POST 2022

December 30, 2022 Ómar Ingi Magnússon Voted Athlete of the Year
Handball player Ómar Ingi Magnússon has been voted Athlete of the Year for the second year running, RÚV reports. Ómar…
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December 30, 2022 Justice Minister to Authorise the Use of Electroshock Weapons
The Minister of Justice has decided to authorise the use of electroshock weapons among the police. Clear rules will be…
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December 30, 2022 Difficult Road Conditions Expected in Capital Area on New Year’s Eve
The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration has issued a weather alert for South and Southeast Iceland for tomorrow, New Year’s…
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December 30, 2022 Deep North Episode 6: Indexed Mortgages
In the tug-of-war game between interest rates and inflation following the economic disruptions of COVID-19, Icelandic homeowners have been put…
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December 29, 2022 Ten Bonfires Scheduled For New Year’s Eve in Reykjavík
Reykjavík city officials have announced plans for ten New Year's bonfires this New Year's Eve, to take place in various…
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December 29, 2022 2022 (Year-In Review): The Good News Is …
Such is the nature of the news that it often focuses on the negative; bad things tend to happen quickly…
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December 28, 2022 Bláfjöll Ski Area to Open Tomorrow
As the capital region deals with heavy snowfall and road closures, the Bláfjöll ski area plans to open tomorrow. Bláfjöll…
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December 28, 2022 Coldest Since 1918: Record Low Recorded in Reykjavík
The coldest temperature since 1918 was recorded in Viðidalur in Reykjavík this morning, when thermometers dropped to -23°C (-9°F). This…
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December 27, 2022 Cost of Dairy to Increase in New Year
According to a recent statement by the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, the average cost of dairy products throughout…
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December 27, 2022 Efling Negotiation Postponed to Next Year
A negotiation meeting between Enfling trade union and SA, originally slated for today, is being postponed to the new year,…
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December 27, 2022 More Road Closures Following Heavy Snowfall
Recent snowfall has led to road closures throughout the country. Snow removal teams are working at full capacity, stated Eiður…
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December 26, 2022 Avalanche in Skagafjörður Leaves 15 Horses Dead
An avalanche in Skagafjörður, near the town of Hofsós in North Iceland, has left 15 horses dead. The avalanche occurred…
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December 26, 2022 Hotels Provide Shelter for Tourists Stranded in Winter Weather
More than 30 tourists sought shelter in the Dyrhólaey Hotel on the evening of December 25 when their bus, whose…
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December 23, 2022 Erla Receives Compensation and Apology over 70s Murder Investigation
A 1976 cold-case murder investigation gone wrong finally came to a close today. Erla Bolladóttir will receive damages from the…
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December 23, 2022 Deep North Episode 5: Pagan Poetry
Just in time for Yule, we talk with Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, chief priest of Ásatrúarfélagið.Read the full article here.
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December 22, 2022 Fríða Ísberg wins Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize
Author Fríða Ísberg is the 2022 recipient of the Per Olov Enquist Literary Prize, awarded annually to “a younger writer…
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December 21, 2022 Iceland Wins Trade Mark Dispute Against Iceland
The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)’s Grand Board of appeal has confirmed the EUIPO’s 2019 ruling that UK-based supermarket…
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December 21, 2022 Reykjavík Swimming Pools Reopened
Capital area swimming pools reopened to the public this morning following a two-day closure due to interruptions in the Hellisheiði…
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December 21, 2022 Airlines Recovering from Storm Delays, Arranging for Stranded Passanger Transport
Flights to and from Iceland seem to be back to normal following the storm. According to Isavia’s website, some of…
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December 21, 2022 Movie Ticket Prices Reach New Heights
The price of movie tickets has exceeded ISK 2,000 [$13.95, €13.14] for the first time. Consumers interviewed by Vísir stated…
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December 20, 2022 Taxi Drivers Demand Hearing with the Government
Dozens of taxi drivers stopped work yesterday in protest of the newly approved taxi bill submitted by the Minister of…
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December 20, 2022 Reykjanesbraut Reopened, Delay in Keflavík Flights
This article was updated at 1.30 PM. Reykjanesbraut has been reopened and a number of delayed flights are expected to…
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December 19, 2022 Six Shelters Opened Since Saturday
In response to the winter weather conditions, the Red Cross in Iceland, in cooperation with several other organizations, has opened…
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December 19, 2022 All Reykjavík City Pools Closed
Problems at the Hellisheiði power plant have led to a significant decrease in the production of hot water for the…
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December 19, 2022 Keflavík Flights Impacted by Winter Weather
The winter weather that hit the Capital Region over the weekend is causing delays and cancellations to flights out of…
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December 19, 2022 Funding for Municipal Services for People with Disabilities to Increase by ISK 5 Billion
Local municipalities will now receive a permanent increase in funding for legally required services for people with disabilities. RÚV reports…
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December 18, 2022 Art Auction Raises Over a Million to Support Refugee Children
The Association Réttindi barna á flótta, or Rights of Displaced Children, raised ISK 1.082 million [$7,642; €7,209] at an art…
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December 17, 2022 Winter Weather Wreaks Havoc
Snowstorms in south and southwest Iceland wreaked havoc on Saturday, leading to road closures, the opening of additional emergency centres,…
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December 17, 2022 Annual Artist Salaries Allocated for 2023
The Ministry of Education and Culture’s annual Artist Salary allocations were announced on Friday. RÚV reports that 236 artists across…
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December 16, 2022 Where Can I Watch “A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism?”
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson's 2009 documentary, "A Mother's Courage: Talking Back to Autism" (originally Sólskinsdrengurinn, or "The Sunshine Boy") was a…
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December 16, 2022 Deep North Episode 4: I Will Dance Again
Elísabet Jökulsdóttir is an award-winning Icelandic author, with a pioneering and personal style. Recently, however, her battle with Bipolar Disorder…
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December 16, 2022 Taxi Drivers Stage Protest in Reykjavík
A heated meeting took place among taxi drivers in Reykjavík and Suðurnes yesterday evening to discuss a bill on taxi…
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December 16, 2022 It’s Going to be a White Christmas, Meteorologists Say
According to current weather forecasts, this year’s Christmas will be white; snow will fall tonight in the capital area and…
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December 16, 2022 Europol Experts Believed Terror Suspects Posed Imminent Threat
The two men recently charged with planning a domestic terrorist attack were believed to pose an imminent threat by Europol…
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December 16, 2022 Cold Spell Continues: Emergency Shelters Open All Day Today
The City of Reykjavík has activated an emergency plan and will keep emergency shelters open around the clock today, Vísir…
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December 15, 2022 Direct Flights to be Offered Between Zürich and Akureyri
Edelweiss, a Swiss airline, has announced that it will be offering direct flights between Zürich and Akureyri for a seven-week…
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December 15, 2022 Four Added to List for Honorary Artists’ Stipend
Four artists are to be added to the list of honorary artists who received a state stipend to support their…
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December 15, 2022 Reykjavík City Lowers Speed Limit on More than 150 Streets
The 50 km/h speed limit common on many Reykjavík city streets will soon be a thing of the past, as…
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December 15, 2022 PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir Condemns “Unacceptable” Practices by Landlords
In recent statement, PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir has condemned what she called "unacceptable" practices on behalf of Icelandic landlords and real…
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December 14, 2022 National Hospital Nurse Charged with Manslaughter
A nurse in the psychiatric ward of Landsspítali has been charged with manslaughter and crimes committed during public employment. The…
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December 14, 2022 Rights of Fishermen Regularly Violated, According to Chairperson of Icelandic Seamen’s Association
In a recent report by RÚV, Bergur Þorkelsson, chairperson of the Icelandic Seamen's Association, states that the rights of seamen…
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December 14, 2022 Refugee Man and Family Previously Deported Win Case
The District Court of Reykjavík has decided that the November deportation of Hussein Hussein and his family was illegal. Now,…
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December 13, 2022 Safety Signs, Cameras Installed at Reynisfjara Beach
Informatory signage has been installed at Reynisfjara beach to better ensure the safety of tourists. Cameras, mounted on masts on…
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December 13, 2022 Composer Hildur Guðnadóttir Nominated for a Golden Globe
Film composer Hildur Guðnadóttir has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award in the category Best Original Score for her…
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December 13, 2022 Continued Cold Spell: Three Pools in South Iceland Closed
Three public pools in South Iceland will be closed indefinitely today to save hot water, RÚV reports. Iceland's national utility…
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December 12, 2022 Government Announces Increased Child and Housing Benefits
In the wake of the recently-concluded contract negotiations between VR and SA, the government has announced a series of measures…
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December 12, 2022 VR and SA Agree on Contract
VR Union and SA, the Federation of Icelandic Employers, have settled on a short-term contract that will be valid through…
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December 12, 2022 In Focus: Indexed Mortgages
Iceland’s housing market has undergone rapid changes over the past two years, with prices shooting upward. The market has begun…
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December 12, 2022 In Focus: Wage Negotiations
Power vacuum When Drífa Snædal resigned from her position as chairperson of ASÍ (The Icelandic Confederation of Labour) this summer,…
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December 12, 2022 Possible End in Sight for VR, SA Negotiations
After a late night of fruitless negotiations between VR and SA, the Federation of Icelandic Employers, an end to bargaining…
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December 12, 2022 Triangle of Sadness Sweeps European Film Awards
The 2022 European Film Awards took place in Rekjavík's Harpa concert hall last night, December 11. Some 1,200 were expected…
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December 12, 2022 Danish Breeders to Import Icelandic Mink
Two thousand Icelandic minks are set to be exported to Denmark to help reconstitute their breeding population. Mink breeding will…
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December 11, 2022 Volunteer Organisation Throws Christmas Ball for Ukrainian Children
Ukrainian families living in Iceland were treated to a Christmas Ball on Saturday. The party was the culmination of a…
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December 11, 2022 Incident Involving Refugee and Son Ejected from Bus Sparks Outrage
An account of a refugee and his son being prevented from boarding a Strætó bus from Reykjavík to Keflavík on…
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December 10, 2022 Pedestrian Killed in Traffic Accident
A pedestrian was killed in a traffic collision in Höfðabakki on the east side of Reykjavík on Friday evening, Vísir…
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December 10, 2022 Couple Who Are Blind Twice Denied Entry Onto Flight, Told to Pay for Escort
An Icelandic husband and wife who are blind were twice prevented from boarding an SAS flight to Iceland after being…
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December 9, 2022 Terror Suspect’s Defence Attorney “Astonished” by “Vague” Charges
Earlier today at the District Court of Reykjavík, formal charges were brought against two men suspected of planning a domestic-terror…
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December 9, 2022 Charges to Be Brought Against Domestic-Terror Plot Suspects
The District Prosecutor will push for continued custody over two men suspected of planning a domestic terror attack earlier this…
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December 9, 2022 Icelandic Cod Stock Endangered by Warming Waters
Unprecedented changes to the waters surrounding Iceland may put the nation’s cod stock in danger, a professor in biological oceanography…
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December 9, 2022 Deep North Episode 3: Closer to the Stars
John Snorri was an Icelandic mountaineer who summited the treacherous K2 during winter. Presumed dead alongside his two companions Ali…
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December 9, 2022 Hot Water Shortage in Selfoss: Public Pool Closed Indefinitely
A fire in an electrical box of the Selfossveitur utility company has led to a hot-water shortage in Selfoss. The…
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December 8, 2022 Deep North Episode 2: Unsettled
Iceland's highland wilderness is many things: a tourist attraction, power source, and precious breeding ground for migratory birds. But besides…
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December 8, 2022 Deep North Episode 1: Love, Bríet
Iceland Review talks with rising Icelandic pop star, Bríet in the inaugural episode of our new podcast. Read the whole…
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December 8, 2022 RIDING THE WAVE
It started in an airplane hangar at the turn of the century but quickly became synonymous with the Icelandic music…
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December 8, 2022 North Atlantic Nations Reach Agreement on Mackerel Quota, Dispute Allocation
Iceland has reached an agreement alongside Norway, the EU, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and the United Kingdom on the maximum…
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December 8, 2022 The Icelandic Medical Journal Publishes Report on Fireworks-Related Injuries
Using data gathered between 2010 and 2022, the Medical Journal of Iceland has released a report on fireworks-related injuries in…
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December 8, 2022 Diego Returns Home After Surgery
Diego the cat, a minor celebrity in Iceland, has returned home after a successful surgery. Diego was injured on November…
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December 7, 2022 How can I practice as a doctor in Iceland?
Iceland is a great place to live and work. And unfortunately for those in the medical field in Iceland, but…
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December 7, 2022 Cream of the Crop
Row after row of steep but flat-topped mountains, interspersed with deep fjords. There’s barely enough land in between to make…
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December 7, 2022 Wet and Cold: Children Rescued from Elliðavatn Lake
Three boys between ages 10 and 11 were rescued by the capital area fire department yesterday when they fell through…
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December 7, 2022 New Crime Bill Includes Upwards of 1 Billion ISK in Funding, Increased Police Powers
Following Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson's declaration of a "war on organised crime" after the recent knife attacks in a…
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December 7, 2022 Material World
When Canadian media theorist and philosopher Marshall McLuhan wrote that “the medium is the message,” he did not mean that…
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December 7, 2022 Pagan Poetry
Ásatrú Society, how may I help you?”This was neither the voice of a gruff metalhead nor the voice of a…
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December 7, 2022 Mad World
“Exceptionally rudimentary software” On Friday, November 11, I attended an appointment with a psychologist in Reykjavík. For weeks leading up…
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December 7, 2022 Pornographic Film Created in Ambulance Under Investigation
A pornographic film is under investigation for having been recorded in an Icelandic ambulance, reports Fréttablaðið. Authorities state they are…
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December 6, 2022 Staying Power
Elsa Pálsdóttir was doing what she loved most: Deadlifting. As she rested between sets, she chit-chatted with a man of…
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December 6, 2022 Disaster on Dark Seas
U-300On the morning of November 20, 1944, a single U-boat cruised silently at periscope depth beneath the rough waves of…
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December 6, 2022 Deported Asylum Seekers Have Right to Reevaluation, Appeals Board Rules
The Immigration and Asylum Appeals Board has ruled that a group of asylum seekers have a right to a reevaluation…
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December 6, 2022 Getting the Word Out
The Icelandic Literature Centre awards grants to some 80-100 translations from Icelandic to other languages each year. The number of applications…
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December 6, 2022 Teigarhorn: Average Temperature Has Risen 2°C Since 1880s
The average temperature in Teigarhorn, East Iceland has risen by 2°C since measurements began in the late 19th century, Austurfrétt…
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December 6, 2022 Search Area Expanded as Missing Fisherman Still Not Found
The Coast Guard has expanded the search area in its effort to find a missing fisherman who fell overboard last…
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December 5, 2022 Environmental Associations Call for Ban on Marine Fish Farming
This fall, when aquaculture company Arnarlax went to harvest their Westfjords fish pens, a hole in the pens let some…
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December 5, 2022 Arion Bank and PCC Conclude Talks Over Sale of Silicon Plant
Arion Bank and PCC BakkiSilicon have concluded their talks over the sale of the silicon plant in Helguvík. The fate…
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December 5, 2022 SGS Signs New Contract with SA, Causing Controversy
A new short-term contract has been reached between SGS, one of Iceland's larger trade unions and SA, the Federation of…
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December 4, 2022 Masked Man Carrying Fake Firearm Raises Alarm Downtown
Police were dispatched to the Vesturbær neighborhood on the west side of Reykjavík in the early hours of Sunday morning…
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December 4, 2022 Search Continues for Fisherman Who Fell Overboard
The search continues for a sailor who fell overboard a fishing vessel just outside the Faxaflói Bay on Friday afternoon.…
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December 3, 2022 Former Minister Jón Baldvin Sentenced in Sexual Harassment Case
Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson, former government minister and diplomat, has received a suspended sentence of two months’ imprisonment in a sexual…
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December 2, 2022 300,000 Tourists to Visit Ísafjörður Next Summer Via Cruise Ships
Approximately 300,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Ísafjörður via cruise ships next summer, RÚV reports. Receiving so many tourists…
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December 2, 2022 Reykjavík City Council Approves Extensive Budgetary Measures
At a meeting yesterday, Reykjavík City Council approved measures intended to save over ISK 1 billion in operational costs over…
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December 2, 2022 Strætó’s Reykjavík Night-Time Service Could Resume Next Year
Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson has proposed allocating an extra ISK 51 million ($361,000 / €343,000) of next year’s budget to…
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December 1, 2022 Sustainability Conference Centres Around Iceland’s Climate Goals
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Mayor of Reykjavík Dagur B. Eggertsson met today with other ministers and officials for the…
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December 1, 2022 First Female Pilot in Iceland Retires After 38 Years of Flight
Sigríður Einarsdóttir landed today for the last time at Keflavík International Airport. Sigríður Einarsdóttir was the first female commercial airline…
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December 1, 2022 Iceland Opens Embassy in Poland
Foreign Minister Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir is in Warsaw today for the opening of Iceland's embassy there. In a statement…
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December 1, 2022 November One of the Warmest Ever
Although this November has been one of the warmest on record, it has not quite broken any records. Much of…
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November 30, 2022 Police Concludes Investigation Into Domestic Terror Plot
The police authorities have concluded their investigation into two men suspected of plotting a domestic terror plot, Vísir reports. The…
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November 30, 2022 Can I use Euros in Iceland?
