gpt-MT/evaluation/system-outputs/text-davinci-003/QR/1-shot/isen/test.is-en.en

Cry out to the world.
The marketing campaign Looks Like You Need Iceland has gotten off to a great start, and its cries and calls out in nature are drawing people from all over the world.
"You have the puzzle, I need Iceland," says a woman from the outside world in comments on the Looks Like You Need Iceland ad on YouTube.
The other spectator declared that he would always keep Iceland in his heart, and the young woman said she would be sure to visit Iceland soon, as her beloved was living there.
Unfortunately, she is in the United States and thus has to wait for a few more months.
Another viewer asks whether the route to Iceland is accessible, since there are no planes.
It is not stated in the story whether he comes from another time period.
Egill Thordarson of the advertising agency Peel, who created the ads in collaboration with the international agency M&C Saatchi, says the reception has been better than expected.
I have been to many Inspired By Iceland trips that have gone very well, but this new trip is already proving to be a success.
At its core, this is about creating PR value, that is, getting foreign media to talk about the tour, and it has gone incredibly well.
In a relatively short period of time, we have received coverage in over seven hundred media outlets worldwide, reaching a total of approximately two billion people.
The value of the transaction is valued at 1.8 billion kroner.
"That's not allowed."
The main market is the United States and the journey has been very successful there even though Americans are not travelling to the country in large numbers.
According to Egil, well-known markets such as Denmark, Britain and Germany have also taken off, as has Russia, which came as a pleasant surprise.
Responses have been received from third countries, such as India, which were not specifically targeted.
"These ads have gone further than we expected," says Egill, noting that over four million people have watched the content on YouTube.
"We couldn't have asked for a better start."
The photos on this opening were taken by Árni Sæberg, a photographer from Morgunblaðið, during the shooting of advertisements with the headline "Let It Out" in the middle of last month.
The shots were taken widely, such as at Skólavörðustígur in Reykjavík, Reynisfjara, at Skógafoss, at Sólheimajökull and in the cave at Hjörleifshöfði.
The directors were Samúel Bjarki Pétursson and Gunnar Páll Ólafsson from Skoti Productions and the cinematographer was Óttar Guðnason.
In the lead roles were Icelandic Anna Jia and Murphy Cardenas from Cuba and Hungary.
Icelandic actors were cast for the commercials, while a separate group was shooting on the South Coast and Westfjords at the same time.
According to Egill, "Let It Out" is only the first step in the Looks Like You Need Iceland journey, with plans for a winter journey in collaboration with M&C Saatchi.
"This is just the first phase of this work for the Iceland Office," says Egill, adding that the collaboration with M&C Saatchi has gone exceptionally well.
It's great to work with them.
In such projects, it is important to have foreign partners with knowledge of the markets we are talking about.
Pension Reform: Discussing the situation in the labor market, pension funds and much more.
Asmundur Einar Daðason, Minister of Social Affairs and Children, will be attending the Sprengisand conference which starts at ten o'clock today at Bylgja.
He is also the Minister of Labour and oversees the situation of the labour market, such as the Icelandair case and other matters.
He also deals with rural affairs and the transfer of jobs abroad, which has been problematic and controversial in recent years and decades.
Ragnar Thor Ingolfsson, Chairman of the VR, will also participate in the program and will discuss his criticism of pension fund investments and present ideas for labor unions and businesses to withdraw from the management of the funds to reduce the risk of conflicts of interest.
Ivar Ingimarsson, a tourism operator in East Iceland, and Arnheidur Johannsdottir, the Director of the Northern Region Marketing Board, will be consulted on the state of tourism in the countryside.
They will look ahead to the autumn and ponder whether the success of the summer is a portent of what is to come.
The episode can be heard below, starting at ten o'clock.
This is what she looks like today 25 years later.
Actress Elisa Donovan had a successful career in various teen shows.
She gained worldwide fame for her role as Amber in the movie Clueless 25 years ago.
She also appeared in the series Sabrina: The Teenage Witch alongside Melissa Joan Hart, A Night at the Roxbury, and Beverly Hills 90210.
Donovan is now 49 years old, married with one child.
She hasn't had much to do lately, but she did manage to look back on her past and talk about Clueless on Australian television recently.
She speaks fondly of Brittany Murphy, who passed away unexpectedly in 2009, and says she was a wonderful person.
I have to admit that I based the character mostly on girls I encountered in school who were not kind to me.
As soon as I read the script, I knew who that character was," Donovan said about his role in Clueless.
I did not want to leave the police station after my overnight stay.
Fifty cases were brought before the police force in the capital today, and the police logbook states that the cases were varied.
The day at the police station on Hverfisgata began with the police having to deal with a man who had recently been released from a jail cell after being detained there for a DUI.
The man did not want to leave after being released and did not comply with the police's instructions to leave.
The man earned himself a continued stay at the police station due to his progress.
A man was arrested this morning suspected of breaking into a company in Kópavogur.
The police also had to take action against two people in Breiðholt due to a report of bodily injury.
Additionally, a woman who was dining at a restaurant in Kópavogur was unable to pay for her bill at the end of the meal and was thus called to the police.
A car theft in the city center was also reported this morning.
A white Renault van driver was searching for it for a while and then it was taken into custody.
The car has not been found.
Curse of the Joyrider - The Dreadful Fate of the Glitter Stars
The theory has gained traction on the internet that the cast of Glee is cursed, as actress Naya Rivera drowned in California recently, making her the third main cast member to pass away before their time.
The show Glee is a popular television series about singing, dancing, and joy.
The series revolves around a teenage joy club in a high school, their loves and destinies.
It was not always easy to be part of the joyous group, but through song and dance the characters seemed to be able to overcome whatever circumstances they encountered in their lives.
Outside the sets, there have been major disruptions to the actors and crew of the shows, so much so that allegations have arisen that bullying is taking place on the sets.
Naya Rivera played the role of Santana Lopez in the show, a feisty character who didn't always obey her grandmother.
After the show had run its course, Rivera married actor Ryan Dorsey and had her first and only child with him, Josey.
In 2017, Rivera was arrested for domestic violence against her husband and they subsequently divorced.
However, Dorsey declined to file a complaint and the domestic violence case was dropped.
On July 8th of last year, it was announced that Rivera was missing after her four-year-old son was found alone in a boat on Lake Piru in California.
The boy was found sleeping in a life vest on board the boat and he was able to tell the police authorities that he and his mother had jumped overboard and then Rivera had brought him back to the boat but had never returned himself.
An extensive search for Rivera has been launched.
The day after the search began, the local police chief concluded that the search was based on the assumption that Rivera had drowned.
Five days later, Rivera was found and officially declared dead.
It is believed that she was caught in a strong current in the water and used her last strength to save her son.
Danish law was applied to the cases of drunk driving.
Cory Allan Michael Monteith played the role of Finn Hudson in the show, the American football player with the angelic voice who played a key role in bringing the Glee Club to fame and respect.
Despite the circumstances, Moneith still dealt with personal demons.
From the age of 13, he had been struggling with addiction and it proved difficult to break free from it.
In 2013, his colleagues in the show found it enough, intervened and encouraged him to seek help.
Moneith then went into treatment and it seemed that everything was looking up.
Only two months after completing his treatment, Moneith was found dead in a hotel room after going out to have fun with friends.
The mixture of chemicals and alcohol proved to be highly combustible.
It was not considered to be intentional.
Moneith had undergone treatment and his tolerance for toxins had decreased so much that even small doses which he had previously tolerated well, proved to be fatal.
He was only 31 years old when he passed away.
His passing weighed heavily on his colleagues, but at the request of his co-star, Lea Michele, it was decided to continue shooting the episodes and dedicate them to the memory of Monteith and his character Finn.
Mark Wayne Salling played the role of Noah "Puck" Puckerman in the show, Puck was an American football player, like Finn, and had little respect for his fellow Glee club members, until he gained the courage to admit that he enjoyed singing and dancing.
Two years later, Salling was arrested at his home in Los Angeles on suspicion of possession of child pornography.
Upon searching his home, a large amount of child pornography was found and the case was quickly made public.
It was clear that Salling had been.
He was subsequently charged and convicted of his crimes.
He was sentenced to four to seven years in prison, as well as being required to register as a sex offender and seek treatment for pedophilia.
Before the judge had imposed the sentence, Salling, who was then released on bail, was found to be living close to his home.
Danish law provided for suicide.
It was not only the players of the games who fell far behind in age.
Jim Fuller was the assistant director of the episodes.
He was suddenly taken in sleep in 2013, only 41 years of age.
Nancy Motes also worked on the episode.
She was the younger sister of movie star Julia Roberts and did not have a pleasant relationship with her sister, accusing Roberts of heavy-handedness and disrespectful behavior.
Mote took her own life in 2014 after struggling with severe depression.
She left a letter to her beloved in which she said her mother and sister, among others, were responsible for how she had been treated.
"My mother and so-called siblings will get nothing from me but the memory that it was they who caused all my worst depression."
Lea Michel was the star of the shows.
She has recently been accused of using her power unilaterally and oppressively at her workplace and having oppressive management practices.
Jesse Luken had a guest role in the episodes in 2012.
He was arrested and charged with drunk driving in 2019, which was considered a serious offense.
Actress Heather Morris had a major role in the episodes.
In 2010, she was the victim of computer hackers who obtained and published nude pictures of her on the Internet.
Actors Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner both starred in the show and had a relationship outside of the show.
Benoist later reported that Jenner had used violence in the relationship.
Almost anything can be decorated with flowers.
It enhances the development of children when they get to play outside in the garden with their parents, tending to flowers and watching them grow and wither.
It is also endlessly possible to do with flowers as Swedish photographer Anna Kubel points out.
Just spending time with the children in the garden is something that is never forgotten.
They will remember the flowers, the sunshine, and of course that precious time they had with their parents.
Bought a boat after the tenth bank.
"I don't think there are many of us sailors who work in kindergartens in the country," says Axel Örn Guðmundsson, who goes fishing in the summer but studies psychology at the University of Iceland in the winter.
Fishing is a very convenient summer job when one is in school.
If fishing is done well, good income can be earned and I find it great to be able to avoid taking out student loans.
The wages are also good enough for me in the winter," says Axel Örn Guðmundsson, a 25-year-old psychology student, who goes fishing in the summer like the past summers.
Axel had just arrived at the dock in Tálknafjörður when a journalist caught up with him late in the evening at the start of the week.
During my tenth grade year, I took a boating license for boats under twelve meters long and I bought my own boat the summer after I graduated from high school.
I have been fishing in my boat every summer since then.
I bought the boat second-hand from my friend, Hartmann Jónsson, and I named the boat after him.
Hartmann had become an adult when I bought the boat and had stopped going to sea, and he was very pleased when he saw that the boat bore his name.
"Hartmann passed away a few years after I took over the boat," says Axel, adding that he bought the boat for three million.
I made an agreement with Hartmann to pay half a million, one and a half million, at the beginning of the summer and the other half at the end of the summer when I was done fishing.
I had the boat debt-free by the end of my first summer with it.
