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US-Iran talks begin in Pakistan as war’s fragile ceasefire holds
The United States and Iran began negotiations Saturday in Pakistan, days after a fragile, two-week ceasefire was announced, as the war that has killed thousands of people and shaken global markets entered its seventh week.Iran’s state-run news agency said three-party talks had begun after Iranian preconditions, including a reduction in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, were met, and after U.S. and Iranian officials met separately with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. There were no imm
‘I’d bury it in the backyard’: Jake details fool-proof plan as toilet paper shortage concerns rise
After a 29-year-old man allegedly burned down a 1.2 million square foot warehouse filled with toilet paper, the western United States now potentially faces a toilet paper shortage.Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, likened this toilet paper shortage to what was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and believe some households may begin hoarding it.“You guys remember during COVID, everybody got really worried. I don’
Gee and Ursula ask, ‘What does the American Dream mean today?’
But that is changing these days.”With the cost of living continuing to rise and more young adults choosing to live at home, Ursula claimed that many parents of young adults are starting to rethink the very idea of what the American dream is. According to a report from Northwest Mutual, 74% of parents who still have kids at home claim they’re now including helping their kids buy a home in their financial planning.“For me, the American dream has always and will always be the same
UK puts Chagos Islands handover deal on hold after Trump withdraws support
President Donald Trump’s administration has withdrawn its support for the deal.The British government acknowledged Saturday that legislation to ratify the agreement for the islands in the Indian Ocean has run out of time in Parliament.It’s the latest fallout from souring relations between Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government and the Trump administration.Trump initially backed the deal, but changed his mind in January, calling a deal to transfer sovereignty of the islands, home to the j
Tribal gas stations offer a reprieve from high prices during Iran war
Especially in California, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma and Washington state — places with dozens of tribally owned stations, including some in busy travel corridors — tribes exempt from state fuel taxes can sell for much less than competing stations nearby.Gas prices push the drive to find bargainsApps such as Gas Buddy make finding the cheapest gas easier than ever.Nationwide, gasoline prices have risen by well over $1 since the Iran war began Feb. 28, reaching an average of $4.15 a gallon, a
Buyers fret as the average cost of a new car nears $50K
Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March, the biggest yearly increase since May 2024, while new car prices were up 12.6% from a year ago, the Labor Department reported Friday.New vehicles now sell for an average of nearly $50,000, up 30% in six years, and average monthly payments — based on 10% down and a 6-year note — recently hit $775. Looking for something on the cheap end? The share of vehicles listing for less than $30,000 is about 13% — down from 40% five years ago, per the car review site CarGu
Trump likes to back winners in foreign elections. The upcoming vote in Hungary will test his clout
Now, he boasts that foreign leaders come to him seeking his approval.“I love it when I give endorsements and people win,” Trump said last month at a summit with several Latin American leaders whom he had backed.Often, his picks share his policy views, like fellow immigration hard-liners Orbán and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, or the chainsaw-wielding Argentine President Javier Milei, who used the tool to illustrate his zeal to slash spending.Trump and his officials have often used the
Democrats embrace DEI as ‘American values’ at National Action Network
NEW YORK (AP) — Ever since President Donald Trump started purging diversity initiatives last year, the letters “DEI” have faded from corporate boardrooms and Democratic stump speeches.But that wasn’t the case for the past few days at the annual National Action Network conference in New York, where Democratic politicians and potential presidential candidates repeatedly made the case for diversity, equity and inclusion policies that seemed to have fallen out of favor. “We have the high groun
Unsettled and uncertain: What the Iran war means around the world as US and Iran enter talks
Even with a ceasefire in place, Iran’s new control of the Strait of Hormuz through threats alone means Gulf states still aren’t able to get their energy shipments out to market.They aren’t a monolith though, with opinions ranging from Oman’s efforts at diplomacy to the United Arab Emirates denouncing Iranian aggression and insisting the status quo cannot stand. — Jon Gambrell, news director for the Gulf and IranCeasefire uncertainty in LebanonIn Lebanon, the regional war has taken a devastating
