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1.8 Million ISK Gender Gap In 2019 Employment Income: Cause For Concern
Statistics Iceland published 2019’s income data this week, revealing that Iceland still has some way to go to achieve economic gender equality. According to data from last year’s tax returns, the average personal income in Iceland in 2019 was 6.9 million ISK…
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Crude Racist Message Left On Car In Snæfellsnes
“If you are black or brown: please leave this town!” reads a crude racist message left on a parked car in Snæfellsnes on June 12th. Sara Magnúsar, a DJ based in Iceland, reported the hateful message on Facebook. She was driving with…
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COVID-19 Border Screenings One Month On: More Uncertainty, New Rules For Icelanders
The COVID-19 border screening programme has been running for just short of a month. The first weeks of the initiative have been a little rocky; political disputes and group infections have prompted some major changes. But for the most part infection rates…
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New COVID-19 Advice Video For Tourists Visiting Iceland
Health authorities debuted a video explaining Iceland’s current border procedures in a press conference yesterday. The video is available in English and clearly sets out the steps tourists must take before travelling in Iceland. In case you missed it, visitors are required…
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Report Warns Of Devastating Toll Of COVID-19 On Icelandic Music Industry
It will come as no surprise to anyone that COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Icelandic music industry hard, but a sombre new report reveals the huge scale of the industry’s losses. The investigation was lead by María Ruth Reynisdóttir and Bryndís Jónatansdóttir,…
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Mýrdalsjökull Glacial Melt Warning Issued, Potential For Gas Pollution
The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) has issued a warning over conditions at Mýrdalsjökull glacier in southern Iceland. An unexpected amount of water is currently collecting beneath the surface of the glacier and will likely escape in the near future. Experts issued the…
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Russian Long-Range Bombers Spotted Within NATO Airspace Near Iceland
Unauthorised Russian aircraft entered NATO airspace near Iceland, according to a statement from the Icelandic Coast Guard. Italian aircraft stationed in Iceland flew from Keflavík Airport on July 3rd to meet the Russian planes. Russian long-range bombers were were first spotted South…
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Björk Announces Trio Of Harpa Summer Performances With Iceland Airwaves
Björk’s back baby. That’s right, everyone’s go-to Icelandic pop culture reference and unofficial queen of kooky headpieces will be gracing the floorboards of Harpa with three weekend performances this summer in collaboration with Iceland Airwaves. “I want to celebrate the fact that…
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Growing Calls For Reform Following House Fire That Killed Three Polish Workers
Urgent calls for legislative change are growing in the wake of a house fire on Bræðraborgarstígur 1 that killed three people on June 25th. As reported, a demonstration was held on Sunday to mourn those who died in the blaze and to…
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PREMIERE: sillus Drops Captivating New Video For “dapply”
An eerily desolate Icelandic landscape and effortlessly graceful choreography—today Sigurlaug (Silla) Thorarensen a.k.a. sillus releases the perfect visual accompaniment to “dapply,” a haunting lo-fi track from her 2018 EP. “This video came about because the song was chosen to be in the…
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Blue Lagoon Reports €22 Million Profit In 2019 Amid Mass COVID-19 Layoffs
The Blue Lagoon 2019 revenue totalled € 125 million, yielding a €22 million profit, Fréttablaðið reports. The Blue Lagoon manages the world-famous tourist attraction along with several connected shops, restaurants and hotels. At the end of 2019 its assets totalled €79.5 million.…
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Abandoned Iceland #10: Mount Esja
One mountain, three reporters and a tin of baked beans – what could go wrong? In this episode of Abandoned Iceland, Valur, Poppy and Polly battle the elements to scale the mighty Mount Esja. Who will survive? You’ll have to watch to…
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Weekend Culture Pick: DesignMarch
The DesignMarch festival wraps up on Sunday, so make sure you take the opportunity this weekend to check out some of the amazing work Iceland’s designers have produced. Highlights include: Sock design workshop for kids – 27th June 12:00-17:00 – Let your…
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Fourth Domestic COVID-19 Infection Since Mid-May, Possible Group Infection
The fourth domestic COVID-19 infection in Iceland since mid-May has been detected (updated figure – see note). The individual, an employee of the Ministry of Fisheries and Industry, is believed to have caught the coronavirus from a top-league Icelandic footballer who had…
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Reykjavík’s Innipúkin Festival To Go Ahead This Summer
As Iceland rapidly regains a sense of normality after the COVID-19 outbreak, organisers have announced that Reykjavík’s Innipúkin festival will go ahead this summer. The 19th Innipúkin festival will be held between July 31st and August 2nd, over the bank holiday weekend.…
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DesignMarch Is Finally Here! Opening Day Highlights
That’s right DesignMarch – or should we say DesignJune? – is finally here. After months of coronavirus-induced uncertainty and disappointments, Reykajvik’s design community will finally have the opportunity to exhibit their work across the city this week. DesignMarch events will be held…
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Icelandic Government Promises “Ambitious” 35% Emissions Cut By 2030
The Icelandic government announced 15 new additions to the Climate Action Plan yesterday, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030. The current climate action plan consists of 48 policies and is set to cost the government 46 billion ISK…
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Epidemiologist Hints At Future Exemptions To COVID-19 Border Screenings
Future passengers from certain countries may be exempt from completing a 14-day quarantine period or being screened for COVID-19 on arrival in Iceland, according to Chief Epidemiologist, Þórólfur Guðnason. In a press briefing held on June 22nd, Þórólfur stated that the data…
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Northern Iceland Earthquake Swarm Continues; 1500 Earthquakes Yesterday
Over 1,500 earthquakes were detected in northern Iceland yesterday, as the region continues to experience a period of increased seismic activity or an ‘earthquake swarm’. The largest tremor yesterday measured 4.0 in magnitude and occurred at 12:18 around 30 km northeast of…
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Memorial Proposed To Honour Hans Jónatan, Iceland’s First Black Settler
A proposal to erect a memorial to Hans Jónatan, the first known Black settler in Iceland, has been presented to Parliament. Vilhjálmur Bjarnason of the conservative Independence Party put forward a bill to construct a memorial in Djúpivogur to Hans Jónatan, a Black…
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Nurses’ Strike Called Off In Response To New Arbitration Proposal
Organisers called off a planned strike by the Icelandic Nurses Association last night, hours before it was scheduled to start, RÚV reports. The strike over nurse’s wages and working conditions was scheduled to start at 8:00 this morning, but was cancelled due…
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The Reykjavík Grapevine Design Awards 2020
Times like these call for creative thinking and the ability to adapt—two qualities arguably best found in the design community. From leading the way in innovation of sustainable materials, to radically rethinking household items, the winners of this year’s design awards have…
