The Today Radio News team brings you the latest news headlines for Tuesday, 20 February.

Luxembourg

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – 18 Palestinian families in this country have asked the government for help, because they still have family members in the Gaza Strip. According to the opposition party, the LSAP, the government does not want to intervene. At a press conference, the LSAP said the issue concerns up to 200 people, who could be accommodated with their families in this country. There will be a demonstration outside parliament at lunchtime today.

OVERSHOOT DAY – Today is Luxembourg's "Overshoot day". After not even two months, all the natural resources for this year have already been used up in this country. Luxembourg is therefore at the top of the list in the EU. The blame lies with road traffic, the high energy consumption of fossil fuels, and meat consumption.

A3 WIDENING – Luxembourg's Minister of Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, has confirmed that the widening of the A3 motorway will be completed in just over six years. The project, which commenced in April 2022, aims to expand the A3 to 3 lanes along its entire length, totalling 12 kilometres from the French border to the Croix de Gasperich, by the end of 2030.

FOOD RECALL – The Food Safety Authority is warning consumers about the potential presence of plastic pieces in chocolate bars with Oreo by the brand Milka. The product concerned is the 185g chocolate bar with Oreo flavour. While often a precaution, the safety alert says the product poses a risk of injury or choking.

LUXTRUST TOKEN – The LuxTrust token, used to identify yourself online,  will no longer be in use at the end of the year. It is no longer considered secure enough to counter threats of phishing. It has been in use for 16 years. The majority of people already use LuxTrust Scan or the mobile app.

World

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR – Israel's most important ally, the United States has toughened its language on the war in Gaza, by putting forward a draft resolution that calls for a temporary ceasefire. The measure says the fighting should be paused as soon as feasible. It also opposes Israel's plans to attack the city of Rafah.

The situation in the Gaza Strip was also yesterday's topic at the Council of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels. Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said he was concerned about the planned Israeli offensive on Rafah, where over a million refugees are currently blocked, as an attack would lead to a humanitarian disaster.

NAVALNY DEATH – The family of Alexei Navalny have been told his body will not be released for two weeks because it is being held for chemical analysis. Navalny's widow has accused the Russian authorities of hiding his body, after the opposition leader's death in prison was announced on Friday.

RUSSIAN PILOT DEAD – Ukrainian officials say a Russian pilot, who defected to Ukraine last year has been found dead in Spain. Maxim Kuzminov's bullet-riddled body was reportedly discovered in an underground garage near Alicante.

ASSANGE COURT – The High Court in London begins a two-day hearing on Julian Assange's final appeal against extradition to the US. The hearing may the final chance for the WikiLeaks founder to prevent his extradition to the US, where he fears a sentence of 175 years. It is unclear will attend in person and when the decision will be announced.

LUFTHANSA STRIKE – Ground staff at the German airline Lufthansa are on strike again today. For the second time within two weeks. They are demanding more in pay and better working conditions. Major airports across Germany are affected as are connections to to Luxembourg are also affected. Flights from Munich and Frankfurt have been cancelled all day.

Sport

FOOTBALL – Two Champions League games are taking place tonight in the Round of 16. PSV Eindhoven play Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan play against Atletico Madrid.

Napoli have dismissed head coach Walter Mazzari and brought in Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona on a short term contract. He has the daunting talks of facing Barcelona in the Champions League tomorrow for his first match in charge of a top-tier club.

Crystal Palace have named former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner as their new manager, after confirming Roy Hodgson was stepping down. Glasner has signed a deal until the end of the 2025/26 season.

TABLE TENNIS – Luxembourg's  women's national team will play their last group match at the team world cup in South Korea this morning, facing off against South Africa. If Ni Xia Lian, Sarah De Nutte and Tessy Gonderinger win, they will be third in the group and then have a chance of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris.

Weather

It's a misty start, followed by another rather cloudy day. It will be generally dry, with a gentle breeze. Temperatures start off a little chilly at 3–5°C in the morning, rising to 9–11°C in the afternoon.

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