A struggle for survival in Alaska as sea ice disappears

+ Belafonte's legacy spans stage, screen and activism US Edition - Today's top story: Arctic sea ice loss and fierce storms leave Kivalina's volunteer search and rescue fighting to protect their island from climate disasters [View in browser]( US Edition | 26 April 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [How laws shield police from accountability]( - [What’s at stake when FDA’s authority is challenged]( - [Willie Nelson is still ‘on the road again’]( Lead story If the storms you’ve seen lately seem fierce, imagine being on a barrier island off Alaska with the remnants of a typhoon blowing through. The ground between your neighbor’s house and the water is eroding fast, and you’re out in the wind and ice-cold rain trying to save it. This kind of crisis has become almost daily life for the search-and-rescue team on Kivalina, a barrier island that is home to about 420 hardy souls off Alaska’s western coast. The sea ice that once protected Kivalina’s coastline is forming later in the fall and melting sooner in the spring as the planet warms, leaving the community at risk. It’s an example of the ways [climate change is upending lives around the world]( and how federal aid is slow to help, as Joshua Griffin, an assistant professor of marine and environmental affairs at the University of Washington, explains. [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Kivalina is on a narrow barrier island exposed to storms off the Chukchi Sea. Joe Raedle/Getty Images [Arctic sea ice loss and fierce storms leave Kivalina fighting to protect its island from climate disasters]( P. Joshua Griffin, University of Washington Ten years after Kivalina’s lawsuit against Exxon over climate change damage was dismissed, the Indigenous community’s search and rescue team is dealing with frequent disasters. Science + Technology - [Leprosy-causing bacteria found in armadillo specimens highlight value of museum collections for tracking pathogens]( Daniel Romero-Alvarez, University of Kansas Museum archives hold biological specimens that have been collected over years or even decades. Modern molecular analysis of these collections can reveal information about pathogens and their spread. Health + Medicine - [Challenging the FDA’s authority isn’t new – the agency’s history shows what’s at stake when drug regulation is in limbo]( Christine Coughlin, Wake Forest University As the government’s oldest consumer protection agency, the FDA has long butted up against drugmakers, activists and politicians. But undermining its work could be harmful to patient health and safety. - [Mifepristone is under scrutiny in the courts, but it has been used safely and effectively around the world for decades]( Grace Shih, University of Washington Mifepristone’s safety in medication abortions has been well established over more than two decades, but legal wrangling leaves the future of the drug hanging in the balance. Arts + Culture - [Harry Belafonte leveraged stardom for social change, his powerful voice always singing a song for justice]( Aram Goudsouzian, University of Memphis Singer, actor and activist died on April 25, at the age of 96. His legacy spans stage, screen and political activism. - [Willie Nelson at 90: Country music’s elder statesman still on the road again]( Jason Mellard, Texas State University Willie Nelson is an icon who rose to the top of an industry by challenging it – showing that you can be a counterculture figure and activist while remaining as American as apple pie. - [A tweak to the University of Nebraska’s logo shows how the once benign ‘OK’ sign has entered a ‘purgatory of meaning’]( Roger J. Kreuz, University of Memphis Hand gestures are notoriously prone to misinterpretation. Environment + Energy - [In protecting land for wildlife, size matters – here’s what it takes to conserve very large areas]( David Jachowski, Clemson University Governments and wildlife advocates are working to protect 30% of Earth’s lands and waters for nature by 2030. An ecologist explains why creating large protected areas should be a top priority. Politics + Society - [The law often shields police officers from accountability – and reinforces policing that harms Black people, homeless people and the mentally ill]( Rashad Shabazz, Arizona State University Shielding police from accountability can only lead to more brutality, misconduct – and multimillion-dollar settlements. - [The invasion of Iraq defined US’ foreign relations – but in popular Iraqi literature, the war is just a piece of the country’s complex history]( Renee Ragin Randall, University of Michigan The short stories of modern Iraqi writers Hassan Blasim and Diaa Jubaili show that the 2003 invasion and subsequent war in Iraq are not at the heart of contemporary Iraqi literature. Trending on site - [80 is different in 2023 than in 1776 – but even back then, a grizzled Franklin led alongside a young Hamilton]( - [Tucker Carlson’s departure and Fox News’ expensive legal woes show the problem with faking ‘authenticity’]( - [White power movements in US history have often relied on veterans – and not on lone wolves]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the top 10 carbon-emitting countries as well as the amount of carbon emitted by international shipping.]( From the story, [Global shipping is under pressure to stop its heavy fuel oil use fast – that’s not simple, but changes are coming]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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