HEATWAVE EASES – After days of scorching temperatures, Luxembourg is now under a yellow thunderstorm warning until 11am. The warning comes after a prolonged heatwave, which saw temperatures approach 40°C before conditions began easing on Sunday.
GREVENMACHER POOL – The swimming pool in Grevenmacher stays closed again today, due to an ongoing technical problem. The municipality says it's working intensively on a solution.
COVID SPENDING – Spending on Covid-era large scale testing comes under scrutiny today at the Chamber's Budget Control Committee, based on a special report from the Court of Auditors examining the financial management and compliance of that spending.
FISH FARM VISIT – The EU's Fisheries and Oceans Commissioner, Costas Kadis, visits Luxembourg today, touring the state fish farm in Lintgen alongside Environment Minister Serge Wilmes.
EUROPE HEATWAVE – France too has lifted its red alert nationwide, although 39 departments remain on orange. Germany has set a new heat record for the third day running: 41.7° in Brandenburg, beating Saturday's 41.5° in Saxony-Anhalt. A forest fire in Rhineland-Palatinate is threatening the power network and a radio mast, with 600 people evacuated from the village of Traisen. The World Health Organisation says the heatwave caused more than 1,300 extra deaths across Europe.
PLANE ACCIDENT – A skydiving plane crashed near Nancy in eastern France yesterday, killing all 11 people on board: five instructors, five students, and the pilot. The students were reportedly a group of nurses. French officials have opened a technical investigation, with the cause not yet clear.
IRAN TALKS – Peace talks between the US and Iran continue, with American media reporting that both sides will halt their attacks, allowing ships to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz again. The framework agreement has come under strain in recent days, reportedly after an Iranian drone attack on an oil tanker. Talks resume tomorrow in Doha.
LEBANON ATTACKS – Tensions remain high in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire and framework agreement. The Israeli army says it has destroyed a major Hezbollah tunnel, 200 metres long and 25 metres underground, where a hundred weapons were found.
VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKE – In Venezuela, rescue efforts continue five days after the earthquake, but time is running out, with tens of thousands still missing. The official death toll stands at 1,450, with around 3,200 injured. Thousands of rescuers, including experts from abroad and from Luxembourg, are helping search for survivors, as tens of thousands of families now depend on humanitarian aid.
FOOTBALL – At the World Cup, Canada has become the first team through to the last 16, beating South Africa 1-0. Brazil are due to play Japan later and Germany will play Paraguay at 10.30 tonight.
FORMULA 1 – In Formula 1, George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix, ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli. Antonelli leads Russell by 40 points in the championship.
CRICKET – England captain Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from international cricket, in the middle of the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The bombshell announcement comes shortly after Stokes returned to England duty, following the fallout from a London nightclub incident earlier this month, also involving teammate Gus Atkinson.
ATHLETICS – At the Paris Diamond League, Trayvon Bromell upset Olympic champion Noah Lyles to win the 100m. Armand Duplantis set a new meet record in the pole vault, clearing 6.03 metres, and Switzerland's Audrey Werro ran the third-fastest 800m in history.
TENNIS – The 139th Wimbledon Championships get under way with first-round singles matches. Carlos Alcaraz misses the tournament through injury, while Serena Williams returns on a wildcard. The tournament runs until 12 July.
Overnight storms are clearing eastwards this morning, some still heavy, before skies brighten towards midday. The afternoon should turn mostly dry, with just some isolated showers. Temperatures climb from 17°C this morning to a more comfortable 28°C degrees, a break from the recent heat.
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