FUEL PRICES – All types of fuel, including petrol and diesel have dropped significantly in price. The cost of 95-octane petrol has fallen by 8.1 cents to €1.68 per litre. For 98-octane petrol, the decrease is 6.4 cents, bringing the price to €1.83 per litre. Diesel has dropped by 7.1 cents to €2.04 per litre.
TRIER STABBING – Prosecutors in Trier say a 22-year-old Afghan man who stabbed a student to death in July cannot stand trial because of severe mental illness. They say he was suffering delusions when he attacked the stranger in the street. They want him placed in a secure psychiatric institution.
NUMBER PLATE RECOGNITION – A new automated number plate recognition system is set to be introduced in Luxembourg. The system would scan vehicle number plates on roads and cross-check them with police and customs databases. However, Luxembourg’s Council of State has raised objections to the draft law, questioning the lack of clarity over where cameras can be installed and how many can be deployed.
US MIDTERMS – The Democrats have won back both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterms, giving them control of Congress.
In Texas, James Talarico has won a historic Senate victory. It's the first time in more than three decades the state has elected a Democrat to the Senate. In Kansas, Adam Hamilton has beaten the Trump-backed Republican Roger Marshall. The state hasn't sent a Democrat to the Senate since 1932.
Elsewhere, Chris Pappas has beaten the Republican John Sununu in New Hampshire, and will be the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. Jon Ossoff comfortably held his seat in Georgia. In North Carolina, Roy Cooper took a seat from the Republicans, as did Annie Andrews in South Carolina.
There were also big wins in the governors' races. In Texas, Gina Hinojosa defeated the Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, ending more than 30 years of Republican control. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms will become the state's first woman governor, and its first Black woman governor.
High living costs and the war in Iran weighed heavily with voters, and President Trump's approval ratings have hit new lows in recent weeks. Trump has told the New York Times he will accept the results and work with the Democrats. But on Truth Social he insisted that if he'd been on the ballot, the Republicans would have clearly won.
UKRAINE WAR – Ukraine has again hit the logistics centre of a Russian online retailer overnight. The Russian news agency Tass says staff were evacuated. Kyiv has been targeting the hubs of firms like Wildberries and Ozon, saying weapons components are also sold through their sites.
Meanwhile, President Trump has told the Financial Times he's optimistic about peace talks. Working groups from Ukraine, Russia and the United States are due to meet in Abu Dhabi next week.
SPAIN RESIGNATION – Spain's transport minister, Óscar Puente, has resigned after last week's train crash, which killed 69 people. He announced it in parliament and said he won't stand in the general election. He said a minister could not stay on after such an accident, calling it a matter of political dignity.Early findings suggest an employee gave wrong instructions after the automatic control system failed.
FOOTBALL – Some results from last night’s Champions League games. Manchester United came from two goals down to beat Roma 3-2. Paris Saint-Germain beat Villarreal 6-0, scoring four goals in eight first-half minutes, a Champions League record. Bayern Munich won 2-0 at Atlético Madrid, and Inter Milan beat Feyenoord 3-0. Before kick-off, clubs held a minute's silence for the Tenerife player Jesús de Miguel, who died at the age of 30 after a collision with a goalkeeper in a Spanish second-division match.
CYCLING – The men’s 2027 Giro d’Italia route has been unveiled by organisers RCS. It’s promising a tough race covering over 3,400 kilometres, with three motor racing circuits and demanding mountain stages. The race starts in Trieste on 8 May and finishes in Rome on 30 May.
ICE HOCKEY – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Russia will not play at next month's World Junior Hockey Championships in Canada, despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport reinstating Russia to ice hockey world championships. Carney said no Russian athletes will compete in Canada while the war in Ukraine continues.
It’s a dry but chilly day ahead, with a few clouds drifting across the sky. No need to worry about rain, but you might want to think twice before leaving the house without a jacket. Temperatures start with 1–3°C this morning, warming up to a maximum of 9°C in the afternoon.
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