1) The Government of Iceland has launched new, and more stringent, regulations covering arrivals in the country, in the wake of the resumption of international flights. This series of rules, the authorities have warned, may be applied for months, as reported in the Iceland Monitor. As well, the Arctic Circle Assembly which takes place every October in Reykjavík, the capital of the country, was cancelled this year due, according to Arctic Today, to the potential for increasing transmission cases, spikes of the pandemic in other parts of the world, and the strict policy on disallowing large public gatherings in Iceland.
2) 2500 new gold and silver collector’s coins were issued by the Canadian Mint to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Northwest Territories entering that country’s Confederation. Myrna Pokiak, a local Inuvialuk artist in the region, was responsible for the design, as CBC News reported.
3) The BBC reported that the volume of ice melting in Greenland had reached a new record in 2019, which has concerned many scientists. However, as some researchers argue, the future of ice loss on the island is still very much dependent on current and future human activity.
4) An analytical article on the development of the Arctic strategy of the Kingdom of Denmark was published on High North News this week, in light of the recent moves by Copenhagen in updating its policies towards Greenland, including appointing a political advisor to Nuuk on behalf of the Kingdom. This development is viewed as a sign by some observers that the Danish government is becoming alarmed by the increase in great power games in the Arctic, especially considering the recent opening of the Consulate of the United States to Greenland, and so Denmark is endeavouring to not to be excluded in emerging Arctic affairs.
Over the Circle 