Latest from Étude· Page 3 of 18

Every section, ordered by publication date. 412 stories in the archive.

Luxembourg
Immigration
The EU Blue Card in Luxembourg: Requirements for Highly-Qualified Non-EU Workers
Luxembourg's EU Blue Card is the residence and work permit for highly-qualified non-EU nationals. It requires a higher-education qualification or at least five years of relevant experience, a contract of at least six months, and gross annual pay of at least 65,652 euros (the threshold since 3 March 2026). You apply from abroad before arrival via the Immigration Directorate. It lasts up to four years and allows family reunification and intra-EU mobility.
By Julia Weber3 June 2026
Culture
Travel guide
The Best Time to Visit Luxembourg, Season by Season
Luxembourg is at its best from late spring to early autumn, roughly May to September, when daytime temperatures sit around 20 to 25 degrees, days are long and terraces, festivals and trails are in full swing. June brings National Day on the 23rd, late August opens the giant Schueberfouer funfair, and September turns the Moselle into wine country. December lights up for the Christmas markets, while the quiet shoulder months trade weather for lower prices and smaller crowds.
By Léa Schmit3 June 2026
Culture
Wine country
What is Crémant de Luxembourg? A guide to the Grand Duchy's Moselle wines
Crémant de Luxembourg is a quality sparkling wine made by the traditional method along the Luxembourg Moselle, a protected appellation since 1991. This guide explains the production rules, the 42-kilometre wine region and its grapes, the Marque Nationale quality scheme, where to visit, and how Crémant differs from Champagne and Prosecco.
By Léa Schmit3 June 2026
Finance
Money & living costs
The Cost of Living in Luxembourg: Is It Expensive, and How Much Do You Need?
Luxembourg ranks among Europe's most expensive countries, driven overwhelmingly by housing. A one-bedroom flat in Luxembourg City rents for roughly €1,966 a month (Numbeo, May 2026). A single person can expect about €2,700-3,300 a month including rent; a family needs more. Free public transport, high salaries and an indexed minimum wage of €2,703.74 gross partly offset the cost. This explainer breaks down rent, groceries, transport, childcare and health.
By Pierre Hansen3 June 2026
Culture
Culture
What Food Is Luxembourg Known For? The National Dish and Traditional Classics, Explained
Luxembourg's cuisine fuses German heartiness with French finesse — "French quality, German quantity." The national dish is Judd mat Gaardebounen, smoked pork collar with broad beans. Around it sit everyday classics: Bouneschlupp soup, deep-fried Gromperekichelcher, spreadable Kachkéis, Träipen black pudding, Friture de la Moselle, Feierstengszalot and Bouchée à la reine. Sweets like Quetschentaart and carnival Verwuerelter, plus Moselle wines and Crémant, complete it.
By Léa Schmit1 June 2026
Politics
Your rights explained
How to get Luxembourg citizenship — and how the Sproochentest works
Most people become Luxembourgers through naturalisation: at least five years of legal residence (the final 12 months uninterrupted), a pass in the Sproochentest spoken-Luxembourgish test, and the free 'Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché' civic course or its exam. Dual nationality has been allowed since 2009, so you keep your current passport. A faster 'option' route exists for spouses, people born or schooled here, and 20-year residents. The Article 89 ancestry route is closed.
By Marie-Anne Kayser1 June 2026
Finance
Housing finance
How to Get the 3% Super-Reduced VAT for Building or Renovating Your Home in Luxembourg
Luxembourg's "TVA logement" scheme cuts VAT to a super-reduced 3% (instead of the 17% standard rate) on building or renovating a dwelling used as a principal residence. The benefit is capped at €50,000 of VAT per dwelling. Claim it by direct application (the contractor invoices at 3% after AED approval) or by reimbursement of the difference afterwards via the AED. The home must be a main residence for at least two years. Separate from the Bëllegen Akt purchase credit.
By Pierre Hansen1 June 2026
Culture
Cultural Heritage
The Benin Bronzes Are Going Home: Inside the 2026 Restitution Reckoning
In 1897 a British punitive expedition stripped Benin City of roughly 5,000 artworks now scattered across the world's museums. In 2026 their return is accelerating: the Netherlands handed back 119 pieces, while Germany, Sweden, the Horniman and the Smithsonian have already ceded ownership of hundreds more. The British Museum, holding 900-plus objects, still refuses to deaccession, citing a 1963 law.