How could a boy have had one and a half million to pay out for a boat when he had just finished elementary school?
I had saved up and earned money, I had been working with my dad at sea when I was a boy, I was all summers fishing with him and got my share.
I also put my savings into my boat fund.
Axel was born in Isafjordur, where all his family is from, but he has lived in Kópavogur since he was a boy.
I can fish here in the west coast because I have a residence permit with my grandmother in Isafjordur.
I learned to sail in this area west of here with my dad.
I travel between fjords depending on how I feel, as this fishing area covers the entire Westfjords.
Although I prefer to be west of it, I have also explored around Snæfellsnes and further.
I also go south, mostly to the sandpipers," says Axel, who always wakes up early in the morning and sometimes talks to the seagulls and sings to the sky, in the moments of solitude out on the beach.
The internet connection out at sea is good, so I can make calls, listen to podcasts and music.
I don't mind being alone on a boat.
Of course I try to avoid trouble, but occasionally something has been a bit risky, but never too much of a danger," says Axel, who is lucky that he never gets seasick.
He says the length of the workday depends on how the fishing goes each time.
"When I'm fishing I'm never out for more than 14 hours at a time, but I've also been fishing in other systems, like the leasing quota, where I've been out on the sea for a continuous period of one and a half solar cycles fishing."
He states that the fishing regulations allow him to catch 770 kilos per day, which he finds to be excessive.
Other restrictions are that I cannot fish on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and I can only fish twelve days a month, during these four months that the coastal fishing season is open, in May, June, July and August.
In my opinion, fishermen should choose their fishing days according to the weather and nothing else.
This unnecessary pressure is on people to take a break instead of having 48 days off throughout the summer and being able to choose for themselves.
"So that the zoning could go my way and fishing grounds well situated near the fishing grounds should be able to benefit from it," says Axel, who mostly catches cod from the deep sea on his beach fishing trips, as well as occasionally some haddock and other species of flatfish.
Axel works over the winter season at the Núpi kindergarten in Kópavogur while studying at university.
"We are not many sailors who work in the kindergartens of the country," says Axel proudly and adds that he had only intended to work temporarily at the kindergarten.
I was attracted to this job because I find it amazing.
I hope that my psychology studies will be useful to me in the future in the kindergarten level," says Axel, who is also far along in his studies of business.
An error in the registration prevented the homecoming allowance.
The registration form filled out by people when they enter the country was used to ensure that an individual, resident here, was not called back for inspection.
There is no requirement to provide an ID number when completing the form in English, as is the case when it is completed in Icelandic.
"This will be looked at during the week," says an expert in the health department of the national doctor.
Three domestic cases were confirmed at the Virology Department of the National Hospital yesterday.
One of those who tested positive arrived in the country on July 15th, two days after the rules on so-called homecoming tests came into effect.
Those residing in Iceland are screened upon arrival to the country and invited for a test four to five days later.
It was reported in the RÚV evening news that the person in question had, however, followed the old system.
The border control was negative and was not called back for the virus.
Kamilla Rut Sigfúsdóttir, an expert in the field of public health, said in an interview with the press agency that this could be attributed to an error in the electronic registration form.
Completing the registration form in English does not require the inclusion of a social security number as in the Icelandic version.
It was primarily intended for foreign tourists.
Therefore, the person in question has not been given an automatic notification to undergo a test.
Camilla says that many have still followed the rules of entry clearance even though they filled out the form in English and in some cases employers have also been vigilant in sending people back for testing after they arrived in the country.
This will be looked at during the week to see how access to this can be facilitated to draw attention to the process.
The person is in quarantine and six have been put in isolation.
They all went for the test, but two had already shown symptoms.
Contact tracing is now underway for the three cases identified yesterday, and is largely completed for the two cases identified on Friday.
In both cases, Icelandic genome sequencing has revealed variants of the coronavirus not previously found here.
In the second case, the bonds were directed to Israel although it was known that the person who brought the virus into the country had also travelled to other European countries.
Camilla said that it should be clear by tomorrow where the other party was coming from.
There are now 15 in quarantine according to the COVID.is website.
There are 135 in quarantine.
Four out of five infections are unrelated.
Five domestic cases have been reported in the country in the past few days.
Four of them are completely unrelated and, for example, the source of the infection that arose at the Rey Cup sports tournament yesterday has not yet been identified.
Discrimination is still prevalent.
Originally, thirty individuals were sent to quarantine, but this was reduced to sixteen.
In total, there are 34 cases of infection due to these new illnesses that were identified yesterday.
This is the second time in a short period of time that an outbreak has been reported at a sporting event, raising questions about whether such events should be held.
Johann K. Johannsson, Communications Manager of the National Police Commissioner's Public Safety Division, says it is perfectly possible as long as people follow the guidelines and regulations.
We are constantly advocating for all those living here that individual protective measures must be maintained.
We also need to remind people who are holding events that there are certain rules in place that need to be followed.
"It is possible to hold the event," says Johann.
He states that it is possible to prevent infection by maintaining individual protective measures against infection.
Rules and criteria should also be subject to regular review.
What needs to be done, and what the Public Health Department and the County Medical Office are constantly urging people to do, is to adhere to these individual protective measures.
Both domestically and with service providers.
People should wash their hands and use hand sanitizer.
"It prevents the spread of infection," says Johann.
We need to remind people to keep up the good work that we have been doing in order to maintain the success we have achieved so far.
40% of COVID-19 fatalities had type 2 diabetes.
Devon Brumfield heard over the phone how difficult it was for her father to breathe.
Her father had diabetes and she encouraged him to seek medical help.
The next day he was gone.
The deadline was extended for faster processing due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Diabetes was listed on the death certificate as an underlying condition and Brumfield, who also has diabetes, is fearful that he too may be facing the same fate.
Reuters news agency states that Brumfield's fear is not unfounded.
Figures from a new study conducted by US authorities show that approximately 40% of those tested were found to have type 2 diabetes as an underlying condition.
When the proportion of those who have not reached the age of 65 is considered, the proportion increases to one half.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a survey of more than 10,000 people in 15 countries who died from coronavirus between February and May.
Jonathan Wortham, a specialist in infectious diseases at the CDC, says the results are striking, especially for those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and their loved ones.
Reuters conducted a survey at a leisurely pace and the responses from the 12 countries that responded were in similar proportions.
Ten states, including California, Arizona, and Columbia, have yet to recognize underlying diseases.
The sugar rush was already fading away slowly.
"Now, COVID-19 has broken out like a powerful age," Reuters quoted Elbert Huang, director of the Center for Chronic Disease Research and Policy at the University of Chicago.
Diabetes is more common among Blacks and people of South American origin, who have also fared worse in the coronavirus pandemic.
The best protection for those with type 2 diabetes is to keep the disease in check through physical activity, healthy diet, and support from healthcare professionals.
However, the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for many to maintain their routines.
The high cost of insulin has caused some to continue to go to work, thus avoiding being exposed to the virus.
Reuters reports that US authorities may have been aware of the risks posed to those with type 2 diabetes from the vaccine.
When SARS coronavirus spread in 2003, approximately 20% of those infected were hospitalized, and in the swine flu pandemic of 2009, this group was three times more likely to require hospitalization.
When MERS emerged in 2012, an investigation showed that 60% of those who died or were hospitalized had diabetes.
Charles S. Dela Cruz, a researcher at Yale University, states that due to the effects of the COVID-19 virus, the pandemic could have uncovered a multitude of previously unknown side effects.
"I fear we will see a tidal wave of problems when this is over," says Andrew Bolton, chairman of the International Diabetes Association.
Doctors have warned that the coronavirus pandemic could indirectly lead to an increase in complications related to diabetes, such as neuropathy and neurodegenerative diseases.
New research is being conducted to investigate whether the coronavirus could lead to an increase in diabetes cases.
Reuters reports that scientists are trying to understand the link between the coronavirus and type 2 diabetes.
We focus on the heart, lungs and kidneys, organs already weakened in many people with diabetes.
A high ratio of glucose and lipids in diabetics can cause a phenomenon known as a "reactive hypoglycemia storm", when the body's defense system overreacts and overwhelms the body.
Damage to intake valves can also lead to cavitation which can in turn cause harmful blood loss.
"It's all one big puzzle," says Dela Cruz.
This applies to everything internally.
The news has been corrected.
"We were offered a toast, so they left the inn."
Ásrún Magnúsdóttir and Atli Bollason were presented with the unusual request from the artist Ragnar Kjartansson to have sex in front of a camera for a work he was putting on in Paris.
"We love each other so this wasn't hard."
Atli Bollason never forgets the first time he met his wife and mother-in-law, Ásrún Magnúsdóttir.
I was very impressed by her.
It was naturally just the novelty, but it also seemed quite unbearably sweet to me.
"And so it is," he says.
Asrun likes this too, as her husband regularly recites the first verse.
I'm always hearing this story.
Just last weekend," she said, smiling as she remembered meeting her husband for the first time.
I found and still find such a great fuss around Atli, which I find annoying.
There's a lot going on and a lot happening and I'm excited about it.
Atli said that the couple had emphasized in their relationship to go their own way.
We do not tie our knots the same way as our contemporaries.
We establish routines around us to protect ourselves.
There may be a reason why they took the commission from Ragnar Kjartansson the artist with enthusiasm, though it was to say the least unusual.
"Our mutual friend Kristín Anna has contacted us and asked if we can join her, Ragga, and Ingibjörg, Ragga's wife, for dessert at Snaps."
They ordered the appetizers, met the trio at Snaps and got themselves a dessert wine and their own after-dinner treat.
They listened to Ragnar as he guided them through his plans for an art exhibition he was planning to set up at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in the fall.
He had a multi-screen video work called Scenes from Western Culture.
He explained it in a simple way.
Asrun states that he has depicted the work as a banal and decadent scene from the everyday life of Westerners.
He had sketches of all the scenes he planned to shoot and lastly he told us what he wanted to know if we were interested in taking part in it.
Ragnar asked the couple to take part in an experiment to show young interracial couples in love in a minimalistic room.
"These are journeys with a beginning and an end," says Atli.
Although they knew little about Ragnar, they knew of him and he of them, "but they knew us and it seemed to fit."
They had agreed not to advertise for people.
Maybe they thought they wouldn't get the right people, but people who would get some kind of sexual gratification from performing for others.”
They called for Ragnar and agreed to consider the matter, and it didn't take long.
When we ran out of Snaps we said: Aren't we just here for this?
That's just the way it is.
"I trusted Ragnar as an artist and his whole team," says Ásrún, and Atli agrees.
This is about love and closeness.
She was taken up to a nice apartment on Myrargata Street.
There was a very small film crew; the cameraman, Ragnar, and the soundman and the pair.
After the check-out had been completed, everyone left the room to wait outside in the car except Atli and Asrun.
We had not decided how we should be.
We got some instructions but we tried to forget the time and place.
To be unaware of what we were doing and for whom.
"We didn't play, we just loved each other so it wasn't complicated," says Ásrún.
Was this romantic?
"Yes, that was a bit romantic," says Atli and Asrun agrees.
We were offered a toast before they left the barracks.
