BANKRUPTCIES 2022 - A new report by Statec has shown that there were fewer bankruptcies in 2022 compared to the previous year. However 2022 saw an unusually high number of bankruptcy declarations in the last quarter. It remains to be seen over the coming months whether this marks the beginning of a wave. The latest statistics also shows a remarkable increase in bankruptcies for the hospitality sector in 2022.
FLU/COVID DOWN - The number of flu infections reduced by half from 2 to 8 January, with 500 registered cases. The number of coronavirus cases has also dropped in the same time period. 568 new infections and 431 re-infections were recorded between 2-8 January, compared to 1,300 the previous week. Seven new Covid deaths were recorded over the past week, with an average age of 81 for the victims.
CARPOOLING SUBSIDY - Two carpooling communities have combined to update a new app to help Luxembourgish users join the largest home-to-work carpooling community in Europe. The Luxembourg government is subsidising up to €100,000 worth of carpooling between October 2022 and April 2023. Passengers can benefit from free journeys, while drivers can receive €1.50 per passenger for journeys under 15 kilometres. For longer journeys, the rate increases by 10 cents per kilometre and per additional passenger in the vehicle.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - Stadtbredimus resident Pauline Becker-Blasius has celebrated her 104th birthday. The energetic 104-year-old, who celebrated the day with her family says she is always “fit and happy”, passing on medication in favour of her beloved “Kippchen”, or glass of crémant, every day. Mme Becker-Blasius is not Luxembourg’s oldest resident – a woman in Schifflange currently holds that title at 109 years old.
PRESLEY DEATH - Singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley, died on Thursday, hours after being hospitalized. She was 54. Presley, who led a tumultuous life in the sprawling shad-ow of her world-famous father, and who attended the Golden Globes Awards just this week, had been rushed to a California hospital’s intensive care unit for cardiac arrest. She is survived by four children as well as her mother Priscilla Presley.
CZECHIA ELECTIONS - Czechs will go to the polls in the presidential elections over the next 2 days. Polls reveal a very tight three-way battle between ex-prime minister Andrej Babis, former general Petr Pavel and economics professor Danuse Nerudova. Polling stations open in at 2 in the afternoon. If none of the 8 candidates get an absolute majority, the race goes to a runoff in a fortnight’s time.
UKRAINE WAR - President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed that Ukrainian forces defending Bakhmut and Soledar in the east will be armed with everything they need to keep Russian troops at bay in some of the bloodiest battles of the war.Kyiv said its troops were fighting to retain control of the now-battered industrial towns in the east, which Russian mercenaries claimed to have taken this week. The United Nations Security Council is due to meet at tonight to discuss the situation in Ukraine.
LUXEMBOURG SKIING - This weekend in Adelboden in the Swiss Alps, the Luxembourg skiing championships are taking place. Today’s start is ski-touring, so first you run up the mountain with your skis, before you race down. 27 skiers are taking part.
FOOTBALL PSG - Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Rennes on Sunday is set to be the first time their superstar front three of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar have all played together since the World Cup. The World Cup was a clear motivating factor in the trio’s outstanding form during the early months of the campaign, and how they play together will be crucial in determining how the remainder of the season goes for PSG. They are six points clear of Lens before completing the first half of the season in Rennes, but the Champions League is their main objective.
HANDBALL WC - On the 2nd day at the Handball world championship yesterday. Cap Verde won 33 to 25 against Uruguay. Elledy Semedo, who plays for the Red Boys, scored 5 goals. Spain won 30 to 25 against Montenegro, and Portugal beat Iceland 26 to 30.
It’s Friday the 13th and the weather will be frightening indeed! We may have had our fill of rain for the week, but there is more in store. The morning starts off rainy and slowly turn into a trickle come after-noon, with a possibility of a bit of sun popping through the clouds. The evening should be dry, but cloudy nonetheless. We can also expect strong gusts of wind of up to 70 km/h can be expected throughout the day. Morning temperatures start off at 5-7°C, rising to 5-8°C in the after-noon.
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