FRIEDEN HUNGARY & MOLDOVA – Prime Minister Luc Frieden is on a working visit to Hungary and Moldova today and tomorrow. He is meeting Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban in Budapest today. Hungary holds the EU presidency until the end of the year. Tomorrow there will be a meeting with the Moldovan head of government. Moldova has been an official EU accession candidate for two years.
GENDER PENSION GAP – According to the EU Commission’s recent pension adequacy report, Luxembourg has one of the largest gender pension gaps in Europe, surpassed only by Malta and the Netherlands. This gap primarily impacts current retirees, many of whom belong to generations of women who often worked part-time or left the workforce to care for children, leading to them being disadvantaged compared to men.
MISSING PERSON – The police are reporting that a 34-year-old man is missing. Naby Twimumu was last seen on Monday around 10am near the Luxembourg City train station. He is black, has a beard, and short hair. He was last seen wearing ripped jeans and a black and green T-shirt. Please contact the police on 113 with any information.
CATTENOM EXTENSION – Luxembourg has reaffirmed its opposition to extending the operational life of the Cattenom nuclear power plant on the French border. The government remains concerned that the plant’s operator, EDF, has not adequately addressed all safety issues, such as improving emergency management plans.
POPE VISIT – With Pope Francis’ visit to Luxembourg just around the corner, organisers have announced that ticket holders for the Notre-Dame Cathedral event will undergo security screenings similar to those at airports. According to Vicar General Patrick Muller, the 650 people who have been awarded tickets to see the pope at the service will need to pass through metal detectors, some three hours ahead of the mass.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – The head of the UN has criticised an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza, which killed six members of the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency, UNWRA. Antonio Guterres said the attack on a school was unacceptable. Israel says it was targeting Hamas.
LA FIRES – A wildfire ravaging the hills near Los Angeles had swelled in size by over 1,000 percent by Wednesday, torching dozens of homes and prompting a state of emergency. The Bridge Fire is one of three out-of-control blazes that have erupted around the United States’ second-biggest city, fuelled by a punishing heat wave and fanned by gusting winds.
SPACEWALK – Space X’s Polaris Dawn crew is set to make history today with the first-ever spacewalk by non-professional astronauts. The amateur astronauts will leave the spaceship for around 15–20 minutes each.
VIDEO GAMES – European consumer rights groups have accused some of the world’s biggest video game companies of deliberately tricking players into spending more money. The group has filed a complaint with the European Commission, accusing industry giants behind games like Fortnite and Minecraft of manipulating players, particularly children, into overspending on in-game virtual currencies.
INTEREST RATES – The European Central Bank is expected to lower interest rates today, marking its second reduction this year. Economists are forecasting a drop of a quarter of a percent.
ALBERTO FUJIMORI DIES – Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who was both praised for his fight against insurgents and condemned for human rights abuses during his rule, has died at age 86 after a battle with cancer.
FOOTBALL – Former England manager Gareth Southgate said yesterday he was in no rush to return to management and could even step away from football for his next job. Southgate resigned as boss of the Three Lions in July, ending an eight-year reign, shortly after a defeat by Spain in the final of Euro 2024. The 54-year-old has been linked as a potential successor to under-fire Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag, but he shot down the possibility of a quick return to the dugout.
FORMULA 1 – Max Verstappen will look for an improved personal and team performance this weekend when Red Bull seek to stay on top at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. After a run of six races without a win that has coincided with the revival of his rivals, the Dutchman arrives in Baku with a 62-point lead in the drivers’ championship ahead of Lando Norris. His team’s advantage ahead of McLaren has also been trimmed to only eight points.
RUGBY – Britain’s King Charles has thanked the New Zealand women’s rugby team for a healing hug he received during a reception at Buckingham Palace. The Black Ferns are in the UK to take on England’s Red Roses at Twickenham at the weekend. The King made the squad laugh during an impromptu speech, when he said that the warm hug had been very healing.
Foggy mornings – and evenings – are back on the menu, a sure sign that slowly but surely, summer is coming to an end. After the morning mist clears up, the weather should remain dry for the most part. Alas, the afternoon comes and with it the possibility of rain. The temperature has really taken a dive: 5–7°C in the morning, reaching up to 13–15°C by the afternoon.
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