LSC - Out of 77 auditioned songs, the jury has selected seven entries to compete at the Luxembourg Song Contest, all vying for the final spot to represent the Grand Duchy at Eurovision in Basel. The lineup includes familiar faces, fresh names, solo acts, and groups – predominantly Luxembourgish talent and will be announced throughout the morning. Laura Thorn and One Last time have already been announced. The next names will be out at 8.40am, and the final names at 9.40am.
PREMATURE BABIES - Yesterday was World Prematurity Day, which raises awareness to the 450 babies that are born prematurely every year Luxembourg. The babies are taken care of at the Centre Hospitalier (CHL). The children’s hospital offers 16 beds for premature babies, which remain in the hospital for around 78 days on average.
ZEBRA CROSSING SECURITY - After three years of requesting Luxembourg City to share access to and publish documents on the security of zebra crossings, the Centre for Urban Justice (ZUG) has achieved their goal. The process mentions 475 crossings in the city centre which are, according to ZUG, not conforming to street regulations due to parking spaces impacting pedestrians’ vision.
UKRAINE WAR - US officials say President Biden has authorised Ukraine to use long-range missiles, supplied by Washington, in the war with Russia. It marks a change in policy, not long before his time in power ends. France and the UK are expected to follow America’s lead and also supply ammunition to strike deeper into Russia. Senior Russian politicians have expressed anger at the decision, but there has been no response from President Putin so far.
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT - The spokesman of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Mohammed Afif was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut on Sunday. Lebanon said two Israeli strikes on central Beirut killed six people on yesterday, with Hezbollah confirming its spokesperson was among the dead. Meanwhile the group is currently reviewing a US-Israeli proposal for a 60-day ceasefire, submitted to the Lebanese government on Thursday.
The situation in the Middle East is also a topic in Brussels today. At a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the outgoing foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is making a push for the bloc to use its trade relations with Israel as leverage on Gaza. He has proposed for member states to suspend dialogue with Israel and is asking foreign ministers to discuss whether Israel is violating international humanitarian law in Gaza.
G20 BRAZIL - Rio de Janeiro is under tight security as leaders from the world’s largest economies gather for the G20 summit, with thousands of police and soldiers patrolling the streets and heightened measures in place. US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are attending, along with the leaders of Australia, Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, and other countries.
GLASTONBURY 2025 - Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival sold out within 35 minutes on Sunday, with more than 200,000 people expected to attend the world-renowned musical celebration in rural southwest England. Sales opened at 9.00am (0900 GMT) and event organisers posted on the social media platform X at 9.35am that “Tickets for Glastonbury 2025 have now sold out”.
FOOTBALL - Tonight sees Luxembourg’s Red Lions take on table leader Northern Ireland in the UEFA Nations League at the Stade de Luxembourg. The national team is risking being relegated from the C-League. The game starts at 8.45.
Some results from yesterday’s Nations League games: Belgium lost Israel 1-0, France beat Italy 3-1 and England blew away 10-man Republic of Ireland 5-0.
TENNIS - Janik Sinner has won the ATP finals for the first time. The 23-year-old Sinner beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 at the season-ending event in Turin, his eighth title of the season.
Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal will cap his emotional farewell from tennis at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga this week even if he admits he may not make it onto the courts. French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz will be Spain’s leading player and his presence offers Nadal a real chance of retiring on a high note.
It’s a cold and rainy start to the day, especially in the south of the country. The clouds are sticking around all day but the rain should clear by early afternoon. Temperatures are pretty constant throughout the day: around 5–7°C.
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