RVK Newscast 182: Kyiv Square and Icelandic Netflix

Welcome back to another episode of RVK Newscast! Grapevine’s Editor-In-Chief Valur Grettisson brings you all the latest news from Iceland, including the renaming of a square to spite Russia, the Independence Party tanking in the polls, rocket launches and more. Read on for more information and links!

A square located next to the Russian Embassy in Reykjavík has been renamed ‘Kænugarður’, or Kyiv square, after widespread support for the move from both the general public and city officials. Read more here.

Recent polling has shown a dramatic decrease in support for the current ruling coalition. Of the three parties currently in government, the Independence Party has taken the biggest hit, with support down to 17%, compared to 24% last autumn. This is due to the controversial sale of shares in Íslandsbanki, which Finance Minister, and Chairperson of the Independence Party, Bjarni Benediktsson, was responsible for overseeing. Read more here.

The Icelandic government has announced a new streaming service specifically for Icelandic films and TV shows. The platform, which does not yet have a name, will be overseen by the Icelandic Film Fund, and is designed to provide support for the Icelandic film industry.

A UK space company, Skyrora, is seeking permission to conduct Europe’s largest ever rocket launch from Icelandic soil. However, complications in gaining permission have hindered this attempt. Read more here.

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