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Posts Tagged ‘Reykjavik’
Harpoon: Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre
Saturday, May 8th, 2010Vilnius Gay Pride ban “a human rights setback”
Saturday, May 8th, 2010
Swedish diplomat and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg speaks out on the Lithuania Gay Pride ban:
“I am seriously concerned about the decision of the Vilnius District Administrative Court to suspend the permit given by the Vilnius municipality to hold the Baltic Pride march “For Equality”, scheduled for 8 May.
“If the suspension of the permit will be prolonged and lead to a definite ban of the march, this means a setback in the implementation of agreed human rights standards.
In particular, the right to peacefully assembly guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as by the Lithuanian Constitution, is hindered.
“This right applies to all persons, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons. States have therefore a positive duty to ensure that Pride festivals or demonstrations promoting LGBT rights can take place peacefully and that participants are protected, even if the ideas they promote may annoy or upset other people.
“Banning Pride festivals is alien to the values of a modern European country and contrary to Council of Europe standards.
“I hope that the decision will be overturned and that the Baltic Pride march can take place with all the guarantees of security and protection for the participants.
“This could also be an occasion to foster a constructive dialogue in the Lithuanian society to overcome persistent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which is still an unfortunate reality also in many other European countries.
“LGBT persons are human beings and deserve to enjoy the same rights as others.”
Thomas Hammarberg
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights
Adventure Land
Friday, May 7th, 2010Former CEO of the Icelandic bank Kaupthing, Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson, was given a 12-day custody sentence in Reykjavik District Court today at the request of the Special Prosecutor's Office.
Icelandic volcano emits more ash, fresh closures expected
Friday, May 7th, 2010REYKJAVIK : An Icelandic volcano which wreaked havoc on European aviation last month has sent up a new plume of ash and is set to emit another cloud of debris after surging back to life, meteorologists said.
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air in codeshare with Icelandair
Friday, May 7th, 2010A year after Icelandair launched new service to Seattle, Seattle-based Alaska Airlines and sister carrier Horizon Air have jointly applied for a codeshare arrangement with the Reykjavik-based carrier.
REYKJAVÍK ARTS FESTIVAL May 12 – June 5 2010
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Reykjavik Art Festival
Former Kaupthing bank boss Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson arrested in Iceland
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
The former President of Kaupthing Bank, Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson has been arrested in Reykjavik, accused of criminal malpractice.
Police arrested Sigurdsson on the orders of Iceland’s Special Prosecutor into the banking crisis, Olafur Thor Hauksson. Hauksson and his team continue to work closely with international white-collar crime investigator, Eva Joly.
The Special Prosecutor put in a request for two weeks’ police custody to the Reykjavik District Court today, but the judge decided to adjourn the case for a day. This means that Hreidar Mar Sigurdsson will stay in police cells until tomorrow at the earliest, and possibly longer if he does not receive bail, Visir.is reports. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in jail.
The Special Prosecutor and his team have been investigating alleged ‘institutionalised market abuse’ within Kaupthing; and the investigation even included raids in Luxembourg.
According to RUV, Sigurdsson was arrested on charges of filing/documentation infractions (IS: skjalabrot), embezzlement, breaking laws on bond trading, and for breaking the laws governing limited companies.
Hreidar Mar was the President of Kaupthing Bank for many years following its privatisation and also had the dubious honour of being Icelandic ‘Tax King’ (Tax records in Iceland are made public for a short period each year, and it is assumed that the highest tax payers – or Tax Kings – are also the highest earners).
Current eruption in Iceland causes drop of tourists
Thursday, May 6th, 2010The current volcanic eruption in South Iceland caused a 17 percent drop in arrivals to the country through Keflavik International Airport in April, according to reports from Reykjavik on Thursday.
Cycle to Work drive starts today in Iceland
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
The annual competition run by the Icelandic Sports Association, “Cycle to Work” begins today. This is the eighth year the competition has taken place and, as the name suggests, people are encouraged to leave their cars at home.
The movement allows business and public employees to compete against each other to rack up the highest number of kilometres cycled between them. The competition runs from 5th to 25th May this year and 468 workplaces took part last year with 8041 participants who jointly cycled 493,202 kilometres – or 12.3 times around the world.
Participating workplaces are categorised by the number of employees they have, meaning that every one has a shot at fame and glory.
Montrealers scrambling to get home
Monday, May 3rd, 2010The ash plume of southwestern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano streams southwards over the Northern Atlantic Ocean in a picture taken by a British Geological Survey geologist flying from Reykjavik to Glasgow April 16, 2010.
Reykjavik! goes Sudden Weather Change
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Mayday celebrations in full swing
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Today is Mayday – international labour day. The event is being celebrated with marches, demonstrations and family entertainment all over Iceland.
In Reykjavik a large coalition of unions and associations have come together to host a rally starting at 13.00 at Hlemmur and moving down to Austurvollur, Parliament Square. Once at the square, a series of speeches begins at 14.10, and due to end at 15.00.
Two brass bands and the popular rock band Hjaltalin are also taking part.
After the speeches, most big labour unions and political parties will be offering coffee and cakes to the public and some of the political parties are taking the opportunity to formally open their election offices today for the upcoming local elections. Today is an official flag day in Iceland.
RIGHTS: Iceland Wakes Up to Trafficking for Sex Work
Saturday, May 1st, 2010REYKJAVIK, May 1, 2010 - It took the conviction of five Lithuanian men in March, on charges of bringing a 19-year-old girl into Iceland for sex work, before this country truly woke up to the reality of trafficking.
