COUNCIL OF EUROPE - Luxembourg is taking over the presidency of the Council of Europe today. The Council of Europe is made up of 46 countries and aims to uphold human rights and the rule of law. Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel will officially take over from Lithuania in Strasbourg today.
MP ELECTION - The election for a new member of Luxembourg’s Council of State took an unexpected turn yesterday, as Max Leners, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) nominee, did not secure the necessary votes for the vacant seat. In a second round of voting, Georges Kohn, Vice-President of the Social Security Arbitration Board (CASS) and an expert in social security matters, was elected. The vote is a slap in the face for LSAP candidate Leners, a lawyer and left-wing activist.
HOMELESS CHARITY - “Wanteraktioun”, an annual initiative in Luxembourg that provides free food and shelter to the homeless over the winter months, officially starts on Friday. Since the number of people seeking shelter at Wanteraktioun continues to increase, the number of beds has been raised to 300 for the 2024/2025 campaign.
EXKI BANKRUPTCY - The Belgian restaurant chain EXKi is facing bankruptcy. The chain has been struggling financially since 2017 and is now in need of at least €10 million in emergency investments. EXKi has four restaurants in Luxembourg.
UKRAINE WAR - US top diplomat Antony Blinken will meet NATO and EU officials today to urgently discuss ramping up support for Ukraine before Donald Trump reclaims the White House. The Secretary of State’s one-day visit will see him meet NATO Chief Mark Rutte, the EU Diplomacy Boss Josep Borrell, his successor Kaja Kallas and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.The emergency trip comes as Trump’s election victory, coupled with a political crisis in Germany, heightens fears about the future of assistance for Ukraine at a key point in the fight against Russia’s invasion.
GERMANY ELECTION - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will face a vote of confidence in his government on December 16, paving the way for a new parliamentary election in February. The vote comes after the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition last week.
TRUMP JOBS - Donald Trump has announced that the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, will lead a new US government efficiency group tasked with cutting federal waste. Trump has also picked Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host to be defence secretary.
GAZA WAR - A top UN official has condemned “daily cruelty” in Gaza, describing “acts reminiscent of the gravest international crimes” as Israel continues its daily bombardment of the Palestinian territory. Israel has announced the opening of an additional aid crossing into Gaza, just hours before the deadline set by outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration to improve the humanitarian conditions in Gaza or risk a cut to military assistance.
ARCHBISHOP RESIGNATION - Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of Anglicans worldwide has resigned, saying he had failed to ensure a proper investigation into allegations of abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps decades ago. Welby, also the most senior cleric of the Church of England, had faced calls to resign after a report last week found he had taken insufficient action to stop one of the Church’s most prolific serial abusers.
RARE EMERALD - A rare square 37-carat emerald owned by the Aga Khan has fetched nearly nine million dollars at auction in Geneva, making it the world’s most expensive green stone.
FOOTBALL – A five-goal blitz in the space of 12 minutes sent Barcelona on their way to a 7-0 romp over St Poelten in the Women’s Champions League yesterday.
Arsenal beat Juventus 4-0 in Italy but remain second in Group C after Bayern Munich extended their 100 percent record with a 3-0 victory over Valerenga. Man City beat Hammarby 2-0, keeping them on top of Group D.
TENNIS - Jannik Sinner hit the accelerator at the end of each set as he cruised past Taylor Fritz 6-4 to close in on a semi-final spot at the ATP Finals in Turin. Fritz faces Alex de Minaur who has lost both his matches so far.
RUGBY - France captain Antoine Dupont sat out full training yesterday with an illness but will be fit for his country’s upcoming clash with New Zealand on Saturday. Dupont returned to the 15-a-side set-up in last week’s win over Japan for the first time in a year.
The morning will be cold and grey. The afternoon will still be cloudy but the sun will come out to say hello, and in the evening there’s a chance of rain. Temperatures will start off chilly in the morning at 2–4°C, warming up slightly to 6–8°C in the afternoon.
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