NATO spending, Metz attack, Pascal Clement steps down and weather warning

Luxembourg 

PIRATE PARTY - Pascal Clement, the lead candidate of the Pirate Party in the 2023 municipal elections, is stepping down from his role as Luxembourg City councillor due to personal reasons, as announced by the party. Clement had contested the municipal elections three times before securing his seat, marking the first time a member of the Pirate Party was elected to the city council. Marie-Marthe Muller, who was co-lead candidate alongside Clement in the last elections and came second, will succeed him.

KNIFE ATTACK - A person was injured with a knife in Ville Haute at around 12.40am on Monday morning following what appears to have been an argument. According to the police report, the victim sustained non-critical injuries and was transported to the hospital. Initial findings indicate that the victim had an altercation with another individual. Subsequently, the assailant waited for the victim and stabbed them in the leg. The perpetrator fled the scene, prompting an ongoing investigation.

TRAFFIC DISRUPTION - A significant incident disrupted traffic on the A7 motorway towards Luxembourg City on Monday afternoon, near the Mierscherbierg exit. No injuries were reported. For reasons still under investigation, a southbound lorry lost part of its cargo, scattering several large objects across the roadway. Authorities promptly closed the affected lanes to secure the area and facilitate cleanup. A crane was deployed to recover the rollers that had fallen from the lorry's trailer.

WEATHER WARNING - A yellow weather alert has been issued for Luxembourg on Tuesday, warning of potential thunderstorms and wind gusts of up to 75 km/h amid a slight risk of tornadoes. Speaking to RTL on Tuesday morning, meteorologist Jörg Kachelmann explained that the current conditions might lead to a tornado forming. This is, however, not certain, and some of the rapidly moving thunderstorms may also pass by the Grand Duchy. According to Kachelmann, whilst the chances of tornadoes forming are low, the risk is highest between 12pm and 3pm.

World

WEAPONS BUDGETS - NATO's chief called on Monday for China to face consequences if it keeps up support to Russia as he trumpeted a sharp increase in allies' defense spending since the invasion of Ukraine. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Kyiv needed predictable and steady military funding as he hailed the uptick in NATO member defense budgets -- addressing a key factor behind Donald Trump's skepticism about helping Ukraine. NATO next month celebrates its 75th anniversary with a summit in Washington that aims to send a decisive long-term message of support for Ukraine ahead of President Joe Biden's reelection fight against Republican candidate Trump in November.

PUTIN IN PYONGYANG - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed North Korea for "firmly supporting" Moscow's war in Ukraine ahead of a visit to Pyongyang set to boost defence ties between the two nuclear-armed countries. Historic allies since North Korea's founding after World War II, Moscow and Pyongyang have drawn closer after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, while Putin is increasingly isolated internationally. North Korea's Kim Jong Un made a rare overseas trip in his bulletproof train last September to meet Putin at a Russian spaceport, with Seoul subsequently claiming Pyongyang was shipping arms to Moscow for use in Ukraine, in exchange for Russian satellite know-how.

ISRAEL/GAZA CONFLICT - Israel struck Gaza on Monday and witnesses reported blasts in the besieged territory's south, but fighting had largely subsided on the second day of an army-declared "pause" to facilitate aid flows. The relative calm came as Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved his war cabinet, reflecting the country's political fractures. David Mencer, spokesman for the prime minister's office, said the body had been disbanded following the resignation of centrist leader Benny Gantz, who had required a war cabinet's formation in order to join a unity government.

METZ ATTACK - Five young people were injured, two seriously, in a knife attack at a mini market in the Borny neighbourhood of Metz on Monday morning. One victim is in critical condition. The injured were transported to Mercy hospital by local firefighters. A security perimeter was established around the convenience store and remained in place into the early afternoon. The circumstances surrounding the attack are currently unclear. An investigation is underway by the interdepartmental security forces. The perpetrator(s) are currently on the run.

Sport

EURO 2024 - In Group D France began their campaign with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Austria. However, star player Kylian Mbappe is likely to miss at least the next game after suffering a broken nose during the 2nd half. In Group E Slovakia recorded a surprise 1-0 victory over tournament hopefuls Belgium, and Romania emphatically beat Ukraine 3-0.

BASKETBALL - The Boston Celtics sealed a record 18th NBA title as they dispatched the Dallas Mavericks 106 to 88 to seal the series by 4 games to 1, capping off a season where the Celtics were defeated only 3 times. Jaylen Brown was named the finals MVP.

Weather

A mostly dry and cloudy morning will lead to more inclement weather across the afternoon and evening.

Meteolux has issued a yellow alert warning of potential thunderstorms and wind gusts of up to 75 km/h amid a slight risk of tornadoes. Winds are predicted to reach up to 75 km/h in the afternoon. There is also a chance of heavy storms as we head towards the evening.

Weather warning aside, temperatures are looking much more summery today, starting at 17-19°C in the morning and rising to highs of 24°C by the afternoon. In the evening, expect temperatures to drop slightly to 19-21°C.

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