STORM PIA - Storms are expected around the North and Baltic Seas for the next two days, which will also be felt in Luxembourg. The Netherlands has already reacted and announced that around 200 flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport will be cancelled due to Storm Pia.
Passengers should prepare for a lot of delays. Wind gusts of up to 90 kilometers an hour are expected. There are similar warnings from the German weather service, which has forecast storms for the next two days, and Luxembourg’s Meteolux, which has issued a yellow alert for the whole country from 12 o’clock today for strong winds.
TAX BILL - The Chamber of Deputies has formally approved the promised tax cuts for 2024. As of 1 January, Luxembourg workers and retirees will see an average tax cut of 10%. First developed by the Bettel government during the tripartite meeting earlier this year, this adaptation of the scale was improved by the new Frieden government yesterday. The package is expected to cost the government €480 million.
INTEREST RATES - The National statistics office STATEC said in its latest estimate that a drop in interest rates for mortgages could be on the horizon, offering some relief to borrowers. Variable rates for new mortgages in Luxembourg have been steadily rising and currently stand at 4.7%. STATEC suggests that the worst may be behind us, saying that inflation in Europe turned out to be “lower than expected.
UNEMPLOYMENT UP - The national employment agency ADEM has revealed a marked rise in unemployment in the Grand Duchy. 17,439 job seekers were registered with ADEM as of the 30 November. Compared to this time last year, this represents an increase of over 19%.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - The Hamas-run government in Gaza has said at least 20,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the war with Israel began. The UN Security Council has further postponed a meeting to discuss calls for “urgent humanitarian pauses” in Gaza. And talks between Hamas and Egyptian negotiators have ended without results after Hamas insisted there could be no new prisoner exchange before a final ceasefire.
FRANCE IMMIGRATION - French President Emmanuel Macron has defended a new immigration law that has split his party and sparked the resignation of his health minister, calling it a necessary “shield”. In a television broadcast last night, he said that France has “an immigration problem” and the law is needed to reduce illegal immigration but also facilitate the integration of documented arrivals.
ARGENTINA MILEI - Argentina’s new leader Javier Milei has unveiled a series of measures to deregulate the country’s struggling economy, eliminating or changing more than 300 rules via presidential decree, including on rent and labor practices. Milei, who was elected last month and took office 10 days ago, has pledged to curb inflation, but warned that economic “shock” treatment is the only solution and that the situation will get worse before it improves.
FOOTBALL - Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris Saint-Germain beat Metz 3-1 in Ligue 1 to reach the halfway stage of the season five points clear at the top of the table.
In England, Liverpool destroyed West Ham 5-1 to set up a League Cup semi-final against Fulham, easing the frustration of their weekend Premier League stalemate against Manchester United.
And in the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt beat Moenchengladbach 2-1, Leverkusen beat Bochum 4-0 and Bayern beat Wolfsburg 2-1.
Former Germany forward Max Kruse has announced his retirement from football. The 35-year-old most recently turned out for second-division side Paderborn but only played 194 minutes in an injury-hit time with the club. Kruse played 14 times for Germany, scoring four times.
Paul Pogba’s anti-doping hearing has been moved from January 18 to an unspecified date. According to AFP sources, Italy’s anti-doping tribunal accepted a demand from the Juventus midfielder’s lawyers.The France and former Manchester United playmaker faces a potentially lengthy ban following the hearing in Rome.
It’s going to be rainy and overcast, with strong winds expected from late morning, especially in the north of the country. Gusts could reach up to 70 km/h.Morning temperatures will start a little warmer at 6-8°C in the morning, climbing to 7-9°C in the afternoon.
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