It was like being on a nice holiday in Paris.
The team was pleased with the participant's performance in the task that moved them forward.
"When Tom the viewer saw this, he cried, it seemed so beautiful to him," says Atli.
"It's as much about love and closeness as it is about the relationships themselves," says Ásrún.
Atli's parents have seen the work and he says his mother heard his voice in the screening at the Reykjavik Art Museum and then realized he was part of the work.
"She turns around and starts to ponder this," says Atli.
Mom and Dad saw this in Paris.
We hadn't told anyone about it, but then my dad sent me a message saying, "Nice to run into the little family at the Palais de Tokyo," Ásrún recalls.
Has participation in the project deepened the relationship between Ásrún and Atli?
We are still together so maybe we can delve into this a bit deeper.
This deepened my connection with my extended family," says Ásrún with a laugh.
Ásrún saw the project in Copenhagen with her colleague.
"It was hard for me not to be with you or someone else," she says, turning to her husband.
It was great to see this because it is just one scene in a much bigger work and when you see this with the other works it is very beautiful.
I managed to break away from this and was just proud.
And there was this little seed of doubt in my stomach," says Ásrún, who was pregnant with the couple's second child when the test was taken.
"That was just beautiful."
Anna Marsibil Clausen spoke to Ásrún and Atli on Ástarsögur on Rás 1.
Swansea victorious in the previous knockout match.
Swansea won 1-0 against Brentford in a dramatic match.
This was the previous match of the teams in the playoffs to get promoted to the English Premier League.
The game took place at Swansea's home ground in Wales.
The score at halftime was 0-0.
The home crowd in Swansea were awarded a penalty on the 64th minute, and Andre Ayew stepped up to the spot and fired the ball past the keeper.
Only two minutes later, Rico Henry, a Brentford player, was given a red card.
Brentford played the rest of the game with one man less and in the 82nd minute, Swansea's players took advantage of the numerical superiority.
Andre Ayew then increased the tension by scoring a superb goal and secured a 1-0 victory for Swansea.
Swansea leads 1-0 in the tie, with the second leg taking place next Wednesday at Brentford's home ground.
Without prejudice for five years from 2009.
Jeffrey Gunter Ross, the US Ambassador to Iceland, is in the spotlight of the media after CBS reported yesterday that he wanted to have an armed bodyguard as he feared for his life.
It has not been without difficulty for the President of the United States to appoint an ambassador here.
Since Carol Van Voorst left her post as Ambassador of the United States in April 2009, the country has been without an ambassador for 62 months, more than five years.
Van Voorst resigned from office under special circumstances, but Kastljós reported in 2009 that she should have received the Falcon Award.
On her way to a farewell meeting with the President of Iceland, she received a call from the Presidential Office informing her that she would not be dishonored by the appointment.
After she left Iceland, she studied International Relations at the Army War College.
Six months passed until Van Voorst's successor took office in September 2010.
It can be partly attributed to Robert S. Connan having been appointed as ambassador and then resigning.
Louis Ariega eventually took the job, having worked in the foreign service for decades.
He left his job in the autumn of 2013 and took up the post of ambassador to Guatemala.
Then a second period of diplomatic relations began.
Robert Barber was confirmed by the US Congress in January 2015 and took office shortly thereafter, as there had been no ambassador in place for 13 months.
Barber was politically appointed, not a diplomat, but he had worked as a lawyer and a short-term campaign fund for Barack Obama.
He resigned from his post when Donald Trump took office as President on January 20th, 2017, as is customary for politically appointed ambassadors.
The Trump administration was unusually quick to appoint both ambassadors and high-level officials to the Washington bureaucracy.
Two years passed until the United States Congress invited Jeffrey Ross Gunter to appear before them to answer questions and confirm his appointment as ambassador to Iceland.
In his testimony to the assembly, he said he had never been to Iceland but often to Western Europe, while his late wife had been of Dutch descent.
Gunter is politically appointed, was formerly a dermatologist in California, and has been active in the Republican Jewish Coalition.
Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson founded the organizations, and Adelson is a staunch supporter of Donald Trump.
Gunter started working in Iceland in May 2019, when no ambassador had been in the country since early 2017, for two years and four months, which is the longest on record here.
The reason is both how long the Trump administration was taking to appoint people to key positions as well as the fact that in recent years the work of the US Congress has been drawn out significantly, including confirming ambassadors to posts.
Since 2009, Iceland has been roaming-free for five years.
This has not prevented the activities of the Embassy which recently opened its headquarters in Engjateig.
The works are estimated to have cost around 6.5 billion, with reinforced security walls surrounding the building and bulletproof glass in all the windows.
However, it appears to have not been enough to secure the current ambassador, as he is said to fear for his life and has requested to be provided with armed protection.
Former IBV player faced racism in Iceland - "It was a mistake to come to Iceland".
Tonny Mawejje, a former player of IBV, has stated that he experienced racism when he was in Iceland and that he regrets having come to the country.
This was reported in an interview with Tonny that was published in the Ugandan media outlet Daily Monitor.
Tonny recently joined the Uganda Police FC team, which plays in the top division of Uganda.
In an interview with Daily Monitor, Tonny talks about many things, including his time in the country, where he played for IBV, Val and Throttur in Iceland.
When I came to Iceland, I didn't play in midfield like I was used to.
The captain of the team was in that position, but in addition he also had the jersey number I wanted, so I got neither of what I wanted," says Tonny, who played on the right side of the field with IBV during the game.
Among the things Tony talks about is racism that he experienced in Iceland.
He states that this is an issue that many black players face when playing in Europe.
This once happened to me but since I didn't understand the language, I just ignored what was said to me.
Later, I heard news about the case and then I asked my friend what the case was about.
He told me then that my opponent had made racist remarks about me after I tackled him.
In 2014, Tonny moved from Iceland to Norway, where he joined Haugesund.
He admits to having made the mistakes he most regrets.
Tonny had not been able to make it into the starting lineup for Haugesund, but he wanted to play more to make it into the national team.
He then asked to go back to Iceland on loan, and he then joined Val.
It was a mistake to come back to Iceland on loan.
"I think if I had stayed in Norway I would have gotten the opportunity I wanted," says Tonny, who was hoping that if he played well in Norway he would likely get further.
He means that the loan to Iceland has made his dreams of making it big in Europe come true.
A woman was found with a snake in her throat.
Doctors at St. Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo found a 3.8 cm long black snake in the throat of a woman who had come there for treatment.
The doctors were able to extract the worm with tongs.
The investigation revealed that it was a predatory animal.
CNN reports on this.
The woman had eaten sashimi, thin slices of raw meat, a few days earlier.
The woman recovered quickly after the snake was removed, but reptiles like this are often found in raw meat or fish.
According to CNN, since sushi has become popular in the West, cases of people being infected by parasites from raw fish have increased.
Fear of a new wave starting in Europe.
Spain is now in the midst of a crisis in relation to concerns about a second wave of the coronavirus in Europe, and the authorities have taken measures to contain the spread of the virus anew.
In Catalonia, all leisure activities have been put on hold for two weeks, with more cities than Barcelona seeing an increase in infections.
Other European countries have also taken measures due to the increase in infections in Spain, while in the UK all must go into quarantine upon return from Spain, as in Norway, and the French have been warned against travelling to Spain.
Cases are also increasing in France and Germany, where governments are trying to find a balance between containing the spread of the virus and restarting the economy.
The situation in Europe is still good compared to elsewhere in the world, but new infections worldwide are approaching 300 thousand per day, with the highest numbers in America and South Asia.
Confirmed cases of the virus have reached 16 million worldwide, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University, and confirmed deaths linked to the virus have reached 644 thousand.
Mosaic Artwork Finally Gets to Enjoy Its Fulfillment
In front of the Customs House in Reykjavik there is a large and deep hole.
People wearing orange helmets are below her.
There is also a big ditch.
And more minor tools of work.
The road is closed to traffic.
The pavement is alive and now many people stand and admire the artwork made of millions of mosaic tiles - as if they had never seen it before.
Maybe they have never seen it before.
At least not envisaged.
The project has been somewhat neglected up to now, directly in front of it there were always busy car parks.
People parked there, locked the car in a hurry and then set off to do their business in the city center.
"Vibrant and diverse public space" and "supportive urban fabric" are guiding principles for the redevelopment of Tryggvagata which is now underway.
The aim is to beautify the area and allow Gerður Helgadóttir's mosaic work at the Toll House to be better appreciated.
In front of the work, a square will be built and since the area is well exposed to the sun, it is considered suitable as a resting area for travelers.
The inventory will be listed and the material will now enjoy itself better than before on this 142 square meter floor.
There will also be small "water features", kind of water sculptures, which offer play and give the area a certain atmosphere.
In this way, the City of Reykjavik is committed to the implementation along with the Member States.
Water, heat and electricity supply regulations will be renewed.
Many of them are of their age, but the sewer and cold water systems date back to 1925 and have thus served the inhabitants and businesses of the downtown area for almost a century.
Once the works are completed, cars can drive on the road again.
However, it will be exclusive and at the same time create more tranquil and accessible spaces for circulation.
According to the Customs House page of the Customs Director, the building was put into use in 1971 and its architect was Gísli Halldórsson.
Due to the harbor breeze passing through the house, a 250-meter wall of windowless walls was formed out onto the street.
The building committee and the architect agreed that such a facade would have a negative impact on the overall appearance of the house, unless special measures were taken to enhance the look of the building.
The parties agreed to provide for the installation of a permanent artwork here.
At this time, much was said about Gerður Helgadóttir, the artist, according to the summary.
She had worked extensively on mosaic artworks in Germany and beyond.
It was decided to contact her first before deciding whether a tender would be necessary for the job.
It had often been discussed that the work should reflect life at the harbor, since the harbor had been the lifeblood of Reykjavík since it was established.
When the painter was spoken to, she had to be taken aback by such a work.
It was agreed that she would receive drawings and other assistance before she left the country, where she would work on the proposals abroad.
Gerður was given the time she deemed necessary, and when she returned home she put forward some proposals for discussion.
It was unanimously agreed to ask her to do the job.
In addition, an agreement was sought with her and the famous art dealership in Germany, the Oidtmann Brothers, with whom Gerður had long been working on the installation of famous artworks throughout Europe.
Agreements were reached and Gerður completed the artwork under the setup of the brothers' workshop, who then took care of the setup of the Customs House.
The work was particularly well done by both Gerður Helgadóttir and Oidtmann Brothers, according to the summary.
It has since endured the harsh Icelandic weather.
It took Gerður two years to complete the work, which was done and set up in 1972 and 1973.
The Customs House was completed two years before the Act was passed, when the builder was only 47 years old.
Transferring of multiple establishments abroad is being prepared.
Minister of Social Affairs Asmundur Einar Daðason announces that more public institutions will be relocated to the countryside in the near future.
This was said by the Minister in the show "Sprengisandi á Bylgjunni" this morning.
Recently, it was announced that the Housing and Employment Agency's fraud department will be relocated to Sauðárkrókur in the fall.
Six specialists in the field of fire safety work for the institution, but none of them intend to follow the institution north and the National Association of Firefighters and Paramedics has criticized the relocation plans.
