Senda inn efniNews in English
Provided by Iceland Review, Icenews and Reykjavík GrapevineIcelandic energy pays price for aluminium profits
Nordural (Century Aluminium) pays a quarter less for its electricity in Iceland than the global average. This was revealed in a confidential leaked document to RUV. It is the energy companies who carry the most risk when global aluminium prices fall. The document is from Hatch consultants and is compiled on behalf of foreign banks and Nordural. [...] More
North Iceland Best in the World for Whale Watching
The village of Húsavík in northeast Iceland is among the world’s ten best whale watching locations, according to Victoria Harwood, a journalist at the Daily Telegraph. The newspaper published the list in its travel supplement on Monday.
More
Hollywood murder sees Swedish rapper jailed for life
David Moses Jassy, the Swedish hip-hop and rap artist known as Monopoly, has been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in jail by a Los Angeles court for his role in the 2008 murder of a Hollywood jazz pianist. An appeal by the rapper’s defence team to reduce the sentence to manslaughter was rejected by [...] More
Reykjavik
SE3 5°C
| Akureyri |  |
SE5 | 7°C |
| Kirkjub.kl. | |
SW2 | 3°C |
| Bol.vik |  |
NE1 | 4°C |
| Egilsst. | |
S4 | 5°C |
| Stykkish. |  |
SE2 | 5°C |
| Storhofdi |  |
SW7 | 5°C |
Exchange rates
 |
US dollar | USD | 128,13 kr. |
 |
Euro | EUR | 173,97 kr. |
 |
Pound sterling | GBP | 191,58 kr. |
 |
Canadian dollar | CAD | 124,45 kr. |
 |
Danish krona | DKK | 23,378 kr. |
 |
Norweigan krona | NOK | 21,593 kr. |
 |
Swedish krona | SEK | 17,892 kr. |
 |
Swiss franc | CHF | 118,97 kr. |
 |
Japanese yen | JPY | 1,4279 kr. |
EU Enlargement Commissioner Wants Icesave 'Separate Issue'
Stefan Fule, the commissioner designate for enlargement of the European Union, has encouraged Holland and the UK to not block ascession talks with Iceland. More
MIT Global Startup Workshop This Month
The MIT Global Startup Workshop (MIT GSW), an international conference on invention, will be held this year in Reykjavík. More
Olafur Eliasson's Work Commissioned for Israel Museum
A work by Icelandic artist Ólafur Elíasson has been commissioned to appear in the Israel Museum.
More
Iceland’s Sportacus Gives Apple to Michelle Obama
Sportacus, the protagonist of the acclaimed Icelandic children’s series LazyTown who is portrayed by its creator Magnús Scheving, gave an apple to US First Lady Michelle Obama in Washington DC on Friday and played soccer with her.
More
European Enlargement Commissioner: Give Iceland a Break
European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule, who recently replaced Olli Rehn, encouraged British and Dutch authorities not to stand in the way of Iceland’s EU membership talks at a meeting with the EU’s Foreign Affairs Committee in Strasbourg yesterday.
More
Increased Seismic Activity Near South Iceland Volcano
After decreasing seismic trends in the past days, earthquakes are growing in strength and number in the area around Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which covers an active volcano, in south Iceland.
More
The View from Here, No. 1
The first in a regular series of columns by Chay Lemoine: Gudny Halldorsdottir’s Honour of the House Every semester in my Introduction to Film class and recently in an Introduction to Iceland class I show Gudny Halldordottir’s film Honour of the House based on the novella written by her father Halldor Laxness. Each year I give [...] More
Iceland’s PM: Icesave Not a Vote of No Confidence
Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir said in parliament yesterday that it is absurd to interpret the results of the national referendum on Saturday, where Icelanders rejected the Icesave legislation, as a vote of no confidence for the government.
