Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir retired from politics yesterday ahead of general elections today.

Sigurdardottir became the world’s first openly gay or lesbian head of state in February of 2009 when she was appointed Prime Minister of Iceland after Independence Party leader Geir Haarde resigned over his handling of the country’s then financial crisis.

Iceland’s voters gave her appointment the seal of approval two month later, giving her the task of fixing the country’s financial crisis.

Chinese state media has not mentioned the wife of Iceland's prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir during her official state visit.

Sigurdardottir is in Beijing for talks on a trade agreement between the most populous country in the world and the tiny island nation of 320,000 people. She is accompanied by her wife of 13 years Jonina Leosdottir, but China's media has not mentioned her by name or published photographs of her.

The world's first openly gay national leader, Icelandic prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir is to visit China next week with her wife of 13 years, Jonina Leosdottir.

Sigurdardottir will meet President Xi Jinping and LGBT activists in China are watching out for how the state and the media react to the lesbian couple.

A group of Icelandic MPs have called for Wikileaks whistle-blower Bradley Manning to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the second time in two years, and have been joined by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)

All three MPs from Iceland’s The Movement party and the Swedish Pirate Party’s two MEPs wrote to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee in Oslo, Norway, to urge them to award Manning the prize.

They were joined in this call by Slim Amamou, a former Tunisian Secretary of State for Sport and Youth.

Icy drag queens, pool parties and man-on-man wrestling might sound like your stereotypical gay holiday, but Rainbow Reykjavik is far from it.

Not to be confused with Iceland's LGBT pride, Rainbow Reykjavik is a gay and lesbian winter festival where Iceland's rugged landscape and warm culture come together over a colorful weekend.

Dress up with swim trunks under your parka and experience Iceland's Nordic heritage and natural wonders, including but not limited to the famous Blue Lagoon, Northern Lights and man-on-man Glima wrestling.

I'm not the type of tourist who snaps pictures of my food. I am, however, one of those people who can turn a relaxing trip into a mission to eat and drink as many new things as I can.

It was in a Starbucks in midtown Manhattan that I met two of the key leaders of Team New York Aquatics (TYNA) - officially the world’s largest LGBT aquatics club.

Elisabeth Turnbull-Brown (TNYA co-chair) and Scott Jordan (TNYA head coach) make a dynamic duo. Both young, articulate and engaging - Jordan, the quintessential gay American; Turnbull-Brown a straight-talking (and straight) Australian.

I am just back from five nights in Iceland. I can honestly say, hand on heart, that this was without doubt one of my best traveling experiences ever.

Reykjavík in Iceland is gearing up for the 2012 International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) championship from 29 May to 2 June.

And despite being the world's most nothermost national capital, this gay-friendly city, complete with a lesbian prime minister, is guaranteeing a warm welcome.

Hundreds of competitors will travel from across the world to compete in swimming, water polo, diving, and synchronized swimming.

Imagine me standing in the middle of the Arctic Circle in mid-winter in just my swimming trunks and with my face covered in white mud.

Suicidal? No! Smiling? Yes!

I’m not on some crazy endurance test, but soaking in the incredible atmosphere and weird luna-landscape of the world’s most famous luxury spa – the Blue Lagoon.

It’s just one of the wonderfully weird must-sees on any tour of Iceland (just three hours flight-time from London and only five from New York).