The short answer: no, you cannot use Euros in Iceland. Iceland, to the surprise of some, is not in the…
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November 30, 2022 Zelenskyy Gifted Icelandic Lopapeysa from Foreign Minister
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was gifted an Icelandic sweater (i.e. lopapeysa) by Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs on Sunday. “I’m…
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November 30, 2022 Over 60 Prison Sentences Expired Due to Lack of Cell Space
Roughly sixty prison sentences have expired over the past three years owing to shortage of prison cells, RÚV reports. At…
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November 29, 2022 Hope that Efling Contract Will be Accepted
Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, chairperson of Efling trade union, has expressed her optimism that wage negotiations with SA, the Federation of…
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November 29, 2022 Earthquakes by Bárðarbunga, Mýrdalsjökull
Around 1 AM this morning, a magnitude 3.8 earthquake was recorded by Bárðarbunga, a volcanic system underneath Vatnajökull. A relatively…
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November 29, 2022 Dismissed for Distributing Video of Stabbing
The individual responsible for distributing video footage of the recent knife attacks in a downtown Reykjavík nightclub has been relieved…
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November 28, 2022 New Recycling Sorting in Reykjavík Next Year
Starting next year, Icelandic households will have four bins to sort recycling into. The changes come in light of new…
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November 28, 2022 Too Many Unhoused People Must Rely on Reykjavík’s Parking Garages for Shelter
Harm reduction expert Svala Jóhannesdóttir stated recently in an interview with RÚV that too many unhoused people in the Reykjavík…
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November 28, 2022 Women, Life, Freedom: Candlelight March in Solidarity with Activists in Iran and Afghanistan
UN Women in Iceland hosted a candlelight march against gender-based violence on Friday night. RÚV reports that this is the…
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November 28, 2022 80,000 Farmed Salmon Unaccounted For
When Arnarlax, an Icelandic aquaculture company, harvested their fish pens in Arnafjörður this October, they only found some 18,000 salmon.…
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November 27, 2022 Location Chosen for New National Sporting Arena
The working committee for Iceland’s new national sporting arena has selected a location for the facility and it’s hoped that…
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November 26, 2022 Diego, the ‘Most Famous Cat in Iceland,’ Injured in Car Accident
Diego, the fluffy, much-loved grey-and-white longhair cat who spends his days lounging around various shops in the Skeifan strip mall…
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November 26, 2022 Twenty-Four People Connected to Downtown Knife Attack Released from Custody
Police have released twenty-four people who were being held in connection with the knife attack in downtown Reykjavík last weekend,…
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November 25, 2022 VR Leaves Negotiating Table, Finance Minister Denies Blame
The Prime Minister has expressed disappointment in VR’s decision to break off wage negotiations with SA Thursday evening. The Minister…
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November 25, 2022 Heightened Police Presence in Reykjavík This Weekend
Partygoers in downtown Reykjavík this weekend can expect an increased presence among police authorities. The Capital Area’s Assistant Chief of…
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November 25, 2022 Prison Guards to Receive Stab-Resistant Vests, Possibly Tasers
The Minister of Justice will answer the call from prison guards regarding increased training and protective equipment, Mbl.is reports. The…
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November 25, 2022 Number of Apartments Sold in Capital Area Hits Two-Year Low
331 apartments were sold in the capital area in October, a 22% decline compared to the previous month. The number…
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November 24, 2022 Rising Interest Rates Complicate Upcoming Wage Negotiations
The recent hike in interest rates has complicated the upcoming wage negotiations, with government involvement now a possibility to bring…
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November 24, 2022 Bus Scanners Rendered Unusable
Strætó has missed payments on its ticketing system, Klapp, leaving the QR code scanners unusable and in need of replacement.…
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November 24, 2022 Explosion and Smoke from a Reykjavík Restaurant Last Night
Police and firefighters responded to a call around 2:00 last night at the Dubliner, a bar in downtown Reykjavík. An…
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November 23, 2022 Latest from Central Bank: Interest Rates to Increase 0.25%, Now Resting at 6%
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Iceland has announced today that key interest rates will be raised…
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November 23, 2022 Finnish PM Sanna Marin on Official Visit to Iceland
Finnish PM Sanna Marin is on an official state visit to Iceland. On the agenda for her meetings with Icelandic…
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November 23, 2022 President Raises Goal to 1,500 Ramps
President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson raised the target goal of Ramp Up Iceland at a press event for the…
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November 22, 2022 Minister of Justice’s Police Bill Approved by Cabinet
A new bill on policing, sponsored by the Minister of Justice, was approved by the coalition government this morning, Vísir…
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November 22, 2022 A Third of Icelanders Read Books Every Day, Study Finds
Icelanders read or listen to an average of 2.4 books a month, according to a new survey conducted by the…
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November 22, 2022 Mass Arrests Put Pressure on Already-Strained Prison System
Iceland’s prison system is operating at near maximum capacity. Three times as many individuals are being kept in police custody…
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November 21, 2022 Minister of Justice to Declare War on Organised Crime
Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson has announced his intention to wage war against organised crime following the knife attacks in…
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November 21, 2022 Reykjavík Commits to Accepting 1,500 Refugees Next Year
The City of Reykjavík has signed a resolution, committing the city to accept 1,500 refugees next year. Under the leadership…
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November 20, 2022 Petrol Bombs and Threats of Retaliation Following Knife Attack in Downtown Club
Reykjavík and capital-area police are investigating a series of crimes believed to be connected to the knife attack that occurred…
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November 20, 2022 Fatality in Bus and Scooter Collision
A man on an electric scooter died this weekend after colliding with a bus, RÚV reports. The victim, who was…
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November 18, 2022 Three Wounded Following Knife Attack in Reykjavík Nightclub
Four people have been arrested following a physical altercation at a Reykjavík nightclub yesterday, RÚV reports. Three men in their…
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November 18, 2022 Hot-Water Supply Nearing Limit, Rationing to be Considered
The nation’s hot-water supply is nearing its limit, Vísir reports. Utility companies may need to begin rationing hot water during…
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November 17, 2022 Landslide Disrupts Traffic in North East
A landslide forced the closure of a road last night, November 16, in Northeast Iceland by the town of Grenivík.…
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November 17, 2022 150 Cattle Taken by Authorities in Abuse Case
150 cattle have been removed from a farm in Borgarfjörður by the authorities on November 14 and 15. After repeated…
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November 17, 2022 A Third of Icelanders Read Daily
A new report from the Icelandic Literature Center has shed new and interesting light on the reading habits of Icelanders.…
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November 16, 2022 Dramatic Helicopter Maneuvering Saves Life
An Icelandic coast guard helicopter likely saved a man's life last Friday when it flew backwards for five kilometres to…
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November 16, 2022 Kirkjufell Access Ban May be Illegal
A suggested ban on winter hiking at Mt. Kirkjufell may be illegal, states travel association Útivist. Following a fatal hiking…
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November 16, 2022 Björk’s Fossora Nominated for Grammy in Best Alternative Music
Björk's latest album, Fossora, has been nominated for the 2023 Grammy awards under the category Best Alternative Music Album. Fossora,…
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November 16, 2022 British Army Off the Hook for Mining of Rauðhólar
New information has come to light regarding the destruction of Rauðhólar, or the Red Hills, a natural area of craters…
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November 15, 2022 Treasury Lost Out on “Significant Funds” with Íslandsbanki Sale
A professor at the University of Iceland’s School of Business has told RÚV that the state treasury forfeited “significant funds”…
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November 15, 2022 Esports Manager Among Suspects of Iceland’s Biggest Cocaine Bust
None of the four individuals arrested during the biggest cocaine bust in Icelandic history has a criminal record, Vísir reports.…
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November 15, 2022 Enrollment in Opioid-Substitution Treatment on the Rise
Individuals receiving opioid-substitution treatment have significantly increased over the past years. According to Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson, 276…
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November 14, 2022 Results of 2021 Census Reveal Changes in Icelandic Society
Statistics Iceland has recently published new data from the 2021 census, revealing a growing nation and shifting demographics. Here, we…
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November 14, 2022 Committee on Icelandic Language Established
A committee on the Icelandic language has been established in line with Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir’s previous proposal. The proposal…
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November 14, 2022 Report on Íslandsbanki Sale Highlights Lack of Transparency, Reliance on Outside Consultants
State regulators have released a report on the controversial sale of Íslandsbanki shares that took place this March. Among the…
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November 13, 2022 Hrísey Island Receives Development Grant of ISK Ten Million
Hrísey Island has received a regional development grant of ISK ten million, RÚV reports. The Áfram Hrísey (‘Onwards, Hrísey’) grant…
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November 12, 2022 Hell’s Angels Expelled from Iceland
Twenty-two members of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang were deported from Iceland on Saturday morning. The Hell’s Angels are one…
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November 12, 2022 Herring Era Museum Floods: ‘The exhibition area was basically floating’
The award-winning Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður in North Iceland flooded on Friday, RÚV reports. Staff were met by 40…
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November 11, 2022 Cost of Living in Iceland
Last updated in Nov. 2022. The original question is from Dec. 2015. Q: I’ve recently been offered a job in…
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November 11, 2022 Orthopedist: Surgical Waiting Lists for Children “Unacceptable”
An orthopedist at Landspítalinn hospital has told the Minister of Health that surgical waiting lists for children are unacceptable. “I…
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November 11, 2022 Can I take Dayquil with me to Iceland?
Yes, you can. Dayquil is a popular cough medicine sold in the US and elsewhere, with active ingredients acetaminophen, dextromethorphan,…
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November 11, 2022 Record Number of Icelanders Travelled Abroad in October
Nearly 72,000 Icelanders travelled abroad in October. Never before have as many Icelanders departed the country in October since measurements…
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November 11, 2022 Custody of Domestic Terror Suspects Extended by Two Weeks
The two individuals suspected of planning a domestic terror attack will be held in custody for another two weeks, Vísir…
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November 10, 2022 Use of Lodgepole Pine in Reforestation Sparks Feud Between Agencies
The coming merger of the Icelandic Forest Service and the Soil Conservation Service has led to a debate over the…
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November 10, 2022 Optimism for Icelandic Language in the Digital Age
The integration of the Icelandic language into digital services and devices has improved rapidly over the last few months, with…
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November 10, 2022 Buster Takes Over from Tindur
A new drug dog, Buster, will begin his duties in the Westfjords police force. The dog he will be replacing,…
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November 9, 2022 Bad Year for Eagle Nesting
Compared with previous years, 2022 has been a bad year for the eagle population in Iceland. In the summer, there…
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November 9, 2022 Iceland Moves to Reduce Marine Bycatch in Light of New US Import Regulations
Icelandic regulators are making moves to conform to new regulations of seafood imports in the United States, according to the…
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November 9, 2022 Public Prosecutor to Continue Case Against Jónsi of Sigur Rós
The public prosecutor will proceed with the charges of tax fraud against Sigur Rós member Jón Þór Birgisson, also known…
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November 8, 2022 Landowners Announce Hiking Ban on Popular Mt. Kirkjufell
Landowners of Mt. Kirkjufell have announced a winter hiking ban, RÚV reports. The aim of the ban, which takes effect…
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November 8, 2022 Mouse Infestation “Unlike Anything” Exterminator Has Seen
In an interview with RÚV, a seasoned exterminator has stated that Iceland is currently experiencing a mouse infestation the likes…
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November 8, 2022 President Embarks on Lecture Tour of New England, New York
President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson embarked on a lecture tour to the US yesterday. Guðni will be lecturing at Dartmouth, Williams…
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November 7, 2022 Protests in Front of Parliament in Wake of Deportations
Protestors last week flocked to Austurvöllur square in front of Iceland's parliament in response to the recent deportation of Icelandic…
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November 7, 2022 Play to Add Routes to Stockholm, Hamburg
Budget Icelandic airline, Play, has begun selling tickets to connections in Stockholm, Sweden, and Hamburg, Germany. Flights to Stockholm are…
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November 7, 2022 Council of Europe to be Held in Reykjavík
The Council of Europe is to be held in Reykjavík in May of next year. The meeting is to be…
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November 7, 2022 Akureyri Data Centre to Open Next Year
Construction on a data centre in Akureyri is well underway, reports RÚV. Work began in mid-July and it’s hoped that…
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November 7, 2022 Bjarni Benediktsson Reelected as Independence Party Chair
Bjarni Benediktsson has been reelected as the chair of the Independence Party on Sunday. His leadership, which many have come…
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November 4, 2022 Commissioner’s Father Unable to Account for Dozens of Firearms
The father of Police Commissioner Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir was unable to account for dozens of firearms discovered at his home…
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November 4, 2022 Ask Iceland Review: Can I Import a Gun to Iceland?
While many may not associate Icelanders with gun culture, Iceland ranks high on lists for international per capita gun ownership,…
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November 4, 2022 Opioid Abuse Among Young People Growing More Common
Opioid abuse among individuals 25 years old and younger has grown more common, according to Dr. Valgerður Rúnarsdóttir, the Medical…
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November 4, 2022 Sjón Withdraws from Literary Festival Due to PM’s Participation
The Icelandic writer Sjón has announced his withdrawal from this year’s Iceland Noir Festival owing to the participation of Prime…
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November 3, 2022 Arrest of Refugee Raises Critique
Freyja Haraldsdóttir, an advocate for the disabled in the capital area, said that the rights of a disabled refugee were…
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November 3, 2022 Regional Director of Marine Stewardship Council Warns Against Overfishing
In a recent Morgunblaðið editorial, Gísli Gíslason, regional director of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in the North Atlantic, has…
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November 3, 2022 National Library Rejects Esperanto Archive
With dwindling membership, the Icelandic Esperanto Association has sold its former Skólavörðustígur property and is now searching for a home…
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November 2, 2022 September Recording-Breaking Month for Tourism
In a report by Statistics Iceland, overnight stays in hotel accommodations in Iceland are shown to be 7,144,400 for the…
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November 2, 2022 More Fish Escape from Aquaculture Pens in West Fjords
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, or MAST, has recently been notified of a hole in a fish pen in…
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November 2, 2022 Icelandic Film, Lamb, Wins 2022 Nordic Council Film Prize
The 2022 Nordic Council Film Prize, awarded in Helsinki yesterday evening, Tuesday, November 1, has been awarded to the recent…
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November 2, 2022 Icelandic Delegation to Advocate Sticking to 1.5 °C Goal at COP27
The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) will be held from November 6 to 18 in Egypt. The leader…
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November 1, 2022 What is the best site or way to find house rentals in Iceland?
The answer below has been updated in Nov. 2022 to better reflect the current situation but the original question is…
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November 1, 2022 Sixteen Middle Managers at Landspítali Hospital Dismissed
Sixteen middle managers employed at the National University Hospital of Iceland received letters of termination yesterday, RÚV reports. The terminations…
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November 1, 2022 Record Number of Coronavirus Deaths Since Start of 2022
Deaths from COVID-19 have hit a record high, Vísir reports, with 188 people having died from the coronavirus since the…
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October 31, 2022 Further Animal Abuse from Borgarförður Farmer Already Implicated Earlier this Year
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, MAST, is taking action against the same farmer responsible for a case of animal…
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October 31, 2022 Emergency Shelters Not Able to Cope with High Numbers of Unhoused People
Hrafnhildur Ólöf Ólafsdóttir, nurse and head of the City of Reykjavík working group on homelessness, has stated in a recent…
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October 31, 2022 Bjarni Benediktsson to Resign from Politics if Successfully Challenged
In a recent interview with RÚV, Independence Party chairperson Bjarni Benediktsson claimed that he will retire from political life if…
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October 28, 2022 Reykjavík City Announces Expansion of Paid Parking Zones
Changes will soon be made to paid parking zones in Reykjavík, the City announced yesterday. A recent tally indicates that…
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October 28, 2022 Where can I read more about Iceland’s hidden people?
When I was travelling recently, I saw emblazoned on the beverage cart of a certain budget Icelandic airliner a motto.…
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October 28, 2022 Leadership of Independence Party to be Contested?
This week, Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson confirmed that he is considering his candidacy for Chair of Iceland’s Independence Party –…
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October 28, 2022 The Climate Disaster Has “Already Begun to Materialise”
The international community is “falling far short of the Paris goals,” a new UN report finds. “The disaster has already…
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October 27, 2022 In Focus: The Preschool System
A rocky startAn announcement on the City of Reykjavík website advertises employment at the city’s many preschools. In addition to…
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October 27, 2022 What’s Being Done About Homophobia in Iceland’s Schools?
Iceland is often in the foreign media for its position on many indexes for human rights, equality, and social justice.…
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October 27, 2022 Archaeologists Unearth Cottage Between Reykjavík and Mosfellsbær
Archaeologists have unearthed a cottage near Úlfarsfell, a mountain and popular walking area between Reykjavík and Mosfellsbær. The discovery was…
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October 27, 2022 Two Thirds of Reykjavík Residents Support Pedestrian Zones
The majority of Reykjavík residents view pedestrian districts in downtown positively, according to a recent poll commissioned by the City…
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October 27, 2022 Earthquakes Shake Grímsey, Herðubreið Overnight
Early this morning, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake was detected 30 km east-southeast of Grímsey, an island off the north coast…
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October 26, 2022 The Right to Bear Arms
I’m sitting in a hotel lobby, scribbling some last-minute notes in my notebook before the interview. I look up and…
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October 26, 2022 There and Back Again
“I’m eager to tell you about him.” Everyone loves a good story, especially tales of adventure featuring a dogged, tenacious…
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October 26, 2022 Home Cook
“We serve cod skin as snacks. The cod skin is salted, dried, and popped, sprinkled with angelica.”Up. Down. Up again.…
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October 26, 2022 Where There’s Fire
“There is a whole range of events that might occur before, during, and after an eruption.” Dr. Sara Barsotti is the…
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October 26, 2022 Reykjavík City Proposes New Fee for Winter Tires
The Environment Agency of Iceland has introduced a new plan for air quality in the capital region which would advise…
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October 26, 2022 US Extends Deadline for Marine Mammal Bycatch Regulations
In a recent announcement, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has extended the deadline for the implementation…
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October 25, 2022 Can I retire in Iceland? What’s the cost of living?
Iceland ranks highly on many indices as a great place to live for the elderly. Many are attracted to Iceland…
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October 25, 2022 Why there are so many swans in Iceland?
Iceland is home to many migratory birds that breed here in the summer months and then winter abroad. In fact,…
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October 25, 2022 Iceland Ranked World’s 20th Most Innovative Nation
Iceland ranks 20th among the world’s most innovative nations according to the new global innovation index. Switzerland, the US, and…
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October 24, 2022 Single-Lane Bridge Replaced with Double-Lane Bridge Near Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister of Infrastructure, took part in the official opening of the new bridge over Jökulsá on the…
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October 24, 2022 No Gender Pay Gap in Árborg
For the first time in the municipality's history, Árborg in South Iceland has reported no wage gap for the municipality's…
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October 24, 2022 The Road to Borgarfjörður Eystri Now Paved
Residents of Borgarfjörður Eystri, a village in East Iceland, can now drive on paved roads all the way to Egilsstaðir.…
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October 23, 2022 Partial Solar Eclipse Visible from Iceland on Tuesday Morning
A partial solar eclipse will be visible from Iceland on Tuesday morning, RÚV reports. If the weather is good, the…
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October 23, 2022 Iceland Among Nations to Boycott Vote on South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary
Iceland’s delegation to a meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) joined 14 other nations in walking out on a…
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October 22, 2022 Twice as Many Cockroach Calls This Year
While a pervasive and persistent pest in most places, cockroaches are a rarely seen phenomenon in Iceland, but their numbers…
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October 22, 2022 Anglers Caught Over 45,000 Salmon in Icelandic Rivers This Year
A record 45,300 salmon were caught by anglers in Iceland this year. New figures issued by the Marine and Freshwater…
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October 21, 2022 Bill to Amend Foreign Nationals Act Distributed Among MP’s
Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson distributed his bill to amend the Foreign Nationals Act among members of Parliament today. If passed…
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October 21, 2022 2.3 Million Tourists to Visit Iceland in 2023, Model Predicts
A predictive model expects 1.7 million tourists to visit Iceland through Keflavík Airport this year. The model expects this number…
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October 21, 2022 Road Administration Launches New Website for Travellers
The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration launched a new website yesterday. The new website will offer more detailed information on…
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October 20, 2022 I Will Dance Again
“I thought I was Mother Mary, I thought I could save the world. It was terrible.” The house in Hveragerði Elísabet is…
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October 20, 2022 Unsettled
“Nobody lives there. But the highland isn’t empty.” Around the turn of the 10th century, a man named Þórólfur Mostrarskegg…
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October 20, 2022 Domestic-Terror Suspects Engaged in a “Failed Attempt at Humour,” Attorney Says
The defence attorney for one of the two men held in custody suspected of planning a domestic-terror attack has dismissed…
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October 20, 2022 Parents, Community Appalled by Brutal Bullying Case
Sædís Hrönn Samúelsdóttir and her twelve-year-old daughter Ísabella Von Sædísardóttir opened up to local media yesterday about the brutal campaign…
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October 20, 2022 Fatal Accident on Mt. Kirkjufell
A hiker died on Mt. Kirkjufell on the Snæfellsnes peninsula yesterday, RÚV reports. According to Jón S. Ólason, Chief of…
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October 19, 2022 New Study Shows Large Hole in Arctic Ozone Layer
A major research expedition has recently shed new light on the extent to which the arctic ozone layer has been…
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October 19, 2022 ISK 20 Million to Support E-Sports
Reykjavík City Council approved a grant proposal yesterday to fund sports clubs with e-sports teams. The funding will total some…
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October 19, 2022 Record Numbers of Pink Salmon Caught in Norway Have Icelanders Bracing for Invasion
Record numbers of pink salmon, an invasive species, have been caught in Norwegian rivers this year, leaving some Icelandic fisherman…
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October 19, 2022 Travel Ban to Mýrdalsjökull Lifted
After a meeting with Iceland's Meteorological Office, authorities in South Iceland have lifted the travel ban which was in place…
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October 18, 2022 Strætó Discontinues Night-Time Service During Weekends
Strætó has announced that it will discontinue its night-time bus service in Reykjavík during the weekends, citing low passenger demand…
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October 18, 2022 Would-Be Terrorists Discussed Killing Minister Guðlaugur Þór
The two men being held in police custody accused of planning a domestic terrorism attack in Iceland had reportedly discussed…
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October 18, 2022 Ptarmigan Quota Increased for Upcoming Hunting Season
The Ministry of the Environment, Energy, and Climate has announced that the annual ptarmigan hunting season will begin on November…
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October 17, 2022 Directorate of Education to be Abolished
Extensive changes to Iceland's education system were announced today in a press release by Minister of Education and Childrens' Affairs…
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October 17, 2022 VR to Remain in ASÍ
Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, chairperson of VR, has stated that for the time being, VR's position within ASÍ will remain unchanged.…
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October 17, 2022 Increasing Seismic Activity Under Mýrdalsjökull
The Meteorological Office of Iceland reports increasing seismic activity underneath Mýrdalsjökull, a glacier on the south coast of Iceland.In the…
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October 17, 2022 Grímsvötn Flooding Reaches its Peak, Begins to Recede
The flow of the Grímsvötn glacial flooding reached its peak yesterday morning and has begun to subside. The flooding is caused…
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October 16, 2022 Iceland Ranked Fifth Globally for Digital Public Services and Infrastructure
Iceland is among the top five nations in the world when it comes to digital public services and infrastructure. According…
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October 15, 2022 Court Rules City Not Liable for Rabbit Collision
The Reykjavík District Court has ruled that the City of Reykjavík does not have to compensate a local cyclist who…
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October 15, 2022 Custody of Domestic Terror Suspects Extended Four Weeks
The two individuals suspected of planning a domestic terror attack will be held in custody for another four weeks. RÚV…
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October 14, 2022 No Daytime Shelter for Homeless Men, Despite Protests
Emergency shelters for homeless men will remain closed during the day, according to the Director of Reykjavík’s Welfare Council. The…
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October 14, 2022 Icelandic to Take Precedence on Keflavík Airport Signage
The board of directors at Isavia, the national airport and air navigation service provider of Iceland, has decided to renew…
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October 14, 2022 “The task is massive,” PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir tells Arctic Council
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir addressed the audience at the Arctic Circle conference yesterday. In her speech, Katrín warned that if…
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October 13, 2022 How can I move to Iceland?
Iceland is a beautiful country with much to recommend it: a generally progressive government, friendly locals, a photogenic landscape, and…
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October 13, 2022 Foreign Nationals to Receive Icelandic Citizenship after Controversial Withholding of Applications
RÚV reports that six foreign citizens are to be naturalised as Icelandic citizens following a delay that was caused by…
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October 13, 2022 Norwegian Crown Prince Visits Iceland
Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon is visiting Iceland for the Nordic Round Table conference. On the docket are Nordic responses to…
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October 13, 2022 Never Been More Difficult to Hire Staff: September Unemployment at 2.8%
Unemployment rates sat at 2.8% in September, creating tension in the labour market. Although this may sound like a good…
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October 13, 2022 Love, Bríet
“Is this the smallest stage in the world? Who’s trying to save money here?” THE BUS RIDE For the first time…
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October 12, 2022 When and why did Iceland change to driving on the right?
As you might know, the British occupied Iceland during the Second World War in order to secure Allied shipping lanes.…
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October 12, 2022 Do Eagles Live in Iceland?
