to preventive care and political decisions all play a role. But an association between a habit and a disease does not prove that the habit caused the illness—or that it will reliably protect against it.
An HuffPost UK article...
A Democratic Shift in the US and the Cost of Campaign Promises
In the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats won majorities in both chambers of Congress, while Gina Hinojosa, the winner of the Texas gubernatorial race, announced a platform of economic support for families and a review of state policies. Both stories center on voters’ trust in government: judging by the results, Americans expressed dissatisfaction with the war, rising prices, and the policies of the Donald Trump administration. In Texas, meanwhile, Hinojosa proposed returning money to...
Google Is Changing the Very Logic of Search — From Schools to Everyday Communication
Search is becoming more than a way to find a link: it is part of a struggle over digital infrastructure and user habits. Google is simultaneously strengthening its AI tools, competing with ChatGPT for search queries, and changing the interfaces of familiar apps. These developments show that the question is no longer just which system answers a query more accurately, but who controls access to information, how the user experience is shaped, and what role advertising and commercial interests...
US Midterm Elections: Local Races as a Test of Voter Sentiment
Coverage of the upcoming elections in Ohio, Maine, Kentucky and Indiana points to a common theme: races for governor and Senate seats are increasingly becoming a test of the federal government’s performance and politicians’ responses to voters’ everyday concerns. Discontent with the economy and the cost of living could give Democrats a chance even in states where Republicans have gained ground. But polls do not guarantee an outcome: experienced candidates, local reputations and the makeup of...
Iran Crisis Between Limited Strikes and Diplomacy
The reports point to a common theme: the conflict between the United States and Iran is caught between efforts to reach an agreement and the risk of further military escalation. Reports of a strike on Qeshm Island have heightened Tehran’s threats and unsettled oil markets, even as Qatar continues its mediation efforts. Against this backdrop, a separate article discussing a possible nuclear strike on an Iranian facility illustrates how dangerous speculation about extreme scenarios can become,...
Talks Under Threat: The Battle Over the Terms of Peace with Iran
All three reports converge on the same story: the United States, Iran and Israel are discussing a possible end to the war even as they prepare for it to resume. Diplomatic contacts are advancing, but key disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. blockade and sanctions remain unresolved. Washington has not disclosed whether it is ready to continue negotiations or launch new strikes; Tehran says the next move is up to the United States, while Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pushing for...
Reactions
America After the “Blue Wave”: Germany, France and South Africa See Trump Weakened, But…
In recent days, the main topic in American news for German, French and South African commentators has been the U.S. midterm elections of November 3,...
The US and Iran: Escalation and the Limits of Washington’s Influence
Israeli and Saudi publications describe US-Iran relations as a dangerous confrontation: limited strikes are accompanied by demands from Tehran,...
After America’s “Blue Wave”: Paris Sees a Lesson, Tokyo a Risk of New War, Kyiv an Opening...
In recent days, the main topic in Japan, France and Ukraine has not simply been the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, 2026, in which Democrats...
America After November 3: Russia, China and Brazil See Trump’s Defeat as No Change in Course, but a...
The US midterm elections on November 3, 2026, in which Democrats regained control of both chambers of Congress, became the leading American story...
Political Shift in the U.S. and Its International Consequences
The midterm elections have sent a warning signal to Republicans and Donald Trump: voters are increasingly dissatisfied with the administration’s...
After America’s “Blue Tide”: Allies Brace for Unpredictability, China Sees a Deal
The U.S. midterm elections on November 3 have become the main lens through which Australia, Germany and China are discussing the United States. The...
America’s “Blue Tide” Through the Eyes of Paris, Berlin and Pretoria: Hope Without Illusions
Over the past two days, the biggest story in the United States for France, Germany and South Africa has been the November 3 midterm elections, in...
US Elections: A Respite for Trump Is No Cause for Calm
Many outside the United States saw the Democrats’ midterm victories as a check on Donald Trump and a chance for relations with Washington to improve....
America After the Elections: Kyiv Hopes to Restrain Trump, Tokyo Weighs Yen Risks, Israel Counts the...
The main American story to prompt an immediate response in Ukraine, Japan and Israel was the outcome of the November 3, 2026 midterm elections, in...
