More News

Work on revising the 2017 emergency response plan for a potential volcanic eruption beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier, or in Katla, was presented to local residents.

"Traffic may need to be controlled in certain areas"

Public information meetings on the updated emergency response plan for a potential volcanic eruption beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier were held in Vík í Mýrdal last night—first in English and then in Icelandic.

Work on revising the 2017 emergency response plan for a potential volcanic eruption beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier, or in Katla, was presented to local residents.

"Traffic may need to be controlled in certain areas"
“It is pure poison in Icelandic society. No civilized nation would even consider maintaining a system like the one we have,” says Vilhjálmur Birgisson, referring to indexation.

"Negative consequences for Icelandic households"

No country in the world experiences such significant financial shifts when inflation surges as Iceland does, due to the widespread use of inflation-indexed debt among households and businesses. “This has serious and harmful consequences, and we are not on the right track,” says Vilhjálmur Birgisson, chairman of the Icelandic Federation of General and Special Workers (SGS), in an interview with mbl.is, following the recent spike in inflation.

“It is pure poison in Icelandic society. No civilized nation would even consider maintaining a system like the one we have,” says Vilhjálmur Birgisson, referring to indexation.

"Negative consequences for Icelandic households"
Lake Þórisvatn has not filled since the autumn of 2019. Now, there is a strong likelihood that it will reach full capacity.

Reservoirs filling up – No power shortages expected this winter

Reservoir levels at Landsvirkjun’s hydropower stations are in good shape as June draws to a close, and there are currently no signs of electricity shortages for the coming winter.

Lake Þórisvatn has not filled since the autumn of 2019. Now, there is a strong likelihood that it will reach full capacity.

Reservoirs filling up – No power shortages expected this winter
Tourist numbers at Þingvellir have increased this year.

Tourist surge and festivities at Þingvellir

Einar Á. E. Sæmundsen, park manager at Þingvellir National Park, says visitor numbers have noticeably increased so far this year.

Tourist numbers at Þingvellir have increased this year.

Tourist surge and festivities at Þingvellir
A cargo vessel carrying the power cables docked in the Westman Islands yesterday. The cables are now awaiting installation.

Two new power cables to be laid to the Westman Islands

Plans are underway to begin laying two new power cables to the Westman Islands around the end of the month. A specialized cable-laying vessel, owned by the Norwegian company Seaworks, is expected to arrive in Iceland by midweek to carry out the operation.

A cargo vessel carrying the power cables docked in the Westman Islands yesterday. The cables are now awaiting installation.

Two new power cables to be laid to the Westman Islands
Volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson (right) on the Reykjanes Peninsula in April.

Sundhnúkagígar crater row: “Maybe running out of fuel”

Land inflation beneath Svartsengi continues to fluctuate daily, and volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson says these irregularities may signal that volcanic activity is starting to slow down.

Volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson (right) on the Reykjanes Peninsula in April.

Sundhnúkagígar crater row: “Maybe running out of fuel”
Exploring new ways to improve recycling in Reykjavík.

Reykjavík to launch waste sorting pilot project

The City of Reykjavík is preparing to launch a pilot project focused on waste sorting in public areas. The initiative was recently introduced to the city’s Environment and Planning Committee and is expected to begin in the near future.

Exploring new ways to improve recycling in Reykjavík.

Reykjavík to launch waste sorting pilot project
Þórsson was arrested near Krýsuvíkurvegur in September last year, suspected of having killed his daughter, who was found dead at the scene.

Father sentenced to 16 years for killing his daughter

Sigurður Fannar Þórsson has been sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Reykjavík District Court for the murder of his 10-year-old daughter near Krýsuvík on September 15, 2024. According to the court ruling, he struck the girl 9–10 times in the back of the head with a hammer.

Þórsson was arrested near Krýsuvíkurvegur in September last year, suspected of having killed his daughter, who was found dead at the scene.

Father sentenced to 16 years for killing his daughter
Stefán Sveinsson says that more high-purity cocaine is entering the country than before, often arriving in 1 kg packages prepared in South America. Photo from mbl.is Photo Archives.