Yes, they do! White-tailed eagles, also called sea eagles, are the species of eagle that call Iceland home. They are…
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October 12, 2022 Level of Uncertainty Declared over Glacial Flooding from Grímsvötn
Civil Defense authorities have announced a State of Uncertainty due to glacial flooding from Grímsvötn, a subglacial volcano under Vatnajökull.…
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October 12, 2022 Bláfjöll Ski Resort to Add Two Additional Lifts
Two large lifts are nearly completed at Bláfjöll ski resort and will hopefully be operational by the start of the…
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October 12, 2022 ASÍ Leadership and Future Up in the Air as Three Candidates Withdraw
Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, chairperson of VR, Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, chairperson of Efling, and Vilhjálmur Birgisson, chairperson of the Association of…
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October 11, 2022 Gathering
ROUND UP At just before 6:00 AM on a Sunday morning, I drove north to the Svarfaðardalur valley – to attend…
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October 11, 2022 Ukraine War: Humanitarian Aid to Be Increased Next Year, PM Says
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has told RÚV that the government will increase its expenditure on humanitarian aid next year as…
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October 11, 2022 Two Suspects Released, Murder Not the Case in Laugardalur
The two men arrested yesterday for their suspected involvement in a murder in Reykjavík have now been released, Mbl.is reports.…
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October 11, 2022 Ticket to the World Cup Up for Grabs Tonight (Women’s Football)
The women’s national football team could qualify for the World Cup for the first time in its history. The team…
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October 10, 2022 Domestic Terrorists Targeted Sólveig Jónsdóttir and Gunnar Egilsson
The men being held in police custody for planning a domestic terrorism attack in Iceland are reported to have targeted…
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October 10, 2022 Two Men Held in Custody for Murder in Reykjavík
Two men are being held in police custody for their suspected involvement in a murder in Reykjavík. According to the…
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October 9, 2022 US Citizens Account for a Third of All Airport Departures in September
One hundred seventy-seven thousand people departed from Keflavík international airport in September, new data from the Icelandic Tourist Board shows.…
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October 9, 2022 Multicultural Festival Celebrated as Part of ‘Friendship Week’ in Vopnafjörður
The East Iceland village of Vopnafjörður will celebrate its second annual Multicultural Festival on Saturday, with international food, dance exhibitions,…
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October 8, 2022 Peace Tower Lighting Ceremony Cancelled Due to Weather
The annual lighting of the Imagination Peace Tower ceremony on the island of Víðey just off the coast of Reykjavík…
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October 8, 2022 Dinomite Gift: Scientist Wants to Give Reykjavík 65-Million-Year-Old Triceratops Skeleton
Iceland may soon be welcoming an exceptional new resident, and quite an elderly one at that. Vísir reports that the…
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October 7, 2022 Orange Weather Alerts on Sunday, No “Travel Weather”
A storm is expected to hit most parts of the country on Sunday, RÚV reports. A meteorologist with the Icelandic…
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October 7, 2022 Judge Grants Extended Custody Over Domestic-Terror Suspects
Yesterday, the Reykjavík District Court granted the district attorney’s request to extend custody over two individuals suspected of planning a…
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October 7, 2022 #MeToo “Revolution” Within Icelandic Secondary Schools
This week, students at MH junior college protested a history of perceived inaction on behalf of school administrators in matters…
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October 6, 2022 Play Airlines to Open New Connection to Porto
In a press release today, budget airliner Play announced that it will be opening a new connection to Porto, Portugal…
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October 6, 2022 Hopes for New ASÍ Leadership Amidst Contract Negotiations
With many labour contracts expiring at the end of October, pressure is mounting on the current round of negotiations. Kristján…
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October 6, 2022 Policy Aims to Promote Transparency in Iceland’s Fishing Industry
A new government initiative spearheaded by Svandís Svavarsdóttir, head of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, aims to bring…
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October 5, 2022 In Harm’s Way
Gunni Marís On Thursday, November 25, 2021, I left a COVID testing clinic near the Kringlan shopping centre in Reykjavík.…
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October 5, 2022 Capelin Quota Lowered to 218,000 Tonnes
In a recent report from the Maritime Research Institute, the advised capelin quota was lowered to 218,400 tonnes, significantly less…
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October 5, 2022 Key Interest Rates Increased .25%
Ásgeir Jónsson, Governor of the Icelandic Central Bank, announced today in a presentation that key interest rates would be raised…
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October 5, 2022 Red Cross Opens Aid Station
The Red Cross in Iceland has opened an aid station for refugees applying for international protection.The aid center will be…
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October 4, 2022 Two Women, One Man in Custody Following Ólafsfjörður Homicide
A judge in North Iceland has approved of week-long custody over three individuals suspected of homicide in Ólafsfjörður Monday, RÚV…
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October 4, 2022 Iceland Condemns Annexation of Ukrainian Territories
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs met with the Russian ambassador yesterday to condemn Russia’s attempt to annex four Ukrainian provinces,…
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October 3, 2022 Do hurricanes ever hit Iceland?
The short answer is no. However, the remnants of hurricanes do occasionally make their way up to Iceland. For the…
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October 3, 2022 Electric Motion
Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise in Iceland. In 2021 alone, 58% of all cars sold were EVs; today,…
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October 3, 2022 Four in Custody After Suspected Homicide in Ólafsfjörður
North-East Iceland's police report that four are in custody after a man was found dead in Ólafsfjörður in North Iceland…
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October 2, 2022 Three Hundred Participate in Disaster Drill at Reykjavík Airport
An extensive disaster drill was held at the Reykjavík International Airport on Saturday, involving police, the fire department, ambulances, search…
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October 2, 2022 Rear End Game: Sex Shop Hosts Chess Invitational
Competitors in Friday’s Blush Invitational—a chess tournament co-sponsored by the Icelandic Chess Federation and the podcast Chess After Dark and…
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October 1, 2022 East Iceland Startup Makes Beverages Flavored with Locally Foraged Herbs
A start-up in East Iceland is producing nonalcoholic beverages using wild, Icelandic herbs, Austurfrétt reports. The company, Könglar (meaning 'pine…
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October 1, 2022 New Birthing Centre Aims to Innovate, Empower
A new birthing centre has opened in the capital, Vísir reports. Owned and operated by midwives Embla Ýr Guðmundsdóttir and…
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September 30, 2022 139 Fin Whales Hunted During Whaling Season
Five fin whales were hunted this week and towed into Hvalfjörður fjord. A total of 139 whales were caught this…
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September 30, 2022 Björk’s Latest Album, Fossora, Releases Today
Music lovers, Iceland fans, and mushrooms alike rejoice: Björk's latest studio album, Fossora, releases today. The album is available on…
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September 30, 2022 Björk
"This ismy mushroomalbum.” What do you when you’re forced to spend time at home for three years? When your social circle…
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September 30, 2022 Police Commissioner’s Father Entangled in Domestic-Terror Investigation
National Police Commissioner Sigríður Björk Guðjónsdóttir has recused herself from an investigation into a domestic-terrorism plot; the home of the…
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September 30, 2022 Artist and Musician Prins Póló Passes Away, Aged 45
Icelandic musician Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson, better known as Prins Póló, has passed away at the age of 45. Svavar was…
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September 29, 2022 Semi-Automatic Weapons Seized During Domestic-Terror Plot Raid
Last week, the police arrested four Icelandic men suspected of planning a domestic-terrorism attack. During a press conference today, the…
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September 29, 2022 Bill to Ban Oil Exploration to Be Resubmitted
Minister of the Environment Guðlaugur Þór Guðlaugsson has announced that he will resubmit a bill to Parliament banning oil exploration…
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September 29, 2022 Keflavík Airport Reopened After Bomb Threat
Keflavík Airport was closed for approximately four hours this morning after a bomb threat, RÚV reports. The threat was made…
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September 28, 2022 Rising Prices Likely to Affect Christmas Book Market
Inflation and the energy crisis in Europe are driving up prices for many consumer goods, and Christmas books are likely…
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September 28, 2022 Inflation Rate Drops to 9.3%
The latest numbers from Statistics Iceland indicate a moderate decrease in the rate of inflation, with the 12-month figure being…
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September 28, 2022 New Bus Fare As Of This Saturday, Including 12.5% Hike
This Saturday, October 1, the new bus fare will be in effect. The fare will be raised 12.5% across the…
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September 27, 2022 New Grímsey Church Hosts First Service After Fire
The first service was celebrated in the new Grímsey church this Sunday, in a major milestone for the reconstruction. The…
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September 27, 2022 Icelandic Forestry Service Asks Public For Help
The national collection of birch seeds began last week in Garðsárreittur in Eyjafjörður. The national initiative aims to reforest 5%…
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September 27, 2022 Fourth Vaccination To Be Offered In Laugardalshöll
The latest vaccination campaign will begin in Laugardalshöll today, September 27, offering the fourth COVID-19 booster shot and influenza vaccines…
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September 26, 2022 Supreme Court Takes Up Slayer Suit Against Secret Solstice Festival
Iceland's Supreme Court has accepted an appeal by American thrash metal band Slayer against the organisers of the Secret Solstice…
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September 26, 2022 Power Outage for Half of Iceland Over Weekend
Yesterday, September 25, half of Iceland was without power due an outage whose cause still remains unknown. Areas of Iceland…
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September 26, 2022 Flooding in Akureyri, Storms Hit North and East Iceland Over Weekend
Storms over the weekend have left much of Akureyri flooded. Streets affected include Norðurgata, Gránufélagsgata, and Eiðsvallagata.The flooding followed bad…
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September 23, 2022 Iceland: Terrorist Plot Sparks Debate on Police Power
Icelandic police arrested four men in their twenties this week who are suspected of plotting a terrorist attack on state…
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September 23, 2022 Police Staff Party Was Possible Target of Would-Be Terrorists
Four Icelandic men, arrested for plotting an act of terrorism against state institutions, may have been targeting a police staff…
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September 22, 2022 Four Arrested for Intended Domestic Terrorism
Four Icelandic men were arrested yesterday, September 21, for terroristic plots against state institutions and civilians. In the press conference…
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September 22, 2022 Postal Service to Close Post Offices in Grindavík, Skagaströnd, and Kópasker
In a recent press release from the postal service, post offices in Grindavík, Skagaströnd, and Kópasker are all set to…
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September 22, 2022 Three Pieces of Short Fiction
The Little Girl Who Lived on Fish HeartsI once knew a little girl who lived on nothing but fish hearts.…
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September 22, 2022 Possible Changes to Car Rentals, Including Limits on Mileage and Age
Minister of Culture and Trade Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir stated in an interview yesterday with RÚV that changes may be coming…
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September 22, 2022 Playing Ball
“Let’s try to keep the interview as short as possible.” A stressed-out looking man has set a tight timeframe for…
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September 22, 2022 Polish Deputy Minister: Support Language Learning in Both Nations
While on an official visit to Iceland, Polish deputy minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek voiced his approval for mutual language…
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September 21, 2022 Court Denies Erla’s Request for Retrial
In a decision handed down September 14, Erla Bolladóttir's request for a retrial was denied. The court cited a lack…
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September 21, 2022 Housing Prices Drop, Indicating Potential Cooling of Market
A recent report by the Housing and Civil Engineering Agency may indicate a cooling in Iceland's housing market. According to…
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September 21, 2022 Garden Thieves Undermine Research Project in Elliðaárdalur
Recent thefts from a research garden have set back horticultural research by several years, reports RÚV. ALDIN is a planned…
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September 21, 2022 Reykjavík Preschool Staffing Shortage Leaves 90 Positions Unfilled
In the latest numbers from RÚV, around 90 positions need to be filled before Reykjavík preschools can be considered fully…
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September 20, 2022 Nothing to Speak Of
/01 ICELANDIC EXERCISE: PRONUNCIATION “Ministry of Culture and Ed- Culture and Trade.”“Yes, hello. I’m a journalist from Iceland Review. I’m…
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September 20, 2022 Fire Breaks Out At Lava Show
On the night of September 19, fire broke out at the Lava Show by the Reykjavík harbour. It took the…
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September 20, 2022 What can you tell me about North Iceland?
Traditionally, Iceland was divided into four quarters: North, South, East, and West. This was of course a geographical division, but…
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September 20, 2022 Mail No Longer Delivered at Home in Proposed Change to Postal System
A draft bill has been published on the government's consultation portal that proposes changes to the postal system, including a…
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September 20, 2022 Valdimar Jóhannsson’s Lamb Sweeps Edda Awards
Valdimar Jóhansson's 2021 film, Lamb, swept the Edda awards, which took place this Sunday September 18. Nominated in 13 categories,…
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September 20, 2022 Icelandic Delegation Present at Royal Funeral
President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and his wife Eliza Reid were present yesterday for the royal funeral in Westminster…
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September 19, 2022 In Focus: Relaxing Legislation on Alcohol Sales
Visitors to Iceland are often surprised to find that beer and wine are not available for sale in Icelandic grocery…
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September 19, 2022 Newly Planned Green Industrial Parks to Bring Jobs to Rangárþing Ytra
Rangárþing ytra municipality in South Iceland and Orkídea have recently signed an agreement to establish a green industrial park. The…
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September 19, 2022 Ármúli Clinic Reaches Multibillion Agreement for Expansion
Ármúli Clinic, a private healthcare provider, has recently concluded a multibillion ISK deal with real estate developer Reitir to expand…
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September 19, 2022 13th Annual Nature Conservation Award Goes to Ómar Ragnarsson
This past Friday, September 16, Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson awarded the 13th annual Nature Conservation…
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September 18, 2022 Globetrotter
Already suffering from nausea in anticipation of a long voyage at sea, a middle-aged, red-headed Icelandic country woman with a…
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September 18, 2022 Parliamentary Resolution Reignites EU Membership Debate
A parliamentary resolution that proposes a referendum be held to determine whether Iceland should continue membership negotiations with the European…
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September 18, 2022 Play Flight Forced to Make Emergency Landing Due to Unruly Passenger
A flight operated by the Icelandic airline PLAY was forced to land in Canada on the way to Baltimore, Maryland…
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September 17, 2022 In the Rangers’ Realm
What does a ranger do, exactly? According to the tan and charmingly scruffy specimen sitting opposite me at a cafe…
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September 17, 2022 WWII Mortar Exploded in Controlled Detonation
The Coast Guard’s Explosives Unit was dispatched on Friday to detonate an unexploded British mortar that was found on Mt.…
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September 17, 2022 Against the Ice Receives Half a Billion in Production Rebate
The State Treasury reimbursed ISK 500,000,000 [$3.58 million; €3.58 million] in production costs for Against the Ice, an historical survival…
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September 16, 2022 Men’s National Football Team Announced, Captain Reinstated
At a press conference today, Arnar Þór Viðarsson, head coach of the men’s national football team, introduced his squad for…
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September 16, 2022 One Night in Gufunes
Geoffrey SkywalkerGeoffrey “Skywalker” pulls up in a Hertz moving truck in front of the FÚSK warehouse in East Reykjavík. He’s…
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September 16, 2022 Icelandic President’s Coat of Arms Unveiled in Denmark
President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson was awarded the Order of the Elephant in 2017. In a ceremony at Frederiksborg Castle in…
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September 16, 2022 Hollywood-Burglar Nabs Four Packs of Cigarettes, Slips Away
The Prinsinn shop in Reykjavík suffered its fifth burglary in one year this week, Vísir reports. Taking a cue from…
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September 16, 2022 Reykjavík International Film Festival Launches Despite Decrease in Funding
The Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF) will be beginning its 19th season this September 29th. However, the scope of the…
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September 15, 2022 University of Iceland Researcher Studies Chick Development, Food Resources
Postdoctoral researcher, Camilo Carneiro, at University of Iceland has spent this summer on a research project studying the development of…
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September 15, 2022 Preschool Replaces Sex Shop
A new preschool has opened in the Laugardalur neighborhood on Kleppsvegur 150-152. However, the latest addition to the city's preschool…
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September 15, 2022 2023 Budget to Include 7.7% Hike on Alcohol
In the latest draft of the 2023 budget, a 7.7% increase in alcohol tax is proposed. Iceland already has some…
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September 14, 2022 Car Taxes and Fees to Rise in Iceland
The cost of owning a car in Iceland will rise significantly next year, if the 2023 budget bill is passed…
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September 13, 2022 When and where are the September sheep roundups scheduled?
As you may have noticed from driving around Iceland's countryside, there are many sheep. Historically, sheep were put to pasture…
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September 13, 2022 MAST Confirm Farmed Salmon Found in Mjólká in Arnarfjörður
In a recent report from the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST), 16 salmon caught in the Mjólká river in…
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September 13, 2022 In Post-Ice Age First, Iceland Records 30m-Tall Tree
An Icelandic tree planted in 1949 near Kirkjubæjarklaustur was recently measured at 30.15m, making it the tallest recorded tree in…
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September 13, 2022 Geysir’s Protected Status Confirmed in Signing Ceremony
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarsson took part in a ceremony yesterday…
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September 12, 2022 True Detective Series Will Be Largest-Ever Foreign Investment in Icelandic Culture
The upcoming series of HBO Max television show True Detective will be filmed in Iceland over a 9-month period for…
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September 12, 2022 2023 Budget Bill Projects Decreased Deficit
The Icelandic government’s budget bill for 2023 will run on a deficit of ISK 89 billion [$640 million; €632 million],…
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September 12, 2022 Women of Foreign Origin Object to Union Leader’s Comments
The Women of Multicultural Ethnicity Network in Iceland (W.O.M.E.N.), released a statement yesterday objecting to comments made by Efling Union…
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September 11, 2022 Prime Minister Pens Crime Novel with Ragnar Jónasson
Best-selling author Ragnar Jónasson and Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir have co-authored a crime novel together, RÚV reports. The book will…
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September 11, 2022 Iceland’s Low-Cost Electricity in High Demand as Energy Prices Skyrocket in Europe
There is an increasing demand amongst foreign companies to base their operations in Iceland due to favourable energy prices, but…
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September 10, 2022 Earthquakes Near Grímsey: Uncertainty Phase Declared
The National Commissioner of Police and the Chief of Police in Northeast Iceland declared an Uncertainty Phase on Friday due…
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September 9, 2022 More Housing Needed for Unhoused People with Addictions: ‘Living in a Tent in Öskjuhlíð Isn’t a Desirable Situation for Anyone’
Encampments of unhoused people in Öskjuhlíð, a wooded recreation area in Reykjavík, have sparked conversations about shelter and services for…
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September 9, 2022 Political Leaders, President Mourn the Passing of Elizabeth II
Icelandic politicians took to Twitter last night to pay their respect to Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away yesterday. Among…
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September 9, 2022 Alert Phase Revoked, Three Weeks after Eruption Ceases
The National Police Commissioner, in consultation with the Suðurnes Police, has decided to revoke the Alert Phase that has been…
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September 8, 2022 Rising Production Costs Lead to Historically Low Mutton Stocks
Agricultural newspaper Bændablaðið reports that Iceland's stocks of mutton have reached a historic low. According to recently published statistics, the…
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September 8, 2022 Recent Halt in Domestic French Fry Production Raises Questions Concerning Tariffs
When Icelandic frozen- and ready-made food company Þykkvabæjar stopped producing french fries earlier this summer, they were the last remaining…
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September 8, 2022 M4.9 Earthquake Shakes the North Overnight
The Meteorological Office of Iceland reports that North Iceland was struck by a series of earthquakes last night. The announcement,…
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September 7, 2022 Reykjavík Art Shows Cancelled Over Noise Complaints
An art and concert venue in Skerjafjörður has been forced by city authorities to cease holding events after persistent noise…
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September 7, 2022 Foreign Fisherman Electrocuted by Eystri-Rangá River
South Iceland's police report that yeterday, September 6, a foreign fisherman was electrocuted while fishing in the Eystri-Rangá river. The…
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September 7, 2022 Much of Downtown Reykjavík Without Hot Water During Scheduled Maintenance
According to a bulletin posted on Veitur's website, Iceland's national utility company, much of central Reykjavík was without hot water…
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September 6, 2022 Professor Emeritus Speaks to Need for Better Icelandic Education
Eiríkur Rögnvaldsson, Professor Emeritus at Háskóli Íslands, has recently expressed the need for better Icelandic education in an interview with…
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September 6, 2022 Reservoirs Swell, Leading to Possible Overflow for Several Hydroelectric Dams
In a recent report by Iceland's national energy company, Landsvirkjun, reservoirs throughout Iceland are said to be reaching full capacity.…
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September 6, 2022 Nammigate: Danish Neocolonists Appropriate Beloved Icelandic Liquorice
The Danes are at it again: not content with centuries of exploitation, trade domination, and the impoverishment of the Icelandic…
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September 5, 2022 Unearthed
Lucky number 12 After the death of Þorlákur Þórhallsson, Bishop of Skálholt, in 1193, stories of miracles that occurred in…
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September 5, 2022 Sale and Use of Sandfell Mountain Raises Questions
Gavin Anthony, chairman of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Iceland, the owner of Sandfell mountain, has recently stated his support…
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September 5, 2022 Investment Firm and Local Council Announce Plans to Revitalize Blönduós
Local council leaders of Húnabyggð municipality and investment firm Info Capital have announced plans to renovate the old town centre…
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September 5, 2022 Damaged Waterline in Hvassaleiti: Nearly 3,000 Tonnes of Water Leaked
This Friday evening, September 2, nearly 3,000 tonnes of water leaked when a waterline failed in the Reykjavík neighborhood of…
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September 4, 2022 Municipalities Struggle to Provide Housing, Employment for Refugees
Three municipalities are struggling to provide adequate services, housing, and job opportunities to recently arrived refugees as the number of…
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September 4, 2022 Sixteen-Year-Old Admitted to Prestigious San Francisco Ballet School
Sixteen-year-old ballet dancer Logi Guðmundsson has been admitted to the prestigious San Francisco Ballet School in the US this fall.…
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September 3, 2022 Patients Wait in Ambulances Due to Lack of Beds in ER
All of the beds in Landspítali’s emergency room at Fossvogur were full on Friday night, forcing patients to wait in…
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September 3, 2022 Of Time and Water Longlisted for National Translation Award in the US
Of Time and Water, written by Andri Snær Magnason and translated by Lytton Smith, has been longlisted for the National…
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September 2, 2022 In Focus: Privately Owned Tourist Sites
Many visitors to Iceland may be surprised to know that some of the country’s most popular tourist sites are located…
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September 2, 2022 Emaciated Horses Spur Review of MAST’s Supervisory Role
The National Audit Office will launch an assessment of the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority’s (MAST) monitoring of animal welfare,…
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September 2, 2022 Summer’s “Finally Here,” Meteorologist Declares
Speaking to Fréttablaðið yesterday, meteorologist Sigurður Þ. Ragnarsson announced the late arrival of the Icelandic summer. According to Sigurður, good weather…
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September 2, 2022 Keflavík Pt. 3
Langbest The noon traffic is picking up inside Langbest, a fast-food restaurant in the Ásbrú neighbourhood of Keflavík, which has…
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September 2, 2022 Mass Resignations at the University Hospital
Fourteen emergency-room nurses completed their final shift at the National University Hospital of Iceland (Landspítali) yesterday, RÚV reports. The departures…
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September 1, 2022 Is there an article about the Icelandic passenger ship that was sunk in 1944 by a U-boat?
