Planet Seattle

Plan ahead: November 21–28, Seattle and nearby cities will host concerts, theatrical performances, hockey games, and holiday events. The lineup includes performances by Polyrhythmics, Jai Wolf, Gwar, and Steve Lacy; The Nutcracker ballet; The Wizard of Oz musical; a Christmas market; and a tree-lighting ceremony. You can also catch a comedy show, visit the Wild Lanterns light festival, or go ice skating. Details and tickets are available at the event links: November 21, November 22, November...

Residents of key regions in British Columbia gave their communities an average C+ for quality of life: nature and parks scored highly, while housing policy received the lowest marks. Sixteen-year-old musician Richard Lee raised more than $22,000 for BC Children’s Hospital, and Vancouver’s First Christian Reformed Church is marking its centennial as it stands on the brink of leaving its denomination. British Columbia gives its cities a C+: housing falls short, parks save the day Residents of...

A poll found that eight in 10 British Columbians have cut spending because of rising prices, with young people and low-income families hit hardest and groceries accounting for the largest share of cutbacks. Meanwhile, businesses in the province are rethinking what they expect from employees: AI agents are taking on routine tasks, and companies increasingly value “generalists” who can set goals and make decisions. In another alarming incident, a rabid skunk in downtown Vancouver bit several...

This digest covers three stories from British Columbia. In Pender Harbour, the nearly century-old Sundowner Inn is on the market for $2.6 million. The former St. Mary’s Hospital on the water is priced at roughly the same level as a benchmark house in Vancouver. A column in The Tyee takes an ironic look at whether “Green” Pete Fry’s victory in the Vancouver mayoral election foreshadows the provincial election; the author points to the differing political contexts and the absence of a single...

The province stands on the threshold of change: an election race in which the Conservatives hold only a narrow lead over the NDP, multibillion-dollar deficits have become a political norm, and a legal battle over Cowichan Nation land threatens to reshape property ownership and infrastructure. British Columbia: Deficits as the New Political Norm The election campaign in British Columbia promises voters a miraculous rescue of the province’s finances. But, as Rob Shaw’s analysis for Business in...

This digest covers a B.C. Ferries collision with a humpback whale off the coast, BC NDP campaign promises to open new urgent care centres on Vancouver Island, and an expert column arguing that the hospital crisis is being driven by underfunding of long-term care. Canadian ferry collides with humpback whale off British Columbia coast Last weekend, an incident off Canada’s Pacific coast once again drew attention to the challenge of coexistence between large marine vessels and whales. Ferry...

Vancouver residents elected Green candidate Pete Fry as mayor in the 2026 municipal election. He defeated incumbent Mayor Ken Sim by approximately 23,000 votes. The Green Party and COPE dominated all elected bodies—the city council, park board, and school board—while ABC Vancouver won just one council seat. Voters also approved three borrowing plebiscites authorizing $790 million for the 2027–2030 capital plan. Turnout rose to more than 43%, up from 36% in 2022. Official results will be...

Vancouver and all of British Columbia are voting in municipal elections amid record early turnout. The mayoral race is “neck and neck,” with plebiscites on drug policy and involuntary treatment also on the ballot, while CBC examines key campaigns in nine Metro Vancouver cities—from a changing of the guard in Richmond to controversies in Surrey and Delta. Meanwhile, Air Canada is filming an advertisement for its new Airbus A321XLR over the Lower Mainland, promising to expand its long-haul...

Canada news digest: short-track speed skating returns to the arena of its 2010 Olympic triumph, Vancouver heads toward a municipal election with a fractured protest vote, and British Columbia debates secret ballots in union certification. Canadian Speed Skaters Return to the Arena of Their 2010 Olympic Triumph Short-track speed skating in Canada is more than just a sport; it is part of the national identity, built on dramatic finals, milestone medals and tactical schemes with memorable names....

Vancouver is preparing for record voter turnout, Canada is building its largest icebreaker, and the weekend promises festivals and concerts. Vancouver Votes: Record Early Turnout Signals a Tense Finish Residents of Vancouver, Canada, are preparing to bring the 2026 election campaign to a close. After early voting broke all records, residents will have one final chance to make their choice this Saturday, October 17. City officials are reporting an unprecedented surge in civic engagement:...

Three reports describe different crises: the threat of a wider war around Iran, Egypt’s cautious stance on the conflict in Yemen, and the US trade confrontation with Canada. They share a common theme: governments seek to project resolve but limit their actions when escalation threatens to bring excessive military, economic or electoral costs. Foreign policy is not separate from domestic circumstances here: Saudi Arabia’s security is tied to the risk of being drawn into war, oil prices to...

Air travel in the United States is getting more expensive, primarily because of a sharp rise in jet fuel prices. Passengers are increasingly canceling trips or switching to cars, but airlines do not yet see lower plane occupancy as a reason for concern: they would rather sell fewer seats at higher prices. At the heart of this trend is a shift in the industry’s priorities: instead of maximizing passenger numbers, carriers are looking to increase the revenue from each flight. This helps them...

