The investigation committee has made significant effort to ensure none of the details of their report are leaked before the official release date. Originally the report was due last November. It was however delayed until the 1st February, and then until 1st March and then until “two or three weeks into March”. This schedule stands today and looks set to be achievable subject to the print run going to plan.

The attendance rate has increased steadily in recent years, and the period between January 1st 2007 until the end of 2009 shows an increase of 65 percent. There has also been an enormous increase in organised school visits and guests at organised family events, which amounted to 33 percent between 2008 and 2009.

Reykjavik Art Museum is located in three buildings in Reykjavik: Hafnarhus, Kjarvalsstadir and Asmundarsafn. The largest part of the last year’s visitors went to Hafnarhusið, or 63 percent.

In 2009 there were thirty exhibitions on display at the Reykjavik Art Museum and 200 events related to the museum’s exhibitions in one way or another, or organised in co-operation with different organisations, schools, artists, musicians and other groups.

Photos: Reykjavik Art Museum

The man was on his way to his home near Taby when he boarded the vehicle outside of Danderyd hospital. It was then that the driver was alleged to have confronted the man with the offensive comments, including asking the passenger: “Do you think it is fun that I can see your panties?”

According to The Local the man’s report to the discrimination ombudsman explained that, no, he was not wearing panties, but rather his male drawers could be noticed at the top of his waistline. This explanation was apparently not sufficient for the bus driver who then reclined and stated: “In fact, you best leave the bus as I could get turned on”.

The man, although angered and shocked at the driver’s antics, boarded the bus and took a seat near the back. After five minutes had passed the bus had not moved, leading the man to suspect that he may be being held responsible for the delay. It was then that two security guards climbed aboard and instructed the man to accompany them to the pavement, where he was told that he was lucky the departing driver did not take the matter further.

Sexually harassed, ridiculed and offended, the man took his story to local media and even his mother attempted to liaise with the manager of the Busslink bus station. She was offered a potted plant and movie tickets. DO found that the man was entitled to compensation, the amount of which could be decided under agreement by both parties before a court hearing.

Established in 2004, the cuddle party has won followers in the US, UK, Australia, the Netherlands and Canada with its hands-on approach. Sweden has now leapt softly onto the cuddle-wagon which aims to provide “a playful social event designed for adults to explore communication, boundaries and affection”.

“A cuddle party is a concept where people meet and practice touching within clear boundaries and learn to set limits, this is important in several fields in society. It is about building integrity,” said cuddle party organiser Oskar Palmenfelt in a report by The Local. The appropriately named Palmenfelt did point out that the Swedish version would have subtle differences from its US counterpart.

“A US cuddle party is more a pleasant evening when people cuddling in a non-sexual way. In Sweden we see boundary-setting when practising cuddling as an important skill to be learned and developed,” Palmenfelt explained. A pedagogic method will be employed for Swedish participants who can attend a post-cuddle workshop to discuss personal boundaries and values.

Palmenfelt claimed that establishing such boundaries was essential in today’s modern society which increasingly endeavours to make its members insecure. “It is about learning to build and trust your own personal integrity, drawing limits and also asking for help in everyday situations,” he said.

The cuddle party is not, as many had hoped, orgiastic foreplay. All movements are kept above the table thanks to a dedicated Cuddle Caddy or Cuddle Lifeguard.

An opinion column written by Glenn Dowd

Consider the national teams of England, Spain and Italy. Most of the top stars who represent their countries on the international stage ply their trade at home. Contrast that with countries such as Ireland and Iceland which don’t have great domestic leagues and their players are forced to go abroad in search of bigger opportunities.

What effect does this have?
Ireland have played at a handful of prestigious events and that is a benefit they have over Iceland, who since joining FIFA in 1947, have not qualified for a major event. At present, such qualification seems miles away for a team that boasts some top stars we are all familiar with.

Now look at European club competitions. Ireland have come within touching distance of qualifying for the Champions’ League and Europa League in recent years, providing some memorable shocks along the way, but where has Iceland gone? Iceland`s progress at European club level is extremely slow and devoid of hope. It will be light-years before any significant developments are made on this front unless something is done.

The Icelandic Football Association, otherwise known as KSÌ, will tell you that 153 clubs are resident on the island. How these clubs must crave the money that some of their compatriots put into foreign clubs. This is another familiar trend that Iceland has with Ireland: an Icelandic consortium opts to pump vast sums of money into West Ham United at the expense of a domestic club, while an Irish consortium does the exact same at fellow Premiership club Sunderland.
It just goes to show, you may love your country and the game of football, but you’re in the business to add to your hefty bank balance.

The then-second-richest-man-in-Iceland, Bjorgulfur Gudmundsson took over the Hammers in what seemed to be a good deal for all involved. The club cost him GBP 85 million. What that could have done for the domestic league you can figure out for yourself. Little did West Ham fans know what lay ahead. Gudmundsson became football’s main victim of the global economic downturn and joy turned to anger. With Iceland itself falling perilously deeper into the financial mire, so too did Gudmundsson and his business empire.

