Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

US President Donald Trump proposed an 80% tariff on Chinese imports just days before critical trade negotiations with Beijing began. On Friday, Trump announced on social media, signaling a strong stance ahead of the talks in Switzerland. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying responded by expressing confidence in Beijing’s ability to handle trade disputes with the United States. The announcement comes after Trump imposed 145% tariffs on Chinese goods in April, which rattled global markets and reduced bilateral trade. Recent government data showed that China’s exports to the US declined more than 20% yearly in April, although exports rose 8.1%.…

A new study published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment suggests that a permafrost thaw in Alaska could damage roads and buildings by midcentury, costing between $37 billion and $51 billion. The findings highlight the growing financial toll of climate change on Alaska’s infrastructure. Lead author Elias Manos of the University of Connecticut said the study’s estimates surpass earlier projections thanks to more comprehensive data. Improved satellite imagery enabled researchers to inventory more roads, buildings, and structures, like storage tanks. A 2023 Arctic infrastructure study had previously pegged Alaska’s thaw-related transportation costs between $14 billion and $24.5 billion, plus $3…

A state judge has ruled that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game cannot proceed with its controversial bear killing plan this spring. Superior Judge Christina Rankin declared the agency’s predator control program unconstitutional despite an emergency authorization from the Alaska Board of Game.  The program designed to increase caribou numbers in the Mulchatna region has eliminated 175 brown bears, five black bears, and 19 wolves since spring 2023. Officials aimed to remove predators threatening the declining caribou population, but critics argue bears are not responsible for the herd’s collapse. On Wednesday, Judge Rankin responded to the Alaska Wildlife Alliance’s…

Apple has asked a federal appeals court to pause a judge’s ruling that threatens the company’s lucrative App Store model. The iPhone maker submitted its request on Wednesday after US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple deliberately violated her earlier injunction. That 2021 orders customers to use external payment systems beyond the App Store. Epic Games originally filed the antitrust lawsuit in 2020, accusing Apple of maintaining an illegal monopoly through its 15-30% commission fees. Judge Gonzalez Rogers rejected monopoly claims but agreed Apple unfairly blocked developers from offering cheaper outside payment options. She ordered Apple to change its…

President Donald Trump’s 2026 budget proposal aims to slash funding for Alaska’s Essential Air Service program by over 50%. On May 2, White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought announced the proposal, which reduces Essential Air Service funding by $308 million.  The administration argued the program wastes taxpayer dollars by subsidizing half-empty flights between airports located within easy commuting distances. Congress created Essential Air Service in 1978 to ensure rural communities retained air access after airline deregulation, fearing carriers would prioritize profitable urban routes. Alaska’s participation has steadily declined from 184 communities to 65, with Anchorage, Fairbanks,…

Alaska lawmakers have passed an internet sales tax to generate millions in new state revenue without raising taxes on residents. On Wednesday, the Alaska House voted 26-14 to approve the measure, which targets companies earning more than 50% of their sales online from Alaska customers. This tax is tied to funding a major education bill, House 57, awaiting Governor Mike Dunleavy’s decision. Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, who sponsored the legislation, said it corrects a longstanding unfairness. The sales tax would require these companies to pay taxes on sales shipped to Alaska, even if the transactions are processed out of state.…

The Trump administration has moved to eliminate key climate services, announcing NOAA Arctic monitoring cuts that scientists say threaten vital research. This week, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information officially shut down its snow and ice data programs, impacting global and regional climate reporting. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) confirmed that NOAA’s discontinued services will halt updates to several core datasets for tracking Arctic changes. These datasets have long supported daily updates and historical analyses that show how Arctic sea ice is shrinking due to climate change. Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the University of Alaska…

The Walt Disney Company made history on Wednesday when it announced that Abu Dhabi will open its first theme park in the Middle East. This landmark project will be located on Yas Island, a premier entertainment hub developed by Miral. Disney executives confirmed the new park will serve as the company’s seventh global resort, marking the first expansion since Shanghai Disneyland opened in 2016. Officials expect the resort to open in the early 2030s, featuring one theme park and several hotels, though exact details remain undisclosed.  Miral, an Abu Dhabi-based company, will lead construction, development, and operations while collaborating closely…

A deepening Alaska budget standoff emerged after the governor’s office restricted agency staff from entering the state Capitol without explicit permission. The policy left Senate Finance Committee members waiting without a representative from the Office of Management and Budget at their critical pre-vote meeting. Legislators had planned to debate a last-minute amendment to the state’s multibillion-dollar operating budget before the scheduled Senate vote. The new restriction arrived via a memo circulated Monday by Jordan Shilling, the governor’s boards and commissions director. The memo barred commissioners, deputies, directors, and liaisons from entering the building without prior approval for the next three…

India launched airstrikes targeting Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province early Wednesday, intensifying tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Indian jets struck nine sites which officials described as terrorist infrastructure following last month’s deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam.  Pakistan reported that missiles struck Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bahawalpur, killing eight people, including a child, and injuring 35 civilians. Pakistan military officials confirmed five locations were hit, including two mosques, and labeled the strikes an act of war by India. Pakistan retaliated by shooting down five Indian fighter jets and a drone, according to its defense ministry, though India has confirmed any…

Mattel, the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels, is raising toy prices as Trump’s tariffs on China increase production costs. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said that toy design, development, and engineering still happen primarily in the United States today. However, Kreiz explained that manufacturing toys abroad enables the company to maintain product quality and affordable price points for consumers. Mattel has worked for nearly a decade to diversify manufacturing, reducing China’s share to less than 40% by year’s end. By 2026, Keriz expects no single country will account for more than 25% of Mattel’s global sourcing or manufacturing footprint. Mattel…

Israeli forces carried out a Sanaa airport strike on Tuesday, claiming to have fully disabled Yemen’s main airport under Houthi control. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said its airstrikes targeted flight runways, aircraft, and key infrastructure used by Houthi forces. Local airport sources confirmed that the strikes hit civilian planes, the departure hall, the runway, and the military base. At least three people were killed in the attack, the Houthis reported, vowing to retaliate and maintain their pro-Gaza military stance. This escalation followed Sunday’s Houthi missile launch, which landed near Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, briefly shutting down air traffic. Israeli…