Heatwave hits Luxembourg, Trump and Putin to meet, and Israel strike kills journalists

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

• Luxembourg endures heatwave under orange and yellow alerts
• National men's football team coach Luc Holtz resigns, joins German third division team
• Preparations for Schueberfouer 2025 in final stages, prices not increasing
• Israel strike kills Gaza journalists
• Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska

1. Luxembourg endures heatwave under orange and yellow alerts

• The Grand Duchy has been roasting under the hot summer sun, with weather alerts warning of temperatures reaching well into the early-to-mid 30s throughout the week.

• The elderly are particularly affected by strong temperatures, and home care services have plans in place to provide support.

• Many European countries have been struggling with extreme temperatures, with Portugal, Spain and Greece hit by massive forest fires, among other heat-related issues.

The heat is on – This week, Luxembourg has been enduring a heatwave expected to last until at least Friday, with national weather agency Meteolux issuing multiple temperature alerts as a shift in atmospheric pressure channels hot air from southwest Europe into the region.

The national weather service attributed the prolonged warmth to high pressure over Eastern Europe and low pressure west of Iberia, replacing last week’s cooler pattern. Forecasts indicate that above-average temperatures could persist until 21–25 August, though Meteolux has cautioned that conditions beyond that period remain highly uncertain.

In the meantime, Grand Duchy locals and visitors have been doing what they can to handle the heat. Here are some tips to help you deal with the high temperatures.

Looking after at-risk population – With high temperature alerts in place (including an orange heat alert in southern Luxembourg earlier in the week), care workers are increasing summer visits to help elderly residents stay hydrated, ventilate their homes, and avoid direct sun, though the country's National Heatwave Plan – designed for vulnerable over-75s living alone – remains inactive due to strict activation criteria.

The plan, run with the Luxembourg Red Cross, only begins under a red alert when high temperature thresholds and hospital dehydration admissions among older people are met, after which the Director of Health orders home visits. While some elderly residents value the practical help and companionship during hot spells, many do not receive such visits unless the plan is triggered.

Europe burns – Spain, Greece, Portugal and Albania are among the countries battling intense wildfires fuelled by extreme heat that scientists link to human-driven climate change. In Spain, nearly 100,000 hectares have burned this year – more than double the 2024 figure – prompting the evacuation of about 6,000 people, EU assistance requests, and the arrival of French water bombers. Greece struggled to contain parts of a major blaze near Patras after evacuations from hospitals, care homes and villages, with other fires burning on islands and in western regions.

In Portugal, over 2,100 firefighters and 20 aircraft have been deployed to combat several large blazes, including one in Trancoso that has raged since Saturday, with wind-driven flare-ups threatening villages. In Albania, an 80-year-old man died when a fire he started spread to nearby homes, injuring eight people, while evacuations and drought-strained firefighting continue across the Balkans.

Even the UK, not usually associated with high temperatures, has been struggling through their fourth heatwave of the summer, with a blaze in England's North York Moors national park being declared a major incident, and suddenly placing wildfires on the high-level-threat list.

2. National men's football team coach Luc Holtz resigns, joins German third-division team

• Luc Holtz resigned from his position as head coach for the Luxembourg national football team, moving on to take the reins of German team Waldhof Mannheim.

• In July, the Luxembourgish Football Federation had decided not to renew Holtz's contract, which was set to expire at the end of the year.

• The final months of Luc Holtz's tenure at the helm of the Red Lions were marred by the controversy surrounding the call-up of player Gerson Rodrigues, who was convicted of domestic violence.

Moving next door – Luxembourg men’s national football team coach Luc Holtz resigned earlier this week and was swiftly appointed head coach of German third-division side Waldhof Mannheim. Unveiled on Tuesday, after leaving the FLF by mutual agreement, the 56-year-old said he was committed to the club’s ambition of reaching the second Bundesliga and planned to use a style focused on possession and defensive solidity.

Holtz’s former assistant with the Red Lions did not join him at the new club - which has a slight connection to Luxembourg via national team defender Laurent Jans, who played for Mannheim between 2022 and 2024.

