"Moral Cowards" At The UN, Twitch Star, The Four Seasons, Tourism Tax, Carbon-Neutrality

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to round up the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week is:[00:09:12] A Twitch Star Disrupts Idyllic ReykjavíkSome dude from New York, a 25-year-old called Kai Cenat, who apparently has millions of followers on something called Twitch, disrupted life in downtown Reykjavík this weekend when he was livestreaming his visit there. Hundreds of teenagers, who we suppose follow Cenat on Twitch, showed up to mob him, and someone stole Cenat’s hat. Furthermore, over the weekend, a new series of The Four Seasons was being shot in Iceland, and according to local production company True North, they employed over 100 people to facilitate the production.[00:16:15] Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir's Speech At The UN On SaturdayIceland’s Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir spoke at the UN General Assembly on Saturday in a speech that has gone, as they say, viral. On the previous day, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke, and while he did so, the majority of UN delegates left the hall. To which Netanyahu responded by saying, “If there are any other moral cowards who haven’t left the hall, please do so now.” Iceland’s delegation did not leave the hall and received some criticism for not having done so in solidarity with those nations whose representatives did. However, Þorgerður Katrín did respond in her speech, and without naming names said, “We have heard the words ‘moral cowards’ from this podium. To me, moral cowards are those leaders of the world who refuse to sit down and negotiate a just and lasting peace. Those leaders who deny access to humanitarian aid for people in desperate need. And moral cowards are those leaders of the world who repeatedly go against and disrespect international law.”[00:24:12] Six Days Of Inga Sæland As PMWhile Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir have been attending the UN General Assembly, Inga Sæland, the Chair of the People’s Party, has been acting Prime Minister. Her governance of her party was making headlines as her conduct in sidelining then People’s Party minister for education Guðmundur Ingi Kristinsson was detailed. Inga then also passed a law to suppress a strike by aircraft mechanics, which had at that point already disrupted Icelandair’s flight schedule. This does beg the question to what extent the People’s Party is actually just a single person’s party, namely that of Inga Sæland.[00:31:48] Unlikely That Iceland Will Be “Carbon-Neutral” As Planned, By 2040On Tuesday last week, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate of Iceland Jóhann Páll Jóhannesson issued new numbers on Iceland’s greenhouse gas emissions. Iceland’s emissions have gone down by 3.9% in the past year, but the minister is pessimistic about Iceland meeting its 2030 emission target of 41% lower emissions than in 2005, and thinks it is impossible that this government’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2040 will be met. He also pointed out that what carbon neutrality means by law has never been defined.[00:37:58] New Tourism TaxFrom June 1 next year, tourists visiting the Golden Circle will be taxed about 4,500 ISK (around 37 USD) each. Through this, the state hopes to collect more than 5 billion ISK next year. Unsurprisingly, tourism companies object to the new tax. The idea is that the tax will be used to pay for infrastructure maintenance.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week is:[00:06:17] Icelandair Flights Cancelled, Then Resumed, Due To A StrikeAt 00:01 on Wednesday, 23 September, the Icelandic Aircraft Mechanics Association (FVFÍ) began a strike, which disrupted Icelandair’s flight schedule significantly, affecting 26 flights and 5,500 passengers.During the morning of the same day Eyjólfur Ármannsson, Minister of Infastructure announced that “The government passed a bill at its meeting this morning to postpone the strike. I will submit a bill later today,”As noted in the Icelandic Stock Exchange, at 11:08 the Icelandic Aircraft Mechanics Association (FVFÍ) ended their strike. Icelandair flights are expected to resume. [00:16:18] Unemployment At 6,8%According To Statistics Iceland unemployment in Iceland was measured at 6,8% in August with an estimate of 15.900 people unemployed, an increase of 0,2% from the previous month of July. Unemployment was measured at 7% last November, and at 7,3% last January.  