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Local NewsFederal prosecutors will seek 45-year sentence for would-be millennium bomber
Federal prosecutors in Seattle on Wednesday will ask a judge to more than double the 22-year sentence he gave to an al-Qaida-trained terrorist convicted of plotting to bomb Los Angeles International Airport at the turn of the millennium.
WaMu to lay off 3,400 in Seattle; bank to empty most of its leased space downtown
As it shrinks staff, JPMorgan will empty most of the leased space in downtown Seattle used by WaMu, the biggest occupant of downtown office property.
New tax district proposed to save Puget Sound
The Puget Sound Partnership is preparing to ask state lawmakers to lay the foundation for a new source of money to help fund a cleanup that will cost billions of dollars.
Nicole Brodeur
Let it snow funds on 3 charities
The West Edge neighborhood had no edge at all. It was a low-slung stretch of shops and bus stops just beyond the buzz of Pike Place Market; the place you passed through on your way to someplace else.
Cougar fans nip at request for Husky Stadium funds
A group of Washington State University alumni urged state lawmakers Monday to scuttle a University of Washington request for $150 million in tax money toward a Husky Stadium renovation.
Irons, Kempf endorsed for King County director of elections
Two former King County officials — ex-County Councilmember David Irons and former Elections Superintendent Julie Anne Kempf — received a dual blessing Monday as candidates for King County director of elections from the group that pushed to make the job an elected one.
The Fund For The Needy
Island of support in the teen scene
Asian Counseling & Referral Service, one of 13 nonprofits benefiting from The Seattle Times Fund For The Needy, offers a Teen Peer Advocate program to help young women, particularly those who are Asian Pacific American, recognize the differences between healthy and unhealthy dating relationships.
Canadian man pleads guilty in Hells Angels drug operation
A 38-year-old British Columbia man pleaded guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in Seattle to drug and money-laundering charges for his role in selling drugs on behalf of the Hells Angels motorcycle club.
DSHS Children's Administration chief resigns
Cheryl Stephani, the Department of Social and Health Services assistant secretary in charge of the Children's Administration, will leave the agency at the end of the year, according to an announcement released late Tuesday afternoon.
Man charged with raping two women in separate attacks
A 29-year-old man was charged this afternoon with raping two women in two separate incidents over the past five weeks.
More links sought for streetcar expansion
The Seattle City Council's transportation committee voted today to support an expanded streetcar system for the city, but members say they want to be assured that any additional lines would be linked to one another if there is money to do it.
Nonbelievers' sign at Capitol counters Nativity
Atheists and agnostics with the Freedom From Religion Foundation put up a sign in the state Capitol that says, in part: "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds." It's the latest in what's become an annual wintertime debate over what's appropriate to display in the public square.
NEW - 09:01 PM
Notorious Oregon child killer Diane Downs up for parole
Twenty-five years later, Diane Downs still insists that she is innocent of shooting her children, one fatally, in a crime that riveted Oregonians and was recounted in an Ann Rule book and a TV movie starring Farrah Fawcett. Next Tuesday, she comes up for a parole hearing.
Seattle City Council may limit tree-cutting by property owners
The Seattle City Council is considering sweeping new tree-protection rules that would make it illegal for most homeowners to cut down more than three trees in a year.
NEW - 10:04 PM
Seattle doctor loses license over sex accusations
The state Department of Health has suspended the medical license of a Seattle doctor accused of fondling and having sex with a patient.
Slain woman had sought to end relationship with ex-spouse
Noemi Lopez had tried for several years to break off her relationship with her ex-husband and the father of her three children, a man her friends and relatives described as "no good."
UPDATE - 09:22 PM
State OKs dock for Maury Island gravel mine
The Washington Department of Natural Resources has granted Glacier Northwest a lease to build a dock to expand its controversial gravel mine on Maury Island in south Puget Sound. Outgoing Public Lands Commissioner Doug Sutherland signed a 30-year lease with Glacier Northwest on Tuesday. The approval allows it to build a barge-loading pier on state aquatic lands.
Weather bewilders with rare fall colors
Instead of mountain snow and prolonged drizzle in the lowlands, stretches of dry days and above-normal temperatures gave us a November to remember.
Family day at Fort Lewis
On Monday, family day, relatives of Special Forces soldiers not only saw a demonstration of small-arms weapons, they got to shoot some, too.
