BONNEVOIE STABBING TRIAL – The trial surrounding the death of an 18-year-old man four years ago in Bonnevoie starts today. Two men, who were only 15 and 17 years old at the time of the crime, are accused of fatally stabbing the victim, then a student at the Bonnevoie secondary school, and have been charged with manslaughter and bodily harm. The death of the teenager provoked numerous political reactions at the time, both at local and national level. Some criticised the influence of social networks such as Snapchat, while others highlighted the psychological impact of lockdowns on young people.
DEFENCE SPENDING – Defence Minister Yuriko Backes has questioned the increase in defence investments. Currently, Luxembourg has confirmed that 2% of GNI will be spent on defence by the end of the year. But at the NATO summit at the end of this month, countries will discuss how much to invest in defence. First talks have revealed numbers up to 5% of the GDP, which Backes said would be an enormous sum for the Grand Duchy. Speaking during the World Expo in Japan, she added it is crucial to know when these sums would have to be available.
HOUSING AID – The tax measures to strengthen the construction and housing market will not be extended after 30 June. Minister of Finance Gilles Roth announced that contracts for buying a property need to be registered by that date. Afterwards, owners have until the end of September to register the correct deed. Roth said the deadline was necessary to not to break the current momentum, and for as many people as possible to benefit from the tax measures.
TURKEY EARTHQUAKE – A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Marmaris area of southwestern Turkey early this morning. There were no initial reports of buildings destroyed in residential areas, but a 14-year-old girl in the resort town of Fethiye died after having a panic attack, according to the Interior Minister
UKRAINE WAR – Ukraine wants President Trump to impose further sanctions on Russia after direct talks in Turkey on Monday failed to lead a ceasefire agreement. President Zelensky has rejected Moscow’s demands that Ukraine withdraw from four regions that Russia partly occupies. Ukrainian shelling and drone strikes have caused major power outages in Russian occupied Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Russia-installed officials said the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was unaffected, with radiation levels remaining normal.
GERMANY MIGRATION – The new German government says it will continue its policy of turning asylum seekers away at its borders, despite a court ruling against the practice. The court decision follows an appeal made by three Somali nationals who encountered an immigration check at a train station at Frankfurt an der Oder on the Polish border. Despite claiming asylum in Germany, they were sent back to Poland the same day.
SOUTH KOREA ELECTIONS – South Koreans are voting today for a new president, capping six months of political upheaval following ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol’s disastrous declaration of martial law. All major polls have put liberal Lee Jae-myung well ahead, with the latest Gallup survey showing 49% of respondents viewed him as the best candidate.
GAZA WAR – UN chief Antonio Guterres has called for an independent investigation into the killing of dozens of Palestinians near a US-backed aid centre in Gaza after rescuers blamed the deaths on Israeli fire and the military denied any involvement. Gaza’s civil defence agency said Israeli gunfire killed at least 31 people and wounded 176 near the aid distribution site in the southern city of Rafah.
ETNA ERUPTION – Italy’s Mount Etna erupted dramatically yesterday, sending a massive plume of ash and rock into the sky as authorities warned the volcano’s heightened activity could continue for weeks.
TENNIS – Carlos Alcaraz expects a stiff challenge from Tommy Paul in the French Open quarter-finals today. If Alcaraz gets past Paul he will meet the winner of today’s other men’s quarter-final between Italian Lorenzo Musetti and Frances Tiafoe. In the women’s title, Iga Swiatek Is playing Elina Svitolina and world number one Aryna Sabalenka is on a revenge mission against Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen after losing to the Chinese star in Rome recently.
FOOTBALL – In the Women’s Football Nations League, today could be a historic day for Luxembourg. The national team is playing their last match of the current campaign in Kazakhstan at 7pm. After the 2-0 victory against Armenia on Friday, the women’s team needs a draw today to advance from the C-League as group winners. The match will be streamed live on rtl.lu.
The weather is keeping us on our toes. We have a beautiful start to the day, followed by a mixture of sun, cloud, and rain in the afternoon. Temperatures remain very pleasant – we can expect 7–10°C in the morning, rising to a maximum of 24°C in the afternoon.
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