Sooner than expected – The Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) had confirmed in July that Holtz would be leaving at the end of his contract, set to expire at the end of the year. The FLF's decision came after a thorough review, and the separation was said to be by mutual understanding. In a letter to the federation’s board, Holtz thanked officials, players, staff, and fans for their support during his 15 years in charge, calling the job an honour.

He also voiced disappointment over recent media coverage, saying it focused too much on off-field issues and contained untruths, rather than the team’s performance. At the time, Holtz pledged to remain fully committed to the national team until his final day in the role.

The Rodrigues affair –In June, Holtz and the FLF came under fire for their decision to call up Gerson Rodrigues for two friendly matches, despite the player's conviction for domestic violence, which resulted in a suspended sentence. The head coach doubled down on his position, saying it was not his role to judge a second time.

The decision elicited a choir of protests from multiple sides, all of which erupted into a very public altercation: during one of the friendly matches in question, a protest in the stands was forcibly broken up by stadium security, resulting in one injured person – a strongly condemned action that led to the FLF issuing an apology, following pressure from the Government.

In early August, Rodrigues was indefinitely suspended from the Luxembourg national team.

3. Preparations for Schueberfouer 2025 in final stages, prices not increasing

• The 685th edition of the Schueberfouer is fast approaching, and final preparations are taking place to welcome fair-loving crowds to the Luxembourgish capital.

• All the fan-favourites are set to return, and municipal officials are aiming at an unchanged pricing structure from last year's edition.

• The Schueberfouer is the highlight of the summer, attracting massive crowds to the Grand Duchy's capital every year.

'Schubi' 2025 –Luxembourg's 685th Schueberfouer opens on 22 August with an expanded Family Day, new sustainability measures, and all the fan-favourite rides and food stalls – and, of course, its traditional closing fireworks on 10 September.

Transport plans remain unchanged from previous years, with Luxembourg's free public transport, a shuttle service from Bouillon car park, and the Grand Théâtre underground car park closed for the duration. Part of the fair’s €1 million-plus budget is dedicated to environmental initiatives, with all 213 operators required to follow waste separation and food waste reduction measures under professional supervision. You can take a look at the key dates right here.

Get your potatoes –Organisers say visitors can expect prices in line with previous years, but it is still up to individual fairground operators to set their own rates. Vendors have been encouraged to keep prices comparable to those at smaller regional funfairs, noting that this year, for example, three Gromperekichelcher (potato fritters) cost €7.50.

This year’s Family Day has been extended to two Wednesdays, with 27 August offering discounted attraction prices and the following Wednesday featuring reduced prices on food.

Historical event –Luxembourg's Schueberfouer, the nation's largest and oldest funfair, has been a staple of late summer since its founding in 1340 by John the Blind. Originally an eight-day agricultural market held on the eve of St Bartholomew's Day, it has evolved into a 20-day celebration on Limpertsberg's Glacis square, with the only interruption in modern times caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today, the Schueberfouer boasts around 200 attractions, from roller coasters and Ferris wheels to family-friendly rides, alongside a diverse food scene offering local specialities such as Gromperekichelcher and the fair-exclusive Fouerfesch. It is regularly claimed that the 'Schubi', as it is affectionately known, draws over two million visitors annually (which could actually be 'visits', not individual people), though the actual numbers are unclear. Still, one thing is true: everyone and their mother will come to the fair this year!

4. Israel strike kills Gaza journalists

• An Israeli strike on Gaza City killed five Al Jazeera staff, including prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, whom the military accused of being a Hamas militant.

• The killings were met with international condemnation, amid accusation of humanitarian breaches committed by Israel.

• A commemoration was held on Tuesday evening at Hamilius for slain Gaza journalist Anas al-Sharif, one of more than 200 members of the press killed in the war so far.

Press death toll rises –An Israeli strike on Gaza City killed five Al Jazeera staff members, including prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, with the military accusing him of being a Hamas operative. Al Jazeera condemned the attack on a tent housing journalists outside a hospital, while media watchdogs and the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate denounced the killings as a violation of press freedom, noting that over 200 journalists have died in Gaza since the war began.

