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Alaska volcano fears sparks emergency stockpiling in case city is covered in ash

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Alaska volcano fears sparks emergency stockpiling in case city is covered in ash


Nearly 300,000 people in Alaska have been told to prepare for a possible volcano eruption with fears that Mount Spurr will blow after dozens of earthquakes have been recorded

There are major fears Mount Spurr could erupt
There are major fears Mount Spurr could erupt(Image: U.S. Geological Society)

Panic buying has hit fever pitch in Alaska as fears of a massive volcanic eruption send thousands scrambling for essentials. Nearly 300,000 locals are on tenterhooks as Mount Spurr, near Anchorage, threatens to erupt after a flurry of earthquakes.

The Alaska Volcano Observatory warns that “volcanic unrest persists,” following around “’55 earthquakes in the last week.”

Mount Spurr, a mere 81 miles from Anchorage, has locals on high alert as the threat of eruption looms large. This has triggered a rush for batteries, pet food and protective gear.

Cloe Turner, who spent nearly £400 at Costco getting in the essential goods, admitted she is preparing for the worse ahead of the looming natural disaster, reports the Mirror.

Mount Spurr last erupted in 1992
Mount Spurr last erupted in 1992(Image: ADGGS)

“We might not be able to work, and stores might not open,’ she said. ‘The last time something like this happened, the city was blanketed in ash for an entire month.”

Another Anchorage resident took to TikTok to say she rushed to Walmart to get “weird and random” items to help protect her family from the impending disaster. “So a volcano is supposed to erupt in Anchorage, Alaska.

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“Am I prepared for said volcano? No. I’m here at Walmart today buying all of the things that I need to protect me from volcanic ash pouring all over the city,” the user said while walking inside a Walmart store. Some of these items are so weird and random, but they serve a genius purpose, people are very clever when it comes to this stuff.”

Nearly 300,000 Alaskans are on high alert
Nearly 300,000 Alaskans are on high alert(Image: Gallo Images via Getty Images)

She was also seen purchasing pairs of swimmer’s goggles to “protect our eyes” as volcanic ash can irriate the nose, throat and eyes. It can cause serious health issues for people with asthma, other forms of lung disease and severe heart problems, the International Volcanic Health Hazard Network (IVHHN) said.

While another local resident took to social media to share tips for people with contact lenses if they encouter volcanic ash. “I saw a post circulating on Facebook yesterday and it had some tips and tricks I haven’t seen before so I wanted to share them with you,! a user posted on TikTok.

“If you wear contact lenses you need to remove them immediately when [the volcano] erupts’ the user warned, adding that “the ash will tear your eyes up.”

The fear is the area could be left covered in ash
The fear is the area could be left covered in ash(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

The advice comes as experts at the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) warned multiple earthquakes had been recorded in the last week. It said: “Unrest continues at Mount Spurr volcano. Seismicity remains elevated with occasional small, shallow volcanic earthquakes detected beneath the volcano over the past day.

“AVO continues monitoring activity at Mount Spurr for signals indicating that the volcano is moving closer to an eruption.”

Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has detected hundreds of small tremors within a 30-mile radius of the volcano since the start of the month.

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Alaska

Lavrov Challenges Rubio: Kremlin Says Trump-Putin Reached Deal as Moscow Questions Washington’s Neutrality

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Lavrov Challenges Rubio: Kremlin Says Trump-Putin Reached Deal as Moscow Questions Washington’s Neutrality


The Kremlin has pushed back against US claims that no agreement was reached between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin during the August 2025 Anchorage summit in Alaska.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Washington presented proposals to settle the war in Ukraine during the talks and that Moscow accepted them.

Lavrov was responding to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has publicly rejected Russian claims that Washington and Moscow reached an agreement on Ukraine during the Alaska summit, saying no deal was ever finalized.

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As reported by DRM News, Rubio said the summit produced only a proposal, not a binding agreement.

He added that the US remains ready to play a constructive role in bringing the parties together and helping end the war, but stressed that while proposals were discussed in Alaska, “there was no agreement.”

