High North News - News, analysis and debate about politics and business in the North

U.S. Coast Guard to Receive 11 New Icebreakers Under Landmark Finland Deal

The U.S. Coast Guard appears set to operate one of the most capable polar icebreaker fleets within a few short years. The service will receive 11 medium Arctic Security Cutter vessels under a U.S.-Finland deal unveiled by the White House last Friday.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

A Perfect Storm: When Healthcare and Defense Competes for the Same Youths

Comment (Porsangmoen og Sodankyle): A perfect storm is brewing in the North. Soon, two of our most important public agencies will fight for the same workforce. Without drastic measures, one of them, perhaps both, will be left as losers.

CAOC Norway

NATO's New Air Operations Center Opened: Officially Part of the Alliance's Command

Bodø (High North News): NATO's third Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) has officially been inaugurated after a rapid build-up. The headquarters will participate in a major NATO exercise already this month, says the CAOC Commander to HNN.

Notices

BUSINESS / 02.10.2025

ConocoPhillips Sends Layoff Notifications to North Slope Workers

ConocoPhillips confirmed on Wednesday that it has begun sending layoff…

POLITICS / 02.10.2025

Wants Greenland to Invest in Data Centers

Jørgen Rosbach (Demokraatit), member of the Greenlandic parliament …

SCIENCE / 02.10.2025

New Research Project to Explore the Nordic Region and Critical Minerals

A new NordForsk-funded research project will examine how the Nordic…

Science / 30.09.2025

Polar Bears‌ Colonize Abandoned Russian‍ Research Station

A remote, decades-abandoned Russian ⁣polar research station in the Chukot…

Scientists Discover Life in Arctic Ice at -15 Degrees Celsius

Stanford researchers report that Arctic algae can move in -15 degrees Celsius, the lowest temperature movement ever recorded in complex living cells. This has raised new questions about how algal communities regulate the overall health of the Arctic environment.

Alexander Stubb and Donald Trump during a round of golf in Florida. (Source: @realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial)

Finland’s Stubb To Meet Trump in Washington DC To Push Icebreaker Deal for Coast Guard

After several months of calm the topic of Finnish icebreaker for the U.S. Coast Guard appears set to come to the forefront again with both Finland’s Prime Minister and President meeting with U.S. President Trump in Washington DC thursday.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, lederen for Grønlands regjering Naalakkersuisut, taler til EU-parlamentet i Strasbourg. Parlamentet er en av to lovgivende forsamlinger i unionen. Dets hovedoppgaver er lovgivning og budsjettering, samt kontroll av EU-kommisjonen som er unionens utøvende myndighet. (Foto: Fred Marvaux/EU)

“Greenland Needs the EU, and the EU Needs Greenland”

On Wednesday, Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, addressed the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. He emphasized the importance of the partnership with the EU and the potential for further cooperation in areas such as critical raw materials and renewable energy.

High North News investigates: The Russian Gas Flow

Frankrikes president Emmanuel Macron (Renaissance) vil gjeste Grønland på søndag. (Foto: Laurent Blevennec/Frankrikes presidentembete)

EU Imports of Russian Gas Grow Again, Including LNG, Contrasting with Brussels Latest Efforts to Phase Out Supplies

European Union countries spent 30 percent more on Russian gas during the first half…

Also see

Norway to Inspect Sanctioned Tankers in Efforts To Curb Russian Shadow Fleet

French Shipyard Halts Service for Russian LNG Fleet, Leaving Danish Yard as Sole Western Provider

EU Proposes Phase-Out Of Russian Gas by 2027, Currently Spends €1.5bn Each Month on Imports

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

“Time to Turn off the Tap” on Russian LNG Says EU After Trump Pressure

Trump's comments trigger renewed efforts by Brussels to phase out Russian liquefied…

LNG carrier Vladimir Voronin

Russian LNG Carrier Stops in Northern Norway’s Honningsvåg, Again

Russian LNG carriers continue to use Norway’s Arctic fjords as convenient service…

Newnew Polar Bear convoy

Deepening Russia-China Relations Continue to Drive Oil, Gas, and Container Traffic Along Arctic Shipping Lane

Arctic transit shipping continues to be dominated by Russian-Chinese economic ties, a…

