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2 Seattle schools evacuated after bomb threats from out-of-state caller

Monday night.RELATED STORIESMan stabbed in head, neck at Chinatown-International District apartmentWSP needs your help to find hit-and-run driver responsible for deadly crashChihuly Garden suffers $240,000 in damage after man allegedly destroys sculpturesSeattle schools evacuated, cleared by police ahead of school dayEach school’s staff promptly contacted the Seattle Police Department and evacuated the building to ensure there was no ongoing threat, Marni Campbell, assistant superintendent

Trump’s failed strong-arming of allies on Iran shows that pressure is losing its effect

<block>PARIS (AP) — We’ve long had your back, now it’s our turn. That is how the famously transactional U.S. President Donald Trump is framing his demands that allies help him with the Iran war. He wants to call in IOUs for decades of U.S. security guarantees.The string of refusals indicates his stock of European goodwill is low. He has put allies through the wringer since returning to the White House, bullying them over tariffs, Greenland and other issues, and disparaging the sacrifices their soldiers made alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Now he’s demanding — not just requesting — that they send warships to help the U.S. unblock the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes — essentially mop up behind the conflagration that he and Israel ignited in the Middle East.The reply has been a “global raspberry.”That’s how a veteran French defense analyst, François Heisbourg, described allied responses.No close ally has come forward with immediate help. Britain is flat-out refusing to be drawn into the war. France says the fighting would have to die down first. Others are non-committal. China, which is not an ally but was also asked to help, is ignoring Trump’s call.“This is not Europe’s war. We didn’t start the war. We were not consulted,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday.<hl2>Trump’s frustration with the ‘Rolls-Royce of allies’</hl2>Trump has singled out the refusal from the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cultivated ties with Trump and reached an early trade deal with the administration, but is now among allies who refuse to join a regional war with no clear endgame.The U.K. “was sort of considered the Rolls-Royce of allies,” Trump said Monday, adding that he’d asked for British minesweeping ships.“I was not happy with the U.K,” Trump said. “They should be involved enthusiastically. We’ve been protecting these countries for years.”Starmer said Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war” and that British troops require the backing of international law and “a proper thought-through plan” — suggesting those were not in place.He initially refused to let U.S. bombers attack Iran from British bases before accepting their use for strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program.Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, said allies are “looking at the United States in a way that they never have before. And this is bad for the United States.” Having previously appeased Trump, some European leaders are “starting to realize that there’s no benefit or value in using flattery,” he said. <hl2>European leaders say it’s not their war</hl2>Going to war without consulting allies was in keeping with Trump’s America-first outlook.“My attitude is: We don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world,” he said Monday. But failing to get an international mandate, as the U.S. did before intervening in the 1990 Gulf War, is boomeranging.“It is not our war; we did not start it,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. “We want diplomatic solutions and a swift end to the conflict. Sending more warships to the region will certainly not contribute to that.”French President Emmanuel Macron envisions possible naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz — but only once fighting has died down.“France didn’t choose this war. We’re not taking part,” he said.After bruising tariff battles with Trump last year, the first months of 2026 have further strained alliances. Trump’s renewed pressure for U.S. control of Greenland, including a tariff threat against eight European nations, and his false assertion that allied troops avoided front-line fighting in the Afghanistan War, upset partners in the NATO military alliance. “Allies, or at least the Europeans, aren’t willing to be at the beck and call of a demand from Donald Trump,” said Sylvie Bermann, a French former ambassador to China, the U.K. and Russia. “And even in asking for a helping hand, he is doing so in a brutal manner, saying: ‘You’re useless, we’re the strongest, we don’t need you, but come,’” she said.<hl2>A dangerous mission</hl2>Retired naval officers say that unblocking the Strait of Hormuz with military escorts while the war rages and without Iran’s consent would be dangerous.France, which has rushed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, is working with other countries to prepare such a mission once the air war has subsided. French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet said any escorting would be conditional on talks with Iran, and Macron has publicized two calls in eight days with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.That has won points with Trump.“On a scale of zero to 10, I’d say he’s been an eight,” Trump said Monday. “Not perfect, but it’s France. We don’t expect perfect.”But he’s fuming at other allies.“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said Tuesday.<hl2>Trump has leverage, including in Ukraine</hl2>Allies in Europe and Asia need oil, gas and other products from the Middle East to flow again. That gives Trump some leverage.Allies also know from experience that resisting Trump carries risks of retaliation.“It really could be anything. Are the Europeans prepared for that?” asked Ed Arnold, a former British army officer and now a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank.European allies need Trump’s continued blessing for U.S. weaponry, intelligence, and other support for Ukraine, as well as financial pressure on Russia. The U.S. has started to chip away at some sanctions on Moscow by temporarily allowing shipments of Russian oil to ease shortages stemming from the Iran war. Allies also want him to reengage in talks to end the war.“That was what kept European leaders quiet for a lot of last year in the face of the rhetoric and actions,” said Amanda Sloat, a former U.S. national security adviser who now teaches at Spain’s IE University.“It is also the thing that is making them a little bit nervous now.”__Burrows reported from London. Associated Press journalists Jill Lawless in London, Lorne Cook in Brussels, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed.</block>

