Word: icelander
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...that happens to be exactly why whale became a significant part of the Japanese diet, as a cheap source of protein in the impoverished days following World War II. As the country grew wealthier, however, whale meat grew less popular. Still, Japan (along with Norway and Iceland) continues to hunt and kill whales - more than 800 in the 2006 to 2007 season - and is pushing for an end to the 22-year-old worldwide ban on commercial whaling. While industry supporters contend that it's necessary for food security, today the average Japanese eats a little more than an ounce...
APPOINTED After a failed economy forced Iceland's government to resign on Jan. 31, Johanna Sigurdardottir, 66, was named interim Prime Minister, making her Europe's first openly gay leader...
...While the Prime Minister's political track record and personal history have clearly garnered the nation's attention, her sexual orientation has raised relatively few eyebrows. Although Icelandic social policy is among the most progressive in the world - with provisions for marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples - Siguršardóttir maintains a decidedly low public profile with her civil partner of six years Jónína Leósdóttir, a noted journalist and playwright. "Being gay is not an issue in Iceland," explains Frosti Jónsson, chairman of Iceland...
...longest-sitting MP in Iceland, with three decades in Parliament and four stints as Minister of Social Affairs, Siguršardóttir has gained a reputation for voicing support for social issues such as gender equality, a robust welfare system and rights for the disabled and elderly. Fellow MP Ágúst Einarsson went as far as to call her "socialism incarnate." Firmly planted in left-of-center politics, the new Minister reflects the nation's postmeltdown retreat from the right, as demonstrated in recent polling data...
...think she's going to be the country's savior," says Einar Magnússon, a 34-year-old electrician, "but after the condescension and sheer arrogance we've seen in the outgoing leadership, it's refreshing to hear someone real talk to us." (Watch a TIME video, "In Iceland, Frozen Accounts, Boiling Assets...