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Volcano erupts near Iceland’s airport, prompting fears of travel disruptions

A volcano in southwest Iceland began erupting on Wednesday, raising fears of travel disruptions reminiscent of the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption that grounded more than 100,000 flights.

The eruption at the Fagradalsfjall volcano — located about 10 miles from Keflavik International Airport and about 20 miles from the nation's capital of Reykjavik — is classified as a fissure eruption, which does not typically create large explosions or send a lot of ash into the stratosphere, according to Iceland's meteorological office .

Keflavik Airport, a key travel hub between North America and Europe, remained open and international flights have not been disrupted, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

The 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption caused chaos for air travel over the course of a week due to concerns the volcanic ash could damage aircraft engines. Millions of passengers were left stranded throughout Europe and North America, and hundreds of Icelanders were forced from their homes due to evacuations in the area.

The current eruption threatens an already chaotic summer travel season, with airlines experiencing ongoing delays and cancellations amid staffing shortages and surging demand for flights.

Live video feeds showed lava spewing from Fagradalsfjall; the exact location of the eruption is Meradalir, which is about 1 mile north of Mt. Stóri-Hrútur, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office .

A nearby volcano's last eruption — which lasted about six months — officially ended just eight months ago, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. On average , Iceland experiences a volcanic event about once every four years.

“We will of course continue to monitor the situation closely and now we also benefit from the experience gained from last year’s eruption,” Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Iceland's prime minister, said in a statement .

Meteorologists were expecting some sort of eruption in Iceland after a series of “strong earthquakes” indicated volcanic activity close to the crust, the meteorological office said .

The country's meteorological office advised people not to go near the eruption due to gas pollution, but said that "there is low threat to populated areas or critical infrastructure."

Still, some people ventured to see the orange lava flows with their own eyes.

"I just made it to the volcano … my mind is completely blown, it’s crazy," an onlooker told The Associated Press . "The last thing that I would have imagined this morning when I woke up would be to be standing and looking at this … it is so beautiful."

Anna Kaplan is a news and trending reporter for TODAY.com.

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Is it safe to travel to Iceland after volcanic eruption? Your rights if you have a holiday booked

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The earth is at its most restless in Iceland right now. Since November 2023 the Icelandic authorities have been monitoring seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwest of Reykjavik .

The latest eruption began on the evening of 16 March, with lava reaching the eastern edge of the fishing town of Grindavik – which has mostly been evacuated.

The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) reported: “The eruption began at 20:23 UTC on 16 March, with a 2.9-km-long fissure forming quickly. The length and location of the fissure is similar to the eruption on 8 February 2024.”

The IMO added that the lava was travelling at a speed of 1km per hour over the weekend, but in its latest updated noted that has “slowed substantially”, adding: “The eruption has not ended, and lava continues to be extruded from a 0.5km-long fissure.”

The Foreign Office warns : “Recently there have been a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland.

“The capital city, Reykjavik, and the rest of Iceland has not been impacted by these eruptions. It is likely there will be further eruptions in this location. You should monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities’ advice on travel to the area.”

The location is around 10 miles southwest of Keflavik airport, a major North Atlantic aviation hub. Flights are continuing to arrive and depart as normal.

These are the key questions and answers on consumer rights.

I am in Iceland. Will I be able to leave?

Yes, assuming the international airport remains open. Isavia, which runs the airport, said: “An eruption has started on the Reykjaness Peninsula.

“Keflavik airport and regional airports in Iceland are not impacted and fully operational.”

You may be keen to leave earlier than booked, in order to guarantee your getaway, but at present you will not be able to switch flights without paying a penalty.

The FCDO advises travellers to check the following resources for updates:

• Icelandic Met Office
• Safe Travel Iceland
• Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management

But didn’t an Icelandic volcano shut down European aviation for a week?

Yes. Travellers may remember where they were in April 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull erupted . The skies of northern Europe completely closed to passenger aviation for almost a week.

A quarter of a billion cubic metres of volcanic ash was ejected and was carried southeast towards the UK and continental Europe by the breeze. The fear was that volcanic ash could damage jet engines and potentially bring down aircraft. In the biggest shutdown of aviation since the Second World War, 50,000 flights were cancelled and 8 million passengers had their travel plans wrecked.

More than 50,000 flights, with eight million passengers booked to travel, were cancelled.

So far in 2023, though, ash has not been an issue in the current geological outburst.

Thankfully, the circumstances are very different. Eyjafjallajokull erupted with a glacier on top. The addition of melting water meant that the lava cooled very quickly into tiny fragments. These were promptly propelled into the atmosphere to a height of 30,000 feet by the steam produced in the eruption.

The current eruption is not having anything like the same effect. The lava will cool and remain on the ground.

In addition, new guidelines established in the wake of the 2010 eruption allow aircraft to fly if volcanic ash is present in reasonably small quantities. Another Icelandic volcano erupted in 2011, and in that case only 1 per cent of flights in northern Europe were cancelled – rather than 100 per cent on some days in that extraordinary time.

What if I am booked on a package holiday?

Foreign Office advice stops well short of advising against travel to Iceland, meaning holiday companies can continue to operate as normal – with no automatic right to cancel.

Until and unless the Foreign Office warns against travel, the assumption is that everything will go ahead as normal.

The one exception is for holidaymakers who had planned to stay at the Blue Lagoon , an increasingly popular “wellness” destination, with an upmarket hotel on the site.

The Blue Lagoon has closed, with a statement on its website explaining: “Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced on the morning of 8 February,we have closed all our operational units today, Thursday.

“The current eruption site is a safe distance from Blue Lagoon.”

Only those booked for a stay have the chance to cancel; if you were hoping to pop in as a day visitor for a steamy stop in the volcanic rock pools, you will need to return at some time in the future.

Can I claim on insurance?

No, unless it is one of the vanishingly rare “cancel for any reason” policies. On standard travel insurance, “disinclination to travel” is not an acceptable reason for a claim.

Would you go to Iceland at the moment?