US eases Venezuela oil sanctions as Trump seeks to boost world oil supply during Iran war

A year earlier, the Treasury Department under the first Trump administration locked Venezuela out of world oil markets when it sanctioned PDVSA as part of a policy punishing Maduro’s government for corrupt, anti-democratic and criminal activities. That forced the government to sell its remaining oil output at a discount — about 40% below market prices — to buyers such as China and in other Asian markets. Venezuela even started accepting payments in Russian rubles, bartered goods or cryptocurrenc

WA gas prices surge past $5 a gallon, 2nd highest in nation; Iran war and Climate Commitment Act blamed

The national average sits at $3.85.Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, told “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio that prices have surged roughly 80 cents a gallon in Washington in the last month alone, driven by the conflict in Iran and a series of compounding factors hitting the West Coast particularly hard.Iran war sends diesel prices to record highsThe biggest driver of rising gas prices in 2026 is the war in Iran and the threat to oil tankers mov

French bulldog frenzy may be cooling in US, but dachshunds are riding high

<block>NEW YORK (AP) — Americans still dig French bulldogs, retrievers and German shepherds. But dachshunds are increasingly hot dogs.For the first time in over two decades, the sausage-shaped hounds were among the top five most prevalent dog breeds, according to American Kennel Club rankings released Wednesday. The standings cover 202 breeds and are based on puppies and older purebreds that were added last year to the AKC’s registry, the nation’s oldest. Registration is voluntary. It’s not a complete picture of the U.S. canine population, which the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates at over 87 million. The kennel club’s rankings don’t include mixed-breed dogs or trendy hybrids such as goldendoodles and Pomskies. Still, the annual list can be a source of pride, or concern, among purebred fans. It’s also a wellspring of criticism from animal rights groups such as PETA, which is suing the AKC over the physical ideals it promulgates for Frenchies, dachshunds and other breeds. Here’s a look at the standings:<hl2>The top 10:</hl2>— French bulldogs. The leaders since 2023, but for how much longer? The AKC’s registry added about 54,000 Frenchies last year, half as many as in 2023. The breed is known for being self-assured, apartment-friendly and endlessly funny, but it’s also at the center of increasing public conversation about the health of flat-faced dogs, and even some fans lament the Frenchie craze. AKC spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden offers other explanations for the falloff: Breed booms come and go, particularly in the social media era, and some breeders may choose not to engage with the club. — Labrador retrievers. They set a record by owning the top spot for 31 years. Could they reclaim it? Stay tuned.— Golden retrievers. Everyone loves them. — German shepherds. Everyone respects them.— Dachshunds. Everyone on social media wants to see them in a Halloween costume. More on dachshunds below.— Poodles. Holding their own, though not what they were — No. 1 — in the pre-doodle 1960s and 1970s. — Beagles. The only breed to make the top 10 for every decade since the AKC was founded in 1884. They were No. 1 in the late 1950s.— Rottweilers. Hovering in the top 10 for almost 15 years. — German shorthaired pointers. They’ve made big gains in the last quarter-century.— Bulldogs. Easing off after hitting No. 4 a decade ago.<hl2>Over the years:</hl2>— 25 years ago: Yorkshire terriers were No. 6, and Frenchies were No. 64. — 50 years ago: Saint Bernards were the seventh most prevalent breed. Last year, they were 63rd.— 100 years ago: In the 1920s, the top 10 included three breeds that are still there today: German shepherds, beagles and bulldogs.<hl2>The lowdown on dachshunds</hl2>— The pluses: “They’re amusing to look at. They’re also very expressive dogs — they let you know what they’re thinking,” said Trudy Kawami, who has owned, bred, done dog sports and occasionally hunted rats with dachshunds since the 1980s. “They make you laugh every day.”