Covid unemployment aside, which peaked at 9,1% in April 2021, the recent unemployment rates are the highest in Iceland for more than a decade. [00:32:00] Social Democratic Party Remains Most PopularThe Social Democratic Party, whose chair Kristrún Frostadóttir leads the current coalition majority in Iceland’s Parlieman, gained 1,3% in popularity since last surveyed in a recent poll by Maskína, with 27,5%.. The poll was conducted before and after the defeat of the government in a referendum on restarting negotiations with the EU, held in late August. [00:39:48] Up To 20 People Arrested By Police YesterdayThe Icelandic Police announced today that it had arrested up to 20 persons as a part of an investigation they were conducting. One of the arrested Atli Freyr Fjölnisson, currently in custody in relation to drug trafficking charges. Also arrested was an employee of local car dealership BL and an employee of a fast food restaurant. Reasons for the investigation and the arrests have not been given by the police.[00:27:31] Newly Built Apartments Not SellingAccording to a recent report from the Icelandic housing, construction and planning authority, almost 1,900 ready apartments have not been sold in Iceland. Three years ago, such apartments numbered at just over 200. The unsold apartments within the Capital Area number at least 375, 213 of which are located in Hafnarfjörður. The numbers do tell a story of a housing market in crisis, as prices have soared, interest rates are at 8,0% and number of sales and purchases of apartments are at an all time low.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin editor Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week is;[00:36:13] Trump Floated Making Iceland 51st State In Call With Then-PM Of Iceland In 2024On November 26, four days before Iceland’s 2024 parliamentary elections, then-Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson was greeted by a phone call when he entered his home. It was President-elect Donald Trump. This unusual phone call came with an unusual suggestion: how did Bjarni feel about making Iceland the 51st state?[00:31:06] Iceland Not Interested In Abandoning the International Criminal CourtThe Ministry for Foreign Affairs says it is out of the question that Iceland withdraw from the Rome Statute, and that the Icelandic government wholeheartedly supports the International Criminal Court. The US government is now pressuring NATO countries and others to withdraw from the court.The European newspaper Politico reported on the 10th of September that Matthew Whitaker, the US government's envoy, had asked the ambassadors of NATO member states for assistance in undermining the international war crimes court at a closed meeting with them at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels in July.Whitaker wanted the countries to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty. He warned the ambassadors that the US government would be watching closely to see who supported it in this effort.[00:21:35] The USA And EU Countries Threaten Sanctions On Iceland Over WhalingAuthorities in the United States have threatened to impose tariffs on Icelandic imports over whaling, according to visir.is sources. Threats have also come from European Union countries. The Minister of Industries intends to propose that the hunts be banned in a bill to be introduced after the new year, and says both the nation's trade interests and animal welfare are at stake in the matter.[00:12:10] A Boat Sinks For the Third TimeA boat named Glacier (Jökull) sank on Saturday night in Hafnarfjörður harbour, for the third time since 2020. Now, is there a metaphor in there somewhere?[00:04:13] The Icelandic Police Issues AI Slop Stickers To KidsEvery year the police conduct community outreach, this year’s effort has met with mixed opinions, as this year the police issued AI-generated stickers to schoolchildren, featuring two police officers and a bear in a police uniform. Local musical legend (and advertising agency owner) Bragi Valdimar Skúlason criticised the police for the sticker, pointing out an obvious AI blunder (Police or Lögreglan misspelled on the sticker), and questioned the police’s decision to opt for AI instead of hiring human graphic designers and proofreaders. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Grapevine journalist Elías Þórsson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week is;[00:02:10] Increased Sales Of The Icelandic FlagThis summer saw a major increase in sales of flagpoles and the Icelandic flag according to Brynjar Húnfjörð, the CEO of Íslandshús, a company that sells flagpoles. Brynjar cites a recent change in Icelandic law: until this summer, it was illegal to hoist the flag after darkness or specific hours of the day. The change allowed the flag to be hoisted around the clock between May 1 and August 15.[00:15:55] High Speed Ride-Sharing Car-ChaseThis Saturday, the police in Reykjavík engaged in a high-speed chase after a reportedly intoxicated man who had rented a ride-share car from local ride-sharing company Hopp, driven at speeds up to 140 km/h, and hit several vehicles along the way. At least five police cars and two police motorcycles went in pursuit, eventually catching the driver in Víðidalur, Reykjavík. He was arrested and taken into custody “until he was fit to be interrogated,” according to the police.