PM ON CEASEFIRE – Prime Minister Luc Frieden has cautiously welcomed the ceasefire agreement in the Middle East as a step towards diplomacy and peace but warns of large uncertainties that remain. Speaking to RTL, he said the EU would like to see a democratic regime emerge in Iran. At the same time, the Prime Minister criticised the Iranian regime, stating that, in his view, Iran should be condemned for posing a threat through its alleged ambition to develop nuclear capabilities. He also called for the ceasefire in Lebanon to be upheld and for the country’s territorial integrity to be restored.
DIESEL – The sharp rise in diesel prices is emerging as a significant challenge for the transport sector in Luxembourg. Although oil prices have not yet reached their historical peak, they are rising at their fastest pace in years, creating renewed uncertainty across the sector. Ben Frin, finance director of a large Luxembourg transport company, said the sector had already experienced the severe consequences of sudden energy price spikes and that rising fuel prices are having an immediate effect on profitability.
VANDALISM – The mayor of Betzdorf has spoken out following the school vandalism in Roodt-sur-Syre. Marc Ries said he struggled to understand the level of destruction, describing it as a senseless urge to damage property. He said there was a trail of devastation throughout the building and that the perpetrators must have spent a considerable amount of time inside, deliberately targeting one classroom after another. In total, nine classrooms were completely destroyed. More than €100,000 in damage was caused during the break-in over the Easter weekend.
NATO TIES – US President Donald Trump bashed NATO and appeared to renew his threats over Greenland after a closed-door meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte, during which he was expected to discuss possibly leaving the pivotal security bloc. Trump’s outrage at NATO allies over their failure to join in his war against Iran had prompted fears he would seek to pull the United States out of the nearly eight-decade-old alliance.
MIDDLE EAST WAR – The fragile ceasefire between Iran and the United States is under strain, with Tehran warning it may resume hostilities. Both sides claimed victory after agreeing to a two-week truce and talks to end a war that has killed thousands and disrupted global markets. Meanwhile, Israel launched heavy strikes on Lebanon killing at least 182 and injuring 890 people, including in central Beirut, as tensions with Hezbollah escalated.
SOCIAL MEDIA – Japan is fighting back against harmful online abuse of athletes. The Japanese Olympic Committee said they plan to monitor comments by trolls during their home Asian Games, which are being held in Nagoya and the wider Aichi area in the autumn. “Even a single negative comment can cut deeply”, Misa Chida of the committee said. “Athletes don’t want to see things like that, so a lot of them choose not to look at social media at all, and that means they miss the 99 percent of messages that are supportive. That’s a real shame.”
RECORD HAUL – A Brazilian police dog sniffed out 48 tons of marijuana in a record bust. The marijuana was uncovered by chance in a favela in Rio de Janeiro by a sniffer dog named Hulk during a regular operation against criminal factions. The seizure yesterday was the largest in Brazil’s history according to the Canine Operations Battalion. A military police statement said it took dozens of officers five hours to remove the drugs, which were transported in four trucks.
FOOTBALL – Liverpool coach Arne Slot admitted his team were well beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg as he defended his decision to play with three central defenders and insisted the Reds still had hope going into the return. “Paris Saint-Germain was by far the better team today and could have scored more than two goals, but the good thing was the Liverpool players showed fighting spirit and kept going”, Slot said after his side went down 2-0 in the French capital. In the other game Atletico Madrid came away with a 0-2 away win in Barcelona.
GOLF – Prosecutors have requested medical records for all the prescription drugs Tiger Woods was taking when he crashed his car near his Florida home last month. The subpoena notice came as Woods was formally charged with driving under the influence and refusing to submit to a urine analysis test following the accident on March 27. Both drivers escaped injury after Woods’s vehicle clipped a truck while attempting to overtake on a residential road, flipping onto its side before sliding to a stop.
It’s set to be dry and settled for most of today with a mix of sunshine and some cloud through the day. However, light rain showers are forecast later in the evening. This morning is starting off cool with temperatures of 3°C right now rising to around 19°C this afternoon.
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