The Today Radio news team brings you the latest headlines for Thursday, 14 August.

Luxembourg 

LISTERIA OUTBREAK – A listeria outbreak originating in French cheeses has triggered international food safety actions, with Luxembourg removing "Everyday" brand Camembert from supermarket shelves and Belgium reporting at least one confirmed case. Affected products include those sold in the supermarket Colruyt between 26 June and 12 August, with consumers advised to discard any remaining purchases. When contacted by RTL, Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration, ALVA had not yet clarified whether additional cheese varieties might be involved in the recall.

POLICE RAIDS – In late July, Luxembourg police carried out large-scale inspections of vacant properties across the capital as part of efforts to curb a rise in violent thefts. Authorities focused on squats – illegally occupied buildings – believed to be frequented by suspects linked to such crimes. The operation resulted in searches of 60 properties, with eight people flagged for eviction and two suspects detained following medical evaluation. Officers recovered 27 stolen items during the inspections.

ROAD RAGE ACCIDENT – German authorities are seeking witnesses after an apparent road rage incident led to a collision on the A64 motorway near the Luxembourg border on Wednesday morning. While no injuries occurred, the car sustained substantial damage. The public prosecutor's office has confiscated both drivers' licences and launched investigations for multiple traffic violations.

World

FRIEDEN UKRAINE – Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden took part in yesterday’s virtual meeting between European heads of state and government and the United States ahead of the summit between Presidents Trump and Putin on Friday. Frieden told RTL that the objectives of the Europeans and the Americans are the same: a ceasefire, security guarantees for Ukraine, and that any territorial issues have to be decided with Volodymyr Zelensky’s involvement. Pressure is mounting ahead of the landmark summit in Alaska, the first time the Russian leader has been permitted on Western soil since his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine which has killed tens of thousands of people. 

MIGRANT DEATHS – At least 26 migrants have died when two boats sank off the coast of Italy's Lampedusa island, with around 10 others still missing. According to the coastguard and UN officials, around 60 people were rescued after the sinkings in the central Mediterranean, a stretch between North Africa and Italy described by the UN as the world's most dangerous sea crossing for migrants.

EUROPE HEATWAVE – Temperature records are being broken as extreme heat is still gripping parts of Europe and driving bigger and stronger wildfires. Greece battled a dozen major wildfires yesterday, including one threatening its third-largest city Patras. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, the Balkans and Britain have this week wilted in high temperatures which scientists say human-induced climate change is intensifying.

BIRD SEX REVERSAL – Scientists have documented a surprising rate of sex reversal in wild Australian birds, a phenomenon that could be explained by rising pollution or other environmental triggers. A study of five common Australian species, including kookaburras, magpies, and lorikeets, found around six percent of birds had the chromosomes of one sex but the reproductive organs of another. The findings indicate a surprisingly high number of birds had reversed their sex after birth.

Sport

FOOTBALL – European champions Paris Saint-Germain have won the UEFA Super Cup for the first time, beating Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties after a dramatic late comeback forced a 2-2 draw.

Staying with football and fresh from storming to a record-equalling 19th English top-flight title, Liverpool have not held back in transforming the squad in pursuit of an era of Premier League dominance. On top of retaining veteran stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah to new contracts, the Reds have splashed out £260 million and are reportedly far from finished in the transfer market.

BOXING – A Japanese boxer is retiring to support his brother who has been in a coma since a bout in May, as the sport in the country reels from the deaths of two fighters. Former WBC strawweight champion Yudai Shigeoka's brother Ginjiro collapsed after a fight in Osaka three months ago and underwent emergency brain surgery. Japanese boxing officials held an emergency meeting this week and vowed to introduce new safety rules.

Weather

The heatwave continues across the country, with conditions similar to yesterday. The day will begin with some cloud cover and temperatures around 20°C, rising to 31–33°C before easing slightly to 28–30°C in the evening.

The heatwave is expected to last until Friday.

---

Be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour, and headlines at half past the hour on Today Radio. You can also access the news via Alexa and on RTL Play.