One of the most heavily used cycling routes in the capital area is set to be closed for over a year due to major infrastructure work. The closure began this week and is not expected to end until August next year. Pedestrians and cyclists will be diverted to a longer detour route, which is necessary due to land conservation measures.

A serious incident occurred at the Reykjavik Edition Hotel in downtown Reykjavík early this morning, resulting in the deaths of two foreign tourists and injuries to a third.

Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir says that June 17th, Iceland’s National Day, is an important symbol of national unity and doesn’t necessarily need to take on a political tone.

Temperatures are expected to reach up to 18°C in southwest Iceland today, while the northeast coast will remain cooler, at around 7°C. Light northeast or variable winds are forecast, with mostly clear skies and wind speeds ranging from 3 to 10 meters per second. However, cloudy periods are expected in parts of North and East Iceland until around midday.

The well-known Icelandic media brands Stöð 2 and Vodafone have now officially merged under a new name: Sýn. The rebranding took effect today, according to mbl.is sources. Despite the change, evening news broadcasts will continue as before.

The man who was found deceased on the slopes of Kistufell, part of Mount Esja, yesterday afternoon has been identified as Viktor Arman Kambizson, aged 22.

Fjölnir Sæmundsson, chairman of the National Union of Police Officers, says he is deeply concerned about the working conditions and safety of police officers in Iceland. He also suspects that the young men who recently threatened an officer at his home may have been manipulated by others.

The main proceedings have begun in the case of Sigurður Fannar Þórisson, who stands accused of killing his daughter, Kolfinna Eldey, near Krýsuvíkurvegur Road in September.

Two of the largest shareholders in Icelandic airline PLAY, CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson and Deputy Chairman Elías Skúli Skúlason, have announced plans to launch a takeover bid for all outstanding shares of the company at a price of 1 ISK per share, with the intention of delisting the airline from the stock market.

Search and rescue teams from the capital area were dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. last night to search for a missing hiker near Mount Esja, according to Hinrik Wöhler, acting spokesperson for ICE-SAR, in a statement to mbl.is.

Four men were arrested in the early hours of Monday morning by Capital Area Police and members of the National Police Commissioner’s special forces, after allegedly showing up at a police officer’s private residence in Reykjavík over the weekend and issuing threats against him

The hiker who had been missing on Mount Esja has been located, according to Heimir Ríkharðsson, station manager with the Capital Area Police, in a statement to mbl.is. He did not have information on the man’s condition at the time of discovery.

Weather permitting, road paving operations are scheduled to take place Tuesday night at several locations along Reykjanesbraut (Route 41).

"It’s deeply sad and upsetting that this keeps happening. Those responsible for safety measures need to take a serious look at this,” says Ásta Stefánsdóttir, municipal manager of Bláskógabyggð, in an interview with mbl.is following a tragic accident at Hlauptungufoss on the Brúará river yesterday. A foreign tourist, a woman in her forties, fell into the river and lost her life.

Customs officers at Keflavík International Airport intercepted 43 counterfeit foreign identity documents sent to Iceland by mail during 2023 and 2024 — the vast majority of them fake driver’s licenses.

The Icelandic Tattoo Convention returned for its 18th edition this weekend — and by all accounts, it was a major success.

A group gathered yesterday by Lake Apavatn to participate in a sweat ceremony led by the artist Þorlákur Hilmar Morthens—better known as Tolli. Known for his work introducing sweat rituals into Icelandic prisons, Tolli has long promoted the ceremony as a powerful method for healing, especially among those recovering from addiction or incarceration.

Rescue teams in South Iceland and a swift water rescue unit from the capital area were called out following an accident in or near the Brúará river yesterday. A Coast Guard helicopter was also dispatched to the scene.

After a fierce northerly storm earlier in the week, conditions have calmed in North Iceland—bringing signs of summer once more. The ground has turned green again and birds are singing, a welcome change from the hail and sleet that battered the region just days ago.

A heated exchange took place in Alþingi yesterday when Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chairwoman of the Independence Party, accused Víðir Reynisson, chair of the General and Education Committee, of unlawfully interfering in the asylum case of Colombian boy Oscar Boconegra.

A significant number of properties rented by the Directorate of Labour for individuals applying for international protection are currently unoccupied, raising concerns about the misuse of public funds.

Isavia, the company that operates Keflavík International Airport, has closed a small coffee shed used by taxi drivers after it came under scrutiny for poor maintenance. The decision follows recent media attention in which the shed was referred to by some as “the northernmost mosque in the world.”

Environmental activists Sahar Babaei and Elissa May Phillips have been formally charged for their protest aboard the whaling ships Hvalur 8 and Hvalur 9 in September 2023. The two women, protesting the operations of Hvalur hf., boarded the vessels without permission and refused to comply with police orders to vacate the premises.

“It’s a hassle having to keep the sheep inside, but that’s how it has to be until conditions improve,” says Benedikt Arnbjörnsson, a farmer at Bergsstaðir in South Þingeyjarsýsla, in an interview with mbl.is.

A heated exchange unfolded in Alþingi yesterday as Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chairwoman of the Independence Party parliamentary group, challenged Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir on Iceland’s position regarding a recent joint statement on immigration by several European leaders.

After an unusually warm May, June has taken a sharp turn, bringing winter-like conditions to much of Iceland. Snow, strong winds, and poor visibility have prompted weather warnings across the country, and authorities are urging caution — especially for those traveling through mountainous areas.

The Icelandic Immigration Service has decided to postpone the deportation of Oscar Anders Florez Bocanegra due to new information highlighting the sensitive and difficult circumstances surrounding his case. The decision was made over the weekend after authorities received details that significantly influenced their judgment.

Just five months into the year, 2025 is already shaping up to be a record-breaking year for drug seizures at Keflavík Airport, with authorities reporting unprecedented amounts of cocaine, cannabis, and OxyContin intercepted at the border.

The Icelandic Aviation Association’s annual air show took place at Reykjavík Airport yesterday, drawing a large and enthusiastic crowd.

While sorting through his late father’s belongings, Kjartan Friðrik Adólfsson, chief accountant at the Grindavík town office, made an extraordinary discovery: a copy of the very first issue of Morgunblaðið, dated November 2, 1913. Now 112 years old, the newspaper is surprisingly well preserved.

The Icelandic Tourism Association is encouraging Icelandic hotels to participate in a class action lawsuit against the booking site Booking.com. This is stated in a statement from the association.

A man found dead in the sea off Örfirisey yesterday afternoon is believed to be the same individual who had been the subject of an extensive search since Thursday.

Bergþór Ólason, parliamentary group leader for the Centre Party, has strongly criticized the Minister of Industry’s newly proposed bill that would guarantee a 48-day coastal fishing season this summer, calling the proposal “completely ridiculous” and accusing the government of avoiding scrutiny.

The search for a man believed to have entered the sea at Fiskislóð in Reykjavík is set to resume at noon today, following its suspension at 10 p.m. last night.