[00:19:54] Free Media TV News In Iceland Comes To An EndThe Icelandic media market was one of the main topics of discussion this weekend, following media company SÝN's announcement that it was discontinuing its TV news, which had run since 1986. This means that Iceland only has a single TV news program left, run by the State Broadcasting Service, RÚV. Iceland also only has a single daily paper left, Morgunblaðið. Logi Einarsson, the minister responsible for the media in Iceland, was interviewed both by RÚV and Vísir on the topic, and former minister of the media Lilja Alfreðsdóttir was also interviewed, making the point that RÚV had expanded over the past few years at the expense of free media in Iceland, going on to say that parliament wasn’t taking the dire situation of media in Iceland seriously enough.[00:34:16] Icelandic Car Rental Companies Face Billions In BacktaxesIcelandic car rental companies face billions of krónur in back taxes. Last week, it came to light that the Icelandic tax authorities might charge many of the biggest car rental companies VAT on their sales of insurance to customers. Between 15 and 30% of a car rental company’s income stems from selling insurance on their vehicles, and if the taxation is backdated as far back as six years, companies such as Bílaleiga Akureyrar might have to pay up to 2 billion ISK. If this happens, many of the biggest car rental companies in Iceland might simply become insolvent, disrupting the car rental market in Iceland significantly.[00:43:56] More Details On Biggest Cocaine Bust In Iceland's HistoryIn late June, the police reported the largest cocaine bust in Iceland’s history–106 kg, which has a street value of around 3 billion ISK. The drugs were hidden in a small compartment underneath the Bulgarian aluminum freighter Koznitza, which was arriving from Brazil. Earlier that month, a specialized van with diving equipment arrived in the country on the Norræna ferry from Denmark. Two Brazilian divers also arrived to fetch the drugs and, according to the police, were “specialized in drug diving.” However, they ran into problems immediately, as their suits were too small, so they had to start by buying more gear, and it took them two tries to fetch the cocaine, which they had to swim 1.5 km to reach. To help them cover that distance, they used what’s called a ‘scooter’—a James Bond-esque propeller device. But to add insult to injury, the police had been tracking the drugs all the way from Brazil, and before the divers even reached the ship, the cocaine had been replaced with fake material. The investigation is expected to conclude this week.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. [Note, part of the video is corrupt for unknown reasons, and we're sorry about that] The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week is, basically nothing but the recent EU referendum, which ended with a NO on August 29. We talk about the stunning 80% voter turnout, the Yes and No campaign’s polarizing tactics, pitting “wool sweater nationalism” against incomprehensible, artsy slogans. We also talk about the “European Army”, TikTok and the youth vote. When this is finally over and done with, we talk about a recent policy change in blood donations in Iceland, and the forthcoming problems that the government and the unions are facing, as the past months of inflation have voided the collective bargaining agreements that dictate the number on the paychecks of a significant number of the population of Iceland.Highlights[00:05:00] – The Referendum Breakdown[00:18:00] – Campaign Aesthetics & "Wool Sweater Nationalism"[00:35:53] – TikTok & The Youth Vote Shift[00:52:38] – A Historic Victory for Blood Donation[00:54:35] – Autumn Economic Storm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: The New App: IcebreakerThe Reykjavík Grapevine has teamed up with Einar Stef of Hatari fame and cartoonist Hugleikur Dagsson with a new app called Icebreaker, which helps you, navigate Reykjavík, and eventually, the rest of Iceland. It features information from The Grapevine’s Best of Reykjavík, information about event listings, happy hours, cheap eats and more.From Moby Dick To Moby’s DickWhaling is back on the menu this year, although the current minister of the fisheries has stated that this will probably be the last summer of whaling, since the minister is proposing a new law outlawing the practice. The whaling season this year has received a lot of domestic and international attention, not least because anti-whaler Paul Watson has sent his vessel, Bandero, to intercept Hvalur hf.’s whale boats Hvalur 8 and Hvalur 9, so for without luck. Footage of an employee of Hvalur hf. swinging a whale dick while being recorded on video, did neither make pro-, nor anti-whalers happy.Gasoline Prices In IcelandAccording to The Icelandic Competition Authority Icelandic oil companies have raised the prices for diesel oil by 50% since 2022 and 25% since 2022 