WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is tightening visa guidelines for Chinese journalists in response to the treatment of U.S. journalists in China, as tensions flare between the two nations over the coronavirus. The Department of Homeland Security has issued new regulations, set to take effect Monday, that will limit visas for Chinese reporters to […]

One reader captured this excellent shot of a stunning wood duck wading across the water, showing that self-isolation sometimes really all it’s quacked up to be.

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA season will not start on time next month because of the coronavirus pandemic, and when it begins is unclear. The league announced Friday it will delay the season for an indefinite period. Training camps were to open on April 26 and the regular season on May 15. WNBA Commissioner […]

Prosecutor Adam Cornell likened the decision by Sheriff Adam Fortney to publicly question and refuse to enforce the stay-home order "to yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater."

From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 

NEW YORK (AP) — Three children have now died in New York state from a possible complication from the coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday. At least 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease — a rare inflammatory condition in children […]

While this year’s Mother’s Day weekend promises warm weather, Seattle officials are restricting hours in city parks out of fears that large crowds hoping to enjoy the sun could further spread the novel coronavirus. A recent report shows the COVID-19 transmission rate in Western Washington may be steadily increasing, suggesting that the number of virus cases […]

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has won bipartisan praise for rallying supplies for his ravaged hospitals and helping slow the coronavirus, is coming under increasing criticism for not bringing that same level of commitment to a problem that has so far stymied him: nursing homes. In part-lecture, part-cheerleading briefings that […]

With social distancing efforts (or just distance) keeping many families apart for Mother's Day, our features staffers share how they'll be celebrating their moms this weekend. Happy Mother's Day!

Throughout Friday, on this page, we’ll be posting updates from Seattle Times journalists and others on the pandemic and its effects on the Seattle area, the Pacific Northwest and the world.

Gov. Kate Brown announced earlier this week that some outdoor recreation activities can resume as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 

Every Mother's Day, climbers flock to Mount St. Helens in festive dresses in the continuation of a tradition started by 'the woman in the red dress.' This Mother's Day, a new mini-documentary from OPB tells the story of Kathy Phibbs, a gifted alpinist who paved the way for a more inclusive outdoors community — and pink flamingos on mountain summits.

While this year’s Mother’s Day weekend promises warm weather, Seattle officials are restricting hours in city parks out of fears that large crowds hoping to enjoy the sun could further spread the novel coronavirus. A recent report shows the COVID-19 transmission rate in Western Washington may be steadily increasing, suggesting that the number of virus cases […]

THE CREATORS: Through the elegant, artistic lights she designs, creates and installs, Conway transforms places, perceptions and experiences.

Who needs a yard sale? In an effort to get rid of stuff before moving to a smaller house, this couple came up with a novel way to purge: let people in and tell them to take whatever they want.

At the corner of public and private, a new home sinks down to limit its exposure.

The architect and the homeowner/artist have this remodel down to a fine art.

An architect and builder reteam to create a contemporary new home on the lot next door, filled with the couple's favorite things.

When Alyssa LeMay heard the strange music and sounds coming from her bedroom, she walked in expecting to find one of her sisters. But the room was empty. Then, as the 8-year-old wandered around her room alone, the mysterious song abruptly stopped. “Hello there,” a man’s voice said. It wasn’t Alyssa’s father, who was elsewhere […]

THE ORIGINAL THREAD was a single strand — a simple string of vision and possibility. Kenny really wanted to hold a Super Bowl party downstairs. That’s the thing with threads, though. They’re so rarely self-contained. “We decided to take over the playroom, and then we just kind of kept going,” says architect Andrew Patterson, of […]

THE FIRST THING you notice about Bonnie Berk and Larry Kessler’s property in the Mount Baker neighborhood of Seattle is the formidable retaining wall. Accentuated with terra-cotta tiles and red brick, the wall provides double-sided access to the property via stairs, and was part of the original home design by Arthur Loveless. It’s a grand […]

SO MUCH IS so sweet here — with virtually zero DIY experience, but decades of memories and dreams (and only two trips to the ER), Ty Warren successfully pulled off the lovely-on-many-levels remodel of his childhood home in Kenmore — but the sweetest might be how we learned of this sentimental act of derring-do-it-himself in […]

From baking a Japanese-style souffle cheesecake to making trivets out of wine corks, here's what our features staffers recently learned from YouTube videos.