The launch of the foldable iPhone Duo is not just a test of a new device, but a challenge for Apple’s entire ecosystem. The company is trying to turn the large inner screen into a genuine advantage: developers are adapting their apps, the App Store is introducing a special label, and services are offering new ways to watch, work and multitask. Early reviews, however, suggest that app readiness is uneven. And plans for future generations—from a larger display to a telephoto lens—are a reminder...

These articles focus on investors’ efforts to assess two risks that amplify each other: AI companies’ enormous capital needs and the possibility of a renewed escalation in the conflict around Iran. On the market, this was reflected in sharp swings in technology stocks, a surge in oil prices, and some investors’ shift into government bonds. However, the sources offer different accounts of trading: one describes a sell-off on October 21, while another reports that the market rose the next day...

Three articles describe different crises: Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, Egypt’s possible involvement in defending the kingdom, and Donald Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to reach an agreement with Russia. Yet they share a common theme: U.S. allies are increasingly questioning Washington’s readiness to ensure their security, while regional powers and European states are being forced to fill the emerging vacuum themselves. As a result, the familiar model in which the United States served as the...

The first reports on iPhone Duo reveal less a finished revolutionary product than an attempt by Apple to redefine the familiar way people use a foldable smartphone. Before official reviews appear, the device is already being showcased in unboxing videos, while screenshots of built-in apps offer a look at how the company has adapted iOS to a large flexible display. At the same time, discussion of the accessories highlights the design’s compromises: the unusual form factor requires equally...

The Senate race in Kansas is evolving from a predictable Republican contest into an unexpectedly competitive campaign in which party affiliation is no longer the only factor at issue. Trust in the candidates, the cost of living and voter fatigue with political aggression have also moved to the forefront. Democrat Adam Hamilton, pastor of the largest Methodist congregation in the United States, is trying to attract independent voters and moderate Republicans by presenting himself not as a party...

The materials provided show that the 2026 US congressional elections are unfolding around more than just partisan rivalry. Their overarching theme is a struggle for voters’ trust amid a high cost of living, foreign-policy crises, and politics’ growing dependence on major financial resources. Donald Trump is turning the campaign into a personal plebiscite on his ability to retain the Republican majority, while Democrats are trying to capitalize on economic discontent and controversial...

Three cases accepted or considered by the U.S. Supreme Court reveal a common trend: the Court is systematically reassessing the boundaries of federal power—presidential, legislative, and administrative—while also clarifying how far the government may intervene in institutional affairs, private life, and education policy. These are not merely separate disputes over the dismissal of an official, home distilling, or a school lottery. In each case, the Court must determine who actually has the...

The main development of the past two days was the conclusion of a third round of talks between the interim government of Delcy Rodríguez and the opposition faction led by Dinorah Figuera, which is backed by Washington. Almost simultaneously, the State Department publicly praised the agreements reached, while the U.S. Treasury Department removed Venezuela from its list of countries that pose risks to American investment. Against this backdrop, the country saw its largest opposition rally in...

King Abdullah II of Jordan reaffirmed that Amman rejects Israeli attacks on Syrian territory and expressed support for Damascus’s efforts to ensure security, stability and sovereignty. He made the remarks at a meeting with Syria’s foreign minister and minister for expatriates, Asaad al-Shaibani, where the two sides also discussed strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in energy, transport, trade and investment. The talks also covered regional developments, including the...

The average monthly income of workers in Venezuela’s private sector is about $500, while public-sector employees earn roughly $300, including bonuses, according to a study by Datanálisis. Wages need to rise, but financing an increase through unbacked money creation—as happened in August 2022—could trigger currency devaluation and accelerate inflation. The article’s author argues that wage growth should therefore be supported by increased output and productivity, or by actual government...

Israeli leaders repeatedly point out that their positions on Mount Hermon are about 35 kilometers from Damascus. This is more than a military detail; it is a political signal: Israel is demonstrating its ability to threaten any target on Syrian territory. Benjamin Netanyahu, in effect, regards Syria after the fall of the Assad regime not as a potential front, but as an active one. Israel is also seeking to preserve sources of instability in the country, backing armed groups in Suwayda and,...

After U.S. special forces seized Nicolás Maduro in January, Caracas and Washington went in a matter of months from sanctions confrontation to an oil partnership that Venezuelan and Latin American commentators are already calling a “protectorate.” Over the past two days, local media have focused on three flashpoints: an oil deal with a controversial business partner, the lifting of sanctions on the Rodríguez siblings, and the question of who will allow the country to hold elections, and...

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and a government representative in negotiations, said the country has full control over the funds received from oil sales abroad. He also noted that Venezuela is now engaged in important cooperation with the United States. Rodríguez called the energy agreement unprecedented and, in his view, the largest oil deal in the past 100 years. He said it should benefit the people and governments of both countries, as well as Venezuela’s economy...