and gasoline. The oil companies also raised their prices just prior to the so called milage tax in January of this year. The Icelandic Competition Authority also states that the price of fuel in Iceland has consistently been higher in Iceland than in 27 other European countries in the past decade. AmphetamineTwo men are in custody following an attempt of importing 14 liters of amphetamine to Iceland via an Icelandic transport vessel in April. The two men got two crew to help out with the smuggling. CocaineA 106 kilograms of cocaine were apprehended by the Icelandic authorities on a transport vessel named Koznitza, which arrived in Iceland on 22 June. The ship sailed from Brazil til Straumsvík in Hafnarfjörður, and was bringing materials for the Aluminum smelter located in Straumsvík. This is the largest amount of cocaine ever confiscated in Iceland and at least nine people have been arrested in association with the smuggling, of which at least three are Icelandic with a Romanian and Brazilians. One of the Icelanders arrested, Lárus Freyr Einarsson, was convicted of murder in Denmark in 2011, and arrested again in 2020 in relation to the production of amphetamines in a summerhouse in Kjós, near Reykjavík.WeedThe police apprehended just under 800 cannabis plants at three different locations in Iceland recently. 200 plants were confiscated near the small village of Reykholt, and more in a summerhouse in Kjós. Maybe a different summerhouse than the amphetamines mentioned above, but we just don’t know.Fisheries Investing In Unrelated Businesses In IcelandAðalsteinn Kjartansson has been writing investigative peaces for Heimildin on the investments of persons and companies who’ve made billions through the fisheries. The investments of the family of Guðbjörg Matthíasdóttir are extensive, and while holding a large stake in Iceland’s only daily newspaper, the family owns parts of import businesses, other media companies, and health industry companies. All of these investments, went underreported in a recent report on the investments of fisheries companies, the report was commissioned by the Icelandic Parliament.Ivanka Trump Visits IcelandYeah. That happened. Who gives fuck.Human Trafficking And Prostitution, In IcelandThe Icelandic police participated in a large international police operation in June, coordinated in 59 countries, targeting a Chinese crime syndicate which has been engaged in human trafficking and prostitution. Five purchasers of prostitution were arrested in Iceland, with another 45 recorded in the act on video, and 16 women, some of whom are believed to have been victims of human trafficking by said Chinese crime syndicate, were interviewed by the local authorities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Grapevine’s Editor-in-Chief Bart Cameron, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: The Russian Spying Vessel Yuri Ivanov Within Iceland’s Exclusive Economic ZoneSince a Nato exercise in the North-Atlantic in May, the Russian spying vessel Yuri Ivanov has been sailing within Iceland’s 200 mile Oceanic Exlusive Economic Zone, and is now west of Iceland, which is highly unusual. The Icelandic coastguard has been watching the vessel and the Icelandic Foreign Ministry says it poses no threat. Around 70-80% Of Iceland’s Farmsteads Do Not Engage In Traditional Farming The Agriculture University of Iceland held a seminar to discuss a new report on who owns farmland in Iceland. Around 600 farms are owned by estates of deceased farmer, and 13% of farms in Iceland are not in any use, while between 70-80% of farmland is generally not used for traditional farming. The report also points out that around 40 farms are owned by two foreign billionaires, one of which Jim Ratcliffe, is also the fourth largest holder of farmland in Iceland, behind the Icelandic state, municipalities and the Icelandic church. The report creates questions about whether or not current laws in Iceland on farms need modifications to deal with a changed reality in the use or - as in this case - the non-use, of farmland, and does actually suggest that changes should be made to the law to deal with specific aspects, such as unclear ownership, unclear use, foreign ownership, and better data collection with regards to use and ownership, citing numerous cases where such changes have been made in recent years in neighboring countries.Dettifoss Side Hiking Route ClosedNew research has revealed numerous fissures under one of the popular hiking routes from the west towards Iceland’s (and the whole of Europe’s) most powerful waterfall Dettifoss. Dettifoss is located in North-East Iceland, and is a popular tourist destination, made famous by its prominence in the opening sequence of Ridley Scott’s 2012 film Prometheus. New research has revealed that the area is a fissure zone under a hiking route called Fosshvammur, and the route has been permanently closed. Other hiking routes on the west side of the river in