Fréttablaðið reports, “Icesave turns Constitutional Assembly,” (what? No, Icesave has not become the Constitutional Assembly). The story is actually about the Constitutional Assembly committee changing its mind about holding new elections. They think it will be too big a burden for people to vote for both Icesave and Constitutional Assembly.
Today’s photo shows Landspítali hospital staff packing up the library. The hospital will no longer lend books to patients. Director Björn Zoega says it’s because patients no longer spend as much time at the hospital and the hospital is supposed to be preventing the spread of germs (not spreading germs via books!).
In other news, “The unrest in Libya has a direct impact on the price of fuel in Iceland: Gaddafi will not step down,” (okay, that’s it Gaddafi. Now you have to step down).
Morgunblaðið reports, “75 dead and 300 missing” in New Zealand after the earthquake shook Christchurch. “’It’s unbelievable to see the damages,’ Sunna Viðarsdóttir says, [d]owntown Christchurch is in ruins,” and “[a]ll Icelanders are good and well.” The accompanying photo shows the destruction, which looks much like the aftermath of a bomb explosion, Sunna says.
In other news, “The date is determined by other elections,” which is about the same story Fréttablaðið reported in “Icesave turns Constitutional Assembly.” There is “Uncertainty about interest payments,” which is about whether Iceland is legally required to pay interest to the Dutch and Brits in the whole Icesave debacle. Lastly, “Gas taxes have never been so high.” It’s calculated that a couple with two cars now spends 270.000 ISK per year in gas taxes (approx 2.300 USD).
And DV reports about “Missing girls in neighbour’s crack house.” A fifteen-year-old girl tells her story about falling in love with a thirty-year con man who wined and drugged her. She would hang out at the Kringlan shopping mall, which is apparently where things went bad.
Otherwise, “Guðbjörg’s son moves to Argentina,” the “Resolution committee raises salaries,” the Landspítali “Director makes cuts,” a “President has a football on his head,” and “Helgi wants to forget Lúkas,” who just passed away. Lúkas is arguable Iceland’s most famous dog. He disappeared in 2007 and someone reported seeing Helgi and friends put Lúkas in a sports bag and kicking him to death. The story gained national attention and Helgi was totally vilified. Lúkas came back and it was all just a big lie. Helgi has pressed charges and was recently awarded some damages from bloggers who said mean things about him online.
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This is a daily roundup of the news that made it on the front page of Iceland’s newspapers. That is, the two most widely read dailys, Morgunblaðið and Fréttablaðið, and the popular tabloid, DV, which comes out four times per week.
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