STATE BUDGET – Finance Minister Gilles Roth presented the latest budget figures to parliament yesterday. Revenue is up almost 10%, spending is up nearly 9%, and there is a deficit of €339 million for the central government (which excludes social security funds and municipalities). The budget is tabled for discussion in parliament tomorrow. Roth says there is room to cut costs next year, while insisting the government is not pursuing austerity.
GARAGE FIRE – Prosecutors say a fire in a garage in Bertrange, in which two people died, was not set deliberately. The prosecutor’s office believes pallets had been set alight for heating purposes, and the blaze then spread to the building itself. Autopsies have been ordered, and the two victims have not yet been identified.
FUEL COSTS – Good news for motorists, diesel and heating oil prices have fallen overnight by 6.2 cents per litre. Diesel now costs €1.995 per litre, and heating oil will be €1.477.
FRANCE PROTESTS – Tens of thousands of people are expected on the streets of Paris today, as France's trade unions join students in a national day of protests over teacher shortages, overcrowding, and crumbling school buildings. The protests have been marked by clashes with police. In Lens, a 15-year-old lost his hand yesterday after picking up a police stun grenade.
BELGIUM VIOLENCE – Fifteen people, 10 of them minors, have been arrested in Arlon, just across the border in Belgium, after disorder on Monday. Masked groups set bins and benches on fire, and fired flares at passers-by, shops, and homes. Those arrested come from various places in Luxembourg province and were not necessarily pupils at schools in Arlon.
SPAIN PROTESTS – Tens of thousands protested in Barcelona against the housing shortage. Estimates range widely, from 20,000 to 120,000 people. The trigger was an 87-year-old woman being forced out of her flat. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced elections for the end of November yesterday after parliament, where he has no majority, rejected two decrees meant to tackle the housing crisis.
NOBEL PRIZE – After Medicine yesterday, the Nobel Prize for Physics will be announced this morning. The favourites include researchers in particle physics and astrophysics. Chemistry will be announced tomorrow, Literature on Thursday, and the Peace Prize on Friday.
FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR – The 78th Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's biggest, opens at midday today. Last year there were over 4,300 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and 238,000 visitors. It closes on Sunday, when the French-British author Philippe Sands receives the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.
FOOTBALL – Luxembourg host Bulgaria in the Nations League tonight, hoping to end a difficult international window on a high. The Red Lions are without a goal in two straight defeats and are short of key players – Leandro Barreiro is suspended, Danel Sinani is out for the rest of the year, and Laurent Jans is unlikely to play. The match, starting at 8.45pm, is sold out.
Among other Nations League games, Croatia are playing against Spain, England play Czechia, and Scotland play Slovenia.
Lionel Messi plays his final match for Argentina tonight, a farewell friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires. He bows out as Argentina's record scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games.
TENNIS – Novak Djokovic has qualified for the China Open final after Daniil Medvedev defaulted in the second set, when a ball that came off the Russian's racquet hit a spectator. Djokovic will play Alex de Minaur for the title later today in Beijing. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the final of the Japan Open on Monday after securing a hard-fought 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 victory over fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar.
Much like yesterday, the morning will dawn under a veil of mist, with the sun breaking through later on this morning. We are in for another beautiful sunny and warm day with temperatures starting off at 11–13°C, reaching highs of 21–23°C in the afternoon.
________________________________________________
Stay connected: Tune in to RTL Today Radio, now on 93.3 FM and DAB+, and be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour, and headlines at half past the hour.