Yes, I would relish the opportunity. Winter is an excellent time to visit Iceland for good value. Conditions right now are also excellent for the prospect of a good show from the Northern Lights, which are near the peak of the regular 11-year cosmic cycle.

The Icelandic authorities are expert at handling seismic events, with extremely good monitoring and emergency systems in place.

I would book a package holiday, though, knowing that if the earth gets too restless for comfort in the vicinity, I would be able to cancel for a full refund.

It could also be that the new eruption becomes an attraction in its own right, as some have done. But not right now. Clive Stacey, founder of the leading Iceland specialist travel firm Discover The World, said: ”As things stand this is not a ‘tourist eruption’ in its present phase and sightseers have been warned to stay away from the area.”

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Is it safe to travel to Iceland right now? Latest travel advice following eruption

Here’s everything you need to know about travelling to Iceland after the country declares a state of emergency

Iceland is a popular  travel destination thanks to its unique natural landscapes, hot springs and the opportunity to witness the elusive Northern Lights. It’s typically regarded as  a super safe place for travellers and expats  – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t susceptible to natural disasters.

A volcano on  the Reykjanes peninsula has erupted for the fourth time since December on Saturday, with lava flowing dangerously close to the small fishing town of  Grindavík. Residents of the town, which was first evacuated in  November, reportedly received text messages telling them to evacuate again with just a few minutes notice. The eruption is thought to be the most powerful so far, and a state of emergency has been declared.

Understandably, those with trips booked to Iceland might wonder whether visiting the country is safe. This is everything we know about travelling to Iceland right now.

Is it safe to travel to Iceland?   

Despite Saturday’s eruption,  neither the UK Foreign Office nor the US Department of State are recommending against travel – though the former has warned against travelling near the affected region.

Where was the volcanic eruption in Iceland? 

On Saturday evening, a long-dormant volcano erupted for the fourth time since December just north of  Grindavík, a town in the Reykjanes Peninsula . Grindavík is in southwest Iceland, around 42km away from the Icelandic capital  Reykjavik . Its 4,000 residents were evacuated. 

Is the Blue Lagoon open? 

Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions, over the weekend. The famous geothermal spa will remain closed until further notice.  

Have flights been cancelled? 

Flights to and from Iceland are operating as normal.

Your best bet if you have a flight booked to or out of Iceland is to keep an eye on your airline’s website for updates on whether your journey will be affected. Multiple airlines have said they ’ll contact passengers if and when the situation changes.   

What is the UK Foreign Office saying? 

Despite the eruption, the UK Foreign Office has not advised against tourists visiting Iceland. 

The statement on the website reads: ‘Iceland is volcanic and seismically active. Recently there have been a series of volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula in south-west Iceland, the latest occurring on 16 March. These have affected the town of Grindavik and area to the north of it. All roads to Grindavik and the surrounding area are closed and you should stay away from this area.

Keflavik International Airport and the road to it is unaffected and operating normally. The capital city, Reykjavik, and the rest of Iceland is not impacted by the eruptions. The likelihood of further eruptions in this location remains high. You should monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities’ advice on travel to the area. ’

It also advises keeping up with the  Icelandic Met Office ,  Safe Travel Iceland  and  Almannavarnadeild Facebook page   and   Twitter/X (@almannavarnir) .

What are your rights if you’ve booked a trip to Iceland? 

As the UK Foreign Office has not advised against travel, it’s likely your trip will go ahead as normal. Unless the advice changes, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to cancel your trip without a penalty. Contact your travel provider directly for all the up-to-date info about your trip. 

When was the last eruption in Iceland?

The last volcanic eruption in Iceland was just over a month ago on February 8, 2024, following two other eruptions in January and December. Before that, other than some volcanic activity in 2021, the Reykjanes Peninsula was dormant for 800 years.  

In 2010, an ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption was responsible for the biggest halt to European air traffic since World War Two. 

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Is it safe to travel to Iceland? Latest advice amid volcano eruption

Tourists in Iceland have been evacuated from their accommodation following the fourth volcano eruption since December.

Icelandic police declared a state of emergency as a violent volcanic eruption continues to rock the Reykjanes Peninsula. 

The ongoing eruption is located 30km southwest of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, close to Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon wellness complex and hotels. 

The attraction had reopened earlier this month, however, was forced to evacuate guests and temporarily close when lava began spewing from a new volcanic fissure on Saturday night. 

Flights to and from Iceland are unaffected by the eruption. Online flight tracker flightradar24.com shows planes have been arriving and departing without interruption at Keflavík International Airport, which is 10 miles to the north-west of the eruption.

Here’s what you need to know if you are booked to travel to Iceland – and your rights if you choose to cancel your trip.

Is it safe to visit Iceland?

The FCDO is not currently warning against travel to Iceland. Those heading to the region should “monitor local media for updates and follow the authorities advice on travel to the area,” it advises. 

Travellers should “check for alerts and advice from the: Icelandic Met Office , Safe Travel Iceland , Almannavarnadeild Facebook page and Twitter (@almannavarnir) .”

I’m in Iceland now – can I come home early?

That depends on your airline or tour operator. The FCDO is not currently warning against travel to, or around, Iceland, so your transport provider is not compelled to curtail your trip, nor offer a refund if you choose to head home early. As above, you should monitor the situation via the IMO’s official channels.

If you do change your travel plans, it is likely that you will have to pay for the privilege – though if you have a flexible ticket, the charge may be waived. Speak to your airline or tour operator directly, before you take any decisive action. 

Should I cancel my holiday to Iceland?

Unless the FCDO changes its advice to warn against travel to Iceland, or the area to which you are headed, it is likely that your holiday will proceed as planned. 

If you choose to cancel your holiday, it is highly unlikely that you will be covered by travel insurance.

Iceland holidays are currently going ahead as normal, says Georgina Hancock, Marketing Director of regional specialist Discover the World. “To date we have had to rearrange a few of our clients’ itineraries who were set to visit the Reykjanes area including the Blue Lagoon. They are all still travelling but will just be visiting other areas in south Iceland.”

An easyJet holidays spokesperson said: “Our holidays are currently going ahead as planned, however we are continuing to very closely monitor the situation and, should anything change, we will be in touch with our customers directly.”