I believe we should take further steps in this protection.
I am preparing further steps in this protection.
"Further transfers," said Ásmundur.
He is convinced that a large majority of the population wants to see a greater distribution of public institutions throughout the country.
"I think we need to take further political decisions about the relocation of public services outside the country, as I was doing with the Housing and Employment Agency," said Ásmundur, who also gave examples of other institutions that have been relocated outside the country and have made a big difference for communities outside the country, such as the relocation of the Food Agency to Selfoss, the Icelandic Land Survey to Akranes and unemployment benefits to Skagaströnd.
The highlights from the second day of the Masters Tournament.
The Icelandic Masters in Free Sports concluded today at Thorsvellir in Akureyri.
Some records were set on the last competition day.
Exciting competition in women's shot put was expected at Thorsvellir, and Vigdís Jónsdóttir from FH set an Icelandic record in shot put in 2014, which stood until Elísabet Rut Rúnarsdóttir from ÍR improved the record in May last year.
Vigdís won the Icelandic Championship earlier this summer and has been in great form since then, having tripled her Icelandic Championship score since the summer.
Elizabeth Ruth has been struggling with an injury and was unable to play today.
She only had one valid throw out of five, throwing 25.69 meters, which is far from her best.
Vigdís threw the farthest of all today, 60.08 meters in her last attempt, and set a new record at the same time.
Iceland's record, set earlier in July, was 62.69 meters, so she was still somewhat short of that.
Guðrún Karítas Hallgrímsdóttir from Iceland had the second best throw of the day, improving her best performance with a throw of 50.18 meters.
In the men's category, FH athlete Hilmar Örn Jónsson, Iceland's representative in the hammer throw, won a convincing victory as he threw 73.84 meters in his penultimate throw and set a new record.
His record in the event is 75.26 meters.
Guðni Valur Guðnason, an Olympic athlete and Iceland's representative in discus throw, won a competition in shot put at Þórsvellir yesterday and today he competed in discus throw which is his main event.
Iceland's Guðni Val's personal best is 65.53 meters, but he threw 59.13 meters today and secured the victory.
Valdimar Hjalti Erlendsson threw the second farthest today with one valid throw of 49.43 meters, good enough for second place.
Hafdís Sigurðardóttir, Iceland's representative in the long jump, won the long jump competition with a remarkable performance, as she jumped 6.25 meters today, which is just 40 cm short of her own Icelandic record.
In the 200 meter women's race, it was Icelandic runner Guðbjörg Jóna Bjarnadóttir who was the fastest, finishing in 24.04 seconds, while her Icelandic record in the event is 23.45 seconds.
Guðbjörg Jóna was triumphant in Akureyri yesterday, winning two gold medals in the 100m sprint and the 4x100m relay, and also in the 4x400m relay today.
In the men's category, Kolbeinn Höður Gunnarsson from FH was first in the 200 meter race in 21.57 seconds, 0.3 seconds ahead of Óliver Mána Samúelsson from Ármann.
Just like Guðbjörg Jóna, Kolbeinn Höður won gold in the 100m yesterday as well as in the 400m race.
Not sentenced for a 27 million krona Bitcoin hack.
The appeals committee has rejected the request of the tax inspector who demanded a tax assessment on a person for failing to declare their financial gains from the sale of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin.
The committee concluded that the tax inspector had not provided clear reasons why it was necessary to prosecute the man.
The decision of the committee states that the tax inspector considered the person to have made incorrect tax declarations for the years 2016 and 2017.
He had failed to declare his financial gains from the sale of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, amounting to 27 million, either deliberately or through gross negligence.
The court convicted the man for his misconduct.
He rejected it in a letter to the committee.
He nonetheless went ahead with selling cryptocurrencies for 27 million in 2016.
He had acquired it through purchase in 2009 and 2010 when such had been both easy and inexpensive with a regular home computer.
He pointed out that when he sold the cryptocurrency, the tax implications of such a sale had been highly unclear and unpredictable.
It would not have been reasonable to expect ordinary citizens to be aware of such provisions in the tax return.
He had not intended to avoid paying tax on the income and had declared his assets on the declaration of capital on deposit account.
He had asked both experts and the tax authorities how to proceed with this, but without success.
He considered that due account should be taken of the fact that he was neither born nor raised in Iceland and had only been living here for a few years when he started mining for Bitcoin.
He would thus be in a worse position than others to understand complex rules which the tax authorities had not formed a clear opinion on.
The man considered it fair that his taxes for those two fiscal years be reassessed and a penalty imposed, but otherwise not be punished.
He reiterated that he was resident in Iceland and had paid taxes in the country since 2012.
He had never intended to evade his obligations in an irresponsible manner.
The claim for damages would be without any doubt and would put him in debt.
Brynjólfur is making waves: "This man knows what football is about."
Brynjólfur Andersen Willumsson has been a standout amongst people, as well as garnering admiration for his success in his time with Breiðablik in the Pepsi Max division.
The spotlight will be on the pitch tonight as they take on IA in a live broadcast on Stöð 2 Sport.
Brynjólfur is given a red card due to four warnings during the game and therefore does not show up for the next game with a new haircut as he has done in the games of the season so far.
He had written "bla, bla, bla" on his shirt for the game against HK last Thursday, which HK won 1–0.
I don't know exactly who he was answering to with the payment, but in terms of character, it was better to try in the game.
He did not go into hiding.
He wanted to get the ball every single time and if there was anyone to even out this game then I thought he would do it or make it happen," said Guðmundur Benediktsson in the Pepsi Max studio, when the conversation turned to Brynjólfi.
"I'm here for the people."
It can be difficult sometimes to understand where one stands.
He tends to drift out to the left side as the game progresses, but he has a very free role in the team," said Hjörvar Hafliðason.
Thorkell Máni Pétursson calls Brynjólf a real entertainer and is delighted to have such a colourful person in the team: "There is no doubt that this is character.
This is an exciting type and I love it with the hair, and always being ready to attend and answer in interviews.
There are so many people taken in by him, telling me that this man understands what football is all about.
I am an entertainer.
I'm here for the people and to have a good time.
People are reading Brynjólf's interviews, people are paying attention and following what is next on his agenda.
"This man is just brilliant," said Máni.
Player KR has stated that he wishes to leave the club - "I have been in contact with some teams in Division B".
Tobias Thomsen, a player for KR in the Pepsi Max division, appears to be on his way out of the team.
According to the Danish media Bold, Tobias is ready to go back home to Denmark.
Football.net also reported on the case.
Tobias wants to start his period in his home country, but first he needs to terminate his contract with KR where the Danish division starts earlier than the Icelandic one.
"The company knows that I miss Denmark and has shown me a lot of understanding," Tobias said in an interview with Bold.
I have been in contact with some teams in Division B and will likely switch before the Icelandic season ends.
There are not many companies in Denmark that can afford to meet the terms of my contract with KR.
He says that he will probably have to take a pay cut in Denmark.
"Organizations in Denmark have likely been more affected by the virus economically than in Iceland."
Bicycle courier Bjartmar has recovered bicycles for millions - Now faces charges following a DV report.
For over a decade, Bjartmar Leósson has had interests unlike most others.
He recovers and rescues lost and stolen bicycles, electric bikes and scooters.
Bjartmar has earned the nickname "the Bicycle Whisperer" for his expertise.
Yesterday, there was quite a stir when a person published an account of their interactions with Bjartmar.
DV referred to a discussion in the Westside Facebook group where it was mentioned that Bjartmar had spoken to a man at Eastwell and suggested that the vespers might be stolen.
It was not possible to read anything else from the original documents of the computer technician than that Bjartmar had stolen from him.
The text has now been amended on Facebook and the headline of the original DV news article has been updated accordingly.
Bjartmar states that the initial reports of the incident do not accurately reflect what actually happened yesterday at Austurvellir.
Bjartmar claimed to have received information from the informant of the computer theft that these were indeed his computers.
Bjartmar says that the supposed owner received information from someone else, but the information turned out to be wrong.
I looked to the cow and I recognized the scooter, for I had heard information that there was a scooter that had been missing for a long time and had been sought after.
At first I hesitated, but when I saw him getting ready to drive off in the car I decided to approach the man.
The owner was sure of his case, so I decided to have a talk with the man.
Generally, I was doing quite well in such matters, but before I could finish what I had to say, the man had taken away my word.
Bjartmar states that the man with the laptop demanded that he show him the receipt for the bike and then called the police himself.
"Yes, great," said Bjartmar, "let's get this sorted out."
The owner of the laptop then verified ownership of his laptop and left.
Later, the owner of the laptop told his story on Facebook, as reported earlier.
In the short year that Bjartmar has devoted to this skill, he claims to be able to count the divisions he arrived at on the fingers of the other hand.
"I have had peaceful interactions with the toughest people in Reykjavik," said Bjartmar, pointing out that cyclists are often the least brothers and sisters of society, addicts, mentally ill people, and other people who are on the street for some reason.
"Debt is a harsh master and somehow one has to finance the next bit, unfortunately theft on such loose funds is an easy way to that end," says Bjartmar.
My interactions with these people are so good that I have brought many of the good people with me to the team.
People have gone through treatment and taken it upon themselves to come to me and help me with what I'm doing," he says.
Generally, Bjartmar's interactions with cyclists should be courteous.
Some know him and what he is doing and offer to show him receipts, bicycle serial numbers, and so on.
Bicycle theft is a major problem that has been little discussed.
Furthermore, Bjartmar states that the police are even encouraging people to talk to him due to the electric scooters.
Bjartmar is dissatisfied with the previous news broadcast of DV and claims to not be a self-appointed vigilante in a personal quest for justice.
Asked whether he is now on thin ice with his recklessness, and whether this is not primarily the job of the police, Bjartmar certainly admits that it is.
Of course the law requires this, but the reality of the situation is that the law is simply not fulfilling this.
For example, I have seen police officers driving away from a large swarm of scooters.
She is completely powerless in these matters.
"If the law isn't doing anything about it, and it's just up to you, and experience has shown that I can get results in this area, then why not?" Bjartmar asks.
He claims to have achieved such success in riding his unicycle that sometimes he runs into his "fans" on the street who just recognize the bright yellow unicycle they had previously acquired.
The occasions on which Bjartmar has called for police assistance have resulted in her not actually showing up.
"It's just not working with the police, and it's not my fault and it's not the bike owners' fault," said Bjartmar, lamenting that victims of bicycle theft have to suffer the inaction of the police in this category of cases.
The success of Bjartmar is disputed.
There are many stories of people thanking Bjartmar for reclaiming their possessions.
Bjartmar himself claims to have long lost count of the number of bicycles he has returned, but the amounts obviously run into millions, if not tens of millions.
Electric scooters, bicycles and skateboards weigh heavily on the wallet, with electric bicycles costing up to half a million.
Bjartmar works during the day at a kindergarten and every weekend he works at a community center.
His hobby of cycling is an unpaid activity that he does in his spare time.
Pension funds and long shadows
In 2019, there was a milestone year in the history of Icelandic pension funds.