Lavrov struck back by calling the response “not very elegant.”

“When my colleague says that in Alaska there were only proposals and no agreement, I wonder what we mean by agreement,” Lavrov said.

“If one side, in this case the US, put proposals on the table, and the other side expressed agreement, then saying there was no agreement is somehow not very elegant,” he added.

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According to Lavrov, White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow days before the summit and delivered the same US settlement plan.

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“Already in Anchorage, when the two presidents sat down for talks, Putin began listing the American proposals point by point. After each point, in the presence of Trump and Rubio, he asked Witkoff whether he had correctly described the ideas brought to Moscow. Witkoff answered affirmatively to each question,” Lavrov said.

He called for clarification from Washington, adding that recent US statements about playing a constructive role in ending the war sounded like an attempt to position itself as a mediator.

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Previous claims

In early June, Lavrov claimed Russia had accepted what he described as US proposals presented at the Alaska summit.

Lavrov alleged that Washington initially acted as a mediator but later stepped back from the process after failing to pressure Ukraine to accept the proposed terms.

This week, he also suggested that the Alaska summit may have been used to “buy time” for Ukraine to rearm itself, further arguing that Russia no longer views the West as a credible broker amid sanctions pressure.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov also said Moscow remained committed to implementing the understandings reached in Alaska, while accusing Washington of “apparently [failing] to complete its part of the process.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov argued that Washington cannot be considered fully neutral in the war because of its military support for Ukraine.

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“If we’re talking about absolute neutrality, then, of course, the term is probably inapplicable, because the United States supplies the majority of weapons to Ukraine and provides other forms of assistance,” Peskov said.

At the same time, he said Moscow highly values Washington’s willingness to help resolve the war, as well as its influence over European allies and Kyiv.

Peskov also dismissed remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron, who recently said at the G7 Summit that Washington had abandoned neutrality and was now openly backing Ukraine’s territorial integrity, continued aid, and sanctions against Russia.

“Regarding President Macron’s statements, it is difficult to judge. I don’t think President Macron can in any way claim to be Washington’s lawyer or press secretary,” Peskov added.



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Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines expand free Wi-Fi on flights

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Alaska, Hawaiian Airlines expand free Wi-Fi on flights


HONOLULU (KHON2) — Free Wi-Fi is available on more Alaska and Hawaiian Airlines planes.

The company said that 150 aircraft are now equipped with Starlink.

“For years, T-Mobile has played a key role in keeping our guests connected, and we’re proud to now offer Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, to Atmos members for free, made possible through our work with T-Mobile,” said Shane Jones, Senior Vice President of Fleet, Products and Guest Experience. “We’ve seen an overwhelmingly positive response from our guests, and we couldn’t have done it without T-Mobile as we continue to raise the bar for the experience across Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.”

Passengers must now be Atmos Rewards members to take advantage of the free service. The company said a new onboarding portal started in June, with the experience to become standard by mid-July.

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Existing Atmos Rewards members will connect automatically, and new guests can sign up in just a few steps.

“Our relationship with Alaska Airlines has helped redefine what travelers can expect from inflight connectivity, and today’s milestone is another important step forward, said Mike Belcher, Head of Partnerships and Business Development at T-Mobile. “Bringing complimentary inflight Wi-Fi to more travelers across both Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines makes it easier to stay connected throughout their journey. The new, streamlined experience for accessing Wi-Fi reflects our shared commitment to delivering a better, more seamless travel experience.”

The airline expects to finish installing Starlink across its remaining mainline fleet by 2027.



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Pilot’s quick thinking averts disaster in Alaska emergency landing

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Pilot’s quick thinking averts disaster in Alaska emergency landing


A small plane made an emergency landing in Alaska after a loud noise was heard about 20 minutes into the flight, according to one of the nine passengers on board. The pilot reported engine trouble and began searching for a place to land. Helicopters later rescued everyone. Passengers praised the pilot’s experience and quick thinking, crediting him with saving their lives. The FAA and NTSB are investigating.



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