Will I be covered by travel insurance if I visit Iceland? 

Yes, as long as the FCDO does not warn against travel to Iceland. If you are concerned, speak to your provider directly – and ensure that you keep the “emergency” phone number to-hand while abroad, in case the situation intensifies. 

Where is the Blue Lagoon – and is it safe to visit?

The Blue Lagoon wellness complex reopened to visitors on March 4, however following the latest eruption has temporarily closed. 

“Due to a volcanic eruption that commenced at Sundhnúkagígar on March 16, we have evacuated and temporarily closed all our operational units,” read a statement on the attraction’s website. 

The seismic activity is focused in the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system of the Reykjanes peninsula, in south-west Iceland. Svartsengi, where the Blue Lagoon is located, has experienced extensive earthquakes and land rise in recent weeks. 

The Blue Lagoon geothermal pool, Blue Cafe, Lava Restaurant, Retreat Spa, Spa Restaurant and the on-site Blue Lagoon Skincare store will remain closed through Tuesday, March 19. All guests with bookings during this temporary closure period will be contacted.

The wellness complex in Svartsengi, near Keflavik Airport, had been closed since November 9 due to seismic activity on the Reykjanes peninsula, before reopening earlier this month.

How long will the Iceland volcano risk last?

“There has been some discussion, led by the IMO, about this eruption being part of an uptick in activity that could see decades of increased activity,” says Matthew Watson, Professor of Volcanoes and Climate at the University of Bristol. 

“The evidence for this is the fact that there have been multiple eruptions along the same series of fissures in the peninsula in the last few years, and before that an 800 year gap.

“Looking at previous eruptions in the region, a single outburst typically lasts weeks to months: this is true of the three most recent eruptions on the peninsula, for example. Some eruptions in Iceland can last longer.”

Last year, residents of nearby town Grindavík were evacuated by Iceland’s Civil Protection Agency amid cautions of a “river of magma”, noxious gases and “fire fountains” in the area. 

The Reykjanes peninsula is a key tourism area of Iceland, home to Keflavik Airport, the nation’s busiest air hub, which is connected to Britain by easyJet, British Airways and other major airlines. 

Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, is located around 50km from the volcanic system. 

Will the Iceland volcano affect flights, like during the Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud?

The billowing ash cloud of Eyjafjallajokull volcano caused global travel disruption in spring 2010, amid worries that the particles and debris could damage aircraft engines. Commercial flights across Europe were halted for almost a week – leaving 50,000 flights grounded, and an estimated 10 million travellers stranded.

The disruption lasted for almost a week, causing the highest level of air travel disruption since the Second World War. 

Could this new wave of seismic activity lead to similar chaos?

No, because the activity is occurring beneath solid ground, not under a glacier, says Paavo Nikkola, Research Scientist at the Geological Survey of Finland GTK. 

“A volcanic ash cloud like in 2010 is not possible now,” Nikkola told Finnish broadcast organisation Yle. “Back then, the ash was generated by a large explosive eruption beneath a glacier.”

The region has experienced several eruptions in recent years, none of which affected flights,  advises a spokesperson from PLAY, a low-cost airline headquartered at Keflavik International Airport. “Iceland is no stranger to volcanic activity, with three eruptions having taken place on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the last two years and no disruption to flights. It has some of the most advanced volcanic preparedness systems in the world to safeguard the public and is well prepared for every eventuality.”

Are flights to Iceland being cancelled?

Online flight tracker flightradar24.com shows aircraft arriving and departing without interruption at Keflavík International Airport, which is 10 miles to the north-west of the eruption. 

The likes of Icelandair, easyJet and British Airways connect Keflavik, the nation’s major airline hub, with Britain – and it is a key stopover hub for transatlantic flights. It is the gateway to Reykjavik, the nation’s capital 50 minutes’ drive away.

This story was first published in November 2023 and has been revised and updated.

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A volcano could erupt in Iceland within hours, but maybe don't cancel your international flights yet

• An Icelandic volcano could erupt within hours or days, the country's Met office said.
• The small town of Grindavik has been evacuated after shifting magma caused around 1,000 earthquakes in the area.
• But that shouldn't affect your travel plans, though the Blue Lagoon may be off-limits, experts said.

There's no reason to cancel your travel plans to Iceland, despite the country warning of potentially dangerous volcanic activity happening within the next few hours or days, experts told Insider.

"If I was a tourist thinking of going to Iceland, I wouldn't think twice, I would go," Dave McGarvie, a volcanologist from the University of Lancaster who studies Iceland volcanoes, told Insider.

Iceland declared a state of emergency after an unexpected acceleration of activity at Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano near the town of Grindavik.

The small town, home to about 4,000 people, was evacuated with authorities expecting magma could erupt "within a couple of hours at the shortest, but at least within a couple of days," Vidir Reynisson, head of Iceland's Civil Protection and Emergency Management, said on Saturday .

Still, aviation is unlikely to be affected, and the country's main tourist sites should be safe to visit — though the Blue Lagoon may be affected by the nearby volcanic activity.

International lights are unlikely to get canceled

The eruption is unlikely to disrupt travel plans substantially, Andrew Hooper, a professor of Geophysics at Leeds at the University of Leeds, told Insider in an email.

"Only local aviation is likely to be affected if there is any impact at all," he said.

The news comes 13 years after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption , a large-scale eruption that shut down international flights for seven days, affecting 10 million passengers.

This was mostly due to a huge cloud of ash that blew fine particles far afield. But this is unlikely to happen in this case.

The main difference is that lava at Eyjafjallajökull blew through an ice cap, which "made the eruption more explosive than it would otherwise have been, hence the high eruption plume and very wide ash dispersal," Lionel Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Lancaster University, said in a press release shared by the UK's Science Media Center seen by Insider.

"This should not happen at Fagradalsfjall," the volcano near Grindavik, "so they will just be dealing with weakly explosive lava fountains feeding lava flow," he said.

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Even if we were expecting a large cloud of ash, the rules about flying during ash eruptions have been loosened since 2010, said McGarvie.

