Murder trial opens in Luxembourg, ECJ rules on minimum wage, and Grand Duke Guillaume turns 44

Luxembourg & Greater Region

HEALTH CARE DEBATE – Unions have sent another protest letter to Prime Minister Luc Frieden, this time targeting Health Minister Martine Deprez. The OGBL and LCGB trade unions accuse the government of undermining Luxembourg's health care system through commercialisation and privatisation. They warn that proposed changes could create a two-tier system where only wealthy patients receive quality care, whilst the majority face long waiting times.

MURDER TRIAL – A murder trial opened in Diekirch yesterday over the killing of a 40-year-old Portuguese woman three years ago. Her dismembered body was found in Mont-Saint-Martin in France and Temmels, just across the border in Germany. A 51-year-old Moroccan man, the victim's friend and former lover, stands accused, though he blames his 48-year-old nephew, who is wanted under an international arrest warrant and believed to have fled to Morocco. The trial continues on Thursday morning.

ECJ RULING – The European Court of Justice rules this morning on the EU minimum wage directive, challenged by Denmark and Sweden as incompatible with European agreements. The directive, initiated by former Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, requires minimum wages at 60% of median or 50% of average salary. Luxembourg has not implemented it yet - compliance would mean raising the current €2,700 minimum wage to between €2,900 and €3,100 gross.

SPUERKEES RESIGNATION – Spuerkeess CEO Françoise Thoma has announced she is stepping down following criticism of her leadership. The bank was fined for the third time in four years, with regulators imposing a €5.5 million penalty over inadequate fraud detection systems following the Caritas Luxembourg affair. Thoma, who has been CEO since 2016, will remain until a successor is found, expected by late next year.

GRAND DUKE BIRTHDAY – Grand Duke Guillaume celebrates his 44th birthday today - his first since becoming head of state. The eldest son of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa and Grand Duke Henri became Grand Duke on 3rd October 2025. He is married to Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy, and they have two sons: Crown Prince Charles, born in May 2020, and Prince François, born in March 2023. 

World

RYANAIR DIGITAL – Ryanair is scrapping printed boarding passes from 12 November, requiring all passengers to use smartphones and the airline's app. Ryanair says it is faster and greener, but critics warn the digital-only policy excludes people without smartphones or who aren't tech-savvy.

US SHUTDOWN – The longest-ever US government shutdown is moving towards resolution after the Senate voted for a compromise deal. Several Democratic senators broke ranks to support the measure, sparking intra-party criticism. The shutdown has now lasted 41 days, during which many civil servants have gone unpaid and various state benefits have been suspended.

UN REFUGEES  – The UN is warning that millions of refugees face a harsh winter with far less humanitarian aid, after major donors including the US slashed foreign funding. The UN refugee agency needs at least $35 million in public donations to help Syrian, Afghan and Ukrainian refugees through freezing temperatures. Washington previously provided over 40% of UNHCR's budget.

PHILIPPINES TYPHOON – Rescuers are digging the Philippines out from Typhoon Fung-wong's devastation, with the death toll now at 18 and 1.4 million people displaced. The storm has weakened as it moves towards Taiwan, expected to make landfall tomorrow. It's the second major typhoon in days – Typhoon Kalmaegi killed 232 people last week.

Sport

FOOTBALL – Atletico Madrid will come under new ownership after global sports investment company Apollo Sports Capital reached a deal to become the majority shareholder. According to the Spanish press, Atletico have been valued at around 2.5 billion euros They are currently fourth in La Liga, six points behind city rivals Real Madrid who top the table.

Croatian Ivan Juric has been sacked as coach of Atalanta after back-to-back Serie A defeats left them in the bottom half of the table. Atalanta slipped to a 3-0 home loss to Sassuolo on Sunday which dropped them to 13th in the standings.

FORMULA 1 – Ferrari president John Elkann has issued a plea to the misfiring team's two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, calling on them to focus on driving, not talking. Elkann's intervention follows a disastrous weekend for the Formula One giants when both cars failed to finish the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Weather

The day starts with an overcast sky, fog and light drizzly rain. The afternoon should clear things up a bit, and we'll be able to see a bit of sun amid the clouds. The wind will also be around, whistling to the tune of 10–20 km/h. Temperature's on the upswing: a minimum of 4–6°C, going up to an expected high temperate of 11°C.

---
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.