News from Iceland - NFI

NFI - 24, July 2026

“Rarely is a single wave isolated.”

The Ministry of Education and Children's Affairs has published a draft bill on changing children's outdoor play time on a consultation portal. It proposes that outdoor play time for ten to twelve-year-old children be extended by one hour, to 9 p.m., during the winter.

The weather played tricks on residents of the capital area yesterday afternoon, but as evening approached, the sky took on a whitish-yellow color and a mysterious mist settled over it. Meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson says in a post on his website Bliku that it is most likely smoke haze from forest fires in Canada.

A boy riding a bike was hit last night. The bike is practically useless, according to police, and the boy is badly injured. He was fine, though.

The fire department was called out when a fire broke out in a small house. The fire was extinguished quickly. The small house was apparently unoccupied and no one was injured. A report of a brush fire was also received, but it turned out to be a fire that had been started in a fireplace in the garden.

The ferry Baldur is sailing in Breiðafjordur again today after sailing between the mainland and the Vestmannaeyjar Islands for the past few weeks. Jakob Björgvin Sigridarson Jakobsson, mayor of Stykkisholmur, says local businesses have taken a big hit due to the ferry's absence.

Two young girls believed they were trapped inside Egilssholl (The Hall of Egill) after closing time last night. They had gone to the bathroom after a movie and were unable to get out of the hall. Police officers assisted the girls, who managed to get out through the emergency exit.This is what police officer Hildur Rún Bjornsdottir says.

NFI - 23, July 2026

“It's too late to fill the well once the child has fallen in.”

The jewelry store Prakt will close in the next few months after a fire broke out in their premises on Laugavegur. Behind Prakt is the goldsmith couple Sigridur Edda Bergsteinsdottir and Thorbergur Halldorsson, or Edda and Beggi as they are known in everyday speech.

The Foreign Minister says that if she had to pursue everything that was wrongly attributed to her, she would do little else. That is why a misunderstanding in a two-week-old news story about the EU referendum was not corrected until yesterday.

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) considers it necessary to respond and provide explanations regarding alleged deficiencies in the recording of monitoring data regarding whaling.

The American pop star Olivia Rodrigo recently spent some time in Iceland, causing quite a stir among her Icelandic fans. The singer landed in Keflavík early on Thursday morning, July 17, after an overnight first-class flight with Icelandair from Portland.

Traffic congestion has formed at the new intersection of Arnarnesvegur and Breidholtsbraut. The mayor of Kopavogur says the situation is unacceptable, but the Icelandic Road Administration points out that this is a temporary arrangement. Full experience will not be gained until more lanes have been opened and the traffic light control is fully operational.

NFI - 22, July 2026

“I won't go anywhere, because I don't want to be a corner woman”.

“There is a spate of burglaries in town and now our place has been broken into for the second time in a short period of time,” says Valgeir Gunnlaugsson, co-owner of Pizza 107. This time, a small window in the main entrance was broken. The first time, however, a large window was broken, which caused more chaos and debris around the break-in. “The last time, the thief went straight to the wine cooler and stole alcohol. He was clearly thirstier. This one, however, was more polished, went straight to the cash register and took the money. The other one was like some kind of after-party, but this one was more “professional”. He knew exactly what to do, turned the cash register over, unplugged it and then just walked out.”

The ship Bandero, owned by the Paul Watson Group, is heading towards Iceland again. The ship is located "deep" southeast of the country, but the Icelandic Coast Guard estimates its arrival in the Icelandic exclusive economic zone very soon.

Love affairs fraud have been particularly common in Iceland in recent weeks, according to information from banks. The team manager at Bjarkarhlid says that too few people who fall victim to love affairs fraud seek help. Victims can lose their homes and end up in debt worth millions. Dating fraud occurs when an unscrupulous person forms a romantic or friendship relationship with someone online with the aim of defrauding the person of their money or personal information.

The Independence Party is measuring 25 percent support in a new Maskína poll and is the largest party in the company's polls for the first time since the 2024 parliamentary elections. The Come Together Array is measuring close behind with 24.4 percent.

The Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir says she has not discussed the possibility of permanent exemptions for Iceland from the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and denies suggesting such a thing. "I never said that, I have not spoken to Rob Jetten," Thorgerdur says in an interview with The Morning Paper, but the minister has drawn much criticism for the comments she is now denying.

The director of the Icelandic National Heritage Institute is asking the city to move quickly before demolishing the spectator pavilion at Laugardalslaug (Swimming Pool). The pavilion has great preservation value from the perspective of Iceland's cultural history, but he notes that the structure will not be rebuilt unless it is given a new role. He wants Laugardalslaug (Swimming Pool) to continue to be defined as a public facility for city residents, and not become "like some hotel pool in Tenerife."

NFI - 21, July 2026

“ At the beginning one should consider the end.”

The French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was hesitant when asked whether France's position on Iceland's possible accession talks with the European Union (EU) had changed or remained unchanged since 2010, but said that a long time had passed since then and much had changed in the world. The European Affairs Committee of the French Parliament then supported Iceland's application with reservations, emphasizing that transitional provisions and deviations from the EU's rules should be kept to a minimum. No permanent exemptions were envisaged.