"In hindsight, we know that it was not necessary to completely close airspace in 2010. An identical eruption from Eyjafjallajökull in current times would only have about one-third of the flights canceled relative to 2010," he said.

Most tourist sites will be safe

Iceland visitors are unlikely to be at any risk, though you may not be able to visit the Blue Lagoon, the experts said.

Icelandic authorities will cordon off any area that could pose a risk. While an eruption could release toxic fumes, these will be closely monitored by the Icelandic Civil Protection, said Hooper.

Earthquake activity has mostly died down by now. In the capital Reykjavik, which is about 25 miles away, you may feel the odd small earthquake, said McGarvie.

The Blue Lagoon, which is about three miles away from Grindavik, had been closed in response to the heightened seismic activity and doesn't plan to reopen until at least November 16, a customer representative told Insider on the phone. The popular tourist destination's site will be regularly updated as the situation develops, the representative said.

It may be a good idea to skip the area of the Reykjanes peninsula affected by the recent unrestas the situation develops because it is still fairly unpredictable, McGarvie said.

It is always difficult to know exactly how a volcanic eruption will develop, but the latest developments in the peninsula took volcanologists by surprise, McGarvie said.

While the Reykjanes peninsula had three fairly small eruptions between 2021 and 2023, earthquake activity suddenly and unexpectedly increased on 10 November in a new area.

Scientists now think there is a 15-kilometer-long (about 9 mile-long) magma "dike," a ditch filled with molten rock, that may shift closer to the surface.

"It is not something that's ever been observed in Iceland, certainly monitored in Iceland, in the last few decades," he said.

"This is all new, so we really don't have a pattern of past activity to help us look to the future and say: this is likely to happen, this is unlikely to happen," he said.

Simply put, the best bet is to carry on with your travel plans, but check in frequently with the Icelandic Civil Protection for advice, said Hooper.

Correction — November 14, 2023: An earlier version of this story misstated how far away Reykjavik is from Grindavik. It is about 25 miles away, not 40 miles. The date at which the earthquake activity around Grindavik accelerated was also amended. It was from November 10, not mid-October. Dr. McGarvie's position was also clarified: he advises avoiding the area of the Reykjanes peninsula directly affected by the unrest, rather than the entire peninsula

Watch: This Iceland volcano erupted for the first time in 6,000 years, and it could keep erupting for decades

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Iceland Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 26, 2023, iceland - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Last Update: Reissued with updates to health information.

Exercise normal precautions in Iceland.

Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Iceland.

If you decide to travel to Iceland: 

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. 
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Iceland. 
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist . 

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Tips to travel Iceland on a budget, plus travel expert-approved gear

Where to get local deals, take a dip in a hot spring and more.

Need some summer vacation ideas that won't break the bank? "Good Morning America" is off to Iceland and packing expert tips to help create the perfect travel bucket list on a budget.

From free dips in hot springs to the stunning Seljalandsfoss waterfall, ABC News' Ashan Singh explored the Nordic island nation and shared the top ways to enjoy every stop of the trip without overspending.

"Iceland is a tremendous deal from the Boston area in particular -- flights are only about five hours in each direction -- you could take just a long weekend there and still get an action-packed trip," Eric Rosen director of travel content for The Points Guy, told "GMA."

TPG has seen deals for as low as $400 and for travelers who don't care where they're seated on the plane, some fares drop as low as $230.

When it comes to hotels, Rosen offered another simple tip, spend now on credit cards from brands like Hilton or Marriott that, once the spending threshold is reached, offer large bonus points.

"Hilton cards for instance, offer anywhere from 130 to 180,000 points typically as part of their bonus," he said. "And that's going to be good enough for two maybe even three nights at some of these hotels in Reykjavik. And that could be your whole trip right there."

Iceland activities on a budget

Get a taste of the city's culture with the Reykjavík City Card, which gives visitors access to multiple museums, art galleries, pools and even bus transportation for free.

Enjoy going home with a fashionable souvenir? Local knits are quintessentially Iceland, but with handmade sweaters priced up to $500, Singh sought out second hand store, Extraloppan to score a sweater as low as $50.

Rent a car. Singh found deals for as low as $86 a day.

Save on a more extravagant meal by finding a deal through the Dineout Iceland app, which for a small fee offers discounts all over the land of fire and ice.

Looking for a cheap and quick local bite? Try a roadside hot dog for just $4.

Visit the free National Parks and take in sights like waterfalls and geysers, but Singh suggests skipping the Blue Lagoon, which can cost $350 for a family of four, instead opt for taking a dip in a local, free hot spring.

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Iceland Mag

Latest news, the winter wonders of iceland.

Not sure if you want to travel to Iceland in the wintertime? Here are a few pictures that might help with your decision making.

Is Iceland worth visiting in winter? This is a very common question and the answer can be difficult, but the short answer is: YES. The weather can be bad - but the weather is also an experience. It changes frequently and is sometimes stormy and dark and the next minute like a winter wonderland surrounded by the northen lights. Icelanders actually have a saying: If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes. And that is no exaggeration. Just pack well and dress well and then you're fine. 

A picture is worth a thousand words, so say no more. Here we have plenty of them. 

Sometimes it can be a bit snowy. Picture/Auðunn Níelsson

They where going throw a 7 year old out of the country: The Icelandic people said no

A Pakistani couple, with a seven year old child, has been allowed to stay in Iceland after the office of Immigration withdrew the order to send them out of the country today. The were scheduled to be escorted by the police to Keflavík International Airport at 18:00 today. There they would be transported all the way to Pakistan. The child, Muhammed Zohair Faisal, talks fluent Icelandic and has never lived in Pakistan. It was  reported by Reykjavik Grapevine , that their case had been under review at the Office of Immigration for over 18 months. He has adjusted the life in Iceland like so many other children of refugees that have come to Iceland for a better life. For an example Muhammed is way ahead of his classmates in math. He loves Iceland and when he heard the news that he was going to Pakistan he got excited to see the country that his parents are from. Not knowing what the deportation would mean he asked:

„When are we coming back home to Iceland?“

A large number of Icelanders gathered at Muhammeds local school in Reykjavik, Vesturbæjarskóli, where a few of his and his family friends were going to gather to say both celebrate his birthday and sadly say their goodbyes. Although things changed pretty quickly when hundreds of people showed up along with many people for the Icelandic media. At the gathering people could sign a petition to allow the family to stay in Iceland. In the end, over 19.000 people signed it there and online.

Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Minister of Justice in Iceland, has already announced plans to shorten the waiting time for asylum seekers with children. The time would be shortened from eighteen months to sixteen. Families who seek asylum with children and have been in the country for more than sixteen months, would not be expelled. That change in the laws made by the minister meant that the family could stay in Iceland. Sigurbjörnsdóttir said she hopes that this would be only the first step in shortening the procedure of applications for asylum seekers, and that those sixteen months should be the maximum time limit.

„ We got a call about this a short time ago. The rules have been changed so that the government will not ban families from countries that have been here for more than sixteen months, “  said Valur Grettisson a friend to the family and the editor of The Reykjavik Grapevine. Muhammed had his seventh year birthday last Saturday so the announcement was probably the best birthday gift of them all.

Unusual land uplift in Reykjanes peninsula

An inflation has been detected since January 21st and is centred just west of Mt. Thorbjorn on Reykjanes peninsula.

The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police, in association with the District Commissioner in Sudurnes in Iceland, has declared an uncertainty phase due to observed unusual land uplift located in the south-west part of the Reykjanes peninsula. The Icelandic Meteorological Office has furthermore changed the aviation colour code to yellow.

The suspected cause of the uplift is an inflow of magma in the crust. At the same time a swarm of earthquakes in the region has taken place, but such earthquake swarms are not uncommon in the region.

An inflation has been detected since January 21st and is centred just west of Mt. Thorbjorn on Reykjanes peninsula. The inflation is occurring on plate boundaries and within the volcanic system of Svartsengi which is either considered a separate system or part of the Reykjanes volcanic system. The last known eruption was during Reykjanes fires, which occurred between 1210-1240 AD.

The Civil Protection Authorities and stakeholders are closely coordinating and monitoring the situation but at this stage the situation does not yet warrant the activation of the National Crisis and Coordination Centre. Community meeting will be held in the municipality of Grindavík tomorrow, Monday January 27th at 16:00 hrs local time at the local sports hall. At the meeting the civil protection authorities and scientists will give an update of the situation.

Uncertainty phase is characterized by an indication of event that could pose a health- or security threat to people, communities or the environment.

For further information follow the Civil Protection updates on Facebook  or Catalogue of Icelandic volcanos .

 An InSAR measurement (InSAR:  interferometric analysis of synthetic aperture radar images) based on satellite information showing the inflation during the period from Jan 18-24. The red colour indicates an inflation of around 15mm during the period. (Vincent Drouin, ISOR). Picture/Icelandic Meteorological Office

Possible scenarios The activity has only been ongoing for a few days and it is uncertain if it will escalate to more serious activity. Based on current information, the following scenarios are considered possible, without stating which is most likely or within what timeframe.

1. If the inflation is due to magma accumulation:

•      Magma accumulation will cease soon without further activity.

•      Magma accumulation continues for some time without further activity.

•      Magma accumulation will lead to a magma intrusion.

•      Magma accumulation will lead to magma intrusion and eruption (effusive fissure eruption).

•      Magma accumulation triggers seismic activity with larger earthquakes (up to M6.0).

2. If the inflation is not caused by magma accumulation:

•      The inflation might be linked to tectonic activity and lead to larger earthquakes (up to M6.0).

The National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police in cooperation with the Police Commisioner on Reykjanes has declared a state of uncertainty. A public community meeting will be held in Grindavík tomorrow, Monday January 27th at 4pm. There the situation will be discussed with the Department of Civil Protection, scientists and first responders. The 24/7 monitoring of the area has been increased at IMO.

Glacier tourists rescued from a blizzard: “We Clearly Made A Mistake”

39 tourists, including several children, needed to be rescued after taking a snowmobile trip to Langjökull glacier last Wednesday . Icelandic search and rescue teams responded quickly to the distress all and over 200 hundred people took part in the rescue operation. Some of the people, whom most where tourists, sustained injuries from frostbite. The youngest child in the group was 6 years old. A severe weather warning was issued long before the snowmobile tour began. Local police are now investigating the matter.

According to the Icelandic search and rescue the operation went well and there where no casualties. The weather conditions where difficult and people had to stay in the storm for several hours. A weather warning had already been issued by the Icelandic meteorological office, still the tour company continued with the planned trip.

A journalist, from the local newspaper Fréttablaðið, contacted Mountaineers of Iceland, the company responsible for the trip, to get a comment. The company said it did not wanted to comment and told the journalist to shut the hell up when he tried to ask further questions. Later the company said it clearly made a mistake by taking the tourists to the glacier in those weather conditions.

Local police in the area has already interviewed most of the survivors and the matter is now being investigated. Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir, minister for tourism in Iceland, said that the company that planed the trip was responsible, no one else.

Stoned horses got the munchies

Icelandic horses behaving bizzarrely was the beginning of an investigation by the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority a few years back. The horses shivered but had good appetite. After veterinarians requested assistance from colleagues in the US it became evident that the horses had eaten cannabis plants and were severely intoxicated.

Mia Hellsten, a veterinarian in Iceland, remembers the case,. „They were trying to find out what was wrong with the horeses. They suspected it was some kind of new neurological disorder,“ says Mia.

The symptoms included disorientation. They shivered and their walking was quite unusual. They didn‘t appear sick and had no fever.

Mia decided to contact The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) for consultation. In an open forum run by the AAEP she sent a video of the horses and a description of their symptoms.

„There were a lot of theories about neurological disorders. In the end, one of the vets told me that the horses‘ behaviour resembled that of a dog he once got into his clinic and had eaten his owner‘s marijuana cakes. We decided to drug test the horses, and the tests turned out positive for cannabis,“ Mia explains.

