Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

The escalating Middle East conflict took a dramatic turn as President Donald Trump called on global allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the vital oil shipping route must remain open amid rising tensions with Iran. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict. Iran has moved to assert control over the narrow maritime corridor, while the United States is seeking an international coalition to protect shipping and keep the passage open. President Trump said he has asked about seven countries to deploy…

Authorities in Anchorage, Alaska, are searching for 15-year-old Dominique Jade Smith, who has been missing since March 1 from the Eagle River area, according to the Anchorage Police Department. The Anchorage Police Department confirmed that Dominique Jade Smith, 15, was last known to be in the Eagle River community, northeast of Anchorage. Police have not released further details about the circumstances of her disappearance, but investigators are asking the public to help locate the missing teenager. Family members and community members are working to raise awareness about Dominique’s disappearance in hopes that someone may have information about her whereabouts. The…

Anchorage police are asking for the public’s help locating a 61-year-old man charged with murder following a fatal shooting in the Airport Heights neighborhood, authorities said as investigators continue searching for the suspect. The Anchorage Police Department identified the suspect as Mathew Thomas Becker, who is wanted in connection with a shooting that left a man dead in the Airport Heights area of Anchorage. Police responded to reports of the incident on Alder Drive, near the intersection of 20th Avenue and Lake Otis Parkway. Officers arrived at the scene around 10:15 a.m. and discovered a man who had been fatally…

After months of extreme cold, deep snow, and limited daylight, Alaska science writer Ned Rozell says the state’s unusually harsh winter is taking a toll, highlighting how relentless seasonal conditions can affect both daily life and mental resilience. Rozell, a longtime Alaska writer known for explaining science and natural phenomena across the state, described feeling the strain of a winter that has seemed unusually persistent. The extended stretch of severe weather, heavy snowfall, and cold temperatures has left many Alaskans fatigued as winter drags on into March. For people who live in northern climates, winter can last more than half…

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…