VIRGINITY CERTIFICATES - Today in the Chamber, there will be a debate on 2 petitions that have reached the necessary threshold of 4,500 signatures. One petition calls for a ban on virginity certificates. Although Luxembourg is not on a WHO list of of countries where virginity tests are carried out, petitioners argue that there are cases of girls and young women forced by their families to take them. They demand that doctors should be prohibited by law from issuing such certificates. The second petition calls for an upgrade of the nursing assistant profession.
SUPER TICKS - As the summer months approach, so too do the various pests associated with warmer weather, including the dreaded tick. Since 2018, a new species of tick has been detected in the Grand Duchy - the Hyalomma tick. When fully engorged, a Hyalomma tick can reach 10 times the size of an average tick, and can be identified by their white- and red-ringed leg markings. Only four Hyalomma ticks have been found in the Grand Duchy. Three of the four specimens were found on horses, while the fourth was discovered on a human. Any live specimens located as part of the study will be examined at the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) for potential disease agents, as the Hyalomma tick is known to carry Crimean-Congo fever, which can be fatal to humans.
PETROL PRICE - Unleaded petrol (95)has gone up by 2.1 cents from midnight. It now costs €1.674 per litre. Diesel and super unleaded petrol remain unchanged at €1.565 and €1.811 per litre respectively.
IRAN SANCTIONS - The EU and the US have announced new sanctions against Iran, after the attack on Israel at the weekend. EU Foreign Affairs minister Josep Borrell announced tougher punitive measures yesterday after a meeting via video conference with EU foreign ministers, targeting Iran’s arms industry in particular. Shortly thereafter, Washington also announced additional sanctions against Iran targeting its missile and drone programmes.
EU foreign ministers also condemned Iran’s attacks once again and supported Israel’s right to self-defence, according to Josep Borrell. Luxembourg’s chief diplomat Xavier Bettel said in a press release that he would call for de-escalation in the extremely tense situation and urge all parties to refrain. A bigger war in the region should be prevented at all costs, it would not be in anyone’s interest, according to the Foreign Minister. He added the protection of civilians should be the first priority, which is why an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of the hostages is essential.
Sanctions against Iran and the situation in the Middle East is also a topic today and tomorrow at an informal EU summit in Brussels. The heads of state and government will also discuss the economy and competitiveness, Ukraine and relations with Turkey.
G7 MEETING - The G7 states are also discussing a diplomatic response to Iran today, which is meeting on the Italian island of Capri. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak advised his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call yesterday, to keep a clear head, and assured the support of Great Britain.
UN PALESTINE - The UN Security Council will vote on whether Palestine should be accepted as a full member. This is reported by the French news agency AFP and refers to diplomatic sources. The Palestinians relaunched a membership application, first made in 2011, at the beginning of April. It would be a historic step, but the United States, which has the right of veto, has already spoken out against it.
FOOTBALL - Starting with football’s Champion’s League, the first semi-final will be Borussia Dortmund against Paris St. German. Paris Saint Germain won 4-1 against FC Barcelona and Dortmund prevailed at home 4-2 against Atletico and is in the semi-finals for the first time since 2013. The match is on May 1 in Paris. The remaining quarter-finals are tonight, Manchester City against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich against Arsenal. You can watch this match on RTL Today at 9pm with an English live ticker.
In national football, the semi-finals in the Women’s Cup are tonight. Racing is playing Bettembourg. And Ell is playing Entente Wormeldange. Kick off is at 8pm.
It has been confirmed that the Luxembourg national football team will compete against France on 5 June at the Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz. And on the 8 June, the Red Lions are scheduled to play against Belgium in Brussels. Details regarding the exact timing of the matches and ticket availability have yet to be disclosed.
And the Luxembourg national football team has revealed its latest home kit, showcasing the emblematic Red Lion as its centrepiece. The colours of the Luxembourg flag adorn the sleeve cuffs and the back of the jersey. Football enthusiasts eager to sport the new kit can pre-order it starting from 12 noon on Thursday.
TENNIS - Rafael Nadal made light work of Flavio Cobolli on a triumphant return from injury at the Barcelona Open yesterday. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had not played an ATP Tour match since January but dispatched the Italian 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 25 minutes to reach the second round.
We can expect more of the usual rainfall, as temperatures remain chilly and not at all spring-like. As the day wears on, the chance of rain diminishes, but expect reasonably strong winds throughout the afternoon. And just for fun, we can’t rule out the odd storm as evening sets in. Temperatures start off cold at 3-5°C in the morning, rising no higher than 7-9°C in the afternoon.
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