Author: The Tundra Drums Staff

Alaska lawmakers have approved $5.5 million in child advocacy center funding, ensuring services for abused children continue statewide. The funding follows months of uncertainty after federal grants were reduced or eliminated, threatening the future of all 20 state centers. On Friday, the Legislature’s budget conference committee agreed to allocate the money in its final budget reconciliation between the House and Senate. Representative Andy Josphson, a Democrat from Anchorage, emphasized the importance of the centers and pushed firmly to prioritize the emergency funding. The centers had faced a $5.5 million shortfall, placing vital services for child abuse victims at risk beyond…

In a historic move, the Alaska Legislature vetoed 46-14 to enact the Alaska school funding override, increasing education funding. The override of Governor Mike Dunleavy’s veto marked the first time since 2002 that lawmakers overturned a sitting governor´s decision.  The override secures a permanent $700 increase in the base student allocation, the core of Alaska’s public school funding formula. Lawmakers say the change offers stability, ending the uncertainty districts faced with last-minute funding decisions in past years.  In 2023, schools only received a one-time $680 bonus after already setting their budgets. The House and Senate both passed HB57 earlier with…

British authorities have sentenced a UK-based smuggler to 25 years in jail after he orchestrated deadly boat crossings across the Mediterranean. Egyptian national Ahmed Ramadan Mohamed Ebid, 42, helped move nearly 3,800 migrants from Libya to Italy between October 2022 and June 2023. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said Ebid entered the UK in a small boat and later ran a major trafficking operation from London. He worked with North African smuggling groups to charge each migrant around £3,200, making over £12 million. He organized the crossings using overcrowded fishing boats, many of which risked capsizing during the treacherous Mediterranean…

Shares of China’s leading electric vehicle battery maker jumped sharply on Tuesday as the CATL IPO surged on its Hong Kong debut. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) trades in Shenzhen and raised $4.6 billion in Hong Kong’s biggest IPO this year.  The stock soared to 18% on its first trading day, signaling strong investor confidence despite rising geopolitical tension. CATL manufactures more than one-third of all-electric vehicle batteries sold worldwide and supplies major automakers like Tesla and Volkswagen. The company’s success is closely tied to Beijing’s massive investments in clean energy and strategic independence initiatives. Founded in 2011 by…

Governor Mike Dunleavy issued his second Alaska education funding veto of the year, rejecting House Bill 57, which would have increased the base student allocation by $700 per student. The veto has triggered an override vote scheduled for Tuesday morning.  Lawmakers say the bill was a bipartisan compromise that included several of the governor’s policy goals, such as cell phone restrictions, reading improvement grants, and changes to charter school applications; Dunleavy maintained that the measure lacked key reforms, including support for charter and homeschool programs, teacher retention grants, and open enrollment. During a Monday news conference, Dunleavy criticized Alaska’s low…

The IDF orders Khan Younis’ evacuation as it prepares to intensify operations under a new campaign called Operation Gideon’s Chariots. In Arabic, an IDF statement warned residents that the area would soon become an active combat zone. Troops directed civilians to evacuate toward al-Mawasi, a small coastal strip offering limited shelter and support. Among the displaced was 13-year-old Tasneem Barakeh, whose father had left to search for food. She fled without him. The evacuation also covered Bani Suhaila and Abasan, areas already impacted by previous strikes. A woman already displaced in central Gaza said she refused to move again. Israeli…

A Mexican navy training ship struck the Brooklyn Bridge late Saturday killing two naval cadets and injuring 19 others. Mayor Eric Adams confirmed the crash involved the tall ship Cuauhtemoc which carried 277 people on board. The accident occured 8:20 p.m. as the vessel mistakenly approached the bridge from the wrong direction. The Cuauhtemoc docked at Pier 17 in Manhattan had planned a brief refueling stop along Brooklyn’s waterfront before heading to Iceland. Reports say the capitan lost control after a mechanical failure disabled the rudder and steering. Eyewitnesses watched in shock as the 300 foot ship collided with the…

Ravn Alaska cut essential air routes to two remaining rural destinations this week due to aircraft shortages and rising operating costs. The airline filed official notices with the US Department of Transportation stating it will terminate federally subsidized service by September’s end. These filings affect flights from Anchorage to Valdez to St. Paul, two of Ravn’s last rural stops, which are still on the schedule. CEO Tom Hsieh explained that the situation stems from a sudden and major drop in available aircraft from Canadian leasing company Avmax, which recently decided not to renew its lease. Because of this shortfall, Ravn…

State lawmakers finalized a $5.9 billion budget on Sunday, setting the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend for 2025 at $1000. Six House and Senate negotiators reached the deal, which will fund government services from July 1 through June 30 of next year.  The legislature expects to vote on the finalized document on Tuesday before sending it to Governor Mike Dunleavy. He holds the authority to veto or reduce line items but cannot raise funding amounts. Lawmakers face a hard deadline with the legislative session ending on Wednesday. The $1,000 dividend sparked less debate than in previous years. Representative DeLena Johnson, a…

Tornadoes ripped through Missouri and Kentucky, killing at least 21 people and injuring dozens more between Friday and Saturday morning. Governor Andy Beshear confirmed 14 deaths in his state and warned that the deaths may continue rising. Sheriff John Root reports that a tornado struck Laurel County, Kentucky, late Friday, resulting in significant damage and serious injuries. Overnight, emergency personnel searched affected neighborhoods and rescued stranded people from homes and structures that had collapsed. Missouri officials confirmed Saturday that seven storm-related fatalities were reported, including five in St. Louis County and two more in Scott County. According to Louis Mayor…

Gaza ceasefire negotiations resume in Doha with Hamas officials and international mediators back at the table to end the conflict. Taher al-Nounou, a top Hamas adviser, confirmed on Saturday that the group had entered a new round of discussions without preconditions.  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Hamas returned to indirect talks, describing their decisions as a notable shift from obstinacy. Parallel diplomacy unfolded while Israel launched “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” mobilizing thousands of troops to capture territory and rescue remaining hostages.  Military statements declared forces would operate until Hamas ceased threatening Israel, and every captive was safely returned home to…

Alaska’s seafood industry is gearing up for a stronger season as biologists forecast a sharp rise in commercial salmon harvests. The 2025 Alaska commercial salmon harvest projection includes an expected haul of 214.6 million fish, more than double last year’s total.  The Alaska Department of Fish and Game forecast credits the rebound largely to more substantial pink salmon returns this summer. Pink salmon, the most abundant yet least valuable species, are expected to harvest nearly 100 million fish by 2024. These pink salmon follow a predictable pattern with odd-numbered years typically yielding more substantial returns due to their two-year life…