WEALTHY LANDLORDS – Between 30,000 and 40,000 Luxembourg households rent out privately owned property, accounting for around 13% of all households. A new Ministry of Housing report shows these landlords are typically older, wealthier, and more likely to be retirees and own the home they live in compared with non-landlord households. Their average gross wealth is 3.6 times higher than that of households that do not rent out property, while rental income averages €30,000 a year.
TOURISM BOOM – Luxembourg’s tourism boom is continuing in 2026, with arrivals up 3% and overnight stays up 6% in the first seven months of the year. Campsites saw particularly strong growth, with overnight stays rising 13% as visitors increasingly seek nature-based and glamping experiences. The Netherlands remains Luxembourg’s biggest tourism market, while visitor numbers from the US, UK, Spain, and Denmark are also growing.
MALT APP CONTROVERSY – The Luxembourg Court of Auditors says the Pirate Party did not meet the criteria to receive EU funding for the Malt language app project. The audit found the party lacked the required experience and that key checks were not carried out by the National Reception Office. As a result, Brussels deemed all costs linked to the project ineligible for EU funding.
REFUGEE FUNDING CRISIS – Nearly 8.3 million refugees and displaced people risk losing vital assistance amid severe funding cuts. UNHCR funding for refugees has fallen dramatically in 2025, as displacement remains at record levels. The UNHCR agency has received just under one third of the funds it needs this year to carry out its work. The agency says it needs $8.5 billion this year to protect refugees, but by the end of July had received only 32% of that amount ($2.7 billion).
OPENAI SCRAPS NEW MODEL – In the US, OpenAI will not release its newest artificial intelligence model, known as Astra 6.1, after internal testing by the ChatGPT-maker revealed it did not meet safety standards, the company confirmed. This comes as President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson will meet AI executives today at the White House to discuss rapid AI development, safety concerns, jobs, and data-centre impacts as pressure builds from Congress for stronger industry oversight.
STARSHIP REACHES ORBIT – Elon Musk’s Starship reached orbit for the first time after blasting off from Texas yesterday, marking a major milestone for SpaceX. The rocket deployed 26 satellites before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. After touching down vertically, the Starship appeared to sink onto its side and was engulfed by a large explosion. The test is set to advance Musk’s plans for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
FOOTBALL – Italy bounced back with a 4-1 win over Turkey in the rain to revive their Nations League campaign. France remain top of Group A1 after Michael Olise’s late goal secured a 1-0 win over Belgium. The results put Italy back in contention, while France maintained their winning start under Zinedine Zidane.
French media have reported that former Luxembourg national football coach Luc Holtz had parted ways with FC Metz after a three-month stint in charge. After two victories in seven matches, the recently-relegated team currently sits at fifth place in the table, six points behind the leaders St. Etienne. Under Holtz they achieved four draws and a loss since the season began, in addition to the two wins, gathering 10 points.
CRICKET – Sri Lanka and Bangladesh reached the semi-finals of the men's Asian Games cricket today without a ball being bowled following more wet weather in Nagoya. The Sri Lankans will meet India in the last four and Bangladesh play Pakistan, with both matches scheduled for Thursday. Organisers are now racing to get the converted baseball field at Korogi Athletic Park ready in time. Sri Lanka progressed when their quarter-final with Nepal was washed out – higher-ranked teams go through in the event of bad weather. Bangladesh were awarded victory over lower-ranked Malaysia for the same reason.
It will be warm and sunny today as well as partly cloudy at times. It should remain dry throughout the day, with light winds. Temperatures will rise to between 25°C and 27°C this 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.
