TRIPARTITE MEETING - The tripartite meeting starts in Senningen castle this morning. It is the third time within just 12 months that the government, trade unions and employers meet. According to RTL information, representatives of the governing parties negotiated into the evening last night to determine a common position, mainly in relation to the demands of the trade unions. The meeting was convened, after the latest Statec forecasts, which said that the end of anti-inflation measures, scheduled for the end of the year, could cause an inflationary shock in 2024.
HOMEMADE BOMB - A large-scale police operation near a Käerjeng primary school took place on Thursday morning, part of a special judicial investigation commissioned by the prosecutor’s office. According to RTL sources, a number of objects were confiscated from two different apartments under the Weapons Act, including a homemade explosive device which was later dealt with by a bomb disposal unit. Sources say the search focused on an apartment belonging to two brothers with Luxembourgish nationality. Investigations focusing on one person are still ongoing.
FOOD RECALL - The food safety authority has issued a warning over potential metal pieces found in “Wiener” sausages from the brands “Emo” and “Cobolux”. The products, which have a use-by date of 21 and 22 March respectively, will be recalled from shelves in supermarkets such as Lidl.
BEER CONSUMPTION - Beer-drinking is becoming less popular worldwide, according to recent stats; but Luxembourg’s national brewery is content with last year’s numbers. In 2022, the consumption of beer was back to pre-Covid lockdown levels in 2019. Mathias Lentz, director of the Käerjeng national brewery, said Luxembourg was a beer-drinking country, and beer consumption had remained relatively stable over the past few years.
ELECTION REGISTRATIONS - And although every Luxembourg resident is eligible to vote in the upcoming local elections this spring, only 12.5% of the foreign-born electorate has registered to vote. The registration rate is particularly low among younger voters, with just 1% of the 18-24 age group signing up to vote. The highest number of registrations was recorded in the municipality of Bech; in contrast, Luxembourg City’s rate is relatively low at just 8%, despite three-quarters of the capital’s residents being foreigners.
BIDEN / SCHOLZ - US President Joe Biden is hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington today for talks on charting the way ahead in their support for Ukraine, after friction over tank deliveries to Kyiv. Scholz’s first trip to Washington since February 2022 offers the leaders the opportunity to demonstrate their resolve in backing Ukraine against Russia.
RUSSIA / US - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged his Russian counterpart to end the Ukraine war on the sidelines of the G20 talks yesterday, in their first face-to-face contact since the invasion. Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke briefly at the meeting in Delhi, which failed to reach a joint declaration after objections from Moscow and Beijing.
BELGIUM EUTHANASIA - A Belgian woman who murdered her five children in a case that shocked the country has been euthanised at her own request, 16 years to the day after their killing. Genevieve Lhermitte was sentenced to life in prison in 2008, before being moved to a psychiatric hospital in 2019. Belgian law allows for people to chose to be euthanised if they are deemed to be suffering from “unbearable” psychological, and not just physical, suffering that cannot be healed.
FORMULA 1 - The new Formula 1 season starts this weekend with the Grand Prix of Bahrain. And Max Verstappen is set on claiming another win to ignite his bid for a third consecutive world title. The 25-year-old Dutchman, who reeled off 15 triumphs in 22 races last year on his way to becoming a double world champion with Red Bull, has never won a season-opener or a race in Bahrain. The main race on Sunday starts at 4 pm.
FOOTBALL - In international football, with the start of the 23rd matchday in the German Bundesliga, Dortmund will play against RB Leipzig this evening. In Italy, the leader Napoli meets Lazio Rome. And in the Spanish Copa del Rey, Barcelona beat Real Madrid 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final last night.
RUGBY LUXEMBOURG - It’s Women’s History Month and the Rugby Club Luxembourg is celebrating the girls and women in their club. On Sunday, the 5 March, you have the chance to meet up with the gals, discover the world of both touch and contact rugby, and just have a good time. It’s the perfect opportunity to learn more about the sport, celebrate women and who knows, maybe pick up a new hobby? For more info, head to www.rcl.lu
The Friday fog will burn off throughout the morning before leaving sunshine that will share the skies with fluffy and friendly clouds. You may be able to break out your sunglasses, but keep a jacket at hand, because the weather will not be as warm as it may appear. Morning temperatures will start off at -3 to 0°C, before climbing to 5-8°C in the afternoon.
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