More
First Human Trafficking Conviction in Iceland
Five men were sentenced to five years in prison each in Reykjanes District Court yesterday for attempting to force a 19-year-old woman into prostitution. This is the first human trafficking conviction in Iceland. More
Finnish parents fined for circumcision
A Helsinki couple has been fined by the District Court for allowing their baby son to be circumcised. The procedure was undertaken by a British Rabbi at the base of the Helsinki Jewish Congregation in 2008 where the one-week-old child received the traditional bris without any anaesthetic. Both parents were present at the ceremony, as [...] More
‘No’ to Icesave does not damage Iceland’s credit rating
The result of Iceland’s so-called Icesave referendum has no effect on the creditworthiness of the nation, at least not directly. This is the conclusion of the ratings agency Standard and Poor’s, which published its report yesterday. The fact that the ‘no’ vote was so widely predicted means the outcome of the vote has had no effect [...] More
Social media policy lacking in the Swedish workplace
A new survey has revealed that a mere seven percent of Swedish businesses have a formal social media policy which covers how staff can access websites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook during work hours. The survey of 34,000 companies around the world, revealed that global averages are closer to 20 percent, as reported in The [...] More
Icelandic Research on Chicken Raises Attention
Icelandic research on campylobacter infections in chicken indicate that flies have a large part in carrying the infection between birds. Both chicken farmers in Canada and the European Union have expressed interest in learning from the Icelandic experience.
More
Government Situation Debated
The status of the ruling coalition was hotly debated in parliament yesterday, with few surprises. Meanwhile, the committee investigating the causes of the bank collapse intends to release their report soon.
More
Aluminum Plant Wants Help from City
Straumsvík, the aluminum smelter in Hafnarfjörður seeking again to expand, has asked town council for help in convincing people to vote for the expansion.
More
Police to Protest
The Icelandic police force intends to hold a protest today to draw attention to their low wages and benefits.
More
Central Banker says Iceland State Default is very Unlikely
THE risk of Icelandic sovereign default is “almost non-existent” and the country could honour all of its debt obligations by relying purely on its existing reserves, its central bank governor said in an interview on the sidelines of meetings at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, Mar Gudmundsson said agreement could be reached on the repayment of losses linked to failed internet bank Icesave within one to two weeks.
More
Some misconceptions about Icesave
In a comment on the Economist's website Thorsteinn Jónsson tries to correct a few misconsceptions that he thinks have entered into the debate. His comment is helpful to try to understand the Icelandic viewpoint.
More
Icelander in Denmark Suspected of Murder
A 47-year-old Icelandic man is suspected of having murdered another Icelander in Copenhagen on Friday night. He has been remanded to custody until the end of this month and must also undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
More
Iceland Sees 3.3 Percent Increase in GDP
The GDP in Iceland is believed to have grown by 3.3 percent in real value from the third to fourth quarter of 2009. At the same time the national expenditure increased by 2.7 percent, private consumption by 1.4 percent and investment by 16.6 percent.
More
Decreasing Tremors Underneath Icelandic Volcano
A series of earthquakes, the strongest of which exceeded three points on the Richter scale, shook the region around Eyjafjallajökull glacier, which covers an active volcano, in the past days. Now the tremors seem to be calming down.
More
Darling: We Have Tried to Be Fair Towards Iceland
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling told the Politics Show on the BBC yesterday, after the results from the referendum in Iceland were clear, that the British government has tried to be fair towards Iceland during the Icesave dispute.
More
Swiss Family Company Secures 400 Jobs in Iceland
Swiss family-run contracting company Marti Holding AG has taken over the Icelandic contractor Íslenskir adalverktakar (ÍAV), thus securing approximately 400 jobs. One of ÍAV's current projects is the construction of Harpa, the Icelandic Concert and Conference Center.
More
Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson “victim of government propaganda”
The grassroots New Iceland political pressure group was very busy on Saturday, holding mock auctions of property owned by Iceland’s ‘Outvasion Viking’ businessmen and making house calls. In a statement the group described what happened when they gathered outside the home of former Landsbanki boss and owner of West Ham, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson: when group members knocked [...] More
Nokia accused of selling spy equipment to Iran
A comprehensive electronic surveillance system that was sold by the Nokia Siemens Network Group to Iran is capable of spying on almost all electronic communications, according to its brochure. “The system can monitor all voice and data communications very efficiently. In addition, it can snatch messages with content considered suspicious,” according to Professor of Data Network [...] More
Iceland’s Icesave Referendum: Final Results
When the final ballots had been counted it became clear that 134,397 voters in Saturday’s referendum rejected the Icesave legislation of December 30—or 93.2 percent of the electorate. Only 2,599 voters, 1.8 percent, wanted to pass the legislation.
More
Darling: pointless to push Iceland too hard
Alistair Darling, Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, says he is absolutely certain Iceland will pay Britain back for its reimbursement of lost savings in Icesave; the question is just what the conditions will be. Darling told the BBC’s Politics Show it does not serve British interests to push too hard against a small country. He was asked [...] More
Icesave Law Defeated in Referendum; Negotiations Continue
The Icesave law which was passed by parliament last December and summarily vetoed by the president in January, was soundly defeated by public referendum on Saturday.