On November 10, 1944, a German U-boat sank Goðafoss, an Icelandic passenger ship, just outside Reykjavík harbour, leading to the…
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September 1, 2022 Sunken Truck Recovered from Arctic Expedition
This Sunday, August 28, rescue divers and helicopter teams salvaged a truck from the Arctic Ocean that had been lost…
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September 1, 2022 Historically Cold Summer Confirmed in Recent Report from Met Office
According to a recent report from the Meteorological Office of Iceland, this year's summer has broken records for low temperatures.…
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September 1, 2022 Harpa Þórsdóttir Appointed Curator of National Museum Amidst Some Critique
In a recent press release from the Ministry of Culture and Trade, Harpa Þórsdóttir was appointed the head curator of…
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August 31, 2022 Salmon Fished in Westfjords Rivers Likely Escaped from Farms
Salmon that were caught in the Westfjords recently are suspected to be escapees from open sea salmon farms in the…
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August 31, 2022 Signs that Inflation May Have Peaked in Iceland
Inflation measured 9.7% in August, a drop from 9.9% in July and the first drop in inflation rates since June…
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August 31, 2022 Cuts to After-Hours Medical Care in Capital Area
Læknavaktin clinic, responsible for providing after-hours medical care in the Reykjavík capital area, will shorten its opening time by 1.5…
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August 30, 2022 Independence Party Takes Aim Against Reykjavík Seagulls
In a bid to protect both human and animal life within Reykjavík, city councilor for the Independence Party Kjartan Magnússon…
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August 30, 2022 Low Air Quality Attributed to Sand
Air quality in the capital region has been poor due to the concentration of sand particulates from South Iceland, announced…
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August 30, 2022 Scrapie-Resistant Sheep to Enter Market this Fall
Up to 15 rams with scrapie-resistant genes will be sold for breeding this fall. Bred in Reyðarfjörður in East Iceland,…
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August 29, 2022 “Iceland’s Settlers Were Not Vikings”
“Vikings were never anything more than gangs, just like the criminal gangs of today,” stated Ethnologist Árni Björnsson in a…
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August 29, 2022 Mortgage Payments to Continue Rising in Iceland
Steep interest rate hikes from Iceland’s Central Bank mean that many Icelandic families face much higher mortgage payments than they…
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August 29, 2022 Polar Bear Turned Out to Be a Seal
Iceland’s Coast Guard sent a helicopter out on an unusual call yesterday afternoon when hikers in the Westfjords’ Hornstrandir Nature…
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August 28, 2022 Andrey Kurkov Wins the Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize
Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov is the recipient of the 2022 Halldór Laxness International Literature Prize, RÚV reports. The prize, which…
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August 27, 2022 Government Publishes First-Ever Joint Policy on Land Reclamation and Reforestation
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Svandís Svavarsdóttir has released the Icelandic government's first-ever joint policy on land reclamation and…
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August 27, 2022 Pussy Riot to Perform at National Theatre
The Russian protest and performance art group Pussy Riot will perform at Iceland’s National Theatre in November, RÚV reports. Theatre…
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August 26, 2022 Baltic Presidents, First Ladies, on Official Visit in Iceland
President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and First Lady Eliza Reid hosted a dinner for the presidents and first ladies of the…
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August 26, 2022 Candlelight Vigil to Be Held at Blönduós Tonight
A candlelight vigil will be held tonight at the Blönduós sports ground in Northwest Iceland. Candles will be placed on…
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August 26, 2022 Trail to the Meradalir Eruption Site Repaired
The trail to the eruption site in Meradalir has been repaired, making it more easily passable for hikers, RÚV reports.…
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August 25, 2022 Citizen Scientists Wanted to Monitor Land
GróLind, a project to monitor Iceland's soil and vegetation resources through remote sensing data, is turning to the public for…
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August 25, 2022 Cold Summer Makes for Good Berry Harvest
Berry season has begun, albeit rather late this year. The later start is attributed to a colder than average summer.…
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August 25, 2022 Iceland to Consolidate University Applications into One Portal
Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörndóttir, Minister of Higher Education, Industry, and Innovation, has recently announced plans to establish a single enrollment portal…
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August 24, 2022 Public Bus No Longer Stops at Esja Mountain
Access to one of the Reykjavík capital area’s most popular hiking sites by public transit - Esja mountain - has…
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August 24, 2022 Key Interest Rate Raised to 5.5% in Iceland
The Central Bank of Iceland’s key interest rate will be raised by 0.75% to 5.5%, the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee…
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August 23, 2022 Real Estate Market Slows, With Fewest Sales Since April 2015
The Housing and Infrastructure Agency states in a recent report that the real estate market has slowed down significantly, with…
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August 23, 2022 Imbuing Matter with Spirit
In 1957, a young, Swiss graphic-designer-turned-artist, Dieter Roth (1930-1998), reached Icelandic shores. Like many men before and since he was…
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August 23, 2022 Children of Victim Grieve After Shooting in Blönduós
The children of the victim of the shooting in Blönduós have released a statement in which they critiqued media coverage…
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August 23, 2022 Annual List of Highest Tax Payers in Iceland Published
The financial journal Frjáls Verslun has recently published their annual list of Iceland's highest tax payers, compiled from public information available…
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August 22, 2022 Icelandic Government to Research Gender Distribution of Unpaid Work
While research suggests that women do much more unpaid work in Iceland than men, concrete data on the issue is…
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August 22, 2022 Reykjavík Hosts Cryosphere Symposium on Climate Change
The 2022 Cryosphere Symposium will take over Reykjavík’s Harpa this week with lectures and events on ice, snow, and water…
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August 22, 2022 Released from Custody Following North Iceland Shooting
Two people have been released from custody following a shooting in North Iceland yesterday morning. Northeast Iceland Police announced their…
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August 22, 2022 What do I need to know before visiting the eruption site at Meradalir?
Update: Eruption Potentially Over As of August 22, signs seem to indicate that the Meradalir eruption has come to an…
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August 22, 2022 Meradalir Eruption Likely Over
The Icelandic Met Office is not ready to pronounce the Meradalir eruption officially over, but the dwindling volcanic tremor finally…
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August 22, 2022 Sail from Sweden to Iceland to Mark 250th Anniversary of Scientific Expedition
The year 2022 marks 250 years since the Swedish botanist Daniel Solander made a scientific expedition to Iceland. To commemorate…
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August 21, 2022 Two Dead, One Injured in Blönduós Shooting
Two people are dead and one injured after a shooting in Blönduós in Northwest Iceland on Sunday morning. RÚV reports…
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August 21, 2022 Electric Motion
Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the rise in Iceland. In 2021 alone, 58% of all cars sold were EVs; today,…
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August 21, 2022 MATEY Seafood Fest Serves Up the Best of the Westman Islands
A new festival seeks to celebrate the produce and producers of Iceland’s Westman Islands. The MATEY Seafood Festival is a…
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August 20, 2022 Björk Announces New Album: Fossora
Björk has announced that she will be releasing a new album, her tenth, this fall. The revelation comes via a…
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August 20, 2022 More Foster Parents Needed
More children than ever need to be fostered in Iceland, even as the number of available foster parents has steadily…
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August 19, 2022 Minister of Food Allocates ISK 584.6 Million from Food Fund
Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, has allocated ISK 584.6 million ($4.2 million /€4.1 million) from the Food…
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August 19, 2022 City Council Introduces Proposals to Address Preschool Crisis
In the wake of parent-led protests, Reykjavík’s City Council has introduced proposals to expedite the admission of preschoolers. As reported…
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August 18, 2022 Vík Mayor Wants to Build Harbour for Sand Mine
Iceland’s Minister of the Environment and Energy opposes plans to transport sand from a planned sand mine in South Iceland…
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August 18, 2022 Awareness of Off-Road Driving Ban Lacking in Iceland
Three Italian tourists have pleaded guilty to off-road driving in Iceland’s Central Highland, north of Vatnajökull glacier. Off-road driving is…
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August 18, 2022 Glacial Flood Expected in West Iceland
A relatively high water level in a glacier lagoon by Langjökull glacier, West Iceland, suggests that a flood can be…
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August 17, 2022 Draft of Iceland’s First Comprehensive Music Policy Published
A draft of Iceland's first comprehensive policy on music has been published on Samráðsgátt, a site for public feedback on…
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August 17, 2022 Lava Flow in Meradalir Drops Significantly
The most recent data published by the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland indicates that the flow…
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August 17, 2022 Yellow Weather Warning For Much of Southwest Iceland
The Meteorological Office of Iceland has declared a yellow weather warning for the capital region, central highlands, Faxaflói bay, and…
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August 16, 2022 Meradalir Eruption Site Closed Tomorrow
The Meradalir eruption site on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula will be closed tomorrow due to weather. The closure was announced by…
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August 16, 2022 Proposed Sand Mine Would Operate Trucks at 7- to 8-Minute Intervals Along Ring Road
Large transport trucks could be driving along Iceland’s South Coast at 7- to 8-minute intervals – 24 hours a day…
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August 16, 2022 Lack of Housing Affecting Ukrainian Children’s Access to School in Iceland
Some Ukrainian children who have come to Iceland as refugees have not been able to register for school because their…
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August 16, 2022 Animal Welfare Inspectors to Join Whaling Ships
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) will regularly monitor whether whaling companies are complying with Icelandic laws on animal…
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August 15, 2022 Underwater Restaurant, Swimming Pool, and Preschool Planned for Gufunes Neighbourhood
Sea bathing facilities, a swimming pool, a preschool, a packaging-free grocery store, and an underwater restaurant are all projects that…
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August 15, 2022 Meradalir Eruption: Two Rangers “A Drop in the Ocean” of What is Needed
Over 13,000 people visited the ongoing eruption in Iceland’s Meradalir valley over the weekend. A significant number of them were…
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August 14, 2022 New Report Examines Food Self-Sufficiency in Five Nordic Island Societies
A new report examining the ways in which “greater food self-sufficiency can contribute to increased sustainability and resilience in the…
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August 14, 2022 ‘It’s the worst country I’ve ever been to’: Polish Football Player Leaves Iceland, Cites Xenophobia, Discrimination
Polish football player Chris Jastrzembski, formerly of UMF Selfoss in South Iceland, joined the team prior to the start of…
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August 13, 2022 Twelve People Deported Under Police Escort Since May
Twelve people have been deported from Iceland under police escort since the end of May, Fréttablaðið reports. Per information obtained…
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August 13, 2022 Almost 700 Children Waitlisted for Reykjavík Preschools
Nearly 700 hundred children aged 12 months and older are currently waitlisted for places in preschools around Reykjavík, RÚV reports.…
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August 12, 2022 Deflection Dams May Be Built to Divert Lava from Roadway
The Department of Civil Protection will likely build deflecting dams to prevent lava from flowing onto Rte. 427, RÚV reports.…
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August 12, 2022 Apologize or Face Cyberattack: Icelandic Paper Faces Threats from Hackers and Ire of Russian Embassy
The Icelandic newspaper Fréttablaðið received a threat from Russian hackers on Thursday morning: apologize before midnight, Moscow-time (9:00 PM in…
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August 11, 2022 Knife Crime Callouts on the Rise in the Capital Area
Over the last few weeks, police have intervened in an increasing number of weapons-related incidents, particularly involving knives, RÚV reports.…
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August 11, 2022 Common for Children to be Admitted to Hospital with Nicotine Poisoning
There are several cases a week of children being admitted to the hospital with nicotine poisoning after ingesting nicotine pouches,…
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August 11, 2022 Municipal Authorities Suggest Egilsstaðir for Development as Alternate Airport
Municipal authorities in the eastern district of Fljótsdalshérað want to strengthen the infrastructure of the Egilsstaðir airport due to the…
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August 11, 2022 Reykjavík Formally Dedicates Square in Honor of Kyiv
Kyiv Square was formally dedicated in a ceremony presided over by Reykjavík mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson on Wednesday. Vísir reports…
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August 11, 2022 Lava Could Reach Reykjanes Roadway If It Rises Any Higher
It’s possible that lava from the ongoing eruption in Meradalir could flow eastward in the next 24 hours, RÚV reports.…
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August 10, 2022 Drífa Snædal, President of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour, Steps Down
Drífa Snædal, president of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour, has announced today that she is stepping down from her post.…
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August 10, 2022 Low-Strength Melatonin Will No Longer Require Prescription
Following a recent statement by the Icelandic Medicines Agency, Lyfjastofnun, melatonin under a concentration of 1 mg/ day will no…
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August 10, 2022 Meradalir Update: Eruption Site Reopened to Public
The Meradalir eruption site was reopened today to the public following several days of weather-related closures. The announcement came this…
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August 9, 2022 Excavation in Seyðisfjörður Unearths Jewelry from Earliest Period of Settlement
Archaeologists in Seyðisfjörður have excavated jewelry that dates from 940 - 1100, just after the initial settlement of Iceland. Notably,…
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August 9, 2022 Children Under 12 Banned Entry to Eruption Site
Icelandic authorities have decided to ban children under 12 years of age from visiting the ongoing eruption in Meradalir, on…
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August 9, 2022 July Sees Large Increase in Flights from Icelandair, Play
In recent press releases, both of Iceland's international airlines, Icelandair and PLAY, have reported significant increases in passenger counts in…
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August 9, 2022 Human Bone Found on Snæfellsnes
A foreign tourist found a human bone on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in West Iceland last week, RÚV reports. The bone,…
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August 9, 2022 Two Groups of Hikers Rescued at Closed Eruption Site
Search and rescue teams rescued two groups of travellers from the Meradalir eruption site yesterday evening. The site had been…
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August 8, 2022 Large Income Gap in Iceland Based on Sexual Orientation
Despite being on average more educated, homosexual men in Iceland make roughly 33% less than heterosexual men, a new study…
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August 8, 2022 New United States Ambassador to Iceland Appointed
The United States Senate has confirmed Carrin F. Patman as the next US Ambassador to Iceland. Patman is a lawyer…
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August 8, 2022 Eruption Site Closed Today
The Meradalir eruption site is closed today, Monday, August 8, due to bad weather and poor conditions on the trail,…
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August 8, 2022 ‘What colours the lives of all nonbinary people is invisibility’
A new study finds that one of the most significant challenges faced by nonbinary people in Iceland is a lack…
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August 7, 2022 Opioid Admissions to Detox Centre on the Rise
The Vogur detox centre and rehabilitation hospital has seen a steady rise in admissions due to opioids. Vísir reports that…
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August 6, 2022 I want to find information on Icelandic eiderdown duvets
The term eiderdown is actually a rather interesting one, as it’s a good example of a loanword from Old Norse.…
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August 6, 2022 Parking Not Free at Eruption Site
Although authorities are still advising those who are not experienced hikers to refrain from visiting the eruption at Meradalir, an…
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August 6, 2022 Local Health Board Asks Again for Akureyri to Monitor Cruise Emissions
The Health Board of Northeast Iceland has reissued its request that the Town of Akureyri invest in a device that…
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August 5, 2022 Scenes from Meradalir
Yes, eruptions are serious business. One has to bring the right equipment, check the conditions, and above all, exercise caution.…
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August 5, 2022 Shifting Winds Could Mean Gas in Vogar, Garður
According to the most recent information from the Meteorological Office of Iceland, shifting winds could blow gas plumes from the…
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August 4, 2022 Reykjanes Eruptions Impact Airport Relocation Plans
Seismic and volcanic activity on Southwest Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula affects the viability of building an airport at Hvassahraun, halfway between…
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August 4, 2022 Eruption in Meradalir: Everything We Know So Far
Yesterday, August 3, an eruption began in Meradalir, near the site of the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption. The magma flow is…
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August 4, 2022 Two Injured at Eruption Site
Two people were injured while visiting the eruption that began on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula yesterday. One broke an ankle and…
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August 3, 2022 Public Asked to Stay Away from Eruption on Reykjanes
The public is being asked to stay away from the site of a newly-started eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, Southwest…
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August 3, 2022 BREAKING: Eruption Has Begun on Reykjanes
An eruption has begun on the Reykjanes peninsula, Southwest Iceland. Icelandic Met Office staff first became aware of the eruption…
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August 3, 2022 Considerable Chances of Eruption in Coming Days or Weeks
Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula could be preparing another eruption less than a year since its last one ended. Magma is collecting…
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August 3, 2022 Heavy Rains and Risk of Flooding in North Iceland Today
Considerable rainfall is forecasted for North Iceland today, particularly in the eastern part of the region and on the Tröllaskagi…
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August 2, 2022 Ukrainian Kids Like Iceland’s Swimming Pools, Ice Cream, and Candy
A summer workshop for Ukrainian children that have recently arrived in Iceland has given the kids a chance to exercise…
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August 2, 2022 Minister’s Assistant Silent on Purpose of Meeting with Namibian Officials
Brynjar Níelsson, assistant to the Minister of Justice, has refused to disclose the purpose of a meeting he had with…
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August 2, 2022 “Beauty of Freedom:” Reykjavík Pride Festival Begins
Reykjavík’s annual Pride Festival officially kicks off today with a rainbow-painting event on Bankastræti in the city centre. The festival…
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August 2, 2022 Southwest Iceland Experiences String of Earthquakes Overnight
Residents of Southwest Iceland, including the capital area, experienced a series of strong earthquakes last night, August 1, according to…
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July 31, 2022 ‘There are Direct Connections with Human Development’: Stickleback Conference Sheds Light on Human Genetics
The 10th International Conference on Stickleback Behaviour and Evolution was held at the University of Hólar in North Iceland this…
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July 30, 2022 Uncertainty Phase Declared as Earthquakes Rock Reykjanes Peninsula
An Uncertainty Phase was declared on Reykjanes after earthquakes started rocking the peninsula around noon on Saturday, RÚV reports. As…
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July 30, 2022 Iceland Needs to Import Cooks, Servers, and Tour Guides, Says Industry Expert
Iceland needs to import chefs, wait staff, tour guides and other specialized workers to support the tourism industry during the…
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July 30, 2022 More Overnight Stays Booked This June Than Pre-Pandemic
Foreign tourists booked 405,000 overnight stays in Icelandic hotels in June 2022, which is an increase of 6%, or roughly…
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July 29, 2022 Biggest Residential Construction Boom Outside of the Capital Since Crash
There are more apartments under construction outside the capital area than there have been since 2008. Vísir reports that there…
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July 29, 2022 Grain Farmer Fights Off Swan Invasion with Falcon-Shaped Kites
A farmer in South Iceland is resorting to a unique method to combat a unique threat to his grain crops.…
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July 29, 2022 Emergency Responders ‘Hoping for the Best, Preparing for the Worst’ Over Merchants’ Weekend
Emergency responders are “hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst,” in advance of the upcoming Merchants' Weekend holiday,…
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July 29, 2022 Organizers Shovel Snow from Mountain Path in Advance of Summer Trail Running Event
The Súlur Vertical trail-running event will take place on mountain slopes outside of Akureyri, North Iceland this weekend. RÚV reports…
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July 28, 2022 Dolphin Species Never Before Seen in Iceland Beaches in Northwest
Two dolphins of a species never before seen in Iceland washed ashore in Hrútafjörður in Northwest Iceland last week. RÚV…
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July 28, 2022 Hateful Graffiti on Church’s Pride Flag Now Matter for the Police
Hateful, anti-LGBTQIA+ messages have twice been spray-painted on the Pride flag adorning the steps leading up to Grafarvogskirkja, a Lutheran…
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July 28, 2022 No Small Potatoes: Local Spud Farmers Hopeful For This Year’s Harvest
Potato farmers in Þykkvabær, the spud capital of Iceland, have high hopes for a good harvest this year, RÚV reports.…
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July 28, 2022 Regional Division of Coastal Fishing Quotas May Be Reinstated
Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Svandís Svavarsdóttir would like to make the coastal fishing system fairer, not least by reinstating…
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July 27, 2022 Bomb Threat on German Flight Investigated at Keflavík Airport
An airplane on its way from Frankfurt, Germany to Seattle, Washington in the US landed in Keflavík on Monday afternoon…
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July 27, 2022 Bacterial Infection Brucella Canis Suspected in Dogs in Iceland
The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) has reason to suspect that a bacterial disease called Brucella canis has been…
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July 27, 2022 Government Employees Surprised by Paycheck Delay in Advance of Holiday Weekend
Merchant’s Weekend is coming up, but for many government employees, a surprising change to their payment schedule will leave them…