E. Wash. University's president on medical leave
SPOKANE — Eastern Washington University's president is taking a one-month long leave of absence because of medical reasons.
Former Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber doubts he'll get Obama cabinet job
Former Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber says he thinks it's "extremely doubtful" he'll be picked to be interior secretary in the Obama administration.
Gregoire says state needs $600 million economic stimulus
Gov. Christine Gregoire says Washington state needs at least $600 million in federal money for short-term road and bridge projects to help kick-start the state's struggling economy.
Missing Ore. boy found near home
Authorities say a 12-year-old boy missing overnight has been found near his home in a rural area of Washington County, Ore.
Ore. city manager resigns after assault charge
REDMOND, Ore. — Facing assault charges, Redmond's city manager has resigned.
Ore. woman dies at 107
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Irene "Stella" Johnson, who was believed to be Josephine County's oldest resident, has died. She was 107.
Oregon statehouse to be dog-free
In an effort to instill a more professional atmosphere in the Oregon statehouse, and protect their expensive new furniture, legislative leaders plan to ban dogs from the statehouse. Service dogs, such as those that assist the blind, would remain welcome.
Police car stolen when officer leaves it running
BELLINGHAM — A police car in Bellingham was stolen outside a restaurant after an officer left the car running while responding to a call.
UW north campus plans delayed again
EVERETT — Lawmakers from Snohomish County have been unable to agree on a location for a new state college north of Seattle, effectively delaying the timeline for opening a new branch of the University of Washington.
White House nixes ornament backing impeachment
The White House now says it won't display a Christmas tree ornament by a Seattle artist that includes a message supporting President Bush's impeachment.
Local Digest
State awards ferry contract
The state Department of Transportation on Monday awarded a bid to Todd Pacific Shipyards for construction of a single 64-car ferry to serve the Port Townsend-Keystone route.
Nation & WorldUPDATE - 09:30 PM
US official: India attack may have Pakistani roots
U.S. and British citizens were the targets of the violent siege in Mumbai last week, although most of those killed in India's financial capital were Indians, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.
Governors to give Obama a wish list
When the president-elect meets with 40 governors in Philadelphia today, talk will be about what relief his administration can provide.
Obama: "New dawn" of leadership
While his new team may be a bit more centrist — some war opponents might even say hawkish — than many Obama supporters might prefer, he said the withdrawal timetable he emphasized in the presidential campaign is still "the right time frame."
Panel: Bio attack likely in next 5 years
A bipartisan commission is asserting the country should expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or biological weapons sometime in the next five years.
US soldiers re-enlisting because of poor economy
Sgt. Ryan Nyhus spent 14 months patrolling the deadly streets of Baghdad, where five members of his platoon were shot and one died. As bad as that was, he would rather go back there than take his chances in this brutal job market.
Close-up
Yes, it's a recession, and it's a year old
The economy's yearlong downturn, officially declared a recession Monday, could last well into 2009 or beyond, challenging the federal government to devise new responses as traditional methods show limited results.
Piano for the queen: Condi Rice plays the Palace
Live from the palace - Condi Rice on piano!
YouTube provides a way for musicians to get to Carnegie Hall
Through Jan. 28, musicians can submit entries as they perform two videos: a display of their musical talents and an interpretation of an original work by Tan, who won an original-score Academy Award for 2000's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
'Chemical Ali' sentenced to death in Iraq
Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin "Chemical Ali" Hassan al-Majid received a second death sentence Tuesday - this time for crushing a Shiite uprising in the wake of Iraq's defeat in the 1991 Gulf War.
Bush plans "conscience rule" — a morality exemption for health-care workers
The outgoing Bush administration is planning to announce a broad new "right of conscience" rule permitting medical facilities, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health-care workers to refuse to participate in any procedure they find morally objectionable, including abortion and possibly even artificial insemination and birth control.
China says 300,000 babies sickened by tainted milk
China has dramatically raised the toll from its tainted milk powder scandal, saying six babies likely died and 300,000 were sickened, figures that back up months of complaints from parents and show the government is beginning to acknowledge the scale of the crisis.
Obama vows to help states weather economic woes
President-elect Barack Obama promised swift action Tuesday on an economic plan "to solve this crisis and to ease the burden on our states," and he cast governors as his partners in crafting a recession-rebound strategy.
