News

Unemployment on the Rise

Last Call

Eurovision and Live Earth

Murder trial possibly moved to Iceland

Safe at Last

Monday Blues

Ashley Turner update

Iceland, China and the Environment

Hafnarfjörður Rejects Aluminium Giant

Friday Roundup

Volta Debut and More

Round Up

Spring to Iceland: I am on my Way

Ómar Ragnarsson Becomes Party Chairman

HIV and Drugs: A Ticking Timebomb

Biggest Support for a Leftist Government

According to a new Capacent Gallup poll published in Morgunblaðið today, 28,1% of those who answered the question, which two political parties they would you like to see form the next government, named the Left-Green Movement in coalition with the Social Democrats. The poll showed a 24,2% support for the ruling coalition parties. An alliance between the Independence Party and the Left-Green Movement received a 22,4% support while only 9,6% would like to see the Independence Party in coalition with the Social Alliance after the elections in May. When asked which party the participants would like to see in government, 61,3% of those questioned named the Independence Party. The Left-Green Movement ranked second with 59,5% while 44,1% supported the Social Alliance. The Progressive Party received 28,7% and the Liberal Party 8,6%. The poll was undertaken on March 8 to 13. The poll reached 61,7% of 1,230 people and 65,7% of them answered the questions. 26,7% of those questioned were still undecided and 7,5% refused to answer.

Economic Growth 2.6% in 2006

Iceland Welcomes 20 to 30 Refugees

According to Morgunblaðið, the government decided earlier today that instead of welcoming a group of refugees every second year, Iceland would now welcome approximately 25 to 30 refugees every year. The Ministry of Foreign Affaires and the Ministry of Social Affairs have been working on the proposal in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The Ministries will work in cooperation with the municipalities and the Red Cross in Iceland so to strengthen the country’s refugee policy in the future. For the past ten years, 217 refugees have resettled in Iceland. In 2005 the group consisted of children and mothers from Kosovo and Columbia.

Oumou Sangaré Headlines Rite of Spring Festival

Björgúlfur Jr. and Sr. Make Forbes Rich List

Future Depends on Europe

Leftist Greens Growing

Tax Reduction Hits at Midnight

Air Pollution Warning

Pornographers’ Convention CANCELLED!

The SnowGathering 2007 pornographers’ convention, set to take place in Reykjavík early next month has been cancelled. The convention’s organizers, FreeOnes.com, announced their decision yesterday after receiving word from Hótel Saga – where they had booked several rooms – that their reservations were being cancelled. In an earlier statement from the Icelandic Farmers’ Association, Hótel Saga’s owners, they announced that they would not be hosting the convention due to announcements from various politicians, feminist groups and they mayor of Reykjavík. The statement also said that the decision was backed up by Rezidor Hotel Group, the proprietors of Radisson SAS hotels. A later announcement stated that the hotel planned to stop showing lite-porn on their Pay Per View channels.

73% in Favor of Increased Environmental Protection

According to a new Gallup Capacent poll, conducted for the Iceland Nature Conservation Association, roughly 73% of Icelanders believe that political parties should place more focus on environmental protection.

Porn Conventioneers Hit Back!

Freeones.com, organisers of the now infamous SnowGathering 2007 pornographers’ convention/pep rally (to be held March 7-11 in Reykjavík), have responded to the allegations against the assembly put forth by various Icelandic officials and group-leaders. In a press release, the convention’s head organizer, Cristina Ponga, expresses her surprise at the current developments in the case of this year’s SnowGathering. Voicing their surprise and offence at comparisons to “drug dealers, child molesters and rapists, the organization behind the SnowGathering would like to set the record straight.”

Oil Company To Pay Customer Reparations

In what may prove to be a pivotal ruling, Reykjavík district court recently sentenced Ker, former owners of the Esso oil company, to pay a former customer, Sigurður Hreinsson, damages to the sum of 15.00 ISK for his losses on account of the company’s illegal co-operation with other Icelandic oil distributors. Ker was also sentenced to pay Hreinsson 500.000 ISK in court costs. The company has already stated its intentions to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.

‘Liberals’ Reveal Link Between Terrorism, Drug Trafficking

The Icelandic Parliament saw some action last week, as representatives of the Progressive and Liberal parties argued heavily over the nature of terrorism. Spurred by MP (and recent liberal addition) Valdimar Leó Friðriksson’s claims that infamous terrorists had at times been apprehended at the Keflavík International Airport, Keflavík police authorities stated that no known terrorists had thus far been captured at the airport. In response to the statement, Progressive MP Guðjón Ólafur Jónsson called for Liberal MPs to enlighten the parliament of exactly which terrorists had been apprehended to their knowledge.

Pornographers To Convene In Reykjavík

Uncovering a story that has already enraged Iceland’s feminist collective to an oft-reached boiling point, RÚV reported yesterday that up to 150 veterans of the international pornography industry will convene for a week of networking and fun in Iceland next month. The annual convention is referred to as Snowgathering and is apparently one of the largest aggregations of web-based porn-merchants in the world.