Posts Tagged ‘Reykjavik’
Monday, March 12th, 2012
A city bus in the Icelandic capital this morning caught fire and is terminally damaged. None of the passengers were injured, however.
“There weren’t many on the bus and everybody managed to get off safely,” says Reynir Jónsson, the director of Reykjavík city bus company, Strætó.
The fire took hold of the engine at the back of the bus at the road junction between Bíldshöfði and Breiðhöfði earlier this morning.
The vehicle is owned by Hagvanur, which is a contractor working on behalf of Strætó. That company is responsible and liable for all damage caused to its own vehicle; not publicly-owned Strætó, Reynir explained to Vísir.is. “We are just following procedure in relation to bus evacuation and security.”
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but Reynir says that usually in such situations a broken hose/pipe is to blame; allowing oil to leak onto the hot engine. “That is only my guess,” He said. “But that is usually the explanation — some sort of oil leak.”
Reynir said that a second bus was immediately sent to the scene to take the evacuated passengers; although most of them had already made their own way from the scene. The fire brigade is investigating the cause of the fire.
Click here to see a photograph of the burnt vehicle.
Tags: Mbl, Reykjavik, Traffic, Travel
Posted in Business, Iceland, bus, danger, featured, fire, oil leak, transport | No Comments »
Friday, March 9th, 2012
Reykjavík is today hosting the ninth annual Reykjavík Internet Marketing Conference. The conference has built a reputation as one of the highest quality of its kind in the world and this morning, for the first time, the event was officially opened by the President of Iceland himself.
Following President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson’s speech, the conference splits into two “tracks”, one focusing on internet communication and marketing, and the other on best practice tips and Social Marketing. There will also be a session on the darker side of internet marketing, for those who dare to delve.
The conference is taking place in the luxurious surroundings of the Reykjavík Hilton Nordica Hotel and has attracted hundreds of delegates as well as speakers from around the world, including: Eli Pariser, The Filter Bubble; Bill Hunt, Back Azimuth; Ben Chapman, the BBC; Charles Dowd, Facebook; Brent D. Payne, Tribune/BaldSEO; Motoko Hunt, Adobe; Phil Greenwood, Microsoft; and Matt Neal, Bright Sparx.
From relatively humble beginnings, every year the conference has gained momentum, its organisers claim – adding that the Reykjavík Internet Marketing Conference 2013 is already in the initial planning stages.
Tags: Marketing, Mbl, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Reykjavik, Technology
Posted in Business, Iceland, International, Marketing and Consulting, President, conference, featured, internet, online | No Comments »
Friday, March 9th, 2012
Reykjavík is today hosting the ninth annual Reykjavík Internet Marketing Conference. The conference has built a reputation as one of the highest quality of its kind in the world and this morning, for the first time, the event was officially opened by the President of Iceland himself.
Following President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson’s speech, the conference splits into two “tracks”, one focusing on internet communication and marketing, and the other on best practice tips and Social Marketing. There will also be a session on the darker side of internet marketing, for those who dare to delve.
The conference is taking place in the luxurious surroundings of the Reykjavík Hilton Nordica Hotel and has attracted hundreds of delegates as well as speakers from around the world, including: Eli Pariser, The Filter Bubble; Bill Hunt, Back Azimuth; Ben Chapman, the BBC; Charles Dowd, Facebook; Brent D. Payne, Tribune/BaldSEO; Motoko Hunt, Adobe; Phil Greenwood, Microsoft; and Matt Neal, Bright Sparx.
From relatively humble beginnings, every year the conference has gained momentum, its organisers claim – adding that the Reykjavík Internet Marketing Conference 2013 is already in the initial planning stages.
Tags: Marketing, Mbl, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Reykjavik, Technology
Posted in Business, Iceland, International, Marketing and Consulting, President, featured, internet, online | No Comments »
Thursday, March 8th, 2012
The manager of Reykjavík’s Lagastoð legal office, who is in serious condition in hospital after being stabbed, had just significantly reduced his attacker’s fee bill before the attack, it has been revealed.
The manager had reduced the attacker’s fees by ISK 30,000, from ISK 80,000 down to ISK 50,000 (ISK 50,000 = EUR 302) and the pair had come to an agreement before the attack. The office manager is still in a critical condition.