As Gudmundsson edged towards the brink of bankruptcy, West Ham was taken over by Icelandic bank Straumur, which it emerged had lent Gudmundsson the money to fund the takeover in the first place. West Ham was looked after by the bank and managed solely to keep its head above water. The biggest smile on the faces of West Ham fans came when all links with Iceland were severed. They have since been taken over by well known football characters David Gold and David Sullivan, former owners of Birmingham City.

So, Gudmundsson borrowed a crazy sum of money to invent what he labelled the Champions’ League dream in East London. That dream took off, on paper, but unfortunately for some the true value of aspirations is not met on paper.
If Gudmundsson had of pumped a mere five percent of his fortune into the Icelandic national team or into the league, who knows what would have happened. Hell, maybe he still would have had a penny in his pocket today. The man on the street in Iceland doesn’t care about Gudmundsson and his past actions of flashing the cash today. Why would they? He could have lifted the spirits of the people by investing the money at home. But such is the fat cat hierarchy that is still strangling the life out of world football; he took his money abroad and wasted it. At least if some of the money was spent on football at home he would have something to show for himself when all else fell apart. But what has he now?

Premiership, England (4):
Herman Hreidarsson, Portsmouth FC
Gretar Steinsson, Bolton Wanderers
Eidur Gudjohnsen, Tottenham Hotspur
Joey Gudjonsson, FC Burnley

Championship, England (8):
Ivar Ingimarsson, FC Reading
Emil Hallfredsson, FC Barnsley
Brynjar Björn Gunnarsson, FC Reading
Aron Einar Gunnarsson, Coventry City
Heidar Helguson, FC Watford
Kári Árnason, Plymouth Argyle
Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson, FC Reading
Gylfi Sigurdsson, FC Reading

League 1, England (1):
Ármann Smári Björnsson, Hartlepool United

Æresdivisjonen, Netherlands (1):
Arnór Smárason, SC Heerenveen

Premier League, Scotland (2):
Eggert Gunnthor Jónsson, Hearts
Kjartan Henry Finnbogason, Falkirk FC

Jupiler Liga, Belgium (3):
Arnar Vidarsson, Cercle Brügge
Bjarni Vidarsson, Roeselare
Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson, Roeselare

Superligaen, Denmark (4):
Sölvi Geir Ottesen, SönderjyskE
Rúrik Gíslason, Odense
Stefán Gíslason, Brøndby
Ólafur Ingi Skúlason, SönderjyskE

1. divisjon, Denmark (1):
Sigmundur Kristjansson, Brabrand IF

Eliteserien Norway (11):
Arni Gautur Arason, Odd Grenland
Kristján Örn Sigurdsson, Hønefoss BK
Indridi Sigurdsson, Viking
Birkir Már Sævarsson, Brann
Birkir Bjarnason, Viking
Veigar Páll Gunnarsson, Stabæk
Ólafur Örn Bjarnason, Brann
Palmi Rafn Palmason, Stabæk
Gylfi Einarsson, Brann
Stefán Logi Magnússon, LSK
Björn Bergmann Sigurdarson, LSK

1. divisjon Norway (4):
Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson, Nybergsund
Gudmann Thorisson, Nybergsund
Arnar Darri Petursson, Lyn Oslo
Haukur Pall Sigurdsson, Alta IF

Allsvenskan Sweden (9):
Ragnar Sigurdsson, IFK Göteborg
Hjalmar Jonsson, IFK Göteborg
Theodor Elmar Bjarnason, IFK Göteborg.
Helgi Danielsson, Elfsborg.
Jonas Gudni Sævarson, Halmstad
Hallgrimur Jonasson, GAIS
Gudmundur Gunnarsson, GAIS
Gudjon Baldvinsson, GAIS
Eyjolfur Hedinsson, GAIS

Superettan, Sweden (5):
Ari Frey Skulason, GIF Sundsvall
David Vidarsson, Öster
Hannes Sigurdsson, GIF Sundsvall
Gunnar Thor Gunnarsson, IFK Norrköping
Sverrir Gardarsson, GIF Sundsvall

Glenn Dowd is a freelance journalist based in Dublin, Ireland. He currently writes for Nordic Football News and decided to share this article with the readers of IceNews.

The two owner-operators of the Viinikauppa.com website had faced charges of professional distribution of spirits via the internet in conjunction with the delivery of hundreds of thousands of bottles of alcohol across Finland during 2007 and 2008.

Such a move was claimed to be in violation of the stringent alcohol laws that exist in Finland, which sees primary operator Alko hold a monopoly over the heavily taxed national liquor sales.

According to Finnish law, it is illegal for anyone to purchase alcohol online unless they themselves go abroad to collect it. This stipulation has earlier led to one person being charged, in this case, for delivering spirits to a customer.

The case, which has been dragging on for years, had seen the state prosecution request compensation of EUR 500,000 be paid in addition to serving suspended prison sentences on the accused.

