OPPOSING PETITIONS - After a petition calling for strengthening of LGBTQIA+ themes at school went online on Friday, it already gathered around 9100 signatures. It was created in response to a previous proposal aiming to exclude the subject from educational programmes, which has also received more than 9300 signatures. In the end record numbers of signatures could be reached for both petitions. According to Francine Closener, President of the Petition Committee, both items could be discussed during the same session in Luxembourg’s Parliament.
AIRPORT FIRE - A car fire broke out in front of Terminal A in the Kiss & Fly short-term parking area at Luxembourg Airport yesterday. The Fire and Rescue Corps effectively contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby vehicles. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
MISSING PERSON - 65-year-old Henriette Glodt has been missing since Sunday. According to the police, the woman was last seen on Sunday afternoon in Remerschen. She is approximately 1.50m tall with a thin frame and was last seen wearing a grey raincoat, jeans, beige Sketchers trainers, and was carrying a black umbrella. Anyone with information on the missing person’s whereabouts is encouraged to contact the police at (+352) 244 70 1000 or via email at Police.MUSELDALL@police.etat.lu.
SCHUEBERFOUER COUNTDOWN - The 2024 edition of the Schueberfouer opens on Friday, August 23. This year’s edition remains somewhat mysterious, as the City of Luxembourg has not yet provided detailed information. But we do know that the Schueberfouer will be open every day from noon to 1am, with restaurants allowed to open from 11am. New attractions, stands, and restaurants are expected, with the City of Luxembourg soon to unveil the specifics of this year’s edition, The Schueberfouer will most likely conclude with a fireworks display, as it does every year.
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT - Urgent calls have grown for foreign nationals to leave Lebanon, which would be on the front line of a regional war, as Iran and its allies are readying their responses to high-profile killings blamed on Israel. French President Macron and Jordan’s King Abdullah said yesterday that a regional military escalation must be avoided “at all costs”.
In the deadliest incident in Gaza yesterday, the Civil Defence agency said an Israeli strike hit two Gaza City schools housing displaced people, killing at least 30. This brings to at least 11 the number of schools hit in Gaza since July 6.
UK PROTESTS - The number of people arrested in anti-immigration violence that swept across England and Northern Ireland has risen to at least 250. The unrest was triggered by the killings of 3 young girls a week ago. Online rumours incorrectly blamed a migrant for the mass stabbing. Two hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked by crowds on Sunday, including in the northern English town Rotherham. The British government will hold an emergency meeting later today.
BANGLADESH PROTESTS - The UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk has urged the government in Bangladesh to stop targeting protesters, after a day of unrest that left more than 90 people dead. Many of the worst clashes were between supporters of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and demonstrators demanding her resignation.
STORM DEBBY - Tropical storm Debby is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before it hits Florida’s Gulf Coast today. Forecasters say it could bring historic levels of rainfall as it moves north. The governors of Georgia and South Carolina have declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival.
OLYMPICS 2024 - It’s the 10th competition day today at the Olympic Games and tonight Luxembourg’s Ruben Querinjean is competing in the 3000m Steeplechase.
Patrizia van der Weken finished fourth in her heat in the 100 metres semi-finals which wasn’t enough to guarantee her a place in the final. Unfortunately, her time of 11.13 seconds was too slow.
After 9 days of competition, the USA now leads the medal table, with a total of 71 medals, 19 gold, 26 silver and 26 bronze medals.
Last night saw one of the highlights of the Games – the final of the men’s 100m sprint has been won by the American Noah Lyles. He claims gold in a dramatic photo finish. The Jamaican Kishane Thompson won silver, only 5 thousandths of a second separated them. It is the first time in 20 years that an American has won the event.
Among other gold medals yesterday afternoon already went to Novak Djokovic in tennis, Scottie Scheffler in golf and the Chinese men’s team in the 4 x 100m freestyle swimming relay.
Today, during the day, medal decisions will be made in badminton, gymnastics (with another appearance of the US superstar Simone Biles on the Balance Beam Final), canoe slalom, men’s pole vault and women’s basketball.
We start off the week with a return to warm and sunny times. The sky should me mostly clear throughout the day, with a few clouds here and there. Temperature – wise, a mild 12-14°C in the morning will rise meteorically to around 26-28°C in the afternoon.
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