The South Iceland police have closed an investigation into the death of a woman in her nineties at the Hraunbudir nursing home in the Vestmannaeyjar Islands, which began in January of this year. An autopsy report has revealed that there is no basis to continue the investigation.

Netvís has opened a special reporting portal where the public can report suspicious content online in the run-up to the referendum on EU negotiations. More information chaos is expected online as it gets closer.

About a fifth fewer Americans passed through Keflavík Airport in June than in the same month last year. The CEO of the Icelandic Tourism Association says it is possible that their visits to Iceland are decreasing.

Embla Medical, formerly known as Ossur, reported a profit of ISK 4 billion in the second quarter of the year. This was an increase of 39 percent compared to the same quarter last year. The company's CEO says the growth was primarily driven by strong organic growth in prosthetics and the good performance of new products.

Alexander Sindrason, owner of stilistinn.is, has long had a passion for fashion and personal style. In his work, he helps people find their own style, build confidence, and feel good about what they wear. Alexander describes his style as confident and comfortable, with a touch of sexiness. He prefers quality and personality over fleeting fashion trends, and is particularly fascinated by garments that have a story.

NFI - 20, July 2026

“It will be true that when we tear apart the laws, we will also tear apart peace.”

There are large amounts of bitumen bleeding in a section about three kilometers west of Jökulsarlon. The area has been very hot and will continue to be so for the next few days.

The lawyer for a man who lost his entire estate to unscrupulous parties over the past year says the police have failed him. He describes the slowness and lack of response at the beginning of the investigation into the case and believes that the police may be liable for damages.

The celebrity couple Thordis Bjork Thorfinnsdottir and Juli Heidar Halldorsson welcomed their second child last week. On Tuesday, July 14, a little girl with chubby cheeks and black hair was born. This was revealed in a post the couple posted on Instagram yesterday.

Th Swedish running queen Tove Alexandersson enjoyed the days she spent in Iceland and did much more than win two of Iceland's most exciting off-road races.

Over 100 Icelanders have been stranded in Gothenburg, Sweden since last night after Icelandair canceled their flight from the city. These are young people aged 12-15 who were supposed to return home yesterday after participating in the Gothia Cup soccer tournament, along with tour guides and coaches.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is expected to visit the country today. He will, among other things, hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, and it is not unlikely that possible EU membership will be discussed by the ministers, although it is not mentioned in the agenda.

NFI - 19, July 2026

“Every story must be told as it unfolds.”

Bus driver Axel Gunnarsson was shocked when he narrowly escaped a serious collision. A car coming from the opposite direction overtook a line of cars and just managed to turn back onto the right lane in time to avoid hitting the front of the bus Axel was driving. Axel tells that there was a difference of almost thirty meters between the car and the bus before the car was able to swerve back to the correct lane. "This person who was overtaking seemed to me to be contemplating su***de. If I hadn't braked, he would have died," he says.

The eradication of one of the two species of mosquito found in Iceland last summer is progressing well. Although the other species has yet to be seen, biologists are not ready to write the fly off the radar.

Police officers in the capital area stopped a driver today for failing to pay his insurance premium. The vehicle's registration plate, often colloquially called a license plate, was removed and the car was taken off the road.

Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson says the exodus of wealthy entrepreneurs from Britain has become a real exodus. He is among a number of wealthy entrepreneurs who have left the UK since the Labour Party came to power there. Bjorgolfur Thor, who became Iceland’s first billionaire, moved from Britain to Italy last year and now pays taxes there. His investment company, Novator, has also moved its headquarters from London to Zurich, Switzerland. This is revealed in a Bloomberg interview with the tycoon.

The chairman of the Reykjavík Senior Citizens Association says the case of a seventy-year-old man who lost his lease to extortionists is just the tip of the iceberg. A new reality is facing senior citizens in Iceland and it is clear that there is a great need for a special Ombudsman for Senior Citizens to come to their aid.

NFI - 16, July 2026

“It's coming, albeit slowly.”

The musician Bríet Isis Elfar and producer Larus Orn Arnarson have been dating for the past few months. There has been little progress on the relationship in the media, but Bríet published photos of her boyfriend where they were together at Lopapeysan (Wool Sweater) in Akranes at the beginning of the month.

Migratory birds are arriving in Iceland much earlier than they did almost 40 years ago, according to a new scientific article. More than 80% of the species counted have accelerated their arrival between years.

A taxi driver was stabbed on Monday evening. The suspect in the attack has been taken to an appropriate facility. The case is under investigation.

Residents in the city centre are very concerned about the spate of burglaries in Reykjavík and want the city authorities to take action.

