BETTEL COP27 - Prime Minister Xavier Bettel has called for solidarity between nations to fight climate change. He was speaking in Egypt at the UN climate change conference COP27, saying that without an urgent and large-scale reduction in greenhouse gases, the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will not be possible. Luxembourg has earmarked a budget of €220 million in the next four years to help the countries most affected by climate change.
ASSELBORN SPEECH - Luxembourg’s Foreign minister Jean Asselborn has made, what he called the most difficult speech to parliament in 16 years, as the international situation is so upsetting. He said that Russian President Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine has shaken everyone and restored the will to defend democracy without concession. He said it is necessary to invest more in the future to keep the peace, but also to protect citizens and “our way of life”.
US MIDTERMS - In the US, polls have closed in the midterm elections, except in the states of Hawaii and Alaska. The House of Representatives is likely to go to the Republicans but the Senate race is very close. To overturn the majority, the Republicans only have to gain one seat in the Senate and 5 in the House of Representatives. There were also a number of governor posts up for vote. In Florida, Ron DeSantis has been re-elected. He is also a potential presidential candidate for the Republicans, a possible competitor to former President Trump.
BELGIUM STRIKE - A general strike is taking place across Belgium today. Public transport, aviation – all flights in and out of Charleroi have been cancelled- schools and even at the police and hospitals, many services are not working. Emergency rooms are still open. Unions are demanding wage increases due to record inflation.
NEPAL EARTHQUAKE - An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck Nepal early today, killing at least six people, destroying multiple houses in the western district of Doti and shaking the Indian capital New Delhi. A search and rescue operation is underway.
NORWAY PRINCESS - Norway’s Princess Martha Louise has relinquished her royal duties in order to focus on her alternative medicine business with her fiance, a self-proclaimed shaman. The 51-year-old princess’ relationship with Durek Verrett, a popular Hollywood spiritual guru, caused waves in Norway after he suggested in his book that cancer was a choice. In a video posted to Instagram on Tuesday, the princess said she was stepping down “in order to bring calm to the Royal House”.
ARTEMIS LAUNCH POSTPONED - NASA has again rescheduled its long-delayed uncrewed mission to the Moon as Tropical Storm Nicole churned toward the east coast of Florida. The next launch attempt has now been scheduled for November 16. It is the third delay of the highly-anticipated launch in as many months.
WORLD CUP BLATTER - Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter says the decision to award the 2022 World Cup finals to Qatar was a “mistake”. Blatter says he voted for the United States to host the 2022 tournament and blames then-UEFA president Michel Platini for swinging the vote in Qatar’s favour at the behest of then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy.The former FIFA president’s version of events has been denied by Platini.
WORLD CUP HOMOSEXUALITY - Meanwhile, a Qatari World Cup ambassador called homosexuality a “damage in the mind” in a German TV interview which was aired last night. Qatar will accept gay visitors but “they have to accept our rules”, the former international footballer Khalid Salman said in the interview with ZDF. He also said homosexuality was “haram” -- forbidden in Islam -- during the interview, which was abruptly broken off after his comments.
BUNDESLIGA RESULTS - Staying with football, it was the 4th matchday in the Bundesliga last night. Bayern beat Bremen 6-1, Dortmund lost 0-2 to Wolfsburg, Bochum beat Gladbach 2-1 and Stuttgart also won 2-1 against Hertha.
A cloudy morning followed by an afternoon of solid rain awaits us, according to today’s forecast. However, the sky will clear by the evening and conditions should stay dry overnight. Morning temperatures will start off at 10-12°C, rising to 12-14°C in the afternoon.
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