Camille Gira, who has died aged 59, entered parliament in 1994 and was mayor of Beckerich between 1990 and 2013 before serving as secretary of state for the environment. ( Photo : Luc Deflorenne / archives )

Camille Gira, who has died aged 59, entered parliament in 1994 and was mayor of Beckerich between 1990 and 2013 before serving as secretary of state for the environment. ( Photo : Luc Deflorenne / archives )

Tributes for Camille Gira

The sudden death of Green party politician and secretary of state for the environment Camille Gira left Luxembourg reeling on Wednesday. Gira, 59, had collapsed while delivering a speech to parliament on the new nature protection bill. He died later in hospital from heart failure. Green party president Christian Kmiotek said Gira had been a giant and straight shooter who had “fallen like an oak in a storm”. Prime minister Xavier Bettel said he was shocked to hear the news and praised Gira for fighting for his ideas as a mayor, minister and parliamentarian. And Pierre Gramegna, making reference to Gira’s height, tweeted his condolences and said; “He will not be forgotten, because what he stood for during his life stands tall.”

Asselborn summons Israeli ambassador

Foreign minister Jean Asselborn summoned the Israeli ambassador to Luxembourg following the deaths of more than 50 Palestinian protestors in Gaza on Monday. Simona Frankel, who represents Israel in Belgium too, was given a formal dressing down by Asselborn on Wednesday. “Luxembourg strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force against civilians and is demanding an independent international investigation. Everything must be done to avoid new acts of violence” the ministry wrote in a statement to the media. Frankel had claimed on radio that all Palestinians killed in Gaza border protests were terrorists, according to the Times of Israel.

Tusk slams Trump’s “capricious assertiveness”

President of the European Council Donald Tusk has delivered a withering verdict on the current United States administration. Speaking after an informal EU summit in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the Iran deal and trade tariffs, Tusk said that Europe must do everything in its power to protect transatlantic ties. “But at the same time we must be prepared for those scenarios, where we will have to act on our own,” he said.  “Looking at the latest decisions of President Trump, someone could even think: With friends like that, who needs enemies?”

Japan looks at tariffs on US goods

The Guardian reports that Japan has threatened to impose tariffs on US imports worth $409m. The move will be a seen as a bargaining tactic in a potential trade war as Japan seeks to be added to those countries exempted from the US administration’s tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

Murray's whisky to cease production

And sticking with the land of the rising sun, a report in The Guardian says that Japanese whisky maker Suntory is to cease production of its Hakushu 12-year-old single malt and its Hibiki 17-year-old blend. The Hibiki blend was famously drunk by Bill Murray in the film “Lost In Translation”.