DEFENCE SPENDING – Defence Minister Yuriko Backes is expected to present the country’s increased spending plans on defence this afternoon. In his State of the Nation address earlier in the week, Prime Minister Luc Frieden announced that the country will increase its defence spending to €1.2 billion by the end of 2025, five years earlier than originally planned.
Meanwhile Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel reaffirmed Luxembourg’s defence spending goals at a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Antalya in Turkey. He said that Luxembourg remains on track to meet its goal of allocating 2% of its Gross National Income (GNI) to defence by the end of the year.
PENSION REFORM – Prime Minister Luc Frieden has confirmed that Luxembourg’s upcoming pension reform will extend to public sector employees and gradually increase the effective retirement age, but the legal retirement threshold of 65 and current provisions for parental and study years will remain unchanged. Frieden emphasised that the upcoming reform will respect the historical process and assured that current pensioners and those nearing retirement will not be affected.
DIEKIRCH STABBING – According to the Diekirch public prosecutor’s office, a 15-year-old boy has been arrested after allegedly stabbing his mother during the night of 13 to 14 May, with both later hospitalised. The minor has been placed in pre-trial detention due to the seriousness of the case. The investigation is ongoing, and the principle of the presumption of innocence applies.
NEW SPIDER – The Luxembourg National Museum of Natural History has confirmed the presence of a new spider species in the country’s fauna: Saitis barbipes, a type of jumping spider typically native to the Mediterranean region. According to the museum, the unusual find reflects the growing impact of climate change on local biodiversity.
RUSSIA UKRAINE TALKS – The United States has said it does not have high expectations for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey, though there will be another effort to bring the delegations together today. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said there would be no breakthrough until President Trump met face-to-face with Vladimir Putin. Rubio also said the Trump administration is troubled by the humanitarian situation in Gaza, reeling under a total Israeli blockade. He spoke as over 100 Palestinians were reported killed in Israeli airstrikes.
ESC – Luxembourg has qualified for the Eurovision final on Saturday. An amazing night of performances saw our very own Laura Thorn go through to the final with her song La Poupee monte le son. Fans in Schifflange are gearing up for a four-day celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest this weekend, with public screenings, live entertainment, and special workshops honouring hometown star Laura.
If you prefer to watch Luxembourg’s entry on Saturday from the comfort of your couch, you can watch the livestream on RTL Today with English commentary from 9pm by Today Radio‘s Meredith Moss and Sarah Tapp.
FOOTBALL – Barcelona have wrapped up their 28th Spanish title with a 2-0 win at Espanyol to complete a domestic treble, following Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup victories. Barcelona will celebrate their title triumph with a bus parade later today.
History beckons for Crystal Palace at Wembley in Saturday’s FA Cup final as Manchester City have one final shot at avoiding a rare trophyless season under Pep Guardiola.
TENNIS – In tennis, Jannik Sinner has marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. Carlos Alcaraz will contest the other semi-final with Lorenzo Musetti this afternoon, with the blockbuster final tennis fans wanted still on. In the women’s contest, Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s final. American Gauff will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in Saturday’s title match.
CYCLING – Australian Kaden Groves sprinted to victory in the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia in Naples yesterday, while Mads Pedersen remained in the pink leader’s jersey after the race had been neutralised following a mass crash in heavy rain that forced Groves’ compatriot Jai Hindley to withdraw. Today’s seventh stage is a mountainous 168km ride, which includes three testing climbs.
The sun’s going to be out all day, making it a lovely day at the end of the week. We’ll have a really pleasant time with the minimum temperature going around 9–11°C, and the max hitting 19°C. And we’re expecting the next few days to stay within that range, so there’s a lot of weekend-enjoying to be had around the Grand Duchy!
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