Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

Alaska bars and liquor stores must display Alaska alcohol cancer warning signs starting Alaska alcohol cancer warning signs starting August 1 under a new state law. This health warning requirement marks the first time a US state has ordered signage linking alcohol consumption directly to cancer. The new notices will expand existing mandatory warnings, which already inform parents about birth defect risks during pregnancy from alcohol consumption. Alaska lawmakers passed the requirement as part of Senate Bill 15, which lets employees under 21 serve alcoholic drinks.  A similar bill passed last year, but Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed it after lawmakers…

This year, Palmer will permanently remove a historic stretch of rail from its downtown, signaling a significant shift in the city’s priorities. The railroad track removal will make way for a long-needed, handicapped-accessible crosswalk for Fireweed Avenue without pulling up the steel rails embedded in the road.  The exposed metal has damaged vehicles and caused falls near the Alaska Veterans and Pioneer Home, promoting widespread safety concerns. Public works officials say the rails prevent lowering the road grade, making the crosswalk installation impossible without their removal. As confirmed by the officials during a recent council meeting, this project will cost…

North Korea has officially confirmed that its soldiers are fighting alongside Russian forces in the ongoing war against Ukraine. According to state news agency KCNA, North Korean troops helped Russian units completely liberate the contested Kursk region near Ukraine’s border. This announcement followed praise from Russia’s Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, who applauded the heroism shown by North Korean forces. Western officials previously stated that at least 1,000 North Korean soldiers died within three months of fighting in Ukraine. Gerasimov also claimed Russia regained full control over the western Kursk region, although Ukraine strongly disputed these battlefield claims. Following the…

Alaska’s battle against tobacco use has made gains, but rural communities continue to face stubborn obstacles, state officials reported. The use of smokeless tobacco, especially iqmik, a traditional mixture of tobacco, ash and fungus, remains steady in some Alaska Native populations. Among smokeless tobacco users statewide, nearly 16% reported using iqmik, a statistic highlighting strong regional and cultural patterns. State data showed about a third of Alaska Native adults using smokeless tobacco between 2021 and 2023 favored iqmik products.  According to the health department findings, two-thirds of residents of Southwest Alaska use smokeless tobacco turned into iqmik. Despite these persistent…

Jera, the world’s largest LNG buyer, is considering participation in the Alaska LNG project as Japan negotiates a trade deal with the US. Naohiro Maekawa, an executive officer at Jetra, stated in a press conference on Monday that Alaska remains a promising procurement source. The long-delayed $44 billion LNG project targets Asian markets, especially Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. President Donald Trump has backed the Alaska LNG plant, which has struggled to secure contracts and significant investments for decades. The project demands the construction of a pipeline over 1,300 kilometres across the rugged Alaskan landscape. Earlier this month, Prime Minister…

Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump reunited in Rome for their first encounter since February’s fiery Oval Office confrontation. The Trump-Zelensky meeting took place at St. Peter’s Basilica just before Pope Francis’s funeral began on Saturday. Captured photos showed both leaders in intense discussion, seated across from each other, minutes before the solemn ceremony started. The White House called the 15-minute conversation “very productive,” while Zelensky praised it as “symbolic” and potentially “historic” if progress followed. Later that day, Trump criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting fresh sanctions might be necessary after renewed missile strikes on Kyiv. In a pointed social…

Rome witnessed an extraordinary turnout as Pope Francis’s funeral ceremony brought together more than 400,000 mourners on a hazy morning. Teenagers, nuns, and priests of every denomination silently walked toward the St Peter’s Basilica, filling the ancient streets with solemn anticipation. By 8 a.m., St Peter’s Square reached capacity, buzzing with voices from every Italian region blending Scillian and Milanese accents. Hundreds of photographers gathered atop the colonnade, eagerly snapping pictures of US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The two presidents met privately before the mass and later described Zelenskyy as a meeting with historic potential for…

A recent diesel spill in the Yukon River has reignited public concerns about Hilcorp’s plans to drill in Alaska’s remote Yukon Flats. Earlier this month, a Brice Inc. truck leaked around 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel in a parking lot near the river. Brice, a native-owned construction company, has partnered with Hilcorp to stage equipment for upcoming drilling operations north of Fairbanks. The spill happened at Yukon River Camp, where the Dalton Highway crosses the river, a significant route for Alaska’s oil fields. Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reports confirmed no fuel entered the Yukon River directly during the…

Interior designers working on large construction projects may soon face a new interior design license agreement under a bill. On Wednesday, the Alaska Senate voted 18-2 in favor of Senate Bill 54, moving it closer to becoming law. If the Alaska House and Governor Mike Dunleavy approve the measure, interior designers must register with the state licensing board. Senator Matt Claman, D-Anchorage, sponsored the bill, emphasizing that licensing will enhance the safety and quality of commercial construction projects. During a speech on the Senate floor, Claman stated that the bill helps Alaska remain open and ready for business in the…

Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Friday to push for a Ukraine peace deal. This high-stakes meeting happened just hours after a top Russian general died in a car explosion outside his home near Moscow. Trump, speaking Thursday, said Witkoff’s fourth trip to Russia might finally bring the war to an end within a few days. Putin hosted Witkoff in the Kremlin, where both men shook hands, exchanged greetings, and sat at a long oval table. Putin’s aide, Yuri Ushakov, described the closed-door talks as constructive and said both sides had narrowed differences…

On Wednesday, India suspended a decades-old water-sharing treaty with Pakistan and closed the only operational land border crossing. That treaty had survived two wars, but the latest attack on tourists in Kashmir triggered a wave of diplomatic retaliation.  India followed the move by revoking all visas issued to Pakistani citizens effective Sunday, deepening the standoff. In response, Pakistan canceled visas for Indians, suspended all bilateral trade, and blocked airspace for Indian-operated commercial flights. Hundreds of citizens from both nations crossed back through the Wagah border near Lahore as the standoff intensified further. Pakistan’s government warned that any Indian diversion of…

Alaska lawmakers focused on a new education bill after failing to override Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto of HB 69. The vetoed bill would have raised the Base Student Allocation by $1000, bringing annual per-student funding to $6,960 statewide.  Legislators fell short of the three-quarters majority needed to override the veto, securing only 37 of the required 45 votes. Following the failed override, a Senate Education Committee hearing featuring school district testimony was abruptly canceled and is expected next week. School officials from the state’s largest districts had prepared to speak about shrinking budgets and their hopes for increased funding. On…