INFLATION DOWN - The annual inflation rate has fallen from 4.3% to 3.6%. According to STATEC, seasonal effects have caused the drop.
CREDIT SUISSE STAFF - Crédit Suisse staff in Luxembourg are ‘very anxious’ due to the takeover by UBS. Crédit Suisse employs 400 workers in Luxembourg, while UBS employs approximately 550. They have been guaranteed “business as usual” as long as the takeover was not completed. The takeover is expected to be completed before the end of the year. However, management has yet to comment on the actual impact of the merger of two major banks with similar business areas.
BIRD FLU - Good news on the bird flu outbreak in Luxembourg – the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the special measures will be lifted on the 10 April, due to the favourable evolution of the avian influenza situation. However, because there is still some degree of risk, biosecurity rules in poultry flocks must be strictly followed.
FIRE CAUSE - It is exactly four months since a child lost their life in a devastating house fire in Kayl today. According to information obtained by RTL, an interim report on the incident is now available. This report allegedly indicates that human error was the cause of the fire on 6 December 2022. Specifically, the report is said to suggest that someone neglected to switch off the gas in their kitchen.
APRIL SALARY - Your April salary could be lower than in March. The triggering of the indexation and the end of the energy tax credit could negatively affect wages and pensions this April. The energy tax credit was introduced by the government last summer but expired at the end of March. Since April 1, it has been replaced by the indexation, which depending on your tax profile could make your net April wage a few euros lower. For those with a higher salary or pension, the effect is the opposite.
EU CHINA - French and EU leaders are in China seeking to make Europe’s case for bringing an end to the conflict in Ukraine in a meeting with President Xi Jinping. French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen intend to persuade China to use its influence over Moscow, by helping achieve peace in Ukraine. While China has called for a peaceful resolution to the war, it has stayed clear of condemning Russia’s invasion.
FRANCE PROTESTS - France is bracing for another day of protests and strikes to denounce President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform after talks between the government and unions ended in deadlock.There have been signs that the two-and-a-half month protest movement is starting to lose some momentum and unions will be hoping for a mass turnout on the 11th day of action since January. All sides in the standoff are awaiting the verdict on April 14 over the reform from France’s Constitutional Council, which has the power to strike out some or even all of the legislation.
POLAND JETS - Poland’s President Andrzej Duda told Ukrainian President Zelensky on an official state visit to Warsaw yesterday, that Poland could send all its MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine “in the future”, having already pledged 14 planes to Kyiv. Poland has been a close ally of Ukraine and played a major role in galvanizing Western military and political support for Kyiv.
BAVARIA MURDER - A ten-year-old girl has been found dead in a child and youth care facility in Wunsiedel, Bavaria. The police and the public prosecutor’s office assume that the girl was murdered. There were reports suspecting three underage boys of the murder, but when asked by AFP the investigators could not confirm the allegations.
BERLUSCONI HOSPITAL - Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been hospitalised and is in intensive care. Italian news agency Ansa said he was admitted early Wednesday and that his current condition was “stable”.
GOLF MASTERS - Scottie Scheffler will launch his bid to become just the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters today, when the 87th edition of the tournament gets under way at Augusta National. The American world number one is the bookmaker’s favorite to slip into the famous green jacket when the four rounds are complete on Sunday evening. Meanwhile last year’s runner-up, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, is hoping to finally complete his career Grand Slam with a long-awaited Masters triumph.
FOOTBALL - Nantes have reached a second straight French Cup final as Ludovic Blas’ brilliant goal gave the holders a 1-0 last-four victory over Lyon on Wednesday. The team has booked a place in the April 29 showpiece at the Stade de France against either Toulouse or second-tier Annecy.
Karim Benzema struck a hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Barcelona 4-0 to reach the Copa del Rey final, progressing 4-1 on aggregate. They will meet Osasuna in the final on May 6.
And in the German cup, Holders RB Leipzig kept their hopes of a second straight German Cup title alive, winning 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund to reach the semi-finals on Wednesday. Stuttgart and Leipzig join Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt in the semis.
Well the sun was great while it lasted, welcome back the clouds and rain. Today will start off dry with a heavy helping of clouds and the rain is set to settle in during the afternoon and continue throughout the evening. Good news though, it’s looking like the rain won’t stick around for the weekend! Today starts off rather chilly at -1 to 2 °C, rising to highs of 5 to 8 °C in the afternoon.
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