According to new evidence reported by Vísir.is, the manager met with the attacker, Guðgeir Guðmundsson, when he called into the office about a debt issue relating to a charge of around ISK 80,000.
They went into the manager’s office together and talked for a long while and negotiated what seemed like an agreeable settlement. The manager printed a form to confirm that the two men had come to an agreement and a note to that effect was put into the computer system.
It appears, therefore, that Guðgeir did not attack the manager upon entering the office, as has previously been reported; but rather when he was about to leave. According to Vísir sources, he shook the manager’s hand and pulled his body into him, whereupon he stabbed him with his knife.
The manager is still being held unconscious and doctors describe his condition as critical.
The case has been widely reported in the UK because of the involvement of former Iceland, Bolton and Tottenham footballer, turned lawyer, Guðni Bergsson. Guðni was stabbed twice in the thigh attempting to help his colleague.
In an interview with The Bolton News Guðni Bergsson described the event, saying that he saw the attack taking place and rushed to try and grab the knife from the attacker. He succeeded in doing so, and also managed to hold the man down until the police arrived. Guðni told the British paper he is in shock following the attack, but that he is thinking most of his colleague and hoping that he pulls through.
Guðgeir Guðmundsson will remain in police custody until at least Friday, and has been ordered to undergo psychiatric testing.
Tags: Lawyers, Mbl, Reykjavik, Sports, United Kingdom
Posted in General, Iceland, crime, debt, featured, gudni bergsson, stabbing | No Comments »
Saturday, March 3rd, 2012
The instance of bullying among children at Reykjavík’s elementary schools is at a lower level now than it has been for years, according to a new perception survey among parents.
Results of the opinion survey conducted among parents in February show that around 90 percent of parents believe their children always or usually feel good at school.
Fewer parents said that their children had been victims of bullying than in the last such survey which was conducted in 2010.
Around 70 percent of parents who said their children had been bullied at school also said they felt the school had dealt with the issue well; and 80 percent of parents said they feel schools are working hard to comply with the national elementary schools’ anti-bullying plan.
A separate survey, the school pulse, from January concluded that fewer children in years six to ten were being bullied than in January 2011 – or around three percent. That is around the same level as was measured in schools outside the Reykjavík area as well.
There continues to be proportionately less bullying in bigger schools than smaller ones, RÚV reported.
Tags: Bullying, Culture, Education, Mbl, Reykjavik
Posted in Iceland, Society, children, featured, schools | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012
Three men were yesterday sentenced to prison at the Reykjavík District Court for a serious physical attack on a Greek tourist in May 2010. The fourth defendant was handed a probationary sentence.
The judges’ verdict concludes the trial, which has previously been reported on for its unusual elements.
The three men were found guilty of having perpetrated violence against the man, including heavy punches and kicks in various parts of his body, head and face.
Most witnesses in the case testified that the men got out of a car on Bankastræti in central Reykjavík, gathered around the Greek man and started kicking him repeatedly in the head in an attack the court ruled as unprovoked.
Two of the men were sentenced to two years in prison for the attack, served unconditionally. Their names are Halldór Arnar Karlsson and Guðni Guillermo Gorozpe. The third man will spend 16 month behind bars and the fourth defendant was sentenced to six months, probationary.
The Greek victim died in Italy in December of unrelated causes, so his mother was allowed to bear witness on the telephone to Reykjavík on his behalf; describing the mental impacts the attack had on her son, Vísir.is reports.
Tags: Greece, Mbl, Reykjavik
Posted in General, Iceland, International, attack, crime, featured, justice, prison | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
The woman accused of having killed her newborn baby and disposing of the corpse in a Reykjavík hotel’s dustbin last summer is today on the witness stand in court and sticking to her story that she was never even pregnant.
“I knew the whole time that I was not pregnant,” Agné Krataviciuté told the Reykjavík District Court this morning.
Agné is accused of manslaughter. On Saturday 2nd July 2011 she is accused of having given birth to a healthy baby boy in a bathroom at her then-place-of-work, Hótel Frón in central Reykjavík. After this, prosecutors allege, she injured the baby twice in the face before killing him by strangulation. Agné denies the charges, DV reports.
