Latest society & culture news and updates from Iceland in English.
Three men face trial for a 2020 assault at Gróttuvita lighthouse, but the six-year delay highlights serious problems in Iceland's court system. Unlike other Nordic countries that process similar cases in 18-24 months, Iceland's limited judicial infrastructure creates dangerous backlogs that undermine justice delivery and victim rights.
Iceland's government plans to end property tax exemptions for energy infrastructure, potentially raising electricity bills as municipalities seek compensation for hosting power plants and dams.
Viðreisn fields Red Cross director Gylfi Þór Þorsteinsson and professional slate in Mosfellsbær municipal election, testing whether centrist competence can challenge traditional party politics in Iceland's growing suburbs.
Iceland's Health Minister's husband, cardiologist Torfi Fjalar Jónasson, denies workplace conflicts at Akureyri Hospital after opposition politicians suggest disputes with the former director. The controversy highlights potential conflicts of interest in Iceland's tight-knit political and medical establishments.
Iceland's Social Democratic Alliance replaces 28-year-old local party Fjarðalisti in East Fjords municipality, signaling shift from local independence to national party politics in rural Iceland ahead of 2026 municipal elections.
A morning collision on Fagradal highlights Iceland's need for automated weather monitoring systems on dangerous routes. With Althingi reviewing a ISK 2.8 billion proposal for real-time alerts, Iceland may finally adopt the safety technology that Norway and Denmark have used successfully for years.
Illugi Gunnarsson, 18-year-old son of former PM Katrín Jakobsdóttir, elected chair of Iceland's Young Left-Green Movement. The appointment extends a prominent political dynasty while raising questions about insularity in Iceland's small political class as municipal elections approach.
Rósin political association chooses to stay within Iceland's Social Democratic Alliance rather than join left coalition for Reykjavík municipal elections, despite internal disputes over candidate selection and party direction.
Sudden storms diverted 15 Icelandair flights from Keflavík to Akureyri, stranding 600 passengers when crews hit EU duty time limits. The incident exposes Iceland's aviation vulnerability and the cascading costs of weather disruptions in a tightly regulated industry.
Two sisters survived a car crash in Iceland's Westfjords but couldn't call for help due to mobile dead zones, exposing dangerous gaps in rural emergency communication infrastructure that threaten Nordic safety coordination standards.
Seventh-grade students in Húsavík successfully challenged swimming pool curfew rules by researching Iceland's Child Protection Act, exposing municipal misinterpretation of age-based regulations and highlighting Iceland's culture of youth civic engagement.
Iceland's Social Democratic Alliance excluded Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson from their Reykjavik municipal election list after he threatened to join rival parties following his primary election defeat. The decision highlights how Iceland's small political landscape amplifies personal conflicts into party-defining moments.
A grass fire broke out near Framheimilið in Úlfarsárdal, Reykjavik, prompting a swift response from local firefighters. The blaze, located just below Framvöllur, was reportedly contained within an hour.
A grass fire broke out below Framvöllur in Úlfarsárdal on Sunday evening. Firefighters quickly responded and appeared to extinguish the blaze, though emergency crews remained on site.
Trausti Hjálmarsson, chairman of the Icelandic Farmers' Association, says forestry offers major benefits for rural Iceland. He supports shelterbelts, agroforestry, and productive tree planting to improve farmland and protect homes and livestock.
Helga Sigrún Sigurjónsdóttir was injured in Reykjavik after hitting an unlit e-scooter on a bike path. She avoided fractures but remains bedridden, highlighting safety issues with shared micromobility devices in public spaces.
The 2011 Grímsvötn eruption sent a massive ash cloud across Iceland, affecting South Iceland and the capital region. Residents and journalists on-site described intense ashfall and emergency measures like sealing hotel rooms and distributing masks.
Thirty years after Iceland’s Biskupsmálið scandal, media figure Elín Hirst shares her childhood memory of witnessing misconduct by Bishop Ólafur Skúlason. The case triggered national outrage, church resignations, and eventual compensation for survivors.
Iceland is rolling out new standardized tests in primary schools this March. The exams in math and reading will run over a four-week window and aim to give parents clearer insight into student progress.
A man was hospitalized after a violent assault in Grafarvog, though his injuries aren't serious. Two suspects were arrested and are also suspected of drug possession.
The Icelandic Aviation Museum's director names the Cessna 180 TF-HIS as its most important artifact. This small aircraft played a key role in expanding air access across Iceland during a shift away from seaplanes.
An Icelandic court upheld a financial agreement containing a clause requiring post-breakup attempts at fertilization. A law professor says such intimate terms can't legally be pre-agreed under family law principles.
An Icelandic court ordered whaling company Hvalur hf. to pay two former workers over 2 million ISK each after the 2023 season was canceled. Three other claimants did not receive compensation because the court found no binding contracts existed in their cases.
A man fell ten meters near a waterfall by Selvallavatni lake on Iceland's Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Rescue teams and a Coast Guard helicopter with a doctor onboard are responding. His condition has not been disclosed.