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Two Icelanders Longlisted For Booktrust’s Foreign Fiction Prize
Two Icelandic authors—Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir and Jón Kalman Stefánsson—have been nominated for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize, awarded by British literacy foundation Booktrust, reports The Independent. Auður Ava was nominated for Butterflies in November (translated by Brian FitzGibbon), described by The Independent as a “quirkily…
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National Beef Shortage
Unlimited import of beef has been granted to work against a shortage of Icelandic cows for slaughter, reports RÚV. Two slaughterhouses in Southern Iceland are short of 60 cows combined each week and according to Torfi Jónsson, an employee at Helli Slaughterhouse, competition…
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Prime Minister Lucky Hockey Mascot For A Day
Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson found time in his busy schedule to attend a hockey game in Canada, where he appeared on the big screen in an Oilers uniform. Despite the ongoing crisis in the Crimea, a heated debate in the Icelandic parliament over…
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Gardens For Rent From The City
This spring, the city of Reykjavík will rent out some 800 gardens for residents to grow their own vegetables. An announcement on the city’s webpage states that 200 vegetable gardens will be available in Skammadal, a large collective gardening area near Mosfellsbær, as well…
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Nelson vs. Akhmedov Preview
The UFC has just released a preview for Icelandic MMA fighter Gunnar Nelson’s bout in London against the Russian Omari Akhmedov. UFC colour commentator Joe Rogan said “Gunnar Nelson is one of those fighters that I really want to see how far…
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“Worst Planning Mistake In A Decade”
The decision to build high-rises in the Skuggahverfi neighbourhood of Reykjavík is, according to one city councilperson, “the worst planning mistake in the past decade”. Those who have been anywhere near the harbour area of downtown Reykjavík have probably not been able…
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Placenta Debate Arises In Hospital
It has come to light that midwives in hospitals are often asked by mothers to be able to take their placentas home with them, although it is technically against regulations. Vísir reports that the practice goes against hospital regulations about taking human body…
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Human Remains Found In Uncharted Cave
Human remains found inside a previously uncharted cave in the Snæfellsnes, reports RÚV. There were no records that the cave had been found or used before four men stumbled upon it by accident earlier this year. The remains will be sent abroad to…
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Social Affairs Minister Not Going To Sochi
Iceland’s Social Affairs Minister Eygló Harðardóttir will not be attending the Special Olympics in Sochi, reports RÚV. The Icelandic Special Olympics team have arrived in the Olympic Village in Sochi but the social affairs minister has decided against going citing the developing conflict…
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Red Cross Iceland Advises Against Deportations To Italy And Malta
Whilst supporting a recent court decision which awarded an asylum seeker damages for being deported to Greece, Red Cross Iceland also strongly advises against sending asylum seekers to Italy and Malta. RÚV reports that the Red Cross has advised against deporting asylum seekers…
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Bursting Day Deal Cancelled At IKEA Due To Last Year’s Vomiting Patrons
Ikea has discontinued their annual 2 ISK Sprengidagur (“Bursting Day”) offer of salted meat and pea soup because people were eating so much they made themselves sick, reports DV. The meal deal, which IKEA had offered since 2009, plays on an old Icelandic…
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Icelanders Pledged 56 Million ISK To Kickstarter
Icelanders have pledged 56 million ISK or 500,000 USD overall to projects on the crowd-funding platform Kickstarter, reports RÚV. Yesterday Kickstarter reached a new milestone with $1 billion pledged to projects on the site. Of the Nordic countries, the Swedes were most generous…
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Conservative Chair: Referendum “Unrealistic”
Independence Party chairperson Bjarni Benediktsson says holding a referendum on whether or not to continue European Union accession talks is “unrealistic”. However, lower levels of public support prompted the Icesave referendum in 2011. RÚV reports that Bjarni does not believe there is much…
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Foreign Minister Accuses State Broadcasting Of Bias
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson has responded on why he will only speak with RÚV under his conditions. Vísir reports that Gunnar is not satisfied with how RÚV reported on him last Friday. In particular, he says that a key point…
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Kringlan Sets Up Smokers’ Box
Smokers who go to the mall will have a new surprise waiting for them at Kringlan: a sealed glass room. Vísir reports that the smokers’ shelter – located outside the first floor entrance of Kringlan – is both heated and well-lit. It also…
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Fast And Loose With EU Facts
Politicans Vigdís Hauksdóttir, Frosti Sigurjónsson and Elín Hirst have all been caught out this week making erroneous statements about the EU, reports Vísir. First Progressive Party MP Vigdís Hauksdóttir caused controversy after she claimedMalta was not an independent country but a semi-autonomous region of…
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Selfies May Be Spreading Lice
Ása Atladóttir, project manager at the Directorate of Health, has said that outbreaks of lice in Iceland has risen by 20% in the past year and a half, reports Vísir. Lice infestations have also risen elsewhere in the world and Time Magazine have suggested the…
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“Nature Pass” To Be Submitted To Parliament
The Minister of Industry will soon submit to parliament a bill on a proposed “nature pass”, which would direct funds from tourists to the care and upkeep of some of Iceland’s most heavily trafficked natural wonders. Vísir reports that the bill will be…
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Conservatives Lead In City Election Poll
According to a new poll from the Social Sciences Department of the University of Iceland, the Independence Party currently has the greatest support for upcoming municipal elections. MBL reports that 28.4% of respondents said they would vote for the Independence Party if city…
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Spilled Fish Cover Highway
Traffic on the Reykjanesbraut highway was delayed yesterday due to vast quantities of fish which fell off of a truck. Vísir reports that capital area police were called to the scene, where traffic had been slowed due to piles of redfish and cod…
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Pollution Plagues Reykjavík
High rates of air pollution have been recorded in the capital, reports RÚV. Levels of airborne dust in Reykjavík have recently been as high as forty times the recommended limit. This level of pollution has not been seen in Reykjavík since the last…
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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…