World
Venezuela to Create a Unified Registry for Motorcyclists
On Friday, November 6, Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez met with representatives of the motorcyclist community at the Miraflores Palace to discuss plans for future work. The talks were also attended by Transport Minister Francisco Garcés and Higher Education Minister Ana María Sanjuán. The headline announces the creation of a unified registry to formally register the sector, but no details of the initiative have been released yet; the story is still developing.
Venezuela and the United States: Deals, Debt and Disputes over the Transition
Over two days—November 5–6, 2026—the Venezuela story around the United States shifted from ceremonial events to hard questions: When will elections be held? Who will restructure the $200 billion debt, and on what terms? Will sanctions remain in place? And what did Donald Trump mean when he called Venezuela a “territory”? Venezuelan analysts, officials and opposition figures are debating not whether the United States is intervening—that is already a fait accompli after the January operation and...
Venezuela Aims to Fully Utilize Industrial Capacity Within Five Years
Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez visited the Leti pharmaceutical plant in Guarenas, Miranda state, and said the country aims to bring industrial capacity utilization to 100% over the next five years. She said the plant plans to produce 66 million units in 2026 and increase output in 2027.
Rodríguez said priorities include reducing dependence on imports, supplying the domestic market and expanding exports. This, she said, should create jobs and generate foreign currency revenue for the...
Venezuela and the United States: Deals, Scandals, and Pressure
What people in Caracas are talking about these days is not so much the American actions themselves as what they mean for the transitional period that began after the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. The Republicans’ defeat in the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, rumors of a forthcoming Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), and a drone strike on Colombian guerrilla positions—reportedly carried out with U.S. intelligence support—have all converged. Venezuelan society is divided not over whether it is...
Al Jazeera Through a Syrian’s Eyes: A Window on the World and a Memory of the Revolution
For many Syrians, Al Jazeera was not just a news channel, but a window onto another world and an alternative to official television, which was controlled by the regime and avoided open debate. For a long time, viewers depended on state channels, where there was no room for a plurality of opinions. Satellite television was initially out of reach for many because receivers were expensive.
The author recalls buying a satellite dish primarily to watch Al Jazeera. The first experience was...
US extends protection for Citgo shares pledged against PDVSA bonds
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued General License 5AA, extending partial protection until December 18, 2026, for Citgo shares pledged as collateral for PDVSA 2020 bonds carrying an 8.5% interest rate. The document replaces the previous General License 5Z and temporarily prevents bondholders from foreclosing on the collateral: the shares may be sold or transferred only with separate OFAC authorization.
The US agency said it is prepared to review and...
Venezuela and the United States: Deals, Amnesty and Disputes Over the Transition
The main event of the past two days was the first meeting in many years between the foreign ministers of Venezuela and the United States. Oliver Blanco, the new foreign minister, appointed just days earlier, was received in Washington by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and then by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Caracas has presented the meeting as a breakthrough toward “common ground” and economic recovery, while opposition and independent Venezuelan commentators read the same reports as a...
Venezuela Reports Increase in Oil Production and Cut in Imports of Finished Goods
According to Rodríguez, oil production in Venezuela has increased by 8.5% over the past 12 months. The average stood at 1.244 million barrels per day in October and had risen to 1.251 million by the time of her statement. The growth was driven mainly by the domestic capabilities of the national industry and international partnerships. Many of the agreements already signed have yet to be fully implemented, however, and a more significant increase is expected from December.
Rodríguez also...
Venezuela and the United States: Talks, Pressure and Disputes Over Sovereignty
Venezuela is experiencing the most contentious moment in its recent political history. After U.S. troops took Nicolás Maduro to New York in January, the country came under Washington’s close supervision. Over the past two days, this has sparked several heated debates, ranging from amnesty for political prisoners to the possibility of a permanent U.S. military presence. Caracas and Washington are signaling closer ties while carefully avoiding public details, even as debate grows within...
Knowledge
The Suitcase You Could Carry: What the Panama Hotel Basement Held in Seattle
Imagine being told: “In a few days, you’ll have to leave home. Take only what you can carry in your hands.” What would you put in your suitcase? A favorite doll? Your mother’s jewelry box? That is how thousands of Japanese families in Seattle had to choose what to take in 1942. Many left behind whatever wouldn’t fit in the basement of an old hotel. Their belongings stayed there for decades, waiting for someone to remember them.
A Neighborhood Built by Immigrants
In the late 19th and early 20th...
