MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS - 6 more days until the municipal elections. In the final roundtable debate on RTL last night, subjects were security and climate protection and how the municipalities want to react to it. Alex Penning from the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) said all parties agree on these issues, however nature and environmental protection must not be at the disadvantage of people. David Wagner from the Left could be heard accusing the ADR of having climate and science deniers in their ranks. For more information on the elections, visit the “Municipal elections” tab on RTL Today.
EMERGENCY SIMULATION - As on every first Monday of the month, sirens across Luxembourg will once again be tested today. Residents of certain towns will also receive a test message sent via the GouvAlert application. However, with the aim of having a reliable and efficient alert system, tests of the zonal text message alerts will no longer be announced in advance. This will put mobile network operators in the same conditions they might face during a real-life event that triggers an imminent and spontaneous alert of the population.
UKRAINIAN OFFENSIVE - The Defence Ministry in Moscow says it has thwarted a Ukrainian offensive in the southern Donetsk region. There has been no comment from Kyiv and the Russian claims have not been independently verified. Ukraine has for months said it is preparing a major counteroffensive, hoping to reclaim territory lost, since Russia launched its military operation February last year.
POLAND RULE OF LAW - The European Court of Justice here in Luxembourg will announce its verdict this afternoon on the controversial judicial reforms in Poland. Specifically, it is about a law from 2019, with which Poland curtailed the independence of judges. In Warsaw, half a million people took to the streets to protest against the current right-wing government. Organizers are talking about the biggest demonstration since the fall of communism.
COP 28 PREPARATIONS - Delegates from all over the world are coming to Bonn from today, to prepare for the next World Climate Conference in Dubai. Over the next two weeks, the most important problems and solutions need to be worked out, which should then be on the agenda of COP 28. The world will come together in Dubai at the end of November. Experts are already criticizing the recent progress, saying global CO2 emissions continue to be far too high to slow down climate change.
FRENCH DICTEE - A mass French dictation contest has been held in the Champs Elysees in Paris. 5000 people took part in the record breaking event, transcribing texts ranging from sports journalism to a 19th century novel.
HARRY COURT - Prince Harry will become the first senior British royal to give evidence in court for more than a century when he testifies this week against a tabloid newspaper publisher.Harry, 38, is expected to take the witness stand at London’s High Court in a trial considering unlawful information-gathering claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). King Charles III’s younger son and other high-profile figures allege that the publisher engaged in illegal activities, including phone hacking, at its titles and are seeking damages.
TRIATHLON - Luxembourg has a new European champion. Jeanne Lehair secured the title in the triathlon yesterday in Madrid. Due to poor water quality, the swimming was replaced by a 5km run. After 40km cycling and another 10km of running, the 27-year-old athlete was 7 seconds ahead of the German athlete Lisa Tertsch at the end.
FORMULA 1 - Defending double world champion Max Verstappen won the Spanish Grand Prix yesterday and has extended his lead in this year’s title race to 53 points. The 25-year-old Dutchman led from lights to flag to come home 24 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, in their much-improved Mercedes’ cars.
TENNIS - At the French Open in tennis, there is another quarter-final for the men. Novak Djokovic will face Russian Karen Kachanov. Both won their matches yesterday. In the women, the winner of the competition, Iga Swiatek from Poland, is playing today, and could meet the American Cori Gauff in the next round. That duel was last year’s final.
FOOTBALL - Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought the curtain down on a long, trophy-packed career yesterday, when he unexpectedly announced his retirement from football. He revealed his decision during an on-pitch ceremony following AC Milan’s 3-1 win over Verona. And talking retirement, Real Madrid’s departing great Karim Benzema struck from the penalty spot to earn his side a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday in La Liga as he said goodbye to fans at the Santiago Bernabeu. Benzema, whom Madrid confirmed would leave this summer earlier in the day, departing after 14 years at the club, rolled his penalty down the middle to level the game, before being substituted to great applause.
It’s lovely and warm, sunny all day. Morning temperatures of 10-14°C will rise to a peak of 24-26°C in the afternoon.
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