In Focus

This category is only visible under subscription. You can purchase one here. If you have one please login
candy sugar tax liquorice iceland
In Focus

In Focus: Proposed Sugar Tax

In an effort to improve public health, the Icelandic government plans to impose a sugar tax of 20% on products such as candy, chocolate, and sweetened soft drinks.

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
asylum seekers protest Reykjavík
In Focus

In Focus: Asylum Seeker Deportations

The impending deportations of two Afghan families seeking asylum in Iceland have been heavily criticised in recent weeks. The families in question are the Sarwary and Safari families, who have been granted international protection status in Greece.

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
WOW air tourism Iceland
In Focus

In Focus: WOW air Goes Bankrupt

On the morning of March 28, 2019, WOW air unceremoniously ceased all service, stranding thousands of passengers on both sides of the Atlantic, prompting the largest mass layoffs in Icelandic history.

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
Icelanders' environmental awareness
In Focus

In Focus: Growing Environmental Awareness

The Icelandic public is growing more aware of the threat of climate change and even calling on the government to make large-scale policy changes. Is the government acting quickly or drastically enough to address the problem?

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
Reykjavík swimming pool Laugardalslaug
In Focus

In Focus: Dropping Fertility

Since the 1960s, Iceland’s fertility rate has been steadily dropping. Fertility rates in 2017 were the lowest recorded since record-taking began in 1853. It should be mentioned that despite these historically low numbers, there is a constant growth in population, mainly due to immigration. Though the population may not be declining, it’s worth taking a […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
hotel workers strike Reykjavík
Economy

In Focus: Tourism Industry Strikes

Since the banking collapse just over ten years ago, Iceland has largely pulled itself back from the brink thanks to a tourism boom. So it’s a great irony that many of the lowest-paid individuals working in this economically integral industry continue to struggle to make ends meet. This state of affairs came to the forefront […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
Klaustur Bar
In Focus

In Focus: The Klaustur Scandal

The nation reacted in shock when a recording of six MPs revealed them making sexist, ableist, and homophobic remarks about their colleagues at Klaustur Bar in Reykjavík in late November. The case, which has since become known as the Klaustur Scandal, made headlines internationally and led to public protests in Iceland. The individual responsible for […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
In Focus

In Focus: Third Energy Package

This February, the Icelandic parliament will vote on whether to agree on the European Union’s Third Energy Package. The matter has caused much debate among politicians as the package plays an important role in Iceland’s relationship with the rest of Europe and its membership in the European Economic Area (EEA). Some believe agreeing to the […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
In Focus

In Focus: Wage War

The banking collapse of 2008 took its toll on the Icelandic nation, both financially and emotionally. Icelanders came together in protest, yet perhaps surprisingly, without the leadership of their unions. Now, ten years later, Icelandic unions are fighting for the rights of their members. With many wage agreements expiring at the end of this year, […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
WOW - Icelandair - Keflavík Airport
In Focus

In Focus: Up in the Air

The world of Icelandic aviation has been showing signs of tremors recently. Even though the number of travellers in Iceland is at a high point, the two companies responsible for transporting them to the North Atlantic are floundering. Airlines Icelandair and WOW air, albeit vastly different, face similar threats to their business. Icelandair is the […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
In Focus

In Focus: Whose Land Is It Anyway?

In 2011, a Chinese businessman named Huang Nubo tried to buy one of the largest farmlands in Iceland, Grímsstaðir á Fjöllum. Since Nubo was neither an Icelandic citizen nor a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), he was required to apply for an exemption from Iceland’s Ministry of the Interior in order to purchase […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more
In Focus

In Focus: The Alleged Death of Haukur Hilmarsson

Since the news of his death broke, two videos have been posted of Haukur. In the videos, he states his intent to fight fascism, admonishing the West for its lack of reaction to the problems in the Middle East, and describes himself as an anarchist at heart. When news broke out that Haukur Hilmarsson had been killed […]

This content is only visible under subscription. Subscribe here or log in.
Read more