A family counseling organization in Iceland is appealing for more resources from the state to combat the growing opioid use among young people, which is now being compared to the situation in the U.S.
The family counseling organization Foreldrahús in Iceland needs more resources to combat the growing opioid crisis among young people, according to executive director Berglind Gunnarsdóttir Strandberg. She has made a request to the budget committee to include around ISK 127 million per year in the budget for this purpose, as demand for the organization’s services has skyrocketed.
Foreldrahús offers a range of services, including family counseling, parenting courses and various forms of support for young people with substance abuse problems.
According to Strandberg, the extent of opioid use among young people in Iceland is comparable to the situation in the United States and she stresses that this crisis requires immediate action.
– According to reliable information, over 30 young people have died this year alone, she said, according to state broadcaster RUV.
Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson also presented proposals for measures against opioid addiction, especially among young people in the country, earlier this year, mentioning that Foreldrahús, among others, should be strengthened.
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Ukrainian weapons manufacturer Fire Point is establishing a rocket fuel factory in Skrydstrup, Denmark. To expedite the establishment, the Danish government is using a controversial law that bypasses citizens’ right to appeal – and therefore does not need to consider local residents’ concerns.
Just on the other side of the fence from Skrydstrup Air Base, where Denmark’s new F-35 fighter jets are stationed, Ukrainian weapons company Fire Point is set to begin production of solid rocket fuel on December 1st. The announcement came during a press conference with Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (Liberal Party).
— We are proud to welcome them to Denmark. As a country, we are now contributing to ensuring that Ukraine can fight the important battle against the superior power Russia, claims the minister, who has personally visited the company in Ukraine.
Fire Point is behind Ukraine’s new cruise missile “Flamingo”, which according to reports was recently used against a Russian base in Crimea. The weapon reportedly has a range of 3,000 kilometers and has been described by President Volodymyr Zelensky as the country’s “most successful” missile.
It is precisely the solid rocket fuel for this missile that will now be produced in Skrydstrup, where local residents have expressed strong concerns about potential security risks.
“Dialogue” to reassure citizens
To enable the rapid establishment, the Danish government is using the criticized law that removes citizens’ right to appeal and gives authorities free rein to bypass other laws when a project is deemed to serve essential national defense goals or civil preparedness purposes.
Local residents have reacted with concern about having a rocket fuel factory in their vicinity, and a public meeting is being held on Saturday, where both the defense minister and Business Minister Morten Bødskov (Social Democrats) will meet with worried citizens.
— I understand very well the many concerns that potentially arise in and around Skrydstrup, admits Troels Lund Poulsen.
Haderslev’s mayor Mads Skau (Liberal Party) is trying to balance between the government’s decision and dissatisfied citizens’ concerns.
— We will ensure that it remains safe for citizens to live in the area. We do this through dialogue. I have told the ministers that it is important they keep citizens informed about what is happening.
“Hundreds of jobs”
Business Minister Bødskov is careful to emphasize that the factory will create “several hundred jobs”, primarily for unskilled workers.
Despite using the controversial law, he insists that safety will not be compromised:
— The requirements that exist for safety distances to the surroundings we do not touch. The same applies to requirements for transporting rocket fuel. What applies today will also apply tomorrow.
Last year, sexual extortion against children increased by 192 percent globally. Perpetrators manipulate children into sending nude photos of themselves and then demand money to prevent them from being distributed.
Sexual extortion of children for financial gain, known as sextortion, is increasing dramatically both in Sweden and worldwide. According to the American organization National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of adults seeking contact with children online increased by a full 192 percent last year.
It is particularly teenage boys who are affected by this type of crime, which differs from other sexual crimes through its clear financial motive.
Louise Åhlén, development officer at the Swedish police unit Isöb Noa, which works with internet-related sexual crimes against children, describes the perpetrators’ methods:
— A common approach is that the perpetrator pretends to be a peer and tricks them into sending nude photos or videos. Then they threaten to distribute the image to family and friends if the child doesn’t send money to the perpetrator, she says.
“The children have done nothing wrong”
The Swedish police emphasize that how parents react if their child is affected is crucial. Louise Åhlén warns against reacting with anger or punishment:
— The absolutely most important thing is that we as parents don’t get angry at our children for having sent a nude photo or paid to avoid having them distributed. When we at the police find a child we believe has been victimized, the affected children often don’t want to tell anyone because they feel so much guilt and shame. But the children have done nothing wrong, they must receive understanding and support from the adult world, Åhlén explains.
