Iceland Roundup: Lost Tourist, CIA Conspiracy, Reykjanes Ridge, Whaling, Murder, Eruption

The Reykjavík Grapevine’s Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks.

On the docket this week:

Bobby Fischer once thought The Reykjavík Grapevine was funded by the CIA. Or was it USAID? We discuss a recent update on the multiple conspiracy theories surrounding The Reykjavík Grapevine’s funding;

Iceland just got bigger — sort of. The UN Continental Shelf Commission has ruled that Iceland holds sovereignty over the continental shelf of the Reykjanes Ridge. We “celebrate” this, as far as we understand what it actually means. Mostly, we just fear that this will make Trump notice us —something we’re perfectly happy to avoid;

A tourist was rescued on Thursday by SARS after being lost for five days. They had walked — alone, without any equipment or food — to a remote, uninhabited fjord in East Iceland, surviving on grass and old berries. Once again, we ask: Why?;

Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd fame was quoted in Japan Today as saying, “Our ongoing campaign is to stop illegal whaling activities this summer. We will be intervening against Icelandic whaling. That’ll start in June.” We discuss Mr. Watson’s previous adventures in Iceland, some dating back to 1986;

Iceland’s Minister of Education is talking shit about our justice system after losing a court case. We discuss how this is not cool — yet far from unusual;

A man was murdered on Tuesday. At least six people have been arrested, with some currently detained. Details remain sparse;

Those still interested in the Reykjanes eruptions are waiting for the next one to start. We aren’t really waiting, but we thought we’d mention it.

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