— The caveats: <a href="https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/263/5/javma.24.08.0553.xml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research has found</a> the short-legged, long-backed breed has an elevated risk of a spinal disease. Originally bred to roust badgers, the driven, determined dogs can be very vocal, and if they can’t exercise their instincts through hunting or sports, they might find unsuitable substitutes. — The misconceptions: “The proliferation of cute images on social media now is kind of a pain — because that cute little fluffy, cream-colored, long-haired dog can turn around and kill your pet gerbil really fast,” Kawami said. She’s glad to see more people appreciate the quirky hounds, but she rues that “the minute a breed becomes popular…the whole market-supply-and-demand mechanism kicks in.” <hl2>Up-and-coming newcomers</hl2>The AKC has added more than 50 types of dog to its roster of “recognized” breeds since 2000. Some have quickly become familiar faces, especially the cane corso, now the 11th most prevalent breed. Keep an eye out for the coton de tulear, which spurted from 92nd in 2024 to 79th last year. The American hairless terrier moved up from No. 125 to No. 108.<hl2>Rare breeds</hl2>The rarest breeds also are relative newcomers: the grand basset griffon Vendeen, the sloughi and the Norwegian lundehund. All three joined the AKC pack in the last 15 years. But just ahead of them is the harrier, recognized since 1885. <hl2>Pushback from PETA</hl2>PETA contends that breeding lessens needy dogs’ chance of adoption and perpetuates unhealthy traits. The activist group filed a lawsuit last year that accuses the AKC of promoting “the breeding of deformed, unhealthy dogs.” The kennel club responded that it’s committed to canine health and called the suit frivolous.In anticipation of this year’s popular-breeds list, PETA produced videos in which comedian-actor-writer Carol Leifer highlights the breathing problems that can beset short-snouted dogs and implores people not to buy them. “Breeders cash in on the look, and the dogs and their guardians pay for it,” she says in one clip. The AKC’s Hunter Munden said the rankings are intended just to satisfy public curiosity, not “as an encouragement to buy any type of dog.” “No matter how you acquire your dog, do your research and make sure that a dog fits in your lifestyle,” said the spokesperson, who has two mixed-breed dogs and a West Highland white terrier.</block>

Japan’s leader heads to Washington for a visit complicated by the Iran war fallout

troops stationed in Japan are being shifted to the Middle East — a change seen by Japan as a potential risk for Asia as China’s clout grows.Takaichi plans to reassure Trump of Japan’s military buildup, emphasizing the acceleration of long-range missile deployment to enhance offensive capabilities. This breaks from Japan’s postwar self-defense-only principle and reflects closer alignment with the U.S.At the summit, Takaichi is expected to convey Japan’s interest in joining

Fatal collision near Interbay shuts down Elliot Avenue

Galer Street, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) announced.Collision on Elliott Ave W at W Galer St, blocking all SB lanes & left NB lane. Use caution & seek alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/JBi6M4QXKP— SDOT Traffic (@SDOTtraffic) March 18, 2026As a result, all southbound lanes and the left northbound lane were blocked by the collision.SDOT warned to use caution when traveling through the area and seek alternate routes.At 5:43 a.m., all northbound lanes were cleared, along

Decades after a Florida canal project was abandoned, advocates are trying to reunite 2 rivers

“Something has to be done.”‘This system is a national treasure’Nature filmmaker Mark Emery told Florida lawmakers recently that the Ocklawaha River was unique as it was historically fed by the extensive Silver Springs system. But huge schools of mullet and catfish have disappeared from Silver Springs since the dam choked the flow of the river and reduced the number of fish getting into the springs, he said.“This system is a national treasure,” Emery said. “Hundreds of millions of gallons of fres

