FRANCE BORDER CONTROLS - France has informed the EU Commission that it will once again perform border controls with six neighbouring countries, from 1 November until the end of April next year. In addition to Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Italy are also affected. France is following Germany’s example, citing security risks as the reason, with an emphasis on preventing terrorism and illegal immigration. Prime Minister Luc Frieden told RTL on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels yesterday, that he told his two colleagues clearly that this was not a good idea and he found more understanding with the French president than with the German chancellor.
The Minister of the Interior, Léon Gloden, and his French counterpart, Bruno Retailleau are tasked with investigating the issue in the coming days.
SKULLS FOUND - The public prosecutor’s office has confirmed the discovery of three human skulls stowed in plastic bags at an abandoned house in Bertrange on Wednesday morning. The skulls have been sent to the National Health Laboratory (LNS) to be examined and to have their age determined. First impressions say the bones are relatively old. The public prosecutor’s office has ruled out violent crime at this stage of the investigation.
CARITAS SCANDAL - A potential link has been uncovered between the Caritas scandal, a clairvoyant and Bulgarian crime ring. The online newspaper Reporter.lu revealed there could be a link between this criminal network and the embezzlement scandal, and suggested that the public prosecutor’s office is currently investigating this avenue. Reporter.lu implied the criminal network could have used the clairvoyant to gain the Caritas employee’s trust, leading to the subsequent crime.
SCHOOL PLATFORM - A new online platform, atSchool.lu, has launched to simplify the search for childcare and educational institutions in Luxembourg, particularly benefiting parents and newcomers. The platform offers a centralised hub for navigating the complexities of the country’s educational system, allowing users to explore 497 childcare centres and 216 schools, covering both public and private options.
ORGAN DONATIONS - Marking World Organ Day, the Ministry of Health says that last year 87 patients were on the list for organ donation in Luxembourg - five of whom died while awaiting a new organ. The number of organ donations in the Grand Duchy remains relatively low. Last year only saw seven organs donated.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar who mastermind the October 7 attack, has been killed by Israeli forces. The Israeli military said that after a year-long hunt, troops had on Wednesday “eliminated” the leader of the terrorist organisation in an operation in the southern Gaza Strip. Many global leaders in the West have expressed hope that his death signals the beginning of the end of the war in Gaza and could provide an opportunity for the release of the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas. More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military operation began and nearly all of the strip’s residents are displaced amid a spiralling humanitarian crisis.
BIDEN GERMANY VISIT - US President Joe Biden and European leaders meeting during his farewell visit to Germany today, are expected to renew calls for a Gaza ceasefire after the killing of Yahya Sinwar. Biden, who is holding talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are also set to pledge their sustained military support for Ukraine.
FOOTBALL – It’s a big football weekend coming up: In England Premier League leaders Liverpool face the first serious test of their title credentials against Chelsea this weekend and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag cannot afford another flop from his troubled team when Brentford visit Old Trafford.
In the German Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt visit wounded Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Dortmund host St Pauli tonight, RB Leipzig travel to Mainz on Saturday and Bayern and Stuttgart meet later in the day.
And in France, Monaco are hoping to last the pace in the Ligue 1 title race ahead of a stiff test of their credentials against Lille this weekend.
FORMULA 1 -- McLaren’s Lando Norris said he felt calm and confident ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix and did not expect rivals Red Bull to lose performance after making requested car alterations. Max Verstappen will be seeking to end a run of eight races without a victory in Sunday’s contest at the Circuit of the Americas.
TENNIS - At the Luxembourg Ladies Tennis Masters here in Luxembourg, Martina Hingis and Andrea Petkovic are in the semi-finals. Today, their opponents are playing. Kirsten Flipkens and Ana Ivanovic face each other and then Flavia Pennetta and Dominika Cibulkova.
CRICKET - The England and Wales Cricket Board has announced that transgender women will be unable to feature in the top two tiers of the new women’s domestic structure or the women’s Hundred. The updated policy mirrors last year’s decision by the International Cricket Council, which banned anyone who has gone through male puberty from taking part in women’s international games.
Heavy cloud coverage will be present throughout the day, with rain expected to fall in the late afternoon / early evening. As the night draws in, some fog may form in certain regions.
Not too different from yesterday, the temperature will be around 12–14°C in the morning, going up to 16–18°C as the max.
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