Curley: Melania Trump’s speech revives a long history of First Ladies going rogue
And I don’t know what Gavin Newsom said to this, but man, the Republicans are having a field day.“I’ve given our boys dolls, even if they tear the head off,” Jennifer Siebel Newsom said. “I’ve given them dolls to learn that care and caregiving is not just an activity that’s reserved for women, but that it’s also an activity that is a responsibility of men. At the end of the day, we’re all kind of like in this place in history, maybe, where we
2 Mexican nationals sentenced after repeat deportations and WA arrests
<p>Two Mexican citizens, both illegally present in the U.S., were sentenced for reentry of a removed alien in recent weeks after they were both arrested in Washington.</p><p>Both Jorge Velasquez-Sandoval, 36, and Filadelfo Garcia Garcia, 36, returned to the U.S. after two prior removals, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd stated.</p><h2>Velasquez-Sandoval’s case</h2><p>Velasquez-Sandoval was first ordered to leave the country in February 2009 by an immigration judge. In December 2015, Velasquez-Sandoval was encountered by agents with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in California. Velasquez-Sandoval was again removed from the U.S.</p><p>Nine years later, in October 2024, DHS agents learned that Velasquez-Sandoval was arrested once more in the U.S., this time in Snohomish County for fourth-degree domestic violence assault. But Velasquez-Sandoval was released back into the community. A year later, in September 2025, Velasquez-Sandoval was arrested again for violating a protection order related to the domestic violence assault.</p><p>On February 26, Velasquez-Sandoval pleaded guilty.</p><p>“It is clear that Mr. Velasquez-Sandoval has no respect for the law,” U.S. District Judge James Robart said at the sentencing hearing. “It looks to me that I’ve got somebody who’s essentially committing crimes every time he’s here.”</p><p>As Velasquez-Sandoval is being processed for removal to Mexico, he is in custody pending transfer to immigration authorities.</p><div class="related alignright"><div class="col_label"><h2>RELATED STORIES</h2></div><ul><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/pioneer-square-armed-robbery/4226846"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-2026-04-10T081125.141-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="Police seek 'dangerous' man who beat Pioneer Square workers with wine bottle" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/pioneer-square-armed-robbery/4226846">Police seek 'dangerous' man who beat Pioneer Square workers with wine bottle</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/driver-dies-port-orchard/4226816"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/A-new-14-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="21-year-old driver dies after losing control, hitting Port Orchard police SUV" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/driver-dies-port-orchard/4226816">21-year-old driver dies after losing control, hitting Port Orchard police SUV</a></h3></div></li><li><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/bail-kent-double-homicide/4226651"><img decoding="async" width="719" height="404" src="https://mynorthwest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/A-new-12-420x236.jpg" class="sub_art" alt="$5M bail set for suspect in Kent double homicide party shooting" loading="lazy"></a><div class="sub_story"><h3><a class="related-link" href="https://mynorthwest.com/crime-blotter/bail-kent-double-homicide/4226651">$5M bail set for suspect in Kent double homicide party shooting</a></h3></div></li></ul></div><h3>Garcia Garcia’s case</h3><p>Garcia Garcia was first removed from the U.S. in August 2018. A year later, he was found in California and removed a second time.</p><p>Six years after his second arrest, in December 2025, Garcia Garcia was arrested, this time in Lewis County. Prosecutors noted that Garcia Garcia had a dangerous history of driving under the influence.</p><p>“For example, he has DUI convictions from 2014, 2016, and 2025, in addition to other arrests for DUIs that did not result in convictions from June 2015, August 2017, October 2022, and August 2025,” prosecutors stated. “He also has multiple arrests for ignition interlock violations over the years, one of which resulted in a conviction. Also concerning is a 2017 arrest for a hit and run of an attended vehicle, which was dismissed after entering into a stipulated order of continuance.”</p><p>Like Velasquez-Sandoval, Garcia Garcia is in the process of being removed to Mexico.</p><h3>Are sanctuary policies within WA hindering immigration enforcement?</h3><p>Referencing these two cases, U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd argued that it’s dangerous for Washington’s sanctuary policies to prohibit local officials from cooperating with immigration enforcement.