More
Corporate Head Accuses MP of Attacks
Jóhannes Jónsson, patriarch of the Icelandic corporation Baugur Group, sent a letter to every member of the parliamentary Business Committee and other MPs, accusing committee chairperson Lilja Mósesdóttir of leading a campaign of persecution against him.
More
Birgisson Back on City Council
Former mayor of Kópavogur Gunnar Birgisson will be back on city council, albeit temporarily, to take part in a city council meeting this Tuesday.
More
Norwegian and Dutch Foreign Ministers upset Icelanders
The foreign ministers of Holland and Norway were seen to talk down to Icelanders, even threatening them, on the eve of the Icesave-election.
More
Official confirmation of huge Iceland ‘no’ vote in Icesave referendum
With final numbers now released in all voting districts, the resounding ‘no’ vote is official. Nationwide, 144,231 people voted of the roughly 230,000 registered voters. 2,599 (1.8 percent) of them voted to accept December’s Icesave repayment plan and 134,397 (93.2 percent) voted to reject it. The overall turnout was 62.7 percent of registered voters. The final outcome [...] More
Documentary Crew Eyes Fundraising Finish Line
Future of Hope is a feature-length documentary about the positive and inspirational things to come out of Iceland since the economy crash. The documentary crew is currently trying to raise USD 10,000 for the post-production stage and they are half way there.
More
President of Iceland: Gordon Brown should Step in to solve Icesave
In an interview with BBC this Sunday morning President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson said that Gordon Brown should step in to find an acceptable solution to the Icesave dispute. The President said that Brown had shown strong leadership when he fought for an international solution after the worldwide financial collapse. He should do the same guidance in the Icesave dispute. The biggest question after the referendum was what Brown would do.
More
Iceland’s Finance Minister Contemplated Resignation
Finance Minister Steingrímur J. Sigfússon said this morning on radio Bylgjan that he had considered resigning after President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson refused to sign the Icesave-law. When asked if he is thinking about resigning after the referendum he says that he sees no purpose in doing so.
More
Fifth Annual Video Festival Held in East Iceland
The fifth annual international video and experimental film festival 700IS Reindeerland will take place in Egilsstadir, east Iceland, March 20 to 27. This year, 76 videos and films will be screened, which were selected from 642 entries.
More
Icesave Referendum Liveblogging - Let the Good Times Roll!
Click here to follow the events of Referendum Fever as they play out, in real time! More
ATTENTION! Grapevine Will Liveblog Icesave Referendum News
People standing in line! People standing in front of buildings! And people talking to reporters? You betcha! The Reykjavík Grapevine will be covering all the heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, nail-biting action of the national referendum on Icesave as it happens, in real time!
More
Looks Like This Is It: Referendum on Icesave Starts Tomorrow
Unless by some miracle British and Dutch authorities come up with a new Icesave deal that all Icelandic political parties will be happy with, the referendum on the current law is scheduled to begin tomorrow.
More
Parliament Approves Gender Equality Bill
Parliament passed into law a bill that would require companies to maintain an even number of men and women in management positions.
More
Winter Tourism Increases
Despite the negative picture painted of the country abroad, tourism to Iceland has increased by thousands this winter.
More
Number of Pairs Seeking Artificial Insemination Grows
The number of pairs who have come to Iceland seeking artificial insemination has grown significantly, in part due to affordability.
More
MP Wants Air Defense Money Spent Elsewhere
It will cost Icelandic taxpayers 10 million ISK to pay the Danish air force to fly about Icelandic air space, even though their services are not needed. One member of parliament believes that money could be better spent.
More
Police Happy to be Trusted
A new Gallup poll reveals that public trust in the police has never been higher.
More
DV Posts Revealing Email From Icesave Negotiation Committee Advisor
Dv.is, the on-line version of local tabloid DV, has just posted an e-mail (reproduced below) from Donald J. Johnston, adviser to the Icelandic Icesave negotiation committee. More
Herbalife Could Damage Health, Say Icelandic Researchers
The popular weight loss program known as Herbalife could be potentially harmful to your health, concludes researchers from Iceland.
More
Government Believes Referendum a Waste of Time
Both Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir and Minister of Finance Steingrímur J. Sigfússon considered the upcoming referendum on the Icesave law to be a waste of time and a farce.
More