Civil servants had indeed received pensions from the King of Denmark since the 19th century, but in 1919 a pension fund for civil servants was established, which eventually became a pension fund for all public servants.
The basis for the current pension schemes of public sector employees was then laid down in collective bargaining agreements in the labour market in 1969, which provided for occupational pension schemes with compulsory membership and full collection of contributions from the beginning of 1970.
In 1974, laws were enacted based on these agreements and the pension system continued to grow after that.
Pension schemes for employees were not the only significant change brought about by the labor movement of the 20th century through its struggle.
Unemployment benefits had been won in similar fashion in the historic strike of 1955, and the unions also made progress in their demands for sickness benefits and a health fund, substantial leave entitlements, reduction of working hours, housing allowances and other such matters of great importance.
All these rights were hard-won and strongly contested, but in the end proved to be much more lasting and beneficial than the multiplication of wages in the wage packet, which disappeared just as quickly in the inflationary period that followed the war and lasted until 1990, as many remember.
The process of establishing public pension funds in 1969 was both lengthy and complex.
Although it was eventually agreed that the funds would be in fact the property of the fund members, the labor movement had to accept that their management should be composed of representatives of employers and fund members in equal numbers.
In the years following the establishment of the funds, the demand for a majority of workers in the fund's management was often discussed in employee associations, but it never succeeded, and so we are still stuck with the unnatural situation that representatives of the fund companies are not in the majority in the fund's management.
Article 36 of Law No. 129/1997 on the Guarantee of Pension Rights and the Activities of Pension Funds discusses the investment policy of the funds.
Article 1 states that "the pension fund shall have the interests of its members as its primary objective."
Article 5 also states: "Pension funds shall set ethical criteria for their investments."
The Statute of the Merchants' Pension Fund contains, inter alia, the following provisions, in accordance with the aforementioned legal provisions:
The Pension Fund is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), along with many of the largest pension funds and asset managers in the West and in Europe.
The rules discuss how emphasis on environmental and social issues, as well as good corporate governance, can contribute to improved investment performance of bond portfolios.
Thus, the interests of investors and the objectives of society as a whole are reconciled.
LV considers it important that companies, especially those listed on the stock exchange, set out a public policy on: good corporate governance, social responsibility and environmental issues.
The Gildi Pension Fund, one of the largest funds in the country, has adopted a "responsible investment policy" with similar provisions.
This is all outlined here as an introduction to the latest Icelandic neologism, "shadow governance".
As the term is used in the context, it is not expected to have been defined, but the following definition appears to be the most widely accepted: Shadow Governance is when a corporate executive tells the media that he intends to send representatives of the company to the board of a pension fund with recommendations or instructions on how they should take a stance on a particular issue.
If they do not comply with the recommendations, they will be removed from the board at the earliest opportunity.
If the manager does not take this to the media and does not talk about dismissal, then it is not "shadow management" as such interactions between people are obviously always present in the financial world as elsewhere.
I leave it to the reader to consider which path he finds "shadowier."
There are mainly two people who have attempted to shape this definition as of the morning of Saturday, July 25th, 2020.
They are Hörður Ægisson, a journalist at the newspaper Fréttablaðið, and Ásgeir Jónsson, a bank manager.
The context of both was that after Bogi Nils Bogason, CEO of Icelandair, had announced his intention to terminate the company's contracts with flight attendants and pilots (lay them off), Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, Chairman of the Reykjavík Merchants' Association, sent out a recommendation to the association's representatives on the board of the Merchants' Pension Fund not to support any potential purchase of the fund's shares in the company, or they might be made to resign.
Later, Bogi Nils retracted his decision and subsequently Ragnar Thor followed suit with his recommendation, which was obviously based on Bogi's decision.
Nevertheless, Hörður and Ásgeir saw fit to elaborate on the matter in the Friday edition of Fréttablaðið with strong words about shadow governance, violations of the law, and the need for legal reform.
There the little tuft had certainly to turn a heavy load, though the blessed tuft had been in a state of connection and moreover had been dried out quickly.
As the matter is important, let us bear in mind the substance itself in the end.
I have previously referred to the provisions of the pension fund legislation concerning this matter.
This includes the duty of fund managers to act in the interests of fund shareholders and to exercise due diligence in investments, which are further elaborated in the regulations of both the Pension Fund and the Trade Union Fund as I mentioned.
Pension funds, however, MUST NOT focus solely on short-term return objectives in their investments.
Such a policy would be highly risky and there is no need to look far for examples of this in the past, where large loans from banks and funds have been given to unscrupulous adventurers and environmental polluters, with disastrous consequences.
The CEO of Icelandair was clearly on a high horse when he had the idea to lay off a whole group of employees, thus significantly reducing the goodwill the company has enjoyed in the Icelandic market and weakening its position vis-à-vis investors.
Fortunately, he saw sense and retracted it.
Time will tell whether investments of pension funds in the Community can be considered responsible with respect to the fund members.
The author is a former professor of physics and the history of science.
One of the infected persons did not have a travel history.
One of the three people diagnosed with Covid-19 in the country yesterday arrived from the Eastern Bloc on July 15th, about a week and a half ago.
He is an Icelander who is not resident here by habit and therefore did not receive clear instructions on how to comply with the so-called homecoming test after arriving in the country and to take another test a few days after arrival.
He received a negative result from the border check.
"He is in the Icelandic society and in reality should have gone into that measure," says Kamilla Jósepsdóttir, an expert in the field of public health at the National University Hospital and the acting chief physician while he is on summer break, in an interview with Fréttablaðið today.
He used the English registration form and there is no requirement to provide a personal identification number and if the ID number is not provided then you are not automatically enrolled in the second session.
She states that the man was able to use the English registration form because he is actually resident abroad, but due to his connection to the country as an Icelander he should have used the Icelandic one instead.
He had not been aware of this.
If your ID number is not registered, you will need to make your own arrangements to attend the resit exam.
Neither he nor his employer seemed to have realized that it was the right way," says Kamilla.
It is thus clear that we need to enhance the information provision on this while we find some way to make an automatic booking system even though Icelanders do not register their ID numbers.
Or to make it somehow more obvious who the participants in the Icelandic society are in the registration system," she explains.
As far as possible, the person concerned shall be integrated into Icelandic society, even if he/she is defined as a participant in Icelandic society, being an Icelander.
Only six people have been quarantined since he was diagnosed yesterday and these six were all in close contact with him.
They are due to go for testing, but two of them have already shown symptoms of Covid-19 infection.
The person received a negative result from his test at the border on July 15th.
Camilla states that it is likely that he had recently been infected with the virus, as it had not yet been able to be detected in him when the sample was taken at the border.
She does not rule out the possibility that the person may have been infected in Iceland and not brought the virus with them into the country.
It cannot be definitively stated that this is an imported case, as it has been too long since he arrived in the country for him to have been exposed here, like the two cases that have caused some concern in relation to the sporting event.
She says, however, that it is highly unlikely due to how few people are around here.
"It's highly unlikely," says Kamilla, but she points out that it can't be ruled out until Icelandic genetic testing has identified the virus in the person.
"If we get a virus type that hasn't been seen here before, it's almost certain that it has been imported into the country."
Pepper spray and explosives used against protesters.
A confrontation between police and protesters occurred in Seattle last night.
Police used pepper spray and non-lethal stun grenades against the protesters, who broke windows and set fires.
45 protesters were arrested and 21 police officers were injured.
Police brutality and racism were widely protested in the United States yesterday evening, with the protests in Seattle in support of the protesters in Portland, Oregon.
In Austin, Texas, one protester was shot dead.
According to the BBC, the attacker has been arrested.
Thousands of people gathered in Seattle in peaceful protests.
A group of people then set fire to a construction site and broke windows at the city courthouse.
Subsequently, the police declared the protest to be unlawful and clashes ensued between the groups of protesters and the police.
In Aurora, Colorado, protesters are demanding justice for Elijah McClain, a 23-year-old Black man who was killed by police last August.
The car drove through a group of protesters in the city but no one was injured.
In Louisville, Kentucky, hundreds of Black National Guard members gathered and demanded justice for Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman who was killed by police in her home in March of last year.
The group was armed and marched in formation to closed intersections where police held back a crowd of protesters who were also armed.
Seventy-five people were arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, as protesters remembered James Scurlock, a 22-year-old black man who was killed by a white bar owner in May.
Solskjaer: Not the game that defines our period
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, manager of Manchester United, does not want to make too much of the importance of today's game against Leicester in the final round of the English Premier League.
If United lose the game, and Chelsea don't lose against Wolves, then Solskjaer and his team will end up in 5th place and miss out on a Champions League spot.
They should still have hope of making it to the Master's Division by winning the European Division next month.
We are not at the end of the road.
"If we get a result against Leicester I think people will say we haven't had a bad season," said Solskjær.
"But whatever happens, this isn't the end of our journey because we still have a lot of ground to make up to catch the two teams above us," said Solskjaer.
It is clear that some people will be disappointed at 3pm today, but Solskjaer tried to act as if it were any other game.
If you want to be part of Manchester United, you have to get used to being under pressure in the last game of the season.
This is nothing new, and the company is built on this.
"We have created a great opportunity to finish the season off well and now it's up to us to take it," said Solskjaer.
This is not the most important game of the season, it's just the next game.
You can ask anyone in the football team, the next game is always the most important one.
The results do not define our timeframe, we have already had many moments that define this period.
"Bruno Fernandes has changed a lot for us and I think overall we are in better shape and stronger mentally than last season," said Solskjaer.
65,000 infections per solar cycle
65,490 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in the United States yesterday according to Johns Hopkins University.
A total of 4,178,021 cases of infection have been confirmed in the western hemisphere since the onset of the pandemic there.
900 people died from the virus yesterday, and in the last four days the death toll from the virus has been more than 1,000 per day.
A total of 146,460 deaths due to the virus have been confirmed in the United States.
According to a CNN report, the US health authorities' prediction is that the death toll from the virus will reach 175,000 by August 15th.
Fear of a second wave of the pandemic.
The authorities in Spain are now trying weakly to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Spanish health authorities reported over 920 new cases of COVID-19 on both Thursday and Friday.
No more cases have been reported in a single day since the beginning of May and the news comes as Spaniards begin to ease one of the strictest lockdowns in Europe.
The backlash resulted in British authorities now requiring passengers arriving from Spain to go into quarantine upon arrival.
Spain was on the British list of safe countries a week ago.
The situation is worst in Catalonia in the northeast of Spain where the authorities have resorted to more drastic measures to try to contain the spread.
In the capital city of Barcelona, entertainment venues will be closed for the next two weeks and bars will be closed at midnight.
A curfew is now in effect for 200,000 inhabitants of the Segria region in western Catalonia.
It is believed that the British decision will have a negative impact on the Spanish economy, which relies heavily on the arrival of foreign tourists and has been badly affected by the pandemic.
TUI, the UK's largest tour operator, has cancelled all flights scheduled for today to Spain and the Canary Islands.
Governments around the world are said to be preparing for the second wave of the pandemic, but there appears to be little interest in reimposing the wide-ranging lockdown measures that have crippled the economy.