</p><p>“Mr. Velasquez-Sandoval was arrested in Snohomish County for domestic violence, but was released before immigration agents could take him into custody. When he was arrested again for violating a protection order, we were able to secure a judicial warrant for illegally re-entering the U.S. and keep him detained,” Floyd stated. “Similarly, Mr. Garcia Garcia has multiple DUI convictions and even more arrests. This criminal alien was repeatedly released back into the community rather than turning him over to immigration authorities.</p><p>“It is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed because the state refuses to cooperate with federal law enforcement,” he continued. “My office will continue to use the tools we have available to ensure crimes are not committed by individuals who are in the U.S. illegally.”</p><p><a class="twitter-follow-button" href="https://twitter.com/http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest" data-show-count="false" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest</a><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
Gap between rich and poor nations is growing even wider, UN report says
report concludes.The report assessing next week’s spring meetings in Washington of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the main global financial institutions promoting economic growth.The managing director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgieva, said it had been prepared to upgrade global growth, but the Iran war has now darkened the outlook for the world economy.Li Junhua, the U.N. undersecretary-general for economic and social affairs, said the geopolitical tensions were compounding
Tech Talk: WA law opens EV direct sales beyond Tesla, drawing praise and pushback
A new Washington law is set to expand how electric vehicles are sold, allowing more manufacturers to bypass traditional dealerships and sell directly to consumers.The legislation clears the way for companies like Rivian and Lucid Motors to operate direct-to-consumer sales in the state, ending Tesla’s long-standing status as the only automaker permitted to do so.Supporters said the change will make it easier for Washington residents to purchase electric vehicles and could accelerate adoption.R
California Rep. Swalwell denies assault allegations as rivals urge him to exit governor’s race
<p><block></p><p>SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat running for governor, has denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman twice, including when she worked for him.</p><p>The San Francisco Chronicle <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/eric-swalwell-allegations-22198271.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported Friday</a> that a woman said Swalwell sexually assaulted her in 2019 and 2024. The newspaper reviewed text messages about the alleged 2024 assault and spoke to people whom she had told about it. She told the newspaper she did not go to police because she was afraid she would not be believed. </p><p>The paper didn’t name the woman, and The Associated Press has not been able to independently verify her account and identity. Her lawyer declined to comment.</p><p>The woman worked for Swalwell in 2019 when the first alleged assault occurred, and the 2024 assault allegedly occurred after a charity gala, the newspaper reported. She said in both cases she was too intoxicated to consent to sex.</p><p>Swalwell denied the woman’s account and suggested they were part of an attack due to his campaign’s momentum. </p><p>“These allegations are false and come on the eve of an election against the front-runner for governor,” Swalwell said in a statement. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman and have always protected women. I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action. My focus in the coming days is to be with my wife and children and defend our decades of service against these lies.”</p><p>The woman received a cease-and-desist letter from Swalwell’s attorney, the Chronicle reported. The attorney, Elias Debaie, confirmed he sent out at least one letter and called the allegations “baseless.”</p><p>The allegations surfaced at a critical stage of the wide-open campaign to lead the nation’s most populous state. Mail ballots go out to voters in less than a month in advance of a June 2 primary election. </p><p>On Friday afternoon, the California Teachers Association said it’s suspending its support. Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff withdrew his endorsement, and a fellow congressman who backed Swalwell urged him to drop out of the race. Several of Swalwell’s competitors also encouraged him to exit the race.</p><p>Uncorroborated and nonspecific rumors that Swalwell behaved inappropriately with female staffers have circulated on social media for weeks, but the Chronicle’s story is the first reported account of someone making a direct accusation. At a Tuesday campaign event in Sacramento, he told reporters he’s never had a sexual relationship with a staff member or intern.