Despite a challenging winter season with unusually low snowfall, ski resorts in North Iceland are preparing to welcome visitors with open slopes and festive activities over the Easter holiday.

During the recent official visit of the President of Iceland, Halla Tómasdóttir, to Norway, Icelandic culinary talent was proudly on display. Chefs Hafliði Halldórsson, Snædís Xyza Mae Ocampo — captain of the Icelandic national culinary team — and their assistant Marlis Jóna Karlsdóttir joined the presidential delegation, bringing the flavors of Iceland to the heart of Oslo.

Today, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland and the world’s first democratically elected female head of state, celebrates her 95th birthday. Marking nearly a century of life dedicated to culture, language, and public service, Finnbogadóttir shared a powerful message on this special day — a call to cherish and protect Iceland’s natural environment and linguistic heritage.

In a detailed obituary, The New York Times has paid tribute to Icelandic chess grandmaster Friðrik Ólafsson, highlighting his extraordinary impact on the international chess scene and his role in shaping Iceland’s chess legacy.

This summer, Bergur Vilhjálmsson, a Reykjavík firefighter and ambulance worker, will undertake a powerful journey to raise awareness for mental health. Starting at Goðafoss and traveling to Reykjavík, he’ll cross the vast wilderness of Sprengisandur, pulling a 100-kilogram sled behind him.

Severe weather conditions have rendered many of Iceland’s mountain roads impassable, disrupting travel plans and prompting caution across the country. The Icelandic Meteorological Office has issued a yellow weather alert for the North and Westfjords, citing poor visibility and difficult driving conditions.

At a cozy café on Vitastígur, nestled among Reykjavík’s ever-stylish crowd, Michael Hendrix is already deep in conversation with an Icelandic actor when I arrive. Draped in a traditional Icelandic wool sweater and sipping coffee, Hendrix—an American with deep roots in both design and music—seems entirely at ease in his adopted home.

Hvalur hf., Iceland's sole commercial whaling company, has announced it will not engage in whaling this summer. The decision comes amid plummeting product prices in Japan, the company’s main market, and ongoing global economic uncertainty, including the effects of a tariff war.

Crude oil prices have dropped to their lowest levels since 2021, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Halla Hrund Logadóttir, Member of Parliament for the Progressive Party and former Director of Energy Affairs at Orkustofnun, this drop could significantly impact Russia’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine, as the country remains heavily dependent on energy exports.

Icelandair expands its U.S. network with four weekly flights to Nashville and a stronger partnership with Southwest Airlines.

The Icelandic Film School's management company has entered bankruptcy proceedings, marking a serious setback for the institution, its staff, and students. In an email to staff, Rector Hlín Jóhannesdóttir expressed disappointment, noting that until yesterday, the school had hoped to avoid this outcome.

The visibility of drug use among children and teenagers in Reykjavík is on the rise — and the users are getting younger. Still, many seem more aware of their actions, even as their behavior becomes more visible, according to staff from Flotinn ("The Fleet"), a mobile community center aimed at prevention and outreach.

Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of the Independence Party, criticized the government's handling of changes to fishing fees during a spirited exchange in Alþingi yesterday, accusing it of poor administration and a lack of transparency.

Gylfi Zoëga, professor of economics at the University of Iceland, describes U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent trade policies as a bold and unprecedented economic experiment.

Haraldur Sigurðsson, volcanologist and professor emeritus at the University of Rhode Island, says a new phase of volcanic activity began on April 1 in the Sundhnúkur volcanic system. This chapter, he believes, is likely to be marked by renewed magma flow beneath the surface.

The ground beneath Svartsengi is rising rapidly again—and this time, it's happening faster than after the most recent eruption at Sundhnúkagígar.

The Ministry of Health convened an emergency meeting in response to the recent seizure of counterfeit OxyContin tablets that were found to contain nitazene, a highly potent and life-threatening synthetic opioid. The meeting included representatives from national health institutions, law enforcement, and harm reduction organizations.

Friðrik Ólafsson, Iceland’s first chess grandmaster and a longtime public servant, passed away on April 4 at the age of 90 in the palliative care unit of the National Hospital.

Inflation and seismic activity continues on the Reykjanes Peninsula. In the last 24 hours, about 550 earthquakes have been recorded on the peninsula and out to the Reykjanes Ridge.

Ingvi Steinn Jóhannsson, newly elected chairman of the Icelandic Customs Association and Chief Customs Officer at Keflavík Airport, has praised customs officers for their professionalism and efficiency following the seizure of 20,000 counterfeit OxyContin pills—a drug shipment that, instead of oxycodone, contained nitazene, a dangerously potent synthetic opioid.

Daði Már Kristófersson, Iceland’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, has responded to the U.S. government’s decision to impose a 10% import tariff on Icelandic products, calling the move “not good news” — but also noting that Iceland may have fared better than many of its trade partners.

A powerful earthquake struck near Kleifarvatn Lake at 6:03 pm yesterday, shaking the southwest corner of Iceland and being widely felt in the capital area. A series of aftershocks followed, several of which were also felt across the region.

The April 1st eruption, which began at 9:44 a.m., officially ended at 4:45 pm the same day, making it the shortest eruption in the ongoing Reykjanes Peninsula eruption series that began in March 2021.

Seismic activity in connection with the April 1st magma flow remains persistent, with 80-120 earthquakes occurring every hour, according to the latest statement from the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

The 70-year-old man arrested in Grindavík yesterday on charges of threatening rescue workers with a firearm denies any wrongdoing and is now considering legal action.

There has been no volcanic activity on the fissure at Sundhnúkagígar since midday yesterday. However, embers continue to smolder in the newly formed lava, and the area remains unstable and hazardous, according to a statement from the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

Two significant earthquakes were recorded near Reykjanestá shortly before 5 p.m. today, with the largest measuring 5.3 in magnitude, according to Jóhanna Malen Skúladóttir, a natural hazard specialist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office. The magnitude of the smaller tremor is still being assessed.

Despite the apparent subsiding of the eruption, seismic activity remains strong, with continued tremors detected in the northeastern section of the magma corridor, according to Benedikt Halldórsson, director of natural hazards at the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

A man who brandished a firearm at two rescue workers during the evacuation of Grindavík this morning was arrested at the scene, according to senior police officer Gunnar Schram of the Suðurnes Police.

The ongoing volcanic eruption at the Sundhnúkagígar crater row continues to intensify, with the eruption fissure now stretching approximately 1,200 meters and expanding southward.

A significant earthquake swarm is currently underway along the Sundhnúkagígar crater row, with clear signs that magma is moving beneath the surface. GPS data and pressure measurements in boreholes indicate that a magma run has begun, increasing the likelihood of a volcanic eruption.

An eruption has begun on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the eleventh in just over four years and the eighth since December 2023.

A volcanic eruption broke out just north of the Grindavík defense wall at 10:00 AM this morning, following an intense earthquake swarm in the area. While the eruption was anticipated, its initial strength has come as a slight surprise to experts.

The proximity of the volcanic fissure to Grindavík can be seen in the video that a mbl.is photographer recently captured from the air.