Wildlife Endangered by Yukon Warm Weather. Unusual winter weather conditions in Canada's northwestern Yukon Territory are adding up to problems for wildlife. A sharp, hard crust of ice has formed on top of the snow, says Matt Clarke, a regional biologist for the Yukon government. It could injure moose and caribou and make it tougher for the animals to forage, he says. Alaska Dispatch

For Fun: Snow Swimming Championship in Finland. 

Snow swimming Championship in Finland 2013

Finnish Foreign Minister Weighs in on Nordic Model and the Arctic. Finland has a smaller profile in the Arctic than its neighbor to the west, Norway. Whereas Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg declared at last month's Arctic Frontiers conference that the Arctic will continue to be "most important foreign policy area" for her country, Finland's most important foreign policy area is arguably Russia, with which it shares a long border. Still, although Finland does not have an Arctic coastline, it has numerous interests in the region. The country can also lend valuable expertise to Arctic states thanks to its experience with icebreaking in the Gulf of Bothnia, which freezes every winter. Alaska Dispatch

Murkowski Meets with NORAD Chief on Arctic Matters. Senator Lisa Murkowski sat down with United States Army General Charles Jacoby, Commander of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command to review progress on implementation of the Arctic Defense Agenda outlined by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in November. "There are so many new possibilities emerging in the Arctic, and the rest of the world is taking notice and acting - which means increased competition for Arctic opportunities that Alaskans can benefit from," said Murkowski. "General Jacoby understands that the Pentagon needs to put Arctic issues on the front burner, and I always appreciate the frank and honest conversations we have about getting this message across." Political News

The Exchange: Rep. Herron's Arctic Agenda. Money is tight in Alaska this year. The state is looking at a $2 billion budget gap, and there's talk of pulling $3 billion from savings accounts to fill in old liabilities. But reining in spending won't be easy. The Legislature is weighing big investments in Arctic infrastructure. And they're also reconsidering the state's role in paying for public education. In this segment of The Exchange, Representative Bob Herron talks about those debates, and what they'll mean for the Aleutians. KUCB

Scientist Gets Funding to Build Experimental Arctic Sea Ice Chamber. The Arctic is a harsh place, with subzero temperatures and rapidly changing weather conditions. Those circumstances can make it difficult for researchers to conduct controlled experiments, said Roland von Glasow, an atmospheric chemist and professor at the University of East Anglia, who studies the chemical reactions between Arctic sea ice and the atmosphere. The scientist has a solution to this. He plans to build an 8-meter-cubed model Arctic Ocean at his university, where he can study how sea ice reacts with the atmosphere from the comfort of his laboratory. E&E News

Russia's New Cold War. Last September a 19,000 tonne cargo ship called the Yong Sheng made history when it pulled into port in Rotterdam, Holland. The Yong Sheng was the first Chinese cargo ship to navigate the Northeast Passage - a shipping route from Europe to Asia via the Bering Strait and Arctic Circle. The Northeast Passage is a shortcut. Normally it takes cargo ships 48 days to get from the factories of China to markets in Europe via the Malacca strait, Somalia and the Suez Canal. But the Northeast Passage gets you there in just 35 days, which cuts shipping costs dramatically. Money Week