A Printing Press in a Bookstore: How Seattle Gives Old Books New Life
Imagine walking into a bookstore and asking for a book that isn’t on any shelf. The bookseller smiles, presses a few buttons, and a few minutes later, you’re holding a fresh, warm book that’s just been bound. This isn’t a fairy tale. That’s exactly how a special machine in one Seattle bookstore works. And the most fascinating part is that it helps bring back voices many people have long forgotten.
The City of Amazon and Its Independent Bookstores
Seattle has a curious mystery. It was here, in...
An Ice Axe for One Dollar: How Seattle Friends Created a Store Owned by Its Customers
Imagine you really need something, but it costs a fortune at the store. What can you do? You can be disappointed—or find friends who need the same thing and buy it together. That’s exactly how one of America’s most unusual stores, REI, got its start in Seattle in 1938. It wasn’t founded by wealthy people or business executives, but by mountain lovers who simply needed a good ice axe.
An Ice Axe That Cost Too Much
Lawrence Whitaker and his wife, Mary, loved the mountains. Lawrence later became a...
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Turtles on Seattle’s Streets: How Shrimp Sparked a Major Dispute
In the fall of 1999, something unusual happened in the American city of Seattle. Thousands of people marched through the streets, including some dressed as giant green “sea turtles.” They weren’t putting on a play or getting ready for a carnival. They were telling adults: “Please think about nature when deciding how to trade.” This story links a very simple thing—shrimp on a plate—to a much bigger question about how the world works.
What Is Trade Between Countries, and Who Makes Sure the Rules...
A Bookshop Without a Boss: How Seattle’s Small Stores Gave a Voice to the Unheard
Seattle is home to the world’s best-known online bookstore. You might think ordinary bookshops couldn’t survive alongside it. But not only have they survived—Seattle still has plenty of cozy bookstores. One of them is unlike any other: it has no director, and the workers make all the decisions themselves, like a good team.
The giant and the small shops
In the mid-1990s, entrepreneur Jeff Bezos launched Amazon. At first, it was just an online bookstore, and the idea came about near Seattle....
A Pot of Glue and a City That Decided to Start Over
A pot of glue overheated in an ordinary workshop. Because of it, almost all of downtown Seattle burned down on June 6, 1889. But the most interesting part happened not during the fire, but afterward: the city’s residents figured out how to make their community stronger—and did it together.
How It Began
It was around half past two in the afternoon. A pot of glue was heating in a carpenter’s workshop at a downtown street corner. The glue overheated and caught fire, and dry wood shavings lay all...
The Gearbox Workshop Where Tiny Bakers Took Up Residence
Imagine a garage that smells of oil and metal, with old car parts scattered across the floor. Now imagine that, instead of mechanics, it’s home to invisible creatures so tiny you can’t see them without a microscope. That’s how one of Seattle’s best-known breweries got its start in 1981. It’s a story about how a small idea grew into an entire movement. Beer, of course, is for adults, but the story itself is like a fairy tale about an old place getting a new lease on life.
Two Friends and an...
The Park Where Trash and Invisible Helpers Healed the Land
Imagine enormous rusted towers that once belched smoke, and ground soaked with tar. Now imagine children flying kites and having picnics in that same place. That is what Gas Works Park in Seattle looks like. Its story is about more than a beautiful view: the land there was healed in some unusual ways, with help from microbes too small to see.
Before the Park
For more than fifty years, from 1906 to 1956, a gas plant operated on the shore of Lake Union. It produced gas from coal, and later from...
The Hat They Didn’t Throw Away: How Seattle’s Old Arena Roof Got a Second Life
Seattle was once home to a much-loved basketball team called the SuperSonics. Then the team moved to another city, and many people were very sad. But the huge building where the games were played didn’t disappear. In fact, it got a fascinating new life—and this story has a little sadness, a little courage, and a lot of care for the environment.
Who Were the SuperSonics, and Why Were They Called That?
The name “SuperSonics” was chosen back in 1967. Seattle is home to the big airplane company...
Opinions
Million Names Against the Man Who Believes He Just Won
On Tuesday the Democrats did what they had spent two years saying they would do, and then a bit more. They took back the House, which most...
I-001: What You're Being Told, and What's True
You already have the right to review your child's curriculum, see their school records, opt them out of sex ed and meet with their teachers. A NO...
I-638: What About "Protecting Girls' Sports" is Actually True
I-638 doesn't only bar transgender girls from girls' school sports. It requires every girl in Washington, K through 12, who wants to play a girls'...