EU LUXEMBOURGISH – A short-lived attempt by MEP Fernand Kartheiser to speak Luxembourgish in the European Parliament has reignited debates over the language’s role in EU institutions. In an interview with our colleagues from RTL.lu, Minister of Culture Eric Thill suggested that Kartheiser’s move diverged from the position of his own party, the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR). Minister Thill remained vague on the government’s plans to promote the Luxembourgish language internationally.
COMPUTERS SCHOOLS – Luxembourg secondary schools are experiencing delays in receiving their tablet computers, with some classes still awaiting delivery despite a scheduled arrival a month ago. The Ministry of Education attributed this delay to “supply issues” concerning accessories such as keyboards and pens. It is anticipated that all 8,500 new tablets will be delivered to secondary schools by mid-November.
COVID HEALTHCARE WORKERS – New research had indicated that the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic placed immense strain on healthcare workers, with one in four nurses showing signs of severe depression or anxiety. A research group from the rehabilitation clinic of the Centre Hospitalier Neuro-Psychiatrique (CHNP) participated in the European study.
HOUSING AID – A new platform for housing aids, called ‘Aides.lu’ and designed to specifically support first-time home buyers and investors, is poised to go online next week. Developed by the Real Estate Chamber, the site allows users to simulate the number and amount of aids for which they are eligible and thereby project the costs of a home acquisition.
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT – The Israeli military has confirmed the death of the senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine, seen as the most likely successor to the group’s assassinated leader Hassan Nasrallah. Just like him, Safieddine was also killed in an Israeli attack on Beirut three weeks ago. UN human rights chief Volker Türk has condemned Israeli attacks on Beirut, and especially those in the vicinity of a university clinic, which killed 18 civilians.
ABERCROMBIE CEO – The former chief executive of the Abercrombie and Fitch clothing empire has been arrested and charged with the trafficking of male models for sex parties around the world. Ex-CEO Mike Jeffries and two other partners allegedly used a “casting couch” ploy to groom aspiring male models to attend sex parties at which victims were plied with alcohol and drugs.
MISSING BABY – French authorities are hunting for a 17-day-old prematurely born baby boy who was abducted from the maternity ward of a hospital near Paris on Monday. Police have issued an alert with appeals for information broadcast on radio, television, and online. It said the boy, called Santiago, needs constant medical attention. The police alert identified the baby’s parents as the only suspects and believe they could have fled to Belgium.
BRICS SUMMIT – Two dozen world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have rallied round Russian President Vladimir Putin on the first day of a major summit in Kazan. The Chinese and Indian presidents have both demanded a peaceful solution to the Ukraine war, but neither country has condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Separate talks between Putin and Erdogan as well as Iran’s President are planned for today. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will meet Putin on Thursday -- a visit slammed by Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
POLANSKI TRIAL – French-Polish director Roman Polanski, who fled the United States decades ago after admitting to the statutory rape of a 13-year-old, will no longer face trial over an alleged assault of another minor after reaching a settlement. The latest case against the director of The Pianist, which concerned an alleged sexual attack in 1973, had been due in civil court in Los Angeles next August, but has now been withdrawn, Polanski’s US attorney told AFP.
FOOTBALL – In the Champions League, Real Madrid beat Dortmund 5-2. Stuttgart won 1-0 against Juventus. PSG and Eindhoven drew 1-1. Arsenal beat Donetsk 1-0 and AC Milan won 3-1 against Brugge.
Among other games tonight, Barcelona are playing Bayern. You can watch this match live on our website with a ticker commentary starting at 9pm. Other matches include Leipzig against Liverpool, Brest against Leverkusen, Benfica against Rotterdam, and Manchester City versus Prague.
BASEBALL – Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Fernando Valenzuela, one of the sport’s most loved figures, has died at the age of 63. The Mexican pitcher played 17 seasons in MLB for six clubs but was best remembered for his time with the Dodgers, particularly for his role in the 1981 team who beat the New York Yankees in the World Series. His performances in that season and the excitement it caused became known as ‘Fernandomania’.
BASKETBALL – LeBron and Bronny James made NBA history yesterday, becoming the first father-and-son duo to play alongside each other in a regular season fixture as the Los Angeles Lakers opened their campaign against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The duo, who played together briefly in a pre-season game earlier this month, took to the court together late in the second quarter at the Crypto.com Arena with the Lakers leading 51-35.
Today we have a hazy morning, followed by a bright, sunny afternoon – the perfect midweek interlude. You can expect clear skies and dry conditions throughout the day. Morning temperatures will start off a little cooler at 6–8°C, rising to highs of 14–16°C in the afternoon
Be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour, and headlines at half past the hour on Today Radio. You can also access the news via Alexa, and on RTL Play.
