News from Iceland - NFI

News from Iceland - NFI News from Iceland, aka NFI, tells news from Iceland in English.

It is a service for people who don't speak the Icelandic tongue but wants to follow news from this island in the middle of nowhere.

19/07/2026

NFI - 19, July 2026

“Every story must be told as it unfolds.”

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

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

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

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

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

16/07/2026

NFI - 16, July 2026

“It's coming, albeit slowly.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

15/07/2026

NFI - 15, July 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

14/07/2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13/07/2026

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

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

12/07/2026

NFI - 12, July 2ö26

“I understood that in Iceland there is a word for everything that is thought of on earth.”

The Portuguese actress, director and singer María de Medeiros will be the guest of honour at the Reykjavík International Film Festival, RIFF 2026. Icelandic film fans probably know her best from Quentin Tarantino's film, Pulp Fiction, where she played the role of Fabianne.

Helga Bryndis Einarsdottir, podcast host and communications manager at Copenhagen Contemporary Circus College, has lived in several countries and loves to travel the world. Her parents are mountain guides, so she knows nothing but travel. “I travel to explore and experience the world, see new places and notice all the strange and beautiful things that are all around us. So I find it most enjoyable to be able to move around the place I visit, whether it’s on foot, by bike or in a car. I’m a big outdoorswoman, and I prefer to be out in nature on all kinds of adventures. I also like to look at Google Maps where I am, and find random interesting places to visit,” says Helga Bryndis when asked what kind of travel she likes.

Unemployment in the construction and civil engineering industry is increasing by almost forty percent between years. The chief economist of the Confederation of Icelandic Industries says this is a matter of great concern and that the government's plans are making matters worse.

A professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Akureyri believes that if Iceland joins the European Union, the nation will not be delegating legislative power. However, it will involve partially delegating judicial power. Legally, exceptions to the agreement are possible, but at the same time they depend on political will.

A search has been underway for land for a new cemetery in Selfoss, as the current cemetery is filling up. Now a place has been found where the people of Selfoss will be buried in the future, should they choose to rest at the new site, which is in the countryside.

The South Iceland Police are investigating three sexual assaults that occurred last night. Bryndis Johannesdottir, the Chief of Police for the South Iceland Police, says all of the assaults are related to the Kóteletta festival, although not all of them took place within the festival area The chop festival reached its peak last night, and four people spent the night in jail.

11/07/2026

NFI - 11, July 2026

“All waters flow to the sea.”

Inga Saeland, Minister of Children and Education, is denying rumours that she entered alcohol treatment at the beginning of the summer. She admits that she herself has heard rumours about it, but that she has never been to a rehab centre, as she drinks her cocktail whenever she thinks of it.

In recent years, a new craze seems to have taken hold in the Icelandic alcohol market: so-called “lite” beer. Nutritionists say that light beer is not much healthier than regular beer, even though it contains fewer calories. The healthiest way to drink beer is simply to drink less of it.

The Jewish community of Iceland plans to open its cultural center to visitors and pedestrians in the near future. The cultural centre, which for years was known as the Progressive house, is ​​located on Hverfisgata. According to Rabbi Avraham Feldman, the congregation has been renting the building for almost two years and has been working on extensive renovations. A ribbon has already been cut to mark the opening of the building, and Avraham says that next month, individual parts of it will be opened in stages.

In recent years, there have been regular reports of plans to launch direct flights between China and Iceland, but now it looks like the news will finally become a reality. "The date of the first flight will be announced soon and ticket sales will begin," the Chinese Embassy in Iceland said in response to a news agency's inquiry.

Seydisfjordur has benefited from the mild weather that is currently prevailing in East Iceland, and although the heat wave is slightly overshadowing the sun, temperatures in the town have been recorded above 26 degrees. Now that the town is, according to locals, full of people, restaurants are packed, especially those that offer outdoor seating, and the outdoor areas are bustling with life.

10/07/2026

NFI - 10, July 2026

“For a man who is improving, it is best to live.”

Not everyone agrees on whether it is permissible to cycle through a red light. However, the Traffic Act clearly states that drivers are "not permitted to drive against a red traffic light. At a red light, a vehicle must stop before reaching the stop line or, if there is no stop line, a traffic light post.”

A man was stopped yesterday in the Dalvegur police station area, which handles tasks in Kopavogur and Breidholt, where police saw him watching a World Cup match while driving. It was quickly suspected that the driver was also drunk, and he was arrested and taken to the police station.