Design awarded at Reykjavik exhibition
Saturday, May 1st, 2010
Asdis Asmundsdottir, daughter of the sculptor Asmundur Sveinsson will today award the first prize in a competition for a design object that reflects the spirit of Sveinsson’s art. In addition fifteen of the most noteworthy proposals will be displayed. The competition is organized by Reykjavik Art Museum, Kraum-design shop, and The Icelandic Design Centre.
On the same occasion the exhibition “I choose blossoming women …” Woman as Symbol in the Art of Asmundur Sveinsson will be opened at the Asmundarsafn gallery, today, Saturday 1 May at 17.00.
A large part of Asmundur Sveinsson’s art depicts women – from loving mothers to domestic labourers, or gentle creatures to fearless giantesses. They are signifiers of common sentimentalities, or allegories for natural phenomena or literature. The works in the exhibition are selected from the entire career of the sculptor, giving an oeuvre of Sveinsson’s work from his early realistic rendition to a much stylised representation of his female subjects.
In the pyramid Asmundur’s studio has been recreated, to give an idea of his working environment in Sigtun (105 Reykjavik, near Laugardalur Park). In a reading room, visitors can learn more about the artist’s life and work.
Photos: artmuseum.is
(Press release)
Flight schedules in Iceland back to normal
Friday, April 30th, 2010
Despite the brief grounding of flights in Iceland, Icelandair flight schedules are now back to normal, with transatlantic flights to and from Iceland occurring daily through Keflavik International Airport.
Day-to-day life in Iceland has continued as normal throughout the recent volcanic eruptions, with the majority of the country unaffected, especially in the largely populated areas of Reykjavik and Akureyri. Those mainly affected are farmers in the immediate area located just south of the volcano crater. This is where the majority of volcanic ash has fallen and consequently acres of farmland and this year’s crops have been damaged.
Travel and tourism businesses continue to work as hard as ever, with a number of trips across Iceland, guided tours and hotels still open as usual. In addition, the whale watching season has now officially started for the summer months, alongside new art exhibitions, museums and music festivals.
Icelandair continues its transatlantic flight schedule in and out of Iceland, making it possible to explore the wonders of Iceland. The airline company is also, like many others, continuing to offer package deals and tours around Iceland.
To view the latest transatlantic flight schedule to and from Iceland with Icelandair visit http://icelandairgroup.com/volcano/flight-info-icelandair/
Flight schedules in Iceland back to normal
Friday, April 30th, 2010Despite the brief grounding of flights in Iceland, Icelandair flight schedules are now back to normal, with transatlantic flights to and from Iceland occurring daily through Keflavik International Airport.
Day-to-day life in Iceland has continued as normal throughout the recent volcanic eruptions, with the majority of the country unaffected, especially in the largely populated areas of Reykjavik and Akureyri. Those mainly affected are farmers in the immediate area located just south of the volcano crater. This is where the majority of volcanic ash has fallen and consequently acres of farmland and this year’s crops have been damaged.
Travel and tourism businesses continue to work as hard as ever, with a number of trips across Iceland, guided tours and hotels still open as usual. In addition, the whale watching season has now officially started for the summer months, alongside new art exhibitions, museums and music festivals.
Icelandair continues its transatlantic flight schedule in and out of Iceland, making it possible to explore the wonders of Iceland. The airline company is also, like many others, continuing to offer package deals and tours around Iceland.
To view the latest transatlantic flight schedule to and from Iceland with Icelandair visit http://icelandairgroup.com/volcano/flight-info-icelandair/
Flight schedules in Iceland back to normal
Friday, April 30th, 2010Despite the brief grounding of flights in Iceland, Icelandair flight schedules are now back to normal, with transatlantic flights to and from Iceland occurring daily through Keflavik International Airport.
Day-to-day life in Iceland has continued as normal throughout the recent volcanic eruptions, with the majority of the country unaffected, especially in the largely populated areas of Reykjavik and Akureyri. Those mainly affected are farmers in the immediate area located just south of the volcano crater. This is where the majority of volcanic ash has fallen and consequently acres of farmland and this year’s crops have been damaged.
Travel and tourism businesses continue to work as hard as ever, with a number of trips across Iceland, guided tours and hotels still open as usual. In addition, the whale watching season has now officially started for the summer months, alongside new art exhibitions, museums and music festivals.
Icelandair continues its transatlantic flight schedule in and out of Iceland, making it possible to explore the wonders of Iceland. The airline company is also, like many others, continuing to offer package deals and tours around Iceland.
To view the latest transatlantic flight schedule to and from Iceland with Icelandair visit http://icelandairgroup.com/volcano/flight-info-icelandair/
Table Hopping | Dill in Reykjavik
Thursday, April 29th, 2010The word up north these days is no longer Scandinavian, please, it's Nordic . More precisely, in food trends, it's New Nordic - a kind of frosty Slow Food locavore movement in which chefs are resurrecting and refreshing old food traditions.
Iceland volcano picture to become clearer with German equipment
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
A German aeroplane is preparing to fly to Iceland; volcano picture and measuring equipment are on board which will help ash predictions. Meanwhile Icelandic aviation regulators have removed controls on airspace over Reykjavik and Keflavik airports tonight. Flights are once again able to arrive and depart normally.
Keflavik International Airport and domestic flights in and out of Reykjavik have been cancelled all day due to volcanic ash from south Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull glacier. Precise measurements of volcanic ash production will begin tomorrow with the arrival of a specially equipped German research aircraft.
All domestic and international airports in Iceland are now open with no special restrictions.
Photographer: Anders Peter Amsnæs / www.imagix.dk