The Russian fishery vessel ”Petrozavodsk” this morning grounded by the coast of the Bear Island in the Barents Sea. Norwegian authorities fear that oil will leak from the vessel and harm the rich sea bird populations in the area.

Igor Babenko, spokesperson for Russia’s Northern Fleet, believes that cooperation between media and military forces leads to more truthful and balanced information on military issues.

Ken Salazar, U.S. secretary of the interior, announced on Friday that a Bush administration policy on the protection of polar bears in the Arctic will not be altered.

EU’s proposed ban on sales of seal product could constitute a dangerous precedent and affect trade in animal products that are harvested in a sustainable and ethical way, says the Norwegian government.

A new Swedish-Finnish report proposes 5,3 billion SEK (500 mill EUR) of investments in new railway infrastructure in the Swedish and Finnish North, meant to facilitate shipments of ore. Norwegian partners might later link up with the plans.

The new challenges in the Barents Region and the enhanced EU interests in the region should make the union elaborate an EU Barents Strategy.

The federal government has a strong case to launch a World Trade Organization challenge to a European ban on seal products because the decision was based on "people's feelings" rather than hard facts, says Trade Minister Stockwell Day.

A thaw of the Arctic linked to global warming may slow a drive to get rid of industrial chemicals that are harming indigenous people and wildlife, an expert said on Monday.

Environmentalists fear pollution risk as firms try to exploit ocean's untapped oil and gas reserves.

China, Italy, South Korea and the European Union (EU) were all denied permanent membership to the Arctic Council on Wednesday due to the current dispute between the EU and Canada over the Canadian seal hunt.