RTL Today - Your Weekly Recap: Grand Duke Henri announces succession date, five million passengers at Findel, and investigation into Kazakhstan plane crash

Your Weekly Recap for 23–27 December.

Here are five things you should know at the end of this week:

Grand Duke Henri announces succession date in last ever Christmas speech
Employees disagree with open Sundays and longer opening hours
Five million passengers hosted at Findel Airport in one year
38 dead as Azerbaijani jet crashes in Kazakhstan
Trump stirs unease with Panama, Greenland plans

1. Grand Duke Henri announces succession date in last ever Christmas speech

On 24 December 2024, Grand Duke Henri delivered his final Christmas speech, reflecting on nearly 25 years of reign with deep gratitude, acknowledging Luxembourg's significant changes and challenges during his leadership.
At the very end, the Grand Duke said that "The Grand Duchess and I are happy to announce that Prince Guillaume and Princess Stéphanie will be our successors starting 3 October 2025."

On 8 October, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume was formally appointed Lieutenant Representative of Grand Duke Henri, marking a key step toward his accession to the throne.

Transfer of power – On 3 October 2025, nearly a year after being sworn in as Grand Duke Henri's Lieutenant Representative, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume will officially become the new Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume's lieutenancy, therefore, will have been relatively short while some previous lieutenancies have extended for up to three years.

'Power of attorney' – This is the sixth time in the history of Luxembourg's Grand Ducal Court that a Lieutenant Representative has been appointed. The Constitution permits the Grand Duke to delegate powers to a direct descendant of Grand Duke Adolphe, granting Guillaume the same rights as the Grand Duke. As part of this role, Guillaume will assume administrative duties previously managed by the Head of State.

Beginning of a new era – The date of 3 October 2025 thus marks a historic moment, as it will be the occasion of a symbolic handover of power. The event will likely be a moment of national celebration, honouring Grand Duke Henri for nearly a quarter of a century of reign, and welcoming the new Grand Duke, Guillaume.

2. Employees disagree with open Sundays and longer opening hours

There is a lot of discussion surrounding the government's new draft bill, which allows shops to open from 5.00am to 10.00pm during weekdays and Sundays, and from 5.00am to 7.00pm on holidays.
According to a 2018 survey conducted with business owners and employees, both sides did not mention any need to amend laws or work longer hours.
The trade unions disagree with the draft bill though, an opinion they based on a 2018 study conducted by LISER, the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research.

Important statistics – A survey on extending opening hours past 6.00pm and opening on Sundays gathered input from 681 businesses, representing 3,751 employees across various sectors. This equates to a 30% participation rate for businesses and 16% for employees.

Until now, this study has gone largely unnoticed, but it does point to some important statistics.

Employer's perspectives – Many shops do not open on Sundays for additional revenue, but rather because they want to keep up with the online competition.

It is a similar case for opening hours past 6pm. Most stores were satisfied with the laws in 2018. If a change were to take place, 38% of them would adjust their opening hours to those of competing businesses.

And what about employees? – Approximately 45% of employees feared they might lose their jobs if they were to not be available to work on Sundays. They also feared that colleagues might look at them negatively.

The survey senses a link between stress, unhappiness, and Sunday or evening shifts. Employees who worked on Sundays were 12% more prone to experience stress at work, and they were more unhappy overall.

3. Findel airport hosted five million passengers in one year

For the first time in the history of Findel, the airport surpassed its symbolic cap of five million passengers hosted in one year.
The five millionth passenger arrived in Bari, Italy, on 20 December, aboard the Luxair flight LG536.
It is a new frequency record for the airport, and it largely surpasses the 4.4 millions of 2019 and the 4.79 million visitors in 2023.

New connection – The year 2025 already hints at another busy year for Findel, especially with the new tram station in the spring.

Slow speed – On 10 December the tram arrived at Findel Airport for the first time after a slow 30-minute journey from Luxexpo, marking the start of tests for the final section of the T1 tram line.

The Kirchberg-Findel section, initially expected to open this autumn, will now open in March 2025 due to delays in construction.

