Missing twin girls in Luxembourg, Pope visit funds questioned, and floods in Japan

Luxembourg 

MISSING TWIN GIRLS – Two 7-year-old girls have been missing since last Saturday, Police have said.

Twin sisters Anna and Yuliia were last seen when they were collected from a children's home in the southwest of Luxembourg around noon. They were picked up for an outing by family members who have visitation rights.
The girls have light brown shoulder-length hair and brown eyes. They were last seen wearing jeans, dark blue sweaters with cartoon characters on it, and black shoes.

Anyone with information can contact the police at Capellen on 244 30 1000 or the emergency line 113.
 
JUNCKER ADDRESSES ALCOHOLISM RUMOURS – In an exclusive interview with RTL-Afterwork Former Prime Minister and President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker has addressed the ongoing rumours regarding his alleged alcoholism.

The 69-year-old revealed he suffered from severe back pain after a car accident in the late 1980s which left him unsteady at times notably at the NATO summit in 2018 where he stumbled repeatedly.

This incident sparked media speculation concerning alcoholism.

POPE VISIT FUNDS QUESTIONED – Pope Francis will be making an official visit to Luxembourg this Thursday and while some have waited their whole lives for the chance to meet the head of the Catholic Church, others are not as enthusiastic about the visit.

The Atheist, Humanist, and Agnostic Alliance (AHA) has expressed several concerns about the upcoming papal visit, particularly regarding its financing.

The AHA emphasised that "in a secular state, the use of public funds for religious purposes must be carefully scrutinised," and called on the government to provide full transparency on how state resources and taxpayers' money were being used to support the visit.

World

SUDANESE REFUGEE MIGRATION – Sudan's atrocious civil war has forced over ten million people from their homes, with two million fleeing the country since April 2023 the UN's refugee chief has said.

Filippo Grandi has warned of increasing refugee movements toward Uganda, Libya, and potentially Europe. He criticised the global community's lack of attention and aid for  Sudan with the crisis being marginalised, he said.. 
 
NEW GOVERNMENT IN FRANCE – France finally got a new government on Saturday in a shift to the right. Left-wing protesters took to the streets to denounce what they say is a denial of July's election results.

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier's new government faced pressure from day one on Sunday as threats of a no-confidence motion in parliament multiplied.

FLOODS IN JAPAN – Heavy rain triggered floods and landslides in Japan's Ishikawa region, killing at least six people and leaving others missing. The area, still recovering from a major earthquake earlier this year, saw widespread damage, power outages, and isolated communities. Rescue efforts are ongoing as scientists link the extreme weather to climate change.UN members have adopted a blueprint for the future to tackle the wars, environmental threats and technological challenges facing humanity.

Dozens of heads of state and government gathered for the adoption on Sunday ahead of the week-long annual UN General Assembly, which begins tomorrow.

Sport

CYCLING – After an exciting final stage yesterday, Antonio Tiberi secured the overall victory in the Tour de Luxembourg, overtaking previous leader Mathieu van der Poel.

And David Gaudu rounded off the podium, finishing 3rd while Mats Wenzel emerged as the top Luxembourgish rider, placing 10th overall.

FOOTBALL – In the Champions League, a 98th-minute equaliser from John Stones salvaged a 2 - 2   draw for Manchester CITY against 10-man Arsenal. It was a ill-tempered clash between the two favourites for the Premier League title on Sunday. Arsenal played the entire second half a man down after Leandro Trossard was sent off but were seconds away from inflicting City's first home defeat since November 2022.

FORMULA 1 – McLaren's Lando Norris won the Singapore Grand Prix to close the gap on Max Verstappen in the Formula One world championship.The Englishman took the chequered flag more than 20 seconds ahead of Verstappen after the only safety-car-free race ever on the notoriously difficult Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Weather

We can expect a beautiful autumn day today! There could be some early showers but it will clear up by the afternoon. 
Temperatures will start at around 11- 13°C this morning but will rise to a comfortable 17-20°C in the afternoon. 
 
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