UPDATE - 10:00 PM
Thai airports reopening after PM ousted by court
Victorious anti-government protesters lifted their siege of Bangkok's two airports Wednesday while leaders of the ousted government named a caretaker prime minister to lead the politically chaotic kingdom.
UPDATE - 07:55 PM
2 arrested in alleged torture of teen, who escaped
A Girl Scout leader and her husband were arrested after an emaciated, terrified and nearly naked 17-year-old showed up at a gym with a chain locked to his ankle, saying he had just fled his captors, authorities said Tuesday.
Airliner lands safely with cracked windshield
A regional airliner with a cracked windshield was diverted to Kansas City's airport and landed safely Tuesday.
Ala. mayor arrested on bribery charges
The mayor of Birmingham, Ala., was indicted on federal charges of bribery, fraud and conspiracy Monday, part of a probe into a local financial crisis that has the surrounding county on the brink of one of the largest municipal bankruptcies in American history.
Canadian governor general mulls government's fate
Canada's governor general cut short a European trip Tuesday to deal with an unprecedented political crisis that could force the second national election in two months or see an opposition coalition take power.
Capitol Visitor Center in DC opens to public
Hundreds of visitors got their first look at the Capitol Visitor Center - an underground museum and now the first stop for people touring Congress - as it opened Tuesday three years late and $360 million over budget.
Crime problem in Japan: elders
While the 65-and-older population has doubled in the past two decades, crime among the elderly has increased fivefold, according to government statistics released this month.
Man sentenced for videotaping tots smoking pot
One of two men videotaped coaxing two toddlers into smoking marijuana pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced Tuesday to up to seven years in prison.
Study: 1 in 5 young adults has a personality disorder
Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.
Trail of trash marks FEMA failures
A 30-mile scar of debris along the Texas coast stands as a festering testament to what state and local officials say is FEMA's sluggish response to the 2008 hurricane season.
Activists blast U.S. at climate-change talks
Environmentalists criticized the United States and other rich countries Tuesday for failing so far to make meaningful commitments at a U.N. conference on climate change.
UPDATE - 06:40 PM
Barbara Bush discharged from hospital
Former first lady Barbara Bush was released from a hospital Tuesday, a week after she underwent surgery for a perforated ulcer.
High tide catches Venice off guard
Residents and tourists waded through knee-deep water Monday as they navigated the city's narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark's Square was inundated.
UPDATE - 06:25 PM
Nixon records show aides dishing dirt on critics
In Richard Nixon's time, all the president's men fretted about threats on every front: disquiet out on the streets, disloyalty inside the administration and trouble from political opponents who had to be discredited at any cost.
Fundraiser Rezko has Jan. 6 corruption sentencing
A federal judge on Tuesday set a Jan. 6 sentencing for political fundraiser Tony Rezko, who helped bankroll campaigns for Barack Obama and Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Grandson of anti-Hitler plotter seeks restitution
Friedrich zu Solms-Baruth was swept up by the Gestapo the day after a failed 1944 bombing attempt on Hitler and thrown into the secret police's notorious Prinz Albrecht Strasse prison in downtown Berlin.
Mormon-owned press releasing Joseph Smith journals
It's written by a man many consider a confident and charismatic religious prophet, but Joseph Smith's journal immediately betrays an inkling of self-doubt: His first sentence is scratched out.
One report says Gregory to host "Meet the Press"
Speculation about who will be the next moderator of "Meet the Press" ratcheted up another level Monday as the Huffington Post reported that the job was going to NBC chief White House correspondent David Gregory, while the network maintained no announcement was imminent.
Study: Dirty teeth reveal ancient diet
Thanks to poor dental hygiene, researchers are getting a more detailed understanding of what people ate thousands of years ago in what is now Peru.
U.S. wants N. Korean nuke verification deal in writing
The top U.S. negotiator in talks to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons said Tuesday that Pyongyang must agree to a verification of its disarmament activities and the deal must be put in writing.
High tide wallops Venice for 2nd straight day
Strong southern winds pushed the Adriatic Sea into Venice again Tuesday, submerging parts of the lagoon city a day after an unusually high tide caused the worst flooding in 20 years.
Group: Palin not only one with donor-funded duds
Turns out Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin wasn't the only candidate with donor-financed duds.
11 girls die of poisoning at school in north China
Eleven girls died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a school in northern China's Shaanxi province, an education official said Tuesday evening. A news report said the girls had lit a fire to keep warm.
