Background Articles

The project to clean the area around Khatanga started in 2023. The participants report that last year volunteers cleaned more than 200 tons of man-made waste along the 3 km of the coastline, the RGS website reports. The waste has been accumulating there since the Soviet times.

Western Canada is experiencing extreme heat, prompting health warnings and wildfire concerns, with measures in place to protect vulnerable populations.

The First Nation of Na Cho Nyäk Dun has requested an audit by Canada's auditor general of the Yukon government's handling of the Victoria Gold mine landslide.

Alaska's impending water quality regulations may necessitate advanced treatment for contaminants like phthalates in wastewater, posing challenges for local systems to comply with stricter EPA standards.

Scientists are enhancing flood forecasts in Juneau as Suicide Basin refills, following an unexpected record flood last year caused by rapid drainage.

In recent weeks, three human infections with the virus have been confirmed—all in dairy workers who had contact with sick cows. All three developed symptoms of eye infections known as conjunctivitis. The latest case, reported in Michigan this week, also involved respiratory symptoms more typical of a flu infection.

The article discusses the potential for bird flu to mutate and spread to humans through domestic cats, highlighting unusual cases of cat infections and the risks posed by raw diets and unpasteurized milk.

A federal bill aims to expand IHS duties to include veterinary care in rural Alaska, addressing the scarcity of such services and the risk of rabies from wildlife.

The GNWT says it's earmarked $800 per resident age 18 or over and $400 for each dependent under 18. Applicants may be required to provide proof of residency in the community they live in, such as a utility bill, proof of dependents such as birth certificates, and identification like a driver's license — so if you are ordered to evacuate make sure you pack those along.

Alaska's legislature has passed a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in firefighting foams, addressing the contamination of drinking water.

New U.S. regulations require all dogs entering from abroad to be at least 6 months old and microchipped to mitigate rabies risks.

The article discusses a $45M federal investment in Whitehorse for a permanent solution to recurring escarpment landslides, highlighting the increasing threat of such events due to climate change.

An AP investigation reveals that political disputes and blame fears halted the search for COVID-19's origins in China, contradicting public claims of ongoing efforts.

Ahead of Wednesday’s anticipated severe weather, county officials are making some important announcements.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has issued an updated damage report from Tuesday and Wednesday’s severe weather. According to MEMA, one person in Grenada County died. Six were injured, two of which were in Scott County. Details regarding where the other four injuries took place have not been released...

It funds maps, sirens and education. "Losing this program, really, at the end of the day could mean deaths in Alaska," says a state official.

The $100 million Pretty Rocks Bridge will cross the site of a landslide that has closed the road at Mile 45 since 2021.

Alaska researchers are developing a method to detect landslide-triggered tsunamis, aiming to provide early warnings for such unpredictable events.

Emergency measures are in place in Kotzebue after a failure in the Swan Lake Loop left 74 households without water, prompting local and state officials to declare an emergency and take action to provide services and repair infrastructure.

The poultry industry dreads avian influenza, but migratory and sea birds are succumbing to the virus in alarming numbers. Concern is rising not only about avian health but also about human health. How are our warming winters factoring into the problem?