The Today Radio News team brings you the latest news headlines for Wednesday, 21 February.

Luxembourg

MOTORWAY TOLL - Details on the planned works on the A31 motorway between Metz and the Luxembourg border were presented at a press conference yesterday.

The prefect of the Moselle region confirmed there will be a toll on that route. Laurent Touvet spoke of a total of 8 euros for a round trip between Luxembourg and Metz. The route will bypass Thionville with a new tunnel under Florange.

The segment between Thionville and Dudelange will be expanded to 3 lanes, as on the Luxembourg side.

UNEMPLOYMENT UP - In the latest unemployment figures, around 18,000 people are looking for work in Luxembourg, marking a nearly 16% increase over the past year. This translates to an unemployment rate of 5.5%. Currently, just over 10,000 individuals are receiving full unemployment benefits.

VIANDEN POOL - Vianden's open-air swimming pool will welcome visitors once again this summer, albeit with limited capacity.The pool closed its doors in 2019.  Upon reopening on 15 July, only the 25-meter pool will be accessible, with a capped capacity of 500 visitors. There will be an online booking system in place to avoid visitors ravelling to Vianden without being able to access the pool.

RIVER POLLUTION - The Alzette River near Schifflange has been struck by pollution for the third time within a month. Initial assessments suggest that hydrocarbons, potentially stemming from heating fuel or diesel, may be responsible for the contamination in the river.

World

ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - There has been condemnation at the UN at the United States’ decision to veto the latest call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Washington has presented its own text, asking for a temporary ceasefire. The war in the Middle East and Ukraine are also the subject of a G20 meeting of foreign ministers in Rio de Janeiro later today. In addition to the current crises, however, climate and sustainability issues are also up for debate.

SATELLITE RETURN - A European satellite is expected to crash back into the earth’s atmosphere this lunchtime, after nearly 30 years in space. The ERS-2 spacecraft contained cutting-edge climate monitoring equipment  when it launched in the mid-1990s but it’s been gradually descending since it stopped working in 2011. Most of the debris is expected to burn up in the atmosphere before reaching the earth’s surface.

BEATLES FILMS - Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director is to direct four Beatles biopic films, one for each member of the band. The project has the blessing of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as the families of John Lennon and George Harrison. The films are expected to come out in 2027.

Sport

FOOTBALL - In the Champions League Round of 16, Inter Milan won 1-0 against Atletico Madrid. PSV Eindhoven and Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1. Tonight’s matches will see Porto play Arsenal and Naples v Barcelona.

The British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has completed a deal to buy part of Manchester United football club. He has acquired a nearly 28% stake in the Premier League side. The tycoon’s investment is worth about 1.2 billion euros.

TENNIS - World number two Carlos Alcaraz has retired from his first-round match at the ATP Rio Open after rolling his right ankle on just the second point of the contest against Thiago Monteiro. Shortly after the match Alcaraz told reporters the decision to withdraw was a "precaution" and that the physiotherapists who treated him had indicated the injury "is not serious."

Meanwhile, former world number one Andy Murray ended a six-match losing run to topple qualifier Alexandre Muller 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) at the Qatar Open on Tuesday.

And in Dubai, reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka suffered an opening round upset at the hands of Donna Vekic, going down 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-0 on Tuesday.

Weather

Thick clouds and rain showers are the order of the day, with heavier rain expected in the evening. Temperatures start at 4-6°C in the morning, rising slightly to 8-10°C in the afternoon.

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