by Mingming Shi
1) According to RÚV, ten pilot whales were discovered stranded on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, in western Iceland, and almost all had perished on the beach. Attempts to move one of the whales back to sea were also unsuccessful. The reason behind the tragedy was not immediately confirmed by researchers.
2) An alarming article was published by High North News on climate change, and its influence on both the Arctic and the rest of the world. Experts warn that climate change, and the thawing of glaciers in the Polar Regions were affecting not only human lives, but ecosystems as well, such as the migration of fish stocks in the oceans. There is the argument that information-sharing and cooperation are now essential in tackling these trends.
3) The carcass of an ice age bear was found by reindeer herders in the Lyakhovsky Islands (Ляховские острова) in northern Russia, thanks to melting permafrost in the region, as the CBC reported. The skeleton was well preserved, and scientists assumed that the animal was living between 22,000 to 39,500 years ago.
4) Marc Lanteigne, Chief Editor of Over the Circle, published a commentary on trends in the debate over Arctic security. The article concluded that even though much more attention is being paid to military affairs in the region, other security areas, including gender, health, and the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic, were also worthy of greater notice.
Over the Circle 