Bad economy could boost Europe's 'slave-like' illicit labor market
Europe has a hidden labor market in which migrants and even children are working in "slave-like" situations, a European Union official said Tuesday.
Va. GOP chief: Obama remark was stupid but true
Virginia's Republican chairman said Tuesday that his remark tying Democrat Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden during the presidential campaign was stupid, but he refused to apologize.
Odds and Ends
Sen. Kennedy receives honorary degree
Celebrity gossip, famous birthdays and other tidbits, compiled from Seattle Times news services.
Nation Digest
Cheney, Gonzales indictments invalid
A judge dismissed indictments against Vice President Dick Cheney and former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Monday and told the south Texas prosecutor who brought the case to exercise caution as his term in office ends.
Business & TechnologyBig Three survival bailout requests rise to $34B
Humbled and fighting for survival, Detroit's once-mighty automakers appealed to Congress with a retooled case for a bailout as large as $34 billion Tuesday, pledging to slash workers, car lines and executive pay in return for a federal lifeline. GM and Chrysler said they needed an immediate cash infusion to last 'til New Year's, and warned they could drag the entire industry down if they fail.
Entellium files for bankruptcy protection
Entellium, a troubled Seattle software company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, paving the way for some assets to be sold to financial software maker Intuit.
Clearwire makes its WiMax broadband brand Clear
Kirkland-based Clearwire is rolling into the WiMax market with the brand name Clear. The company will sell its wireless broadband services under that name, replacing the Xohm brand that partner Sprint Nextel has used since September.
Delta details planned capacity cuts
Delta Air Lines Inc. hinted Tuesday that more job cuts could be on the way as it disclosed that it will reduce consolidated system capacity by 6 percent to 8 percent in 2009, compared to the current year.
Stocks rebound in seesaw session
Investors staged a stock-market rebound today, seesawing through the session trying to recoup some of the ground from the previous session's enormous decline.
Targeted Genetics lays off staff, shifts focus
Targeted Genetics (TGEN) said today that it has cut about 10 percent of its workforce and shifted its research efforts in a bid to survive a cash crunch.
Former Entellium CEO, finance chief may be near plea deal
Former Entellium executives Paul Johnston and Parrish Jones may be close to reaching a plea agreement with federal prosecutors on charges...
Funds to pour salt on investors' wounds
Investors in the $4 billion Templeton Foreign Fund already have lost more than 50 percent of their money this year and now they'll be forced to pay taxes on as much as $1 billion of gains from the sales of investments.
Feds retreated from reining in lenders
The Bush administration backed off proposed crackdowns on no-money-down, interest-only mortgages years before the economy collapsed, buckling to pressure from some of the same banks that have now failed. It ignored remarkably prescient warnings that foretold the financial meltdown, according to an Associated Press review of regulatory documents.
Manufacturing index drops to 26-year low
The Institute for Supply Management's monthly-manufacturing index dropped to a 26-year low Monday — another dire read on the economy that helped send stocks sharply lower in the U.S. and Europe.
UPDATE - 10:15 PM
Auditors fault Treasury oversight of bailout funds
The government must toughen its monitoring of the $700 billion financial bailout to ensure that banking institutions limit their top executives' pay and comply with other restrictions, federal auditors said Tuesday in the first comprehensive review of the rescue package.
Potlatch to spin off pulp and paper business
The board of Potlatch (PCH) has approved a plan to create a spinoff company called Clearwater Paper to separate the forest product company's pulp and paper business from its timber holdings.
Premiums for workers' comp insurance to rise 3%
The state Department of Labor and Industries said Monday that premiums for workers' compensation insurance will rise an average 3 percent...
SportsCougars Football | "We'll be improved"
Paul Wulff didn't take a lot of time to review his first season as Washington State football coach Monday in a wrap-up teleconference call.
Mariners hire coaches Ty Van Burkleo, Lee Tinsley
Wakamatsu unveiled the first two members of his 2009 staff on Monday: bench coach Ty Van Burkleo and first-base coach Lee Tinsley.
Seahawks | Chris Spencer could miss remaining four games
Another Seahawks starter is possibly lost for the season because of injury, and so it goes for the local NFL team. Center Chris Spencer, who...
Sounders will open MLS season
Seattle Sounders FC will kick off the 2009 Major League Soccer regular season against the New York Red Bulls on a Thursday night, March...
