More aid for Gaza, hospital drill in Kirchberg on Saturday and doctors complete world's first eye transplant

Luxembourg

GAZA AID - Luxembourg is extending its aid to humanitarian organizations that are currently active in the Gaza Strip. Until now, €2.5 million has been donated to several aid organisations, such as the UN Refugee Agency for Palestine. This aid will now be increased by half a million. Against the backdrop of the catastrophic situation of the civilian population in Gaza, French President Macron held a humanitarian summit in Paris yesterday. Heads of state and governments of the G-20, representatives of the EU and the UN, politicians from the Middle East, as well Prime Minister Xavier Bettel attended the conference for more help in the crisis area. Bettel made an appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire.

HOSPITAL DRILL - The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps will perform a drill simulating an unanticipated surge of patients, this Saturday from 8-11am. A significant influx of ambulances and other vehicles is expected in the Kirchberg area on Saturday morning, with a primary focus around the hospital and the Rehazenter.  The Robert Schuman Hospital in Kirchberg will not have on-duty services during this time. Emergency services will be handled by the Centre Hospitalier in Luxembourg City.

World

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - Israel seems to be giving in to international pressure and have agreed to a daily four-hour military pauses in northern Gaza to allow civilians to flee. US President Joe Biden welcomed the pauses, but also said there was "no possibility" of a ceasefire.

FRANCE FLOODS - The north of France around the Pas-de-Calais has been placed on red alert for rain and flooding. It has rained so much since yesterday evening that many, even smaller streams, are now flowing like rivers. According to the fire department, the ground can’t absorb more water, after it has bee raining every day for the past two weeks. Some villages are completely cut off from the outside world and over 200 schools remain closed today in the region.

EU BIODIVERSITY - The European Parliament and EU member states have reached an agreement on a key biodiversity bill, aimed at rewilding EU land and water habitats. The law will force EU countries to put in place measures to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and seas by 2030.

EYE TRANSPLANT - A team of surgeons in New York has performed the world's first transplant of an entire eye in a procedure widely hailed as a medical breakthrough, although it isn't yet known whether the man will ever see through the donated eye. Aaron James, suffered extensive injuries including the loss of his left eye after a high-voltage accident.

Sport

FOOTBALL - Today is the start of the 11th matchday in the German Bundesliga. Gladbach will play against Wolfsburg. And in France, Montpellier is playing Nice tonight.

In another football story, Luis Diaz started for Liverpool hours after his father was released following a kidnapping situation but his return could not stop his side going down 3-2 to Toulouse yesterday. Earlier on Thursday, Colombia's ELN guerrilla group freed Luis Manuel Diaz, 12 days after the Liverpool star's father was kidnapped in his hometown of Barrancas.

And Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv beat Zorya Luhansk of Ukraine 3-1 in Thursday's Europa Conference League tie in Lublin in Poland between two teams united in a time of conflict in their countries. The Luhansk players took to the pitch draped in Ukrainian flags, in front of a "Peace" banner displayed by UEFA. The Maccabi players all wore black armbands in tribute to the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.

Weather

As clouds cast a gloom and rain persists, brace yourself for a damp day with intermittent showers and strong winds. Both morning and evening temperatures are slated for 4-7ºC, rising just slightly to 5-8ºC in the afternoon.

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