IRAN PROTEST - A demonstration will take place at Place Clairefontaine at noon today, to protest against the Iranian regime and calling on the Luxembourg government to support a resolution of the EU Parliament, denouncing the death sentences for protesters, handed down by the Iranian regime.
BETTEL TRIPARTITE - Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has announced that he will convene a new tripartite meeting, while also stressing that the measures decided in March are “working” and that Luxembourg has the lowest inflation rates in the euro zone. The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies has also released its latest economic forecasts, announcing another potential wage indexation for late 2023.
COVID MORTALITY - In another piece of good news for Luxembourg – the country had the lowest excess mortality in Europe during the pandemic according to the World Health Organisation. Blood tests for antibodies, indicated that nearly 8% of the population was in contact with the virus on a specific day in January 2021. This rate was higher in other countries, such as 15.6% in Belgium. According to the study, fewer infections resulted in fewer deaths in the Grand Duchy.
TURKEY/SYRIA EARTHQUAKE - Freezing temperatures are deepening the misery for survivors of the massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria that has killed at least 17,000 people. The death toll from Monday’s 7.8-magnitude quake is expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts near the 72-hour mark that disaster experts consider the most likely period to save lives. The WHO has warned of a secondary health crisis threatening to strike Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, which could be worse than the quake itself.
Turkish President Erdogan, who visited the affected areas yesterday, apologized that help has started too late, but said it was impossible to prepare for the scale of the disaster.
The EU plans to host a donors conference in March to mobilise international aid for Syria and Turkey to deal with the devastating impact of this week’s earthquake, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.
Please check the live ticker on RTL Today for all the latest updates on this story.
EU SUMMIT - The EU’s Heads of State and governments are gathering for a two-day meeting in Brussels today. It is assumed that Ukrainian President Zelensky, after his visits to London and Paris yesterday, will also speak at the summit today. He is expected to urge allies to send combat aircraft to Ukraine. Luxembourg is represented in Brussels by Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.
JACKSON DEAL - According to the magazine Variety, the estate of Michael Jackson is closing in on a deal to sell half its interests in the megastar’s music catalogue, in a deal worth up to $900 million. If it goes ahead, the deal would be the biggest yet in the burgeoning music catalogue market, which has already seen some eye-popping transactions, including the sale of Bruce Springsteen’s publishing and recorded music back catalogue for $600 million and $400 million that Universal Music paid to buy Bob Dylan’s recorded music.
SKIING - At the World Ski Championships in France yesterday, Marta Bassino was able to secure gold in the women’s Super-G. The Italian was 11 hundredths faster than the American skier Michaela Shiffrin, who got silver. Today it’s the men’s Super-G. It starts at 1130 this morning.
FOOTBALL - Dortmund qualified yesterday as the last team for the quarter finals in the German Cup with a 2-1 victory in Bochum. Nürnberg beat Fortuna Dusseldorf in the penalty shootout.
Marseille eliminated Paris Saint German 2-1 last night, to reach the French cup quarter-finals. Lyon also won a shootout against Lille to progress 4-2.
And at the Club World Cup in Morocco, the final on Saturday is Al Hilal Ryad against Real Madrid. Real beat Cairo 4-1 last night. Ryad already won 3-2 against Flamenco Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.
The morning may start off a bit frosty but the frost will give way to some sunshine. Temperatures will remain chilly but sun is to be expected to be around all day. Morning temperatures start off at -8 to -4°C, but will rise to 5°C in the afternoon.
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