She denies having given birth to the baby, she denies having even been pregnant, and she vehemently denies injuring and killing the baby. She says she has no idea why police and medical professionals are convinced she did give birth to the child.
Agné says that the Saturday in question had been very ordinary. She says she was busy working at Hótel Frón as there was a lot to do that day. She then became dizzy and felt poorly, so went to the bathroom. There she noticed a lot of blood and says she remembers thinking to herself that although she usually has heavy periods, there was never usually that much blood. She says she cleaned herself up and went downstairs where people noticed how sick she looked and she was sent home.
She then telephoned her father-in-law, who came to pick her up along with his son, her fiancé, and they all went together to hospital.
Asked if anybody had ever asked her whether she was pregnant, she said that a friend and her mother-in-law had both asked her, but that she had responded she was not pregnant and that it was not on the agenda.
Agné has undergone two psychiatric evaluations and doctors declared her fit for trial in both cases. If found guilty she could be sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Tags: Babies, Manslaughter, Mbl, Psychiatry, Reykjavik
Posted in General, Iceland, Society, children, court, crime, featured | No Comments »
Monday, February 20th, 2012
A new survey of transport in Reykjavík has revealed an upward trend in cycling.
There has been a major increase in cycling in Reykjavík. According to the new comprehensive study, 3.8 percent of respondents make all their journies by bicycle, compared to only 0.8 percent in 2002 when a similar survey was also carried out.
The most cycle journeys took place in Reykjavík city centre, the Vesturbær neighbourhood, Laugardalur and Árbær, or 6-7 percent. 61 percent of respondents say they cycle all year round or part of the year, and 39 percent never cycle.
The survey was carried out by Capacent Gallup and 10,140 people were asked to respond – 35 percent of whom agreed to take part, Vísir.is reported.
Tags: Bicycles, Cycling, Mbl, Reykjavik, Travel
Posted in Iceland, featured, transport | No Comments »
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
The Erro – Collage exhibition offers, for the first time, an opportunity to discover a holistic selection of Erro’s collages from the Reykjavik Art Museum’s permanent Erro collection.
Tags: Art Museum, Collage Exhibition, Collages, Famous Artist, Reykjavik
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Although a fresh plume of volcanic ash has shut the main airport in Iceland again, reports from the nation's capital suggest that Icelanders have adopted a stoic attitude to the crisis.
Tags: Plume, Reykjavik, Shrug, Stoic Attitude, Volcanic Ash
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Friday, May 14th, 2010
Tags: Party Venue, Reykjavik
Posted in Iceland, Music | No Comments »
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
An outdoor concert is planned for this Saturday in support of the nine people charged with assault at Althingi during last winter’s “pots & pans revolution”.
Among the acts who will play the event outside Iceland’s Althingi parliament in Reykjavik are Hjaltalin, Pall Oskar, KK og Ellen and Ari Eldjarn. In other words, several of Iceland’s biggest domestic music acts.
The concert is advertised on Facebook under the name Vorkoma (the Coming of Spring) and although free to attend, bank details will be handed out at the concert to those wishing to contribute to the nine protesters’ legal costs.
The protesters had their first court hearing yesterday and the Reykjavik District Court quickly filled with supporters. One man was arrested, DV.is reports.
The nine were arrested on charges of assault and violent conduct in the national parliament shortly before Christmas 2008 at a time when the government was under intense pressure to resign.
Tags: Althingi, Angers, Bank Details, Coming Of Spring, Court Hearing, Domestic Music, Facebook, Intense Pressure, Kk, Last Winter, Momentum, National Parliament, Oskar, Pall, Parliament, Pots, Protesters, Protests, Reykjavik, Violent Conduct
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
The former Chairman of Kaupthing Bank, Sigurdur Einarsson, is now on the wanted list of the international police co-operation bureau, Interpol.
After failing to acquiesce to Special Prosecutor Olafur Thor Hauksson’s request to come home to Iceland for intrrogation, the prosecutor requested and received an arrest warrant yesterday from the Reykjavik District Court.