By Léa Schmit1 June 2026
Luxembourg
Driving in the Grand Duchy
Speed Limits and Key Driving Rules in Luxembourg, Explained
Luxembourg sets default speed limits of 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on rural roads and 130 km/h on motorways, dropping to 110 km/h in the rain. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L, tightened to 0.2 g/L for novice and professional drivers. Priority goes to the right unless signs say otherwise, seatbelts are compulsory, hands-free phones only, and winter tyres are mandatory in wintry conditions. A 12-point licence system backs it all up.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
World
World
Venezuela's 'Normalization Without Transition': Inside the Post-Maduro Order
Since US forces captured Nicolas Maduro on 3 January 2026, deputy Delcy Rodriguez has governed Venezuela, opening the oil sector to private investors and freeing hundreds of prisoners while sidestepping the elections the constitution requires. Analysts call it 'normalization without transition.' The Trump administration, focused on stability and energy, has effectively backed Rodriguez over Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado, who now vows to run for president.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
Finance
Commodities
From shortage to glut: how the cocoa boom turned into a West African crisis
Cocoa nearly tripled to a record above $12,000 a tonne in December 2024, then crashed to about $3,100 by early 2026 as the market swung from deep deficit to a 300,000-400,000-tonne surplus. Better West African weather lifted output just as chocolate-makers cut bar sizes and substituted cocoa butter, destroying demand. Now Ivory Coast and Ghana, together nearly 70% of world supply, cannot sell their beans. This explainer unpacks the cycle, the human cost and what to watch.
By Luc Bertemes1 June 2026
World
Global Health
The malaria vaccine is now saving children's lives outside the lab — and funding, not supply, is the wall
WHO said on 8 May 2026 that real-world data confirm the malaria vaccine cuts child deaths, not only in trials. A Lancet evaluation in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi found 1 in 8 deaths averted; a Phase 4 study found a 17% drop in all-cause mortality and 58% in severe malaria. Rollout reached 25 African countries, with 28.3 million doses given in 2025. WHO says the vaccines could prevent up to 500,000 child deaths by 2035 if scaled, but a near-30% funding gap threatens momentum.
By Marie-Anne Kayser1 June 2026
Luxembourg
Living in Luxembourg
How Recycling and Waste Sorting Work in Luxembourg
Luxembourg sorts household waste into several streams: a black bin for residual waste, a blue bin for paper and cardboard, a brown bin for organic and food waste, glass to bottle banks, and the Valorlux blue bag (sac bleu) for plastic, metal and beverage-carton packaging (PMC) collected on a calendar. Hazardous items go to SuperDrecksKëscht, and recycling centres take bulky waste, textiles and electronics. Rules and bin colours vary by commune.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
World
Two-way science in the desert
Australia's 'Ghost Bird' Returns: How Indigenous Rangers Found the World's Largest Night Parrot Population
Indigenous Ngururrpa rangers and scientists have detected up to 50 night parrots in WA's Great Sandy Desert, the largest known population of a bird feared extinct until 2013. Using acoustic 'songmeters' across 31 sites chosen by blending ranger knowledge with satellite and geology data, they found a stronghold dwarfing Queensland's. Camera traps showed dingoes, not cats, dominate roosts as the species is uplisted to critically endangered amid mining pressure.
By Léa Schmit1 June 2026
Luxembourg
Living in Luxembourg
Luxembourg public holidays 2026: the full list and what's open or closed
Luxembourg has 11 legal public holidays a year. In 2026 they run from New Year's Day (1 January) to St Stephen's Day (26 December), with movable feasts on Easter Monday (6 April), Ascension Day (14 May) and Whit Monday (25 May). On these days most shops, banks and public offices close, transport runs a reduced Sunday timetable, and bakeries and on-duty pharmacies stay open. When a holiday lands on a weekend, employees get a compensatory day within three months.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
World
Paleontology
Thailand's 'Last Titan': How Strange Rocks by a Pond Became Southeast Asia's Largest Dinosaur
Researchers have described Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis, a long-necked sauropod from northeastern Thailand estimated at roughly 27 metres long and around 27 tonnes. Reported as the largest dinosaur yet found in Southeast Asia, it lived 100 to 120 million years ago and was unearthed after a local resident spotted unusual rocks beside a pond in 2016.