Israel said al-Sharif led a Hamas cell and “posed as a journalist,” a claim the Committee to Protect Journalists criticised as part of a pattern of labelling reporters as militants without evidence. The incident came as Israel announced plans to expand its Gaza offensive, prompting UN warnings of worsening humanitarian disaster.

Global outcry – International condemnation followed the killing of the Al Jazeera correspondent and his four colleagues, with the UN human rights agency calling it a grave breach of international humanitarian law and the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas denouncing the attack. Several countries also voiced concern over Israel’s broader military plans in Gaza, with Germany suspending some arms exports and Australia joining a growing list of nations recognising a Palestinian state.

Grand Duchy vigil –Luxembourg honoured al-Sharif and his companions with a candlelit tribute at Hamilius featuring flowers, photographs, and condemnations of Israel’s justification for his death. Speakers criticised the long-standing Israeli accusation that al-Sharif was linked to Hamas, arguing it was used as a pretext to silence a reporter who exposed the reality of life in Gaza, where civilians face worsening conditions and hunger.

Among those paying tribute was a young Palestinian resident of Luxembourg, who shared his own family’s struggles in Gaza and reflected on the unanswered plea he once made for their evacuation.

5. Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska

• Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet on Friday for what will be the first meeting between a sitting US and Russian president since 2021, in which Trump seeks to broker an end to Russia's nearly three-and-a-half year war in Ukraine – without Zelensky.

• European leaders held an online summit before the Trump-Putin meeting, with the aim of drafting a common transatlantic strategy.

• Prime Minister Luc Frieden says the USA is open to coordinating with Europe on the subject of Ukraine

Critical Friday –The world watches with bated breath as US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are set to meet this Friday for what Trump has called "hopefully constructive talks" regarding the war in Ukraine. The talks notably exclude Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, who labeled the meeting as a personal victory for Putin, with the Russian leader's visit to US soil meaning a delay of sanctions against Russia.

Europe meets with US –European leaders held online talks with Donald Trump in a bid to secure assurances that Ukraine's interests will be safeguarded ahead of his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Convened by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the discussions brought together Ukraine President Zelensky, senior EU and NATO figures, and later Trump and Vice President JD Vance, focusing on territorial claims, security guarantees, and options to pressure Moscow.

The summit has fuelled fears that Kyiv could be pushed into territorial concessions, particularly after Trump suggested possible land swaps, while Russia continues to demand Ukrainian troop withdrawals, neutrality, and exclusion from NATO - terms Ukraine rejects, insisting its borders must not be changed by force.

Frieden shares 'slight hope' –Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden expressed cautious optimism about US–European unity on Ukraine, highlighting shared goals of a ceasefire, strong security guarantees, and Kyiv’s full participation in any territorial talks.

Frieden said recent video conferences with US and European leaders, including one with President Trump and another with Vice President JD Vance and President Zelensky, showed Washington values European input and will keep partners informed after the summit.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also described the coordination as strengthening Ukraine’s position, while Moscow dismissed these diplomatic efforts and reiterated its demand for control over four Ukrainian regions.

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• Science & Environment – The Ariane 6 rocket carried Europe's next-gen satellite to space, aiming to step up the monitoring of extreme weather.
  
  
• Entertainment – Taylor Swift has announced her new album The Life of a Showgirl will be released on 3 October.
  
  
• Sport – PSG beat Tottenham on penalties to win UEFA Super Cup after late comeback.

And in case you missed it... ⚠️

• Niederkorn crash – A collision between two vehicles left one person seriously injured, after one of the cars crashed into a bakery terrace.
  
  
• Cheers! – Luxembourgish independent brewery Twisted Cat placed in three and won in two categories at the 2025 World Beer Awards.
  
  
• Medical crisis – Sorbonne University in Paris will stop admitting medical students from the University of Luxembourg into its bachelor’s programme next academic year, despite an existing agreement.
  
  
• Train trouble – Due to planned engineering works, the Wasserbillig train service will be suspended for three weeks, disrupting Luxembourg-Germany commuters.

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