Author: The Tundra Drums Staff
The Tundra Drums Staff
The Tundra Drums Staff is a team of writers and editors who are passionate about bringing you the latest and most reliable news from Alaska and around the world. We make sure each story is easy to understand, clear, and based on trustworthy sources. Our goal is to keep you informed with news that matters and helps you stay connected to the world.
Dear Readers, We want to inform you that The Tundra Drums will be pausing its daily news publication temporarily due to a short-term transition in our editorial team. This is a planned pause, allowing us to upgrade our internal processes, bring in new writers, and improve the overall quality and diversity of the news we deliver. While this may cause a brief gap in our daily news flow, rest assured that we’re working hard behind the scenes to continue providing insightful and timely updates about Alaska. We expect to resume daily news stories within the coming days. During this time,…
Vladimir Putin invited Kim Jong-un to Russia during a high-profile meeting in Beijing, strengthening their alliance as Ukraine suffers renewed bombardments. The two authoritarian leaders, who were attending China’s military parade with Xi Jinping, walked together into Tiananmen Square before holding a two-hour discussion. Putin extended the invitation through interpreters while Kim embraced him afterwards, promising to support Moscow’s military efforts against Ukraine as much as possible. Kim’s possible trip would mark only his third foreign visit in six years, following last year’s journey to eastern Russia and his current Beijing arrival aboard an armoured train. North Korea remains among…
The long-running bootlegger’s plane seizure case involving retired bush pilot Ken Jouppi may soon be considered by the US Supreme Court. In April 2012, Alaska State Troopers intercepted Jouppi’s Cessna before takeoff in Fairbanks, discovering his passenger’s luggage contained multiple cases of beer. Investigators found three cases, including Budweiser and Bud Light, destined for Beaver, a community that outlawed alcohol importation, possession and sales eight years earlier. Authorities charged Jouppi with bootlegging, and prosecutors sought to permanently seize his $95,000 airplane as part of the resulting criminal penalty. He was convicted of a misdemeanor, sentenced to three days in Jail,…
On September 1, officers in Sand Point faced a dangerous standoff when a fishing vessel captain resisted arrest during a drug trafficking incident. According to the report at 1:50 p.m., Sand Point Department officers guarded a docked unoccupied fishing boat seized in a State Trooper-led narcotics investigation. The captain unexpectedly boarded the vessel and attempted to escape, forcing officers to act immediately to stop him before he fled the harbor. As officers entered the bridge area, the captain suddenly pulled out a hatchet, escalating the confrontation into a deadly struggle against armed police officers. Confronted with an immediate life-threatening attack,…
On Tuesday, the record gold price climbed above $3,508.50 per ounce, fueled by global uncertainty, inflationary concerns, and shifting central bank strategies. Gold has surged nearly one-third this year, with analysts pointing directly to Donald Trump’s tariffs and geopolitical moves, which are unsettling global trade. Investors view gold as a hedge against turbulence, and expectations of US Federal Reserve interest rate cuts have intensified that appeal. Adrian Ash of BullionVault said Trump’s policies reshaped geopolitics and ignited investor demand, stressing that last year’s US election accelerated the rally. Further pressure comes from Trump’s public attacks on Federal Reserve leaders, raising…
The cryptic post Trump shared Saturday night carried layers of meaning, and whether intentional or not, it stirred several communities instantly. The photo of Trump holding his hands high before a glowing Earth, paired with the phrase “Nothing can stop what is coming,” invites speculation. To his political base, this imagery reinforces his ongoing narrative of inevitability, suggesting his return to power feels like destiny. For the XRP community, however, the post seemed deeper: an embedded symbol resembling the XRP logo hinted at hidden financial messages. Trump has increasingly leaned on dramatic imagery and vague prophecies, echoing strategies used during…
The Pikka oil project on Alaska’s North Slope is nearing production, with first oil expected before March 31, project leaders confirmed. Peter Laliberte Santos, vice president for business development in Alaska, announced the accelerated timeline at the Alaska Oil and Gas Association’s conference. He said Pikka’s Phase 1 will soon deliver 80,000 barrels daily, strengthening trans-Alaska pipeline and boosting the state’s economy. Located 11 miles northeast of Nuiqsut, the $3.1 billion project has reached 91% completion, and major facilities were recently transported to the site. The seawater treatment plant fabricated in Indonesia travelled 7,000 miles before arriving at the Arctic…
The National Park Service announced the Denali National Park reopening at 6 a.m. Monday after weekend closures caused by severe erosion. Officials said closures affected Denali Park Road near Teklanika Bridge, Igloo Campground, and multiple bus routes throughout the park’s westbound areas. Heavy rainfall on Friday forced authorities to close Denali Park Road at Savage Creek and evacuate certain campgrounds as a safety precaution. By Saturday, officials confirmed erosion at the Teklanika Bridge required additional restrictions, but engineers monitored conditions closely before allowing access again. The National Park Service confirmed that Igloo Campground will reopen, bus transportation will resume, and…
Shares of Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD fell sharply on Monday after the company revealed declining earnings pressured by China’s intensifying competition. BYD announced its quarterly profit slipped 30% yearly to 6.4 billion yuan, signaling the first decline over three years. The profit drop reflects increasing price cuts across China’s crowded EV sector, where rivals Nio, XPeng, and Tesla aggressively slash prices. Production reached 353,090 electric and hybrid vehicles in August, down 3.78% annually, marking the second consecutive month of reductions. Chinese sales dropped 14.3% to 292,813 vehicles during August, down 3.78% annually, marking the second consecutive reduction month. Chinese…
Anchorage police confirmed a man died after inflicting a fatal wound on himself following a vehicle stop Saturday evening. Authorities said police officers and firefighters first responded around 5:30 p.m. to a fire incident on Rollins Drive in Anchorage. Investigators quickly identified the suspect and his vehicle, linking him to the reported blaze in the residential neighborhoods. Later, officers located the suspect driving along the Glenn Highway and attempted a traffic stop, but the man refused compliance. Police then used vehicle tactics near the Forth Richardson exit, forcing the suspect’s car to stop amid weekend highway traffic. Once halted, the…
A final decision on the proposed Alaska natural gas pipeline could arrive before the end of the year, marking a pivotal energy milestone. Rex Cannon, co-president of 8 Star Alaska, told industry leaders the company expects to finalize gas sales agreements before the end of the year. The decision could end over 50 years of false starts, abandoned projects and broken promises tied to Alaska’s gas pipeline efforts. Governor Mike Dunleavy, attending the conference, expressed cautious optimism, stating he remains hopeful yet unwilling to celebrate until construction officially begins. Glenfarne purchased 75% of the Alaska LNG project from the state’s…
A newly released F-35 crash investigation concluded that ice in hydraulic lines disabled landing gear systems, leading to January’s destructive Eielson Air Force Base accident. Investigators found the fighter’s nose landing gear malfunctioned mid-flight, forcing the pilot into lengthy discussions with Lockheed Martin experts and military leadership. During two attempted touch-and-go landings, ice formed in the main landing gear struts, causing incomplete extension and compounding the emergency. That malfunction tricked onboard sensors into believing the jet was grounded, automatically switching into ground mode and making aerial control impossible. The pilot ejected successfully, sustaining only minor injuries, while the $196.5 million…