Tinna Bra Baldursdottir, managing director of the design store Hrim, and the comedian Ari Eldjarn (Fireiron) have invested in a property on Melabraut in Seltjarnarnes. The house is a detached house, 209 square meters and was built in 1980 and they paid 165,000,000 kronur. The asking price for the property was 169 million kronur. The house on Melabraut has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. Nestled in a desirable family neighbourhood, it boasts easy access to major services.
Tinna and Ari found love in 2023. Last year, Tinna put her apartment on Lagaleiti up for sale because she thought it would be ideal to move in with her beloved.

There is a lack of general sanitation facilities at some of the travel saunas, and none that have applied for a permit for a travel sauna from the South Iceland Health Inspectorate have met such a requirement. The Director is concerned about the potential risk of infection in the travel saunas. In recent years, portable saunas or so-called mobile saunas have become quite popular in Iceland. In order to operate and invite people to use a mobile sauna, a special operating permit must be obtained from the health inspectorate in each region.

NFI - 15, July 2026

“In calm water, it is often far to the bottom.”

A physician and doctor of public health says she sees in black and white the development of Icelanders' alcohol issues with the advent of social media and influencers. Consumption has been "normalized" and it is incomprehensible that a ruling on online alcohol sales is not being enforced.

The Icelandic Parliament recently approved a bill by Johann Pall Johannsson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, on simplifying regulations and increasing the efficiency of monitoring hygiene practices and pollution prevention.

It can be said that the weather quality is significantly uneven across the country on this high summer day. After all, yellow weather warnings went into effect across the northwestern part of the country this morning, while the bright yellow sun plays on the land in East Iceland with the accompanying warmth and warmth.

A change to the City of Reykjavík's fee schedule for permits and inspections has come into effect, which includes authorization to provide discounts on fees for certain events on city land. It was proposed at the City Council meeting on July 2 that changes be made to the fee schedule for use permits for events on city land in such a way that it will be permitted to provide a discount of up to fifty percent on use permits when non-profit organizations hold events.

The majority of members of parliament in the Icelandic parliament are in favour of allowing the sale of alcohol through domestic online stores. This is stated on the website of the online alcohol retailer Sante, which has summarized the position of members of parliament on a bill submitted in the last session. The bill, submitted by 9 members of parliament from The Reform Party, included that online sales of alcohol would be permitted in this country and that a clear legal framework would be established for such activities.
Plans for a bill that would prohibit children under the age of fifteen from using social media have been published on the government's consultation portal.

NFI - 14, July 2026
“Times change and people change with them.”

The chairman of the Icelandic Musicians Association says Icelandic music is under attack on the streaming service Spotify. At the same time, musicians are waging war against the vast amount of artificial intelligence music flooding into the streaming service.

A gambling addiction counselor says there is evidence that gambling addiction in Iceland is on the rise in society. The target group is young boys who may develop a gambling addiction before they have ever gambled. Such addiction can have a serious impact on people's lives and well-being.

Tree theft is a widespread problem, according to the chairman of the Selfoss Forestry Association, and trees were stolen from Hellisskogur (Cave Forrest) in Selfoss over the weekend. He is outraged that people are stealing trees from forests that volunteers have worked hard to build.

The influencer and CEO Birgitta Líf Björnsdóttir has decided to sell her car. She is advertising the vehicle on social media. The car is fit for a real king, but it is a Range Rover, black with red leather seats.

Oli Runar Jonsson, CEO of Olgerdinn, (Ale Maker) takes up the gauntlet for the ever-popular "lite" beer and says a nutritionist who recently criticized the product category is making misrepresentations about "lite" beers and beer sales in general.

Rakel Sif Haraldsdottir, a nurse, and Gissur Ari Kristinsson, project manager for leisure and prevention work at Seltjarnarnesbaer, have put their 77.6 square meter apartment at Nylendugata 22 up for sale. The asking price is 79.9 million icelandic kronas.

NFI - 13, July 2026
“A doctor should be sought in time.”

"People are opening new convenience stores despite the verdict. People are giving the legislator and the police the finger, and the people of the country as well," says Arni Gudmundsson, prevention expert and managing director of the Education and Prevention Association. The Prevention organizations condemn the comments of the deputy police chief in the capital area and the fact that the police did not close down the outlets of online alcohol stores after the sale of Smariki (Small State) was ruled illegal.
Inga Saeland, The Minister of Children and Education says the situation in the education system is unacceptable, but that its reform is an enormously extensive project. A large infrastructure debt has accumulated and the education system has been left to sit on the sidelines.
The British actress Judi Dench, comedian Ricky Gervais and musician Leona Lewis are among those calling on the Icelandic Minister of Industry, Hanna Katrin Fridriksson to ensure that whaling is stopped off the coast of Iceland.
The runway at Reykjavík Airport was closed for a period of time yesterday and police assistance was requested when a drone was flown near the airport without permission. It was spotted outside the airport area and the runway was reopened shortly afterwards.
The police in the capital area received three reports of burglaries last night, two at homes and one at a church. One person was arrested in connection with the second burglary, but all cases are under investigation.
The Philadelphia Pentecostal Church in Hatun, Reykjavík, was broken into yesterday. Items were stolen, including a guitar.