RABBIT FEVER – Luxembourg’s Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) confirmed a new case of tularaemia, commonly known as rabbit fever, near Wellenstein on Wednesday. This follows another recent case near Junglinster reported ten days earlier. The infected rabbit was found dead along a country road on 14 April and subsequently tested positive at the Veterinary and Food Laboratory (LVA).
MOBILITY – Luxembourg City’s new Héienhaff park-and-ride facility opens on 28 April, featuring nearly 500 parking spaces and direct tram access to Kirchberg and Findel Airport. Located just under one kilometre from Findel Airport, the new P+R offers 481 parking spaces – including 11 reserved for people with reduced mobility – alongside a 32-space bike box.
EMPLOYMENT – New data from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC) suggests a modest recovery in Luxembourg’s construction sector, while revealing growing challenges for hospitality businesses.
The first quarter of 2025 saw 50 construction company bankruptcies, representing 15 fewer cases compared to Q1 2024. Conversely, the hospitality sector experienced a 30% year-on-year increase in bankruptcies, with 38 businesses failing in Q1 2025.
TRUMP DEPORTATION ROW – A US judge said Wednesday he had found “probable cause” to hold President Donald Trump’s administration in contempt in a deportation case, raising the stakes in the White House’s confrontation with the justice system. The White House said it planned an “immediate” appeal to the decision by District Judge James Boasberg, who had ordered the government to halt flights of more than 200 alleged gang Venezuelan members to El Salvador.
Meanwhile, Democratic senator Van Hollen said on Wednesday that El Salvador had denied his request to release the US resident whose wrongful deportation triggered the political firestorm. Nevertheless, the White House condemned Van Hollen’s trip to the Central American country after already admitting an “administrative error” caused the deportation.
PUTIN PRAISES MUSK – Russian President Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk on Wednesday as a rare visionary akin to Soviet space pioneer Sergei Korolev, calling the SpaceX founder a once-in-a-generation figure “charged-up with a certain idea” during a visit to a Moscow science university. The comments came as Russia and the United States forged closer ties under President Donald Trump’s administration, of which billionaire SpaceX founder Musk is a key figure.
NIGER AND NIGERIA HOLD TALKS – The foreign ministers of Nigeria and Niger held talks Wednesday on cross-border security, terrorism, and economic cooperation, despite tensions between the two neighbours since the July 2023 coup in Niger. It comes after Nigeria this month renewed calls for the release of Niger’s deposed president Mohamed Bazoum, who is being held at the presidential palace.
RUBIO MEETS FRENCH LEADERS – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet French leaders in Paris on Thursday to discuss the war in Ukraine, his office has said, amid flailing efforts to persuade Russia to agree to a ceasefire. Rubio and US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff would also discuss tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme with France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. US President Trump pledged before taking office that he would quickly end the war that has been ongoing since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, and he has voiced frustration at Moscow’s tactics.
FOOTBALL – Inter Milan kept their treble hopes alive with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, sealing a 4-3 aggregate win to reach the Champions League semi-finals, where they will face Barcelona. The Italian champions scored quick fire goals in the space of three minutes from captain Lautaro Martinez and Benjamin Pavard, which cancelled out a Harry Kane strike for Bayern, levelling the tie in the 52nd minute of the game.
Arsenal staved off Champions League holders Real Madrid’s superstars and rich history of unlikely comebacks to snatch a 2-1 victory on Wednesday and reach the semi-finals with a superb 5-1 aggregate triumph.
The Gunners’ 3-0 quarter-final first leg triumph last week gave them a vital cushion in the Spanish capital as they made the final four for the first time since 2009, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain.
RUGBY – Australia has complained to World Rugby about wealthy French clubs “poaching” teenage talent, with chairman Daniel Herbert urging the global governing body to revise its rules. “Our view is that France has the ability to produce its own players. They don’t have to poach our players at a very young age”, Herbert told Australian media on Thursday. Under World Rugby’s young players protocol, it is prohibited from “poaching” young players either within a Union and/or between Unions and is permitted to “impose appropriate sanctions” on anyone who does so.
It looks like another grey wet day, with cloud and rain forecast for the entire day. Temperatures starting at 6–8°C, raising to 10°C and staying there for the rest of day.
---
Be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour, and headlines at half past the hour on Today Radio. You can also access the news via Alexa and on RTL Play.
