Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

President Donald Trump signed the sweeping tax and budget bill into law on July 4, which included a critical extension. The legislation revives and strengthens the Aleutian nuclear test compensation program, allowing more time for victims to apply. Initially passed in 1990, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) provides one-time payments to people harmed by US nuclear testing. While most tests occurred in Nevada, the act also includes three underground atomic detonations on Amchitka Island in Alaska. Those occurred in 1965, 1969, and 1971, with the final test, Cannikin, remaining the most controversial in US nuclear history. It involved a…

Researchers from Yale University discovered a fungus called Pestalotiopsis microspora, which can break down polyurethane, a durable plastic widely used. This fungus does not require other nutrients and can survive on plastic as its only carbon source, even in places without oxygen. That’s significant because plastic waste mostly ends up in landfills where oxygen is scarce and decomposition nearly impossible. The fungus’s ability to convert plastic into harmless organic compounds makes this finding even more impressive.  Digesting polyurethane, it secretes enzymes that break the plastic’s tough molecular bonds. This process, known as bioremediation, opens new possibilities for sustainable plastic disposal…

Alaska wildfire pilot car safety has become a top priority as agencies respond to growing fire activity and shifting emergency zones statewide. Officials from the Department of Natural Resources Public Safety and Transportation are working together to guide traffic through dangerous wildfire areas. They emphasize that these are not ordinary construction zones; drivers must remain alert, follow directions and avoid making risky decisions behind the wheel. Pilots’ cars lead vehicles safely through active wildfire zones where smoke, flames, and emergency crews can appear without warning at any moment. Responders from DNR, DPS, and DOT&PF work together to monitor fires and…

Ukraine experienced the biggest-ever aerial attack on Ukraine as 728 drones and 13 missiles struck cities across the country in coordinated waves. President Volodymyr Zelensky called the overnight assault a telling attack and said Russia is rejecting all peace efforts outright. Zelensky emphasized that the barrage conceded with global talks for a ceasefire and criticized Russia for continuing the violence without restraint. The attack came just hours after President Donald Trump reversed a suspension on aid and pledged more weapons for Kyiv. During a press briefing, Trump expressed apparent frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of manipulative and…

The Pentagon has chosen Alaska Eielson Air Force Base to host the military’s first nuclear micro-creator Air Force Base project. Defense officials announced the selection in June, citing the base’s isolation and history of power disruptions as key factors.  The Department of Defense expects the microreactor to be operational by late 2028, supplying steady power in extreme Arctic conditions. Located near Fairbanks, Eielson frequently endures subzero winters and has experienced power outages in 2020 and 2024. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink explained that remote bases like Eielson rely heavily on secure, resilient energy to maintain operations. Once approved, California-based Oklo…

The European Green Crab invasion has officially spread north, and its presence is confirmed at Refuge Cove State Recreation Site near Ketchikan. Barbra Morgan, a University of Alaska Southeast instructor, discovered the crab carcasses while teaching a field class on species identification.  Her students participated in an educational effort to monitor invasive species along Alaska’s southern coast. On the last beach they visited, small crabs less than an inch wide were discovered. This invasive crab, originally detected on Annette Island in July 2022, has steadily advanced north from the San Francisco Bay region. It has now reached the shores of…

A North Slope tundra wildfire has burned approximately 2000 acres of Arctic Alaska, making it the region’s largest blaze since 2017. Lightning ignited the fire, known as the Ikpikpuk Fire, on June 22 near the 195-mile-long river that flows into the Arctic Ocean. Despite its size, the fire remains unstaffed, and no suppression efforts are currently underway, according to the US Bureau of Land Management’s Alaska Fire Service. Officials also reported three additional fires nearby, including the 618-acre Bronx Fire and two more minor tundra burns. Scientists say large wildfires like this are rare but increasing in frequency across the…

Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has ordered the military to prepare a controversial relocation plan for Gaza, sparking global outrage. Katz announced that Israel intends to create a so-called humanitarian city on the ruins of Rafah designed to house Gaza’s entire population. Initially, 600,000 Palestinians, mostly already displaced in the al-Mawasi area, would be relocated. They would face strict Israeli security screenings before entering the fenced camp and, once inside, would not be permitted to leave. Katz said the ultimate goal is to move all 2.1 million Gaza residents into this enclosed area under Israeli control. Legal and human rights…

Senator Lisa Murkowski’s SNAP vote benefited Alaska as she extracted significant concessions before backing a controversial Republican tax bill. In the final hours before the ballot, Murkowski paced the Senate halls visibly anxious while her republican colleagues pressed for her support.  Knowing her vote could tip the balance, she demanded Alaskan exemptions that softened the blow of planned federal spending cuts. Murkowski also won a delay in new SNAP cost-sharing rules targeting states with high payment error rates. Alaska, with a 24.66% error rate, became eligible for the exemptions. Other high-error states, like New York and New Jersey, also qualified…

On July 1, Alaska’s sick leave and wage law officially took effect, changing worker rights and employer responsibilities across the state. Employees working at companies with 15 or more workers now earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. However, those at businesses with fewer than 15 workers can only earn up to 40 hours of sick leave per year. Larger businesses must allow employees to earn up to 56 hours of leave annually unless they choose to allow more. Under the law, workers can use leave for illness, family care, or situations involving domestic abuse,…

President Donald Trump issued a stern 10% tariff warning to countries supporting the BRICS alliance, targeting those adopting what he called anti-American policies. Speaking through social media, Trump declared that no exceptions would be made for nations siding with the growing bloc, which now includes major players like China, Russia, India, and several new members. At the BRICS summit in Brazil, leaders openly criticized US trade practices and tariffs and called for reforms in global governance. Their joint statement emphasized concerns over rising protectionism, particularly from the United States. The bloc’s expansion, which recently welcomed countries like Egypt, Iran, and…

Launch Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the US Navy challenging the sudden cancellation of a $5 million federal grant. The Anchorage-based nonprofit filed its complaint Tuesday in US District Court, claiming the Navy offered no valid reason for the termination. Officials at the Office of Naval Research canceled the five-year grant in April due to a policy shift under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Launch Alaska’s lawsuit argues that the termination will likely lead to layoffs, canceled contracts, and the collapse of its accelerator program. The organization said it had complied with all requirements and received no warning about mismanagement.…