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Government Clings to Thin Majority
The ruling coalition of the Social Democrats and the Leftist-Greens is holding onto a thin majority of support. A new poll conducted by Market and Media Research shows that only 50.3% of those polled believe that the current government is the best…
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Domestic Financial Situation Reviewed
A work group assembled to assess in what condition the average Icelandic household is has come to some surprising conclusions. The government work group found that there are about 73,000 households paying down homes and apartments that they’ve bought. On average, each…
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Controversial Policeman Back On the Job
The police have reinstated Björgvin Björgvinsson – a policeman who said women who are raped while intoxicated should “bear some responsibility” for being raped – and he is back in his position as chief of the police’s sex crimes division. Björgvin made…
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Embassy “Not Spying On Icelanders”
US Ambassador to Iceland Luis E. Arreaga-Rodas, speaking on the television news show Kastljósið last night, emphasized that the embassy is not spying on Icelandic citizens and never has been. The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has recently brought to light…
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Government Proposes Ways to Reduce Climate Change
The Icelandic government has introduced a number of measures which combined, it is hoped, will have a positive impact on reducing Iceland’s effect on climate change. As reported, the Nordic Statistical Yearbook painted a fairly bleak picture of Iceland’s environmental policies, noting…
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Democrats to Give Money Donated by Alleged Fraudsters to Charity
Helga Ingvarsdóttir and Vickram Bedi – a couple in the US (half of which is Icelandic) who are facing charges of grand larceny – at one point donated 20,000 USD to the Democratic Party. This money will now be given to charity.…
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Ministry of Finance Asked Icelandic Tycoons for Economic Advice
E-mails released by the magazine DV show that the Ministry of Finance asked for the personal advice of Iceland’s millionaire set with regards to the marketing of state-run business. In 2005 and 2006, the documents show, the Ministry of Finance’s Office of…
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Björk Wants Greenhouses Over Smelters
Artist Björk Guðmundsdóttir, in an interview on state broadcasting service RÚV, said that she would like to see the proposed aluminium smelter in Helguvík changed into a giant greenhouse for growing domestic vegetables. She also said that the government still has the…
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Father of Accused Fraudster Believes in Her Innocence
Ingvar J. Karlsson, father of Helga Ingvarsdóttir – who was arrested last Thursday in the US on charges of grand larceny – told Vísir that he believes she is innocent of the allegations against her. The convoluted and often bizarre story of…
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Growing Concern Over Embassy Security Measures
Private, plain-clothed security hired to go through the garbage of people living on the same street as the US embassy – among other things – has caused residents around the building to feel both worried and spied upon. As reported, the US…
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Immigration Conference a Success, But Immigrants Are Frustrated
Last Saturday’s open discussion meeting for immigrant residents of Reykjavík, “Let’s Talk!”, was attended “beyond expectations”, according to a city official that Grapevine spoke to. However, she said, many immigrants are angry and frustrated. The conference, which was held last Saturday, invited…
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US Embassy’s Surveillance Ignites Criticism
It has recently come to light that the US embassy is engaging in surveillance of the neighbourhood around the building. Icelandic politicians have likened the operation to spying, but American officials have said it’s just a security measure. RÚV reported that the…
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Mayor Apologizes for Breaking Campaign Promises
Speaking candidly on the news discussion show Kastljósið, Reykjavík mayor Jón Gnarr said he was sorry that his party has had to go back on some of the promises they made during the campaign season last spring, but reminded viewers that his…
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ECA Program Promises 200 Jobs
Dutch military consultancy firm ECA Program has apparently already begun operations in Iceland, and is promising up to 200 news jobs for people in the Reykjanes area. ECA Program is a company that provides military training and consultation to countries around the…
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Mayor’s Polar Bear Project Still Ongoing
Mayor Jón Gnarr’s plan to get a polar bear in the Reykjavík zoo is apparently still ongoing. Writing on his online diary, he told readers that “Project Polar Bear is in full swing. More news to come soon!” He later added that…
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Swedish Politician Starts Drunken Racist Attack in Icelandic Pub
A visiting member of the ‘Sweden Democrats’ Party has been compelled to issue an apology to the staff of the Reykjavík pub Ölstofan, after he yelled racist epithets and threw a glass at a server there. During a Nordic minister’s meeting last…
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Iceland “Important Partner” in NATO, Says Commander
Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Stavridis met with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saturday, and emphasised Iceland’s importance to the organisation. Stavridis, while only stopping by briefly, has visited Iceland many times in the past. NATO is soon to submit a…
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Mayor Responds to Criticism
Reykjavík mayor Jón Gnarr responds to criticism that he bullies other members of city council, by saying his critics are bullies themselves. Recently, author Auður Jónsdóttir has written that she regrets supporting the Best Party, saying that watching a recent trailer of…
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Unemployment to Begin Dropping Next Year
Unemployment will reach its highest point in the beginning of next year, and then begin to drop a few months later, according to the latest quarterly report from the Central Bank. Figures from the Directorate of Labour show that 13,502 of Iceland’s…
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400 Protest in Front of Parliament
Another round of the so-called “barrel protests” began yesterday at 14:00, seeing a maximum of about 400 people. By 16:00, that number had reduced to about 100. While some eggs were thrown at the parliamentary building, there were no reported injuries, and…
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Church and School Proposal Gets Re-Working
A Reykjavík city council proposal concerning church activities in play schools and primary schools has been given a language re-working, and has been sent to other committees for final approval. As reported, the original proposal was intended to restrict church officials from…
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Low Income Earners Have Experienced The Fewest Cuts
Contrary to popular belief, recent cuts to the budget made by the government and other economic factors have actually been lightest on those with the lowest income, and more significant on those with a high income. The Social Research Centre of the…
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Paul Ramses Running for President of Iceland
Paul Ramses, arguably Iceland’s most famous asylum seeker, has announced that he is running for president of Iceland. Ramses fled to Iceland from Kenya in January 2008, seeking asylum here. When he was deported to Italy, separating him from his wife and…
