Coverage

Avian flu was detected in four bird species harvested near Iqaluit between Sept. 4‑11, the first emergence in Nunavut since 2024. Health officials say human risk is low and that fully cooked birds and eggs are safe; they advise hunters to wear gloves, wash hands with soap and warm water, and clean contaminated gear promptly.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a $54 billion South‑Korean package aimed at the proposed Alaska LNG export project. The plan would cost $44.5‑$54.5 billion, require an 800‑mile pipeline ($13.2‑$16.9 billion) and a North Slope treatment plant ($7.7‑$9.2 billion). Seoul said it has not yet decided to invest and is reviewing the project’s commercial viability.

The Government of Northwest Territories announced it will no longer buy polar‑bear pelts from harvesters or provide advance payments, because the pelts are not selling at auction and have performed poorly in recent years. Harvesters who sell a pelt privately for $1,750 or more can still receive a $450 ‘prime fur bonus’ if they submit proof of sale. Only polar‑bear pelts are affected; sales of other pelts are expected to remain strong.

A Spark Climate Solutions study published in *Environmental Research Letters* is the first to combine permafrost, wetlands, wildfires and freshwater emissions into a single forecast. It estimates these emissions could add 0.2‑0.4 °C extra warming by 2100—20‑30 % more than human‑caused warming since 2020. Most IPCC models omit such feedbacks, and the authors are preparing the results for inclusion in the next 2029 IPCC assessment.

Mid‑May 2026 the Japanese Joint Staff reported that two Russian warships escorted a fleet of six cargo vessels – Angara, Lady R, Maia‑1, Lady Mariia, Kapitan Danilkin and Lady D – on a run to North Korea. NK Pro said Angara, Lady R and Maia‑1 have routinely picked up suspected munitions at Rason in the past three years, and the ships are well known in Russian Arctic ports.

In September 2026 the Arctic Council celebrated its 30 th anniversary. A special podcast episode of ‘This Way Up’ featured former Senior Arctic Official David Balton and discussed Greenland’s role as the first signatory and its continued partnership over three decades.

Engineers are using very‑low‑frequency electromagnetic surveys flown on drones, together with digital‑twin models, to detect where Arctic permafrost is melting. The technique, highlighted in a 2026 study, helps predict ground settlement that could damage roads, buildings, and pipelines; a 2025 estimate projects the thaw could cost Alaska $37‑51 billion in infrastructure loss.

Activist Aaju Peter says Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has made limited progress: about 41 % of its 94 calls to action are stalled or not started (Indigenous Watchdog). While federal officials claim most responsibilities are underway, Peter notes few recommendations have been implemented. She contrasts this with Greenland’s truth process on Inuit sterilisation and urges Canada to fund trauma counselling, better education and housing, and hold Christian churches financially accountable for their role in residential schools.

RIFF’s first Arctic Script Lab ran as part of Industry Days at the Reykjavik International Film Festival (Sept 24–Oct 4). Ten emerging screenwriters, linked to eight Nordic/Arctic projects, were mentored online in August and in person in Reykjavik from Sept 30–Oct 3. The pilot was co‑developed with Nuuk International Film Festival, backed by the Nordic Culture Fund and supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Winners included Marine Atlan’s "La Gradiva", Yannis Karpouzis’s "Left Behind" and Camille Bildsøe’s “If Luck Will Come”, with a New Visions special mention to Chronovisor. Maja Jankowska...

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) signed an agreement with the Japan Agency for Marine‑Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) to operate the LNG‑dual‑fuel, ice‑breaking research vessel Mirai II. The vessel is scheduled for delivery on December 18, 2026, with its first Arctic expedition planned for summer 2027. In February, MOL conducted polar‑survival training in Hokkaido, including cold‑water swimming in immersion suits and ice‑escape drills, as the company prepares crew and operations for polar conditions, per MOL’s statement.