The Today Radio news team brings you the latest headlines for Tuesday, 7 October.

Luxembourg 

WORLD EXPO – Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel is in Osaka until Friday. He’s attending the closing and thanksgiving ceremony at the Luxembourg pavilion of the World Expo in Japan.  The pavilion has been a major success, attracting over 380,000 visitors with nearly 100% attendance during the event.

FRIEDEN SPEECH – Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden is addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg today as part of the “C’est l’Europe” debate series. Frieden met with Luxembourg's MEPs last night, and today he's holding talks with Parliament President Roberta Metsola and EPP leader Manfred Weber.

ABORTION  RIGHTS – In recent weeks, lawmakers have debated whether Luxembourg's Constitution should refer to abortion as a right or a freedom. On Friday, the parliamentary committee on institutions settled the question, with an overwhelming majority of MPs voting in favour of the term "freedom." Under this framework, women have the freedom to request the procedure, while doctors retain the freedom to decline to perform it.

FLOTILLA DEPORTATIONS – Israel has deported 171 more activists from the Gaza-bound flotilla, including climate activist Greta Thunberg and Luxembourgish national Nora Huberty. According to the Israeli foreign ministry, the group was sent to Greece and Slovakia. The deportees include citizens from several countries, such as the U.S., France, Italy, and Greece.  The Belgian ambassador reportedly met Huberty over the weekend and confirmed she is doing well.

World

ISRAEL ATTACK ANNIVERSARY – Today marks the second anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, which took place on October 7th, 2023. Over 1,200 people were killed, and 250 were kidnapped, an event that shocked the world.  Commemorations are being held across Israel, Germany, and other countries, as victims and their families are remembered. Since that attack, Israel has launched a military offensive aimed at destroying the radical Islamist group Hamas. Over 60,000 people are reported to have died in the Gaza Strip as a result of the ongoing conflict. 
Peace efforts are now underway. In Egypt, negotiations between Hamas and Israel are taking place, with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States involved. Local media report that the first round of talks occurred in a positive atmosphere.

NOBEL PRIZE – After the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded yesterday, the focus today shifts to Physics. Around noon, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm is set to announce the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics.

FRANCE POLITICS – A government crisis is unfolding. Resigning Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has been asked by President Emmanuel Macron to carry out final negotiations with political parties in a last attempt to stabilize the government.  These talks are expected to wrap up by tomorrow evening. If they fail, the Elysée Palace says President Macron will personally take action, though details of what that means remain unclear.

EU STEEL – In Brussels today, the European Commission is unveiling new measures to support the EU steel industry. The move comes in response to what the Commission calls the unfair impact of global overcapacity in the steel market. One possible step includes raising import taxes on foreign steel to protect European producers.

Sport

FOOTBALL – The Luxembourg Football Federation has announced that they have sold out of all their allocated tickets for Friday’s match in Germany, meaning at least 2,381 Luxembourg fans will be present to cheer on their team in the World Cup qualifier. The game will be broadcast live on RTL and on RTL websites, including RTL Today.
European football governing body UEFA says it has "reluctantly" approved the staging of a Spanish La Liga and an Italian Serie A match in the United States and Australia respectively despite fan protests. UEFA made its ruling after Spain's La Liga agreed to move a game in late December between Barcelona and Villarreal to Miami, Florida. Italy's Serie A also decided to stage the encounter between AC Milan and Como in Perth, Australia, to avoid a clash with the Winter Olympics opening ceremony at Milan's San Siro stadium.

BASKETBALL – A cryptic video shared by LeBron James last night has gone viral, with fans wondering if the NBA superstar is preparing to announce his retirement. The 10-second video posted on James' social media channels teases that the Los Angeles Lakers star will reveal the "decision of all decisions" at 1600 GMT today. Monday's video comes as James prepares to make history later this month by becoming the first NBA player to begin a 23rd season in the league.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL – Trevor Lawrence scrambled for an improbable game-winning touchdown with 23 seconds remaining as the Jacksonville Jaguars scored a dramatic 31-28 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday. The victory snapped an eight-game Jacksonville losing skid in contests against Kansas City dating to 2009.

Weather

Once again the day starts off foggy, but once the mist lifts, don't expect sunshine. Meteolux is predicting "strong" cloud cover. There will be a slight breeze throughout the day and conditions remain mild, as the morning starts off with temperatures of 9–11°C, rising to highs of 15–17°C.

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