Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

Alaska Airlines is planning a major new airport lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, a two-story facility expected to become one of the largest airline lounges in the United States once completed. The proposed lounge would measure about 40,000 square feet across two levels, with each floor spanning roughly 20,000 square feet. The space will be located in the airport’s expanded C Concourse, part of a broader terminal expansion project underway at Sea-Tac. Plans call for two separate sections within the lounge: a traditional Alaska Airlines lounge area and an additional space designed for international travelers as the airline expands its…

The Trump administration is considering a federal investment in the controversial Ambler mining road in Alaska, a proposed industrial route designed to open access to mineral deposits in the state’s remote northwest, federal officials said this week. The proposed Ambler Road would stretch about 211 miles from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District, a region believed to hold large deposits of copper, cobalt, zinc, and other critical minerals. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said federal financial participation is being discussed as a way to help unlock the area’s mineral resources, which supporters say are vital for domestic manufacturing and…

U.S. and allied forces recently completed major military exercises in Alaska and Greenland, testing their ability to operate in extreme Arctic conditions as strategic competition in the region grows, according to defense officials. The training is part of Arctic Edge 2026, a large-scale exercise led by U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). The drills took place across multiple locations in Alaska and Greenland and involved U.S., Canadian, Danish, and other partner forces The exercise focused on preparing military units to respond to potential threats in the Arctic, including operating aircraft, vehicles, and communications systems in…

At least 102 people were killed and dozen others reported missing after landslides swept through communities in southern Ethiopia’s Gamo Zone following days of heavy rainfall, triggering a large-scale search and rescue effort, officials said Thursday. The disaster struck several districts in the Gamo Zone, including Gacho Baba, Kamba, and Bonke, after a week of persistent rain destabilized hillsides and caused large volumes of earth to collapse onto nearby villages. Emergency crews and local residents have been digging through thick mud and debris in search of survivors. Authorities confirmed that one person was rescued alive from the mud, but many…

Drivers traveling near Talkeetna, Alaska, will see a lower speed limit on part of the Parks Highway this summer as state officials test whether reducing speeds can improve safety near businesses and a local school. The temporary speed zone will lower the limit from 55 mph to 45 mph along a stretch of the Parks Highway near Talkeetna Spur Road, according to state transportation officials. The area includes several business driveways and the entrance to Su-Valley Jr./Sr. High School, where traffic activity has increased. The trial speed limit is scheduled to run from May 15 through Sept. 15, covering Alaska’s…

A small magnitude 1.9 earthquake was recorded Thursday morning about 52 miles northwest of Burwash Landing, near the Alaska–Canada border, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center. No damage or injuries were immediately reported. The earthquake occurred at 8:12 a.m. Alaska Daylight Time on March 12, at a depth of about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) beneath the surface, based on preliminary seismic data from the Alaska Earthquake Center. The epicenter was located in a remote area roughly 305 miles east of Anchorage and about 310 miles northwest of Juneau, far from major population centers. The event was classified as a minor…

The ongoing U.S.–Israel war with Iran entered a new phase this week as President Donald Trump said the conflict could end “very soon,” even as military strikes and retaliatory attacks continued across the Middle East. The war began on Feb. 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian military, nuclear, and government sites across several cities. The initial strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials, triggering retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran across the region. Iran has targeted U.S. bases and allied countries in the Gulf while Israel and…

A bright fireball streaked across the night sky over Fairbanks, Alaska, late Monday, briefly lighting up the horizon before bursting into a flash. The rare celestial event was caught on camera and quickly drew attention from residents across Interior Alaska. The event occurred on March 10, when a glowing object raced across the sky and appeared to explode in a bright flash. Video shared online shows the fireball moving rapidly before fading moments later. Fireballs are extremely bright meteors created when pieces of space debris enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burn up due to intense friction. Most disintegrate…

Ten conservation groups have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a Trump administration decision that removed long-standing protections from about 2.1 million acres of federal land in Alaska, a move that could allow new mining, energy and infrastructure projects. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Anchorage and targets a decision by the U.S. Department of the Interior to revoke public land orders that had protected portions of land along the corridor surrounding the Trans-Alaska Pipeline since the 1970s. Those protections covered an area stretching along the pipeline route and parts of the Dalton Highway. The administration’s decision…

A magnitude 2.9 earthquake was recorded south of Sand Point on Alaska’s Alaska Peninsula late Tuesday night, according to the Alaska Earthquake Center. The earthquake occurred at 11:06 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time on March 10, 2026, about 60 miles south of Sand Point, according to data from the Alaska Earthquake Center. The quake had a depth of about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers) and was classified as a small earthquake. Initial information published by the monitoring center indicated that a seismologist had not yet reviewed the event. No reports of damage or injuries were immediately associated with the earthquake. Earthquakes are…

U.S. President Donald Trump is “not happy” with Iran’s selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new supreme leader, warning that the leadership change could further complicate relations between Washington and Tehran. Trump made the comments during an interview with Fox News, responding to the announcement that Mojtaba Khamenei had been chosen to lead Iran following the death of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. When asked about the new leader, Trump said he does not believe Mojtaba Khamenei “can live in peace,” signaling skepticism about the future direction of Iran’s leadership. Despite the criticism, Trump also indicated that diplomatic discussions…

The race for two seats on the Anchorage School Board is drawing attention as candidates present sharply different levels of experience and competing visions for the future of the Anchorage School District ahead of the April municipal election. The election will decide two of the seven seats on the Anchorage School Board, which oversees Alaska’s largest school district serving more than 43,000 students. Ballots for Anchorage’s citywide election are due April 7, 2026. Candidates running for the seats include a mix of incumbents and challengers with backgrounds ranging from education leadership and community advocacy to limited direct experience with district…