FLIGHT ISSUE – A Luxair flight scheduled to land in Luxembourg yesterday was forced to turn back to Dubai due to a technical issue. According to Luxair, a “technical incident limiting passenger comfort” was the reason for the turnaround but did not provide further details on the nature of the issue. The airline assured that passenger safety was never at risk. A replacement flight is scheduled for this morning.
UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES – Luxembourg’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.8% in January 2025, even as the number of registered jobseekers rose by 6.1% year-on-year, according to new data from the National Employment Agency.
TRAM EXTENSION – While the tram stop at Findel Airport will be official from 2 March, preparations for an extended tram line in Kirchberg are underway. The first extension of tram line 1 will be completed with the construction of a new section at Kirchberg (K2A), starting at the Pfaffenthal/Kirchberg interchange and running along Boulevard Konrad Adenauer as far as the European School. This line scheduled to open in September 2027.
ISRAEL HAMAS – Israel has said that one of the bodies returned from Gaza is not that of Shiri Bibas, as claimed by Hamas, and accused Palestinian “terrorists” of killing her two boys who have become symbols of the hostage ordeal. Thousands of mourning Israelis had observed a moment of silence in honour of four dead hostages returned by Hamas, the first handover of bodies under the fragile ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered an “intensive operation against centers of terrorism” in the occupied West Bank, after three buses exploded in central Israel without causing any reported injuries. Israeli police say it was a suspected terror attack.
US UKRAINE – The US national security advisor has warned Ukraine’s leader to stop hurling “insults” at Donald Trump, as pressure builds on Volodymyr Zelensky to sign away precious mineral rights in exchange for Washington’s help defending against Russia. Tensions between Trump and Zelensky over the proposed mineral deal – which Kyiv has rejected – and Washington’s outreach to Moscow have exploded this week in a series of barbs traded at press conferences and on social media.
MACRON US – French President Emmanuel Macron is travelling to Washington on Monday to try to convince President Trump that his interests are in line with European allies and that showing any weakness to Russia would make it harder to deal with China and Iran. Macron added that Ukrainian President Zelensky is a “legitimate” leader and that he had taken office through a free election process.
GERMANY ELECTIONS – Germans head to the polls on Sunday after a divisive campaign marked by a far-right surge, with conservative Friedrich Merz expected to claim victory. If the polls are right, it will fall to the Christian Democrats to deal with a storm of challenges roiling Germany – economic stagnation, a society divided over immigration and a hostile Team Trump. An election win on 23 February would only be the first step towards a new government. Merz would then need to find one or more coalition partners in a process that, even in less turbulent and toxic times, takes weeks if not months.
BOND AMAZON – In a move that looks set to shake – and maybe even stir – one of Hollywood’s most bankable franchises, Amazon MGM Studio is to take creative control of James Bond, as the fictional British spy’s long-time producers step back. The news comes four years after the last Bond film, in which Daniel Craig bowed out as the secret agent, with fans left to fill the intervening time with speculation about who will replace him.
FOOTBALL – Starting with the Europa League, Roma beat Porto 3-2 to clinch a place in the last 16, while Ajax clawed through in extra time despite playing a man down for 95 minutes. Unions Saint GiIloise, with Luxembourg national goalkeeper Anthony Morris won 2-1 against Ajax Amsterdam but Kenneth Taylor’s spot-kick in extra time was enough to put Ajax through 3-2 on aggregate. In other games Bodo/Glimt overturned a first leg deficit against Twente with a dramatic 5-2 win after extra time, Ferencvaros slid to a 3-0 loss at Viktoria Plzen, while AZ Alkmaar eased past Galatasaray 6-3 on aggregate and Romanians FCSB won 2-0 in Bucharest to complete a 4-1 aggregate win over PAOK of Greece.
A Spanish court has convicted and fined former football chief Luis Rubiales of sexual assault over the forced kiss he gave star forward Jenni Hermoso but acquitted him of the charge of coercion. Rubiales has been fined €10,800 ($11,300) with no prison sentence.
ICE HOCKEY – An ice hockey grudge match of border rivals fueled by political tensions – Canada has defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to win the Four Nations final.
TENNIS – Carlos Alcaraz has crashed out of the Qatar Open in the quarter-finals after losing to Jiri Lehecka. The 23-year-old Lehecka will play British eighth seed Jack Draper today for a place in the final.
We are in for spring-like temperatures today. It’s still a pretty cloudy day but we should see some sun in the afternoon. Starting off with a heady 7-9 degrees, we will see highs of 13-15 degrees in the early afternoon.
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