The case wasn‘t taken any further but it is assumed that the horses got into a pile of cannabis waste from a greenhouse in proximity of their stables. How much cannabis they ate is unknown, but it was enough to make a handful of horses quite stoned.

Mia says the horses did not bear any permanent damage.

„I remember when we were looking at this case, that we found it so strange that in spite of all the symptoms, they ate really well.“

Seems that horses also get the munchies.

Iceland‘s most beloved sports commentator opens a sports bar and names it after himself

Guðmundur Benediktsson, Iceland‘s most beloved sports commentator who became a media darling following his emotional and enthusiastic performance at the 2016 Euros, plans to open a sports bar in downtown Reykjavik in the next weeks along with investors. The bar will simply be called Gummi Ben – a nationally known nickname for Benediktsson. Icelandic news outlet frettabladid.is broke the news yesterday .

Gummi Ben is the commentator who became everyone‘s favourite TV personality when they saw his commentary on Iceland‘s win against Austria during the 2016 Euros. Iceland scored a tiebreaking goal to beat Austria‘s national team during overtime and Benediktsson‘s feelings got the best of him. The incident went viral and made headlines around the globe and was even featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert under the headline: Soccer Commentator Goes Nuts After Iceland Win. 

American television station ESPN later inserted Gummi‘s commentary to footage of legendary basketball player LeBron James‘ epic block on Golden State Warriors Andre Iguodala late in Game 7 of the NBA Finals 2016, a play that some say has defined LeBron‘s career.

The bar is set to open within the next few weeks and will become one of the many sports bars in the capital of sports-crazy Iceland.

Our boys better do well at the Euros next year!

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Tips to travel Iceland on a budget, plus travel expert-approved gear

Need some summer vacation ideas that won't break the bank? "Good Morning America" is off to Iceland and packing expert tips to help create the perfect travel bucket list on a budget.

From free dips in hot springs to the stunning Seljalandsfoss waterfall, ABC News' Ashan Singh explored the Nordic island nation and shared the top ways to enjoy every stop of the trip without overspending.

"Iceland is a tremendous deal from the Boston area in particular -- flights are only about five hours in each direction -- you could take just a long weekend there and still get an action-packed trip," Eric Rosen director of travel content for The Points Guy, told "GMA."

TPG has seen deals for as low as $400 and for travelers who don't care where they're seated on the plane, some fares drop as low as $230.

When it comes to hotels, Rosen offered another simple tip, spend now on credit cards from brands like Hilton or Marriott that, once the spending threshold is reached, offer large bonus points.

"Hilton cards for instance, offer anywhere from 130 to 180,000 points typically as part of their bonus," he said. "And that's going to be good enough for two maybe even three nights at some of these hotels in Reykjavik. And that could be your whole trip right there."

Iceland activities on a budget

Get a taste of the city's culture with the Reykjavík City Card, which gives visitors access to multiple museums, art galleries, pools and even bus transportation for free.

Enjoy going home with a fashionable souvenir? Local knits are quintessentially Iceland, but with handmade sweaters priced up to $500, Singh sought out second hand store, Extraloppan to score a sweater as low as $50.

Rent a car. Singh found deals for as low as $86 a day.

Save on a more extravagant meal by finding a deal through the Dineout Iceland app, which for a small fee offers discounts all over the land of fire and ice.

Looking for a cheap and quick local bite? Try a roadside hot dog for just $4.

Visit the free National Parks and take in sights like waterfalls and geysers, but Singh suggests skipping the Blue Lagoon, which can cost $350 for a family of four, instead opt for taking a dip in a local, free hot spring.

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Bid to secure spot for glacier in Icelandic presidential race heats up

Idea Angela Rawlings had a decade ago for Snæfellsjökull has snowballed into a full-blown campaign with a team of 50 people

Standing in the shadow of Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull, – a 700,000-year-old glacier perched on a volcano and visible to half the country’s population on any given day – in 2010, Angela Rawlings was struck by an unconventional thought.

“It suddenly just came to me. What if the glacier was president?” said Rawlings. It was a seemingly unorthodox way to push forward a movement that was already swiftly advancing; Ecuador had enshrined legal rights for nature while Māori in New Zealand were working to secure legal personhood for the Whanganui River.

More than a decade later, Rawlings’ musing has snowballed into what is perhaps the continent’s most singular presidential bid, as a team of more than 50 people scrambles to secure Snæfellsjökull a spot on the ballot in the country’s upcoming election on 1 June.

Among the first to hear the idea was Daria Testo. “I immediately was like, yup, OK. Let’s do it,” said Testo. “I come from the Indigenous lands in Siberia, and therefore personhood of nature is something that is so common to the culture and the psyche in general.”

On paper Snæfellsjökull meets all of the basic requirements: it is older than 35 years and arguably can be considered a citizen of Iceland. The need for a civil registration number was skirted after Rawlings legally took on Snæfellsjökull as a middle name, in essence allowing the campaign organiser to become a proxy for the glacier on the ballot.

Since officially launching the bid in mid-March, the team behind Snæfellsjökull has been steadily laying out their case for why the thick mass of ice is a perfect fit for a position largely seen as symbolic. “Snæfellsjökull is the one glacier in the country that actually has an international reputation,” said Rawlings, citing its role as a protagonist in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

More importantly, its candidacy would offer a means of ensuring that the climate crisis, and those most affected by it, are front and centre in the election.

“Half the population of Iceland is watching this glacier melt between 2024 and 2050,” said Rawlings, pointing to research suggesting that Iceland’s glaciers are at risk of disappearing within the next 200 years. “I’ve been personally referring to glaciers as the charismatic, geographic phenomenon of the climate emergency.”

So far, they have received a wide array of reactions to the campaign. “We are coming at this with both joy and seriousness,” said Rawlings. “I’m aware that when you first say something like ‘A glacier for president’, it seems like a comedic gesture. But then once you get through that, the conversation opens up.”

Most have been curious to hear more about their rationale rather than jumping to the conclusion that they are making a mockery of the country’s presidential office, said Rawlings. “I’ve actually been surprised by the volume of glee, let’s say, that we’ve been receiving. People are like ‘Oh my gosh, yes, best candidate to come up’ or ‘That’s the only candidate I will even consider.’”