US producer prices rose by a surprisingly hot 3.4% last month, the most in a year

wholesale prices came in hotter than expected in February.The Labor Department reported Wednesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it hits consumers — rose 0.7% from January, and 3.4% from February 2025. The year-over-year increase was the most since February 2025.The gains were bigger than economists had forecast, and they occurred before the war with Iran pushed energy prices sharply higher. Contributing to the uptick last month were higher prices for hotels and

Man stabbed in head, neck at Chinatown-International District apartment

SPD administered medical aid until the Seattle Fire Department could arrive.Medics later transported the victim to Harborview Medical Center in serious but stable condition.A 24-year-old woman remained on scene and was ultimately taken into custody.The SPD investigation revealed that the man and woman had been involved in an altercation, with the man being pepper-sprayed shortly before the stabbing.Detectives in the Domestic Violence Unit are currently working to determine the events leading to

Iran lashes out with attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors as Israel hits Beirut

Israel kept up intense pressure on Lebanon with strikes it said targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, hitting multiple apartment buildings in Beirut and killing at least six people. In Iran, the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a projectile but there were no injuries and the plant suffered no damage, the International Atomic Energy Agency said after receiving a report from Tehran. The IAEA’s leader, Rafael Grossi, reiterated his call “for maximum restraint during the conflict t

What to know about Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant after report of projectile hitting its complex

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and Russia both allege a projectile struck the grounds of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the Islamic Republic, raising the specter of a radiological incident as Tehran’s war with Israel and the United States rages. Neither Iran nor Russia say there was any release of nuclear material in the incident Tuesday, but it again underlines a longtime worry of Iran’s neighbors — that the power plant on the shores of the Persian Gulf could be stricke

A new U.S. trade deal with Indonesia secures fossil fuels and access to critical minerals

is pairing its push for mineral access with more fossil fuel exports.Haryo Limanseto of Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, said the deal’s energy provisions “balance foreign trade and meet domestic energy needs.”“The leadership of Indonesia is trying to tread a fine line between the West and China,” said Putra Adhiguna of the Jakarta-based Energy Shift Institute, adding that Chinese influence is “inescapable” since it is Indonesia’s largest trading partner.US gai

About 90 ships cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran exports millions of barrels of oil despite the war

HONG KONG (AP) — About 90 ships including oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the outset of the war with Iran and it is still exporting millions of barrels of oil at a time when the waterway has been effectively closed, according to maritime and trade data platforms.Many of the vessels that passed through the strait were so-called “dark” transits evading Western government sanctions and oversight that likely have ties to Iran, maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence said. Mo

The Latest: Iran attacks Israel and Gulf countries after an Israeli strike kills its security chief

request for military support to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.Treasurer Jim Chalmers was responding Wednesday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s complaint that Australia, Japan, South Korea and NATO had rejected his calls to help secure the strait from Iranian attack.Asked if Australia had received any formal U.S. request for extra military support to keep the strait open, Chalmers told Australian Broadcasting Corp: “Not that I’m aware of.”“It’s not something that we’ve been considering, in terms

Top US intelligence officials set to testify about Iran war, threats confronting the homeland

Kent said Tuesday that he could not “in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war and that he did not agree that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S.Hours later, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, whose office oversaw Kent’s work and who is expected at the hearings this week, wrote in a carefully worded social media post that it was up to Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat. She did not mention her own views of the strikes.Gabbard and CIA Director John

There are sharks in Las Vegas feasting on hundreds of pounds of fish every week

LAS VEGAS (AP) — When Becky O’Brien dangles herring over a tank of over a dozen swimming sharks, it only takes seconds for a zebra shark to snatch the fish from her tongs.The lead aquarist said she always knew she wanted to work with marine life; she just didn’t think she’d be a shark dietitian at a 1.3 million gallon tank and Las Vegas casino. O’Brien’s team feeds 15 species of sharks three times a week at the Shark Reef Aquarium at the Mandalay Bay Resort, where they tend to over 3

China ignores Trump’s Hormuz request as the Iran war deepens and his Beijing trip slips

WASHINGTON (AP) — China won’t help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz as requested by President Donald Trump, but it is probably welcoming the delay in Trump’s highly anticipated trip to Beijing as the U.S. risks getting bogged down in the Middle East, analysts say.The latest developments are unfolding as Trump’s Iran war, in its third week, is faced with mounting pressure as oil has stopped moving through the strait and U.S. allies have refused to step up to secure

