Frieden reacts to France government collapse, electricity price surge in January and fire victim dies

Luxembourg 

FRANCE REACTION - The recent toppling of the French government has led Prime Minister Luc Frieden to lament that Luxembourg is "the only stable country" left in the Greater Region. Prime Minister Luc Frieden regrets that "none of the three neighbouring countries, Belgium, France and Germany, currently has a functioning government. In an interview with our colleagues from RTL.lu, the Prime Minister described the fall of the French government triggered by a no-confidence vote on Wednesday as "bad news for France, bad news for Europe, and bad news for Luxembourg."

ELECTRICITY SUBSIDIES - The government is reducing electricity price subsidies on 1 January 2025. Electricity will then become a good deal more expensive for Luxembourg residents. For an apartment with average consumption, costs will rise from 490 to 590 euros a year. For a single-family home, the expenditure will increase from 880 euros to 1150 euros - a difference of over 30 percent.

FIRE VICTIM DIES - A woman who was seriously injured in a house fire in Esch-sur-Alzette has died from her injuries. In the early morning of 27 November, a fire broke out in a house on Rue Victor Hugo. The emergency services quickly battled the flames and evacuated neighbouring buildings to minimise the danger to the residents. However, one resident of the house was seriously injured in the fire and was hospitalised and despite medical treatment she succumbed to her injuries yesterday. According to the police, an investigation into the exact cause of death has been launched.

LAW ENFORCEMENT - A majority of MPs in Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies have passed the transposition into national law of the revised Schengen Information System, which is expected to improve cooperation between police and judicial authorities, including data exchange between them. The law regulates access to each database and determines which authorities are competent to issue alerts.

World

FRANCE POLITICS - France’s President Emmanuel Macron has rejected calls to stand down following the collapse of his government. In a televised address Macron said he would not quit before completing his presidential term in 2027 and that he would appoint a new prime minister after Michel Barnier was ousted. Macron is hoping to distract journalists and the French people this weekend with the grand opening of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, which has been restored at great expense. Donald Trump is expected to attend the opening ceremony.

AUSTRALIA SYNAGOGUE FIRE - Mask-wearing arsonists set a synagogue ablaze in a pre-dawn attack today in the Australian city of Melbourne, sparking widespread condemnation. The fire broke out at 4:10 am (1710 GMT) in the Adass Israel Synagogue when some congregants were already inside, police said, gutting much of the building in the southeast Melbourne suburb of Ripponlea.No serious injuries were reported.

SYRIA WAR - Rebels in Syria have captured the city of Hama from government forces. The group captured Aleppo last week and say they are ready to head further south toward the next major city Homs. It is seen as a major setback for President Assad, who in the past relied on Russia and Iran to crush the opposition in Syria.
 
SOUTH KOREA POLITICS - The head of South Korea’s governing party has urged the swift removal from power of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who caused outrage earlier this week by declaring martial law. The governing party had earlier said it would not seek the president’s impeachment but Han Dong-hoon said he now believed the suspension was necessary.

Sport

DRESSAGE - Three-time Olympic dressage gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin has been banned for a year following a horse-whipping controversy that led to her withdrawal from the Paris Games. The British rider has also been fined 10,000 Swiss francs and is now sidelined from all competition until July next year.
 
FORMULA 1 - This weekend Lewis Hamilton bids farewell to Mercedes, the team that carried him to six world titles, as his future outfit Ferrari seek to win a first constructors' crown in 16 years. Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the end of an era as Hamilton concludes a remarkable 12-year spell with the Silver Arrows and a 26-year association with the Mercedes brand.

FOOTBALL - Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will kick off FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup when the Major League Soccer side take on Egypt's Al Ahly in the June 15 opener, the draw for the tournament revealed on Thursday. Messi's former Barcelona team-mate, Brazilian Neymar, will have a reunion with La Liga rivals and European champions Real Madrid in Group H. Twelve European clubs will feature in the tournament with Manchester City facing Juventus in Group G of a tournament which FIFA president Gianni Infantino said would "start a new era in club football".
Paris Saint-Germain were drawn in a tough group with Atletico Madrid, Copa Libertadores winners Botafogo of Brazil and Seattle Sounders.

Weather

It’s another cold and cloudy day with a low-pressure area coming from Scotland determining the weather, bringing us rain for most of the day. Tonight, we have a cold front moving in, so the weekend is likely to be colder but not bringing snow, just more intense rainshowers along with strong wind gusts. 
Temperature-wise we can expect 3-5 degrees this morning, rising slightly to 4-6 degrees in the afternoon.

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