Iceland Review

Iceland’s PM Travels to US and Canada

2010-07-30T09:00:00

Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir travels to Canada today. She will travel around Canada and the US until Monday and participate in the Icelandic Festivals held by the Icelandic communities in both countries.

Curious Skeletons Excavated in East Iceland

2010-07-30T00:00:00

A skeleton from a person who suffered from the Paget’s disease of bone was unearthed this week during an archeological excavation project at Skriduklaustur in east Iceland, where a monastery was once operated.

Humans on Display for the First Time at Reykjavík Zoo

2010-07-29T19:00:00

The human being will be on display for the first time in its natural environment in the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo next weekend. Visitors can observe three men and one woman in a cage after 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Woman Beats Male Swimmers in Videy Race

2010-07-29T15:30:00

The formal Videy island swim took place yesterday and there were three participants, two men and one woman, Thórdís Hrönn Pálsdóttir, who is the first woman to participate in the Videy swim since 1959.

Environment Agency to Probe Drinking Water Incident

2010-07-29T13:30:00

The Environment Agency intends to investigate whether the Heath Protection Authority handled the situation in Eskifjördur, east Iceland, in the correct manner when contaminated water from a trawler was carried into the town’s drinking water system.

Ash Fall in Iceland an Estimated 140 Million Cubic Meters

2010-07-29T11:22:54

One hundred and forty million cubic meters of ash is estimated to have fallen in Iceland during the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull last spring. That excludes all the ash that fell into the ocean and in other countries.

Icelandic Goal Gets Two Million Views in Two Days

2010-07-29T08:00:00

Two thousand people at most attend the home games of the Icelandic premier league football club Stjarnan from Gardabaer. But after only two days, almost two million viewers had watched their fishy goal celebration on YouTube.

Inflation in Iceland Drops to 4.8 Percent

2010-07-29T00:00:00

The consumer price index (CPI) is 361.7 points judging by pricing in July, down by 0.66 percent since June. The annual inflation is thus 4.8 percent and hasn’t decreased more rapidly between months since March 1986, according to Statistics Iceland.

Westman Islands Expect 18,000 Visitors

2010-07-28T17:30:00

It is expected that up to 18,000 people will attend the Thjódhátíd festival in the Westman Islands next weekend—the Merchants’ Weekend which is celebrated with outdoor festivals in Iceland—which is a new record.

Left-Green MP Wants Referendum on NATO Membership

2010-07-28T15:00:00

The Campaign Against Military Bases (CAMB) has released a resolution demanding that Iceland withdraw its membership to NATO. Left-Green MP Ögmundur Jónasson said it is important for the Icelandic nation to vote on the NATO membership in a referendum as it is a military union and the nation has never been given the chance to vote on it.

EU Concerned About Lack of Support in Iceland

2010-07-28T13:00:00

The EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle declared his concern for lack of support in Iceland for membership to the European Union at an intergovernmental conference in Brussels yesterday, when Iceland’s accession talks officially began.

Iceland to Reverse Privatization of Energy Companies

2010-07-28T11:29:31

The Icelandic government wants to reverse the privatization of energy companies and ensure that the companies will be in the majority ownership of the state or municipalities, as announced at a press conference yesterday.

Icelanders Invest in Tuna Farming in Mexico

2010-07-28T08:00:00

Lions Gate Lighting Corporation, which is owned by Icelanders to a large extent, has bought one third of the shares in the Mexican tuna farming company Baja Aquafarms and will fully acquire the company before long.

Icelandic Artist Given Honorary Medal in France

2010-07-28T00:00:00

Icelandic visual artist Erró will be decorated with France’s highest medal of honor, Ordu Légion d’honneur, in the coming autumn, which the artist receives for his 52 years of contribution to the French artistic and cultural life.

French Family Travels in Iceland on Tandem Cycle

2010-07-27T18:00:00

Damien Artero from France, his fiancé Delphine Million and their eight-month old daughter Lirio are currently traveling around Iceland on a tandem cycle with a bicycle trailer. They’ve been here for two weeks and will stay for another month.

Iceland-EU Membership Talks Begin

2010-07-27T15:00:00

Iceland’s accession negotiations with the European Union were formally opened today at the first intergovernmental conference in Brussels. Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs, Össur Skarphédinsson, participated on Iceland’s behalf in the conference.

Health Protection Authority Criticized for Water Situation

2010-07-27T14:00:00

Andrés Elísson, former member of the Fjardarbyggd municipal council, has issued harsh criticism of the Health Protection Authority for not testing the drinking water in Eskifjördur in the East Fjords thoroughly enough after blood from a fish factory leaked into it.

Magma’s Acquisition in Iceland Might Fast-Track Legislation

2010-07-27T11:22:32

New legislation on energy companies will in all likelihood be fast-tracked following Canadian Magma Energy’s acquisition of Icelandic energy company HS. A ministerial council on economic affairs met to discuss the matter yesterday.

One of World’s Largest Cruisers Heads for Reykjavík

2010-07-27T09:00:00

The luxury cruiser Octopus, which is among the largest cruisers in the world, is currently on its way to Iceland. It is expected to cast anchors in Reykjavík harbor on Friday.

Icelandic Filmmakers in Talks with Tom Cruise’s Producer

2010-07-27T00:30:00

American producer Paula Wagner, who has worked closely with Tom Cruise, is in talks with Iceland-based film producers Richard Scobie and Kristinn Thórdarson about participating in the production of their movie 66 Degrees North.