ISRAEL GAZA WAR - At the end of his visit to Israel, President Biden said he has secured an agreement for the delivery of a limited amount of aid to Gaza, where 12 days of siege and bombardment have caused an acute humanitarian crisis. Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has also agreed to open the Rafah border crossing to let in 20 trucks. Israel has said it won’t prevent the delivery of aid, as long as supplies don’t reach Hamas.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is on his way to Israel and is due to meet Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog for talks, before travelling to other countries in the region. Sunak also wants to continue to work for aid deliveries in the Gaza Strip. He has not commented on the claims and counter-claims over who was responsible for the explosion at a Gaza hospital, which Gaza officials say killed 471 people.
Meanwhile, a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip continues in preparation. Yesterday evening, Israel once again called on the residents of Gaza City to retreat to the south of the enclave. Israeli airstrikes have continued to bombard the territory, including refugee camps.
FRANCE FUNERAL - Arras is preparing to pay a final tribute today to French teacher Dominique Bernard, stabbed to death in front of his middle school by a radicalized former student. The funeral of this 57-year-old professor, married to a teacher and father of three daughters, will begin at Arras Cathedral at 10:00 am, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte and the Minister of Education Gabriel Attal. Classes are suspended this morning at the school campus which was the scene of the attack, allowing staff and students to attend.
FRANCE AIRPORTS - Most major French airports, with the exception of two in Paris, were temporarily evacuated yesterday after being the target of threats, leading to the cancellation of 130 flights and countless delays. According to the French transport minister, 17 airports were threatened, 15 airports evacuated, 130 flights canceled and many delays.
SAKHAROV PRIZE - The winner of this year’s Sakharov Prize will be announced in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this morning. It will most likely go posthumously to the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, who died in Iran last year, after she was arrested by the local police because her headscarf did not fit properly. Her death triggered a huge protest movement in Iran, with demands for more democracy and human rights. The prize is awarded to individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.
VACCINES DESTROYED - According to the Minister of Health Paulette Lenert, more than 755,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine were destroyed here in Luxembourg or sent for destruction. More than 591,000 of them came from Moderna alone. The cost of destroyed vaccines is around 16.8 million euros. Nearly 314,000 old doses will also expire by the end of November. Lenert specified that Luxembourg purchased the vaccines together with the EU. And therefore, like every other EU country, it was obligated to purchase a certain number of the vaccines.
BANKRUPTCIES UP - The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC) has released its latest figures regarding the closure of businesses during the third quarter of 2023. During this period, 162 companies faced bankruptcy, marking a 3% increase compared to the same quarter in 2022. Since the beginning of the year, a total of 710 companies declared bankruptcy, i.e., 60 more than the corresponding period in 2022. The sectors most affected include construction with 117 closures, commerce with 141 closures, and the hotel and restaurant sector with 80 closures.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING - Efforts to address the pressing issue of affordable housing are underway in Differdange, as evidenced by the overwhelming demand for the ‘Gravity’ project. The mayor of Differdange, Guy Altmeisch told RTL that they had received 1,000 applications for 80 flats.
FOOTBALL TV RIGHTS - The English Premier League is aiming to smash its own record domestic television rights deal after making 70 more matches available for broadcast from 2025. Currently, 200 matches per season are sold to broadcasters in the UK with the three-year deal that runs until the 2024/25 season worth over 5.5 billion euros. From 2025, matches switched to Sundays will be broadcast live for the first time. Competition between broadcasters and streaming platforms for the available live matches is expected to be fierce.
FOOTBALL NEYMAR - Football superstar Neymar has a torn ligament and meniscus in his left knee and will have to undergo surgery after being injured during Brazil’s 2-0 loss to Uruguay. The 31-year-old, who joined Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in August, was stretchered off in tears just before halftime in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup qualifying match in Montevideo on Tuesday.
TENNIS - The Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters begins at the Coque today. The tournament attracts internationally renowned players. The former Luxembourg tennis star Mandy Minella will face former number 1 Belgium’s Kim Clijsters and Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova plays against German former professional player Andrea Petkovic. The two quarter final games start at 6pm.
It’s a bit warmer than the last few days, but you should still prepare for the occasional bout of rain – especially from the evening onwards and a cloudy day. We start off the day with 11-13 degrees in the north, and 12-14 degrees in the south of the country, rising up to 16-17°C in the afternoon.
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