Inflation down, Germany to provide Belgium with counter-drone defence support, and national squad announced for World Cup qualifiers

Luxembourg & Greater Region

ON THE RUN –  update: Police have arrested a burglar who was on the run this morning in the Eschdorf area. Officers had issued an alert earlier in the day, but about two hours later confirmed the suspect had been caught.

MEDICAL CLINIC – Health Minister Martine Deprez has responded to plans for a new medical clinic near the airport, insisting Luxembourg will not have two-tier medicine. Doctors Philippe Wilmes and Alain Schmit plan to open the clinic in March. Deprez told RTL she welcomes initiatives to bring more doctors to Luxembourg, but does not understand claims about a shortage in the profession.

US FRIEDEN – Prime Minister Luc Frieden travels to Seattle and San Francisco this week for meetings with leading tech companies. The visit, from 8 to 12 November, will focus on artificial intelligence and strengthening Luxembourg's economic and technological partnerships with US West Coast firms. On Veterans Day, Frieden will also meet a US Army veteran who fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

INFLATION FIGURES – Inflation in Luxembourg fell slightly last month, according to STATEC. The statistics office forecasts inflation will end this year at 2.2% and drop to 1.5% next year. The next wage indexation is expected in the third quarter of 2026, with another the year later.

World

BELGIUM DRONES – Drones have again disrupted Belgian air traffic, forcing Brussels Airport to suspend operations for half an hour last night. One flight had to divert to Amsterdam. Belgium's Defence Minister is calling the repeated incidents this week "professionally coordinated attacks" that have closed airports and a military base. Germany is now sending counter-drone specialists to help Belgium defend against the threat.

US ORBAN – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is meeting US President Donald Trump at the White House today. The main topic is Russia's war against Ukraine and Russian oil and gas imports. Orban is considered the EU leader most sympathetic to Russia, frequently drawing criticism in Brussels.

US ATTACKS –  US forces struck another boat in the Caribbean yesterday, killing three people and bringing the death toll from Washington's anti-narcotics campaign to at least 70. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said the vessel was operated by a designated terrorist organization. The US has destroyed at least 18 vessels since September, but has yet to provide concrete evidence the targets were smuggling drugs.

GRAND THEFT AUTO – Bad news for those eagerly awaiting "Grand Theft Auto VI"  - the game won't arrive until November next year. Developer Rockstar Games announced yesterday evening that GTA 6 will be released on November 19th next year, saying they need to refine the game further.

Sport

FOOTBALL – National coach Jeff Strasser has announced his squad for Luxembourg's World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Northern Ireland. Enes Mahmutovic, Yvandro Borges, Mica Pinto, and Vincent Thill all miss out through injury. Mirza Mustafic returns after nearly a year, while Adulai Djabi Embalo earns his first senior call-up. The Red Lions are hosting Germany on 14 November before travelling to Northern Ireland three days later.

Aston Villa defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0 in a heavily secured Europa League match in Birmingham last night. More than 700 police officers were deployed as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters held separate demonstrations outside Villa Park. Six arrests were made for offences including racial aggravation. No Maccabi fans were allowed at the match.

FORMULA 1 – Oscar Piastri says he remains confident he can win this year's Formula One drivers' championship despite losing the lead in the title race. The 24-year-old Australian, who lost top spot after McLaren teammate Lando Norris won last month's Mexico City Grand Prix, insists he still has what it takes to win. Piastri will be hoping to recover form at this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Weather

Despite a few clouds here and there, it's going to be a generally pleasant day with plenty of sunshine from morning until late afternoon. As for the temperature, it will generally be around one degree cooler than yesterday: a minimum of 5-7°C, and a max of 10-12°C are to be expected.

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