Because the subject is so guilt-ridden and frightening for children who are affected, the number of unreported cases is probably very large. The police urge adults to talk with children both to prevent and to help those who have already been victimized.
— Ask and be curious about what’s happening in the child’s life, both what occurs online and offline, and don’t punish the child by removing apps or the phone if they’ve been victimized.
The Swedish police emphasize that children and young people’s online lives are a natural part of their everyday life that cannot or should not be prohibited.
— Children and young people socialize online. They chat and play together, it’s an important part of children’s everyday life today. We can’t protect children by forbidding them from using specific apps or games – it’s knowledge, presence and understanding that’s needed, Åhlén concludes.
Six municipal politicians in Staffanstorp, a town in southern Sweden’s Skåne region, are being prosecuted for gross misconduct in office after the municipal board decided in 2022 not to receive a Syrian family assigned there by the Swedish Migration Agency.
Among those prosecuted is Christian Sonesson (M), chairman of the municipal council from the Moderate Party, who has previously commented on Facebook about the interrogations in the case.
“From a purely legal standpoint, we currently know nothing more than that all members have the right to a public defender”.
In March 2022, the Swedish Migration Agency assigned four quota refugees – a Syrian family – to Staffanstorp municipality according to the Settlement Act. A few days later, the municipal board, following a proposal from the chairman, decided on an immediate halt to reception, reports Bonnier newspaper Expressen.
When the family arrived at Sturup airport on May 12, no one from the municipality was present to receive them, and the Migration Agency was forced to cancel the assignment at the last minute and instead place the family in another municipality.
“Uncharted territory”
Chief prosecutor Magdalena Petersson argues that the local politicians’ decision violates the law since Swedish municipalities are obligated to follow the Migration Agency’s assignments, which cannot be appealed.
— A municipality is obligated to receive a newly arrived person after assignment. The proposal from the chairman and the municipal board’s decision violates the Settlement Act. I have therefore brought charges against six people on the municipal board who participated in the vote without reserving themselves. The crime is to be assessed as gross because the defendants have seriously abused their position as municipal politicians. It has also had consequences for both individuals and the public, she argues in a press release.
All six defendants deny wrongdoing.
— This is uncharted territory, we need to establish precedent about what applies. As far as I know, there are no previous judgments in this area, the chief prosecutor notes.
Staffanstorp under Christian Sonesson has positioned itself as one of Sweden’s most restrictive municipalities on migration issues and has repeatedly attracted national attention for its decisions. The municipality’s stance has led to friction with the Moderate Party’s significantly more immigration-liberal party leadership, which has distanced itself from the southern Swedish local politicians on several occasions.
Thousands of Labubu dolls have been seized by Swedish and Norwegian customs. In several cases, authorities have confirmed these are counterfeit copies, while other cases are still under investigation.
The Chinese collectible doll Labubu has gained massive popularity worldwide. Labubu is a character from “The Monsters” book series, created by Hong Kong-born illustrator Kasing Lung in 2015. In 2019, Chinese toy company Pop Mart acquired the rights to sell dolls based on the illustrator’s monster character.
However, it wasn’t until a few years later that these dolls exploded in popularity, largely attributed to K-pop star Lisa from BLACKPINK showcasing her doll on social media. Since then, the Labubu doll has created chaos around itself, becoming such popular collectibles that they sell out immediately.
In 2024, for example, Pop Mart saw both a 100 percent increase in profits and a 726 percent increase in sales of Labubu dolls alone, according to The New York Times.
Due to the dolls selling out immediately, a strong black market has emerged around Labubu, along with pirated variants – often called Lafufu. In the United Kingdom, authorities have stopped hundreds of thousands of dolls at customs in recent months alone.
Substandard quality
Now Labubu dolls have also reached Scandinavian customs, reports Swedish public broadcaster SVT. In Norway, authorities have stopped a total of 1,500 dolls so far. At Swedish customs, 1,205 dolls have been seized since May this year.
“We see on the internet that a doll can cost up to 6000 SEK (€550)”, says Per Kristian Grandahl from Norwegian customs.
In Sweden, authorities have already confirmed that some of the dolls were counterfeit and could therefore pose a danger, leading to them being sent back. Lafufu dolls can be of inferior quality where small parts risk coming loose. The Swedish Chemicals Agency has ordered pirated dolls to be sent to laboratories for testing of hazardous substances.
