SUNDAY POLL – The latest ‘Sunday Question’ poll, carried out on behalf of RTL and Luxemburger Wort, shows that people’s satisfaction with the Frieden administration has suffered in the six months since the CSV-DP coalition has taken office. If elections were held next Sunday the biggest loser would be the Pirate Party, who would have no parliamentary representation whatsoever. Winners, at least according to those surveyed, are the LSAP, The Greens, and the Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR), who all recorded gains compared to their 2023 election results.
SCHOOL ALARM – Authorities were called to investigate an armed attacker alarm triggered at a secondary school in Redange/Attert yesterday morning, leading to a substantial police presence at the site, though no threat was identified in the end. In an interview with RTL, headteacher Jeff Kohnen said a student reported sightings of a suspicious young person at the school, saying they were possibly armed. The school immediately informed the police and triggered the appropriate procedures, ensuring students were taken to safety. Police were unable to locate a weapon on school premises. Counsellors will be present at the school today, while members of CePAS, the Psycho-Social Support Centre for Education, will be at pupils’ disposal should the need for care arise over the coming days.
SEXUAL VIOLENCE – Ana Pinto from the association ‘D’Stëmm vun den Iwwerliewenden’ (‘Voice of the Survivors’) has called for reforms to Luxembourg’s legislation to strengthen the prevention and combat of violence against women and domestic violence. At a round-table discussion, she cited data from 2020 that shows nearly 81,000 people in the Grand Duchy – almost one in five – experienced physical, sexual, or psychological violence at least once in that year.
BIRD SPOTTING – During routine migration monitoring, staff from the bird ringing station at the Schlammwiss nature reserve in Schuttrange discovered a fully grown Sardinian warbler (Curruca melanocephala). Taking advantage of the opportunity, they successfully ringed the bird. This sighting is significant, as the Sardinian warbler usually nests in the Mediterranean.
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT – The United States has written to Israel’s government, giving it 30 days to boost humanitarian aid access to Gaza or face cuts in US military support. The warning is contained in a leaked letter, signed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Meanwhile, the Israeli military launched strikes in south Beirut earlier today, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the idea of a ceasefire in Lebanon that would leave Hezbollah close to his country’s border. Hezbollah have threatened to expand the scope of its missile strikes across Israel.
EU UKRAINE – European Council President Charles Michel has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the EU summit in Brussels tomorrow. He is expected to present his victory plan for defeating Russia and ask for further military and financial assistance. Today he is presenting this plan to the Ukrainian parliament in Kyiv.
US ELECTIONS – The Presidential elections are taking place in the US on 5 November, but people can cast their votes in several US states well before that – such as the important swing state of Georgia. Voters have turned out in record numbers, as the critical battleground state opened early voting. Almost 300,000 voters were counted on the first day.
PANDA CUBS – Berlin Zoo visitors will be able to catch their first glimpse of two rabbit-sized panda cubs, born almost eight weeks ago, today. The 2.5-kilogram (about five pound) baby bears will take turns to greet an admiring public in the zoo’s Panda Garden for about an hour a day from 1.30pm local time.
FOOTBALL – In the Football Nations League, Luxembourg drew 1-1 with Belarus. The Red Lions are at the bottom of the table and now risk relegation. The next games against Bulgaria and Northern Ireland are in mid-November.
Among the Nations League matches elsewhere last night, Poland drew with Croatia 3-3 Kosovo, Scotland and Portugal scored a 0-0 draw, Northern Ireland thrashed Bulgaria 5-0, and Spain beat Serbia 3-0, sealing their place in the quarter-finals.
Staying with football, former Chelsea and Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel has reportedly agreed to become England’s new manager. An official statement is expected later today.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – The NFL has named Atlanta to host the Superbowl in 2028. This marks the fourth time the 1996 Olympic host will stage the championship spectacle. Next February’s Super Bowl will be played at the Superdome in New Orleans.
CYCLING – Dutch cycling great Harrie Lavreysen has history in his sights as he looks to become the most titled athlete. Lavreysen needs just one more gold to equal France’s Arnaud Tournant’s 14 world titles, and two would give him the overall record. His first chance to equal the record will come in the team sprint at the world track championships in Denmark this evening.
It’s a grey and cloudy day overall. Morning mists will give way to overcast skies all day, with a chance of the odd rain shower. Morning temperatures start off a little warmer today at 10–12°C, rising to 17–19°C in the afternoon.
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