About this Episode
Foreign minister Xavier Bettel accused the European Commission of delaying concrete action against Israel as EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss possible sanctions. He declared the commission’s options paper on restricting trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank arrive “too late” after two years of calls and amounted to a basis for debate rather than a decision-ready proposal. Bettel backed a full ban on settlement imports, rejected arguments that sanctions would bolster Israeli extremists ahead of October elections, and argued targeted trade measures could be adopted by qualified majority rather than unanimity.
During the late‑June heatwave, emergency services and hospitals saw a sharp rise in demand, ministers Léon Gloden and Martine Deprez said. From 15 to 30 June CGDIS medical call‑outs rose on average by nearly 50 percent and peaked at an 85 percent increase on 24 June, with daily SAP responses exceeding 300 on the busiest days.. The government said the situation remained under control thanks to staff mobilisation, whilst noting higher admissions among people aged 60 and over. It also warned that assessing heat‑related deaths will take weeks due to the complexity of attributing causes.
Several municipalities, including Waldbillig and Bertrange, have imposed drinking‑water restrictions amid growing scarcity, issuing orange alerts and banning private uses such as washing cars, cleaning pavements, garages or façades with a hose. Playground water supplies such as at Heringer Mill have been cut and violations risk fines of €25–€250.
The IMF warned Luxembourg’s slowdown reflects deep structural constraints, not just temporary shocks. It said public‑sector growth has masked weak private investment, subdued productivity and soft business confidence. High costs, especially housing and rising labour costs, were denting competitiveness and holding back private hiring and investment. The fund urged policies to revive private‑sector dynamism and warned that relying on state spending as the main growth driver is unsustainable. The government said it broadly accepted the diagnosis and will manage spending carefully.
