DISCUSSIONS – Prime Minister Luc Frieden is hosting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Luxembourg today, for discussions coinciding with the swearing-in of the new European Commission. The meeting between Frieden and Von der Leyen is set to take place at the Saint Maximin Refuge in the capital, which houses the State Ministry.
RIVER SEARCH – On Sunday evening, rescue teams, frogmen, and the police were engaged in a large-scale search and rescue operation along the Alzette river. At around 8pm, rescue teams were dispatched between Pfaffenthal and Eich after a person was reported to have fallen into the Alzette river. The search was called off at around 10pm after no person was found.
LSC – Laura Thorn has been chosen to represent Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel this May with her song ‘La poupée monte le sonp. The winner was determined on Saturday night during the Luxembourg Song Contest at the Rockhal in Esch. Speaking to RTL after her win, Thorn said that she found performing in front of such a large audience an incredible experience.
AUTOFESTIVAL – The Autofestival season has kicked off, running from 25 January to 3 February. Statistically, 30% to 35% of new vehicles in Luxembourg are bought at the start of the year as 90 garages across the country are offering deals during this period.The most sought after cars remain electric vehicles, making up almost half of all offers.
AUSCHWITZ ANNIVERSARY – Some of the few remaining survivors of Auschwitz are gathering at the site of the Nazi death camp today, as the world marks the 80th anniversary of its liberation in the final months of World War II. Around 50 ex-inmates are expected at a ceremony outside the historic gate of Auschwitz II-Birkenau alongside dozens of leaders including King Charles, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron. And also in Luxembourg there are commemorative ceremonies taking place today at the Synagogue in Esch-sur-Alzette.
PARIS FIRE – A massive fire has broken out in Paris this morning, at the 35-meter-high spire of the town hall in Paris’s 12th arrondissement. Over 150 firefighters are working to contain the blaze as the tower’s collapse remains a threat.
EU FOREIGN MINISTERS – EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels today. They are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, EU-US relations as well as the latest developments in the Middle East, including Syria.
TRUMP COLOMBIA – Colombia has backed down and agreed to accept deported citizens sent on US military aircraft, hours after President Donald Trump threatened painful tariffs to punish the defiance to his mass deportation plans. Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, had earlier said he would only take back citizens “with dignity,” such as on civilian planes, and had turned back two US military aircraft with repatriated Colombians.
GAZA CEASEFIRE – Israel says Palestinians can begin returning to the north of the Gaza Strip today, after a deal was reached with Hamas for the release of another six hostages. The breakthrough preserves a fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, paving the way for more hostage-prisoner swaps under a deal aimed at ending the more than 15-month conflict.
UNIVERSAL SPOTIFY DEAL – Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, and streaming service Spotify have announced a multi-year direct deal that will affect both recording and publishing royalty rates. The joint statement did not provide details on the value or specific length of the agreement, but said UMG and Spotify “will collaborate closely to advance the next era of streaming innovation.”
TENNIS – Jannik Sinner has swept past Alexander Zverev and retained his Australian Open title, cementing his status as the world’s dominant player in men’s tennis. The 23-year-old Italian came through a tense final between the two highest-ranked players 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. In doing so he became the first Italian, man or woman, to win three Grand Slams.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – The NFL playoffs are down to its final two teams - the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will battle in New Orleans on February 9 to decide the champions of 2025. For the fifth time in seven seasons, the Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes is playing in a Super bowl.
FOOTBALL – In the Bundesliga, St. Pauli beat Union Berlin 3-0. Luxembourg international Danel Sinani scored the third goal in the 93rd minute, just one minute after coming on as a substitute. This marked Sinani’s first Bundesliga goal.
In England, Manchester United beat Fulham 1-0.
Barcelona beat Valencia 7-1
And in the French Ligue 1, Nice won 2-0 against Marseille.
CYCLING - Mathieu van der Poel has geared up for the world championships next month by winning the final two races of the cyclo-cross World Cup this weekend. On a circuit designed by his father Adrie, the Dutch rider claimed his seventh success in as many races this season at home in Hoogerheide on Sunday.
MeteoLux has issued a yellow alert for strong winds, possibly reaching up to 75 km/h this morning. It’s also a rainy and cloudy day, so watch out for that umbrella. On the other hand, the temperature will rise a bit, starting off with 7-8° and reaching a high between 8-10 °C in the afternoon.
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