UW to get close look at Jeff Tedford
Tyrone Willingham will coach his final football game for Washington at California on Saturday, against a coach on the other sideline who has been mentioned as a potential successor.
UPDATE - 10:10 PM
WSU Basketball | Cougars beat Idaho St. 60-41
Freshman Klay Thompson scored 14 points as Washington State beat Idaho State 60-41 Tuesday night. Aaron Baynes added 11 points and eight...
Giants suspend Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burresss
Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress is done for the year. The Giants fined and suspended Burress on Tuesday after he accidentally shot himself in the right thigh over the weekend at a Manhattan nightclub.
Sideline Smitty
It's not asking too much to practice on Saturday
Basketball requires commitment, and practicing on Saturday's isn't too much to ask of high-school players.
Cycling | Lance Armstrong decides to ride in Tour
Lance Armstrong said he will ride in the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first time he will compete in that race and the Giro d'Italia...
High School Football | Bellevue takes a different route to semifinal game
For many Bellevue football players, the most nervous moments were getting on a bus again, not playing a state semifinal football game.
- Gallery | Bellevue Wins State Football Semi-Finals
- Archive | Gallery: On the scene after the crash
- Archive | Video: Bus crash on I-5
Mariners offer outfielder Raul Ibanez arbitration
The appearance was that the Mariners had just taken a first step toward re-signing free-agent outfielder Raul Ibanez. But the reality is that Monday's decision by the team to offer arbitration to the 36-year-old was merely an insurance move for when Ibanez almost certainly leaves town. As if to confirm this, Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said in an afternoon conference call that he has no immediate plans for any deal with Ibanez beyond 2009.
MLB | CC Sabathia offered arbitration
Star pitcher CC Sabathia and slugging outfielder Manny Ramirez headlined a group of 24 players offered salary arbitration Monday by their...
NBA | Stephon Marbury ordered to stay away
Stephon Marbury did not get the divorce he wants, but he and the New York Knicks agreed to a separation.
Penn St. mascot faces DUI charge
The Penn State senior who serves as the Nittany Lions' mascot was arrested on a DUI charge and his status for the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl is in doubt, police and school officials said.
Seattle Pacific seeks elusive title
Meredith Teague's position on the Seattle Pacific women's soccer team is midfielder. Her actual role, SPU coach Chuck Sekyra says, merits...
Unbeaten Alabama plays underdog role
Alabama has pushed aside all comers on its way to a perfect regular season, climbed to the top of the rankings and stuck around for quite awhile.
Stars of the week
Joey Bradley, Issaquah football Bradley, a senior quarterback, completed 13 of 18 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles'...
College Basketball | Gonzaga advances to 5th in both polls
Unbeaten Gonzaga is ranked fifth in this week's Associated Press media poll and USA Today coaches poll.
Texans enjoy "MNF" spotlight
Mario Williams, Steve Slaton and the Houston Texans put on quite a show in their "Monday Night Football" debut.
NW Briefs | Central Washington QB Mike Reilly one of three finalists for Harlon Hill Trophy
Mike Reilly, the Central Washington quarterback who had transferred from Washington State, has been named one of three finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The award goes to the best player in Division II.
Briefs | WNBA: League president reveals Comets are disbanding
WNBA Orender says new owners couldn't be found for Houston franchise: WNBA President Donna Orender said the franchise that won the league's...
People in Sports | Wayne Rooney
Six years after a moment of brilliance introduced a sparkling 16-year-old talent to the world, Wayne Rooney has 100 club goals to look back...
EntertainmentBellevue-born author/photographer goes to the birds
Paul Bannick's tramps through the Eastside woods stoked a passion for the natural world that has achieved its apotheosis in his splendid new photography book, "The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America's Most Iconic Birds." foreword by Tony Angell, audio birdcall recordings by Martyn Stewart (Mountaineers, 198 pp., $24.95).
Get swept up in a whirl of wonder at PNB's "Nutcracker"
After 25 years, Pacific Northwest Ballet's "Nutcracker" still has magic to spare.
"Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," "Longshots" released on DVD this week
A weekly listing of new DVDs.
A&E Dispatch | Bumbershoot 2009 tix on sale to BumberFans now
Bumbershoot, Seattle's arts and music festival, Bumbershoot, is offering $60 three-day passes through http://bumbershoot.org/bumberfan, on sale now as supplies last.
