The Today Radio news team brings you the latest headlines for Friday, 24 October.
Luxembourg
ROYAL VISITS – Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie are in Brussels today for an official courtesy visit with the Belgian King and Queen. The visit is part of a series of diplomatic engagements to neighbouring countries. On Monday, the Grand Ducal couple will travel to Berlin for a reception at Bellevue Palace with German Federal President Steinmeier. Visits to Paris and Amsterdam are also planned, with dates to be announced.
ROAD ACCIDENT – A serious accident involving two cars and a truck occurred yesterday evening on the B7 between Ingeldorf and Friedhof. Police say a car collided with a lorry, which then crashed into another vehicle. One person was seriously injured and three others sustained minor injuries. Four ambulances and a rescue helicopter attended the scene.
FRENCH MONEY – According to the Financial Times, French capital is leaving the country at record rates due to political and economic uncertainty. French investments in Luxembourg jumped 58% in 2024 to €13.8 billion, with Switzerland also a popular destination for French capital transfers.
NEW PETITIONS – 17 new petitions are now open for signatures on the Chamber of Deputies website. Among the proposals: immediate licence suspension for drivers using mobile phones, tobacco-free outdoor public spaces, a restaurant voucher for everyone, and making Luxembourgish compulsory in schools. Each petition needs 5500 signatures within forty-two days to be debated in the Chamber.
World
EU RUSSIA SANCTIONS – At the EU summit in Brussels, leaders have postponed until December a decision on using frozen Russian state assets to fund billions in Ukraine aid. Belgium and other member states raised concerns about legal risks. Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden backed Belgium's call to share those risks, noting Luxembourg holds no significant amounts of Russian state funds.
UKRAINE SUMMIT – Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is travelling to London to join a meeting on military support, where UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will push for Europe to provide more long-range missiles. The meeting comes as Ukraine's Western allies intensify pressure on Moscow in the war's fourth winter, with both the US and EU announcing new sanctions this week targeting Russian energy to weaken its war economy.
TRUMP CHINA – US President Trump has announced a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next Thursday in South Korea. Trump is pushing for an economic deal as without one, imports from China could face an additional 100% tax.
Sport
BASKETBALL – NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier have been arrested in federal probes of alleged illegal gambling schemes. The Portland Trail Blazers head coach is accused of involvement in rigged poker games with Mafia ties, while Miami Heat guard Rozier faces charges linked to insider sports betting. FBI Director Kash Patel called it "mind boggling fraud" involving tens of millions of dollars. Both have been placed on immediate leave by the NBA and are indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
CYCLING – The 2026 Tour de France route has been unveiled and will launch from Barcelona and end in Paris, serving up a spectacular route packed with mountain drama – including two ascents of the legendary Alpe d’Huez – to test champion Tadej Pogacar and his rivals to the limit.
CRICKET – England have beaten New Zealand in their T20 series after their third and final match was frustratingly almost completely rained off and eventually abandoned. England won the series 1-0, but will be frustrated at not being able to test themselves fully, with the ashes approaching.
Weather
The severe wind warning has ended today, but temperatures continue to drop as we head into the colder months. Starting around 6°C this morning, we'll see highs of only 9°C this afternoon. Meteolux is forecasting light rain showers on and off throughout the day with mainly cloudy skies, though we should see some sunshine breaking through around midday and again in the late afternoon.
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