Reykjavik, Iceland, 26 January 2009: The prime minister, Geir Haarde, speaks to the media after announcing the immediate resignation of his government following massive protests over its handling of the country's dire economic crisis. Many Icelanders blame the government for the collapse of the country's financial sector in October, which led the state to take control of three major banks as the economy and currency faltered badly

Photograph: Kristinn Ingvarsson/Getty