A Syrian Basketball League match between Al-Karama and Al-Wahda ended in controversy after some fans chanted the name of Abdul Basit al-Sarout, one of the symbols of the Syrian revolution, who was killed in 2019. The chants sparked heated debate, and both clubs’ administrations issued statements in response. In an official statement, Al-Karama’s management condemned insults and profanity directed at al-Sarout by a small group of Al-Wahda fans. The club stressed that those who died for Syria’s...

Venezuela is experiencing its strangest political moment in decades: Nicolás Maduro has been overthrown in a U.S. military operation and is awaiting trial in New York; interim President Delcy Rodríguez is in power; Washington has reopened its embassy in Caracas while simultaneously rewriting the rules governing the country’s oil industry. Over the past two days, local newspapers, columnists and officials have been arguing not over whether Washington was right, but over who is actually running...

Speaking at the 2026 Global Security Forum in Doha, Syria’s Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management Raed al-Saleh said that the main pillar of national security must be investment in Syrian citizens, protection of their dignity, and their right to live in safety and freedom. According to him, building the state and its institutions begins and ends with restoring people, who are the “compass” guiding the government’s work. The minister stressed that the challenges are compounded by the...

Imagine a big green hill beside a lake. Children fly kites on it, while enormous rusty towers stand nearby, like sculptures made by giants. This is Gas Works Park in Seattle. A hundred years ago, a noisy, smoky factory stood here, and the ground beneath it was soaked with tar and oil. How did it become a safe place for picnics again? With help from microbes invisible to the naked eye. What was here before In 1906, a gas plant was built on the shore of Lake Union. It made fuel gas from coal, and...

Imagine a train that doesn’t run on two rails, but on one wide concrete “track,” like a gymnast balancing on a beam. It appeared in Seattle in 1962, when the city hosted a major world’s fair. At the time, it seemed like the transportation of the future—and soon, trains like this would carry people all over the city. But things turned out quite differently, and the story is a lot like the debates taking place in cities today. A City That Decided to Show the Future The World’s Fair opened in...

Imagine: You’re 17, you can’t see, and you decide to move to the other side of the country. Not because anyone is waiting for you there, but simply because that city is the farthest one from home on the map. That’s exactly what the future great musician Ray Charles did. He chose Seattle. There, in the Central District, on Jackson Street, he found his first real musical family. The Street Where the Music Played Until Morning In the late 1940s, Jackson Street was a special place. It had lots of...

Imagine you built an entire street out of blocks, then accidentally knocked it all down. What would you do? Build it again—and make it even better. That’s more or less what Seattle did in 1889. Only the blocks were bricks and stones, and the builders came from all over the world. The Glue That Boiled Over On June 6, 1889, carpenter Victor Clermont was heating glue in his workshop. The pot overheated, and wood shavings caught fire. The wind fanned the flames, and most of the buildings in the...

Imagine a high bluff overlooking the sea. Once, barracks stood here, soldiers marched, and army buildings filled the grounds. Now you might spot a bald eagle along the trails, while the wind rustles through the treetops. This is Discovery Park in Seattle, one of America’s largest urban parks. Let’s find out how wildlife took root on a former military base—and how a lighthouse learned to work without a person. A ship, a fort, and a new plan The park’s name dates back to 1792. That year, English...

Imagine that there is a huge hill in front of your house, and you decide to get rid of it. Not with shovels or machines, but with ordinary water—as if you were washing away a sandcastle with a hose. It sounds like a fairy tale, but that is exactly what happened to one hill in Seattle, a city in the northwestern United States. People washed it into the sea, and the earth became new shoreline. Let’s take a look at how this was even possible. A City Hindered by a Hill At the end of the nineteenth...

Imagine a huge, gleaming crystal in the middle of a city, with a ribbon of books inside it slowly rising upward like a mountain trail. This is not fantasy but Seattle Central Library, which opened in 2004. It was designed to change along with the books and the people who use it. Let’s take a closer look at how this unusual building works and why it is considered an engineering breakthrough. A Building That Doesn’t Like Rearranging When the architects began the project, they asked themselves a...

Imagine a road carrying cars with deep lake water instead of solid ground beneath it. Seattle has had roads like this for more than eighty years: floating bridges. It is not a trick or magic, but a clever engineering idea. Yet behind it lies another story too—about how city residents argued, wrote letters, attended meetings, and fought to ensure that roads served people, rather than the other way around. Let’s look at how a bridge floats and whose voices were long overlooked in these...

If you walk along some of Seattle’s streets, you may see houses that resemble one another like brothers: low roofs, wide porches, and thick wooden columns. These homes are called Craftsman bungalows, and behind them lies an amazing story—the story of an entire movement that began far from Seattle but found its perfect home there. It All Began with One Simple Idea In the 19th century, a man named William Morris lived in England. He was an artist, writer, and jack-of-all-trades. He noticed that...