Thalif Deen September 6, 2011 Johanna Sigurdardottir HAVANA TIMES,(IPS) — When Johanna Sigurdardottir was sworn in as Iceland’s head of government back in February 2009, she was described as the world’s first openly gay prime minister. But in a country with progressive political views and liberal social mores, her sexual orientation was never considered a liability. She took power following a riveting financial crisis when Iceland was on the verge of becoming the world’s first country to go...Read Full Story
REYKJAVIK ( Reuters ) - Iceland's credit ratings could be downgraded into "junk debt" status after its voters rejected a deal to repay Britain and the Netherlands for losses from a banking crash, Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday. In a weekend referendum, Icelandic voters spurned a deal providing a state guarantee for repaying more than $5 billion to the British and Dutch for money spent compensating savers who lost money as banking group Landsbanki collapsed in 2008. Prime Minister Johanna...Read Full Story
Icelandic singer Bjork, who has launched a campaign against a bid by Canada's Magma Energy for an Icelandic geothermal power company, said the group wanted to buy up all the island's energy sources. Magma Energy is "checking out if they could buy out all Iceland's energy sources," the 44-year-old artist told AFP Monday in Helsinki. "They have already shown interest in buying up at least five other energy companies in Iceland," she said in an interview following a press conference to promote a...Read Full Story
By Omar R. Valdimarsson and Tasneem Brogger
[Bloomberg] -- Iceland will hold a referendum on a depositor accord with the U.K. and Netherlands after President Olafur R. Grimsson blocked the bill in a move that threatens to undermine the island's efforts to repair international relations.
"The constitution is very clear about the need for a referendum in this situation," Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir told reporters in Reykjavik today.
Grimsson vetoed the so-called Icesave accord...Read Full Story
The government said Tuesday it would probe the controversial takeover of an Icelandic geothermal power group by a Canadian company and wanted to reverse the privatisation of energy resources. "The Icelandic government has decided to appoint an independent investigation committee to look into the purchase of power company HS Orka (by Canada's Magma Energy) and also into the privatisation of power companies," it said in a statement. After making the announcement, Prime Minister Johanna...Read Full Story
ICELAND Foods’ chief executive Malcolm Walker and his management team are in exclusive talks to take over the frozen food retailer in a £1.55bn deal. Yorkshire-born Mr Walker said the directors are in talks to buy out the 77 per cent stake they don’t ...
Malcolm Walker, the founder and chief executive of Iceland Foods, has lined up financing from three backers for his £1.4bn-£1.5bn bid for the frozen food specialist. Mr Walker and the management team of Iceland Foods have signed an exclusivity deal with ...
The resolution committees of Old Landsbanki and Glitnir have agreed a sale contract for the British supermarket chain Iceland Foods. The company’s founder and chairman now looks set to take over as sole owner and part of the sale price will be loaned from the old Icelandic banks. The sale price is around ISK 300 [...]
Alex Castillo, Heather Corazzini, Kerry Velez, Jeremy Sender, and Christopher Eyer -- also the Beacon’s sports editor -- along with Dr. Gregory Payne, associate professor of the communication department, met members of the Icelandic community ...
Video of production of the second season of Game of Thrones, taking place in Iceland. Without spoilers, in the second book Jon Snow spends considerable time “north of the wall” and this is what is depicted here. Looks like its actually the Jökulsárlón area.
Iceland’s Supreme Court ruled that lenders can’t adjust interest rates higher on foreign currency- linked loans that it found illegal in 2010, overruling a government law from 2010. Lenders must abide by the contractual interest rates on the ...
Greta Salome & Jonsi are the 2012 Icelandic representatives. The duo was selected by a combination of jury voting and televoting at a 50% stake. In Baku they will perform the song Mundu eftir mer. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/18305)
Johanna Sigurdardottir was the openly lesbian minister of social affairs before taking over as Iceland's Prime Minister.
Sigurdardottir steps in as prime minister at a time when the country is in total financial ruin. The country's unemployment rate is at an all time high and Iceland is basically bankrupt.
World Photos Photos and Slideshows on Yahoo! News ... HIGHLIGHT. Iceland's Social Affairs Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir speaks to media in Reykjavik January 26, 2009.
ICELAND'S coalition government has collapsed after unprecedented public dissent, plunging the nation into political turmoil as it seeks to rebuild a shattered economy. Prime Minister Geir Haarde r
Work group set because of increased unemployment. Johanna Sigurdardottir, social and insurance minister, has set a work group for employment market actions with representatives of ...