The Environment Agency of Iceland has conceded to the Westman Islands council’s claim that it should not have to pay the daily fines charged by the agency for inadequate pollution controls at the town’s waste incinerator and hot water plant. Read the full story

As strange is it sounds, there is no usable geothermal hot water for residents on Iceland’s volcanic island of Heimaey. After the famous volcanic eruption on the island in 1973 returning evacuees were able to set up geothermal space heating for their homes from the hot lava — but that time is long over. The lava heat plant was decommissioned in 1988 after the ground went cold. Read the full story

The trouble-hit Landeyjahofn harbour, built to shorten trips between the Westman Islands and the Icelandic mainland, was built in the wrong place, according to the director of the Coastguard service. Read the full story

Iceland’s brand new Landeyjahofn harbour, built for the Westman Islands ferry, continues to cause expensive headaches. Read the full story

Herjolfur, the ferry between the Westman Islands and mainland Iceland, can no longer sail to the brand new, specially constructed Landeyjahofn Harbour, according to the boat’s captain. The harbour is too shallow due to accretion of sand and volcanic ash. Read the full story

Visitors to the annual celebration in the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) this weekend report an excellent atmosphere and little trouble. More than 13 thousand people took to the islands via plane, helicopter, or ferry to enjoy the festivities, concerts, and other events as well as camping and partying. Police and security personnel reported that this year’s festivities had gone very well with very few incidents. Read the full story

Possibly one of the largest festivals in Iceland, at least the most exciting one, takes place this weekend. The festival is called in Icelandic, Verslunarmannahelgi. This can translate roughly to Labor Day Weekend or Tradesmen’s Weekend. So how does the nation of Iceland celebrate this holiday? Read the full story

A great number of foreigners have been taking interest in an Icelandic sport of Swamp Soccer or Swampball, better known as Mýrarbolti. A Czech photographer, David Bernard, visited the event in Iceland and has taken photos of this traditional sport being played. His photo album was posted on the Canon website. Read the full story

The puffin population in Iceland’s Westman Islands has fallen so dramatically over recent years that the species will likely be put on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) watch list. Read the full story