DEFENCE SPENDING – Luxembourg is set to significantly boost its defence budget from €700 million to 2% of its Gross National Income (GNI). This ambitious goal was confirmed by Minister of Defence Yuriko Backes during her meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels yesterday. Minister Backes plans to formalise this commitment at the upcoming NATO summit in Washington next month, as well as at the ministerial meeting in Brussels next week.
ANIMAL ABUSE – Authorities were alerted to a distressing case of animal abuse on Sunday in Saarbrucken, located just across the Luxembourg border, where approximately 20 animals were found living in appalling conditions.Inside a cramped 20 m2 room, inspectors discovered twelve dogs, including three puppies, seven cats, and a python. The room itself was in a state of disrepair, with a deteriorating laminate floor and covered in excrement. The animals were transported to the Linxbachhof animal shelter for immediate care.
LUXEMBOURG FARMERS – Farmers in Luxembourg are grappling with unprecedented rainfall, leading to oversaturated fields, crop failures, and disrupted livestock routines, significantly impacting their operations and financial stability. In addition the rain has also provoked cases of mycosis and also affected animals, which have spent significantly more time inside.
DISTRACTED DRIVING – In the space of just two hours on Tuesday, the police pulled over several motorists heading towards Luxembourg City from the A4 for using their phones at the wheel or not wearing a seatbelt. No fewer than eleven drivers were caught red-handed using their mobile phones at the wheel. They each received a fine of €250 and lost four points on their driving licence.
FUEL PRICES – The price of SP95 petrol in Luxembourg has started to decline again, inching closer to the €1.50 mark. Following a two-week period of stability, fuel prices began to fluctuate at the start of the week. From today, the price per litre of SP95 will decrease by 2.2 cents, bringing it to €1.559. Meanwhile, the prices of SP98 (€1.672) and diesel (€1.478) remain unchanged.
GERMANY FLOODING – Flood waters are continuing to rise in parts of southern Germany and are now spreading down the Danube to Austria and Hungary. Five people are now known to have died since heavy rain led to rivers bursting their banks in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Although the German weather service has declared an end to the torrential rain that has hit southern Germany for days, water levels in the historic city of Passau, where three rivers meet, have now risen close to ten meters, the highest for more than a decade.
SLOVENIA PALESTINE – Slovenia has become the latest European country to formally recognise Palestine, in a move the left-wing government hopes will increase diplomatic pressure for an end to the war in Gaza. The National Assembly vote follows similar decisions by Spain, Norway and Ireland.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – Pressure is growing on Israel and Hamas to accept the agreement on a cease-fire. The EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell appealed to both parties to accept the ceasefire proposal, put forward by President Biden on Friday. The Israeli army has again attacked Hamas targets in the centre of the Gaza Strip. With aircraft and ground troops. There is no information about victims yet.
INDIA ELECTION – India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared victory in the national elections yesterday evening, claiming a mandate to move forward with his agenda, even though his party lost seats to a stronger than expected opposition, which pushed back against his mixed economic record and polarising politics. Official results show that Modi’s Hindu nationalist party lost its absolute majority and will now need a coalition partner to form a government.
TENNIS – The Spanish third seed Carlos Alcaraz has defeated Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas to set up a French Open semi-final against Jannik Sinner. He will take over as World Number 1, as Novak Djokovic had to pull out of the tournament with a knee injury.
FOOTBALL – Luxembourg’s national football team is playing against France tonight. Kick-off is at 9pm at Stade Saint-Symphorien in Metz.
In the European championship – tournament hosts Germany face Hungary, Switzerland and Scotland – a set of talented if unpredictable rivals, in Group A as they bid for a record-breaking fourth Euros crown. After a decade of underperforming, Germany come into the tournament on the rise.Improving under coach Julian Nagelsmann, the Germans may now be in the frame for a deep run in the tournament, particularly after dispatching France and the Netherlands in impressive style in March.
There is still some sun about, but it’s a mainly cloudy day with a chance of some small rain showers throughout the day. The morning starts off chilly 10–12°C but it settles at a comfortable 13–17°C throughout the afternoon.
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