Europe Iceland Dozens of pilot whales were found stranded in Ólafsfjörður; with rescue teams from the Tröllaskagi region and Akureyri called out to assist, the whales have been successfully refloated and guided back to the open sea by around 7 p.m.
Europe Iceland With recent liquid-cocaine seizure, never registered before 2024, 2025 is becoming record-breaking for drug seizures at Keflavík Airport, with authorities reporting unprecedented amounts of cocaine, cannabis, and OxyContin intercepted at the border
Europe Iceland Favorable spring weather has led to potato gardens being plowed up to three weeks earlier than usual in parts of North Iceland. In areas like Skagafjörður and Húsavík, planting has already begun, marking a shift from the typical agricultural calendar
Europe Iceland Cannabis is the first drug many Icelandic teens try, often before alcohol, leading to social isolation and school dropping; the alarm is sounded by one of the support center for families dealing with substance use that warns its dangers are underestimated
Europe Iceland One of the oldest known photographs from Iceland—a rare 19th-century image of Reykjavík harbor—has been lost while in the care of the Stockholms Auktionsverk auction house, shortly after being sold to the highest bidder
Europe Iceland The education system is not yielding the expected results according to OECD, which conducts the PISA assessments; Icelandic students receive high grades that don't accurately reflect performance, raising concerns about the country’s academic standards
Europe Iceland Photographer Pétur Thomsen has been named Artist Of The Year At Icelandic Art Prize 2025, the 8th edition, for his exhibition Settlement at Hafnarborg, based on a long-term project in which Pétur examines the coexistence of humanity and nature
Europe Iceland Icelandic teachers voted to approve a new four-year salary agreement, with 93% of votes in favour of the agreement that includes a 24,5% salary increase
Europe Iceland The draft of a new bill by the Ministry of Housing and Social Affairs would make significant extensions to the Icelandic parental leave system, particularly with regard to twin births or illnesses resulting from childbirth
Europe Iceland The Kindergarten Teachers' Association has announced an indefinite strike in all 22 kindergartens in Kópavogur starting 3 March
Europe Iceland Iceland Foods is reintroducing plastic trays in response to consumer dissatisfaction with vacuum-packed minced meat; vacuum-sealed packages were designed to contain 50% less plastic and reduce the retailer's annual consumption by 35 tonnes
Europe Iceland The use of tanning beds has steadily decreased: only 5% of people said they had used them in the past 12 months, compared to over 30% in 2004; the number of tanning beds has also decreased, with 86 beds in 2023, compared to 97 in 2020
Europe Iceland Fermented shark, an Icelandic delicacy, may become increasingly difficult to find due to a number of factors, including declining interest in the industry and rising costs