DATA CENTRE – Google's planned Bissen data centre faces legal threats from Mouvement Écologique if approved. A study warns the site could consume 950 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually – equal to all Luxembourg households. While local authorities signal progress, activists are demanding transparency over the American firm's energy footprint and confidentiality clauses.
MURDER SENTENCE – A court in Zweibrücken has sentenced a 26-year-old Luxembourg resident to ten years in prison, five months after a fatal assault on a German train inspector. The court heard that the accused, who did not have a valid ticket, viciously beat the inspector after being asked to leave the train.
PETROL PRICES – As global instability increases, so do petrol prices in Luxembourg. From today, 95 octane petrol rises 5.2 cents to €1.698 a litre, and 98 octane goes up 4.1 cents to €1.865. Diesel and heating oil stay unchanged, having already risen recently.
GOVERNMENT COUNCIL – The Government Council meets again today. A press briefing follows at 2.30pm, with Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Interior Minister Léon Gloden expected to give details, including legislative measures to simplify housing and planning rules.
LUXEMBOURG PRIDE – Luxembourg Pride returns to the capital today and tomorrow for the first time since 2010, and will now alternate each year between the city and Esch-sur-Alzette. The street festival kicks off at 4pm on Place Guillaume II. Tomorrow afternoon brings the Equality March, from the train station up to the old town.
SPAIN / FRANCE WILDFIRES – At least 12 people are dead after wildfires tore through Andalusia. Spain's regional health minister called it an unimaginable tragedy. Some victims were found in their cars, having tried and failed to escape the town of Los Gallardos, 300km northeast of Malaga. 150 firefighters are still battling the blaze, and nearby villages have been evacuated.
Wildfires are also burning across France. Firefighters warn the risk of fresh outbreaks remains extremely high. A red heat and drought alert covers nine départements from today, with a wider heatwave affecting 76. Officials say the smallest spark could spark disaster in the south and west.
IRAN WAR – Iran and the US are set to continue technical talks, a US official has told the news agency DPA. It comes despite President Trump declaring the ceasefire deal done. Neither side launched fresh air strikes overnight. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains below normal levels: just six vessels passed through the Gulf yesterday, down from 21. Iran has warned Washington to stay out of the issue, insisting Tehran alone controls traffic through the strait.
EBOLA OUTBREAK – Ebola cases are surging in the Democratic Republic of Congo, up 25% in a week to nearly 1,800; 600 people have died. Medics say care for the infected is running short. The outbreak stems from the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there's no vaccine or effective treatment.
FOOTBALL – France are through to the World Cup semi-finals after beating Morocco 2-0. Tonight, Spain take on Belgium. Kick off is at 9pm.
In the first leg of the Conference League's first qualifying round, US Mondorf lost 2-1 to Dinamo Tbilisi last night. The return leg is next Thursday in Georgia.
CYCLING – A show of strength from world champion Tadej Pogačar in the Tour de France yesterday. The Slovenian rode solo over 186km on a tough Pyrenean stage to reclaim the yellow jersey, 2 minutes 42 seconds ahead of Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard. Today's 7th stage covers 175 flat km to Bordeaux, where a sprint finish is expected.
TENNIS – The men's semi-finals are underway today at Wimbledon. At 2:30pm, Germany's Alexander Zverev faces British wildcard Arthur Fery. Jannik Sinner then plays Novak Djokovic. In the women's draw, tomorrow brings an all-Czech final between Karolína Muchová and Linda Nosková.
Sunshine for most of the day, with some cloud arriving late afternoon and evening. Temperatures start at 19°C and climb to 33°C. Luxembourg may be edging towards another spell of extreme heat, though not as severe as a couple of weeks ago. A yellow heat alert remains in place for the south of the country until midnight on Saturday.
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.
