PANDEMIC & UKRAINE WAR COSTS – According to Finance Minister Gilles Roth, the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine have cost the Luxembourg government €5.6 billion. The pandemic expenditure added up to €3.7 billion, of which close to €980 million can be deducted, as they were advances and aid which have to be paid back to the state. In addition, the war in Ukraine has cost the Luxembourg government €246 million in military aid plus close to €210 million for humanitarian aid and support for refugees. Economically, the war has also affected energy prices across Europe. In response the government launched subsidies for households and companies, amounting to €2.9 billion euros. The Russian war of aggression enters its fourth year on February 24.
ALZHEIMER’S DRUG – A pharmaceutical drug designed to treat Alzheimer’s disease could soon be authorised for sale in Luxembourg. The drug, Leqembi targets those with mild cognitive impairments (MCI) or early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. It is not effective for patients in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s.
VEHICLE INSPECTIONS – Motorists in Luxembourg now have additional options for vehicle inspections, as the SNCT and Luks have each opened new branches. They include a new roadworthiness testing station in Wickrange and a new SNCT testing station in Roost, near Mersch. With this addition, the SNCT now operates seven stations across Luxembourg.
EUROSTAT FIGURES – Despite being one of the EU’s smallest nations, Luxembourg’s rapid population growth and unmatched wealth set it apart in 2024, as revealed by Eurostat’s key figures for the year. The Grand Duchy also leads in luxury vehicles and, in a break with the rest of the EU, women here earn slightly more than men.
TRUMP ICC – President Trump has denounced the International Criminal Court, accusing it of illegitimate and baseless investigations against the United States and Israel. In an executive order sanctioning the court, he said it had “abused its power” by issuing an arrest warrant for the Israeli Prime Minister over war crimes in Gaza, which Israel denies. The order places financial sanctions and visa restrictions on some ICC officials.
DECATHLON FORCED LABOUR – French company Decathlon, the world’s biggest sports equipment retailer has defended its human rights record, following reports it has benefited from forced labour in China. Two French media outlets, Disclose and France 2, said in reports released yesterday that Decathlon used a subcontractor in China, involved in the forced labour by China’s Uyghur minority. The company has denied the accusations.
ISRAEL GAZA – Israel’s defence minister has ordered the army to start making preparations to allow for “voluntary” departures from the Gaza Strip, after US President Donald Trump floated a proposal to move Palestinians out of the territory. The idea sparked uproar from leaders in the Middle East and around the world, and the Trump administration has appeared to walk back some of the suggestions.
MOSELLE ACCIDENT - Investigations into a December collision on the Moselle River, which stranded 70 ships and disrupted river traffic for weeks, have uncovered that the vessel was on autopilot and lacked any manual intervention prior to impact. While autopilot systems are permitted on the Moselle, the captain is required to intervene in critical situations.
FOOTBALL – In the Bundesliga Bayern Munich are playing against Werder Bremen. In France, Paris St Germain are heading into a home clash with Monaco and games in the FA Cup are taking place this weekend in England. Manchester United is playing against Leicester City tonight. Meanwhile, Liverpool has overturned a first leg deficit to reach the League Cup final with a 4-0 win over Tottenham last night.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – And it’s the Superbowl weekend. The Kansas City Chiefs are chasing a historic hat-trick of Super Bowl titles when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. In a first for a sitting US President, Donald Trump will be among an array of VIPs and celebrities in a sell-out crowd of around 74,000 who will be packed into the Caesars Superdome for the biggest annual event in the American sporting calendar.
BASEBALL - The former interpreter to Shohei Ohtani, who admitted stealing almost $17 million from the Japanese baseball star to pay off illegal gambling debts, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on Thursday. Ippei Mizuhara was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $18.1 million in his sentencing in federal court in Santa Ana, California.
Not a very inspiring forecast for the start of a February weekend: It’s a cloudy day from morning ‘til night with 0 minutes of sunshine and no rain expected. The wind is picking up a bit, reaching up to 30-40 km/h. And as for temperatures – we are looking at somewhere between 0-1 degree to start with and a small rise in the afternoon with 2-3 degrees.
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