Others have expressed hesitancy about how the idea would work in practice. The team has seized on these concerns to hash out various scenarios , explaining that a bottle of glacial meltwater could be sent when the president is invited to engagements abroad and that visiting foreign dignitaries could be redirected to meetings with local specialists in fields such as glaciology.

When it comes to the president’s often symbolic role in signing off on legislation, the ideas being weighed include using a presidential seal or a few droplets of meltwater. When it comes to legislation that would run counter to the best interests of the glacier; however, the question of whether Snæfellsjökull should exercise the president’s rarely used veto could be put to a nationwide participatory process.

Looming over the presidential bid is one other requirement for candidates: the need to collect at least 1,500 signatures in support of the nomination by 26 April. So far, Snæfellsjökull’s candidacy has gathered about 200 signatures, suggesting there is much work to be done in the coming days in order to advance the candidacy.

Regardless of what comes next for Snæfellsjökull, Rawlings described the bid as a potent “thought experiment” on how humans could seek to interact differently with the ecosystems that surround them.

“Getting on the ballot itself would be a huge step for increasing awareness around the rights of nature movements internationally,” said Rawlings. “It would set an extraordinary precedent to be considering non-human entities for these kinds of positions.”

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It can be hard to balance getting nutritious foods that make you feel good without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of  Sunna Van Kampen,  founder of Tonic Health ,  who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

The series does not aim to identify the outright healthiest option, but to help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today, we're looking at the breakfast staple - cereal. 

A sugar trap?

"Protein and good fats are what fill you up and satiate you to get your day going," Sunna says.

"Cereal unfortunately is a sugar and carb-heavy start which causes your blood sugar to spike and as a result you feel hungry way before lunch time."

A glance at the nutrition labels and you'll see the problem. 

"Some popular brands contain 35% sugar or up to 12g of sugar per 30g serving - that's already half of the daily recommended intake for children," Sunna says. 

That's before accounting for the fact that most people double up on recommended portion sizes. 

"According to research the average bowl weighs 73g rather than 30g suggested portion size - that means your child could be having their daily sugar quota for breakfast before school," Sunna says.

Healthier cereal choices

"The key to healthier cereal bowls is to ensure minimal sugar and maximum fibre - which is where options like Weetabix come to the forefront as a better option - at 4.2% sugar and 10% fibre," Sunna says. 

Among the main brands, this is hard to beat.

Frosties and Crunchy Nut don't fare well at 35% and 37% sugar respectively. Cornflakes at 8% and Coco Pops at 17% are better - but still high.

Alternative breakfasts

Greek yogurt:  "High in protein and packed with probiotics, Greek yogurt is my breakfast go to. Top it with some fresh berries and a sprinkle of seeds for an antioxidant boost."

Porridge:  "Oats are a great breakfast staple, offering a good dose of fibre, but context matters.

"It's great before a run or the gym but if you are just sitting at your desk all day it will spike your blood sugar and may be best to add more protein and fats to it. 

"Try adding peanut butter or protein powder for a more filling breakfast with more stable blood sugar."

Eggs:  "Boiled, poached, or scrambled, eggs are a protein-rich option that can keep you fuelled till lunch. Pair them with sourdough toast and you have possibly the most well-rounded value breakfast."

"Switching to these alternatives can drastically cut down your sugar intake and increase your energy levels."

We know cereal is a value-for-money and easy breakfast option, but let's have a closer look at the numbers. 

If we take the average cereal bowl at 73g, a cost per bowl looks like 50p for Crunchy Nut cereal and about 25p for the 250ml of milk that goes with it. 

"So, your daily breakfast is costing you 75p per day or £273.75 per year for the privilege of 9.3kg of sugar per year," Sunna says. 

In contrast, a typical medium free-range egg is 25p. 

Put three on a slice of sourdough (15p per slice) and an optimal breakfast has only cost you 90p a day or £328.5 a year. 

"So, you can swap over 18g of sugar every morning for over 18g of protein for just £54.75 extra per year," Sunna says. 

"A health investment, well worth the money."

However, if you want to stick with cereal - supermarket own-label brands are usually 60% cheaper than branded versions. 

Read more from this series... 

With the mortgage market proving more volatile than expected this year, and rates rising again, we're launching a feature providing an overview of the market at the end of each week - and outlining the best deals.

The independent experts at  Moneyfactscompare.co.uk  will be here every Friday. Commentary this week comes from their finance expert Rachel Springall, who has focused on the first-time buyer market...

Fixed-rate mortgages are once again on the rise, with many of the UK's biggest high-street lenders upping rates this week, including Santander, Halifax, Nationwide and NatWest. Lenders have been reacting to growing speculation that interest rates will remain higher for longer. 

Economists predict that the Bank of England will hold interest rates next Thursday but might cut base rate in the summer. Week on week, the overall average two- and five-year fixed rates rose to 5.91% and 5.49%.

This week the lowest two-year fix for first-time buyers with a 5% deposit comes from Loughborough Building Society, priced at 5.49%, which comes with a free valuation incentive and carries a £999 product fee.

First-time buyers with a 10% deposit will find the lowest two-year fixed rate offered by Clydesdale Bank, priced at 5.19%, which does not carry any incentives and charges a £1,499 product fee.

Those new buyers with a 5% deposit who want to fix for longer will find the lowest five-year fixed mortgage comes from The Co-operative Bank this week. Priced at 5.21%, this deal carries a £999 fee but borrowers get £250 in cashback and a free-valuation incentive.

Borrowers with a 10% deposit who wish to fix for five-years will find Clydesdale Bank offering the lowest rate this week priced at 4.64%, which charges a £1,499 fee but does not carry any incentives. 

As a first-time buyer, it's possible you have exhausted your savings on building up a 5% deposit and will use surplus cash to cover removal costs and legal fees. 

If you are looking to save on the upfront cost of your loan, then a Best Buy mortgage could be the most cost-effective choice.