Einarsson’s Wanted-poster on the Interpol website states that he is wanted for counterfeiting/forgery and fraud.
Einarsson told Icelandic media over the phone from London that he has no intention of returning to Iceland unforced, adding that the arrests so far have been based on no credible evidence and are just being carried out to appease public anger.
If arrested in the UK, the courts there will have to decide whether or not to deport him to Iceland.
http://www.interpol.int/public/data/wanted/notices/data/2010/68/2010_21468.asp
Tags: Arrest Warrant, Boss, Credible Evidence, Denmark, Einarsson, Forgery And Fraud, Iceland, Intention, International Police, Interpol, Kaupthing Bank, New Prime Minister, Public Anger, Reykjavik, Special Prosecutor, Supreme Court, Thor, Wanted List, Wanted Man, Wanted Poster
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
For some businesses in Iceland, the Eyjafjallajokull volcano has had a positive impact and been a great boost for Icelandic tourism and entrepreneurship.
A small Icelandic company has collected ash from the Iceland volcano, filtered, dried and bottled it into small resealable glass containers ready to sell. The box can be opened so you can feel the texture and smell of the latest work of nature from ‘The Land of Fire and Ice’.
The glass containers of volcanic ash are the hottest souvenirs from Iceland right now and consequently are available in most tourist shops in downtown Reykjavik, as well as online at Iceland’s premier online store, Nordic Store.
The Nordic Store is a leading online shop in Iceland that focuses on providing and selling the Internet shopper with the biggest selection of Icelandic products. The products on sale range from clothes, jewellery, music, DVDS, maps, travel guides, books, arts and crafts, health and beauty, souvenirs, and even food and beverages.
To purchase some genuine Iceland volcano ash visit www.nordicstore.com
Tags: Arts And Crafts, Cod Liver Oil, Fire And Ice, Food And Beverages, Glass Containers, Health And Beauty, Iceland Volcano, Internet Shopper, Land Of Fire, Maps, Music Dvds, Oil Export, Reykjavik, Souvenirs, Texture, Tourist Shops, Volcanic Ash, Volcanic Eruption In Iceland, Volcano Ash, Volcano Eruption
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Ingolfur Helgason, the former Director of Kaupthing Iceland, and Steingrimur Karason, former CEO of the bank’s risk management department, were both arrested today upon arriving back in Iceland. They went straight to interrogation with the Special Prosecutor and are being held in police cells.
Helgason and Karason were both very near the top of the Kaupthing chain-of-command and worked closely with former Director, Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson and Sigurdur Einarsson, the former Chairman of the Board. It is not yet known whether the Special Prosecutor will allow the pair to be released, or if he will request that the Reykjavik District Court remand them in custody, as happened with Sigurdsson and Magnus Gudmundsson (former CEO of Kaupthing Luxembourg), Visir.is reports.
Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson and Magnus Gudmundsson were arrested last Friday and remain in the Litla Hraun prison; but Sigurdur Einarsson has not obeyed the Special Prosecutor’s summons to return to Iceland for interrogation this Friday – despite a promise that he would not be arrested upon arrival. He has, however, invited the Special Prosecutor, Olafur Thor Hauksson to fly out and interrogate him in the UK.
Tags: Chain Of Command, Chairman Of The Board, Einarsson, Gudmundsson, Interrogation, Kaupthing Bank, Last Friday, Magnus, Police Cells, Reykjavik, Risk Management Department, Special Prosecutor, Visir
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Ingolfur Helgason, the former Director of Kaupthing Iceland, and Steingrimur Karason, former CEO of the bank’s risk management department, were both arrested today upon arriving back in Iceland. They went straight to interrogation with the Special Prosecutor and are being held in police cells.
Helgason and Karason were both very near the top of the Kaupthing chain-of-command and worked closely with former Director, Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson and Sigurdur Einarsson, the former Chairman of the Board. It is not yet known whether the Special Prosecutor will allow the pair to be released, or if he will request that the Reykjavik District Court remand them in custody, as happened with Sigurdsson and Magnus Gudmundsson (former CEO of Kaupthing Luxembourg), Visir.is reports.
Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson and Magnus Gudmundsson were arrested last Friday and remain in the Litla Hraun prison; but Sigurdur Einarsson has not obeyed the Special Prosecutor’s summons to return to Iceland for interrogation this Friday – despite a promise that he would not be arrested upon arrival. He has, however, invited the Special Prosecutor, Olafur Thor Hauksson to fly out and interrogate him in the UK.
Tags: Boss, Ceo, Chain Of Command, Chairman Of The Board, Einarsson, Fly, Gudmundsson, Interrogation, Kaupthing Bank, Last Friday, Luxembourg, Magnus, Police Cells, Reykjavik, Risk Management Department, Special Prosecutor, Summons, Supreme Court, Thor, Visir
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
The Supreme Court of Iceland yesterday evening upheld the decision of the Reykjavik District Court to remand former Kaupthing bosses Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson and Magnus Gudmundsson in custody.
The Reykjavik District Court Friday granted the Special Prosecutor’s wish to hold Sigurdsson for 12 days and Gudmundsson for a week and both decided to appeal to the Supreme Court.
DV reports that the Special Prosecutor requested that the District Court not publish details of the hearing on its website, as it usual, because their disclosure could damage the ongoing case against the two men.
Six middle managers and other employees of Old Kaupthing have been interviewed by the Special Prosecutor since Friday. The reason the two men are being held at this stage is to remove them from the conversation and ensure they cannot influence the case.
More people have been invited to interview in Reykjavik, including two from Luxembourg. Sigurdsson and Gudmundsson both face lengthy prison sentences if found guilty of fraud, embezzlement and market manipulation.
Tags: Boss, Disclosure, Dv, Embezzlement, Fraud, Gudmundsson, Iceland, Kaupthing, Lengthy Prison Sentences, Luxembourg, Magnus, Market Manipulation, Middle Managers, Reykjavik, Special Prosecutor, Supreme Court, Two Men, Yesterday Evening
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Keflavik International Airport and Reykjavik’s domestic airport both re-opened yesterday afternoon, and ash cloud forecasts show clear skies for the foreseeable future and no further closures predicted for the time being.
The same is true for affected airports in Scotland, Ireland and southern Europe.
Meanwhile RUV reports a series of earthquakes under and around Eyjafjallajokull which could signal changes to the volcanic eruption.
According to geophysicist Steinunn Jakobsdottir, the quakes could be a sign of a new vent about to open. The volcano already has three vents, but only the one on the northernmost edge is still erupting.
Ash fall in the area has been decreasing and is currently very fine but large rocks have replaced the ash production, apparently caused by the earthquakes. The rocks are being shot high up into the air and crashing down onto the glacier, making holes in the ice. The size and weight of the rocks means that they are a very localised problem and only fall very near to the volcano.
Tags: Air Travel, Airports, Ash Cloud, Ash Fall, Clear Skies, Earthquakes, Foreseeable Future, German Equipment, Iceland Volcano, Large Earthquake, Northernmost Edge, Quakes, Reykjavik, Ruv, Scotland Ireland, Southern Europe, Vent, Volcanic Eruption, Volcano Picture, Yesterday Afternoon
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
Monday, May 10th, 2010
The Icelandic cabinet met last night in Reykjavik to discuss the nation’s finance and the proposed merger of several ministries.
“This is just a work meeting which will cover national finances and the budget, preparation, and where we stand with regard to big and vital projects,” Finance Minister Steingrimur J. Sigfusson told reporters on the way in to the unusual Sunday night meeting.
Government spending targets are going well according to plan, Sigfusson said; adding that interest costs are lower than had been anticipated. “But when it comes to the income side, some are on target and others below, now we need to address those and (adapt) the financial plan.”
Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir said that the government’s finances are still in a very difficult state. “It is clear to see that the recession has been less severe than expected meaning that we hope to be able to sort this out – but it will be difficult,” she said.
Tags: Budget Preparation, Finance Minister, Government Spending, Interest Costs, Johanna, London Talks, Merger, Met, National Finances, Parliament, Prime Minister, Recession, Referendum, Regard, Reykjavik, Russia, Target, Targets, Unity, Vital Projects
Posted in Iceland | No Comments »
