ENERGY PRICES – Luxembourg has enough gas to see out the winter, and household prices will hold steady this year, according to Energy Minister Lex Delles and Encevo's Claude Seywert. European gas prices have jumped since the US-Israeli strike on Iran in February, but Luxembourg's storage levels are on target and no shortages are expected. Bills could rise slightly in 2027, as the tripartite support measures beyond December remain undecided.
PETROL PRICES – Petrol prices have risen overnight. The price of 98 has gone up by 7.7 cents, reaching €2.06 per litre, and 95-octane petrol is increasing by 7.6 cents per litre to €1.868.
SUPPORT FOR WOMEN – Financial support from Luxembourg has helped save the lives of 400 women, according to UN Population Fund director Diene Keita, who visited the country yesterday. The fund, which works on reproductive health and against gender-based violence, is struggling to raise enough money after the US slashed its support. Luxembourg's contribution, particularly for the Sahel region, was praised.
ITALY MELONI – Italy's government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has today marked 1,413 days in power, the longest of any single government since the Second World War. Meloni's Brothers of Italy party will hold a rally in Bari this evening to mark the milestone, with political announcements also expected.
GERMANY STATE ELECTIONS – Elections are being held in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt this Sunday, with the AfD continuing to poll strongly. The last survey published before polling day put the party, classified as confirmed right-wing extremist by Germany’s intelligence agency, on 41% of the vote. The CDU, under state premier Sven Schulze, is on 23%, with the Left party third on 11.5%. Nearly a third of voters remain undecided.
EUROPE MIGRATION – Interior and immigration ministers from Denmark, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Greece are meeting in Copenhagen today to discuss so-called Return Hubs. These are reception centres outside the EU for people refused asylum and who cannot be sent back to their home countries. Human rights groups including Amnesty International have strongly criticised the plans.
IRAN WAR – Iran says it struck US military bases in Kuwait and the UAE on Thursday, calling it retaliation for a missile attack on a wedding in Kuhestak that killed four people, including a child. US Vice President JD Vance said the wedding strike was being investigated, but voiced scepticism about Iranian reports. It comes as the six-month war between Iran and the US shows no sign of easing.
GLORIA STEINEM RIP – American journalist, activist, and feminist icon Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92. Before becoming a leading figure in the women's rights movement, Steinem cut her teeth in journalism in the 1960s, denouncing the inequalities women endured at a time when many in the US still needed their husband's approval to open a bank account.
ATHLETICS – For the first time, Luxembourg will have two athletes in a Diamond League final, as Patrizia van der Weken and Ruben Querinjean both head to Brussels this weekend. Van der Weken races the 100 metres on Saturday, chasing a season's best after a season hampered by injury. Querinjean lines up in the 3,000m steeplechase. Both finals take place on Saturday evening.
FORMULA 1 – Formula One is in Italy this weekend for the Monza Grand Prix. The first two free practice sessions are this afternoon, with final practice and qualifying tomorrow, and the race on Sunday. It's live on RTL 2 TV and on RTL Play. In the overall standings, Italy's Kimi Antonelli leads with 242 points after 13 races, 59 clear of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, who are tied on 183.
CYCLING – In the Vuelta a España, overall leader Enric Mas of Spain extended his lead yesterday. He finished 6th on the stage, just under 3 minutes behind winner Jakob Omrzel, but stretched his advantage over closest rivals Primoz Roglic and Felix Gall to 27 seconds. Today's stage covers 193 kilometres with three mountain climbs in the Granada region.
FOOTBALL – In football, the German Bundesliga's second matchday sees Stuttgart host Cologne this evening. In France, PSG face Monaco. Liverpool travel to promoted side Ipswich Town in the Premier League, and in Spain, Betis Sevilla take on Real Madrid.
It’s a pretty warm day with cloudy spells to start. Some sunshine will spread in from the south through the day but the north of the country will stay cloudier in places. We only have some rain forecast to move in from the Ardennes later this evening. Morning temperatures will range from 15–17°C, warming up to a maximum of 26°C in the afternoon.
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