By Léa Schmit1 June 2026
Luxembourg
Moving to Luxembourg
How to Exchange a Foreign Driving Licence in Luxembourg
What you must do with a foreign driving licence in Luxembourg depends on where it was issued. EU/EEA licences are recognised automatically and can be registered free or exchanged for EUR 30 (earliest 185 days after arrival). Non-EU/EEA licences must be converted within one year of taking up residence, and a test may be required depending on the category and country. The process runs through the SNCA and MyGuichet.lu.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
World
Demography
Japan Hits a 10th Record-Low Birth Year as South Korea's Fertility Rate Quietly Climbs
Japan recorded 705,809 births in 2025, a 10th consecutive record low, while South Korea's fertility rate rose to 0.80 from 0.75. Tokyo and Seoul are forming a joint task force on the demographic crisis. Here is what the numbers mean, why Korea's uptick may not last, and why below-replacement Europe should pay attention.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
World
Marine biodiversity
1,121 new species in a year: how the Ocean Census broke the deep-sea logjam
The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census says it logged 1,121 new marine species in a single year - a 54% jump in the annual discovery rate, from depths down to 6,575 metres. Highlights include a deep-sea ghost shark and a worm that lives inside a glass-sponge 'castle.' With an estimated 90% of ocean species still undescribed, a new platform called NOVA aims to cut the historic 13.5-year wait to formally share a find down to weeks.
By Julia Weber1 June 2026
Finance
Personal Finance
How to Open a Bank Account in Luxembourg: A Guide for Newcomers, Residents and Cross-Border Workers
Both residents and non-residents can open a bank account in Luxembourg. The main retail banks are Spuerkeess (BCEE), BGL BNP Paribas, BIL, ING Luxembourg and POST Finance, alongside neobanks like Revolut and N26 for everyday spending. You typically need a valid passport or ID, proof of address, your matricule (national social security number) and often an employment contract. An in-branch identity check is common, but several banks let you start online. Fees vary by bank.
By Luc Bertemes1 June 2026
World
West Africa
Senegal's reformist dream cracks as Faye fires Sonko and the IMF clock ticks
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed PM Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government on 22 May 2026, fracturing the PASTEF movement that won power in 2024. The split turns on economics: Sonko resisted raising fuel prices and IMF-backed restructuring of Senegal's roughly $13bn debt, while Faye's team pushes reforms to unlock a frozen $1.8bn IMF programme. On 26 May, lawmakers made Sonko parliament speaker, creating a rival power centre as IMF talks resume.
By Mathias Faber1 June 2026
Tech & Science
Startup Guide
How to Start and Fund a Startup in Luxembourg: A 2026 Founder's Guide
Luxembourg's startup ecosystem counts more than 810 companies and raised €407 million in 2025. This guide maps the practical path for founders: setting up a SARL-S, getting the business permit, stacking equity-free grants such as Fit 4 Start (up to €150,000), raising from business angels and venture capital, and tapping the Luxembourg Future Fund, the European Investment Fund and EU money from the EIC.
By Noah Schreiber1 June 2026
Culture
Archaeology
Norway's Largest Viking Coin Hoard Emerges From an Østerdalen Field
On 10 April 2026, detectorists Rune Sætre and Vegard Sørlie found 19 silver coins at Mørstad farm in Østerdalen, Norway, then stopped and called archaeologists. That restraint preserved the context for a find now at roughly 3,000 late-Viking-Age coins and counting, surpassing the 1,849-coin Årstad hoard of 1836 as Norway's largest. The cache mixes English, German, Danish and fresh Norwegian silver naming Cnut, Æthelred and Harald Hardrada.
By Léa Schmit1 June 2026
Finance
Energy markets
How One Strike on Qatar Flipped the Global Gas Market Into Deficit
In early March 2026, attacks on Qatar's Ras Laffan complex knocked out an estimated 17% of LNG capacity, damaging two of 14 liquefaction trains and a gas-to-liquids unit and sidelining about 12.8 million tonnes a year for three to five years. QatarEnergy declared force majeure on contracts to Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China. Gas prices spiked, and a market braced for a record glut swung into a multi-year deficit. What LNG is, who is hit hardest, and what to watch.
By Pierre Hansen1 June 2026