News
Most read
Latest
-
Icelandic State Hires Lobbyists In Washington D.C.
Icelandic authorities have hired the lobbying and law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to represent the country in Washington D.C. The Icelandic state brokered a 6-month deal with the company, paying a sum total of 150.000 USD, Politico reports. The decision came…
-
Iceland Roundup: Physician Shortage, Hitler Apology Videos, North Korea & More News
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 Grapevine editor-in-chief Bart Cameron and Grapevine friend and contributor Sindri Eldon to round up…
-
Dettifoss Vantage Point Closed Due To Landslide
The northernmost vantage point by Dettifoss has been closed off for security reasons. On June 5, a landslide fell near its viewing deck on the waterfall’s west side, reports RÚV. In a press statement by Vatnajökull National Park, the landslide wound appears…
-
Dog Hired As Assistant Teacher In Reykjavík School
A Labrador Retriever named Orka has started working as an assistant teacher in Rimaskóli primary school. The dog helps teaching students in third grade, and doubles as a therapist, its owner and Rimaskóli teacher Dagný Gísladóttir told RÚV. Orka is part of…
-
Government Starts Íslandsbanki Share Sale
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs has announced its third phase of Íslandsbanki’s share sale. The public is given priority in buying shares. On Thursday, May 8, Alþingi agreed on the sale unanimously. The sale started Tuesday, May 13 and ends…
-
Culture Night Killer Sentenced To Prison
A teenager, aged seventeen, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for murdering Bryndís Klara Birgisdóttir on Culture Night in 2024. He is also convicted of stabbing two other teenagers. The boy confessed in his hearing, which was published on Reykjavík…
-
Tourist Held Hostage On May Day
On May 1, a man in his thirties was arrested in a police raid in downtown Reykjavík. The police received a call describing a man carrying a gun in a house on Hverfisgata, mbl.is reports. The National Commissioner’s Special Unit was dispatched,…
-
One In Three Worried About U.S.-Imposed Tariffs, Inflation Increases
According to a recent survey by Maskína, about 30% of Icelanders are worried about the negative impacts of U.S.-imposed tariffs, mbl.is reports. About seven percent are very worried, while 22.5% are somewhat worried. Most respondents, 37.8%, have mild concerns. Left-Green Party voters…
-
NATO Military Exercises Conducted In Faxaflói
On April 28, NATO’s annual anti-submarine warfare exercise, Dynamic Mongoose, began in Faxaflói Bay. Iceland is the primary host nation for the drill, which aims to enhance NATO’s military capabilities in combating submarine vessels and surface-level threats. Nine NATO member states participate…
-
Reindeer Seen Swimming Near Djúpavogur
A reindeer went for a 20-minute swim near Djúpavogur last week, reports Vísir. Sigurður Már, a cameraman in the area, spotted the reindeer and told Vísir that it’s not something you see every day — a reindeer taking to the sea. “It…
-
Hot Tubs Flying Off The Shelves
Icelanders’ love for hot tubs shows no signs of cooling, with sales seeing a significant jump this year. According to RÚV, sales have risen by 10% year over year, while some manufacturers report even sharper increases. At Heitirpottar.is, managing director Ari Steinn…
-
Reykjavík Energy Proposes Wind Farms Near City Limits
Energy company Reykjavík Energy (Orkuveitan) has proposed constructing two wind farms at Mosfellsheiði pass, between Reykjavík and Hveragerði. The turbines could reach up to 210 metres in height, making them visible from the capital area, RÚV reports. The proposition is currently under…
-
Unhealthy Bacteria In Pools Brought By Tourists, Says Health Inspector
In a conversation with Vísir, CEO of the South Iceland Health Inspection Authority Sigrún Guðmundsdóttir claimed that unchlorinated pools and lagoons could contain unhealthy bacteria brought in by tourists. She described the proliferation of unchlorinated lagoons as worrisome. The single most polluting…
-
Iceland: Once A Stopover For Human Trafficking, Now A Destination
In the last three years, a significant increase has occurred in reports claiming suspicion of human trafficking. In 2022, two cases of suspected trafficking were reported in the first three months. In 2023, the number increased to 28; and in 2024, 36…
-
18-Year-Old Caught With 13 Kilos Of Cocaine
An 18-year-old is in custody for attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine, Vísir reports. Keflavík Airport has seen a spate of drug smuggling arrests in recent weeks. Among the most notable was the recent seizure of 20,000 synthetic opioid pills. Two…
-
Mysterious Medieval Books May Be Linked to Iceland
A recent study has uncovered that a collection of 12th-century sketchbooks, long considered mysterious due to their unusual bindings, may trace back to Iceland — or at least the North Atlantic region. The findings were reported by The New York Times. The…
-
Sambíó Theatres Increase Security For Minecraft Screenings
Proprietors of cinema chain Sambíó have decided to increase security during its screenings of the Minecraft movie. The decision was made following a viral TikTok trend resulting in carnage engulfing the cinema. The film premiered in Iceland at the beginning of April,…
-
National Handball Team Calls For Boycotting Israeli Sports Participation Following Win
The Iceland women’s national handball team has issued a statement encouraging Icelandic sports authorities to bar Israeli teams from participating in international tournaments. The statement was published on the team’s official fan Facebook page on April 11, following the Icelandic team’s 31-to-21…
-
13.000 People Opposed To Fish Farm In Seyðisfjörður
A total of 13.022 people signed a petition urging authorities to cancel plans to allow open-pen fish farming in Seyðisfjörður, RÚV reports. The petition was closed on midnight, April 9. In December, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) published a licensing…
-
First Puffins Return As Breeding Season Begins
The first puffins to return to Iceland settled in Grímsey last weekend, reports akureyri.is. The small bird was unusually punctual, arriving about four days before the expected date. Puffins spend most of their lives out on sea, only returning to coastal areas…
-
Directorate Of Health Warns Against Screening “Adolescence” Series
The Directorate of Health has sent a statement to contacts and principals of health-promoting primary schools, advising against screening the series Adolescence to students, reports Vísir. “Child violence has been a frequent topic of discussion this winter, and understandably, schools are seeking…
-
More People In Favour Of EU Membership Than Opposed
Approximately 44% of the Icelandic population is in favour of joining the European Union, according to a new Gallup survey, RÚV reports. Carried out between March 7-16, 2025, around 44% of respondents claimed to be positively in favour of Iceland entering the…
-
Iceland Foreign Ministry Publishes Travel Advisory For LGBTQ+ People
The Foreign Ministry has published a travel advisory aimed at LGBTQ+ people, encouraging travellers to be mindful of the attitudes found in other countries. Compared to Iceland, views towards queer identities are different in other parts of the world, the ministry states,…