Here are five things you should know at the end of this week:
The National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC) has published a new report outlining the Grand Duchy’s biggest employers in 2023.
Top ten - The national railway company network (CFL) employed a total of 4,790 people as of 1 January 2023. In second place was online retail giant Amazon with 4,570 staff members, up from fifth place in 2022. The Post group moved down a spot into third place this year with 4,500 employees.
The top five were rounded out with cleaning firm Dussmann (4,460 staff members) and supermarket chain Cactus (4,290).
BNP Paribas remained at the number six spot with 3,970 staff members. ArcelorMittal counted 3,450 employees, bringing the steel company to seventh place. Goodyear Dunlop tyres (3,540) and PwC (3,310) join in at eighth and ninth places respectively.
And finally, Luxembourg’s flagship airline Luxair employed 2,970 people, retaining its tenth spot on the list.
Almost 1,700 police officers are to be equipped with body cams in the future after MPs approved the law on Wednesday.
The governing coalition voted in favour while opposition parties CSV, ADR, and the Pirate Party opted to abstain and the Left voted against it.
The decision on when to activate the camera will lie with the police officer, who is further required to announce its use unless doing so might be counterproductive to the situation at hand.
Aim - Body cams allow police officers to record their operations and are said to provide enhanced protection for both the officers and citizens involved. The implementation of body cams is aimed at fostering prevention and facilitating potential de-escalation in various situations.
It will take some time before the body cameras can be put into practice. Now that the law has been successfully passed, authorities can proceed with the tendering process to acquire the necessary equipment.
A budget of €6 million, distributed over five years, has been allocated for the procurement of the cameras.
Specialised training - Officers will undergo specialised training, and a review will be conducted after two years of usage.
The Ministry of Health unveiled a new comprehensive national mental health plan for Luxembourg on Tuesday.
The National Mental Health Plan (PNSM) focuses on enhancing the mental well-being of Luxembourg’s residents, preventing mental health issues, and ensuring access to treatments.
The overarching goal of the plan is not only to provide high-quality treatment but also to promote awareness and understanding of mental health throughout society.
Care and prevention - The PNSM is designed to improve mental health conditions in Luxembourg and offer support to vulnerable individuals, with an emphasis on prevention.
By creating opportunities for early detection and intervention, the plan aims to empower affected individuals to reintegrate into society, be it through employment or assisted living.Beyond healthcare -
Minister of Health Paulette Lenert presented the plan, highlighting its significant objectives to address the impact of mental illnesses that affect approximately one in eight people globally.Lenert stressed that mental health awareness and support would extend beyond the healthcare sector. The plan intends to incorporate various initiatives, such as educational programmes in schools and workplace-based courses, to promote mental health literacy and recognition of mental health challenges.
Russia refused to extend a deal on Monday to allow Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, sparking outrage from the United Nations, which warned millions of the world’s poorest would “pay the price”.
The Kremlin said it was exiting the deal after months of complaining that elements allowing the export of Russian food and fertilisers had not been honoured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine was prepared to keep exporting grain via the Black Sea despite Russia’s exit.
Immediate effect - Moscow’s invasion last year saw Ukraine’s Black Sea ports blocked by warships until the agreement, brokered by the UN and Turkey and signed in July 2022, allowed for the passage of critical grain shipments.
“The grain deal has ended. As soon as the Russian part (of the agreements) are fulfilled, the Russian side will immediately return,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
‘Weaponising food’ - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Moscow’s move would “strike a blow to people in need everywhere”.
“Hundreds of millions of people face hunger and consumers are confronting a global cost-of-living crisis. They will pay the price,” he told reporters.
EU chief Ursula von der Leyen condemned Moscow’s “cynical” decision, while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia’s “unconscionable” action was “weaponising food”.
The deal has helped the UN World Food Programme bring relief to countries facing critical food shortages such as Afghanistan, Sudan and Yemen.
Britain’s ruling Conservatives on Friday held the former seat of ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
However, they saw hefty majorities in two other seats blown away as scandals and high inflation took their toll.
Rishi Sunak was expected to become the first prime minister to lose three parliamentary seats on one day, but was spared that humiliation due to a narrow victory in the west London seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Triggered by Johnson resignation - The Uxbridge and South Ruislip contest was triggered after the scandal-tarred Johnson resigned as an MP last month.
He quit after learning that a cross-party parliamentary committee had concluded he deliberately lied to lawmakers about lockdown-breaking parties during the Covid pandemic, and recommended a 90-day suspension.Hammer blows -
While that result may have offered the embattled Sunak some relief, the wiping out of his party’s 19,000 majority in the Somerton and Frome seat and its 20,000 majority in the Selby and Ainsty constituency will come as hammer blows ahead of an expected general election next year.Labour on the rise - The main opposition Labour party are currently enjoying double-digit poll leads and are poised to retake power for the first time in over a decade.
It has now won six by-elections since March last year, with two of those seats captured from the Tories.
Business & Tech - Spain’s competition watchdog said Tuesday it has slapped US tech giants Amazon and Apple with fines totalling €194 million ($218 million) for collusion in the sale of products.
Science & Environment - Although Germany has made strides in expanding its onshore wind power capabilities this year, a sector study found that the country needs to pick up the pace to meet key targets for the decade.
Entertainment -Taylor Swift now has more number one albums than any other female artist in history following the recent release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” Billboard said Monday.
Travel - Luxembourg-based airport shuttle bus company Flibco is restarting daily operations between Luxembourg and Charleroi Airport from 29 October.
Soft mobility - Minister Bausch acknowledged in a parliamentary response that since 2018, just over 73 kilometres of cycle paths have been completed, falling short of the ambitious 430-kilometre target set for this legislative period.https://today.rtl.lu/news/world/a/2066108.html
Crackdown - In a significant move to bolster protection against sexual abuse, the Chamber of Deputies granted approval for the modernisation of Luxembourg’s criminal law on Wednesday.
Your Weekly Recap is published every Friday at noon. Read earlier versions.
