Frequent Loan Refinancing in Iceland Amidst Interest Rate Changes Interest Rate Cuts Prompt Increased Loan Refinancing According to Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson, a Business Relations Manager at Aurbjorg, Icelanders are refinancing their loans more frequently than ever before, sometimes every one to three years. This trend is partly due to the recent 50 basis point interest … Read more
Deadly Storm Bert Ravages England and Wales At least five people have tragically lost their lives in England and Wales due to the devastating storm named Bert. The storm has been marked by heavy rainfall and significant snowmelt, leading to widespread flooding in several areas. Tragic Loss of Life and Accidents Most of the fatalities … Read more
Unaccompanied Minors Seeking Asylum in Suðurnesjabær: A Growing Concern As of mid-August, a total of 41 unaccompanied minors have entered child protection services in Suðurnesjabær, Iceland. These minors, primarily boys aged 15 to 18, are seeking international protection. While younger children or girls rarely arrive alone, efforts are being made to quickly find them homes, … Read more
Sudan Faces Severe Hunger Crisis Amid Ongoing Conflict In a stark warning, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan, where current aid efforts merely delay the inevitable fatalities rather than preventing them. Egeland’s comments came during an interview with AFP, reflecting on the severe conditions wrought by … Read more
Artists Oppose Hotel Plans for Historic Ægisgata Building in Reykjavík Over 50 artists who currently work in studios located in the historic ‘tunnuhús’ at Ægisgata in Reykjavík have voiced strong opposition to proposals that would see the building converted into a hotel. The Reykjavík City Council has decided to invite public consultation on the proposal … Read more
Global Insights: Unheard Stories from Around the World Boxing to Combat Suicide in Greenland Greenland faces one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with communities grappling with this profound issue for decades. In an innovative approach to tackle this crisis, local initiatives have turned to boxing as a means to improve mental health … Read more
Tragic Deaths of Tourists in Laos Spark Investigation The government of Laos has expressed deep sorrow over the recent deaths of six young foreign tourists in the popular town of Vang Vieng. The incident has raised suspicions that the tourists unknowingly consumed methanol, commonly known as wood alcohol, during their time in the town. The … Read more
Russia Allegedly Supplies North Korea with Military Equipment Intelligence agencies in South Korea have reported that Russia has provided North Korea with air defense systems and other military equipment. This exchange reportedly took place in return for North Korean troops to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities announced in October that they believe thousands … Read more
Interest Rate Adjustments in Iceland: A Closer Look This week, Iceland’s financial landscape experienced significant shifts following the Central Bank’s decision to reduce policy rates by 0.5 percentage points, bringing them down to 8.5 percent. However, amidst this monetary easing, Jón Guðni Ómarsson, CEO of Íslandsbanki, has announced that the cost of providing indexed loans … Read more
Impact of Social Media on Anxiety: Insights from Þorbjörg Vigfúsdóttir In a recent interview on Rás 1, Þorbjörg Vigfúsdóttir, CEO of Kara Connect, highlighted the significant impact of social media on anxiety levels, particularly among younger generations. “Everyone wakes up and immediately reaches for their phone. Research shows that social media platforms released between 2012 … Read more