4. 38 dead as Azerbaijani jet crashes in Kazakhstan

An Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet crashed on Wednesday in western Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 people on board, officials said.
The Embraer 190 aircraft that was supposed to fly northwest from the Azerbaijani capital Baku to the city of Grozny in Chechnya in southern Russia instead flew across the Caspian Sea and went down near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan.
An investigative team led by the deputy prosecutor general of Azerbaijan has been dispatched to Kazakhstan and is working at the crash site.

Doctors flown to site – The crash led to a fire that was extinguished by emergency responders, with 150 workers deployed to the scene, according to the emergency situations ministry. The health ministry announced that a special flight carrying specialist doctors flew from the capital, Astana, to assist the injured.

What happened? – The plane's course on Flight Radar showed it flying away from its normal route and then circling over the area where it eventually crashed near Aktau, which is an oil and gas hub on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea.

An investigation is underway, but some aviation and military experts said the plane may have been accidentally shot by Russian air defence systems because it was flying in an area where Ukrainian drone activity had been reported.

A former expert at France's BEA air accident investigation agency said there appeared to be "a lot of shrapnel" damage on the wreckage.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the damage was "reminiscent" of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which was downed with a surface-to-air missile by Russia-backed rebels over eastern Ukraine in 2014.

The Kremlin on Thursday cautioned against "hypotheses" over the crash of an Azerbaijani plane heading for Russia, killing 38 people, which Azerbaijan officials reportedly believe was caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile.

Official statement – Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with Aliyev and also "expressed his condolences in connection with the crash", his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a news conference.

5. Trump stirs unease with Panama, Greenland plans

Donald Trump’s provocative threats to seize the Panama Canal, buy Greenland, and annex Canada have reignited concerns about his unorthodox leadership style just weeks before his return to power.
By challenging the sovereignty of some of Washington's closest allies four weeks before he even returns to the Oval Office, the US-president elect has underscored his credentials as global disruptor-in-chief.
But there are also suspicions that billionaire tycoon Trump is looking for leverage as part of the "art of the deal" -- and that the former reality television star is grabbing headlines to look strong at home and abroad.

Non-negotiable – Panama leaders past and present reject Trump's threat of Canal takeover. President Jose Raul Mulino dismissed Trump's comments Sunday, saying "every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama".

'Get out' – Protesters in Panama on Tuesday burned an image of Trump following his threat to demand control of the country's interoceanic canal be returned to Washington. Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy chanting "Trump, animal, leave the canal alone" and "Get out invading gringo," as about 20 police officers guarded the compound.

What does Trump want? – Trump slammed what he called unfair fees for US ships passing through the Panama Canal and hinted at China's growing influence.

If Panama could not ensure "the secure, efficient and reliable operation" of the channel, "then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question," he said.

The idea of buying Greenland is not a new one for Trump. He also raised the prospect of purchasing the vast strategic island, a Danish territory, during his first term in office.

He revived his push over the weekend when naming his ambassador to Copenhagen, saying the "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" for US national security.

But he received the same answer this time as he did then, with Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede saying on Monday that the resource-rich island was "not for sale."

The best of... 📚

Business & Tech – President-elect Donald Trump's repeated support for TikTok has sparked speculation about potential solutions to prevent the app's impending ban in the United States, though the path forward remains unclear.
Science & Environment – Survivors and victims' relatives will this week mark the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 220,000 people across more than a dozen countries.
Entertainment – A chorus of support is growing behind actress Blake Lively after she filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni.
Sport – Luxembourg's Marie Schreiber delivered a remarkable performance on Saturday, claiming victory in the 4th round of the Elite Cyclo-Cross World Cup in Hulst, Netherlands.

And in case you missed it... ⚠️

New regulation – Although "inter-filing" or "lane splitting" has been allowed since 2016 in our neighbouring country, it will be prohibited starting 1 January 2025. Those who violate the new regulation will face a €135 fine.
Local rules – New Years Eve is synonymous with colourful fireworks lighting up the night sky to usher in the coming year. However, in many municipalities across the country, fireworks are no longer allowed.
Ministry of Health – Right in time for end-of-year celebrations, the Ministry of Health raises awareness to the dangers of alcohol by launching a campaign.
Construction sector – Employers and trade unions have agreed to a new deal affecting 20,000 workers, securing an extra day off and a 30-cent increase in starting salaries for lower-wage employees.

Your Weekly Recap is published every Friday at noon. Read earlier versions.