Luxembourg
TAX CREDITS - Employees will receive an increase in their salary or pensions, thanks to the new tripartite law which will come into effect this week. MPs voted on a number of tax aids yesterday, ranging from economic and carbon tax credits, to the adjustment of the tax scale. The tax credit is retroactive from the beginning of the year, so the amount due for the first half of the year will be added in a single instalment to employees’ next pay check.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING - Housing minister Henri Kox said on Thursday, that it is likely to take two more legislative periods until the share of state and municipal housing with affordable rent reaches 20%. He explained the current share of the market stands at 1.64%.
FOIRE AGRICOLE - The agricultural fair, the Foire Agricole, is kicking off this weekend in Ettelbrück. For 3 days, around 260 exhibitors present pretty much everything that has to do with the agricultural sector. More than 45,000 visitors are expected.
TAXI VELO - The municipality of Esch-sur-Alzette is set to inaugurate the “Taxivëlo” tomorrow, 1 July. This new endeavour offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional car travel, introducing the Taxivëlo, or “taxi bicycle,” to the town. The Taxivëlo is a type of “futuristic and aerodynamic rickshaw,” equipped with three wheels and able to accommodate up to two passengers.
FRANCE PROTESTS - More than 400 people have been arrested across France, as violence sparked by the police killing of a teenager continued for a third night. Unrest has spread to the capital Paris as well as other major cities. Some of the worst has been in Nanterre, where Nahel, the 17-year-old of Algerian descent was shot dead during a traffic stop on Tuesday. The police officer, who shot Nahel, has been charged and remanded in custody.
EU MIGRATION - The first day of the EU summit in Brussels has ended without an agreement in the asylum dispute. Poland and Hungary prevented the 27 heads of state and government from agreeing on a uniform position on European migration policy. Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel expressed his frustration in an interview with RTL last night, saying that he often feels isolated and that the camp of those countries that stand for a humane asylum policy is getting smaller and smaller.
HAITI AID - Children recruited by gangs, houses burned and young girls raped are examples of the latest “horror” befalling Haiti’s people, the head of UNICEF has described, following a visit to Port-au-Prince. Catherine Russell implored the world not to abandon the violence-plagued country, where an unprecedented 5.2 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including nearly three million children.
CYCLING - The 110th edition of the Tour de France gets underway in Bilbao tomorrow, the 1st July and finishes in Paris on Sunday 23rd July. The riders will tackle eight mountain stages and individual time trials on trips to the Pyrenees and the Alps during the 3,404km race. A huge crowd yesterday, as the 22 teams took part in a parade in downtown Bilbao. Three Luxembourgers are taking part: Bob Jungels, Alex Kirsch and Kevin Geniets.
SAILING - The American boat 11th Hour was named winner of The Ocean Race when the race jury awarded it four points in compensation for a collision with a competitor early in the last leg.The race between elite open class for monohull (Imoca) yachts ended with Germans on Team Malizia winning the seventh final leg. But 11th Hour, helmed by American Charlie Enright, vaulted into first overall with the four bonus points.
It’s a mixed bag at the end of the week: Expect light showers, overcast skies as well as the occasional ray of sunlight. The day starts with light showers but will stay dry up as the day progresses. The morning starts off at a mild 15-17°C, rising to a peak of 23°C in the afternoon.
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