Iceland Monitor
Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:00:00 +0000Amaroq discovers high-grade rare earth elements in Southern Greenland
Amaroq Minerals has, for the first time, discovered high-grade rare earth elements (REEs) at the Ilua pegmatite zone in the Nunarsuit licence area, part of the Gardar region in southern Greenland — an area believed to contain up to 20% of the wo...
Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:45:00 +0000Study highlights major transport bottleneck at Keflavík Airport
Access to Keflavík International Airport has become a major bottleneck for travelers across Iceland — one that, according to sociologist Þóroddur Bjarnason of the University of Iceland, primarily benefits the state-owned airport operator Isav...
Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:54:00 +0000I was literally fighting for my life
“Everything I’ve ever looked for in life, I found in Iceland. Somehow, I got to experience what it feels like to belong here.”
Mon, 03 Nov 2025 12:30:00 +0000Fears the dominance of large consulting firms
Magnús Rannver Rafnsson, building inspector in Höfn and vice-chairman of the Association of Building Inspectors, is warning strongly against proposals by the Housing and Construction Authority (HMS) to transfer building inspections to private in...
Sun, 02 Nov 2025 20:34:00 +0000The humpback whale has vanished without a trace
A humpback whale that was found trapped east of Hrísey on Friday has now vanished without a trace — though sonar readings suggest it may lie still in a watery grave beneath the surface.
Sun, 02 Nov 2025 16:27:00 +0000Icelands Notre Dame in flames
The works of Halldór Laxness rank among the most important literary achievements in Icelandic history. Literature, as Iceland’s core cultural heritage, has long been what unites the nation—a nation without grand cathedrals or monumental archi...
Sat, 01 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000I dont see how this is supposed to work
Þórdís Lóa Þórhallsdóttir, leader of the Liberal Reform Party on Reykjavík City Council, says she cannot see how the planned number of parking spaces will fit into the new Úlfarsárdalur neighborhood, where 4,000 new apartments are set to...
Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000Plan to free trapped Humpback Whale today
Rescue crews will attempt today to free a humpback whale that has been trapped east of Hrísey since yesterday morning, after poor weather conditions made rescue efforts impossible throughout the day.
Fri, 31 Oct 2025 13:44:00 +0000Ice buildup after snowplows couldnt get through
Thick ice ridges formed on main roads in Reykjavík during this week’s snowstorm, while nearby municipalities were less affected. The problem arose because snowplows from the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin) were unable to...
Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:21:00 +0000Ring road closed in two locations
The Ring Road is currently closed at Fagurhólsmýri due to severe weather, as well as on the stretch under Eyjafjöll and over Reynisfjall toward Vík, according to the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration.
Thu, 30 Oct 2025 21:00:00 +0000Offering 50% discount before shutting the doors for good
The Krambúðin convenience store in Urriðaholt, Garðabær, will offer customers a 50% discount on all products starting tomorrow, with the exception of nicotine and tobacco. The store will then close permanently once its stock has been sold out...
Thu, 30 Oct 2025 19:30:00 +0000Video: Driver and cyclist in confrontation
“This car wouldn’t give him any room. Then the driver just started bumping into him,” says Pétur Jóhannesson in an interview with mbl.is. He witnessed the altercation between a cyclist and a driver near Spöngin today and captured the inci...
Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000Slow Traffic and Delays in the Capital Area
Traffic is moving slowly across the capital area, and delays can be expected, according to the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration.
Tue, 28 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000A beautiful idea that doesnt work
“I know very few people who would want to buy an apartment in a multi-family building that doesn’t have parking,” says Monika Hjálmtýsdóttir, real estate agent and chair of the Association of Real Estate Agents.
Tue, 28 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000The greatest honor a nation can receive
Yesterday marked seventy years since Iceland gained its first Nobel laureate, when, on October 27, 1955, the Swedish Academy announced that Halldór Kiljan Laxness had been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:00:00 +0000Blizzard rapidly approaching Iceland
A blizzard system southwest of Iceland is rapidly moving toward the country. Forecasts indicate 24-hour snowfall of 20 to 30 centimeters, though there remains considerable uncertainty about the exact timing of the storm’s arrival.
Mon, 27 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000Mother and son trapped in camper van
The Dagrenning Search and Rescue Team from Hvolsvöllur and the Air Rescue Team from Hella were called out yesterday to assist a mother and son who became trapped in their camper van in Landmannalaugar due to impassable conditions.
Mon, 27 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000A torch for every life lost
It was a deeply emotional moment when a Coast Guard helicopter landed in Flateyri yesterday, October 26, 2025 — exactly thirty years after Coast Guard helicopters first arrived in the town following the avalanche from Skollahvilft, which claimed...
Sun, 26 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000Working six days a week to protect the village
On the slopes of Eyrarfjall, a dedicated group of workers is hard at work six days a week building new avalanche defenses to protect the village of Flateyri.
Sun, 26 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000Drivers urged to be careful
Motorists are being advised to drive carefully this evening and overnight, as driving conditions are expected to worsen due to snow or sleet in the south and west of the country, especially on mountain roads.