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Gálgahraun Protesters Charged
Seven women and two men have been charged with refusing to obey police orders to vacate a protest last October. Vísir reports that the nine, who are members of the group Lava Friends, have been charged with refusing to obey a police…
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Icelandic Sheep Coming Up In Alaska
A small farm in Fairbanks, Alaska has a few new members now. The NewsMiner reports that Tamara Rose and Julie Guth-Schwab of Fyndinn Farm in Fairbanks, Alaska currently have five Icelandic ewes and two rams. The original additions – a ram and…
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Changes To Child Custody Laws On The Horizon?
Minister of Social Affairs and Housing Eygló Harðardóttir believes that child custody laws could soon be taking on some big changes. Vísir reports that Haraldur Einarsson, an MP for the Progressive Party, took up the matter in parliament today. Haraldur said that…
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EU Accession Support On The Rise
A new poll shows that nearly a third of Icelanders now favour the country’s accession into the European Union. The poll, conducted by Market and Media Research, shows that over the past year, support for joining the EU has risen from 25%…
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Committee Stops Short Of Abolishing Index Loans
A group of specialists have published their recommendations for how to reduce indexed loans, but not everyone on the committee was in agreement with their plan. RÚV reports that the group has outlined four main points: 1. Fixed rate indexed loans for…
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Park Ranger Working Weeks Cut
Iceland’s park rangers will be working about half the weeks they did the year previous, due to cuts made to The Environment Agency of Iceland (UST). RÚV reports that Iceland’s park rangers work primarily in the summer, making sure demarcations of protected…
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Dozens Protest Oil Drilling In Icelandic Waters
About 70 people turned out to protest against plans to drill for oil in Drekasvæði, a supposedly oil-rich area within Icelandic waters. Vísir reports that 12 different organisations were amongst those represented at the protests, which were held in front of the…
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Icelandic Handball Team Compared Favourably To Nazis – Updated
Television personality Björn Bragi Arnarson chose possibly the worst simile in sports history tonight. DV reports that Björn was providing colour commentary for national broadcasting service RÚV during halftime of the Iceland-Austria game. The two are competing in the European championships, and…
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Icelandic Version Of Polish Newspaper Hits The Streets
Young Polish immigrants in Iceland have begun distributing free copies of an Icelandic version of Metro, a free daily newspaper from Poland. Vísir reports that the Association of Polish Youth in Iceland has, in cooperation with journalists abroad, published a special edition of…
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Teachers Vote On Strike Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Iceland’s secondary school teachers will vote on whether or not they will go on strike. Vísir reports that The Icelandic Teachers’ Unions and The Association of Deputy Headteachers in Upper Secondary Schools will both vote on the matter. Voting will open in…
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Police Confirm Minister’s Brother Will Not Be Part Of Investigation Team
Assistant commissioner for the capital area police Theódór Kristjánsson – who is also the brother of Minister of the Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir – will not be amongst the police officials taking part in the investigation of the ministry. Apart from his…
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Pollapönk Going To Eurovision
Icelanders have decided which band should go to Denmark to represent their country in the qualifications round of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. Pollapönk (lit. “puddle punk”), and their song “Enga fordóma” (“No prejudice”), will soon be on their way to Denmark…
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Health Minister “Very Supportive” Of Decriminalising Drugs
Minister of Health Kristján Þór Júlíusson surprised many attendees at a meeting of young conservatives by expressing his support for re-examining Iceland’s drug laws. Vísir reports that the minister was one of the guest speakers at an event hosted by Heimdallur, a society…
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Teachers Stand Firm On Wage Negotiations
Secondary school teachers have accused the Icelandic government of “apathy”, and demand a significant pay rise. Vísir reports that representatives from every secondary school teacher’s union in the country gathered at Grand Hótel yesterday, drafting a resolution addressed to the Icelandic government: “The…
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Protests Held At Russian Embassy
A group of protestors assembled in front of the Russian embassy in Reykjavík today to protest the country’s treatment of its LGBT community. In a statement from the protestors, Vísir reports, they say the purpose of the protest is “to encourage love instead of…
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Reindeer Warning!
Travelers using roads in east Iceland are advised to be on the lookout for wandering herds of reindeer. RÚV reports that both The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin) and The Center for Natural Research of East Iceland (NA) have warned drivers that…
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Iceland Using Canada As Whaling Stop
It has come to light that both Japan and Iceland have been shipping whale meat through Canada. The Vancouver Sun reports that both Canadian politicians and Greenpeace are angry over the practice, but the law remains unclear as to what Canada can do about…
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Three Bankers Charged With Financial Crimes
Former Glitnir manager Lárus Welding, former managing director of marketing at Glitnir Jóhannes Baldursson and former bank manager of Saga Capital Þorvaldur Lúðvík Sigurjónsson all have one thing in common: they are all facing charges of market manipulation. DV reports that the charges…
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Newspaper Editor Defends Leaked Memo
Davíð Oddsson – the current co-editor of Morgunblaðið – defended the leak of a memo on an asylum seeker that launched a police investigation as “allowing the public to get the whole picture”. In an editorial for Morgunblaðið, Davíð – who is also, amongst…
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Lizard In Store Incites Police Action
A small lizard found inside a package delivered from Sweden prompted the store receiving the goods to contact law enforcement. DV reports that the package, which originated in Sweden, arrived at Make Up Store in the mall Smáralind yesterday. When store employees opened…
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Mayor Not Even Worried About Hells Angels
The mayor of Garðabær is not particularly worried that the Hells Angels of Iceland have moved their headquarters into his town. Vísir reports that Gunnar Einarsson does sympathise with those who might be concerned about the motorcycle club moving its clubhouse from Hafnarfjörður…
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Admission To Be Charged At Geysir?
The alleged landowners of Geysir’s geothermal area will start charging 600 ISK admission on March 10, despite reservations from the Ministry for the Environment and The Icelandic Travel Industry Association (SAF). RÚV reports that the new fee will only apply to visitors 17…
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Protest At Interior Ministry
Three organisations will be holding simultaneous protests at the Ministry of the Interior tomorrow at noon, demanding the minister’s resignation. The Alda – Association for Sustainability and Democracy, activist organisation Attacand refugee and immigration rights group No Borders have all planned protests in front of the…