For example, Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, has taken a very dim view of such things and has stated that he would not use nuclear weapons.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex has said that the country "would not survive, economically or socially," if a nationwide lockdown were to be imposed again.
Many policy makers hope that local measures targeting the inhabitants of individual towns, cities or regions will be sufficient to contain the virus in the next round if it comes.
Five new cases of infection in Iceland - three within the country.
Three domestic cases were confirmed yesterday, plus two additional cases at the border.
Five individuals were identified as having tested positive for Covid-19 yesterday in Iceland.
The public health announcement states that one infection is linked to the infection reported yesterday at the ReyCUP football match.
He has been placed in isolation and sixteen people who were in close contact with him have been quarantined.
The person infected was a participant in the social activities of a sports club in Reykjavik and, according to the announcement, "only members of the sports team" were affected.
Others who were sent into quarantine are connected to the person in another way.
The origin of this infection is unknown and an investigation is underway by the infection control team of the National Police Commissioner.
Participants of the ReyCUP tournament have followed the instructions and regulations of the health and safety authorities that are still in force and appropriate measures have been taken.
Yesterday's celebration drew attention as pictures showed very close proximity in which they were celebrating their team's success on the field.
At 11 o'clock today, the organizers released the following statement on their Facebook page.
NOTE: Parents are kindly requested to ensure that competitors collect their own kit at school.
Parents are NOT allowed to do that.
Thank you for your understanding.
Another infection was identified yesterday which is related to the infection reported the day before.
The announcement states: "Icelandic gene sequencing has identified the infection and revealed a new strain of virus that has not been identified here before."
An infection is being worked on in this case as well, and the infected person is in isolation and 12 in quarantine due to the infection.
The third case is from a person who arrived in Iceland 11 days ago, on July 15th.
He was identified in the southwest corner of the country.
He is now in isolation and six people who were in close contact with him are in quarantine.
Two of them have already shown signs of virus infection.
In addition, two border disputes were identified and further investigations are pending, as the border demarcation procedure requires.
Finally, the announcement states: The Public Health Department of the National Police and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer urge people to be vigilant and take individual preventive measures against infection.
Exercise the utmost caution as to whether any symptoms of the Covid-19 virus are present when the same person is asked to go for a test at the nearest health care facility.
Patreksfjörður announces that the campsite is booked up for the merchants' weekend - Direct guests elsewhere.
Campsites in Patreksfjordur are fully booked for the weekend, according to an announcement from Vesturbyggd.
Guests are encouraged to explore other accommodation options.
West Coast Villages Bildudal, Talknafjord, Melanes at Red Sands, Hotel Flokalund and Hotel Breidavik are mentioned as other options in the area.
There is plenty to do in Patreksfjordur this weekend, as Skjaldborg, a festival of Icelandic documentary films, will be held in the town as in previous years.
It has been held since 2007 and has become a strong tradition in the town.
Judging by the turnout in the camping area, one can expect a good turnout this year, provided the weather does not put a damper on things, as DV reported earlier today.
Although the worst of the weather is expected to the south, there is hope for the people of Patreksfjörður.
The website bb.is was the first to report that all other accommodations in the town were already fully booked.
The entire apartment building is nestled down in the best part of town.
Romanian workers are free to stay in The Hague from 18th to 20th.
While applicants are still waiting for building permits for renovations, their applications have been backlogged in the system for three years.
In one of the oldest, greenest, and most expensive neighborhoods of Reykjavik stands a three-story townhouse.
The ground floor of the house has about 600 square meters of retail space.
Behind the house are two staircases each containing four quite spacious apartments.
They range from 93 to 130 feet, though most are over 100 feet.
The house has a considerable history to preserve.
It was built in 1959 and has housed a video rental store, a shoe store, a dairy store of the Milk Association, a Joa tailor shop, a fish store, and most recently, a university press.
The house has, so to speak, remembered its former beauty.
The house is now under considerable damage, as can be seen in the accompanying pictures.
The owner of the house is D18 Ltd.
The owners of D18 Ltd. are, among others, Magnus Magnusson and Gudrun Helga Larussdottir, according to the company register.
Magnus represented the shareholders of Borgun and was the defender of the holding company of Borgun.
Stálskip ehf. is among the owners of the holding company Borgunar.
Stálskip ehf. is an investment company owned by Guðrún Helga Lárusdóttir and her children.
Guðrún is also a co-owner of D18 Ltd.
Guðrún and her husband, Ágúst Guðmundur Sigurðsson, once owned the Stálskip company.
D18 ehf. purchased the house in the summer of 2009 and has done little to nothing with it since then.
Neighbors have reported that the condition of the house has been steadily deteriorating, especially in recent years.
On the Facebook page of the neighborhood's residents, one resident said that the house had "not been particularly lively in recent years".
Owners have been trying to change the house and the plot for a few years now.
Other neighbors say the house has been in disrepair for a long time.
"It is long overdue to do something about this mess and it is regrettable that it has dragged on for so long."
He also states that he is fully aware of the owners of the house for not having taken the initiative to resolve this, to find a common ground with the neighbours of the house and to end this "legal gap".
"Do this in consultation with the community around so that it can be driven and completed."
The "legal gap" referred to is the regulatory process of the Authority which has been in place since at least 2017.
The owners of Dunhaga 18 and 20 applied for permission to build an additional storey on top of the existing apartment building and behind the house, a new lift shaft and an extension of one storey plus a basement.
The building permit granted for the development was appealed to the Environmental and Natural Resources Tribunal and the Tribunal annulled it as the development did not have a zoning agreement and the boundary description was not sufficient.
The City of Reykjavik initiated the procedure for the adoption of a settlement agreement and concluded it with a publication in the Official Journal in July of last year.
That regulation was also challenged and the court declared it invalid in March 2020.
At this point, nearly three years had passed since the original application for a building permit and the owners of the house were at the starting point.
The house had been quite noisy at this time and the neighbors had started to get annoyed.
When the police questioned the neighbors about the situation and their reactions, the responses were varied.
Some had an understanding of the owner's intentions, others had none at all.
Some directed their course towards the city, others did not.
Others were just angry but not necessarily out of control.
Others said the parking lot was overcrowded, but neighbors have used the unused parking lot of Dunhaga 18-20 for their vehicles.
The complainant in the case claimed to be exhausted by the administration:
It is completely unbelievable that we have to go through the process in three steps.
It's as if the City of Reykjavik couldn't read.
Today the house stands empty, abandoned and neglected.
In memory of the civic administration of the city and the generous plans of the owner and the many years of work now at the starting point.
When the journalist approached the gate of Dunhaga 18, the doors opened and a flurry of activity ensued.
A Playstation console and a recently purchased television lay amongst the other debris of an Icelandic summer retreat - the remnants of a forgotten past.
The old office of the University Press was opened and there were many cats of the local breed to be seen.
It is clear that someone has backed themselves into a corner but there is no visible way out.
Stacks of sofas and chairs and a few sheets of geology paper, which surely should have been bound into a book, rustled.
The staircases of the apartment building were also open and lively in both.
The journalist was so lucky as to come across one of the inhabitants.
Were the Romanians cooking potatoes for dinner and inviting a journalist in?
The Romanians work for the employment agency Ztrongforce Ltd.
They have been there for some time and authorities of the DV have confirmed that the company has not paid for the accommodation except for heating and electricity.
Due to the condition of the house, it is not considered reasonable to collect rent.
Judging by the post boxes in the entrance hall, it is clear that a number of foreign workers have been living there in recent months.
The operation of labour leasing has not been spared from the Covid-19 situation, as the downturn in tourism has led to a downturn in the construction sector and these two sectors have been the most active in using labour leasing services.
Nevertheless, the residents of 18 Dunhaga Street seemed to have plenty to do and the washing lines and drying racks in the communal area were full after a long day of work in the rain.
It should be noted that despite the poor condition of the house, the apartment shared by the boys appeared to be well maintained.
When the journalist greeted the boys in Romanian, the chill was suddenly made clear: At the best spot in Reykjavik stands a 1,500 square meter property downgraded.
The owners want to make improvements to the house and the neighbors want to improve the condition but disagree on the definition of "improvement".
Between them, the city's regulatory framework provides for a starting point, an endless array of appeals routes and the possibility of complaints in the regulatory process and the ultimate resolution of the Environmental and Property Board.
In the house live Romanian workers, perhaps even those who will take over when the Icelanders stop struggling.
The article was originally published in the Sunday edition of DV on July 17th.
In response to the burden of the coronavirus pandemic
The British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will provide 10 million pounds in a campaign against obesity, which will include a ban on junk food advertising, following his serious illness partly due to his weight.
Johnson is scheduled to launch the Better Health campaign tomorrow, Monday, which will encourage doctors to prescribe bicycles for their patients to combat obesity, and will also involve initiatives to increase the number of bike paths.
Advertising of fast food on television is prohibited after 21:00, according to the regulations of the British media.
"COVID-19 has made us aware of the short- and long-term risks of being overweight, and the Minister of Finance is determined to use this time to become healthier, more active, and to eat healthier food," said a government spokesperson.
Johnson has himself struggled with weight issues, and he was hospitalized when he contracted the coronavirus earlier this year, and it is partly due to his weight that he is considered to have become so seriously ill.
Women better placed to lead the changes.
She said that the new constitution was the biggest step the nation could take towards greater democracy, efficiency, and combating corruption and for the benefit of the whole.
We need to start making some changes now and who better to lead those changes than the group of society that has an easier time being in these values.
"They are women," said Helga.
Women in Iceland are renowned for their gender equality.
To stand together and be together in bringing about change.
So now it is up to us to implement these changes.
She expressed some skepticism about Iceland's reputation as "the best in the world" in both gender equality and human rights.
We are not equally prepared to consider what needs to be done.
As Germans are very aware of their history and look at everything that needs to be done.
It is a slope.
We must know where we come from, understand the history, and listen.
Listen to the advice of established groups.
"We don't all abide by the same rules here," said Helga.
She said that women were in many ways in a good position in Iceland, but added that, as elsewhere, Icelanders tend to uphold very male-dominated values.
She said that politics were about self-interest, power and control, which were the forces that perpetuated injustice in all societies.
"Women have now formed this group and come together and are just a bit frustrated that Parliament seems to be dragging its feet on this referendum from 2012," she said.
These are the feminine values that we are thinking this through from.
She said that, based on human rights and environmental protection, cooperation, and the fact that we are all sitting at the same table, these principles were the foundations of the new government charter.
We are a very wealthy country with natural resources and it is inconceivable that there is poverty here.
"It's impossible, we can change it otherwise," said Helga.
It is unacceptable that women's work is always paid less.
It is unacceptable that flight attendants and nurses have to constantly fight for decent wages.
It is possible to sign the petition for the new constitution here through digital Iceland.
Attempted to rob a pedestrian in the city center.
A man was arrested in the city center last night after he accosted a pedestrian and attempted to take money from him.
The police also stopped the production of drugs in Árbær, where two people were arrested in connection with the case.
The police stopped a motorbike in Hlíðunum where the driver was going at 146 km/h, where the speed limit is 60 km/h.
