The Reykjavík Grapevine’s Iceland Roundup brings you the top news with a healthy dash of local views. In this episode, Grapevine publisher Jón Trausti Sigurðarson is joined by Heimildin editor Aðalsteinn Kjartansson and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to round up the stories making headlines in recent weeks.

On the docket this week:

The last joint cultural event that all of Iceland collectively enjoy, to various degrees, takes place on New Year’s Eve. Iceland Roundup hosts try to explain what it is. You can also read this article for more details;

On Sunday, Iceland’s PM, Kristrún Frostadóttir, wrote on her Facebook: “Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Nothing about Greenland without Greenland. Iceland stands in full solidarity behind our friends.” On Monday morning, Iceland’s Foreign Minister, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, wrote an op-ed on Vísir, opening with: “It is clear that the international system we have lived with since the end of the Second World War is shaking at its foundations. At work are what can rightly be called the threatening forces of history, generating uncertainty far beyond what we have been accustomed to and creating dangers that would have seemed implausible only a few years ago.” Both of these statements are responses to the USA’s seizure of Venezuela’s president, and Trump’s subsequent comments about taking over Greenland;

The price of gas dropped by a third on the first day of the year, subsequent to changes in how the Icelandic state collects tax from automobiles;

A 51-year-old Icelander, Kjartan Sævar Óttarsson, died on the front lines in Ukraine in or around December 20, according to the man’s brother. Kjartan had travelled to Ukraine on December 7 from Gothenburg, Sweden, and neither what he was tasked with on the front lines nor what led to his death has been reported on as of yet;

Last but not least, the show’s hosts ponder what this new year will bring.