TOP GDP - The latest Eurostat calculations place Luxembourg at the top of European countries in terms of GDP per capita, mostly because of its cross-border workers. In purchasing power parity, Luxembourg has a GDP per capita almost 2.5 times higher than the EU average (at 140%). Ahead of Ireland (at 112%). Belgium is also well placed (at 17%), while France is just above average (at 1%).
EIMASCHEN - The Éimaischen festival took over Luxembourg City on Monday again, with craft market stands selling their famous ceramic clay whistling birds - locally called Péckvillercher - as well as other pottery. 46 pottery stands displayed their crafts on Monday, as well as 29 artisan stands. The market took place between 8am-5pm and attendance was still solid despite to the poor weather conditions. Markets also occurred in the village of Nospelt.
POLICE INCIDENTS - Police reported several incidents on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday:
On Sunday afternoon, a man was behaving aggressively at a petrol station in the Pulvermuhl area of the capital. A police patrol found him visibly drunk. As he was behaving in an uncooperative manner towards the officers, police took him in for a medical examination and placed him in a drunk tank.
Early on Monday morning , at around 1.20am, a police patrol in Rodange spotted two vehicles driving suspiciously at the intersection of rue de Longwy and rue Fontaine d’Olière. The vehicles were stopped shortly after on rue du Clopp. Both drivers showed obvious signs of alcohol consumption, and a breathalyser test came back positive. A temporary driving ban was issued against one of the drivers and a report was drawn up against the other.
Later that night in Luxembourg City, a vehicle was spotted turning from Avenue de la Liberté into Rue Glesener despite clear signs this was prohibited. The vehicle was stopped shortly after on rue d’Anvers. The driver’s breath test came back positive and his driving license was confiscated.
ROAD CLOSURE - The road between Itzig and Scheidhof will be closed from 9am until 4pm on Tuesday 2 April, due to work on the railway bridge.
ISRAEL/GAZA CONFLICT - An Israeli strike killed several people delivering food aid to the besieged Gaza Strip on Monday with the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory reporting that four of them were foreigners. Hamas said the aid workers included “British, Australian and Polish nationalities, with the fourth nationality not known”. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed one of his country’s citizens, volunteer Zomi Frankcom, was among those killed.
NORTH KOREA - North Korea fired a medium-range ballistic missile on Tuesday, Seoul’s military said, the latest in a spate of banned weapons tests by Kim Jong Un’s regime this year. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile flew about 600 kilometers before splashing down into the Sea of Japan, adding it had “stepped up monitoring and is closely sharing relevant information with the US and Japan”.
BLINKEN IN PARIS - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris today on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia and the Israel-Hamas conflict. France held an international conference in February in a bid to rally financial and military support for Ukraine. The results will be reviewed by Blinken and French leaders, officials have said. Paris has also advocated for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The United States, Israel’s main ally, recently let pass a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.
FOOTBALL - In Italy, Inter Milan took another step towards the Serie A title on Monday with a 2-0 win over struggling Empoli which maintained their 14-point lead at the top of the league. Meanwhile, in Spain, Atletico Madrid capitalised on Athletic Bilbao’s defeat by La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Sunday to move back into the Champions League qualification places with a 2-1 win over Villarreal.
KIT CONTROVERSY - The German Football Association (DFB) said Monday it would change the typeface used on its shirts after one of the kit numbers drew comparisons to a Nazi symbol. The number four worn by national team players was said to bear a resemblance to the insignia of the Nazis’ elite SS corps. “None of the parties involved saw any proximity to Nazi symbolism in the creation process,” the DFB said. Nonetheless, the sporting body said it did not want to “provide a platform for discussion”. “Together with our partner 11teamsports, we will develop an alternative design for the number four and coordinate it with UEFA,” the DFB said.
Today’s forecast? Well, expect a bit of everything. We’ve got some clouds, some sun, and a real chance of showers popping up here and there throughout the day. But here’s the kicker: those winds are going to ramp up in the afternoon, hitting speeds of 45 to 55 kilometres per hour. So, brace yourselves, it’s going to be a blustery one out there!
Temperatures will start at 5-7°C in the morning before making a wee jump to 7-10°C for the afternoon and evening.
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