Additionally, he had previously been deprived of driving privileges.
The police force in the capital region had a busy night and approximately 80 cases were recorded in the police log from five yesterday to five this morning.
There was particular emphasis on high-level declarations of compliance.
On Saturday night, eleven loud complaints were reported and it was considered a lot by the police.
However, 22 criminal cases were heard by the police last night.
Six were held in jail overnight.
Police were called to the scene last night when shots were fired into the air.
They had, however, managed to barricade themselves when the police officers arrived at the gate.
Nine drivers were stopped for drink-driving and/or drug-driving.
Four people were arrested for a fight in the city center last night, and one of them was held in a jail cell.
Two people were taken to the emergency room after they fell on their faces, one in the city center and the other in the West End.
One person was taken to the emergency department after being injured while jumping on a trampoline in Kópavogur.
Police officers also stopped a cyclist on Kjalarnes yesterday.
According to the police report, the bicycle's hardware was in "very poor condition" and it was immobilized.
It is possible to stay in Monet's house during the merchants' weekend.
The house that impressionist Claude Monet spent the last forty years of his life in is now available for rent on Airbnb.
The next free nights in the house are around the merchants' holiday.
The house is small and quaint, located in the village of Givenry in Normandy, France.
The famous painter lived in the house from 1883 until his death in 1926.
There are three bedrooms, two living rooms, and three bathrooms in the house.
Monet was first inspired to paint his famous gardens at this house.
If anyone intends to rent the house, they must rent it for at least two nights.
According to the Airbnb page, it is available the following week, on Sunday of the merchants' holiday, and so it could be suitable for someone on vacation to book the painter's house.
The two nights over the merchants' weekend cost only $964 or around 130 thousand Icelandic kronur according to the newspaper.
Some of those tested have shown symptoms of the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Five new cases of coronavirus have been identified within the country in the last three days, and most of the infected are unrelated.
Cases have been reported and some of them have shown symptoms of the disease caused by the virus.
Three people were diagnosed with coronavirus domestically yesterday and two at the border crossing.
An expert at the Ministry of Health says that an increasing number of domestic infections does not necessarily mean that the virus is spreading further into the community.
The previous domestic case has been ruled out and it is a strain that has not been seen here before, so we have no particular reason to believe that it has circulated in the community at any time.
This is probably something new to the country, so of course we need to be very vigilant now," said Kamilla Sigríður Jósefsdóttir, an expert in the field of the Directorate of Health.
Most of those infected have been linked to individuals who have come from abroad.
Further tests are being carried out in the near future as some of those who were in contact with the infected have started to show symptoms of the coronavirus.
"Now that there is no flu season and fewer other respiratory illnesses, we can be somewhat relaxed about doing these tests on individuals who during flu season would have been considered for something else first," said Kamilla.
Containment is mostly complete but it is not ruled out that more people may need to be quarantined.
Two of the infected were identified after attending a sporting event.
Has this raised questions as to whether it is defensible to hold such an event?
The Data Protection Officer states that it is perfectly acceptable as long as people adhere to the guidelines and regulations.
Camilla almost rules out that the infected have been infected at the sports events.
If no further individuals are placed in isolation following contact with these individuals at these sporting events, we can conclude that our safety measures at the events have been effective.
"It's not clear," said Camilla.
The activities of the public protection department shall be subject to continuous review.
"We need to be prepared to intervene with further advice or restrictions if it seems necessary," said Camilla.
After a period of one week, the restrictions will be lifted up to a thousand people.
This new status could have implications for derogations.
"A Certain Consideration for Cooking" - See Elísa Viðar's Recipe
Elisa Vidarsdottir is a footballer and plays for Val.
She is also a master's degree holder in economics, a mother, and works as a nutritionist.
She needs a lot of energy for her daily tasks and usually takes the time to cook a good and nutritious meal.
My typical day starts with me arriving at work at 8am," says Elisa.
After work I go to the store to be able to prepare dinner before I pick up my daughter from preschool at three o'clock.
Elisa finds it very rewarding to pick up her daughter from preschool early.
It's good to have time with her before I go to my later practice.
After exercising, it's nice to come home and just have to heat up the food.
In the evening, when the girl is asleep, we like to watch one episode to clear our minds.
Elisa does not follow any particular diet.
She is finishing her master's thesis in economics and therefore knows well what she needs to eat to have enough energy to work, study, take care of her family, and exercise.
What works for me is eating a varied diet that is well balanced with proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
I think it is most important to have a healthy relationship with food and not categorize food as good or bad, rather nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor.
It is alright to eat everything, just not all at once and not all the time.
Elisa has a great interest in firefighting.
I find a certain satisfaction in standing in the kitchen cooking and taking great pleasure in it.
I must say that my confidence is with me in the kitchen and I truly believe that I am a great cook.
Breakfast: Oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds, salt, a little lemon juice, left to soak in almond milk overnight.
Top off this meal with whatever is available each time.
It is usually banana and granola & COFFEE.
I am a great coffee lover.
Snack: Incredibly varied, but fruit or vegetables, cookies, plain yogurt with banana and muesli, bread with toppings and then I could eat hummus with a spoon out of the box if that's what it comes to.
For lunch: I often make a variety of meals from whatever is in the fridge, quinoa or bulgur, falafel balls, lettuce salad, oven-baked vegetables with a good dressing is usually what I'm working with.
When the schedule goes completely off the rails (which happens often), the vending machine at work has come to my rescue many times, and then it's two sandwiches with butter, cheese, and boiled egg, don't put any more on you.
Request: Get me something carb-rich for workouts, bread with toppings, muesli or fruit.
For dinner: Fish is often chosen in my household, otherwise some delicious vegetable dishes.
Clashes between police and protesters in Seattle
Authorities in Seattle, Washington have declared a state of emergency in response to large-scale protests in the city center.
Yesterday, police resorted to tear gas and pepper spray in an attempt to clear a large area occupied by protesters that stretched across several blocks near the city's parliament building.
The police announced on Twitter that at least eleven protesters had been arrested and that an investigation was underway into vandalism at a police station in the city yesterday, possibly involving some kind of explosive.
Police and law enforcement authorities report that protesters have attacked police with stones, bottles, firecrackers, and other loose objects, and one police officer was taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained.
The protests in Seattle were peaceful for a long time.
The rally was held in support of the protesters in Portland, Oregon, where there have been repeated clashes between protesters and heavily armed federal law enforcement officers.
There, as in many cities across the United States, people are gathering under the banner of Black Lives Matter, in remembrance of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25th, protesting systemic racism in American society and demanding reform.
Not to be revoked until after a vote.
It is still unclear whether the dismissals of Icelandair's flight attendants, which are due to take effect in the next month, will be revoked.
The electronic voting on the collective agreement of the Icelandair Pilots Association on behalf of the Icelandair pilots will close at noon tomorrow.
Guðlaug Líney Jóhannsdóttir, the chair of the company, is confident that Icelandair will not make a decision on the layoffs until the results of the vote are known.
"It all ties together," says Guðlaug Líney.
No dismissals have been revoked, this must be in place so that the machines can be manned.
People are naturally anxious to find out whether they will have a job after the month ends.
An agreement was signed last week, on the night of July 19th.
It is expected to be in force until the end of September 2025 and is based on an agreement that the airlines had previously voted on.
On July 17th, the Board of Directors and the Council of Representatives of Icelandair unanimously approved a resolution to declare a general strike at Icelandair, which was then approved by the members in a vote.
She never came, but this was decided following Icelandair's decision to terminate negotiations with the Flight Attendants Union, to terminate all of its flight attendants, and to seek agreements with another union.
The airline personnel of the company were required to take on the role of security officers on a temporary basis.
When asked how she thinks the vote will go, Guðlaug Líney said it is difficult to say.
People are in shock after the Icelandair announcement that all of its flight attendants were laid off and that an agreement would be made with another union.
"It remains to be seen what the impact will be," she says.
At the end of April, 940 flight attendants were employed by Icelandair, but then 900 of them, about 95%, were laid off.
Their notice period is misaligned, for those with the shortest employment period it is three months and ends around the month of July-August.
About 90% of the passengers are from Icelandair in that group.
What happens if the agreement is not approved?
We look forward to continuing our dialogue with our stakeholders.
With this agreement, we are meeting the requirements of Icelandair.
If he is rejected, it is clear that the airline has gone too far.
The vote on the collective agreement is concluded and Icelandair will announce the results of the fourth quarter tomorrow.
The ballot of the pilots on the new collective agreement will close at 12 noon tomorrow.
Icelandair's results for the second quarter will also be published tomorrow, and preliminary results indicate that the company's revenues have decreased by 85 percent from the same period last year.
Electronic voting on the collective agreement between Icelandair and the Icelandic Confederation of Labour regarding Icelandair began on Wednesday, July 22nd and will end tomorrow, Monday, July 27th at 12 noon.
Those eligible to opt into the agreement are Icelandair employees who pay union dues to the Flight Attendants Union.
Icelandair and the Icelandic Flight Attendants Association (FFÍ) signed a new collective agreement on Sunday night, July 19th, after Icelandair had broken off negotiations with the association the Friday before, following flight attendants' rejection of the previous agreement in a vote at the beginning of July.
Icelandair had issued notices to all of its flight attendants and pilots on Friday, but these were withdrawn after a new collective agreement was signed.
According to the new collective agreement, flight attendants must fly five hours more per month for the same basic salary.
The agreement is valid until the year 2025 and it includes provisions for pilots and cabin crew regarding the maximum length of a shift.
The agreement was presented to the members of FFI at a meeting at the Hilton Nordica hotel last Monday and many flight attendants whom the press spoke to expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement.
Most parties agreed that the agreement should be accepted in order to keep the EU alive.
Icelandair's results for the second quarter will be announced tomorrow, with the company's EBIT, operating income for financial items and taxes, according to preliminary results, estimated to be negative by 100 to 110 million US dollars or 15 billion Icelandic krona.
Icelandair sent Kauphöllin an urgent invoice last Wednesday, stating that the company's revenues had increased by 60 million dollars, or 8.3 billion kronur, in the quarter.
Cash and cash equivalents had been around 154 million US dollars at the end of the quarter, around 21 billion kroner.
Icelandair is also aiming to offer a share of the company in August.
Icelandair is aiming to complete agreements with fifteen lessors, governments, and Boeing aircraft manufacturer by the end of the month before proceeding with the asset sale.
A new variant rather than a new species.
"New wave" just means that this has been an individual who has come from abroad.
"This is not something that has been seen domestically," says Már Kristjánsson, Chief Physician at the Infectious Diseases Department of Landspítali, about the news that "a new strain of virus" has been identified in the country.
Three domestic cases were confirmed yesterday and two at the border.
One person who tested positive had participated in a social activity of a sports club at the Rey Cup football match, and the source of the infection is unknown and the contagion is ongoing.
Additionally, a case of infection was identified in an individual who arrived in the country on July 15th, and two people who were in contact with him have started to show symptoms of COVID-19.
