Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy visited Taiwan last month to promote Alaska’s multibillion-dollar liquified natural gas project to Asian partners. The LNG project has high geopolitical stakes.  On the same day Dunleavy landed in Taipei, China’s Vice Consulate in San Francisco contacted his office. The Chinese consulate requested a meeting with Dunleavy’s Chief of Staff and expressed disapproval of the governor’s stop in what they labelled as a province of China. China has long considered Taiwan its territory and regularly conducts military exercises near the island, including simulated blockades. The US does not formally recognize Taiwan’s independence but supports its defence…

Trump threatens to exit Ukraine talks if either Russia or Ukraine continues making the peace process very difficult, the US President warned Friday. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said he wanted a ceasefire deal quickly but refused to name a timeline for its success. His comments came just hours after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed similar frustration, stating the US wouldn’t chase a dead-end deal. He told the reporters they would move on if this weren’t doable. i. Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and continues placing strict conditions on any potential ceasefire, complicating talks.…

Although Mount Spurr’s eruption risk has lowered in recent weeks, scientists say Alaska’s iconic Volcano still poses a potential threat. Mount Spurr, located 78 miles southwest of Anchorage, has shown elevated seismic activity and ground deformation since last October. Last month, the Alaska Volcano Observatory warned residents that an eruption could happen within weeks or months due to strong unrest signals. These included shallow earthquakes beneath the Volcano, visible snow melt at the summit, gas emissions, and mountain surface inflation.  Since then, earthquakes beneath the Volcano have decreased from January’s peak of 300 per week to about 70. Alaska Volcano…

The US airstrike on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port killed over 70 people and wounded more than 170, according to Houthi Sources. Massive explosions lit up the night sky as fuel trucks burned and storage tanks exploded at the key Houthi-controlled port. It marked the deadliest known strike in President Donald Trump’s new campaign targeting Houthi rebels in the Red Sea region. The port in the Hodeida governorate is a lifeline for fuel entering areas under Houthi control, including Sanaa. Before 2014, oil exports passed through Ras Isa from Marib, which now primarily handles imported gasoline and liquefied gas. US…

A deadly confrontation unfolded Wednesday evening after a car dispute in Anchorage, leaving one man dead and another behind bars. Anchorage police said they responded to a disturbance involving gunfire around 5 pm in a neighborhood near East 66th Avenue. Officers found a man on the scene suffering from severe upper body trauma, later confirmed to be a gunshot wound. Medics transported the injured man to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries shortly after arrival, according to the police reports. Authorities identified the alleged shooter as 24-year-old Mykal Nelson and charged him with both first-degree and second-degree…

In a strategic shift, Russia suspended the ban on the Taliban that had remained in place since 2003, allowing closer ties with Kabul’s rulers. The Russian Supreme Court lifted the terrorist organization designation on Thursday, acting swiftly on a request from the prosecutor general’s office. The move follows years of warming relations between Moscow and the Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan during the 2021 US withdrawal. According to the state-run Tass news agency, Judge Oleg Nefedov confirmed the ruling, declaring it effective immediately. President Vladimir Putin last year called the Taliban an ally in the fight against terrorism, a…

The James Webb Space Telescope has detected signs of possible life on K2-18 b, a distant exoplanet 124 light-years away in the constellation Leo. Scientists observed chemical footprints of two gases, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), in the Planet’s atmosphere.  These gases are only produced by biological organisms on Earth, particularly marine microbes like phytoplankton. Lead researcher Nikku Madhusudhan of the University of Cambridge emphasized caution. While these findings suggest potential biosignatures, they do not confirm the existence of life. The signals were detected with 99.7% confidence, still short of the scientific standard of 99.9999% (five sigma) needed…

A new effort to address Alaska’s budget deficit is gaining momentum, with the Senate passing Alaska corporate income tax reform on Tuesday. Lawmakers voted 16-4 in favor of Senate Bill 113, which seeks to capture revenue from online sales made by out-of-state companies to Alaskans.  The bill states that selling to Alaskans qualifies as a business activity within the state, subjecting those companies to corporate tax. Senator Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, sponsored the legislation and said the reform could generate up to $65 million annually for the state treasury. Wielechowski explained that current loopholes let companies claim transactions occur in out-of-state…

North American Aerospace Defense Command tracked Russian aircraft in Alaska ADIZ for nearly two and a half hours on Monday. NORAD reported that the flight involved two TU-95 Bear H bombers, one TU-142 reconnaissance plane, one A-50 Mainstay radar aircraft, and two Su-35 Flanker fighter jets. The incident occurred approximately 290 miles northeast of Shemya Island in the Bering Sea, near Alaska’s westernmost Aleutian point. According to Captain Rebecca Garand, NORAD did not disclose the exact flight path due to classified intelligence and national security concerns. NORAD scrambled fighter jets in response, though officials declined to name specific bases or…

Transportation officials are finalizing a study on the Glen and Seward Highway connection, with results expected by October 2025. The study has gathered over 500 public responses, highlighting strong community interest and concern over neighborhood impacts. Alaska Department of Transportation Project Manager Galen Jones explained that the study aims to determine the need and possible location for a regional highway link. Jone said sub-area recommendations, offering smaller project ideas within affected zones, will likely form the study’s backbone. The Anchorage Transportation Fair featured the study as a key display, drawing attention from residents across the city. Depending on the final…

A proposed bill tied to the Alaska LNG pipeline construction would require a crucial spur line to reduce interior energy bills. Senator Mike Cronk, R-Tok and Northway, is spearheading Senate Bill 114 to prioritize affordable in-state gas distribution before focusing on export profits. Last week, the Senate Resources Committee approved Cronk’s bill and forwarded it to the Senate Finance Committee, even though key funding questions remain unresolved. Cronk and his supporters argue that the spur line is essential for lowering energy bills across households, schools, and local businesses in Alaska’s interior. The discussion gains urgency amid a warning of an…

Former President Joe Biden delivered a forceful speech on Social Security cuts, accusing Donald Trump and Elon Musk of damaging the system Americans rely on. Speaking at a disability advocacy event in Chicago, Biden said that recent federal workforce reductions threaten retirement and disability benefits. Biden referenced staff cuts and office closures to explain how the administration caused damage in less than 100 days. He pointed directly to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), run by Musk, for firing 7,000 Social Security Administration (SSA) employees. Biden warned that the system is becoming inaccessible and accused the administration of trying to…