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All Unions But One Settle On Collective Bargaining Agreement
All the unions but one that initially voted against a collective bargaining agreement struck between union leadership and employers have accepted management’s counter-offer. Vísir reports that all 17 unions that voted against the agreement, apart from the Akranes Trade Union, have accepted additional…
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Police Offer Lost And Found Service
Capital area police have an Instagram account that features, amongst other things, lost items they happened upon to be claimed by their owners. Vísir reports that the lost items include cameras, bikes, mobile phones, and even shoes and keys. The general public has…
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Ruling Coalition Wants To End EU Talks
Both parties of the ruling coalition have voted within their ranks to end accession talks with the European Union – despite a public referendum on the matter being an official policy. DV reports that the Progressive Party has voted, within their own ranks,…
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Special Prosecutor Joins Ministry Investigation
Special Prosecutor Ólafur Hauksson is back, taking part in the criminal investigation of the Ministry of the Interior. DV reports that Ólafur – a prosecutor who took on many of Iceland’s financiers and bankers – will be replacing Assistant Commissioner of the Greater Reykjavík Area…
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MP And Former Cop: Current Drug Policy “Doesn’t Work”
An MP for the Independence Party, himself a former police officer, says that Iceland’s current punitive policy towards drug use “does not work”. Vísir reports that Vilhjálmur Árnason, an MP for the Independence Party, was one of the speakers for a parliamentary proposal (.pdf file)…
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Justin Timberlake Performing In Iceland
Singer, actor and Tennessee native Justin Timberlake will be performing in Iceland this summer. RÚV reports that the concert will be held on August 24 at the Kórinn sports arena in Kópavogur. Tickets are expected to go on sale March 6. However, members…
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Illegal To Scatter Ashes At Þingvellir
If you were thinking of having your ashes scattered at Þingvellir National Park, think again. Vísir reports that the Þingvellir Committee has received a number of requests from people who want their or their loved one’s ashes scattered across Þingvellir, or Þingvallavatn Lake.…
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Integration Of Refugees Working Better In Reykjavík
Resources, cultural life and other factors are making the integration of asylum seekers easier in Reykjavík than in other parts of the country. The capital has taken in some 150 asylum seekers from all over the world, Vísir reports, with most of them living…
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Students Support Teachers’ Labour Struggle
Secondary school students in Laugarvatn showed up for school in T-shirts showing their support for the labour demands of their teachers. The website of the Laugarvatn Secondary School reports that the students caught teachers by surprise today, showing up in black T-shirts which read…
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Proposal To Possibly End EU Talks In The Works
The ruling coalition is preparing a parliamentary proposal to unfreeze accession talks with the European Union – and possibly end them altogether. RÚV reports that the proposal could hit the floor of parliament as early as next week. Supported by both the Progressive…
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Drug De-Criminalisation Discussion Picks Up
A conservative MP and members of the Pirate Party support the de-criminalisation of drugs in Iceland. Vísir reports that Independence Party MP Brynjar Níelsson – long a supporter of drug de-criminalisation – has not changed his position on the matter. “If we look…
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British Financier Ready To Fund Power Cable From Iceland To Britain
Financier Edi Truell has gathered numerous investors who are ready to fund an undersea power cable from Iceland to the UK. The Sunday Times reports that Edi has found numerous “international investors” prepared to fund the project, which will be under the…
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NATO Jets Disturb Residents, Wildlife
A resident of northwest Iceland is puzzled as to why fighter jets conducting NATO exercises insist on doing so over areas of protected bird life. Northwest Iceland news website Bæjarins Bestu reports that numerous fighter jets have been flying about in the…
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Interior Ministry To Be Investigated By Police
The State Prosecutor has reached a decision: the Interior Ministry will be investigated by the police in connection with a leaked memo which impugned the reputation of a Nigerian asylum seeker. In a statement posted on the State Prosecutor’s webpage, the office…
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New E-Currency Made For Iceland To Debut Soon
A new cryptocurrency, Auroracoin, is set to debut in March, and everyone in Iceland will reportedly get their share. According to the creator’s home page, the new currency is based on LiteCoin, and will arrive on March 25, 50% pre-mined. The creators…
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Iceland Supported Torture Squads
The Icelandic government gave funding to a commando squad in Iraq that later turned out to be practicing torture. The Minister of Foreign Affairs does not believe the matter needs to be investigated further. DV reports that, from 2005 to 2006, the…
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Minister Dismisses Ministry Employee Requests For Independent Investigation
Minister of the Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir has allegedly denied requests from ministry staff for an independent investigation of the ministry over a leaked memo regarding a Nigerian asylum seeker. DV reports that several ministry employees approached the minister with the suggestion…
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Men Only Dinner “Undeniably Strange”
A men’s choir broke from tradition and did not invite the director of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (ISO) to their yearly þorrablót feast for one reason: she is a woman. Vísir reports that the men’s choir Fóstbræður, which holds a þorrablót dinner…
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Child Advocacy Group Objects To Gendered Children’s Products
Save The Children Iceland says that the marketing of some products for children reinforce gender stereotypes and, in some instances, break the law. Vísir reports that the organisation has encouraged individual companies in Iceland “to not manufacture, label or sell toys, CDs,…
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City Councilperson Objects To “Military-Free” Reykjavík
A Reykjavík city councilperson for the Independence Party called Mayor Jón Gnarr’s vision of a military-free Reykjavík “confusing apples and oranges.” “Despite the mayor’s vision of Reykjavík as a city of peace being pretty and fun, there wasn’t consideration taken to [the…
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Ruling Coalition Polls Highest In “Law And Order”
A new poll shows that support for Iceland’s political parties varies greatly, when those surveyed are asked to rank them based on their handling of different social and political matters. According to the survey, conducted by Market and Media Research, support for…
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WOW Air Will No Longer Be Going To The US
Plans to start flights to Boston this summer have been put on ice. RÚV reports that WOW Air has canceled summer plans to fly to both Boston and Stockholm, as they cannot wait any longer for a final decision from The Competition…
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They Said What?
The great thing about being important enough that the media hangs on every word you say and write is that your words become public record forever. And by that I mean great for the public. Let’s take a look at this weird…
