EUROVISION SONG CONTEST – Luxembourg has been eliminated from this year's Eurovision Song Contest after Eva Marija failed to qualify from last night's second semi-final. Switzerland, Latvia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan also missed out on a place in tomorrow's big final in Vienna. The 10 countries that did progress are Norway, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Malta, Cyprus, Denmark, Albania, the Czech Republic, and Australia. RTL Today will broadcast the final on Saturday with English commentary from 8pm.
PETITIONS ONLINE – 27 new petitions have been launched, each requiring at least 5,500 signatures by 24 June to trigger a parliamentary debate. Among the proposals are calls for a national referendum on nuclear energy, greater state support for low-income households, a ban on advertising for e-cigarettes, tougher penalties for littering from vehicles, stricter enforcement of animal welfare laws, and the introduction of a motorway vignette system.
POPULATION GROWTH – Luxembourg's population could reach one million by 2070, according to new projections from the national statistics office STATEC. Migration remains the main driver of population growth.
SCHOOL VIOLENCE – A national survey has revealed alarming levels of violence against teachers in Luxembourg's schools. Of more than a thousand teachers surveyed by the SEW/OGBL union, nearly three quarters reported experiencing violence in the past year, with 314 saying it occurred up to five times a week. The union is calling for urgent action, warning that the Ministry of Education has so far failed to take the issue seriously.
UKRAINE WAR – Russia has carried out one of its largest aerial attacks on the Ukrainian capital, firing nearly 680 combat drones and at least 50 missiles at Kyiv. President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed 21 people were killed, among them children. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned what she called cowardly strikes, saying they demonstrated Moscow's contempt for international peace efforts.
TRUMP CHINA – US President Trump is in China for the second day of a state visit, where he is expected to hold further talks with President Xi Jinping, following their initial meeting yesterday. Whether the two sides will reach any concrete agreement on their ongoing trade dispute remains unclear. Trump is accompanied by a substantial business and economic delegation. The conflict in Iran is also on the agenda, with China being the largest importer of Iranian oil and a long-standing partner of Tehran.
UK POLITICS – British Health Secretary Wes Streeting has resigned from the government, publicly criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership as directionless and lacking in clear objectives. Political observers believe Streeting intends to stand as a candidate for the leadership of the Labour Party.
MALDIVES ACCIDENT – Five Italian nationals have died in a diving accident in the Maldives whilst exploring underwater caves. The precise circumstances of their deaths have not yet been established. Maldivian authorities are said to be in close contact with their Italian counterparts. The victims are believed to include a university professor from Genoa, who was on an expedition alongside her daughter and three fellow students.
CUBA ENERGY – Cuba is facing a severe energy crisis after the country's Energy Minister confirmed it has completely run out of diesel and fuel oil. Blackouts are now lasting up to 22 hours a day, triggering protests across the island. The head of the CIA visited Havana on Thursday, an extraordinary step-up in contact between Washington and Havana.
CYCLING – British rider Matthew Brennan leads the overall standings at the Flèche du Sud after winning both of the opening two stages, in Stadtbredimus on Wednesday and Rumelange yesterday. Today's queen stage takes the peloton around Bourscheid. Luxembourg's best-placed rider is Mil Morang in eighth place. At the Giro d'Italia, Portugal's Afonso Eulalio leads the general classification after six stages, with Italian Davide Ballerini taking yesterday's sprint in Naples. Today's 245-kilometre stage is expected to produce the first significant battle among the overall contenders.
ICE HOCKEY – The World Championship gets under way today in Switzerland, with 16 nations competing for the title. Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland are among the leading favourites. The final will be held in Zurich on 31 May.
FOOTBALL – France manager Didier Deschamps has named his 26-man squad for this summer's World Cup in North America, with Kylian Mbappé set to captain the side despite a recent thigh injury. Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembélé and Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise are among those included, whilst Rayan Cherki earns his first World Cup call-up following an impressive debut season at Manchester City.
It looks like there's still no escaping from the rain nor the cold today. The weather forecast is somewhat grim, with clouds and rain dominating the sky. And yet, a bit of sunshine might still find its way through every now and then.
Temperature wise, we have 5-6°C this morning, and only rising to expected highs of around 12°C in the afternoon.
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