An immigrant finds her way in the heartland in "My Ántonia"
Theater review by Misha Berson: "My Ántonia," the Willa Cather classic, is on stage at Seattle's "Book-It Repertory Theatre, "in a fine adaptation by Annie Lareau.
A&E Dispatch | Britney Spears to play Tacoma Dome April 9
Britney Spears has announced a 2009 North American tour, stopping at the Tacoma Dome on April 9; tickets go on sale Dec. 6.
UPDATE - 06:31 PM
Extra jump rope for lingerie models pre-show
Let's take a moment to savor this little tidbit: Even Victoria's Secret's handpicked "angels" ramp up the cardio and cut out the carbs before they parade around in their underwear for a nationally televised broadcast.
Few surprises on Walters 'Fascinating People' list
There aren't many surprises on this year's list of "The 10 Most Fascinating People."
'Scrubs' returns with a 'friend' as its guest star
"Scrubs" will have a new medical plan when it returns next month. After seven seasons on NBC, the hospital comedy will air on ABC starting Jan. 6, with Courteney Cox Arquette in a guest role as Sacred Heart's new chief of medicine.
Coming soon to Blockbuster stores: concert tickets
Blockbuster Inc. will begin selling concert tickets at about 500 of its video rental stores, bolstering its effort to create a one-stop shop for entertainment.
Families move into homes that Pitt built
It was a bittersweet moment for Brad Pitt, walking through the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood where families were preparing to spend their first holidays since Hurricane Katrina.
Swayze says he's winning fight against cancer
Patrick Swayze is angry about tabloid reports that say he doesn't have long to live. The actor, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year, issued a statement Tuesday affirming that so far he is winning his fight against the disease and responding well to treatment.
TV soaps and their stars face cost-cutting
The troubles that are part of imaginary life on daytime dramas are hitting those shows for real in the form of budget cuts and dismissals.
American Life in Poetry
Pat Mora's "Fences"
Class, status, privilege; despite all our talk about equality, they're with us wherever we go. In this poem, Pat Mora, who grew up in a...
LivingResearchers work on developing sign language for cellphones
A group of University of Washington researchers are working on MobileASL (American Sign Language) which would allow the hearing-impaired to use sign language on cellphones
Do-it-yourself clubs offer help with home projects
Got a home project you'd like to do yourself but need a few helping hands? Try joining or forming a do-it-yourself club with others interested in improving their house or garden. Working with a group makes home repair less overwhelming. It also saves on money on tools, since you can borrow instead of buy.
Travel & OutdoorsRick Steves' Europe
Finding holiday joy far from Europe — in Nicaragua
Travel writer Rick Steves goes afar for holiday celebrations — to La Purisima festival in the city of Leon, Nicaragua
American tourists staying home, leaving some European businesses hurting
Travel is pinched by global financial crisis, and European cities are feeling the lack of American tourists
Even Southwest, usually the growth-happy U.S. airline, is suffering
Southwest Airlines won't increase its fleet next year; carrier suffered 10.7-percent drop in passengers in November compared to year ago
Major U.S. airlines poised to cut more flights in 2009
Airlines ready to dump more flights next year as travel demand slumps because of global financial meltdown
Some travelers cancel India trips after terrorist attacks; others are undaunted
Terrorist attacks in Mumbai prompt some travelers to cancel India trips; U.S. issues travel alert
California company announces its first space tourist for 2011 flight
Xcor Aerospace names its first passenger for space flight; company is competing for space tourism with Virgin Galactic
India siege raises fears — and security — at some U.S. hotels
Terrorist attacks in Mumbai a wake-up call for U.S. hotels, say some security specialists
Thai tourism faces long-term pain after airport blockade
Long-term slump in Thailand tourism feared even after Bangkok airport reopens later this week
OpinionEditorial
Selling Puget Sound cleanup to lawmakers
Lawmakers and the public are essentially in the same place. No one opposes the restoration and maintenance of a healthy Puget Sound. The next assignment for the Puget Sound Partnership is sharing how it will happen and what needs to be done.
Seattle school closures: District has no choice but to downsize its property holdings
Education funding is a problem that can't be outrun. Seattle Public Schools cannot afford to be one of the city's largest property managers. School officials must show how a smaller district creates efficiencies and improves academics.
U.S. automakers' plan should include a return to romance
Once the Big Three United States auto companies restructure and have better technology in place, they can turn to winning back the American public.