FLOODING - Much of the country has been under flood warnings since the start of the week. The situation seems to be calming down across the country. Meteolux has lowered the alert level to orange until Sunday evening. Since Wednesday evening, rescue services have carried out six new interventions in buildings due to flooding, and one intervention for a tree that fell on a road. Be careful, however, of the closure of a certain number of roads due to flooding, both in Luxembourg City and throughout the country . The ACL is calling on motorists to respect the diversions put in place and not to attempt to use blocked roads.
According to the report from the Water Management Authority, the Moselle is expected to continue rising but it also observed a calming trend in the weather along the Moselle, with most of the rainfall having already passed. As it stands, water levels in the Alzette and most of the rivers are currently falling. However, due to local showers, there is a possibility that there could be a slight rise again, especially in the Eisch and Atert rivers.
COVID DOWN - Luxembourg has reported a 51% decrease in coronavirus infections during the final week of 2023 compared to the preceding week. Official figures released by the Ministry of Health have revealed a total of 338 recorded cases of Covid-19 from 25 December to 31 December. Health authorities attribute this decline to the holiday season at the year’s end.
LUXAIR PASSENGERS - As announced today through a company press release, 2023 was an incredible, record-setting year for Luxair, with the company transporting 2.5 million passengers. Things are looking bright for 2024 as well, as Luxair now offers 99 destinations in 33 different countries.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - Israel has presented a plan for how Gaza should be governed once the war with Hamas is over. It’s the first time such proposals have been put forward since the conflict broke out in October. The Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant has said Palestinian bodies will be in charge, though Israel would retain overall security control. The plans are likely to be rejected by Palestinian leaders.
NORTH KOREA MISSILES - The White House says North Korea has significantly escalated its support for the Russian offensive in Ukraine, supplying Moscow with ballistic missiles and launchers. U.S. national security spokesman John Kirby said Russian forces had used North Korean ammunitions in 2 separate attacks.
UK ELECTION - Rishi Sunak said he had pencilled in later this year for a general election, as he and his main political rival to be Britain’s next leader effectively kicked off campaigning. The prime minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer both made their first public appearances of 2024, travelling to Mansfield, in the English Midlands, and Bristol, in the West Country. Sunak’s ruling Conservative party has been in power for 14 years but is widely expected to lose the vote, which must be held before the end of January next year.
TETRIS BEATEN - A US teenager has beaten classic computer game Tetris, forcing it into a game-ending glitch in a feat previously achieved only by artificial intelligence. Willis Gibson, 13, a competitive gamer known as “blue scuti,” became the first human to reach the “kill screen” of the Nintendo version of the puzzle game, as fellow players followed his progress online.
ELVIS SHOW - A new immersive Elvis Presley show will open in central London later this year, bringing the king of rock ‘n’ roll back to life with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). “Elvis Evolution”, featuring a life-size digital Elvis performing on stage, is designed to be the first of a series of shows in cities including Las Vegas, Tokyo and Berlin.
PISTORIUS RELEASE - The former athlete Oscar Pistorius is due to be freed on parole from a South-African jail today, nearly 11 years after fatally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He has been in prison since October 2014, though the victim’s mother has said she is not convinced he has been rehabilitated and is concerned for the safety of other women. Pistorius was the first double-amputee to compete at both the Olympics and Paralympics.
FOOTBALL - France striker Kylian Mbappe has turned his back on “several tens of millions” of euros in a bid to ease a possible move away from Paris Saint-German, a source involved in the negotiations has told AFP. In an agreement he reached with the club last summer, the source claims Mbappe waived bonuses amounting to around 60 to 70 million euros, covering the club financially in the event of his likely departure when his contract expires in June. Mbappe has been free to sign anywhere he wishes since the transfer window opened on Monday.
BASKETBALL - Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James are leading the first fan voting results for next month’s NBA All-Star Game with over 2 million votes each. Starters for the 73rd edition of the annual showdown of elite talent will be determined by a formula that includes 50% fan voting and 25% each from NBA players and a media panel. The 2024 NBA All-Star Game will be played on 18 February in Indianapolis.
The day kicks off with very cloudy skies but you can expect a few sunny spells in the afternoon and evening. There might be one or two isolated light rain showers, especially throughout morning. An orange alert for the entirety of the country remains in effect. Luxembourg’s Water Management Administration warns that “minor flooding may cause flooding and local damage. Morning temperatures will start at 2-6°C, rising slightly to 4-7°C in the afternoon.
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