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July 27, 2022 Significant Rainfall in South Iceland May Flood Jökulsá River, Destroy Temporary Bridge
Significant rainfall is expected over the next 24 hours around the Eyjafjallajökull glacier in South Iceland and may cause considerable…
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July 26, 2022 Extra Meetings to Prepare for Upcoming Wage Negotiations
The National Economic Council has held extra meetings in order to prepare for this autumn’s collective agreement negotiations, RÚV reports.…
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July 26, 2022 ISK 80 Million Towards Reconstruction Efforts in Afghanistan
The Icelandic government will contribute ISK 80 million [$583,000; €575,000] to the United Nations Multi Partner Special Trust Fund for…
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July 25, 2022 M4.9 Earthquake in Bárðarbunga
An M4.4 earthquake occurred in the northern part of Bárðarbunga shortly after noon yesterday. Less than half an hour later,…
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July 25, 2022 Tourist Dies in Brúará River
A man died after falling into the Brúará river in South Iceland yesterday afternoon. The man was carried downstream while…
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July 24, 2022 ‘Of course they are lying’: Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Under Fire for Comments about LGBTQIA+ Asylum Seekers
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Helgi Magnús Gunnarsson has come under fire for comments he made on his Facebook page…
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July 24, 2022 Nine Infected with Monkeypox, Vaccine En Route from Denmark
Nine people had been diagnosed with monkeypox in Iceland as of last week. RÚV reports that Iceland has still not…
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July 23, 2022 Open Water Swimmer Takes to the Sea for a Good Cause
Open water swimmer Sigurgeir Svanbergsson took to the sea on Friday for a good cause. RÚV reports that the self-trained…
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July 23, 2022 West Iceland Pride Festival This Weekend
This weekend marks the second annual West Iceland Pride Festival. RÚV reports that the festival, which will take place in…
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July 21, 2022 Rescued Seal Pup Recovering in Reykjavík
A seal pup that was hardly alive when it was found in Reykjavík harbour earlier this week is recovering well…
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July 20, 2022 Imposing COVID Restrictions Now Would Have Limited Effect, Chief Epidemiologist Says
Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason told Kjarninn that imposing COVID-19 restrictions in Iceland now would have limited effect on the…
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July 19, 2022 Iceland Examines Use of Google Chromebooks in Schools
Iceland’s Data Protection Authority is examining the use of Google Chromebooks in Icelandic schools, mbl.is reports. The devices, similar to…
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July 19, 2022 Unbeaten Iceland Out of European Championships
Iceland is out of the 2022 UEFA European Women’s Football Championship after a tie game against France. Iceland landed in…
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July 18, 2022 Feeding Habits of Westman Islands’ Mysterious Nocturnal Birds Tracked
GPS trackers weighing just 0.95 grammes will help scientists track the movements of three species of elusive nocturnal birds that…
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July 18, 2022 Plans to Raise Mandatory Retirement Age for Healthcare Staff to 75
Iceland’s Health Minister Willum Þór Þórsson wants to speed up plans to raise the mandatory retirement age for healthcare workers…
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July 18, 2022 Controversial Telecommunications Company Sale Up in the Air
French company Ardian is not prepared to finalise its purchase of Icelandic telecommunications company Míla unless the purchase agreement is…
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July 17, 2022 Around the Westfjords—in a Tractor—in Seven Days
In 2015, Grétar Gústavsson and Karl Friðriksson circumnavigated Iceland on a 1963 Massey Ferguson 35X tractor to raise funds for…
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July 17, 2022 New English Translation Inspires ‘Rediscovery’ of Halldór Laxness, Iceland’s Nobel Laureate
Halldór Laxness, Iceland’s virtuosic Nobel Laureate in Literature, is having something of a renaissance in the United States, reports The…
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July 16, 2022 Collapse of Midge Population Impacts Mývatn Birdlife
The ubiquitous midge is almost completely absent from Mývatn, the pointedly named ‘Midge Lake,’ this year. But while many people…
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July 16, 2022 Imported Premade Sandwiches Sold Cheaper Than Icelandic Equivalents
Imported goods and food have long been a standard feature of Icelandic life, but a new product that’s made its…
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July 15, 2022 New Director of National Hospital System Outlines Strategy
The National University Hospital of Iceland recently had a new board of directors nominated by Alþingi. Björn Zoëga, orthopaedic surgeon…
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July 15, 2022 Record Numbers of Pink Salmon Caught
Iceland's Marine Research Institute has issued a report on salmon and trout catches in 2021. 339 pink salmon were reported,…
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July 15, 2022 Smiðjan Brewery First to Sell Directly to Customers
Smiðjan Brewery in Vík was the first to sell alcohol directly to customers when it officially got its license on…
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July 14, 2022 Rauðasandur Annual Beach Cleanup Complete
On Saturday, July 2, volunteers cleaned up the Rauðisandur beach for the seventh time, reports Iceland's Environmental Agency. The annual…
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July 14, 2022 Skeiðarárjökull Fastest Retreating Glacier of Last Year
In a newsletter from the Melting Glaciers project, Skeiðarárjökull was singled out as the fastest-retreating glacier last year, having lost…
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July 14, 2022 German Airline, Condor, to Begin Service to Akureyri and Egilsstaðir
The German airline, Condor, is set to begin servicing Akureyri and Egilsstaðir starting in the summer of 2023, according to…
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July 13, 2022 Chairman of Medical Association Warns of Doctor Shortage
Chairman of the Icelandic Medical Association, Steinunn Þórðardóttir, stated in a recent interview with Fréttablaðið that Iceland faces one of…
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July 13, 2022 35,000 Apartments to be Built in 10-Year Housing Plan
State and municipal authorities reached a major agreement yesterday, July 12, in which they committed to expand the supply of…
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July 13, 2022 Family Requests Body of Mountaineer John Snorri Be Buried with Companions
In a recent public announcement on Facebook, Lína Móey, wife of the Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson, expressed her wishes…
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July 12, 2022 From the Archives: The 1972 World Chess Championship in Iceland
On July 11, 1972, Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky met in Reykjavík for the 1972 World Chess Championship. The match,…
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July 12, 2022 New Data Indicates Waning Church Membership
The National Registry of Iceland has released new data on religious affiliation in Iceland, with membership in the National Church…
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July 12, 2022 Wage Statistics Committee Reports that Women Earn 86% of Men’s Wages
In their spring report, the Wage Statistics Committee reports that women in Iceland still earn some 86% of what men…
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July 11, 2022 Proposed Re-Introduction of Coastal Fishing Zoning Comes Under Critique
The National Association of Small Boat Owners has critiqued the resumption of zoning, reports RÚV. The critique comes in light…
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July 11, 2022 First Fully Electric Aircraft in Iceland Takes Flight
Iceland's first fully electric aircraft took to the air this weekend at the Everything That Flies airshow in Hella. The…
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July 11, 2022 Icelandic National Women’s Team Starts EM with Draw
The Icelandic Women's national team drew a tie in their opening match against Belgium last night, with both teams scoring…
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July 10, 2022 Jogger Has Run-In with Aggro Owl in Southeast Iceland
“Tempo running” took on a new meaning for Þórgunnur Torfadóttir when she went out for a jog in Hornafjörður, Southeast…
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July 10, 2022 ‘It’s Mostly Foreigners Who Take an Interest in Turf Houses’
An engineer in East Iceland is passing down ancestral methods of turf construction, Austurfrétt reports. Þorvaldur P. Hjarðar has a…
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July 9, 2022 Road and Coastal Administration Work All Night to Prevent Route One from Flooding
Employees of the Road and Coastal Administration worked through the night to ensure that rising water levels in the Djúpadalsá…
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July 9, 2022 Six Icelandic Firms on Yale’s List of Companies Doing Business in Russia, Three Shouldn’t Be
The Yale School of Management names six Icelandic businesses on its list of companies still doing business in Russia, but…
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July 8, 2022 Coastal Fishing Quota Raised 1,074 Tonnes
Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries, Svandís Svavarsdóttir, has raised the coastal fishing quota for cod by 1,074 tonnes in…
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July 8, 2022 Yellow Weather Warning for Much of Iceland, with Rising Temperatures for North and East
Much of the country has been under a yellow weather warning since yesterday due to a low weather system. Many…
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July 7, 2022 Animal Welfare Officers Could Be Required on Icelandic Whaling Ships
Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries Svandís Svavarsdóttir has stated that whaling vessels may be required to have an animal…
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July 7, 2022 In the Balance
"HE COMES FROM A GREAT LINEOF GLÍMA WRESTLERS.” “Stigið!” calls the referee, and the two glíma wrestlers – who had…
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July 7, 2022 72% of Icelanders Support Tourism Fee, According to Recent Poll
According to a recent poll by market research company Prósent for Fréttablaðið, some 72% of Icelanders agree that foreign tourists…
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July 7, 2022 To the Vote
OUT OF THE EXACTLY 60 RESIDENTS OF SKORRADALUR, 47 ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. In 1910, there were 203 municipal councils in…
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July 6, 2022 Mittens Long in the National Museum of Iceland’s Archive Dated to Settlement Era
When Halldór Kristjánsson, a farmer from Akranes, dug new foundations for his farm in 1960, he unearthed a pair of…
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July 6, 2022 Dog Falls 20m off of Cliff, Lives to Tell the Tale
RÚV reports that North Iceland's search and rescue team was called out last night, July 5, to respond to a…
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July 6, 2022 Night Bus Returns to Reykjavík after Two-Year Suspension
The Reykjavík night bus, or Næturstrætó, will be returning to service this Saturday, July 9. Night service will include seven…
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July 5, 2022 Dissatisfied with Quota System, Fishermen Change Residence to Adapt
Coastal fishing quotas have left many fishermen in the Northeast of Iceland dissatisfied with their share of the catch. Now,…
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July 5, 2022 Newest Art Museum in Iceland, Djúpivogur’s ARS LONGA, to Open This Saturday
ARS LONGA, a museum for contemporary art, will open in Djúpivogur this Saturday, July 9. Headlining the museum's opening will…
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July 5, 2022 ÓX Second Icelandic Restaurant to Receive Prestigious Michelin Star
ÓX is the second restaurant in Iceland to be awarded the prestigious Michelin Star, a commendation for the finest dining…
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July 5, 2022 Elkem Production Halted Following Major Fire, Staff Prevent More Serious Damage
A major fire broke out at the Elkem silicon plant in Grundartangi last night. Although no injuries were reported, the…
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July 4, 2022 Krafla Geothermal Area Attracts International Research Project
Some 15 international doctoral students are studying the Krafla geothermal area in Northern Iceland to understand how to best use…
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July 4, 2022 Police Record Multiple Violent Incidents Over Busy Weekend
Capital area police registered nearly 200 incidents over the weekend, including three serious cases of assault, reports Vísir. Þóra Jónasdóttir,…
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July 4, 2022 Sharp Rise In Demand and Price of Hotel Accomodation
The Statistics Office of Iceland reports that overnight stays in Icelandic hotels have nearly tripled since the same time in…
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July 3, 2022 New Collaboration May Make It Possible to Hopp from Bus to E-Scooter in Same Trip
A new collaboration between electric scooter company Hopp and the Strætó bus service could make it possible for commuters to…
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July 3, 2022 Students Keep Busy, Give Back at Summer Work School
The School of Work was established with the mission of providing young people with something to do over the summer…
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July 2, 2022 Nordic Bishops Gather for Conference in Akureyri, Discuss ‘the Church in a Changing World’
The Nordic Bishops’ Conference took place in Akureyri, North Iceland this week, RÚV reports. Forty-five bishops were in attendance. Agnes…
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July 2, 2022 Two Hundred and Sixty Officials Overpaid for Three Years
Two hundred and sixty nationally elected officials, government ministers, and civil servants have been overpaid for the last three years,…
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July 1, 2022 “Visibility is our strongest weapon”
“Visibility is our strongest weapon.” This was the motto of a solidarity gathering organised in the city centre yesterday in…
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June 30, 2022 Fourth Round of Changes Proposed to Election Legislation
A plan to review Iceland’s election legislation has been published on the government’s consultation website Samráðsgátt. New election legislation that…
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June 30, 2022 Permanent Military Presence in Iceland Not on Government’s Agenda
Iceland’s National Security Council has no plans to request permanent military presence in Iceland, according to the country’s Prime Minister…
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June 30, 2022 Icelandic Breweries Can Now Sell Directly to Customers
Starting tomorrow, July 1, breweries in Iceland will be permitted to sell their alcoholic products directly to customers. The change…
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June 29, 2022 First Phase of Borgarlína Project Delayed by One Year
The construction of the first phase of Reykjavík’s rapid bus transit line Borgarlína has been pushed back by a year.…
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June 29, 2022 New Plant to Capture Ten Times More CO2 from Atmosphere at Hellisheiði
A new plant in Iceland will capture 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide directly out of the atmosphere, increasing the direct…
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June 29, 2022 Is there any news on Borgarlína or the airport train?
Borgarlína is a bus rapid transit system designed to enable environmentally-friendly, people-oriented transportation in the capital area of Iceland. The…
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June 29, 2022 Flashing Red Light to Warn of Dangerous Waves at Reynisfjara
A flashing red light will be installed at Reynisfjara beach in South Iceland to warn visitors of dangerous waves. RÚV…
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June 28, 2022 Ministry Suspends Residential Development by City Airport
The Ministry of Infrastructure considers the new residential development by Reykjavík City Airport to threaten the operational safety of the…
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June 28, 2022 Sculpture Will Be Relocated Following Fatal Accident
An outdoor artwork in the East Iceland town of Djúpivogur will be relocated following a fatal accident. A tourist in…
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June 28, 2022 Intact Walls from an 11th Century Turf House Found in Seyðisfjörður
The undamaged walls of a manmade structure dating back to the 11th century have been found in an archaeological dig…
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June 28, 2022 Increased Legal Rights for Victims of Sexual Assault in Iceland
Victims of sexual assault in Iceland can now receive information on the proceedings of the police investigation of their case…
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June 26, 2022 Lupine Propagation Threatens Nature Preserve: ‘We want to keep our Icelandic flora’
Lupines may be beautiful, but they’re also an invasive species. RÚV reports that lupine propagation around the Krossanesborgir nature preserve…
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June 25, 2022 Rabbit Rescue Hops to Rehome Sixty Bunnies
Sixty rabbits that were caught in the Elliðaárdalur valley on the east side of Reykjavík need furever homes, Vísir reports,…
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June 25, 2022 Prime Minister, President Express Solidarity with US Pro-Choice Movement
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson tweeted their solidarity with the US pro-choice movement, RÚV reports. The…
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June 24, 2022 Road to Landmannalaugar Opens For the Summer
The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration opened the road to Landmannalaugar via Sigalda yesterday, making the popular Laugavegur hiking route…
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June 24, 2022 Alvotech Completes Dual Icelandic and US listing
Biotech company Alvotech became the first dual-listed Icelandic company in Iceland and the US when it completed its listing in…
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June 23, 2022 Suspected Shooter Institutionalised for Four Weeks
A man suspected of a shooting that took place in Hafnarfjörður yesterday, in the Reykjavík capital area, will be institutionalised…
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June 23, 2022 Icelandic State Pays Damages to Pregnant Woman Who Was Deported
The Icelandic state has paid damages to an Albanian asylum seeker who was deported from the country in her ninth…
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June 23, 2022 Whaling Restarts in Iceland Following Four-Year Hiatus
Two whaling ships owned by the company Hvalur hf. set off from Reykjavík harbour yesterday to begin the whaling season,…
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June 22, 2022 Tourist Death in Djúpivogur, Southeast Iceland
Safety matters are being reviewed in the town of Djúpivogur, Southeast Iceland, after the death of a foreign tourist there…
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June 22, 2022 New Technology for Prawn Fishing Uses Light to Reduce Emissions
An Icelandic company has developed a technology for prawn fishing that uses light to herd prawn up from the sea…
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June 22, 2022 Iceland’s Interest Rates Pass Pre-Pandemic Heights
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Iceland has decided to raise the bank’s interest rates by 1%.…
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June 22, 2022 Special Forces in Hafnarfjörður Due to Possible Shooting
Update 22.06.22 12:53 PM: RÚV reports that the suspected shooter came out of the apartment building around 12:20 PM and…
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June 21, 2022 Government and New Landowner Agree to Protect Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, a popular tourist site in South Iceland, is being sold from one private owner to another. The Icelandic…
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June 21, 2022 Baldur Ferry Breaks Down Again, Service May Be Suspended
The only ferry that sails between West Iceland and the southern Westfjords, Baldur, broke down last Saturday, stranding over 100…
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June 21, 2022 Unemployment Dropped to 3.9% in Iceland Last Month
Registered unemployment in Iceland measured 3.9% in May, a reduction of 0.6% compared to the previous month. On average, 812…
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June 21, 2022 Kamila and Marco are Reykjavík Residents of the Year
Two young activists whose “freedge” in downtown Reykjavík has strengthened the community and reduced food waste have been named Reykjavík…
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June 20, 2022 Parliament Outlaws Teen Marriage, Eases Divorce for Abuse Sufferers
The Minister of Justice’s bill to amend marital law was recently passed in Parliament, removing the Ministry’s warrant to grant…
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June 19, 2022 Today is Women’s Rights Day
Today, June 19, is Women’s Rights Day in Iceland. The holiday commemorates the day, in 1915, when all Icelandic women…
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June 19, 2022 Business Booming for Online Alcohol Retailers, Even Though Online Sales Aren’t Legal
Alþingi has yet to vote on whether private Icelandic retailers will be allowed to sell alcohol online, but RÚV reports…
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June 18, 2022 Fourteen People Rescued from Glacier in Massive, 24-Hour ICE-SAR Operation
Fourteen hikers are cold and shaken but thankfully safe after being rescued from Mt. Hvannadalshnjúkur in Vatnajökull National Park on…
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June 18, 2022 Sailing Competitors Seek Safe Harbour in East Iceland
Twenty-three of the competitors in France’s Vendée Artique sailing competition are seeking shelter in Fákrúðsfjörður Bay in East Iceland due…
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June 16, 2022 Hospital Reinstates Mask Requirements Due to Increase in COVID Cases
The spread of COVID-19 has increased in the past few days, as around 200 people test positive for Covid daily.…
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June 16, 2022 Less Cod, More Haddock To Be Fished Next Year
The Icelandic Marine and Freshwater Research Institute has suggested a 6% decrease in cod catch quotas for the next fishing…
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June 16, 2022 I’m a musician: how can I get press coverage of my music in Iceland?
Iceland has a lively music scene, with a plethora of diverse performing and recording artists. Local media does a fine…
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June 16, 2022 Parliament Grants 12 Individuals Icelandic Citizenship
Parliamentary parties have agreed to process 25 out of the 70 requests for Icelandic citizenship Parliament has received, Vísir reports.…
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June 16, 2022 Master Plan Passed Through Parliament Despite Opposition
The third phase of the Master Plan for Nature Protection and Energy Utilisation was passed through Parliament yesterday, with 34…
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June 14, 2022 New Response Team To Tackle Emergency Ward’s Issues
The Ministry of Health has founded a new response team for Emergency healthcare services on the advice of the Director…
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June 14, 2022 Reynisfjara Safety Measures Stalled Due to Bureaucracy, Landowners Claim
Landowners and local authorities have differing viewpoints on what has hindered increased safety measures at Reynisfjara beach, following repeated fatal…
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June 13, 2022 Reykjanes Earthquakes: Uncertainty Phase Lifted
The National Police Commissioner has, after conferring with the Reykjanes Police commissioner, lifted the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency…
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June 13, 2022 Simple Stories for Icelandic Learners – Sequel to Árstíðir Released
Author Karítas Hrundar Pálsdóttur has released her second book of short stories for Icelandic learners in Reykjavík. Titled Dagatal –…
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June 12, 2022 Tourist Dies at Reynisfjara, Group Caught by Waves in the Same Spot the Next Day
A tourist died on Friday after being swept out to sea by a wave at Reynisfjara beach, just outside Vík…
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June 12, 2022 Government Approves Measures to Counteract Inflation, Overheating Economy
In lieu of raising interest rates, the government will be implementing various measures intended to counteract inflation and an overheating…
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June 11, 2022 Nursing Home Pedicab Program a Wheely Great Success
Residents of the Dalbær nursing home in the North Iceland village of Dalvík are on the move these days, thanks…
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June 11, 2022 Evidence to Support Allegations of Pervasive Abuse in Long-Term Mental Health Wards
There is strong evidence to support long-standing allegations of pervasive violence, drug coercion, and abusive conditions endured by patients with…
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June 10, 2022 Niceair Cancels All UK Flights in June: “Brexit-Related Problems”
Niceair has cancelled all scheduled flights from Akureyri to the UK in June. The airline has experienced a few so-called…
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June 10, 2022 Erró: Remembrances of a Titan
“Uuh!?” Urinary associations Suspended on a wall in the Reykjavík Art Museum, there’s a cardboard plaque displaying, among other things,…
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June 10, 2022 I read that Reykjavík Zoo is expanding its seal enclosure; how many seals live there?
Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo is currently home to four seals: Særún (female), Svavar, Garðar, and Kópur (male). Særún is…
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June 10, 2022 Record-Number of Icelanders Departed from Keflavík Airport in May
According to data from the Icelandic Tourist Board (Ferðamálastofa), 65,000 Icelanders departed from Keflavík Airport in May. The number of…
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June 10, 2022 Police Announce Historic Drug Bust
The Capital Area Police held a press conference yesterday announcing a historic drug bust. The street value of the seizure…
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June 9, 2022 First Cases of Monkeypox Likely Diagnosed in Iceland
Two middle-aged men were diagnosed with monkeypox in Iceland yesterday on an initial test, according to a notice from the…
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June 9, 2022 Opposition Proposes Changes to Asylum Seeker Bill
MPs in Iceland’s Parliament have not reached an agreement on several bills, and it has become clear that Alþingi will…
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June 9, 2022 Namibian Officials Visit Iceland And Discuss Fishrot Files
Namibian officials, including the country’s Deputy Prime Minister, visited Iceland this week and discussed the case of Icelandic seafood company…
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June 8, 2022 Aftershock
Picking up threads Auður’s novel centres on a woman waking up from a grand mal seizure, having lost her memory.…
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June 8, 2022 Craft Unions Call for More Spots in Vocational Schools
Around 2,000 craftspeople are needed in the labour market to fulfil promises on housing construction, RÚV reports. Approximately 700 students…
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June 8, 2022 Stumbling Into Success
“I SOON REALISED THAT ACTING WASN’T THE MOST PRACTICAL OF PURSUITS … AND SO I WENT TO SWEDEN TO STUDY…
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June 8, 2022 Six Icelandic Women Complete Relay Swim Across English Channel
Sea swimming group Bárurnar (the Waves) reached the coast of France yesterday after completing their relay swim across the English…
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June 7, 2022 Suspected of Killing Neighbour in Reykjavík
A man in his early 20s is in police custody until July 1 under suspicion of having caused his neighbour’s…
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June 7, 2022 Einar Takes Over as Reykjavík Mayor in 2024
The Social-Democratic Alliance, Progressive Party, Pirate Party, and Reform Party of the City of Reykjavík held a press conference yesterday…
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June 5, 2022 Thirty Nurses Laid Off, 24-Hour Medical Consultation Hotline to be Handed Over to Receptionists
All thirty nurses working for Læknavaktin were laid off at the end of May, RÚV reports. Læknavaktin has been responsible…
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June 5, 2022 In Focus: Relocating Reykjavík Airport
Background The dispute over the location of the Reykjavík City Airport is nearly as old as the airport itself. An…
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June 5, 2022 New Designer Shopping and Dining Centre Hafnartorg Gallery to Open Downtown
Downtown is about to get another designer facelift. Vísir reports that 11 new shops and restaurants, all of which will…
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June 4, 2022 Icelandic Student Takes Second Place in European Statistics Competition
Ólöf María Steinarsdóttir, a student at Reykjavík's Technical College, won second place in the 16-18 age group of the European…
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June 4, 2022 In Focus: Íslandsbanki Private Stock Offering
The Icelandic government’s sale of 22.5% of Íslandsbanki bank in a private stock offering last March has resulted in allegations…
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June 4, 2022 Fifty-Six Percent of Polish Immigrants Have Experienced Hate Speech
The majority of Polish immigrants in Iceland have experienced hate speech in their time living in the country, Kjarninn reports.…
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June 3, 2022 Air Canada Resumes Scheduled Flights to Keflavík Airport
Air Canada has resumed scheduled flights between Canada and Keflavík Airport. The airline has not offered direct flights to Iceland…
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June 3, 2022 Preemptive Lava Barriers Proposed in Grindavík Town Hall
Proposals to erect protective lava barriers on the Reykjanes peninsula were introduced at a town hall meeting in Grindavík yesterday.…
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June 3, 2022 Grounded
Iceland’s nature is truly magnificent. Grand mountain ranges flanking bottomless fjords. Endless stretches of tundra and vast glaciers. Formidable rivers and thundering waterfalls. But what…
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June 3, 2022 Support for PM’s Left-Greens Hits Near-Decade Low
According to a new Gallup poll, support for the government continues to decline. Countrywide support for the Prime Minister’s Left-Greens…
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June 2, 2022 Iceland Tightens Regulations on Blood Mare Farms
Blood mare farming, the practice of extracting blood from pregnant mares for sale, will soon be subject to a licence…
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June 2, 2022 50-Year-Old Westfjords Grave Dug Up for Investigation
The remains of a 19-year-old man who died nearly 50 years ago have been exhumed from his Westfjords grave for…
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June 2, 2022 Scrapie-Resistant Sheep Multiply in East Iceland
The lambing season is going well at Þernunes farm in Reyðarfjörður, East Iceland, where 27 lambs have been born that…
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June 1, 2022 Real Estate Value Rises 20% in Iceland
The total value of real estate in Iceland has increased by almost 20% between years. The value has never risen…
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June 1, 2022 Statues, Shows, Sand, and Street Theatre: Reykjavík Arts Festival Begins Today
An indoor, black sand beach, statues in Medieval suits of armour, drag shows, and street theatre are just a few…
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June 1, 2022 Four Working Groups to Overhaul Iceland’s Fisheries Legislation
Minister of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries Svandís Svavarsdóttir has appointed four working groups to analyse challenges and opportunities in Iceland’s…
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May 31, 2022 What is Iceland’s high school graduation culture like?
For students graduating from upper secondary school (menntaskóli), Iceland’s closest equivalent to US high schools, celebrations begin on the last…
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May 31, 2022 Four Nurses Resign from Emergency Ward
Four nurses have resigned from their positions at the National Hospital’s Emergency Ward since yesterday, citing unacceptable working conditions and…
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May 31, 2022 Fishing Industry Profits Spark Wealth Distribution Debate
Iceland’s largest seafood companies made huge profits last year, if the first published financial statements are any indication, Fréttablaðið reports.…
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May 30, 2022 First Niceair Jet Arrives in Akureyri
Niceair’s first passenger aircraft, an Airbus A-319, just landed in Akureyri, North Iceland, in preparation for the airline’s maiden voyage…
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May 30, 2022 Prejudice Just Below the Surface in Iceland, Says Prime Minister
Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir is putting together a task force that will propose ways to tackle hate speech in…
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May 29, 2022 Minister Urges Infrastructure Improvements ASAP: ‘We need to take this seriously’
Infrastructure on the Reykjanes peninsula needs to undergo significant reinforcement and expansion as soon as possible in order to preclude…
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May 29, 2022 Iceland Likely to Procure Monkeypox Vaccine, Deems General Inoculation Unnecessary
Iceland will likely participate in the European Union’s joint scheme to purchase and procure doses of Imvanex to use in…
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May 29, 2022 Baby Boom in North Iceland
Almost 500 babies were born in the Akureyri Hospital in North Iceland last year. RÚV reports that this is an…
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May 28, 2022 Scientists Document Glacier Melt in Real Time: ‘We Have to Make a Conscious, Informed Decision About Which Future We Choose’
New footage and photography compiled by a team of scientists at the University of Iceland shows three decades of glacial…
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May 27, 2022 Minister of Justice: Not a Single Family to Be Deported to Greece
Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson has stated that among the inordinate number of asylum seekers set to be expelled from…
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May 27, 2022 Unpublished Poem by Davíð Stefánsson Discovered
A 19-verse poem by celebrated poet Davíð Stefánsson has been discovered. The piece could be among the very first poems…
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May 27, 2022 Viking-Era Cave System Larger, Older Than Previously Thought
Ongoing excavations of Viking-era, man-made caves near Oddi in South Iceland have revealed an extensive system of interconnected structures that…
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May 27, 2022 Bishop Reprimands Reverend for Harsh Rebuke of Government
Bishop of Iceland Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir has formally reprimanded reverend Davíð Þór Jónsson for his criticism of the government on…
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May 25, 2022 PLAY Reports ISK 1.5 Billion Loss in Q1, Maintains ‘Strong Balance Sheet and Healthy Cash Position’
Iceland’s newest discount airline, PLAY, reported a loss of ISK 1.5 billion [$11.5 million; €10.78 million] in the first quarter…
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May 25, 2022 Six Million Plants This Year, But Production Still Short of Carbon Neutrality Goal
Iceland needs to rapidly increase its plant cultivation in order to meet the government’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2040,…
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May 25, 2022 Phallological Museum to Display Cast of Jimi Hendrix’s Penis
The Icelandic Phallological Museum will soon add a new artifact to its extensive collection: a plaster cast of legendary American…
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May 24, 2022 Contradicting Statements from Cabinet on Deportation of Asylum Seekers
Icelandic authorities are set to deport around 300 asylum seekers, some of whom have been living in the country for…
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May 24, 2022 Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Welcomed Icelandic Delegation
A delegation of Icelanders, including President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and Minister of Culture and Trade Lilja Alfreðsdóttir, met with representatives…
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May 24, 2022 Formal Negotiations for Reykjavík City Council Begin
The Progressive Party has begun formal negotiations with the Social-Democratic Alliance, the Pirate Party, and the Reform Party on forming…
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May 22, 2022 Widespread Iodine Deficiency as Diets Change with Times
Icelanders have stopped consuming the large quantities of fish and milk that they used to, leading to widespread iodine deficiencies.…
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May 22, 2022 Nearly 300 Asylum Seekers to be Deported
The Directorate of Immigration is set to deport around 300 asylum applicants from Iceland, RÚV reports. Never before has such…
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May 21, 2022 New Icelandic Ad Campaign Trots Out Email Replies While You Horse Around on Vacay
A new ad campaign is likely to have travellers chomping at the bit to visit Iceland. Tourism PR company Inspired…
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May 21, 2022 Increase in COVID Admissions, But Infections Much Milder
As many as 150 new cases of COVID-19 are being diagnosed every day in Iceland and the number of patients…
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May 20, 2022 Land Rises Four Centimetres on Reykjanes
The land around Svartsengi, on the Reykjanes peninsula, has risen 4 centimetres since April 21. The uplift is most likely…
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May 20, 2022 Deportations to Greece Resume After Hiatus
Asylum seeker deportations from Iceland have resumed after a two-year hiatus, Fréttablaðið reports. According to attorney Magnús M. Norðdahl, the…
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May 19, 2022 Housing Prices Highest in Decades
House prices in Reykjavík have risen sharply, with an average increase of 22.3% in the past 12 months. Detached home…
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May 18, 2022 Improving the Icelandic Language on Devices
An Icelandic delegation has arrived in the United States to meet with tech companies about the importance of the Icelandic…
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May 18, 2022 Historical Relics Unearthed on Grímsey
While undertaking excavations in preparation of building a new church on Grímsey, archeologists unearthed relics that indicate humans inhabited the…
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May 18, 2022 First State Visit to Greenland in 24 years
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir embarked this week on the first official visit of an Icelandic leader to Greenland since 1998.…
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May 16, 2022 Reykjanes Earthquakes: Uncertainty Phase Declared
The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management has declared a phase of uncertainty due to the ongoing earthquake swarm…
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May 16, 2022 Municipal Election Results: Gains for Progressives Across Iceland
Last Saturday’s municipal elections will go down in Icelandic history books, both for the Progressive Party’s success across the country,…
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May 15, 2022 Millions Allocated in Local Publishing and International Translation Grants
The Icelandic Literature Center has announced its 2022 publishing grants as well as its biannual translation grants. Every year, the…
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May 15, 2022 Icelandic Film Quake Gets International Theatrical Release
Icelandic writer-director Tinna Hrafnsdóttir’s film Quake will have a theatrical release in North America, Sweden, and the UK, Variety reports.…
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May 14, 2022 Neverland
For several months, Sólveig had started every day by playing a little game with herself. She’d wake up exactly 47…
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May 14, 2022 Finding the Energy to Change
The conversation about renewable energy is buzzing louder than ever before. Talk about methanol, in particular, is gaining traction across…
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May 14, 2022 Seaman’s Association: Government’s Stalled Negotiations with Coast Guard Pilots “Unacceptable and Disgraceful”
The Icelandic Seaman’s Association has issued a strongly worded statement in support of Iceland’s Coast Guard pilots, calling the government’s…
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May 14, 2022 Arctic Fox Gets Starring Role in New Netflix Series
Iceland’s Arctic fox has a starring role in the upcoming Netflix series “Wild Babies,” RÚV reports. Narrated by Helena Bonham…
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May 13, 2022 Big Fish In Small Ponds
Blackport – a political thriller set in the remote Westfjords of the 1980s, documents what happens to a small fishing…
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May 13, 2022 Value of Exported Goods Increases Significantly
The value of exported industrial, marine and agricultural products has increased significantly over the past three years, RÚV reports (referencing…
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May 13, 2022 Staffing Shortages May Counteract Tourism Growth
A new forecast by Isavia projects that 5.7 million passengers will pass through Keflavík Airport in 2022. According to the…
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May 12, 2022 Tourist Nearly Drowns at Reynisfjara Beach
An ambulance was called out to Reynisfjara beach in South Iceland this week when a Spanish tourist nearly drowned, mbl.is…
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May 12, 2022 Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist Resigns
Chief Epidemiologist of Iceland Þórólfur Guðnason has sent in his resignation. The Directorate of Health announced the decision on its…
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May 11, 2022 Members of Pussy Riot Currently in Iceland
Russian political activist and member of performance art group Pussy Riot Maria Alyokhina is currently in Iceland. Alyokhina fled Russia…
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May 11, 2022 Sóley and Bára Nominated for Nordic Council Music Prize
Icelandic musicians Sóley Stefánsdóttir (above) and Bára Gísladóttir (below) have been nominated for the 2022 Nordic Council Music Prize. This…
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May 11, 2022 Coast Guard Helicopter Unmanned Due to Pilot Shortage
For one third of the year, the Icelandic Coast Guard has only one helicopter crew on duty, RÚV reports. Yesterday…
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May 11, 2022 Iceland Qualifies for Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final
The Icelandic sisters Sigga, Beta, and Elín qualified for the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in the…
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May 10, 2022 Fjaðrárgljúfur Purchase Offer Accepted
The Icelandic state needs to decide whether it will purchase Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon, a popular tourist site in South Iceland, Fréttablaðið…
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May 10, 2022 Earthquake Swarm on Reykjanes – No Sign of Volcanic Activity
Earthquakes measuring M3 and M3.2 were detected last night near Reykjanestá on the Reykjanes peninsula. The earthquakes were felt by…
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May 10, 2022 Iceland Performing in Eurovision Semi-final Tonight
Icelandic sisters Sigga, Beta, and Elín will perform in the first 2022 Eurovision Semi-final tonight. Iceland is performing 14th out…
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May 8, 2022 Arctic Tern Returns to Iceland
The Arctic tern has returned to Iceland, RÚV reports. The bird is one of a number migratory birds that are…
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May 8, 2022 New National Sporting Arena to be Built in Laugardalur
The Icelandic government and City of Reykjavík have agreed to build a new, national sporting arena in Laugardalur. The arena…
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May 7, 2022 Origin of Horse Head Used for Pagan Curse Still Unknown
Capital-area police are still trying to determine the origin of the severed horse head that was mounted on a stake…
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May 7, 2022 At Least 35,000 New Apartments Needed in the Next Ten Years
Iceland needs to build 3,500 to 4,000 apartments a year in order to stabilize the housing market, RÚV reports. The…
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May 6, 2022 “Wind Harp” Sculpture Unveiled at Harpa Concert Hall
Himinglæva is the name of a new stainless-steel sculpture by Elín Hansdóttir that will be officially unveiled outside of Harpa…
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May 6, 2022 “Góðan dag, this is Volodymyr from Kyiv”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke directly to the Icelandic Parliament and nation today in a virtual address broadcast in the…
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May 6, 2022 Inflation Response Measures Target Renters, Pensioners, and Families
Renters, pensioners, and families with children are the target groups of government measures intended to reduce the impact of inflation…
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May 6, 2022 Bigger and Deeper Pool for Seals at Reykjavík Zoo
A new seal enclosure will greatly expand the space seals have for swimming at Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo. Reykjavík…
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May 6, 2022 Zelenskyy to Address Icelandic Parliament and Nation Today
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address Iceland’s Parliament and the Icelandic nation virtually at 2:00 PM this afternoon. It is…
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May 5, 2022 EVE Fanfest Begins in Reykjavík Tomorrow
Over 1,000 EVE Online players are on their way to Iceland for EVE Fanfest, which takes place tomorrow and Saturday,…
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May 5, 2022 Advanced Polls Busy as Municipal Elections Approach
More residents have voted in advanced polls for the upcoming municipal election than in the last election, in 2018, Vísir…
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May 4, 2022 Transport Minister: Reykjavík Cannot Build Next to City Airport
The City of Reykjavík cannot start building a residential development beside the City Airport until another location for the airport…
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May 4, 2022 Lambing Season Means Long Shifts for Farmers
Iceland’s sheep farmers are working day and night to help their ewes give birth. The lambing season spans across five…
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May 4, 2022 Central Bank Raises Interest Rates by 1%
The Central Bank of Iceland’s key interest rate will be raised to 3.75%, rising ever-closer to pre-pandemic figures. The Monetary…
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May 4, 2022 Can you help me find a poem my tour guide recited about showering in Iceland’s swimming pools?
We’re very sorry to say we don’t know the poem you’re referring to. We are, however, very familiar with the…
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May 3, 2022 Iceland Lagging Behind on Climate, Minister Suggests
At a Climate Day conference in Reykjavík, Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson stated that Iceland would need to do “even better”…
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May 3, 2022 Idea Island
In the past few decades, startups have revolutionised how we communicate (Facebook), how we travel (Airbnb), and how we work…
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May 3, 2022 Rental Market in “State of Emergency”, Association Says
The upcoming municipal elections revolve mainly around the “state of emergency in the housing and rental market,” a spokesperson for…
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May 3, 2022 Southern Peninsula’s High Cancer Rate Under Investigation
The Icelandic Cancer Society has begun investigating whether chlorine-releasing compounds used at the former Naval Station in Keflavík may explain…
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May 2, 2022 ISK 145 Million to Support Icelandic Education for Immigrants
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour has announced its annual allocation of ISK 145.5 million [$1.1 million; €1.1 million]…
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May 2, 2022 Beef Production in Iceland Reaches All-Time High
Icelandic farmers produced nearly five tonnes of beef last year, an all-time record for the country. The most-produced meat was…
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May 1, 2022 Nearly 90,000 Firearms in Iceland
There were 76,680 firearms registered to 36,548 owners in Iceland as of January 1, RÚV reports. Taking into account lost,…
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May 1, 2022 ‘I take it as a threat’: Nithing Pole Erected at Local Commune
A nithing pole topped with the severed head of a horse was erected on the land of a spiritual community…
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April 30, 2022 President Diagnosed with COVID
President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson has been diagnosed with COVID-19. “So it’s come to this,” Guðni posted on his official Facebook…
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April 29, 2022 Höfði
On a cold winter’s night in 1952, John Greenway, Great Britain’s Minister to Iceland, heard a loud bang and woke…
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April 29, 2022 Website Crashes as Tickets to Þjóðhátið Festival Go on Sale
When tickets for the Þjóðhátíð Festival in the Westman Islands went on sale yesterday, the website of the Herjólfur ferry…
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April 29, 2022 Inflation Rate Continues to Climb, Peak Expected in June
The annual inflation rate hit 7.2% yesterday, a 12-year high. Analysts at Íslandsbanki bank predict that the inflation rate will…
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April 28, 2022 Keflavík Pt. 2
As far as kitchen metaphors are concerned, Iceland has always been less a melting pot and more a sandwich grill:…
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April 28, 2022 Majority of Efling Members Voted in Support of Layoffs
Members of Efling Union voted down a proposal to reinstate all 40-odd employees of the union office who were dismissed…
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April 28, 2022 COVID-19 in Iceland: 10% of Imported Vaccines Sent Abroad Again
Around 10% of all the COVID-19 vaccines imported to Iceland have been exported again, RÚV reports. Some 2,000 doses expired…
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April 28, 2022 What’s the status of COVID-19 vaccination in Iceland?
Iceland received the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine on December 28, 2020 and vaccination began the following day. As of…
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April 27, 2022 Keflavík
In this three-part series, Iceland Review explores the history and culture of Keflavík, as seen through the eyes of the…
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April 27, 2022 Iceland’s Wilderness Mapped in More Detail than Ever
Scientists have mapped Iceland’s uninhabited wilderness in more detail than ever before. A new report on the project, prepared by…
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April 27, 2022 Reykjavík Plaza Renamed “Kyiv Square”
A small square in central Reykjavík will be renamed Kyiv Square in a show of support to Ukraine, the city’s…
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April 27, 2022 Trust in Government Plummets Following Controversial Bank Sale
If an election were held today, the current governing coalition would lose 12 of their 38 seats, losing their current…
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April 26, 2022 Debated Íslandsbanki Sale into the Wee Hours
Iceland’s Parliament debated the recent sale of a 22.5% stake in Íslandsbanki until 2:30 AM this morning. It was the…
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April 26, 2022 COVID May Be a Factor in Elevated Number of Deaths in Early 2022
Statistics Iceland reported an unusually high number of deaths in the first quarter: 760 in total, or 150 more than…
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April 26, 2022 Long Wait Times for Mental Health Services: Report
The demand and need for mental health services has been growing in Iceland each year. The wait times for services…
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April 26, 2022 Many Icelandic Residents Unaware of Right to Vote
Foreign residents who have lived in Iceland consecutively for three years have the right to vote in municipal elections, but…
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April 25, 2022 Mother Speaks Out About Racial Profiling of Son
Claudia Ashanie Wilson is devastated that Reykjavík police twice placed her 16-year-old son in danger because he was mistaken for…
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April 25, 2022 Daði Einarsson Wins BAFTA Award
Icelander Daði Einarsson has won a BAFTA award for Special, Visual, and Graphic Effects in the Netflix show The Witcher.…
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April 25, 2022 Bird Flu Widespread in Wild Birds in Iceland
Bird flu was confirmed in eight out of 15 samples that were taken from wild birds in Iceland last week,…
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April 24, 2022 The Blobinator Rids Reykjavík of 100,000th Gum Blob
Reykjavík’s self-appointed Blobinator, 70-year-old Guðjón Óskarsson, has spent years fighting a scourge on the capital’s streets, an enemy that dogs…
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April 24, 2022 Where can I find the sculpture of a man with a big rock on his body?
