BETTEL MIDDLE EAST – Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel is taking part in a diplomatic mission to the Middle East, where he is scheduled to participate in ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Palestine. Bettel emphasised that his goal is to support efforts toward a two-state solution, though he acknowledged the complexity and the need for goodwill on both sides.
Meanwhile, the Luxembourg Ministry of Health is preparing the evacuation of patients from the Gaza Strip to hospitals in the Grand Duchy. Minister of Health Martine Deprez is currently taking part in the World Health Organisation’s Regional Committee for Europe meeting in Copenhagen. How many people could be treated in Luxembourg and in what time-frame is not clear yet.
BLUETONGUE DISEASE – Luxembourg continues to grapple with an outbreak of bluetongue disease, with over 1,300 animals now infected, according to the latest report. The Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) has confirmed 50 new cases of the disease, detected over the past week. Laboratory tests revealed that the outbreak has now reached 14 additional farms, bringing the total number of affected farms close to 500.
POLICE SCAM – The Luxembourg police are warning the public about a scam in which fraudsters impersonate police officers to steal debit cards and security information. Exactly this happened on Sunday evening, resulting with scammers making off with a stolen debit card and the security codes. In light of this incident, the police remind the public that all officers in Luxembourg are fluent in Luxembourgish and can provide identification upon request.
US ELECTIONS – Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has urged the United States to turn the page on drama and division on one of her final pitches to voters ahead of next week’s election. The Vice-President has been speaking at an event in Washington DC. At the same time, at his own rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump repeated his promises to Republican supporters of lowering inflation and stopping what he called “an invasion of migrants”.
VALENCIA FLOODING – Several bodies have been recovered in the Spanish region of Valencia after torrential rain triggered flash flooding. Some regions received a month’s rain in a day. A number of people have been reported missing.
UK BUDGET – Britain’s new Labour government is unveiling its first budget today, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning of tax rises and public spending cuts as he focuses on long-term growth.The highly-anticipated fiscal update – the first under the centre-left government after 14 years of Conservative rule – is crucial to Starmer’s mission of firing up Britain’s economy.
GERMANY RECESSION – German output likely contracted again in the third quarter as an industrial slump drags on, official data is expected to show this morning, tipping Europe’s largest economy into recession. Federal statistics agency Destatis will unveil its quarterly GDP estimate at 10am.
FOOTBALL – The women’s national football team lost the second leg of the semi-final of the playoff for the European Championship last night against Sweden. In the end it was 8-0 loss for the local team in front of almost 11,000 spectators in Gothenburg.
BASEBALL – The New York Yankees have beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-4 in the fourth game of the World Series. It denies the Dodgers a sweep in the Major League Baseball title.
CYCLING – Next year’s Tour de France will be raced exclusively in France for the first time since the 2020 Covid edition with the 21 stages including two time-trials, a blockbuster final week in the Alps and a return to the finale on the Champs-Elysees. A fierce struggle for the first yellow jersey accorded to the overall race leader will be decided on a 185km race around Lille.
And a tough nine-stage route for the fourth edition of the women’s Tour de France was also revealed yesterday. The route cuts a diagonal line across France from the Atlantic port of Vannes to the Haute-Savoie ski resort of Chatel.
BOXING – The famous Rumble in the Jungle, where boxing great Muhammad Ali beat fellow-American George Foreman, took place 50 years ago today. Descending on Kinshasa, at that time the capital in Zaire, Ali sent Foreman to the ground in the eighth round. Foreman tried to get to his feet but the referee signalled the end of the fight and a knockout win for Ali.
We’re starting the day off with thick fog, but all is not lost! By late morning, a few sunny spells will break through, making the afternoon far brighter than the start of the day. Come evening, though, the clouds will roll back in, and with them, the fog may very well make a second appearance. In terms of temperature it should be around 6–8°C in the morning, rising to a strong 13–15°C in the afternoon.
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