Day: May 1, 2020

Economy

“These Are Black Times:” Reykjanes Hard Hit By Group Layoffs

A total of 4,200 employees lost their jobs in group layoffs in just two days this week, RÚV reports. Thirty-six companies announced group layoffs on

Larissa Kyzer May 1, 2020

Society

Max of 30 People Allowed Aboard Buses

Starting on May 4, the Ministry of Health will waive the requirement that people maintain a distance of two meters between them when travelling on

Larissa Kyzer May 1, 2020

Politics

First May Day Without Celebrations in 97 Years

May 1, or International Workers’ Day, has been observed with protest marches and workers’ demonstrations in Iceland since May 1, 1923; it has been a

Larissa Kyzer May 1, 2020

Economy

Icelandair Aims to Raise ISK 29 Billion Through Public Stock Offering

Icelandair hopes to raise up to USD 200 million [ISK 29 billion; €1.82 million] in equity through a public stock offering in June. The company’s

Larissa Kyzer May 1, 2020

Culture

Hungry for More

When opening acclaimed restaurant Agern in New York, Gunnar Karl Gíslason tasted twenty different types of butter before he found one he liked. His pastry chefs sourced several kinds of organic milk because the ice creams made from regular milk tasted off to him. He never did end up finding lamb that met his standards in the US, though he found a single farm in the mountains of Pennsylvania whose grass-fed sheep he deemed adequate to serve his guests. But in Reykjavík, he’ll scarf down the local classic – a hot dog with ‘everything:’ crispy fried onion, fresh onion, mustard, remoulade, and ketchup – like the Akureyri-raised country boy he is. There’s a catch though: he’ll only get one from certain shops where they heat the sausages the way he likes them and serve the right kind of ketchup.

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Gréta Sigríður Einarsdóttir May 1, 2020

Looking Back

Western promises

While most people today are very much aware of Europe’s exploration and colony building in what was optimistically called the New World, you would be forgiven for not knowing that Icelanders founded a self-governing colony in the Americas as well. New Iceland was established on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba in the late 19th century, beginning with the settlement of Gimli, named after “the most beautiful place on Earth” in Norse mythology. It is estimated that nearly 25% of the entire population of Iceland emigrated to North America over the four decades that followed.

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Frank Sands May 1, 2020

Culture

Staging stories

At the time of our interview, Brynhildur Guðjónsdóttir has been the director of the Reykjavík City Theatre for exactly five days. She’s known that the job was hers for only ten days: the former director left before her four-year term was over and asked to be released immediately. As I congratulate her and ask how it’s going, her first reaction is the following: “Well, my calendar is full, that’s for sure.” Despite the busy times ahead, the development is a positive one. “There’s a lot of action and movement in Iceland’s theatre life. It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few years.”

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Gréta Sigríður Einarsdóttir May 1, 2020

Society

Third Day with No New COVID-19 Infections

No new COVID-19 infections were identified in Iceland for the third time since the COVID-19 crisis began, Vísir reports. At time of writing, 1,797 people

Larissa Kyzer May 1, 2020

Nature

Proposal to Protect Geysir Area a “Cause for Celebration”

Earlier this year, the Environment Agency of Iceland submitted a proposal to declare the Geysir region a protected area. The deadline for comment on the

Ragnar Tómas May 1, 2020