The sculpture you’re looking for is the “Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat.” The sculpture, which combines the lower half of…
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April 24, 2022 Iceland Donates ISK 130 Million in Emergency Aid to Ukraine
The Icelandic government has decided to send ISK 130 million [just over $1 million; €929,000] in emergency financial assistance to…
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April 23, 2022 ‘Out with Bjarni’: Íslandsbanki Protesters Continue Calls for Minister of Finance’s Resignation
Protesters gathered in Austurvöllur Square in front of parliament once more on Saturday to voice their anger at the government’s…
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April 23, 2022 Women’s Euro Stadium Choices ‘Disrespectful to Women’s Football’
Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir, the captain of Iceland’s national women’s football team, had strong words this week for the stadiums that…
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April 22, 2022 Icelandic Tourism Approaching Pre-Pandemic Levels
International flights in and out of Iceland’s Keflavík International Airport are nearly as many now as they were in 2019,…
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April 22, 2022 Fugitive Captured After Three Days on the Lam
A twenty-year-old man who escaped from police custody last Tuesday has been apprehended. According to a statement from the police,…
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April 21, 2022 Preparations Made to Recover Plane Crash Wreckage
The wreckage from the plane that crashed in Lake Þingvallavatn in February will be recovered Friday, Vísir reports. Recovering the…
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April 21, 2022 First Day of Summer in Iceland
Today is Sumardagurinn fyrsti, or the first day of summer, in Iceland. This public holiday is observed every year on…
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April 20, 2022 Iceland Would Support Finland Joining NATO, Prime Minister Says
Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has stated that the country would support Finland and Sweden if they decide to join…
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April 20, 2022 Efling Members Request Meeting With Union’s Leaders
Nearly 500 Efling Union members signed a letter requesting the union hold a general meeting this Friday, Vísir reports. The…
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April 20, 2022 COVID-19 in Iceland: 80+ Offered Fourth Dose
Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason has decided to offer a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to those 80 years of…
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April 20, 2022 In Focus: Does Iceland Have a Gun Problem?
Two recent shootings in Reykjavík have put gun ownership in the spotlight, sparking conversations about how many semiautomatic weapons there…
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April 20, 2022 Good Breeding
A sheep farmer’s worst nightmare is if one of his sheep starts to scratch more than usual. If their sheep…
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April 19, 2022 Calls on Icelandic Authorities to Tackle Hate Speech
If hate speech has no consequences for the individuals who spout it in Iceland, that could serve as a certain…
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April 19, 2022 Government to Dismantle State Investment Company
The Icelandic government will introduce a parliamentary bill to abolish Icelandic State Financial Investments, the government’s holding company on the…
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April 19, 2022 50% Chance of Another Reykjanes Eruption this Year, Expert Says
Volcanologist Þorvaldur Þórðarson reckons there is a 50/50 chance that an eruption will begin on the Reykjanes peninsula by the…
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April 18, 2022 A ‘Stab in the Back’: Arctic Trucks Vehicle Sinks in Inuit Hunting Grounds
Transglobal Car Expedition, an Arctic expedition crewed by team members from Iceland, Ukraine, Russia, Canada, and the US, has issued…
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April 18, 2022 ‘Mom Training’ Workout Groups in High Demand
A new exercise regimen and community is in high demand among new mothers in Reykjavík. Vísir reports that there has…
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April 17, 2022 Hlynur Pálmason’s Godland to Compete in Un Certain Regard at Cannes
Director and screenwriter Hlynur Pálmason’s latest film Godland will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the…
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April 17, 2022 Bird Flu Confirmed in Iceland
Bird flu has been confirmed in three wild birds in Iceland in recent days: a pink-footed goose in Hornafjörður in…
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April 16, 2022 Rokk í Reyjavík Turns 40
It’s been forty years since Friðrik Þór Friðriksson’s seminal documentary Rokk Í Reykjavík (Rock in Reykjavík) was first broadcast, RÚV…
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April 16, 2022 Hundreds Protest Sale of Íslandsbanki Shares
Several hundred people gathered in Austurvöllur square on Friday to protest the government’s recent sale of shares in Íslandsbanki bank,…
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April 15, 2022 Is It Really Over?
LOITERING BENEATH THE AWNING OF AN ASIAN RESTAURANT Raindrops are pattering on Laugavegur, and I’m debating whether or not to…
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April 15, 2022 Icelanders Seek Sunny Climes Over Easter
Between 600 and 700 arrivals and departures are expected at Keflavík airport over the Easter holiday, counting from last Saturday…
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April 15, 2022 Icelandic Websites Under Cyber Attack
The websites of a number of Icelandic organizations have been subjected to sustained cyberattacks this week, RÚV reports. Sverrir Már…
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April 13, 2022 Many Íslandsbanki Buyers Have Already Sold for Profit
Of the 207 investors who purchased shares in Íslandsbanki bank in a private share offering last month, 132 have already…
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April 13, 2022 Unprecedented Mass Layoff at Efling Union
Efling Union’s decision to lay off all of its staff has stirred up conflict within the labour movement in Iceland.…
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April 13, 2022 Strongest Earthquake Swarm Since December
The Reykjanes peninsula in Southwest Iceland experienced its strongest earthquake swarm since December yesterday evening. The swarm began at 9:20…
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April 12, 2022 Almost Half Of Icelanders Want Alcohol In Supermarkets
About half of Icelanders want to buy wine and beer alongside their other groceries, while fewer would support the sale…
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April 12, 2022 Central Bank Investigating Íslandsbanki Sale
The Central Bank of Iceland confirmed to Stundin that it has opened an investigation into the government's March 22 sale…
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April 12, 2022 Stolen Statue Resurfaces On A Spaceship
The case of the stolen statue has been solved. As reported last week, a bronze statue of Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir was…
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April 10, 2022 In Focus: Oil Spill in Suðureyri
“I still smell like diesel oil” Over 9,000 litres of diesel oil spilt into Suðureyri harbour in the Westfjords on…
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April 10, 2022 Nearly All Icelanders Believe War Crimes Have Been Committed in Ukraine
A new survey shows that support for Ukraine in Iceland is almost universal and Icelanders have shown this support in…
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April 8, 2022 Man Killed in Avalanche in North Iceland Yesterday
A man died in an avalanche in Svarfaðardalur in North Iceland yesterday. The man was travelling with two others, both…
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April 8, 2022 Scott Free Options Rights to Jónasson’s Thriller “Outside”
The production company Scott Free has optioned the rights to writer Ragnar Jónason's latest thriller Outside. Danish director Henrik Hansen…
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April 8, 2022 Minister to Meet with CEO Vigdís Häsler in Wake of Racist Remark
Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson will meet with CEO of the Icelandic Farmers' Association Vigdís Häsler today to discuss…
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April 7, 2022 Bronze Statue Stolen in West Iceland
A bronze statue of Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir was stolen from its pedestal in Laugarbrekka, on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Vísir reports. The…
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April 7, 2022 List of Íslandsbanki Buyers Released
In the wake of opposition criticism about low share prices and a general lack of transparency around the government's March…
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April 7, 2022 Astronaut Bjarni Valdimar Tryggvason Has Died
Bjarni Valdimar Tryggvason, the first and only Icelandic astronaut, died on April 5 at the age of 76. Bjarni was…
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April 6, 2022 Legal Obstacles to Revealing Íslandsbanki Buyers
Icelandic State Financial Investments (ISFI) has stated it is not able to publish the data on who purchased shares in…
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April 6, 2022 Record Precipitation in Reykjavík Last Month
March was unusually wet and snowy across South, Southeast, and West Iceland this year, with record amounts of precipitation in…
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April 6, 2022 The Northman Premieres in London
The Northman, a film written by Icelandic author Sjón and Robert Eggers, premiered in London yesterday. A “Viking revenge movie,”…
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April 5, 2022 Iceland’s Winning Press Photos of 2021
The Journalists’ Association of Iceland announced the 2021 Press Photo of the Year winners last Saturday at the 2021 Press…
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April 5, 2022 Minister Harshly Criticised for Racist Remark
Minister of Infrastructure Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson is facing harsh criticism for a racist remark he made at the Icelandic Farmers’…
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April 5, 2022 COVID-19 in Iceland: Fewer Patients in Hospital, None in Intensive Care
There are no COVID-19 patients in intensive care at Iceland’s National University Hospital, for the first time since October of…
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April 5, 2022 Earthquake Swarm on Reykjanes Does Not Mark Magma Intrusion
There is no reason to believe that the recent earthquake swarm on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula marks a magma intrusion under…
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April 4, 2022 Forests Now Cover 2% of Iceland
Forests and bushes now cover over 2% of Iceland, Vísir reports. That number may not seem like much, but since…
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April 4, 2022 Vesturbær Residents Come to Aid of New Ukrainian Neighbours
Residents of Reykjavík’s Vesturbær neighbourhood rallied together this weekend to assist Ukrainian refugees who had been given accommodation in Hotel…
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April 4, 2022 Icelandic Singer Dísella Lárusdóttir Wins Grammy
Classical singer Dísella Lárusdóttir was awarded a Grammy last night in the Best Opera Recording category. Dísella snagged the award…
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April 4, 2022 Stream Big
SCOTT JOPLIN In 1899, American ragtime composer Scott Joplin – living in Sedalia, Missouri – composed The Maple Leaf Rag…
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April 3, 2022 Nothing to KLAPP About: Strætó’s New Payment System Off to Shaky Start
The Strætó bus system’s new payment system, KLAPP, has gotten off to a shaky start, Vísir reports, with many users…
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April 3, 2022 Impostor Syndrome: Fake Artists Posing as Icelandic Musicians on Spotify
Minister of Culture Lilja Alfreðsdóttir will meet with the CEO of Spotify this week to discuss the proliferation of “fake…
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April 2, 2022 Sirkus Reopens in Reykjavík After 15-Year Hiatus
Sirkus, the much-beloved and much-missed fixture of Reykjavík’s nightlife scene, reopened on Friday night after a 15-year hiatus, Vísir reports.…
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April 2, 2022 Up to Four-Year Wait for ADHD Diagnosis
The current wait time for an ADHD diagnosis could be up to four years, RÚV reports. This per a new…
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April 1, 2022 April Fool’s: Reports of “Troika” Statue Greatly Exaggerated
Mark Twain said it best. “The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364…
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April 1, 2022 Long Waiting Lists for Most Elective Surgical Procedures
According to a newly-published report by the Directorate of Health, waiting lists for most elective surgical procedures are too long.…
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April 1, 2022 Agreement on Long-Awaited New Research Vessel Signed
The Marine & Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) will receive a new research vessel in 2024. Yesterday, the institute's director signed…
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March 31, 2022 Accolades Evenly Distributed at the Icelandic Music Awards
The Icelandic Music Awards were held in Reykjavík yesterday. In what was an evening defined by a relatively even distribution…
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March 30, 2022 Housing Available for 1,815 Ukrainian Refugees
The Multicultural Information Centre (MCC) estimates that accommodation is currently available to house up to 1,815 refugees from Ukraine, Vísir…
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March 29, 2022 Iceland’s Economic Outlook “Improving,” Despite Rising Inflation
The annual inflation rate hit 6.7% this morning. It hasn't been higher since May 2010. In a press conference today,…
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March 29, 2022 March the Wettest Month on Record in Reykjavík
March will see a record amount of rain in Reykjavík, Mbl.is reports. As of yesterday, 209 mm of rainfall had…
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March 28, 2022 “Society More Vigilant Against Domestic Abuse,” Police Commissioner Says
A record number of domestic-violence incidents were reported to the police over the past two years, a new report from…
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March 28, 2022 New Hospital Won’t Meet Bed-Demand, Report Finds
A new government report finds that the healthcare system will be significantly short of hospital beds by 2040, even with…
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March 27, 2022 Rivers in Outer Reykjavík Flood Their Banks
The Elliðaár River flooded its banks in several places on Sunday afternoon, RÚV reports. The deluge comes in the wake…
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March 27, 2022 A Golden Opportunity: New Program Teaches Vocational Skills to Young People
A new program called Tækifærið (‘the opportunity’) aims to teach young people vocational skills that will allow them to secure…
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March 26, 2022 Skál! New Bill Would Allow Breweries to Sell Beer On-Site
A new bill would make it legal for small-scale breweries to sell alcohol on site. Vísir reports that the bill,…
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March 26, 2022 Government Property Agency Seeks Short-Term Housing for Ukrainian Refugees
The Government Property Agency is working to secure short-term housing for refugees from Ukraine. The agency issued an announcement to…
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March 25, 2022 Flu Epidemic Likely Following Decline in COVID Cases
Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason believes that the waning COVID-19 pandemic is slowly being replaced by an influenza epidemic. The health…
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March 25, 2022 First Ukrainian Refugees Receive Icelandic Health Insurance
Twenty Ukrainian refugees were issued Icelandic health insurance yesterday. They now qualify for full benefits in the event of necessary…
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March 25, 2022 Iceland to Increase Defence Spending, PM Announces
PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir attended a NATO meeting in Brussels yesterday. Speaking to RÚV after the meeting, the PM stated that…
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March 24, 2022 Icelandic Government to Stop Subsidising Rapid Testing for COVID-19
On April 1, Iceland’s government will stop subsidising rapid COVID-19 testing centres, a notice from the Health Ministry states. The…
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March 24, 2022 Iceland Airwaves Festival to Return Following Three-Year Pause
Iceland Airwaves music festival has announced the first 14 artists that will play the event this coming November. The festival…
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March 24, 2022 State Sells 22.5% Stake in Íslandsbanki
The Icelandic government sold a 22.5% stake in Íslandsbanki bank last Tuesday in an offering for professional investors. Opposition MPs…
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March 24, 2022 Icelandic Company Plans to Recommence Whaling This Summer
Whaling company Hvalur hf. plans to recommence hunting whales this summer, after three years of no activity, Vísir reports. The…
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March 23, 2022 Iceland’s Real Estate Prices See Highest Increase in Nordic Region: Report
Real estate prices increased more in Iceland than in the rest of the Nordic countries during the pandemic, according to…
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March 23, 2022 Lower Mortality Rate in Latest COVID-19 Wave
COVID-19 continues to spread through the community, but a closer look at the data presents a silver lining to the…
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March 23, 2022 Will Submit a Revised Decriminalisation Bill this Autumn
Iceland’s Health Minister Willum Þór Þórsson says he will submit a revised bill to decriminalise possession of illegal substances in…
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March 22, 2022 Oil Spill in Westfjords Cleaned Up
The diesel oil that leaked from a reserve tank into Suðureyri harbour, in the Westfjords, has now been cleaned up,…
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March 22, 2022 Fewer Icelandic Teens Drinking and Having Sex
In 2006, 36% of Icelandic girls in the 10th grade stated that they had had intercourse, and 29% of boys…
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March 22, 2022 Disappointment as Health Minister Shelves Decriminalisation Bill
Health Minister Willum Þór Þórsson has received criticism for shelving a bill that would have decriminalised possession of illegal drugs…
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March 21, 2022 Ukrainian Refugees Welcomed to Bifröst University
Bifröst University in West Iceland will offer 69 rooms and 17 apartments as housing for Ukrainian refugees arriving to the…
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March 21, 2022 Spring on the Wing – Golden Plover Arrives in Iceland
Iceland’s herald of spring, the migratory golden plover, has arrived in the country. The first birds were spotted in the…
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March 21, 2022 Electric Car Share Launches in Reykjavík
There’s a new way to get around Reykjavík for residents and visitors: shared electric cars. Transportation app Hopp, which introduced…
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March 19, 2022 Another Low Front Expected This Weekend in East Iceland
A yellow weather alert will be in effect for northeastern Iceland from late Saturday afternoon and until early Sunday morning.…
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March 18, 2022 Nude Man in Nova Ad Strikes Out-of-Court Settlement
A man who filed a lawsuit after having appeared nude in a Nova advertisement has settled the dispute out of…
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March 18, 2022 Fewer Deaths Than Expected Despite Widespread Infections
More people have died from COVID-19 during the first three months of 2022 than during the entirety of 2020 and…
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March 17, 2022 Thousands Diagnosed in Icelandic Blood Cancer Study
More than 3,600 people have been diagnosed with pre-stage myeloma in an Icelandic study involving blood screening, Vísir reports. Nearly…
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March 17, 2022 Journalists’ Case Dismissed from Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal has dismissed journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson’s case against North Iceland Police, RÚV reports. The court’s ruling says…
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March 17, 2022 Home Slaughter More Humane and Profitable
Home slaughter can be more humane for lambs and more profitable for farmers than sending livestock to slaughterhouses, says Þröstur…
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March 17, 2022 All Roads Out of Reykjavík Closed
All roads out of Iceland’s capital Reykjavík are closed due to extreme weather conditions, including Route 41, the road to…
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March 16, 2022 Cars With Studded Tires Pollute 40 Times More
Studded tires are a major factor in particulate pollution, RÚV reports. Þorsteinn Jóhansson, an expert at the Environment Agency of…
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March 16, 2022 Two Additional Film Studios to Rise in Reykjavík
Reykjavík Studios Purchases a 4,000 square metre building in the Gufunes district of Reykjavík yesterday in which the company plans…
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March 16, 2022 Renters’ Financial Burden Heavier than Homeowners’ in Iceland
Nearly one quarter of households in Iceland had difficulty making ends meet last year, new figures from Statistics Iceland show.…
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March 15, 2022 Vote Recount Case Dismissed
The Police Commissioner of West Iceland has dismissed a case against the staff of the Northwest Constituency’s election supervision committee,…
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March 15, 2022 Iceland to Open Embassy in Warsaw This Autumn
An Icelandic embassy to Poland will be opened in the country’s capital Warsaw this autumn, Iceland’s Foreign Minister announced at…
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March 15, 2022 Flooding, Damage, and Traffic Accidents in Yesterday’s Extreme Weather
Extreme weather that hit the Reykjavík capital area yesterday caused water damage and accidents across the region. Reykjavík area firefighting…
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March 15, 2022 Iceland’s First Lady Meets Jill Biden in Washington Today
Iceland’s First Lady Eliza Reid will be a guest at the White House in Washington today, where she will have…
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March 14, 2022 North Iceland Learning to Live With Rabbits
Those rascally rabbits! Though only relatively recently introduced to Icelandic nature, the rabbit population has laid down roots in many…
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March 14, 2022 Icelandic Produce is Getting a New Logo
Islenskt, Iceland’s horticulturists’ sales organisation, unveiled a new origin marker for Icelandic produce today, Vísir reports. Several markings have been…
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March 14, 2022 No Travel Weather Today
Orange and yellow weather warnings are in effect across the country today. High winds and rain are in the forecast…
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March 14, 2022 Sigga, Beta, and Elín To Represent Iceland at the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest
Sisters Sigríður Eyþórsdóttir, Elísabet Eyþórsdótti, and Elín Eyþórsdóttir will represent Iceland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Torino in May,…
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March 11, 2022 The Future of Oil-Soaked Eider Ducks in Suðureyri Uncertain
A week has passed since an oil spill was reported in the town of Suðureyri in Northwest Iceland. Over the…
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March 11, 2022 Damon Albarn Live in Reykjavík Tonight – Nice Way to Repay “the Generous Gift” of Citizenship
Musician Damon Albarn will be performing at the Harpa Music and Conference Hall in Reykjavík tonight. In an interview published…
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March 11, 2022 Nicotine Products to Be Banned in Schools
A new parliamentary bill by Minister of Health Willum Þór Þórsson recommends the addition of nicotine products (including nicotine pouches)…
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March 10, 2022 Directorate of Immigration Broke the Law by Withholding Citizenship Applications
Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration (ÚTL) broke the law when it failed to hand over citizenship applications to Iceland’s Parliament last…
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March 10, 2022 150 Offer Housing to Ukrainian Refugees in Iceland
Icelandic residents can now offer housing to Ukrainian refugees arriving in the country via an online portal the government has…
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March 10, 2022 More Energy Needed to Ensure Green Transition, Government Report Indicates
Iceland will have to increase energy production by 125% in order to achieve a full transition to green energy, a…
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March 9, 2022 Woman of Letters
Paradise is such an uncompromising word. Through the years – aided by viral headlines, marketing brochures, and proud locals extolling…
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March 9, 2022 MP Demands Work Permits for Ukrainian Refugees
107 refugees from Ukraine have applied for international protection in Iceland since Russia invaded the country, RÚV reports. Iceland’s Civil…
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March 9, 2022 Stocks Tumble, Gasoline Soars
Iceland has not been immune to the economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Gasoline prices rose to ISK…
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March 9, 2022 Successful Rescue Mission on Vatnajökull Glacier
Search and Rescue crews were called out to Vatnajökull glacier in South Iceland yesterday evening when some travellers sent out…
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March 8, 2022 Never Fewer Accidents at Sea
While it can seem that bad news is coming from all directions these days, good news is to be found…
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March 8, 2022 Record Number of COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Iceland hit a new pandemic milestone, with 75 patients with COVID-19 currently being treated at the National University Hospital in…
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March 8, 2022 76 Ukrainians Have Applied For Asylum in Iceland
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 76 Ukrainians have applied for asylum in Iceland, Border Division Police…
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March 7, 2022 Iceland Appoints Response Team to Assist Ukrainian Refugees
Up to 2,000 Ukrainian refugees might come to Iceland to apply for international protection, according to estimates from the country’s…
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March 7, 2022 COVID Patients in 15 Wards of Iceland’s National Hospital
There are patients with COVID-19 in 15 separate wards of the National University Hospital in Reykjavík, RÚV reports. There are…
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March 7, 2022 “Everyone Loses” in New Legal Assistance Scheme for Asylum Seekers
The Justice Ministry and Directorate of Immigration (ÚTL)’s new legal assistance scheme for applicants for international protection will lead to…
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March 7, 2022 A Diamond In the Rough
There are three things that make Iceland distinct. Firstly, the relatively small land itself is full of glaciers, volcanoes, and…
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March 6, 2022 Titanic LEGO Master Builds Icelandair Replica, His ‘Coolest Model Yet’
Friends Brynjar Karl Birgisson and Mikael Þór Arnarsson are building a 2m [6 ft] LEGO replica of an Icelandair Boeing…
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March 6, 2022 Snow Shovels, Blowers, and Scrapers Sell Out in February
February was a difficult month weather-wise in Iceland, with a record number of weather warnings and snowfall. Vísir reports that…
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March 5, 2022 Asylum Applications at a Seven-Year High
Applications for asylum in Iceland are the highest they’ve been since November 2016, RÚV reports. The resulting stress on the…
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March 5, 2022 Grímsey Opening New Coworking Facility for Remote Workers
A former kindergarten on Grímsey island in North Iceland is being converted into a coworking facility for temporary remote workers,…
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March 4, 2022 It’s a Living Thing
In 2004, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, then Minister of Education, Science, and Culture, appeared on live television wearing Iceland’s national costume.…
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March 4, 2022 Capelin Quota to Be Increased by 50,000 Tonnes
Icelandic fishing companies are likely to be granted an additional quota of ca. 50,000 tonnes' worth of capelin, Vísir reports.…
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March 4, 2022 Special Article Triggered to Assist Ukrainian Refugees
The Minister of Justice has decided to trigger article 44 of the Foreign Nationals Act in response to the Russian…
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March 4, 2022 List of Candidates in Reykjavík Elections Becoming Clearer
The list of candidates running for municipal elections in Reykjavík this spring is gradually becoming clearer. Women are set to…
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March 3, 2022 Transparent Bags Save 1,200 Tonnes of Trash from Landfill Annually
The amount of unsorted trash that is landfilled by SORPA in the Reykjavík capital area has reduced by 18% since…
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March 3, 2022 Snowiest February in Reykjavík Since 2000
The price tag for snow removal in the City of Reykjavík this February is expected to amount to ISK 300…
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March 3, 2022 Iceland Prepares to Receive Refugees from Ukraine
Iceland will receive refugees from Ukraine, as other European countries are doing, stated the chairman of the Icelandic Parliament’s Refugee…
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March 3, 2022 Labour of Love
In early January, my colleague and I drove north from Reykjavík toward the northern tip of the Tröllaskagi peninsula. Although…
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March 3, 2022 Cracked Earth
The earth’s crust cracked at the poles. Inside, there was nothing but air and the little sun at the core…
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March 2, 2022 “Is Everything Alright?”