In Miami for the WBC final, both Venezuelan and US fans have something to celebrate

<block>MIAMI (AP) — Pablo Cuerta was watching batting practice before the U.S.-Venezuela championship game at the World Baseball Classic, when the realization hit him.He couldn’t lose.There were thousands of Venezuelans at the game in Miami on Tuesday night. There were thousands of Americans at the game as well. And some — like Cuerta, a Venezuelan-American — got to basically cheer for both sides. His shirt: a Venezuela jersey. His hat: the Venezuelan team cap. And draped over his shoulders, tied across his chest: the U.S. flag.“I was born in Venezuela, and this country gave me the opportunity to come, to be a citizen,” said Cuerta, who drove from his home near Orlando for the final days of the tournament in Miami. “I appreciate both countries, you know. One, I was born in Venezuela. And two, this one gave me everything I’ve got. So, I’m proud to have both countries.”As they have throughout the tournament, Venezuelan fans showed up in a big way to see their team in Miami; all seven of their team’s games at the WBC were played inside the Miami Marlins’ ballpark. From the outset, these unusual political times — Venezuela’s deposed leader Nicolás Maduro is currently jailed in New York and facing drug trafficking charges, after American forces executed a military operation in Venezuela earlier this year to capture him — have not had much of an effect on the joy Venezuelans have for this event, even with it being played on U.S. soil.When both flags were brought to home plate as part of the pregame ceremony, the building simply roared.“Super emotional with Venezuela and being here for the championship game. This is beyond sport. It is well deserved,” said Argenis Masiaf, a Miami resident who had the Venezuelan flag painted on his face for the game. “We have lived through many difficult things inside our country. This is the moment for Venezuela to accomplish something so special and memorable.”Venezuela’s players and coaches have tried to avoid all political talk. They’ve said in many ways that they’re at the WBC to play baseball, and manager Omar López reiterated that sentiment before the final.López did, however, acknowledge how much getting to the title game — and getting to play the U.S. — means to Venezuela, a baseball-mad South American country of about 32 million people. He said he expected “the whole country” to be watching.“Tonight, everyone is going to be together,” López said. “The whole country is going to be paralyzed to watch the game, and together we are going to have better generations for our country, united with no color, political colors or ideology. We have people with double citizenship. This is the only way.“We have sports. Baseball is one of the best tools or ways to educate a country. Discipline, dedication, determination. If you don’t believe in that, you should start believing. You have to believe in that. Thirty human beings today are going to unite Venezuela through a baseball game.”Josh Rojas, a student from Utah, was outside the stadium three hours before first pitch Tuesday, soaking up the atmosphere. He had a “V” for Venezuela painted on both sides of his face, proudly carrying a flag as well.“Me and my family knew Venezuela would make a good run, so we came,” Rojas said. “Man, it’s meant everything. I’m a Latino American, and it’s just making me more proud of my Latin heritage. It’s just awesome to see a whole country, a whole community come together to support this country through baseball.”Jaci Douglas said she “hates” baseball. The medical student from Pennsylvania viewed Tuesday’s game as something well beyond sport.“My mother is Venezuelan. I have in-laws who are Venezuelans,” Douglas said. “They’re all here tonight and they told me that if I miss this, I’d regret it. … It’s an event.”Cuerta said he heard everyone in Venezuela — the country he left eight years ago — was watching.“It’s going to be a lot of parties, everywhere,” Cuerta said. “Every space, every restaurant, every street, everywhere. Everybody’s watching. When we’re born, that’s the first thing your parents do. Before they send you to school, they send you to the field. That’s what they mean when they say it’s in our blood.”___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</block>

WSP needs your help to find hit-and-run driver responsible for deadly crash

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) needs your help to find a hit-and-run driver involved in a deadly crash this week in the SeaTac area.On Sunday morning at approximately 3:22 a.m., police began receiving 9-1-1 calls about a crash on I‑5 South, just south of the South 200th Street on-ramp.The driver of a Toyota Prius was pronounced dead at the scene.RELATED STORIESChihuly Garden suffers $240,000 in damage after man allegedly destroys sculpturesFederal Way man arrested in shooting that wounded 6 a