NEW YORK (AP) — Idris Elba, who battled the coronavirus this year, has lent his voice to a new song about black men and mental health that will benefit pandemic relief efforts. Elba is featured on the song “Kings” by Kosine, a singer-songwriter-producer best known for crafting hits for Big Sean, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. […]

Those who saw conservative commentator Bill Kristol on television one recent night may not remember what he said. But they’ll never forget the magnificent mess of a bookcase behind him. And there’s a growing army of viewers with just one question after tuning into any number of interviews that political commentator John Heilemann has given […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine lit up social media on Friday, releasing a new song and video created during his home confinement just weeks after being freed from a Manhattan federal lockup over coronavirus fears. In “Gooba,” the multi-tattooed rapper whose real name is Daniel Hernandez puts on a rainbow-colored performance accompanied by […]

From an unexpected friendship across species, to a cluster of clay llamas, to finding a way to remotely produce a song featuring multiple collaborators, people across Washington state have found ways to stay connected to their artistic communities, their jobs and their routines — or to find beauty in the changes themselves. 

Every Mother's Day, climbers flock to Mount St. Helens in festive dresses in the continuation of a tradition started by 'the woman in the red dress.' This Mother's Day, a new mini-documentary from OPB tells the story of Kathy Phibbs, a gifted alpinist who paved the way for a more inclusive outdoors community — and pink flamingos on mountain summits.

Bill Gates is stepping down from the board of Microsoft Corp., the company he co-founded in 1975.

It was a rocky week on Wall Street, as most securities fell and some saw record declines. Seattle-area companies felt the pain as sharply as any.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella sent an email Saturday to his 140,000-plus employees, telling them he shares their personal anxieties over the coronavirus and asking each to make a "small difference" to help others. In a Seattle Times interview beforehand, he detailed his emotions the past week steering the company while caring for his family.

Apple’s market value fell below $1 trillion as trading opened Monday, leaving Microsoft as the only U.S. stock above the 13-digit threshold. Apple shares fell as much as 4.9% at 9:40 a.m. in New York, bringing the iPhone maker’s market value to about $960 billion. In the wake of coronavirus, the company has been hampered […]

The company's chief technology officer says early detection of underlying health conditions could not only help treat patients and prevent the spread of future pandemics, but also reduce care costs for Americans

Microsoft hired Ruben Caballero, Apple's former executive in charge of wireless technologies, to work on mixed reality hardware and artificial intelligence technology.

The 317-page report by the inspector general also found that giving the contract to a single company — Microsoft — rather than dividing it among competitors was "consistent with applicable acquisition standards."

Microsoft's chief technology officer, Kevin Scott, spoke with The Associated Press about the pandemic's effects on his day-to-day responsibilities.

Ron Judd re-creates a ‘typical’ exchange, where the case of a missing monkey quickly devolves into less-than-neighborly snark.

This year’s ode to the Thanksgiving feast is a tribute to folks for whom the mere thought of baking from scratch prompts a violent itch.

You’ll (probably) (possibly?) be full of thanks and safely roasted turkey after digesting Ron Judd’s Quick Start Guide to a Thanksgiving gathering

IT BEGAN HUMBLY, as a small seed, nearly three decades ago, in the mind of a local wood and metal patternmaker. The germ of Jeff Carnevali’s idea — a round, elastomeric rubber ball, surrounded by a spring-loaded, double-armed metal clamp to form a grippy, orbital socket capable of mounting countless devices to solid surfaces — […]

Before plunging into our own likely decade of consequence, take a shallow dive into the gene pool of Northwest civilization at the dawn of the last '20s.

Despite the wind, rain, fog and cold, there are plenty of Seattle-area hikers who love to get outdoors during the inclement weather of winter. Here are their tips for enjoying Washington's trails, no matter the season.

Under normal circumstances, this would be a perfect time to sneak in a round or two (or four), but of course, that’s impossible. All courses in the state have been shut down by virtue of Gov. Inslee’s shelter-at-home order March 23.

As we continue to quarantine under Gov. Jay Inslee's "stay at home" order, there are still lots of fun activities you can do this weekend. So, stay in, read a book, start a movie marathon and order some takeout.

So what if your gym is closed? There are lots of different ways to keep your fitness level up. Just look around your neighborhood and incorporate some of these fun little "games" into your workout routine.

Serious cyclists are surely longing for a bit of diversity in their routes with the inability to bike on trails. City riding is a great alternative — you can see plenty of Seattle sights while also getting out of the house and getting some exercise. And if you’re a newbie, there’s never been a better time to hop back on your bike.