This week one of the top packages on a two-year fixed mortgage comes from Coventry Building Society priced at 5.74% and HSBC priced at 5.79%, both of which come with a free valuation, but HSBC will also pay you £750 as cashback and Coventry Building Society will pay £500 in cashback.

A five-year fixed mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer. 

HSBC has a deal priced at 5.30% which carries a free valuation and £1,000 cashback, but if you want a lower rate, then Coventry Building Society is priced at 5.27%, and offers a free valuation and £500 cashback.

If you live in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland you don't have to pay for your NHS prescriptions - but in England they now cost £9.90 after a 25p rise this week.

Fee-free options remain in place for some, such as those who are pregnant, have certain disabilities, students or the elderly.

But if you're not exempt, there are still some means of cutting the costs of treatments.

Prepayment certificates

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) cover NHS prescriptions over a given time period, no matter how many medicines you need.

There are two options: A three-month PPC (£32.05), which will start to save you money if you buy four or more prescriptions in that period, or a 12-month PPC (£114.50), which pays off if you buy 12 or more in a year.

Ask for a larger prescription

Doctors may agree to prescribe a longer course of medicine - such as two months' worth instead of one, halving the cost.

Just ask the question - they might say yes, especially if there's no danger of overuse.

Menopause medication

The NHS offers a particular PPC for hormone replacement therapy.

It lasts for 12 months and costs £19.80.

Women can use the PCC as many times as they need within the year.

You might not need a prescription

For some ailments, there are over-the-counter options sold cheaper than their prescribed alternative. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Pint-sized bottles of wine will be allowed on UK shelves from autumn under new post-Brexit trade rules - although doubts have been raised over their demand.

Seven changes to pre-packaged wine sizes are due to come into force on 19 September.

The move to introduce the 568ml size of wine, to sit alongside 200ml and 500ml measures already available, was announced in December and hailed by ministers as a Brexit "freedom".

Pint bottles of Champagne were sold in the UK before Britain joined the European Common Market and were on shelves until 1973.

Read more here ...

JD Sports has told head office staff they must return to the office at least four days a week .

The new amendment to the hybrid working policy will be effective from 1 July and will impact employees at the retail chain's head office in Bury, Retail Gazette reports.

However, the chain will still allow flexibly depending on individual roles.

Pubs could stay open late during the Euros this summer, according to The Sun .

Home Secretary James Cleverly hinted he was looking into extending pub opening hours for the tournament on The Sun show Never Mind The Ballots.

He said: "I will certainly look into it."

We've been bringing you news of plenty of bank switch deals offering free cash these past few months, but Virgin Money has a different kind of incentive for switchers - a 12% interest rate. 

People who switch to its M Account, M Plus Account or Club M Account will be able to get bonus interest rates of 10% gross/10.47% AER (fixed). 

This is on top of the 2% gross/2.02% AER (variable) interest rate already offered on current account balances up to £1,000 - meaning customers can get an interest rate of 12%. 

No other savings accounts offer interest rates this high, and the bonus applies for a year.

TikTok will restore millions of songs to its app after settling a royalty dispute with Universal Music Group. 

Users had been unable to make videos featuring songs from the likes of Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande due to a row over how much TikTok was paying. 

The fight had led to Universal withdrawing music from some of the world's most famous singers. 

The dispute appears to have been settled as the companies announced "improved remuneration" for artists.

More than 10,500 black cab drivers in London have launched a £250m legal case against Uber. 

They accuse the app of breaking the capital's taxi booking rules and deliberately misleading authorities to secure a licence. 

Transport for London (TfL) rules state drivers cannot take bookings directly from customers and must instead use a centralised system. 

The drivers, who are being advised by law firm Mishcon de Reya, argue they have faced unfair competition from Uber and that it knowingly broke these rules. 

Uber has denied these allegations and said the claims are unfounded.

The company has faced numerous challenges in London, including refusals from TfL to renew its licence which were later successfully appealed. 

Billie Eilish fans are complaining about "outrageous" ticket prices for her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour.

The 22-year-old singer unveiled an 81-date tour programme this week, sending fans rushing to secure tickets.

But some expressed disbelief on social media at the prices.

"I know I moan about this all the time, but look at the price of Billie Eilish tickets," one fan called Marianne wrote on X, sharing a screenshot of seated tickets priced at £398.50. 

"Something seriously needs to be done about ticket prices, it's f*****g outrageous!" 

Another complained they had paid less for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, which was also criticised for high ticket prices.

A fan called Liv tagged Eilish, Live Nation and Ticketmaster, writing: "Are you ok? £145 for standing tickets is atrocious."

Thousands of people who receive government benefits, including Universal Credit, will be paid as early as tomorrow.

This is because there's a bank holiday coming up on 6 May which will affect benefits paid by both the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HMRC (they don't pay benefits on bank holidays).

A statement on the government website reads: "If your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday you'll usually be paid on the working day before. This may be different for tax credits and child benefit."

Here are the 11 different government benefits that are expected to be paid early:

• Universal credit;
• State Pension;
• Pension Credit;
• Disability Living Allowance;
• Attendance Allowance;
• Carer's Allowance;
• Child Benefit;
• Income Support;
• Jobseekers Allowance;
• Personal Independence Payment;
• Tax credits (such as Working Tax Credit)

Will your benefit payment change?

No, you'll be paid the same amount you usually receive.

Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit account.

Goldman Sachs is removing a cap on bonuses for London-based staff, paving the way for it to resume making multimillion pound payouts to its best-performing traders and dealmakers.

Sky News can exclusively reveal the Wall Street banking giant notified its UK employees today that it had decided to abolish the existing pay ratio imposed under European Union rules and which the government recently decided to scrap.

In a video message to staff, Richard Gnodde, chief executive of Goldman Sachs International, which comprises its operations outside the US, said it had decided to bring its remuneration policy in Britain in line with its operations elsewhere in the world.

"We are a global firm and to the extent possible we adopt a consistent global approach across everything we do," Mr Gnodde said in the message, which has been relayed to Sky News.

"The bonus cap rules were an important factor preventing us from being consistent in the area of compensation."

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