Your Weekly Recap for 17–21 November 2025.

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

  • New trial in Bommeleeër case opens as ex-officers accused of perjury,
  • ADR co-founder quits over MEP Kartheiser's second Russia trip,
  • One in four children in Luxembourg now lives in poverty,
  • UN backs US Gaza peace plan, but Israeli strikes continue,
  • Trump orders release of Epstein files amid fears of limited disclosure.

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1. New trial in Bommeleeër case opens as ex-officers accused of perjury

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Alleged obstruction – A new trial has opened this week in Luxembourg against seven former law enforcement officials, five gendarmes and two public security members, accused of perjury.

Although it has slipped from the public eye, the case re-emerged after a decade as the court examines whether these individuals obstructed the pursuit of justice. The State and the original accused, Jos Wilmes and Marc Scheer, are both claiming €500,000 in damages, arguing that their reputations were irreparably harmed by these alleged falsehoods.

Darkest criminal chapter – The infamous Bommeleeër affair dates back to the 1980s, when 21 coordinated bombings struck the Grand Duchy's power infrastructure, pipelines, and airport systems. No fatalities were recorded, but the case remains the nation's most enigmatic domestic terror investigation to date.

After years of conspiracy theories ranging from NATO's 'Stay Behind' network to royal involvement, prosecutors eventually speculated whether the gendarmerie may have staged the attacks to push for institutional reforms.

In 2013, the two elite mobile brigade officers Marc Scheer and Jos Wilmes stood trial, though the proceedings collapsed after 177 days in 2014 due to inconsistencies and implausible testimony.

Points to the affair's core – The current trial, meant to address perjury allegations, is deeply entangled with the unresolved core of the Bommeleeër affair. Defence lawyers argue it is impossible to judge whether witnesses lied without determining the broader truth about the bombings themselves.

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2. ADR co-founder quits over MEP Kartheiser's second Russia trip

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Taking a stance – Robert Mehlen, a founding member and long-serving president of Luxembourg's Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), has resigned from the party and given up his honorary title in protest of its increasingly pro-Russia stance.

In an open letter, Mehlen denounced what he called the party's "Putin-friendly politics", sparked by MEP Kartheiser's recent visit to Sochi, Russia. He also accused the MEP's rhetoric as one defending Russian terror and oppression, and said he could no longer stay in a party that tolerates such alignment.

Controversial visits – Kartheiser's second trip to Russia this year, just six months after his Moscow visit got him expelled from the ECR group in the European Parliament, involved meetings with high-ranking Russian officials, including LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky and Security Council Vice-Chair Dmitri Medvedev.

The MEP has since defended the visit as part of a broader initiative to avoid a "renewed Cold War" and argued that Russia and the EU share a responsibility to maintain peace. Despite international condemnation, Kartheiser shows no signs of backing down from his diplomatic overtures.

Against the grain –Kartheiser's campaign to institutionalise EU–Russia discussions, including proposals for monthly video calls and an in-person summit on "neutral ground", has placed him even further at odds with European consensus.

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3. One in four children in Luxembourg now lives in poverty 

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  • Child poverty and inequality are on the rise across Luxembourg, according to the latest OKAJU report.

  • Youth Ombudsman Charel Schmit has called for new state-led support measures to protect vulnerable minors.

  • Beyond poverty, OKAJU urges stronger action on digital safety, porn platforms, and child abuse prevention.

Below the poverty line –Luxembourg's Ombudsman for the Rights of Children and Adolescents (OKAJU), Charel Schmit, sounded the alarm in his latest report, revealing that one in four children in the country now lives below the poverty line. He flagged an 8% material deprivation rate among children, often tied to poor housing conditions.

The report also notes that 11.5% of households rely on the cost-of-living allowance, and 7% of all children (roughly one in 14) have parents who receive the REVIS social inclusion income. "In every school class, there are children who depend on social assistance", Schmit said, adding that single-parent families are especially vulnerable.

State to step in –Schmit proposed several structural reforms to better shield children from the effects of poverty. Among them is a reversal of child maintenance logic: instead of leaving the burden on individual parents to recover unpaid child support, he argues the state should intervene and claim the amount on the child's behalf.

He also recommended streamlining access to legal aid for minors, proposing that children be granted the right to consult a specialist lawyer without needing prior approval from a judge.

Online threats –Beyond poverty, the report focused heavily on the need to protect children in the digital age. Schmit blasted global porn platforms for failing to block minors from accessing explicit content. He also expressed dismay at the EU Parliament's failure to pass rules that would have defined such platforms as high-risk.

In response, he urged Luxembourg's lawmakers to take unilateral action. On broader child safety, he advocated for stronger restrictions on suspected paedophiles, a minimum age for social media access, and even a ban on screen use for children under the age of three.

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4. UN backs US Gaza peace plan, but Israeli strikes continue

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Palestinian core demands excluded – The UN Security Council voted 13-0 in favour of a US-drafted resolution endorsing Donald Trump's controversial peace plan for Gaza, with only Russia and China abstaining. The resolution authorises the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) and a transitional "Board of Peace" to govern Gaza until 2027.

While celebrated by the US and its allies as a critical step toward demilitarisation and aid delivery, Hamas and several critics rejected it, arguing it imposes international trusteeship without addressing core Palestinian demands.

Building momentum –The vote comes weeks after a fragile ceasefire was reached under Trump's 20-point peace plan, which included a hostage-prisoner swap and limited Israeli troop withdrawals. The new resolution builds on that momentum, authorising scaled-up humanitarian aid and envisioning a long-term roadmap to Palestinian statehood, contingent on reforms by the Palestinian Authority.

Trump framed the plan as a diplomatic triumph, saying it would lead to "peace all over the world", though Israel continues to oppose any recognition of Palestinian statehood.

Ceasefire violated – At the same time, Israel has resumed strikes across Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement, with over a dozen civilians reportedly killed in Khan Yunis and Gaza City this week.

Qatar, a key ceasefire mediator, condemned the attacks as a dangerous escalation, warning they risk unraveling the truce. The UN has urged both sides to uphold the fragile agreement, but human rights groups report that over 300 Palestinians have died in Israeli raids since the October 10 ceasefire began. Hamas has appealed to Trump and international backers to pressure Israel into compliance.

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5. Trump orders release of Epstein files amid fears of limited disclosure

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Clarity underway? –  President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, dropping his long‑standing opposition and allowing the House to force publication of unclassified government documents on Jeffrey Epstein.

The bill was approved by Congress with an overwhelming majority, which now requires the Justice Department to publish thousands of pages of transcripts, logs, and communications within a month.

Awkward U-turn –Trump had previously campaigned on releasing Epstein files in past elections but later worked behind the scenes to block congressional attempts. Once that became clear, his supporters in the MAGA movement, who have long framed the case as proof of a hidden elite conspiracy, turned on the president.

Although Trump's friendship to Epstein is well known, pressure grew after emails from Epstein's estate referenced the president's proximity to victims, ultimately triggering some Republicans to accuse him of trying to shield himself rather than expose Democrats.

Curbed disclosure – Even with Trump's signature, legal experts and lawmakers from both parties say the Justice Department retains broad leeway to withhold documents under the pretext of "ongoing investigations".

Senate Democrats have explicitly warned against "funny business", fearing heavy redactions or strategic slow‑rolling. Even the bill's Republican sponsors admit the real test will be whether the files are genuinely released.

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