</p><p>Swalwell earlier this week announced a series of campaign functions he’s planned around the state, but canceled the scheduled event Thursday in Palm Springs. </p><p>Swalwell is among several leading Democrats in the crowded field to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, and he immediately came under pressure from several Democratic rivals — former state controller Betty Yee, state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan — to withdraw from the race. Two of Swalwell’s top rivals — former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter and billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer — expressed support for the woman who shared her account but stopped short of calling on Swalwell to end his campaign.</p><p>The emerging uproar could prove costly for Swalwell if his fundraising dries up, strangling his ability to run campaign ads, or if unions and other groups that endorsed his campaign begin to retract their decisions. </p><p>Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez, who endorsed and helped run Swalwell’s campaign, said in a social media post that he’s immediately ending his role in the campaign.</p><p>“The congressman should leave the race now so there can be full accountability without doubt, distraction, or delay,” Gomez said. </p><p>Swalwell, who is originally from Iowa, was elected in 2012 and represents a House district east of San Francisco. He launched a presidential run in April 2019 but shuttered it a few months later after failing to catch on with voters. He is perhaps best known nationally as a House manager in President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://swalwell.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/swalwell-named-impeachment-manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second impeachment trial</a> during his first term in early 2021.</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer Michael R. Blood in Los Angeles contributed to this report.</p><p></block></p>
Artemis II astronauts return from moon with a splashdown to close out a record-breaking lunar voyage
Artemis II’s astronauts returned from the moon with a dramatic splashdown in the Pacific on Friday to close out humanity’s first lunar voyage in more than a half-century.It was a triumphant homecoming for the crew of four whose record-breaking lunar flyby revealed not only swaths of the moon’s far side — never seen before by human eyes — but a total solar eclipse.Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canada’s Jeremy Hansen hit the atmosphere traveling Mach 33 — or 33 ti
Mystery of dead canines washing ashore on Guemes Island solved, sheriff says
The morbid mystery involving approximately 25 dead canines washing ashore on Guemes Island in Skagit County last week has been solved, according to the county sheriff’s office.According to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, the dead canines were foxes that originated from a farm outside of Washington. The foxes were “lawfully purchased and transported into Washington” for use as crab bait.The sheriff’s office told KIRO 7 that, while crabbing, the boat had some kind of me
‘New king of Las Vegas’ is celebrated with Strip parade
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Riding down the Las Vegas Strip in a pink low-rider with two showgirls at his side, Bruno Mars was declared the “new king of Las Vegas” on Friday.The city honored Mars, who has become one of Sin City’s iconic performers, with a parade and naming a street “Bruno Mars Drive.” Officials declared Friday “Bruno Mars Day” for Mars, who is kicking off his global Romantic Tour in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium.“It’s such a privilege, and I want to thank you guys from t
Developer of Massachusetts offshore wind farm sues to stop turbine manufacturer from walking away
Craig Gilvarg, spokesman for Vineyard Wind, said Friday that the lawsuit is meant to ensure that GE Renewables fulfills its obligations to the project “and to the people of Massachusetts and New England who are relying on the significant and economic benefits this project is already providing.”GE Vernova said the company is exercising its right to terminate agreements for nonpayment for work performed. “The company remains committed to the safety of the wind farm and stands by our performance an
Former US Rep. Eliot Engel, who worked on foreign affairs for decades, dies at 79
Eliot Engel, a New York Democrat who chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee and played an influential role in matters from the Balkans to the Beltway, including President Donald Trump’s first impeachment, has died. He was 79.Engel died Friday at a Bronx hospital of complications of Parkinson’s disease, according to his family. “During his over 44 years in public service, Eliot Engel fought tirelessly for his constituents at home and for peace and security around the world,” the family said in a s
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser unveils her last budget, proposing to cut spending
And it would eliminate a program that supplemented the wages of child care providers, a measure passed during the pandemic to help attract and retain workers to a field with historically low wages.Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said the council would likely vote on the budget in June.Washington’s budget has been complicated in the last two years, including in 2025 when the House passed a federal government funding bill that would force the district’s government to revert to its 2024 budge