which the waterfall is located are safe, and so is the viewing platform on that side of the river. Two Tourists On Bikes Rescued By SARS Teams In The HighlandsTow tourists who were attempting to bike a well known highland road in the southern highlands of Iceland had to be rescued by SARS teams, when snowmelts got the better of them. The Federation of Icelandic Industries Warns Of Increased Indebtedness In The Construction IndustryNot only that, the chair of the Icelandic Housing and Construction Authority  says that apartments and neighborhoods have been planned for people that don’t exist. Housing prices have fallen in real terms, the number of apartments for sale has increased, and it is taking longer to sell properties, especially new apartments. The outlook is dire.Bubbi Morthens 70th Birthday Concert Last WeekendBubbi played two shows for more than 10.000 people total in Laugardalshöll stadium this weekend. He dropped some comments between songs on inflation and said it was time to say either “yes” or “no”. While Bubbi didn’t explicitly mention the upcoming referendum on restarting negotiations with the EU on accession, the crowd non the less booed his statement. A few songs later he talked about his dismay about the importation of politics to Iceland that targeted minorities, before launching into his 1984 hit “Strákarnir á Borginni”, and important song for championing gay rights in Iceland in the 1980s. No booing was heard following the latter statement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Grapevine’s Editor-in-Chief Bart Cameron, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Should Iceland’s National Poet, Jónas Hallgrímsson, Be Dug UpJónas Hallgrímsson was a poet and writer who was born in 1807. In 1845 he died after falling down a flight of stairs in Copenhagen whilst drunk. For the past 30 years his birthday, 16 November, has been celebrated as The Day Of The Icelandic Language. In 1946 his remains were moved to Iceland and buried in a new Icelandic national burial ground in Þingvellir. Whether or not it were in fact his remains that were moved from Denmark and buried in Þingvellir remains shrouded in mystery. Not least because the main proponent for finding the remains and moving them was convinced he was in telepathic communication with Jónas, and that communication was the main source of figuring out where the remains were to be found. The ridicule surrounding that led to nobody else ever being buried on the location, and aside from the alleged remains of Jónas Hallgrímsson, another poet, Einar Benediktsson also rests in the sacral plot. Now, documentary makers want to dig up those remains and subject them to a DNA analysis to figure out whether it is in fact Jónas that was buried there, or — as was the popular joke in the 1940s — if it was in fact a Danish baker. A 4,5 Earthquake Just East Of ReykjavíkMonday 1 June saw a 4,5 earthquake with over 1100 subsequent smaller quakes happen in a place called Svínahraun, just east of Reykjavík, near the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. The area is geologically active, so this is in a sense not an unusual development, although such a large earthquake is rare. In other geologically related news, vulcanologists, geologists and the people of Grindavík are still waiting for the next eruption to matieralise near that town and the Blue Lagoon. However, new research on that volcanic system has indicated that even though the magma chamber under the Blue Lagoon has by now built up more magma than before all of the previous eruptions, an eruption might not take place at all. In Iceland, Your Name Can Now Be SnowRegularly, the Icelandic Naming Committee decides what names our children can and can not have. This week the committee decided that children can be named “Snjór” or snow, “Molly” and “Sifjar” to name a few. The names Mikhael and Danivaan were however rejected.Rapyd Lays Off 40 People, Citing AIOne of Iceland’s few payment providers, Rapyd, announced recently that they have laid off 40 people, and replaced them with AI. In the past few years Rapyd has been experiencing some business problems, so the word on the street is that perhaps the whole AI framing is just a ploy to mask actual financial difficulties, or if not, perhaps these are the first AI related mass layoffs in Iceland------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Ten Since Municipality Elections, But No Majority Coalition Yet Formed In ReykjavíkThe big winner of the Reykjavík municipality elections was The Independence Party. The party’s slogan for the city elections was Strax-D or Immediately-D, yet 10 days after the election, with no new coalition in sight, voters may start to wonder what exactly “immediately” actually means.Iceland N-Korean Friendship Association Formed During PsychosisThe founder of the Iceland - North Korean Friendship Association told visir.is she had been in a pshcosis when the association was formed. Mia