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.

Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, Minister of Industry, has submitted a bill that would allow coastal fishing to continue for a full 48 days this summer, even if the total allowable catch is exceeded. The proposal is a departure from current legal obligations and responds to political pressure from the People's Party, which emphasized the 48-day season during the last parliamentary elections.

Divers from the National Police Commissioner’s special unit were recently dispatched following a request from police in the capital area.

Rescue teams have yet to find any sign of the man reported in distress in the sea off Fiskislóð. The search, which has now lasted over three hours, began after eyewitnesses alerted authorities just before 5 p.m.

The launch of Iceland’s new television awards, originally scheduled for this month, has been postponed indefinitely. Organizers cite ongoing challenges in establishing the awards—and say the situation has only worsened.

The historic Danish sailing ship Danmark is currently docked at Ægisgarður in Reykjavík Harbour. Nearly 100 years old, the ship has a storied past and now serves as a maritime training vessel for young sailors. Among them is 21-year-old Viktor Örn Ingvarsson.

Property valuations have increased by 9.2% nationwide compared to last year, with the largest increases observed in South and North Iceland. This information was highlighted in a press release from the Housing and Civil Engineering Institute (HMS), presented at an ongoing public meeting on the development of property valuations for 2026.

Sári Morg Gergö, a Hungarian man who survived the recent fatal fire in Hjarðarhagi, told police he found a petrol can in the wreckage of the basement apartment where the blaze broke out. Gergö lived there with three other men. Two died in the fire; a third was not home at the time.

Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir recently attended a summit in Madrid, Spain, where discussions focused on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The meeting was part of ongoing preparations for a United Nations conference set to take place in New York next month.

PCC Bakki Silicon hf. has announced a temporary shutdown of its operations beginning in mid-July, according to a statement issued by the company last night.

According to the Icelandic Coast Guard, the small aircraft that made an emergency landing on Suðurlandsvegur last night is the same plane that authorities were searching for yesterday, following the declaration of an uncertainty phase. This was confirmed by Ásgeir Erlendsson, spokesperson for the Coast Guard, in an interview with mbl.is.

PCC Bakki Silicon hf. has announced a temporary shutdown of its operations beginning in mid-July, according to a statement issued by the company last night.

A small single-engine plane was forced to make an emergency landing just east of Hólmsheiði shortly before midnight, resulting in the partial closure of Suðurlandsvegur.

Ásthildur Lóa Þórsdóttir, MP for the People's Party and former Minister of Education and Children, will return to parliament today. Her deputy, Elín Íris Fanndal, will resign from parliament.

Opera singer Hreinn Líndal was responsible for dressing former President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir during her early years in office. Their professional relationship blossomed into a lasting friendship, and Líndal enlisted top fashion houses like Cerruti 1881, Valentino, and Hermès to design her wardrobe.

Ngan Kieu Tran, Dana Zaher El Deen, and Diana Al Barouki were all recognized for their outstanding academic achievements at the graduation ceremony of the Comprehensive College at Ármúli (FÁ) yesterday. Though now fluent in Icelandic, none of them spoke more than a few words of the language just three years ago. Ngan graduated as the school’s dux (valedictorian), while Diana earned the title of semi-dux (runner-up).

Numerous insect species have made an earlier-than-usual appearance this summer in Iceland, with the warm and favorable weather likely driving the early emergence.

"There is a lot of uncertainty, and people don't quite understand what lies ahead," says Sindri Freyr Ásgeirsson, vice president of the Association of Icelandic Students Abroad (SÍNE), following the U.S. administration’s decision to revoke Harvard University’s authorization to accept foreign students.

An explosion in an apartment building on Hjarðarhagi in Vesturbær triggered a major emergency response this afternoon. Heavy smoke and fire poured from the ground floor of the building following the blast. The cause of the explosion is still unknown, according to the capital area Fire Department.

A resident in the old Vesturbær neighborhood of Reykjavík says he’s had enough after being repeatedly fined for parking in his own private driveway. Despite the space being clearly on his property, the Parking Fund has declined to cancel the tickets.