Category: Politics and Society

An archive photo, showing a fighter plane taking off at Keflavík Airport.

US Military to Invest Billions of ISK in Keflavík

24 Jun The US Department of Defense plans to invest USD 57 million in military construction in Iceland in 2020.

Gender Autonomy Act Applauded

21 Jun Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, approved a gender autonomy act this week.

Part of the book cover of 'Iceland in World War II.'

New Book on Iceland in World War II

15 Jun A new book in English on Iceland in World War II has just hit the shelves in Iceland.

A rainbow being painted on the steps of Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík junior college in 2016. For several years, rainbows have been painted at various locations in Reykjavík around Gay Pride, but they have been washed away after the festivities.

Permanent Rainbow in Reykjavík

6 Jun The Reykjavík City Council has unanimously voted to approve a proposition to have a permanent rainbow painted on a street in Reykjavík.

Minister of Transport and Local Government Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, and Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, at today's press conference.

Clearing the Way for Electric Cars

4 Jun The Icelandic government has announced measures to facilitate the switch to electric cars in the country.

Hatari band members, waving a banner in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Hatari's Display of Palestinian Flag Causes Controversy

20 May “We have not received anything from EBU [the European Broadcasting Union], and we’ll wait and see whether that happens.”

Icelandic President Heads for Winnipeg

16 May Icelandic President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and First Lady Eliza Reid leave today for Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, to celebrate the centennial of the Icelandic National League of North America.

Iceland Tops KidsRights Index

16 May Iceland ranks first in the international rankings of the 2019 KidsRights Index.

Part of the group that arrived in Iceland yesterday.

Syrian Refugees Arrive in Iceland

15 May A group of 23 Syrian quota refugees, that is, refugees invited to Iceland by the State, arrived in the country yesterday.

Abortion Bill Passes in Alþingi

14 May A much-debated abortion bill was passed in Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, last night.

Sentenced in Iceland for People Smuggling

10 May A Palestinian man, residing in Sweden, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for people smuggling.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarsson, right, accepts chairmanship of the Arctic Council from Finish Foreign Minister Timo Soini.

Iceland Chairs Arctic Council

7 May Today, Iceland assumed leadership of the Arctic Council for a two-year period.

The rally in Reykjavík was very well attended.

May 1 in Pictures

2 May International Workers’ Day was celebrated with rallies all over Iceland yesterday.

Icelandic Minister for the Environment Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson.

Effect of Container Port Needs Examination

29 Apr “What I regard as the most important factor in this matter and a fundamental point is looking carefully at the environmental effect,”

Container Port Creates Controversy

23 Apr Icelandic Minister for the Environment Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, who in 2012 opposed the building of a container port in Finnafjörður fjord, Northeast Iceland, now declines to comment on the matter.