The surroundings appear tropical and the gleaming sun makes the illusion complete. I snap out of it as I remember that I’m sitting on the back of a horse.
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Yesterday, the man accused of having killed Haukur Sigurdsson in Reykjanesbaer this spring refused to answer whether he was guilty of manslaughter. He did however admit to have inflicted injury on Sigurdsson, which led to his death.
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Click on the picture to watch an audio slideshow of a hike to Hraunsvatn lake in Öxnadalur valley in north Iceland, which lies at a height of 490 meters, interlocked between two steep mountains and a small glacier with a view of the majestic Hraundrangar peaks.
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Fjallabyggd (“Mountain Settlement”) is a skier’s dream. Its slopes are perfect for slaloming and there are also tracks for telemark skiing. Winter sporting enthusiasts can also go ice skating or rent snowmobiles. In summer, Fjallabyggd turns into a paradise for hikers. Read this special promotion about one of Iceland’s best hidden gems.
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President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson announced at a press conference which began at his residence, Bessastadir, today at 11 am that he has decided to veto the Icesave legislation passed by the Icelandic parliament on December 30 and send it to a national referendum.
President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson announces his decision. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
Fréttabladid reports that the president met with four ministers in private meetings on Sunday: Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, Minister of Finance Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, Minister for Foreign Affairs Össur Skarphédinsson and Minister of Economic Affairs Gylfi Magnússon.
According to the newspaper’s sources, Grímsson spoke with Central Bank governor Már Gudmundsson and other experts yesterday on the economic consequences of vetoing the Icesave legislation.
The president neither spoke with the leaders of the opposition nor the representative of the International Monetary Fund in Iceland, Franek Roswadowski before making his decision, Fréttabladid states.
Leaders of the Confederation of Labor (ASÍ), the Federation of State and Municipal Employees (BSRB), the Confederation of Employees (SA) and the Federation of Icelandic Industries (SI) all urged the president to pass the legislation.
Click here to read more about this story and here to read the official translation of the president's statement.
The second issue of the print edition of Iceland Review 2010 has just been published. Entitled “Under the Volcano” the magazine dedicates 20 pages, words and pictures, to the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull glacier which made headlines all over the word. New subscribers will receive the book Puffins as a gift and all subscribers are part of a draw to win a trip to Iceland. Click here to subscribe to the magazine.
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Future of Hope is an aptly named documentary directed by Henry Bateman about what some people are doing to shape the future of Iceland, hoping that above all, the crisis will ultimately strengthen the country.
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There can’t be many novels that are heralded as being “a purification for body and soul” recommended to “those who enjoy experimental cookery” (review of November Rain in DV newspaper) and “as beautiful as a painting from the golden age” (review of The Offspring by Danish newspaper Politiken). However, Reykjavík based writer, Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir, has attracted such attention not to mention literary prizes.
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Have a laugh this week by visiting Hafnarborg, the Hafnarfjördur Centre of Culture and Fine Art, where the exhibition “Humor in Icelandic Art” is currently running. The exhibition consists of works by contemporary Icelandic artists from different generations which deal with humor and irony.
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