MILITARY SERVICE - General Steve Thull, Chief of Staff of the Luxembourg Army suggested on RTL Radio Luxembourg yesterday that Luxembourg could enhance its resilience by reintroducing mandatory military service. Luxembourg ended mandatory military service in 1967, but the subject was back on the table after Defence Minister Yuriko Backes said that a discussion on conscription “cannot be avoided.”
EUROSTAT WOMEN - To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Eurostat has released a report which shed light on the alarming prevalence of violence faced by women across Europe. According to the findings, around 50 million women aged 18-74 in the EU – or 1 in 3 women – have experienced physical or sexual violence in adulthood, with Luxembourg figuring high on the list.
REFUGEE NUMBERS - According to documents published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 252 people applied for international protection in Luxembourg in October, the highest figure in the Grand Duchy so far this year. The most applicants came from Eritrea, Syria and Algeria. The refugee status was recognised for 50 people, and 11 people were granted subsidiary protection status due to a threat to their lives in their home country. 49 applications were refused.
SPEEDERS CAUGHT - During speed checks carried out on Sunday afternoon on the A7 in both directions between Mersch and Ettelbrück, one vehicle was clocked at 255 km/h and another at 222 km/h, far exceeding the authorized limit of 130 km/h. The vehicles were stopped, and both drivers’ licenses were confiscated.
TRUMP COURT CASE - A US judge has dismissed the criminal case brought against Donald Trump, relating to his attempts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 Presidential election. A special prosecutor had requested the charges be dropped. A long-standing convention bars the prosecution of a sitting president.
TRUMP TARIFFS - Donald Trump has said he will introduce a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada on his first day in office. The president-elect said the tariffs will remain in place until the two countries stopped drugs and migrants crossing into the US.
EGYPT DROWNING - Egyptian authorities say more than a dozen people, mostly foreigners, are still missing after a tourist yacht capsized in the Red Sea, with 28 others rescued. It is not yet known how the accident happened.
BENELUX SUMMIT - The heads of government of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg are celebrating the 80th anniversary of trilateral cooperation at a Benelux summit today. The first topic of discussion on the agenda is likely to be Europe’s migration policy and free internal movement in the Schengen area. The Netherlands has announced that border controls will be reintroduced at the beginning of December to combat migrant smuggling.
NATO UKRAINE - Today there is also an extraordinary NATO-Ukraine Council in Brussels. The main subject for discussion is the recent Russian attacks with new hypersonic missiles. They can theoretically also be equipped with atomic warheads. The talks come as a top NATO official called on business leaders to prepare for a “wartime scenario”.
LITHUANIA PLANE CRASH - It is still not known why the cargo plane crashed in Lithuania yesterday. No evidence of an attack has yet been found. However, suspicions remain. When asked on the German broadcaster ZDF whether Russia could be behind it, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said yesterday that it could be, but that a thorough investigation will be made. Four people were onboard the plane, which started in Leipzig and crashed shortly before landing in Vilnius. One person died, three were injured.
FOOTBALL - It’s the 5th game day in the football Champions League and Bayern are playing Paris St Germain. Other matches taking place include Inter against RB Leipzig, Barcelona are playing Brest, Sporting Lisbon against Arsenal and Leverkusen are playing RB Salzburg.
FORMULA 1 - American car manufacturer Cadillac will become the eleventh team on the Formula One grid in 2026 after the sport’s owners announced they had given their backing to the plan. The cars are expected to be powered by Ferrari before it develops its own engines.
CRICKET - Thirteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi has become the youngest ever cricketer to be sold in an IPL auction. Surya vanshi, a left-handed batter and spinner from the eastern Indian state of Bihar, was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals for over $130,000 on the second and final day of a record-breaking auction in Jeddah.
ATHLETICS - World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has vowed to protect women’s sport following the gender eligibility row at this year’s Paris Games if he becomes head of the International Olympic Committee. Coe also vowed to widen the decision-making process surrounding Russia’s re-admission to the Olympics.
A bit of everything today: rain, sun, fog and cold.
Starting off - it’s going to be cloudy. The morning will be blessed with a few bits of rain, and after lunchtime we might see some clearings in the sky and even a chance of some sunshine. At evening / night, fog could set in, so be wary of low visibility if you’re out and about.
Temperatures are cooling down again, with a bit of a sudden drop: 4–6°C in the morning, going up to 8–9°C in the afternoon.
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