FUEL PRICES – Consumers in Luxembourg will pay less for diesel and heating oil from today. Diesel prices are down by 6.2 cents to €1.872 per litre. Heating oil has also dropped by 7 cents, now costing €1.322 per litre. Despite the price drop, diesel remains the most expensive fuel type with Super 95 petrol at €1,721 per litre and Super 98 petrol costing €1,827 per litre.
CANCER ON THE RISE– The European Cancer Information System predicts that the number of cancer cases in Luxembourg will rise by 57% by 2040. Every year, around 3,000 new cancer patients are diagnosed in Luxembourg. Cancer remains the biggest cause of death, resulting in around 1,000 deaths a year since 2001. Although cancer cases in the Grand Duchy are rising, death rates are falling thanks to improved treatments and earlier detection.
DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH – Luxembourg is set for a population explosion, potentially hitting 1 million people by 2070. New STATEC forecasts suggest the population will keep rising, driven largely by migration, even as the country faces an ageing society and low birth rates. The projections outline four scenarios, ranging from around 944,000 residents to more than one million, depending largely on economic performance and how attractive Luxembourg remains compared to neighbouring countries.
MIDDLE EAST– A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon is in effect, after being agreed yesterday. It comes as Washington steps up efforts to reach a deal to end the war with Iran, with Tehran insisting a Lebanon truce must be part of any agreement. Just hours before the truce came into force, an Israeli strike on the southern Lebanese town of Ghazieh killed at least 7 people and wounded 33, the health ministry said.
Economists warn the war in Iran is creating global shocks that could cause a sharp rise in living costs and push millions into hunger in vulnerable, import-dependent regions far beyond the Middle East. Countries in East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are currently among the most affected as the conflict stretches on. Ironically, the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz – through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes – has been a windfall for some petroleum-exporting nations, like Nigeria or Algeria.
FRANCE – France will begin reimbursing reusable menstrual products for under-26s and low-income women by the next academic year. The move to tackle period poverty is expected to help 6.7 million people – almost a tenth of France’s population of 69 million – from the start of the next academic year in the autumn, it says. Women under 26 with a state health insurance card, as well as women of all ages who benefit from special healthcare support due to their limited income, will be able to get their money back after buying these products in a pharmacy.
GOLF – LIV Golf is preparing to make structural changes that “might surprise some people”, CEO Scott O’Neil said on Thursday. Multiple outlets this week reported that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund will shortly stop bankrolling the divisive league, which has spent billions to lure top golfers away from the traditional PGA and DP World tours. The league has said its current season will continue “full throttle”, and this week’s Mexico City tournament began yesterday as planned, although coverage was hit with a lengthy broadcast blackout due to local power outages.
RUGBY – All Blacks great Michael Jones told AFP that rugby union in New Zealand is losing the battle for “hearts and minds” to rival code rugby league, particularly among Pacific islanders. New Zealand is synonymous with the All Blacks, but the national rugby union team has lost its aura of invincibility on the pitch and off it rugby league is “the game of the people right now”, said Jones. His comments came just before the Moana Pasifika Super Rugby team said it would fold unless new investors came in.
FOOTBALL – Two Iranian women footballers who sought asylum last month during the Asian Cup said today the support they had received in Australia gave them hope of being able to “live and compete in safety”. Seven members of Iran’s delegation at the tournament sought sanctuary after being branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem at their opening game soon after war erupted in the Middle East. With their demands for protection an embarrassment for Iran’s leaders but lauded by US President Donald Trump, five later changed their minds and returned home.
Today will be fine and settled, with a mix of sunshine and scattered cloud. It’s expected to remain dry and winds will be light, making for comfortable conditions across the country. This morning starts off with temperatures of 6 to 8°C rising to summery highs of around 21°C in the afternoon.
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