Amazon leading union vote in Alabama
With about half of the votes counted, workers at an Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, are rejecting a proposal to join the RWDSU trade union by a margin of 2-to-1. Roughly 3,200 ballots were cast, representing 55% of the site’s total workforce. The National Labor Relations Board, a federal agency, will continue counting ballots today. Sources: Bloomberg, CNBC, Financial Times, The Guardian and NPR.
Gramegna supports US tax plan
Luxembourg’s finance minister, Pierre Gramegna (DP), has come out in favour of an American proposal to set an international minimum corporate tax rate and allow countries to apply more corporate taxation locally. “We must avoid a race to the bottom,” Gramegna said during a Bloomberg TV interview on Thursday. Luxembourg’s government is “very pleased that this discussion is taking place.” While Gramegna said that he and European counterparts have some reservations that need to be addressed, “I think the global direction is the right one.” Sources: Bloomberg and @pierregramegna.
Wiseler officially candidate to lead CSV
Claude Wiseler, an MP and former cabinet minister, has formally filed his candidacy to be CSV party president. Sources: Delano, Paperjam and 100,7.
EU prosecutor in Kirchberg sets target start date
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will investigate corruption and fraud across the EU, could start operating on 1 June. Sources: EPPO press release, Law360 (paywall) and Paperjam.
Amundi launches green fixed income fund
The asset manager Amundi opened its Just Transition for Climate fund, which will invest in low carbon footprint bonds, as it pushes into ESG investing. Sources: Citywire Selector and Paperjam.
Blackrock green ETF launch
The world’s largest asset manager, Blackrock, raised $1.25bn from institutional investors for its US Carbon Transition Readiness fund, which will focus on the transition to the low carbon economy. Sources: Financial Times and Seeking Alpha.
State Street crypto platform
A major asset manager and technology provider to fund firms, State Street, will reportedly partner with a startup to provide a cryptocurrency trading platform. Sources: Coindesk, Financial Times and Seeking Alpha.
Impossible Foods mooting IPO or SPAC deal
A US company that makes plant-based meat products, Impossible Foods, reportedly wants to go public within the next year. The firm would be valued at $10bn or more. Sources: Bloomberg, Marketwatch, Reuters and Seeking Alpha.
Chip supply problems hit North American car plants
The continuing global semiconductor shortage has forced automakers Ford and GM to reduce or shut down production at several sites in Canada, Mexico and the US. Sources: Bloomberg, CNBC, CNN and NPR.
Northern Ireland leaders appeal for calm
Police blasted rioters in Belfast with a water cannon during the second night of violent protests. Northern Ireland’s government stated, “While our political positions are very different on many issues, we are all united in our support for law and order”. Troubles have flared following Brexit, which has placed different rules on Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK. Sources: BBC, DW, Politico and Reuters.
Moscow moves more military forces to Ukraine border
Kyiv and Washington expressed increased concern about Russian troop movements near the Ukraine border, while Moscow said it would “defend” its citizens. Sources: AFP, BBC, CNBC and DW.
Macron to shut down ENA
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced the closure of the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, France’s hyper elite training school (which Macron attended), in a bid to boost social mobility. Sources: BBC, Financial Times, The Guardian and Politico.
Oslo man’s body found after 9 years
Norwegian police are investigating how a man who died (apparently of natural causes) in his Oslo flat remained undiscovered for 9 years until December 2020. Sources: BBC and Evening Standard.
Latest Luxembourg covid-19 update
Out of 13,579 PCR tests conducted on 7 April, 387 Luxembourg residents were positive. That is a rate of 61.81 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to a rate of 38.01 on 31 March). The reproduction rate was 0.63, below the target threshold of 1.00 (compared to 1.05). There were 140 covid-19 patients in hospital (compared to 146), including 32 in intensive care (compared to 30). No one died due to the coronavirus on Wednesday; the national death toll remains 762. A cumulative 117,137 vaccine doses have been administered, including 28,420 people who have received their second jab. Sources: Delano and health ministry.
Agenda
Friday 9 April, 5:30pm-Sunday 11 April, 7pm: Watch digital innovation unfold during the “Game of Code” hackathon. Thursday 15 April-Sunday 18 April: Art Confessions, an artist collective, holds an exposition at Galerie op der Kap in Mamer. Friday 16 April, 11:30am-1pm: The Confucius Institute at the University of Luxembourg hosts a lecture on “The Chinese Space Programme: Ambitions, achievements and perspectives”. Friday 16 April, 7pm-6pm: The British Ladies Club holds its monthly evening cocktail (via Zoom) and you don’t have to be British to participate (but you do need to sign up in advance by emailing [email protected]). Monday 19 April-Thursday 22 April: Space Resources Week 2021 features panel discussions on the sector’s business and technology challenges.
121 year old chocolate bar found
A chocolate bar, given by Queen Victoria to British troops fighting in South Africa during the second Boer war, was found still in its original tin and wrapper in an aristocrat’s attic in eastern England. Sources: BBC, Reuters and Sky News.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Aaron Grunwald