BODY DISCOVERED - Police have confirmed in a recent press release that the lifeless body of a man was found in a pond in Hoscheid-Dickt, in the north of the country, on the afternoon of Tuesday 18 July. The identity of the deceased has “already been determined,” the police said, without revealing it or giving any details of the circumstances surrounding the discovery. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Other investigations have been opened.
ARMY CRASH - Video footage of a collision between two cars and a vehicle belonging to the Luxembourg army have been circulating on social media. The clip, posted on TikTok, depicts all three vehicles at a standstill at a crossroads between Hosingen and Marnach. One car is shown with extensive damage to the front and back after hitting the armoured vehicle in a head-on collision, while the second car appears to have crashed into the back of the first. The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps said no one had been injured in the crash, which took place on Wednesday, just before 3pm.
AUCKLAND SHOOTING - Women’s World Cup squads in Auckland were shocked but safe after a deadly shooting near several team hotels overshadowed the opening day of the tournament. The incident, which left two victims and the gunman dead, occurred close to the hotels of reigning champions the United States, as well as the Philippines and Norway -- who play co-hosts New Zealand later in the day in the city. New Zealand’s government has said there was no broader national security threat and the tournament will go ahead as planned.
UKRAINE OPERATION - Ukraine expects its fight to regain land lost to the Russian invasion to be long and grinding, a senior presidential aide in Kyiv told AFP on Wednesday. Speaking to AFP, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak admitted progress was “slower than we want” and that “Undoubtedly, this operation will be quite difficult, long and will take quite a lot of time”. But he maintained that Ukraine seeks to regain the 1991 borders - including the territory called the Crimea peninsula - which is currently annexed by Russia.
ISRAEL INDEPENDENCE - President Isaac Herzog marked 75 years of Israeli independence on Wednesday in an address to the US Congress celebrating the country’s friendship with Washington but warning against criticism of the government seeping into anti-Semitism. During the visit, the two countries announced an agreement that allows Israeli citizens to travel visa-free to the United States for short visits, with “equal treatment” offered to American citizens entering Israel, including those living in the Palestinian territories.
NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTIONS - Netflix on Wednesday said subscriptions to the media streaming service climbed by nearly 6 million in the wake of its crackdown on password sharing. The streaming giant finished the recently ended quarter with a total of 238 million subscribers and a profit of $1.5 billion, according to an earnings release. The pickup in subscribers came as a potentially crippling writers and actors strike hits the US entertainment industry, but with analysts saying Netflix is better positioned than its rivals to weather the storm.
FOOTBALL - Today sees the start of the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The opening games see both hosts take to the field as New Zealand kick-off the tournament against Norway, with Australia taking on the Republic of Ireland later in the day. Existing World Champions, the USA, begin their tournament campaign against Vietnam this Saturday.
RUGBY - Wallabies backs Tom Wright and Reece Hodge were axed on Thursday for Australia’s two Bledisloe Cup Tests against New Zealand, as coach Eddie Jones looks to reinvigorate his flailing side. The pair paid the price for consecutive defeats to South Africa and Argentina, leaving the former England boss without a win since being parachuted into the job this year ahead of the World Cup.
Today will start with clear skies and temperatures of around 13 to 15 degrees. Cloud cover is set to increase throughout the day - bringing a risk of light showers. Afternoon temperatures are expected to peak at around 23 to 24 degrees.
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