Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

A group of travelers has returned to federal court seeking to reverse the airline industry changes that followed the merger of Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines, arguing that promises made during the acquisition have not been kept and that the outcome has harmed consumers. The lawsuit, filed under the name Yoshimoto v. Alaska Airlines, Inc. asks a judge to intervene to preserve Hawaiian Airlines as a standalone carrier and halt further integration, which plaintiffs say would make reversal of the process nearly impossible once completed later this spring. Passengers claim that when the $1.9 billion acquisition closed in September 2024,…

Iran has carried out a large-scale series of missile and drone strikes on major Gulf Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, in retaliation for a coordinated U.S.-Israeli military offensive against Iranian territory, regional officials and defense sources said Sunday. The attacks struck critical civilian and commercial infrastructure in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where Dubai International Airport, the landmark Burj Al Arab hotel, and the Jebel Ali port sustained damage, according to statements from Emirati authorities. At least three people have been killed and 58 others injured in the UAE since the strikes began, the country’s defense ministry…

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, urging all parties to halt hostilities and return to diplomatic negotiations to prevent the conflict from widening. Guterres told council members that the military escalation and retaliatory strikes undermine international peace and security and called for immediate de-escalation. He stressed that the use of force by any state must comply with the U.N. Charter and international law, and that the current violence threatens civilians across the Middle East and beyond. The emergency session followed a series of…

A legal challenge to Alaska’s prostitution law has advanced to the Superior Court of the State of Alaska, marking a significant step in ongoing debates over whether consensual adult sex work should be decriminalized in the state. The lawsuit was filed in December by the nonprofit Community United for Safety and Protection (CUSP), which advocates for the rights and safety of sex workers and survivors of sex trafficking. The group argues that Alaska’s current prostitution statute infringes on constitutional rights by criminalizing private consensual activity between adults for compensation. In its complaint, CUSP asserts that the law violates the Alaska…

A former Bethel police officer has been sentenced to community service and electronic monitoring after pleading guilty to felony charges stemming from an incident while on duty, local court officials said Thursday. The case involved former Officer ___ (name withheld pending confirmation), who was prosecuted for actions that occurred during a law enforcement encounter in 2025. The charges included one felony count, and the defendant entered a plea agreement earlier this year. At a hearing this week in Bethel Superior Court, the judge ordered the former officer to complete a specified number of community service hours and to wear an…

The Alaska Railroad has canceled the Aurora Winter Train scheduled for Feb. 26 and 27 due to extreme winter temperatures in Fairbanks, officials announced Thursday. Railroad representatives said the decision was made to prioritize the safety of passengers and crew amid severe cold conditions affecting Interior Alaska. The Aurora Winter Train typically operates between Anchorage and Fairbanks during the winter season. To maintain essential transportation access for residents in remote areas, the railroad will operate the Hurricane Turn Train on Thursday, Feb. 26. The service provides critical travel to and from remote cabins in the Flagstop area, with stops accessible…

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated dramatically into what Pakistan’s defense minister described as “an open war” after a series of cross-border attacks and military strikes this week, marking one of the most serious confrontations between the two neighboring nations in years. Pakistan launched air and ground strikes inside Afghanistan on Friday, targeting sites in the capital Kabul and in the southern provinces of Kandahar and Paktia, Pakistani officials said. Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif declared that Islamabad’s patience had “run out” and that the countries were now in “open war” following weeks of rising hostilities along the 1,600-mile…

The University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Seawolves men’s basketball team is aiming to finish its home season on a high note as the program closes out a bittersweet farewell tour, officials and supporters said Tuesday. The Seawolves, who hold a 19-8 record this season, could clinch a share of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) title and are positioned for a strong postseason as they approach their final home games of the regular season. Adding emotional weight to the weekend is the announced retirement of longtime head coach Rusty Osborne, who is stepping down at the end of the 2025-26…

South African authorities have confirmed that at least two of the country’s citizens were killed fighting for Russia in the war in Ukraine, the country’s foreign minister said Thursday, marking the first official acknowledgment of such deaths tied to alleged recruitment schemes. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters that the two individuals died after being misled into traveling to Russia under false promises of employment or training, only to end up involved in the conflict. He did not disclose their identities or the specific circumstances of their deaths. Lamola’s remarks came as he visited families of 11 South Africans who…

The community of Sand Point is in shock as emergency responders continue searching for a teen who went missing after falling out of a canoe in rough waters earlier this week, officials said Thursday. The incident occurred Wednesday evening when a group of family members and friends were paddling near Sand Point Harbor. According to local authorities, a 16-year-old youth lost balance and fell from the canoe into the cold, choppy waters. Despite quick rescue efforts, the teen was not located and is currently listed as missing. The Aleutians East Borough Search and Rescue Team, along with the U.S. Coast…

Two brothers from Nome, Alaska, have reached another major milestone in their mountaineering journey by summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, carrying an Alaska flag to the peak, their third significant summit across different continents. Wilson and Oliver Hoogendorn completed their seven-day climb up Africa’s highest mountain, planting an Alaska flag at about 19,000 feet above sea level to mark the achievement and represent their home state at the iconic summit. Weather conditions on the peak hovered near freezing but did not deter the brothers, who are no strangers to extreme environments. For this expedition, the pair were supported by a…

Alaska: The Alaska Earthquake Center recorded approximately 850 earthquakes statewide over the past week, including a magnitude 6.1 earthquake in the Aleutian Islands on February 22. The magnitude 6.1 event struck roughly halfway between Unalaska and Atka and was the strongest earthquake recorded during the reporting period. Within the first 24 hours after the main shock, scientists detected 85 aftershocks. Overall, three earthquakes were reported as felt by residents during the week. Seismologists say aftershock activity following a large earthquake typically follows a predictable pattern. The number and size of aftershocks depend largely on the strength of the initial quake…