Drug mules recruited online to smuggle cocaine into Iceland

The use of the internet to recruit drug mules for smuggling narcotics into Iceland is on the rise. This may partly explain why such a high proportion of mules caught at the border are foreign nationals. It could also reflect the growing presence of international criminal organizations operating in the country.

Stefán Sveinsson says that more high-purity cocaine is entering the country than before, often arriving in 1 kg packages prepared in South America. Photo from mbl.is Photo Archives.

Drug mules recruited online to smuggle cocaine into Iceland
`
Emergency response exercise involving Coast Guard helicopters.

Photos: Large-scale emergency exercise near Selfoss

Emergency responders in South Iceland, along with the Icelandic Coast Guard and the Grindavík Fire Department, took part in a large-scale training exercise at the Selfoss airfield on Saturday, from 12:00 to 18:00.

Emergency response exercise involving Coast Guard helicopters.

Photos: Large-scale emergency exercise near Selfoss
`
Hildur Björnsdóttir and Einar Þorsteinsson, leaders of the Independence Party and the Progressive Party in Reykjavík City Council, have expressed skepticism toward Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s proposal to impose a resource tax on those who utilize natural resources for home heating and electricity.

Opposition to resource tax on geothermal heating

Minority leaders on Reykjavík City Council have expressed serious doubts about Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s recent proposal to impose a resource tax on the use of natural resources for home heating and electricity. The idea was introduced at a public meeting in Ísafjörður last week.

Hildur Björnsdóttir and Einar Þorsteinsson, leaders of the Independence Party and the Progressive Party in Reykjavík City Council, have expressed skepticism toward Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir’s proposal to impose a resource tax on those who utilize natural resources for home heating and electricity.

Opposition to resource tax on geothermal heating
`
Evrópa Þorgerður Katrín ætlar að móta einfaldar reglur eða leiðbeiningar um úthlutun styrkja til hagsmunasamtaka með og á móti Evrópuaðild.

Foreign Minister: U.S. attack on Iran a major cause for concern

Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, says the U.S. attack on Iran last night is a serious cause for concern regarding the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. She emphasizes that such conflicts cannot be resolved through military action but require diplomatic negotiations and peaceful dialogue.

Evrópa Þorgerður Katrín ætlar að móta einfaldar reglur eða leiðbeiningar um úthlutun styrkja til hagsmunasamtaka með og á móti Evrópuaðild.

Foreign Minister: U.S. attack on Iran a major cause for concern
`
IMG_1720 2

Dozens of pilot whales stranded in Ólafsfjörður

Dozens of pilot whales were stranded in Ólafsfjörður earlier today.

IMG_1720 2

Dozens of pilot whales stranded in Ólafsfjörður
`
“It was an even more powerful experience than I had imagined,” Sverrisdóttir said.

Icelandic MPs receive blessing from the Pope

Icelandic Members of Parliament Hildur Sverrisdóttir of the Independence Party and Lilja Rafney Magnúsdóttir of the People's Party were honored with a blessing from Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican today.

“It was an even more powerful experience than I had imagined,” Sverrisdóttir said.

Icelandic MPs receive blessing from the Pope
`
The model is based on more than 1.2 million hours of fishing data.

AI technology could save Icelandic fishing industry billions

A new technology that uses artificial intelligence to predict the distribution of commercial fish stocks—such as cod, haddock, and redfish—could save the Icelandic fishing industry billions of ISK, according to Svanur Guðmundsson, a fisheries scientist and CEO of the Blue Economy.

The model is based on more than 1.2 million hours of fishing data.

AI technology could save Icelandic fishing industry billions
`
The father and daughter were killed at the Edition Hotel.

Police investigating whether father and daughter were asleep during attack

The French woman currently in custody, suspected of killing her husband and daughter at the Reykjavík Edition hotel last weekend, has reportedly lived in Ireland with the deceased for the past ten years.

The father and daughter were killed at the Edition Hotel.

Police investigating whether father and daughter were asleep during attack
`