STATE OF THE NATION – Prime Minister Luc Frieden is delivering his second State of the Nation address in parliament this afternoon. He is expected to address the fight against poverty and the future of pensions, as well as taking stock of his first year in office and his government’s priorities for the next year.
MURDER TRIAL – Three years after the body of a woman was found in the basement of an Italian restaurant in Kirchberg, the murder trial begins today. Three men are accused, two of whom are in pre-trial detention. They are said to have brutally assaulted the woman before killing her in the basement, where the restaurant’s safe was located. The body was found the next day. It is thought they took around €3,000 in cash from the premises. A third man is said to have given the two access. The three men were arrested by the police in the city a week and a half later. The trial is set for three days of hearings.
LSAP GAZA – The Luxembourg Socialist Worker’s Party (LSAP) is calling on Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel – and by extension the CSV-DP coalition government – to take a clear and principled position on the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. MPs Taina Bofferding, Yves Cruchten, and Franz Fayot have sharply criticised what they describe as the genocidal intent behind Israel’s actions and condemned the silence of the international community. The LSAP is also questioning Luxembourg’s continued business dealings with Israeli companies is planning to table a motion in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday.
STI CAMPAIGN – With sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on the rise across Europe, Luxembourg health authorities are stepping up efforts to inform and protect the public – particularly young people. A nationwide campaign targeting 15–25-year-olds is being introduced until 15 June, featuring youth-led content online, workshops in schools, and a special event on 24 May at Atmos bar in Luxembourg City.
US CHINA TRADE – Most Asian stocks extended gains this morning, as investors continued to bask in the glow of the China-US tariff suspension, that has fuelled hopes that the two sides will slash most of their levies and hold talks to end a standoff that has stoked recession fears across the world.
MH17 DOWNING – The UN’s aviation agency has formally blamed Russia for the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine, calling the claims brought by Australia and the Netherlands “well founded” and marking a historic first in the agency’s dispute resolution.
TRUMP MIDDLE EAST – Donald Trump will arrive in Saudi Arabia today on the first leg of a Gulf tour that will also take him to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The trip marks the US president’s first major visit abroad of his second term. His decision to bypass traditional Western allies to travel to the oil-rich Gulf states underscores their increasingly crucial geopolitical role -- along with his own business relations in the region.
ESC – The Eurovision Song Contest starts in Basel today. The first semi-final is tonight, with 15 performances from 10 countries hoping to qualify for the final on Saturday night. Luxembourg’s Laura Thorn is performing in the second semi-final on Thursday.
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL – The Cannes Film Festival begins today. To kick things off, American actor Robert de Niro will receive the Palme d’Or for his lifetime achievement. The jury will be chaired by French actress Juliette Binoche. 22 films are in the running for the Palme d’Or. Luxembourg is represented by two co-productions.
FOOTBALL – Carlo Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season to become Brazil’s head coach, making him the first foreign manager in nearly 60 years. Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso is widely expected to join Real Madrid. https://today.rtl.lu/sport/international/a/2302095.html
TENNIS – Jannik Sinner is gearing up for the first true test of his pre-Roland Garros form after cruising into the last 16 of the Italian Open, as Aryna Sabalenka’s bid for a first Rome title continued with a straight-sets win over Marta Kostyuk.
CYCLING – It’s Stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia today. The riders will cycle 189 km from Alberobello to Lecce. The current leader is Mads Pedersen.
It’s another beautiful sunny day – without any pesky rain showers or clouds that we saw briefly yesterday afternoon. Those temperatures are starting us off today with 11–13 °C, moving up to 20–22°C in the afternoon, and a comfortable 17–19 °C in the evening.
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