The RTL Today Radio News team brings you the latest news headlines for Wednesday, 11 January.
Luxembourg
MISSING WOMAN - A major police intervention related to the disappearance of a woman from Luxembourg was ongoing in Sterpenich, just across the border yesterday. 31-year-old Lucia Alexandroae has been missing since the 6 December. According to our colleagues from RTL 5 Minutes, an excavator was brought to the scene shortly after 12.30pm and started digging "behind the house." Other reports allege that police have arrested Alexandroae's husband in connection with the case. The police are expected to update information on the investigation.
LUXEMBOURG PASSPORT - According to a study published by Henley & Partners, the Luxembourgish passport is among the five most "powerful" passports in the world. The Luxembourgish passport comes in fourth place with a total of 189 destinations that are accessible without a visa. Japan comes first with 193 destinations and Germany and Spain jointly come third place with 190 destinations.
BUILDING SHORTAGE - Jean-Paul Scheuren, the president of the Real Estate Chamber, estimates that 1,000 fewer dwellings will be built in 2023 and anticipates a 50% decrease in the construction of new flats in 2024 compared to 2022. The private sector used to build more than 4,000 housing units per year, but less new-builds has resulted in a housing shortage, putting more strain on the rental market.
World
FRANCE RETIREMENT - The French government will gradually raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne presented the bill yesterday in the early evening in Paris, explaining that the entire package of measure should be debated in the coming months but will come into force in September. An alliance of 8 major unions are in disagreement and have already announced major protest action and a strike day for next week.
KING DIES - Greece’s last King Constantine II has died, aged 82. He passed away in an intensive care unit in a private hospital in Athens yesterday evening. Constantine II ascended to the throne in 1964 during a turbulent period in Greek history that culminated in a military coup three years later. The monarchy was abolished in 1973. He was married to Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark. The couple had five children.
CALIFORNIA STORMS - Tens of thousands of people were under evacuation orders in California on Tuesday as the state was ravaged by the latest in a barrage of storms that have left at least 17 people dead. Torrential downpours caused flash flooding, closed key highways, toppled trees and swept away drivers and passengers -- including a five-year-old-boy who remains missing in central California -- with even more rain and snow set to batter America's most populous state.
GOLDEN GLOBES - The Golden Globes were back on prime time TV last night with Steven Spielberg winning Best Director and best drama for his deeply personal film “The Fabelmans”. Cate Blanchett was awarded Best Actress in the drama category for her role in the film Tar, Best Actor in a Drama is Austin Butler for his portrayal of Elvis. "Inisherin" also earned a win for Colin Farrell for best comedy actor. Eddie Murphy was awarded for his lifetime achievement. Ukrainian President Zelensky also made a virtual appearance, thanking people for their support of his country in the war against Russia.
Sport
HANDBALL WORLD CUP - The handball world championship gets underway today with 32 teams battling it out to be world champions in Sweden and Poland. Olympic champions France face co-hosts Poland in Katowice in the opening match tonight with the final taking place in Stockholm on 29 January.
FOOTBALL - In the French Premier League, tonight is the complete 18th game day. PSG will play Angers, Strasbourg meets Lens and Troyes plays against Marseilles. In Spain, it is the first semi-final of the SuperCup: here Real Madrid plays Valencia.
CYCLING - The Vuelta a Espana, a race that traditionally emphasises climbing, will hit the slopes early and often in 2023, with 10 mountain-top finishes on the route unveiled in Barcelona on Tuesday. The race starts in the Catalan capital on August 26 and finishes in Madrid on September 17. Champion Remco Evenepoel has already said he skip the Tour de France, which would leave him fresh to defend his Spanish title . Last year, the young Belgian took the overall lead on the first mountain-top finish and held it the rest of the way for his first major tour victory.
Weather
Another overcast morning awaits, with light rain showers throughout the day. In the afternoon the rain might tail off, however, with the possibility of sunshine peeking through the clouds, although we cannot rule out the odd shower. Morning temperatures will start off a little warmer than the last few days at 8-10°C, rising to 9-11 °C in the afternoon.
Be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour and headlines at half past the hour on RTL Today Radio. You can also access the news via Alexa, and on RTL Play.