Marcelina Alexa Guðmundsdóttir founded the association back in 2022 along with a Sunneva Náttsól. According to Mia, she at that point, she supported extreme interpretation of communism. She now says, in a op-ed she published on visir.is, that psychosis had caused her to support extreme, simplified ideology, which she does not support anymore.Icelandair Flights Keep Getting CancelledNumerous Icelandair flights have been cancelled in the past days and weeks because of the airline being unable to get pilots to pilot their plains. While the pilots don’t explicitly say why this is, on the face of it it looks to be a part of a debate between the airline and the pilots that work for it, with regards to Icelandair possibly moving parts of their operations abroad, probably to get out of the baggage of paying Icelandic salaries to crews.Do The Icelandic Fisheries Own Everything In Iceland?A new parliamentary report addresses the ownership of Icelandic fisheries in other sectors of the economy. However, the report has been reported for being too limited in its definitions of what is and isn’t owned by the fisheries, and one parliamentarian said that the report only caught the “top of the Iceberg” that is that sectors ownership in Icelandic businesses.Nobody Wants A Ferris Wheel In Reykjavík, AgainDuring the past few summers, a ferries wheel has been operated by Reykjavík’s harbor, to little enthusiasm by the locals, and what seems like little attendance. The mayor of Reykjavík has suggested that the ferries wheel should be put up yet again, but locals have started a petition to oppose the motion.The Synthetic Windpipe Scandal, Paolo Machiarini and IcelandA tort case filed by against the Icelandic state by the widow of Andemariams Teklesenbet Beyene, who had a synthetic trachea implant in Sweden in a procedure performed by Paolo Macchiarini in 2011, was concluded last week, with the widow winning the case------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are you enjoying this? Are you not? Tell us what to do more of, and what you'd like to hear less of. The Reykjavík Grapevine's Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson, and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to roundup the stories making headlines in recent weeks. On the docket this week are: Iceland’s Municipality ElectionsElections were held in Iceland’s municipalities on Saturday. These elections take place every four years and unlike parliamentary elections have a wider voting base, since people who don’t have an Icelandic citizenship can vote in them. In Reykjavík, the ruling coalition in the city lost its majority. While no single party gained a pure majority, the Independence Party was the winner of the election landing 9 municipality seats, out of the 23 available with 32,9% of the vote. We discuss the election, and what it may mean for the current government and the upcoming referendum on continuing negotiations with the EU.Summer VibesToday’s forecast expects up to 14 degrees celsius, meaning that today, Monday, may feel like summer in Iceland has begun, finally.AMOC Doomsday Prophecies May Effect Government PolicyHalldór Þorgeirsson, the chairman of Loftslagsráð, or “The Climate Council” which is a council set up by Icelandic law to provide advice to Iceland’s government on the climate, has sent the government a memo, warning that the likelihood of the collapse of the so called AMOC in the North Atlantic, calls for immediate action by the Icelandic government. he AMOC is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation — a system of ocean currents in the Atlantic that moves warm, salty water northward near the surface and cold, denser water southward at depth. The Gulf Stream is part of it. According to reporting on the AMOC the mean temperature in Iceland may drop by 9 degrees Celsius if the AMOC collapses, and that the odds of that happening by the end of this century are now so high, that something needs to be done — globally — if Iceland is not to become uninhabitable. The Council recommends that Iceland adopt the official position that the potential collapse of the AMOC is a national security issue, and start applying pressure internationally to reduce carbon emissions.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHOW SUPPORTSupport The Reykjavík Grapevine's reporting by becoming a subscriber at https://www.grapevine.is/subscribe - We are also a printed magazine. You can subscribe to that too.You can also support The Reykjavík Grapevine by shopping in our online store: https://shop.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------WHO ARE WE?The Reykjavík Grapevine is an alternative monthly magazine published in Iceland since 2003. We bringing you the news and views on Icelandic culture and society, sprinkled with music coverage, travel content, restaurant reviews and more. More on https://www.grapevine.is------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------