Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

Anchorage’s icon Mousa Obeidi reached a remarkable milestone on Saturday, celebrating his 100th birthday surrounded by family, friends, and well-wishers worldwide. Born in Ramallah, Palestine, before sliced bread, television, or Mickey Mouse existed, Obeidi’s journey to Anchorage has become legendary among residents. Mousa’s family says he immigrated to the United States in the 1960s, first arriving in New York before eventually driving from Arizona to Alaska. Obeidi recalls that a friend gifted him a car in Arizona, encouraging him to explore Alaska’s promise of opportunity. That decision marked the beginning of his deep roots in the Anchorage community. Starting with…

The Trump administration has launched High Arctic oil leasing plans that stretch over 200 miles from US  shores, raising international concerns. This week, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) opened a 45-day public comment period on a proposal to add the High Arctic to the federal offshore oil and gas leak problem.  The proposed leasing area lies in the extended continental shelf far beyond the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone defined by international law. In December 2023, the US State Department claimed over 200,000 square miles of Arctic seafloor, an area twice California’s size. However, the United States never…

Pope Francis’s iconic popemobile becomes Gaza’s lifeline as Catholic charity Caritas retrofits it into a mobile health unit for children. Before his passing, Francis entrusted the 2014 Holy Land pilgrimage vehicle to Caritas Jerusalem to serve Gaza’s injured and malnourished children. Caritas staff are equipping the vehicle with suture kits, oxygen supplies, vaccines, syringes, and a refrigerator for life-saving medicines. The mobile clinic will bring essential diagnostic tools and frontline care to isolated communities lacking access to functioning hospitals and clinics. Caritas Secretary General Peter Brune emphasized the symbolic weight of the mission, calling it a message that Gaza’s children…

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced late Sunday they enforce a Houthi threat to block Israeli airspace through continued missile attacks. Their statement followed a missile strike near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, marking the only recent missile not intercepted by Israeli defense systems. The Houthis Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center issued a formal warning urging all international airlines to cancel flights to Israel airports. They declared Ben Gurion Airport their top target, emphasizing the risk to both aircraft and passengers as Israel expands military operations in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded swiftly, promising retaliation against the Houthis and reinforcing Israel’s…

Seven people died, and eight were injured Thursday evening when a tour bus collided with a pickup truck near Yellowstone National Park. Authorities reported the Yellowstone tour bus crash killed seven after the vehicles caught fire following the deadly highway collision in eastern Idaho. According to Idaho State Police, the crash happened at 7:15 p.m. local time when a Chevy pickup struck a van with 14 tourists. Investigators say both vehicles erupted into flames immediately after impact, leaving bystanders scrambling to assist survivors on the roadside. The truck driver and six van passengers died at the scene, while emergency responders…

This week, a man from Wasilla was taken into custody by Alaska State Troopers after he reportedly abandoned a teenage girl to perish on a snow-covered trail. Court documents state that a Wasilla man was detained after providing 16-year-old Alena Toennis lethal drugs. Toennis was later discovered dead behind a storage facility close to Selden Road. For supplying the deadly narcotics, authorities accused 45-year-old Sean Mobley of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and felony drug crime.  Investigators found that Mobley intentionally gave Tonnis fentanyl and carfentanil even though he was aware that the medications had already resulted in another overdose. Charging documents…

The Alaska House representatives passed a groundbreaking search and rescue dogs bill on Monday to protect service dogs during crises. If the Senate and Governor Mike Dunleavy approve House Bill 70, emergency crews could provide lifesaving care to injured working dogs. Currently, paramedics and EMTs are prohibited by law from helping animals because that counts as veterinary care, which they cannot perform. Rep Calvin Scharge I-Anchorage, who sponsored the bill, emphasized that ordinary Alaskans could legally assist dogs while trained professionals could not. Under the bill, ambulance crews could treat injured police, search dogs on the scene, and transport them…

Apple has launched a significant supply chain shift by relocating production of US boid iPhones from China to India. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, confirmed this decision during an investor call, citing growing US-China trade tensions as the driver. The move follows President Trump’s tariffs, which Apple estimated could add $900 million in costs this quarter alone. Apple plans to manufacture the majority of iPhones destined for the US in India, marking a significant break from its China-centered past.  Meanwhile, Vietnam will emerge as the central hub for assembling Apple Watches, iPads, Airpods, and Macs for the American market. Cook emphasized…

Deena Bishop, Alaska’s Education Commissioner, urged superintendents statewide to pressure lawmakers or risk a school funding veto threat. On Monday, Bishop’s letter asked school leaders to support Governor Dunleavy’s education policies before a crucial legislative vote. Superintendents across Alaska voiced alarm over Bishop’s message, calling it unexpected and harmful for struggling school districts statewide. Roy Getchell, the Haines School District superintendent, said many districts face deep deficits, looming closures, and dangerous uncertainty. He emphasized that children’s futures should never be bargaining tools in political negotiations over funding. The Alaska Legislature voted decisively Wednesday on House Bill 57, increasing per-student funding…

Israel declared a wildfire emergency on Thursday after massive wildfires forced evacuations and closed roads west of Jerusalem. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a national emergency as flames swept through forests and fields fueled by strong winds. Firefighters worked overnight to reopen the key Jerusalem Tel Aviv highway, which police had shut down to protect fleeing residents. More than 150 firefighting teams and 12 aircraft battled the blazes that threatened seven towns, prompting thousands to evacuate urgently. Israel’s fire service confirmed that 23 people were treated for injuries mainly from smoke inhalation and burns sustained on Wednesday. Seventeen firefighters were…

Nick Begich pushes the federal ban on ranked choice voting through new legislation to eliminate the system in federal elections nationwide. On Monday, the Republican congressman from Alaska released a statement criticizing ranked choice voting for adding confusion and uncertainty to the election. Begich has completed Alaska´s ranked-choice voting system three times and believes traditional ‘One person, one vote’ works best. Alaska voters narrowly approved ranked choice voting and open primaries through a 2020 ballot measure changing how state and federal races work. Supporters argue the system elects more consensus candidates, but opponents say it confuses voters and complicates the…

Jared Isaacman, nominated as NASA chief, has taken a significant step forward after winning Senate committee approval by a 19–9 vote. The 42-year-old billionaire entrepreneur, known for walking in space as a civilian, must now face a full Senate vote. Lawmakers from both parties questioned him about conflicts of interest, fiscal priorities, and plans for future space missions. At the confirmation hearing, Isaacman emphasized support for the Artemis lunar program while backing human exploration of Mars. He told senators that NASA could simultaneously pursue both Moon and Mars missions without sacrificing one for the other. Senators expressed concern that Mars’s…