Iceland’s Justice Minister, National Police Commissioner, and Emergency Response Service 112 launched a sexual assault prevention campaign today, with the…
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March 2, 2022 Russia-Ukraine Conflict Means Losses for Icelandic Fishing Industry
Icelandic seafood export companies are expected to suffer considerable losses due to the war in Ukraine, RÚV reports. The technology…
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March 1, 2022 70% of Icelanders May Have Already Had COVID-19
Chief Epidemiologist Þórólfur Guðnason wrote in his latest column on covid.is that he estimates the actual number of Icelanders who…
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March 1, 2022 Of Lamb and Legends
Valdimar Jóhannsson is not a man of many words, preferring a visual medium to express himself. That’s what shaped his…
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March 1, 2022 Ice in His Veins
Upon entering the cave, I become immediately wary of its integrity. It would be a rather foolish way to go.…
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March 1, 2022 Samherji Journalist Wins Appeal Against Northeast Iceland Police
The Northeast Iceland District Court has ruled on Stundin journalist Aðalsteinn Kjartansson's appeal to determine the legality of a police…
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March 1, 2022 Housing Shortage Won’t Prohibit Iceland Receiving Ukrainian Refugees
Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir said Monday that issues surrounding the Directorate of Immigration's housing facilities will not deter or delay…
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March 1, 2022 Is there an app or website where I can learn Icelandic?
Online resources for learning Icelandic have been steadily increasing over recent years, and thankfully so, as more and more people…
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February 28, 2022 Iceland’s Police Academy to Accept 50% More Students
Iceland’s Police Academy at the University of Akureyri will accept 50% more students this fall, a measure intended to solve…
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February 28, 2022 COVID-19 Vaccination Moved to Primary Healthcare Centres
The mass vaccination centre in Reykjavík’s Laugardalshöll stadium is officially no longer in operation. As of today, COVID-19 vaccination will…
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February 28, 2022 Icelandic Artist Packs Up Exhibition in Russia
Contemporary Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson has put a stop to his exhibition Santa Barbara that was taking place in the…
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February 28, 2022 What’s the status of COVID-19 in Iceland?
The Icelandic government has lifted all domestic restrictions due to COVID-19 as of February 25, 2022. Despite high infection rates,…
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February 27, 2022 Iceland Closes Airspace to Russia
The Icelandic government has decided to close its airspace to Russian aircraft. RÚV reports that Minister of Foreign Affairs Þórdís…
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February 27, 2022 All This Weekend’s Parties: Iceland Celebrates First Friday Out Since Lifting of COVID Restrictions
The lifting of all COVID-19 social restrictions on Friday, February 25 was big news for the nation, but particularly anticipated…
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February 26, 2022 Lightning Storm Knocks Out Power, Hot Water in Reykjavík and West Iceland
A rare lightning storm in the capital area knocked out electricity and hot water in much of Reykjavík and West…
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February 26, 2022 Iceland’s First Eurovision Semi-Final Today
Iceland’s Eurovision adventure starts today, Saturday, February 26, with the first Söngvakeppnin semi-final. The show will be broadcast live on…
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February 25, 2022 Protesters, Authorities Voice Support for Ukraine
Approximately 300 people gathered outside the Russian Embassy yesterday to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Additional protests have been scheduled…
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February 25, 2022 Weather Alerts Issued Across the Country Today
The Icelandic Met Office has issued yellow and orange weather alerts across the country today, February 25. An orange weather…
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February 25, 2022 Can I travel to Iceland in 2022 Post COVID-19?
On February 25, 2022, Iceland's government lifted all COVID-19 prevention measures at the border, regardless of vaccination status. Travellers are…
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February 25, 2022 No More COVID-19 Prevention Measures at Iceland’s Border
Along with lifting COVID-19 social restrictions domestically, the government has also called off all disease-prevention measures at the border. There…
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February 25, 2022 Iceland Lifts All COVID-19 Restrictions
All COVID-19 social restrictions have been lifted as of midnight today. Individuals who test positive for the coronavirus will no…
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February 24, 2022 Further Twists in Police Investigation of Samherji Journalists
A court case is revealing more twists in the high-profile police investigation of four journalists in Iceland, Vísir reports. The…
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February 24, 2022 Iceland to Take Part in Sanctions Against Russia, Ministers Say
Iceland’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and President publicly condemned Russian military action in Ukraine this morning. Alþingi, Iceland’s Parliament, discussed…
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February 23, 2022 Iceland to Lift All COVID Restrictions on Friday
There will be no more COVID-19 restrictions in Iceland or at its borders as of Friday, Iceland’s Health Minister has…
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February 23, 2022 COVID-Positive No Longer Required to Isolate in Iceland
PCR testing for COVID-19 will no longer be available to the general public in Iceland. People with COVID-19 symptoms are…
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February 23, 2022 Brave New Literary Landscapes
Is the moment for Icelandic speculative fiction upon us?
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February 23, 2022 Route One Closed Between Reykjavík and South Iceland
Route One, or the ring road, is closed over Hellisheiði, between Reykjavík and South Iceland. Dozens of cars are stopped…
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February 23, 2022 Icelandic Officials Express Support for Ukraine
Iceland’s Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and President have expressed their support for Ukraine and called on Russia to de-escalate its…
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February 22, 2022 Flooding, Wind Damage, and Stranded Travellers in Last Night’s Storm
Gale-force winds and flooding kept firefighters, search and rescue teams, and other response crews busy across the Reykjavík capital area…
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February 21, 2022 Iceland’s Proposed Legislation Contradicts Code of Ethics, Doctors Say
Doctors in Iceland will be forced to choose between obeying the law or obeying their international code of ethics if…
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February 21, 2022 Namibia Requests Interpol’s Aid in Extraditing Former Samherji Executives
Namibia’s State Prosecutor has asked Interpol for assistance in the extradition of Aðalsteinn Helgason, Egill Helgi Árnason, and Ingvar Júlíusson…
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February 21, 2022 Churning Onward
Gunnar Birgisson’s journey as an entrepreneur has seen many unexpected detours. As the CEO of Reykjavik Creamery – an American…
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February 21, 2022 Orange and Red Weather Alert Across Iceland
Update 12:37 PM: The Icelandic Met Office has upgraded the weather alert to red for three regions: the Reykjavík capital…
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February 20, 2022 ICE-SAR Spends Weekend on Rescue Calls Due to Avalanches, Snowy Roadways
Search and Rescue volunteers around Iceland had their hands full this weekend, as punishing snowstorms and gale-force winds pummelled the…
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February 20, 2022 Audiobooks Account for a Third of Books ‘Read’ in Iceland
The popularity of audiobooks in Iceland has exploded in recent years, RÚV reports. A third of books ‘read’ in Iceland…
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February 19, 2022 Icelandic Sign Language Adopts Four New LGBTQIA+ Signs
Four new signs have been adopted into Icelandic Sign Language: eikynhneigður (asexual), kynsegin (non-binary or genderqueer), kvár (a gender-neutral identifier…
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February 19, 2022 Strætó Will Stop Taking Paper Tickets March 1
Strætó will no longer accept paper tickets on any of its buses in the capital area or countryside as of…
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February 18, 2022 Consolidation and Control of Quota Permits Under Scrutiny
Minister Svandís Svavarsdóttir has instructed the Directorate of Fisheries to increase its supervision of quota permits. The Minister has also…
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February 18, 2022 Niceair to Offer International Flights from Akureyri in June
A new Icelandic airline based in Akureyri is set to begin operations in June. Niceair will offer flights from Akureyri…
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February 18, 2022 Russian Embassy Criticises Foreign Minister’s, President’s Tweets
The Russian Embassy in Reykjavík has expressed disappointment in Tweets authored by the President of Iceland and the Minister of…
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February 17, 2022 Record Sales of Icelandic Yarn in 2021
Sales of knitting yarn grew by 50% last year at Ístex, the company that processes about 99% of all Icelandic…
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February 17, 2022 Arming Police With Tasers Under Consideration
Minister of Justice Jón Gunnarsson will meet with the National Federation of Icelandic Police (Landssamband lögreglumanna) and police commissioners to…
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February 16, 2022 Iceland to Lift All COVID Restrictions Next Week
On February 25, Iceland’s authorities plan to lift all remaining domestic restrictions due to COVID-19, the country’s Health Minister Willum…
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February 16, 2022 Legal Services for Asylum Seekers Up in the Air
All 15 lawyers working for the Icelandic Red Cross were laid off after the Justice Ministry decided not to renew…
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February 16, 2022 Sólveig Anna Re-elected Chair of Efling Union
Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir has been re-elected chairperson of Efling Union. Sólveig resigned as chair of Efling less than four months…
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February 15, 2022 Police Investigates Journalists for Samherji Scandal Reporting
The Northeast Iceland Police Department has launched an investigation of four journalists in relation to their reporting on seafood company…
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February 15, 2022 Human Rights Organisations Criticise Immigration Bill
Several human rights organisations, including the Icelandic Red Cross, Unicef Iceland, and the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association, have submitted formal…
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February 14, 2022 Two Shootings Cause Concern Among Reykjavík Residents
A man was shot in downtown Reykjavík on Saturday night, only days after two people were shot in the Grafarvogur…
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February 14, 2022 The Westman Islands Army
Iceland’s largest town throughout the pre-modern period was not Reykjavík, which for most of its history was little more than…
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February 13, 2022 President Biden Nominates New US Ambassador to Iceland
US President Joe Biden has nominated Carrin Patman to be the United States’ ambassador to Iceland, RÚV reports. Patman is…
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February 13, 2022 Can’t Trademark ‘Northern Lights’ District Court Rules
A hotel operator in Grindavík can’t claim sole use of the phrase ‘Northern Lights’ and prevent other hotels and tourism…
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February 12, 2022 Olympian in “Race Against Time” Even Before Race Day
Icelandic skier Sturla Snær Snorrason is in the midst of a nail-biting race—but not the kind he was hoping to…
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February 12, 2022 Magma Intrusions Could Cause Serious Infrastructural Damage in Capital Area
Dike intrusions on the Reykjanes peninsula could potentially damage important infrastructure, both on the peninsula and in the capital area,…
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February 11, 2022 Calls on the Banks to “Lighten the Load” of Households
The Minister of Culture and Commerce has called on the banks to "lighten the load" of households faced with rising…
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February 11, 2022 No More Quarantine And Relaxed Restrictions Take Effect At Midnight
Following a government meeting this morning, Health Minister Willum Þór Þórsson announced that considerably relaxed domestic infection prevention regulations will…
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February 11, 2022 Woman in Serious Condition After Yesterday’s Shooting
A young woman is in serious condition after a shooting in Reykjavík yesterday, Vísir reports. The police authorities admit that…
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February 11, 2022 All Four Bodies Recovered from Lake Þingvallavatn
The bodies of all four men who went missing after a plane crash last Thursday were recovered from lake Þingvallavatn…
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February 10, 2022 “An Invisible Group of Foreigners Who Clean Up After Us”
Cleaning staff in Iceland face too much strain and their working conditions are unacceptable, according to Director of the Federation…
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February 10, 2022 Justice Minister Defends Withholding of Citizenship Applications
Receiving Icelandic citizenship through an act of Parliament should be the exception, but it appears to be the rule, Justice…
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February 10, 2022 Opposition Abstains from Voting on “Míla Bill”
Iceland’s Parliament passed the so-called “Mila bill” today with 33 votes in favour, RÚV reports. Fifteen MPs abstained from voting,…
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February 10, 2022 One in Custody Following Shooting in Reykjavík
A man in his 20s is in custody following reports of a shooting in the Grafarholt neighbourhood of Reykjavík between…
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February 9, 2022 Icelandair Ends Government-Guaranteed Credit Facility
Icelandair has terminated its government-guaranteed credit facility, which has been in effect since September 2020. The airline stated Monday that…
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February 9, 2022 Hope to Remove RÚV from the Ad Market this Electoral Term
Minister of Education, Science, and Culture, Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir iterated her position yesterday that RÚV should be removed from the…
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February 9, 2022 Central Bank Raises Key Interest Rate by 0.75%
The Central Bank of Iceland has raised interest rates by 0.75 percentage points. The hike takes the Bank’s key interest…
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February 8, 2022 Risk of Avalanche in Patreksfjörður and Ísafjörður
A danger phase is in effect in the towns of Patreksfjörður and Ísafjörður, in the Westfjords, due to the risk…
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February 8, 2022 Divers Have Six Minutes to Retrieve Bodies from Lake
Divers are preparing to recover four bodies from Þingvallavatn, Southwest Iceland, after their plane crashed in the lake last Thursday.…
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February 8, 2022 Road Closures Across West Iceland As Extreme Weather Continues
Major routes across Southwest Iceland and the Westfjords are closed due to stormy weather conditions. A yellow weather alert is…
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February 7, 2022 Wielding Narrative
History is a fairly new academic subject in Iceland, having first entered into university curriculums in the 1970s. The discipline…
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February 7, 2022 The Dwarf with the Ear
People who travel through space often have poor digestion because their internal clock gets thrown off mid-air. Time travellers such…
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February 7, 2022 Avalanche Risk in Westfjords and North Iceland
An uncertainty phase is in effect in the Westfjords and central North Iceland due to risk of avalanches. Some avalanches…
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February 7, 2022 Four Bodies Located in Þingvallavatn Lake
Icelandic Coast Guard divers and special forces have located four bodies in Þingvallavatn lake, Southwest Iceland, where a plane crashed…
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February 7, 2022 Extreme Weather Across Iceland Causes Power Outages and Damage
Some parts of Iceland are still in the dark after extreme weather caused power outages and property damage across the…
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February 6, 2022 Reports of Ongoing Staff Unhappiness, Bullying, and Misogyny in Lead-Up to Efling Election
The Efling labour union spent close to ISK 130 million [$1.04 million; € 909,063] on personnel-related matters during Sólveig Anna…
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February 5, 2022 Missing Plane Found
Search and Rescue teams have found the sightseeing plane that went missing around midday on Thursday, Vísir reports. The craft…
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February 5, 2022 Verbúðin Wins Big at Göteborg Film Festival
Icelandic TV series Verbúðin (English title: Blackport) won the 2022 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize at the Göteborg Film…
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February 5, 2022 ‘Receiving refugees in Iceland is important to us as a society’
The refugees who have been resettled in Akureyri, North Iceland are, by and large, adjusting very well to their new…
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February 4, 2022 A Splash of Happiness
Long before I got pregnant, I heard about parents in Iceland taking their newborns swimming from a colleague of mine…
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February 4, 2022 Missing Tourists are from the US, Netherlands, and Belgium
The search for three missing tourists and their pilot continues in Þingvellir National Park after their plane went missing yesterday…
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February 4, 2022 Little Justification to Continue Whaling, Iceland’s Fisheries Minister Says
Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister of Fisheries, stated there is little evidence that whaling is economically beneficial to Iceland. The current…
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February 4, 2022 Five Icelanders Compete in 2022 Winter Olympics
The Beijing Winter Olympics begin today, and five Icelanders are among the competitors. They are Hólmfríður Dóra Friðgeirsdóttir, Isak Stianson…
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February 4, 2022 COVID-19 Isolation to Shorten to Five Days
Iceland’s Health Minister Willum Þór Þórsson announced to media today that mandatory isolation for COVID-19 positive individuals will be shortened…
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February 4, 2022 Hundreds Search For Missing Sightseeing Plane
Search efforts are still ongoing for a sightseeing aeroplane reported missing shortly after noon yesterday. Its last known location was…
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February 3, 2022 No More One-Metre Distancing Requirement for Seated Events
Iceland’s Health Minister has lifted the requirement of one-metre distancing at seated events, such as concerts and performing arts events.…
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February 3, 2022 Katla Calm After Largest Earthquake Since 2017
Seismic activity under Katla volcano was calm last night, after the area’s largest earthquake since 2017. The earthquake was measured…
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February 3, 2022 Reduction of Capelin Quota May Be Necessary
New measurements of capelin stocks from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) suggest that it might be necessary to…
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February 2, 2022 Huge Iceberg Near Westfjords Coast
The Icelandic Coast Guard went on an expedition yesterday to map sea ice, which has been prevalent off the coast…
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February 2, 2022 COVID-19 in Iceland: National Hospital Lowers Emergency Phase
Iceland’s official COVID-19 data may no longer reflect the actual spread of cases since relaxed COVID-19 regulations took effect, Chief…
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February 2, 2022 Reindeer Hunting Quota for 2022 Released
A total of 1,021 reindeer may be hunted during the 2022 season, 546 cows and 475 bulls, according to the…
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February 2, 2022 Minister Titles Finalised, Changes to Cost ISK 1.8 Billion
Is Jón Gunnarsson Iceland’s Minister of the Interior or Minister of Justice? It has been a difficult question to answer…
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February 1, 2022 Majority of Icelanders Support Vaccination of Children Aged 5-11
Just under 75% of Icelanders are in favour of vaccinating children aged 5-11 against COVID-19, according to the results of…
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February 1, 2022 Largest Catch in Icelandic History – 3,400 Tonnes
Fishing vessel Börkur NK likely broke an Icelandic record when it landed 3,409 tonnes of capelin in Seyðisfjörður last week.…
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January 31, 2022 Building Blocks
“Our city belongs to all of us. It’s so much more than a collection of buildings.” To architect Jórunn Ragnarsdóttir,…
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January 31, 2022 Long Waits for Gender Confirmation Surgery in Iceland
No gender confirmation surgeries have been performed in Iceland since 2020, Fréttablaðið reports. Trans people in the country who request…
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January 31, 2022 “Blood Farms” Documentary Shocks the Nation
Since the 1980s, horse farmers in Iceland have been able to gain extra income by extracting the hormone Equine Chorionic…
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January 31, 2022 Quarantine Hotels Prepare to Scale Down
The number of people isolating in government-run quarantine hotels in Iceland has decreased in recent days, RÚV reports. The Iceland…
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January 31, 2022 Prices Expected to Keep Rising in Iceland
Commodity prices on world markets are at an all-time high and Iceland has not escaped the effects of that development,…
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January 30, 2022 Substantial Sea Ice Spotted Off Northwest Coast
A substantial amount of sea ice has collected to the Northwest of Iceland, RÚV reports. The Icelandic Coast Guard says…
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January 30, 2022 Residents, Landvernd Protest Proposed Land Reclamation and Development Project
Both residents of the Skerjafjörður neighbourhood in Reykjavík and Landvernd, the Icelandic Environment Association, have levelled strong protests against the…
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January 29, 2022 ‘Blue Blob’ Is Slowing Icelandic Glacier Melt — For Now
Icelandic glaciers have been losing mass since the Little Ice Age, but that process has slowed over the last decade…
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January 29, 2022 Nearly 100 Companies Overdue for Equal Pay Certification
Just under a quarter of the companies that are legally required to obtain equal pay certification still had yet to…
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January 28, 2022 Sólveig Anna Announces Candidacy for Efling Chair
Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, who resigned as Efling's Chairperson in October, has decided to resubmit her candidacy for the position, RÚV…
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January 28, 2022 Public Encouraged to Count Birds This Weekend
This weekend marks BirdLife Iceland's annual "Garden Birdwatch" where the public is encouraged to count and record the birds visible…
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January 28, 2022 Government to Relax Restrictions At Midnight, Lift Domestic Restrictions By Mid-March
The first step in the government's plan to lift restrictions will take effect at midnight, ministers from the Icelandic government…
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January 28, 2022 Government to Introduce Plan to Ease Social Restrictions Today
The government will meet this morning to discuss the Chief Epidemiologist's new memorandum on the COVID-19 pandemic. After the meeting,…
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January 27, 2022 Directorate of Immigration Accused of Withholding Citizenship Applications from Parliament
Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration is refusing to hand over data on applications for citizenship to Alþingi, the country’s Parliament, despite…
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January 27, 2022 Icelanders Disappointed With Danish Handballers
The 2022 European Handball Championships has been an emotional rollercoaster for Icelandic handball fans. Unexpected victories following a covid outbreak…
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January 27, 2022 A Difficult Read
Every New Year’s Eve for a decade, Þóra Hjörleifsdóttir made the resolution to write a book. It took a while,…
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January 26, 2022