Iceland and the Arctic are currently in the spotlight in connection with the NATO summit in Turkey. That focus has increased significantly and will increase in the near future, according to Albert Jonsson, an expert in international politics, now that sea ice is receding and accessibility is increasing. "The United States is the only NATO country that will be able to assert itself, to any significant extent, in the Arctic. Iceland is a close ally of the United States. And then look at the map, and you will see that, as the American government says: Iceland is our gateway to the Arctic," said Albert.

It would come as no surprise if the highest temperature so far this year will be recorded in the Eastfjords this weekend. This is according to Birgir Eagle Hoskuldsson, a meteorologist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, adding that Saturday will probably be slightly better than Sunday.

Minister of Justice Thorbjorg Sigridur Gunnlaugsdottir aka Tobba believes it is somewhat unfair that Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the former President of the Icelandic Republic, is advocating for people to vote no in a referendum on whether to reopen accession negotiations with the European Union. This is because during his political career he has been more impressed by saying "no" than "yes".

09/07/2026

NFI - 9, July 2026

“Two fires burned within him: the fire of sorrow and the fire of happiness.”

The Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir and other NATO leaders received a pistol as a gift from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the end of the NATO summit in Ankara. The gun they received as a gift was engraved with the name of each leader and came with a box of ammunition, as well as tools for cleaning the gun.

The seagulls have returned to the Baejarins Bezta (The Towns Best) hot dog cart in the city centre, and Baldur Ingi Halldorsson, the manager of the popular hot dog shop, says that tourists have sometimes complained about them. “The seagull is very clever at this and people sometimes find it snatching the hot dog right out of their hands. At the beginning of the summer, there were few seagulls, but now they have arrived,” he says. According to Baldur, there is an unwritten rule that in such incidents, you get a free hot dog. “You should get a free hot dog if the seagull steals it,” he says.

Blue Lagoon hf. has agreed to increase its holding in Nordurbod ehf.(North Baths), which is a shareholder in the thermal baths at Lake Myvatn and the thermal baths at Husavik (House Inlet). The thermal baths are also a shareholder in Vok at Egilsstadir.

The Icelandic Association of Physiotherapists is criticizing the government for a lack of consultation ahead of the introduction of access fees for physiotherapists, which will come into effect on September 1. The association points out the danger that such fees could reduce access, delay rehabilitation and reduce the likelihood of people seeking help. It is urgent to set a maximum on how much clients pay annually in access fees.

"It is sad to watch (and listen to) people who seem to want to give the flag a new and disgusting role. To make it a symbol of division and hostility towards certain groups in society. We will not allow that to happen. We are not going to wake up to the nightmare one day that populists and racists have managed to redefine the role of the Icelandic flag and what it means to fly it.” Says the Minister of Industry and Trade Hanna Katrín Friðriksson who is getting involved in the debate about the Icelandic flag, which has been in the crosshairs since two unnamed parties took action and painted it over the accession flag that has been on the steps of Grafarvog Church.

08/07/2026

NFI - 8, July 2026

“Ale is another man”

Alcohol advertising on social media and in podcasts by influencers and other public figures has increased dramatically in recent years. A prevention expert says the government has failed and calls for influencers to take responsibility.

The organization of whale conservationist Paul Watson is offering 250 thousand krónur to anyone who can provide information on the location of the whaling ships so that their hunting can be stopped. The organization announced this on the social media platform Instagram last night.

Landmark Real Estate Agency and Heimili Real Estate Agents are merging and a new real estate agent will be hired this fall. The announcement states that the merger will create one of the most powerful real estate agents in the country, which will consist of over twenty employees, all licensed real estate agents with extensive experience in the Icelandic real estate market.

Vandalism of rainbow flags at churches has become a sad and regular annual event in the run-up to Gay Pride Month, according to the bishop of Iceland, who says it is painful to see both the Icelandic flag and the gay flag being treated so badly.

The “Ahead Iceland” movement has published a new report on its website stating that Iceland's living standards and economic situation are generally on a more solid footing than in most European Union countries. The report paints a comprehensive picture of Iceland's position in international comparison, and the results show that Iceland is ahead of EU countries and that economic development has been more favorable in recent years, whether looking at economic growth, unemployment, productivity or public finances.

Landsbanki's (Country Banks)Research Department predicts that the consumer price index will increase by 0.34% month-on-month in July and that annual inflation will therefore remain at 5.2%.

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