The Viinikauppa.com website is available in English, Swedish and Finnish and was established in 2002. According to the defence, the online group has 40,000 registered customers, with 18,000 of them living within Finland. The not-guilty verdict is thought to be a landmark decision for online alcohol retailers, who could soon be provided with more relaxed governance of the sale of their product. This in turn is expected to have a significant impact on Finnish tax revenues.

The government stimulus package is hoped to propel Demark into the top ten of the world’s wealthiest nations by 2020. Included in the projections are improved private and public sector efficiency standards and the relaxation of laws which govern foreign employees and investment in Danish companies. The announcement represents the first major project unveiled by the new prime minister following his take-over from predecessor and namesake Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who resigned in 2009.

The move continues the raft of recent internal changes made by the prime minister who had just one day earlier overhauled his cabinet, leaving just four survivors. Additional sweeping reforms aimed at restabilising the Danish economy have also been announced by Rasmussen, who is determined to not attempt to ride out the economic storm but rather use it as an opportunity to build new strength.

The state budget is forecasted to run at a DKK 100 billion loss this year, around 5.5 percent of GDP. Rasmussen has stated his wish to bring this figure down to less than 3 percent. “Rising debt can be acceptable for a short period. But if it continues it would correspond to passing the bill on to future generations,” said Rasmussen, whose tax reforms have continued despite opposition protests.”The tax refinancing will make Denmark richer. It’s not part of the problem, but of the solution,” Rasmussen stated.

The Copenhagen Post reports that, to meet EU rules, the Danish government will redress its budget from next year, with a forecasted DKK 24 billion (USD 4.3 billion) in savings projected over the next three.

The role of a Certified Adviser is to provide advice and support to companies signed up to First North and while they are being traded on the stock market.

Thordur Fridjonsson, President of NASDAQ OMX Iceland said: “It is entirely our pleasure that Audur Capital will be Certified Adviser for First North Iceland. For the resurrection of the stock market, it is important to have professional associates like Audur Capital with experience and advice for companies and we expect a lot from our co-operation with Audur in the future.”

Margit Robertet, head of Business Support Services at Audur Capital said: “It is our opinion that First North is an important step in the augmentation of the Stock Market and a welcome investment opportunity for small and medium sized companies. We look forward to offering these businesses professional advice and assistance with listing on First North.”

It falls to the Certified Adviser to build a trusted market as it is the Adviser’s responsibility to make sure companies are meeting their obligations with regard to accounts and the sharing of information which govern First North.

Audur Capital is the sixth financial company to take on the role of Certified Adviser to First North Iceland, two of which have been confirmed this year.

An older story on the unusually interesting financial company, Audur Capital can be found here.

A return of 25.6 percent was achieved by the fund, roughly equivalent to NOK 613 billion (USD 103 billion). This represents a 4.1 percentage point increase than benchmark portfolio return.

The Norway Post reports that analysts have determined that the Government Pension Fund Global has outperformed the market itself and that the massive losses seen during the worst of the global economic crisis in 2008 have begun to be recouped.

“Developments in 2009 must, in the same way as 2008, to a large extent be viewed in light of the financial crisis. The fund’s long-term management strategy ensured that we got through this period in a good way,” said CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), Yngve Slyngstad.

Compared with the Ministry of Finance-established benchmark portfolio, the National Oil Fund’s fixed income portfolio recorded an increase in 2009 of 7.4 percentage points, a significant turnaround from the -6.6 percentage point fall seen in 2008. The overall excess return for the fund of 4.1 percentage points was a marked improvement from the previous year’s figure of -3.4 percentage points.

“The values have come back much sooner than we could have expected. The parts of the fixed income markets that stopped working during the financial crisis gradually returned to more normal conditions. This contributed a lot to the strong excess return,” claimed Slyngstad.

Aftenposten reports that not only are the Norwegians potentially interested in granting Iceland the promised loan through the IMF right away, but that Store’s government may also be willing to offer another separate loan to Iceland in co-operation with the EU.

Store’s timing seems to be deliberate, with his comments coming just a day before today’s meeting of the Nordic finance ministers in Denmark. So far all the other Nordic nations have said their support for Iceland will not be paid out before Icesave is completely off the agenda. Icesave will be on the agenda in Copenhagen today.

“Norwegian assistance is tied to the IMF package and in our opinion the IMF package is not tied to a solution to the Icesave issue as the conditions of the package stand,” Store told Aftenposten.

Store emphasised that the Nordic nations should not do anything to hinder Iceland’s IMF package—his comments a direct response to a Nordic neighbour’s opinion that the Icesave issue must be out of the way before any loan can come from that country to Iceland through the IMF. Store said the issue will be discussed today.

Store added that there is no sign that the British and Dutch have tried to stall the IMF’s work in Iceland; and a week ago the Fund’s chief, Dominique Strauss Kahn told the press he is ready and willing to continue with the Iceland package without a final agreement in the Icesave issue.