Islands utenriksminister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir og Finlands forsvarsminister Antti Häkkänen undertegner intensjonsavtalen om styrket forsvarssamarbeid i Helsinki. Landenes presidenter Halla Tómasdóttir og Alexander Stubb overværer signeringsseremonien. (Foto: Matti Porre/Finlands presidentembete)

Iceland and Finland to Strengthen Defense Cooperation

On Tuesday, Iceland and Finland signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation. "This agreement underscores Iceland's increased emphasis on regional and bilateral cooperation with neighboring countries and central allies," says the Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

A Salary Package of a Few Millions Does Not Solve a Single Health Problem

Comment: When the health sector fails, the health authorities' contract with society at large also fails. Sky-high executive salaries suggest that the authorities believe this is a communications issue to pay their way out of.

Finlands forsvarsminister Antti Häkkänen (Samlingspartiet) talte ved åpningsseremonien for Nato-hovedkvarteret i Mikkeli. (Foto: Finlands forsvarsministerium)

NATO’s New Northern Land Command Inaugurated in Finland

On Friday, NATO’s Multi-Corps Land Component Command Northwest officially opened in Mikkeli, Finland. "The MCLCC-NW will strengthen NATO’s defense in the High North and increase security in Finland," says the Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen.

Lena Leimgruber Studies Arctic Literature and Believes the Arts Is Needed in Arctic Discourse

Doctoral student Lena Leimgruber at Umeå University thinks literature and the arts put the human into focus and provide an important perspective in Arctic discourse. "Literature can change you if you allow yourself to be part of it," she says to High North News.

F.v.: Benjamin Strong og Rolf Rødven er ledere i Arktisk råds arbeidsgrupper for hhv. beredskap og forebygging av ulykker (EPPR), samt overvåkning og vurdering av det arktiske miljøet (AMAP). Her deltar de i en panelsamtale under Arktisk sikkerhetskonferanse med Jennifer Spence, direktør for Arctic Initiative ved Harvard Kennedy School. Samtalen ble ledet av Svein Vigeland Rottem, seniorforsker ved Fridtjof Nansens Institutt. (Foto: Astri Edvardsen)

Believes the Arctic Council Will Survive

Oslo (High North News): The cooperation with Russia in the Arctic Council works, reports leaders in the council's working groups. Various voices are also optimistic in regard to the council's survival. "The council’s continued existence will be in everyone’s interest", says Norwegian top diplomat Morten Høglund.

Healy

U.S. Coast Guard Moves Forward with Proposed 4-mile-wide Arctic Shipping Corridor Near Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard plans to organize shipping activity along a designated corridor to protect the marine environment and local communities. The route would lead from Western Alaska in the Bering Strait to the U.S.-Canada border in the Beaufort Sea.

VIDEO: High North News Aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford

Watch some of the highlights from High North News' visit to the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford. The American aircraft carrier operated in the North Sea in connection with the NATO activity, Neptune Strike 25-3.

Managing Cruise Volume at Nordic Cruise Destinations

Op-ed: Cruise destinations take a more active role in managing growing cruise tourism, four researchers write in this op-ed.

A Quick Playbook for Congressional Oversight on Arctic Research

Op-ed: It is clear that there are many Arctic research issues that warrant more engagement by the U.S. Congress, including potential non-compliance issues with statutory obligations, writes researcher Michael Walsh.

Containership MSC Zoe

World’s Largest Container Shipping Company MSC Again Rules Out Arctic Shipping, As Chinese Companies Push Ahead

The same week a Chinese container ship is attempting to make a record-setting Northern Sea Route transit from China to the UK in 18 days, European operator MSC reaffirmed its commitment to not ship via the Arctic.

Arne O. Holm says

Arne O. Holm

Bodø/Glimt's Success Fulfills 20 Years of High North Ambitions

Comment: If we feed 20 years of the slogans and promises of the High North policy into a computer and ask for a short summary, the answer will be the football club Bodø/Glimt. No business, cultural institution, or political arena even comes close to fulfilling all political ambitions on behalf of those of us who live in the North.

Stolper ved den norsk-russiske grensa. (Foto: Magne Kveseth/UiT)

Norwegian Armed Forces and the Russian FSB Met for Border Cooperation Talks

On Tuesday, the chiefs of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters and the Russian FSB’s Border Directorate for the Western Arctic Region met in Kirkenes. "This meeting activity is important as one of the very few remaining communication channels between Norway and Russia," says the NJHQ Chief.