Yesterday, a case of infection was identified related to the infection reported the day before, and after investigation by the Icelandic Inheritance Research Institute, it was revealed to be a "new strain of virus that has not been identified here before."
Containment of the infection has been completed in relation to that infection.
It is already clear that this is not a new virus, but rather the same virus that has spread around the world, i.e. the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
It is more accurate to speak of a new variant of the virus rather than a new type of virus.
Asked what it means and whether it could say anything about another wave of migration starting, Már says that it is a single case for now and it may not lead to anything more.
"However, if there are cases within the country that are not related to foreign ones and have the same characteristics as this particular case, then it would be possible to apply the same conclusion [about the second wave], but it is not timely to do so," explains Már.
Joy in the Hot Pot
Is the Icelandic secret to happiness hidden in the hot pots?
BBC reporters lead a humorous video that sheds light on the country's sunbathing and hot tub culture.
Icelandic bathing culture is unique in the world and it is said that nowhere else in the world is there as many baths per inhabitant.
Natural geothermal energy is the basis for this, as well as the tradition of bathing that prevails here.
Compulsory schooling for children was introduced in 1940, but older citizens are no less eager to use the hot water for health benefits.
Social security is described as an integral part of the country's general welfare.
In the pot, everyone is equal, regardless of class or status.
People communicate with each other on a personal level through phones, at home and abroad, or take advantage of the similar power of water: thoughts and currents of electricity flow between souls and bodies.
The countdown to the elections has begun.
One hundred days remain until Americans go to the polls and elect a president for a four-year term.
Donald Trump is seeking re-election, though he has an uphill battle to fight.
Joe Biden, the expected Democratic nominee, has a significant lead over Trump nationally, according to polls.
According to a recent poll by the AP news agency, a majority of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track.
The response of President Trump to the global pandemic of the new coronavirus is similarly very unpopular, and furthermore, more Americans than ever before believe that the President has handled economic matters poorly.
Specifically, only two out of ten Americans say that the United States is on the right track.
32% said they supported Trump's response to the pandemic and 48% said he had done well on economic issues.
In March, the ratio was 56 percent and in January it was 67 percent.
According to FiveThirtyEight's average, Joe Biden has 49.9 percent support nationally, while Donald Trump has 41.9 percent support.
Trump himself has tried to shift the focus away from his stance on immigration to Biden, emphasize so-called culture wars, and promote policies that are supposed to be based on laws and regulations.
Biden's campaign is still putting a lot of effort into keeping the focus on Trump and counting on a victory if the election ultimately comes down to how Trump has performed in office over the last four years.
Popular opinion of Trump also seems to be turning against Republican lawmakers, and Democrats are feared to even gain a majority in the House of Representatives, which until now has been highly unlikely.
Politico reported today that the party and candidate support is similar and that the Republican Party is now likely to receive its biggest blow in a decade.
The suburbs have proven to be particularly unfavorable in the 2016 elections and now there is a prospect that this trend will continue.
In recent days, Trump has attempted to intimidate suburban residents into following him, among other things by saying that if Biden becomes president, he will destroy the suburbs of the United States and promote racial divisions.
Among other things, Trump has repealed a regulation from the Obama era in the White House that was intended to increase diversity in the executive branch.
He then encouraged "housewives" in the United States to read an article by the former New York Deputy Mayor, in which she argued that Biden would eliminate housewives and Trump endorsed it.
Biden will empower your neighborhoods and the American Dream.
"I will uphold it, and even make it better!" said the president.
Residents of the outer US are an ever-growing group of voters.
According to the NPR, they are about half of all voters in the United States.
Since George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004, the candidate who has received the majority of votes in this group has become the President.
Except in 2012 when Mitt Romney received a majority of the votes from this group but lost to Barack Obama.
Polls have shown that despite Trump securing a narrow majority in the 2016 elections, his support there has significantly declined.
Although polls vary, Biden has been leading Trump in the polls by an average of about fifteen percentage points in recent weeks.
Regis Philbin has passed away.
American television personality Regis Philbin has passed away, aged 88.
Philbin worked as an actor, game show host, presenter, and singer for over six decades.
He is best known for hosting the popular talk show Live! with Regis from 1988 to 2011 alongside Kathie Lee Gifford and later Kelly Ripa.
He has hosted shows such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and America's Got Talent.
According to Guinness World Records, Philbin is the individual who has spent the most hours on American television and has been recognized for this achievement.
He won six Emmy Awards during his career and was nominated a total of 37 times.
It has been stated in a statement from his family that Philbin has died of natural causes.
A number of collaborators, friends, and admirers have celebrated him on social media over the past year.
Will the Olympic Flame be lit at the end of the race?
After the final decision was made to postpone the Olympic Games, an event that has only been disrupted by world wars until now, the President of the International Olympic Committee said that the Olympic flame would be "the light at the end of the tunnel," presumably referring to the global pandemic of the coronavirus that the world is now going through together.
Travellers have an additional year to prepare themselves and the authorities in Japan to bear the costs of the delay.
Everyone holds their head high, despite much being hidden in their hat.
When it was announced that Tokyo in Japan would be the venue for the Olympic Games this year, the Japanese delegates were overwhelmed with joy.
They wept and cheered in turn, as Tokyo had bid to host the 2016 Games but had to settle for second place to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
This time, Tokyo and Japan should draw the attention of the world.
The games were originally scheduled to take place from July 24th to August 9th, but have been postponed for a year and will now start on July 23rd 2021 and end on August 8th.
If it is not possible to hold the games, if the coronavirus threat remains too great, the games will be cancelled.
No one wants to think that thought through to the end.
The Olympic Games are not a regular sporting event.
No expense is spared, the show must always be spectacular and strive to top the last performance.
The selection of a host city for the Olympic Games is based on the evaluation of the bids of the cities.
The more elaborate the presentation, the more likely it is to receive the prize.
Tokyo invested 150 million dollars in trying to secure the 2016 Olympic Games, which amounts to roughly 20 billion kroner.
For the 2020 bid, 75 million dollars, or ten billion kroner, were put into the promotion.
In 2013, when Tokyo was chosen to host the games, Japanese authorities had already set aside an estimated 30 billion yen for the project.
However, that amount is just a drop in the ocean compared to what it costs to build an Olympic village, sports venues and generally to strengthen the infrastructure of the country to host such an event, prepare for it and hold the games themselves.
Japanese organizers have said that the Tokyo Olympics, which were due to start this week but have been postponed for one year due to the coronavirus, would have cost 12.6 billion dollars.
In a report from the Japanese State Auditor released at the end of last year, it was noted that the cost was nearly double the figure.
It is likely not possible to put an exact figure on the cost of postponing the games, but it has been estimated that it could cost an additional two to six billion dollars on top of the initial cost.
The total cost for the Japanese Olympic Committee and Japanese taxpayers could therefore range from 15 to 30 billion dollars.
The figures are so high that all the taxes of the Icelandic state would only cover about half of the Olympic Games, based on the lowest possible cost.
The Olympic Games are of such magnitude that they have often been the subject of economic analysis by economists, who try to delve into the numbers and examine the benefits and costs of the Games.
In short, it appears that many have come to the conclusion that the effects of the Olympic Games are less positive than expected for the economies of the cities hosting them.
Short-term effects are present, for example, a large increase in jobs in the short-term, but in the long-term citizens are often left with high debt and high operational costs of underutilized human resources.
Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is facing significant debt due to the 2016 Olympics and has been struggling to maintain all the major sports facilities that were built for the games.
An analysis of the figures after the London 2012 Games has revealed that only 10 percent of those who got jobs related to the Olympics in the city were unemployed beforehand.
This means that there was no new activity except to a limited extent.
Generally, cities have not fared particularly well financially from hosting Olympic Games due to the significant costs associated with the infrastructure built for the Games.
However, it is expected that there will be a benefit in increased tourist traffic to the Olympic cities as a result of the Games, although there is much uncertainty regarding the 2021 Games.
It is also uncertain whether it will be possible to accommodate all the usual number of spectators attending the games.
The main issue is, however, the honor that citizens are entitled to be treated with, which is difficult to measure in terms of money.
Despite the considerable cost, it can also be said that the joy that players bring cannot be measured in terms of money.
Although the show is highly expensive and no expense is spared, this is of course not just about money.
It is the athletes who are in the spotlight.
For some travelers, it is surprisingly convenient to postpone the games.
Australian pentathlete and gold medalist at the 2016 Olympics, Chloe Esposito, for example, is a caselaw and would have been far from good shape this summer, but she is looking forward to being in competition form for the 2021 Games.
She is therefore one of the athletes who is just rather pleased with the postponement, for understandable reasons.
For athletes who had planned to retire after this year's games, if they had been held on time, the postponement of the games in some cases means that they will have to retire before the games take place.
Do not trust your body to go through an extra year of intense training.
Few athletes captured the hearts of spectators at the 2016 Rio Olympics as much as gymnastics star Simone Biles.
She came home with four golds around her neck and one bronze.
Biles has had several interviews in her home country the United States recently to discuss the Olympics.
She intends to compete in 2021 but she is not necessarily sure she will still be at the top of the game by next year, as she will then be 24 years old.
Although it is generally not considered a high age, it is higher for a female athlete in the lead.
"It's a sensitive subject," Biles says, but she quickly moves on in an interview published on the Olympic Committee's Instagram page when asked if she plans to achieve the same success at the 2021 Games as she did in Rio 2016.
"I honestly don't know if I'm still at the top after an entire year of extra training," says Biles.
She has previously mentioned that her body cannot take the strain of the intense exercise regimen much longer.
Nevertheless, she is training for the 2021 Olympic Games.
Biles acknowledges that it was an uncomfortable feeling to have to abruptly stop exercising when the pandemic was at its peak and the gym was closed.
No exceptions were made for Biles compared to other athletes while all sports activities were closed for seven weeks.
All her Olympic golds couldn't buy her access to any more, she had to find various ways to stay in shape like the others.
The basic form is certainly better than most people's.
We have a strict plan in place now.
It was difficult to start exercising again after the gym reopened.
We started off slow but are now in full swing and I will increase the exercises as the year progresses.
We obviously don't know exactly how these games will turn out or if they will even be held, but we are still preparing as if they will, we can't do anything else.
"I have put too much pressure on myself to quit the sport now," says Biles.
With that in mind, and with the possibility that the games may not be held in 2021.
To predict that is impossible.
No one can know what the situation with the global coronavirus pandemic will be in July 2021 and nothing else to do but to prepare for the Olympics assuming they will be held that year.
Perhaps the Olympic flame will be the light at the end of the Covid tunnel.
Postponed wedding due to travel restrictions.
Modern Family actress Sarah Hyland has decided to postpone her wedding due to the coronavirus.
She was supposed to marry former Bachelorette contestant Wells Adams this summer.
"I think there are more important things to think about right now," said the actor in an interview with People.
We definitely want to get married someday and have that dream wedding with all our loved ones present.
We decided to postpone and focus on what is important right now, which is to assist in sharing information about the importance of wearing masks and staying home.
I'm paying more attention to world affairs than wedding affairs these days.
There is a lot going on and we need to pay attention to what is happening in the world.