Trump court date, deadly blaze in Bucharest, missing person, Verstappen equals record

Luxembourg

SOUTH HOSPITAL - Following numerous postponements and a reshuffling of its design team, the 'South Hospital' project led by the Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch is now optimistically slated for a 2031 completion. Initially scheduled to open on June 22nd 2022 - as reported by RTL in a 2015 report - the project has faced multiple delays and is now expected to welcome its first patients in 2031, as announced by Esch-sur-Alzette Mayor Georges Mischo. With foundational works progressing as planned and modernisation initiatives underway for existing facilities, the South Hospital aims to be a cornerstone for healthcare in the southern region.

MISSING PERSON - Police are once more appealing for information relating to the disappearance of 15-year old Laura Dos Reis Alves, who has been missing since Tuesday the 22nd. The whereabouts of Laura are currently unknown but authorities suspect she may be in the vicinity of Deikirch. The police urge anyone with information regarding her whereabouts to contact the police via their 113 emergency number.

World

TRUMP COURT DATE - A federal judge is expected to set a date on Monday for what could be one of the most momentous trials in American history: the United States of America versus Donald J. Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith has asked for the trial of the 45th US president -- who faces charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 election which he lost -- to begin on 2 January 2024. Trump's attorneys have countered with a proposed date of April 2026 -- well after the November 2024 election in which the real estate tycoon is seeking a return to the White House. US District Court Judge Tanya Chut-kan is to entertain the arguments of both sides at a hearing on Monday at a federal courthouse in the nation's capital.

US TRADE VISIT - US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo met with her Chinese counterpart in Beijing on Monday, as Washington works to cool trade tensions between the world's two largest economies. Raimondo's visit -- which will last until Wednesday -- is the latest in a series of high-level trips to China by US officials in recent months. The visits could culminate in a meeting between the nations' leaders, with US President Joe Biden saying recently that he was expecting to sit down with China's Xi Jinping later this year.

BUCHAREST BLAZE - Prosecutors opened an inquiry on Sunday into two explosions at an unlicensed liquefied petroleum gas filling station that left two people dead and 56 people injured north of Romania's capital Bucharest. Most of the injured were firefighters who rushed to the station in the Crevedia commune to extinguish the blaze from the first explosion - before a second occurred late on Saturday. Among the injured -- some with severe burns -- were 39 firefighters, two police officers and two gendarmes.

ABAYA BAN -  French authorities are to ban the wearing in school of abaya dresses worn by some Muslim women, the education minister Gabriel Attal said on Sunday, arguing the garment violated France's strict secular laws in education. The move comes after months of debate over the wearing of abayas in French schools, where women have long been banned from wearing the Islamic headscarf. The right and far-right had pushed for the ban, which the left argued would encroach on civil liberties. "It will no longer be possible to wear an abaya at school," Education Minister told TF1 television, saying he would give "clear rules at the national level" to school heads ahead of the return to classes nationwide from 4 September.

Sports

VETTEL RECORD - In Formula 1, Max Verstappen equalled Sebastian Vettel's nine wins-in-a-row record at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. The Dutchman kept cool and calm in a chaotic race in front of his home fans to extend Red Bull's remarkable unbeaten season to 13 races. Meanwhile, the evergreen Fernando Alonso underlined a superb drive - in challenging weather - to finish 2nd for Aston Martin, with Pierre Gasly - of the Alpine team - finishing 3rd.

BASKETBALL WORLD CUP - At the Basketball World Cup, France's Nicolas Batum said he was "scared to go home" after the Tokyo Olympic silver medallists crashed out of the competition with a shock 88 to 86 loss to Latvia on Sunday. France’s head coach Vincent Collet said the defeat was "a nightmare". The French came into the tournament in Indonesia, the Philippines and Japan as one of the favourites to lift the Naismith Trophy but have now been eliminated after just two games.

BUDAPEST FINALE - The World Athletics Championships came to a close in Budapest on Sunday after a host of exciting performances. Check out the best quotes from winners and losers during the championships.

Weather

Today begins cool and clear with blue skies and temperatures of around 8 to 9 degrees. As the morning progresses, things will remain sunny and dry before lunchtime arrives and light cloud begins to moves in. For the remainder of the day, expect a peak temperature of 18 degrees, with a slight risk of light showers from lunchtime onwards.

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