FRIEDEN VISITS - Luc Frieden is undertaking his first visits abroad as Prime Minister this week. He is in Paris today, meeting French President Macron and French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne. He will also meet other heads of European governments, discussing the future of the European Union. Tomorrow he will go to Brussels to meet EU Commission President von der Leyen, followed by a Benelux Summit in Rotterdam.
REFUGEE POLICY - The new minister for Integration, Max Hahn has told RTL that closing refugee reception structures is not an option. Earlier this year, Luxembourg reached the limit of its capacities with record numbers of refugees seeking international protection, putting strain on the existing structures - many of which are not fit for purpose. Hahn explained that the government cannot for example give up the hundred beds at the Don Bosco centre in Limpertsberg, as the priority is to accommodate people where possible.
SPENDING STATISTICS - National statistics provider Statec has published new data on Luxembourg’s spending habits over the past few years, showing marked trends as a result of global crises. High energy and food prices are leading households in the Grand Duchy to rethink their expenses in general, after the coronavirus pandemic forced residents to change their spending habits. One change is the rising number of takeaway meals, which doubled from 2019 to 2022.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - There has been a fourth exchange of hostages between Hamas and Israel. 33 Palestinians were freed from Israeli jails, after Hamas released 11 Israeli hostages late on Monday. More are likely to be released this week, after a two-day extension to the temporary truce. Israel views the truce as temporary to secure hostage releases and plans to continue its war, with the government agreeing a 7.5 billion euro war budget.
For more information and updates, head to our live ticker.
NATO MEETING - The war in the Middle East and Ukraine are also the subjects at a NATO meeting of Foreign Ministers in Brussels today and tomorrow. Other subjects include the dispute with member state Turkey, which is blocking the NATO accession of Sweden, and preparations for the NATO summit in Washington in the summer, when NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary. Luxembourg is represented in Brussels by Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel.
UKRAINE WAR - Intense fighting continues for the city of Avdiivka in the east of Ukraine. The Russian military has stepped up its attacks. There and also elsewhere, there are no major successes for either side on the front. In addition to the war, Ukraine is now also plagued by winter. Due to the icy, stormy weather, at least 5 people have died in the Odessa region. 19 are injured. Almost 1,500 towns and villages have no power after storms dumped up to 25cm of snow in some places. Freezing temperatures are forecast for this morning.
TUNNEL RESCUE - Indian rescue teams are creeping forward in a painstaking dig by hand through rock and rubble towards 41 workers who have been trapped in a collapsed road tunnel in India’s Himalaya region for 17 days. Soldiers and skilled miners are using a so-called “rat-hole” mining technique to clear the final stretch, with an estimated seven metres to go.
ELGIN MARBLES DISPUTE - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has expressed his “displeasure” over UK counterpart Rishi Sunak’s last minute cancellation of a bilateral meeting set to discuss their long-running dispute over the Parthenon Marbles. The two leaders were due to hold talks in London today, before news of their axing emerged late last night amid an apparent spat over the so-called Elgin Marbles.
WORD OF THE YEAR - Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023 is “authentic”. A high-volume lookup most years, the word saw a substantial increase in 2023, driving by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity and social media. “Authentic” has a number of meanings including “not false or imitation,” a synonym of “real” and “actual” and also “true to one’s personality, spirit or character.”
FOOTBALL - There are several Champions League games taking place today. Everything is still to play for in group F, where Paris St Germain face Newcastle and AC Milan take on Borussia Dortmund.
MOTOR RACING - Retired Italian MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, who has switched from two wheels to four, will compete in the World Endurance Championship next season. The seven-time MotoGP world champion, will race with the Belgian WRT team, driving one of 18 cars entered in the LMGT3 class, which replaces the LMGTE Am category. Rossi, is also expected to take part in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance classic on June 15-16, having got a taste by winning a support race at the iconic Sarthe circuit in western France this year behind the wheel of a BMW for the WRT team.
This morning ushers in an early winter chill as a low-pressure system extends from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic, bringing cold air from Scandinavia.Expect lingering snow showers, followed by dry spells and occasional sunshine. Maximum temperatures range from -2 to +3 degrees Celsius.
Be sure to catch our full bulletin on the hour, every hour and headlines at half past the hour on Today Radio. You can also access the news via Alexa, and on RTL Play.
