COURT REFUGEE - The Administrative Court has ordered the Luxembourg State to provide housing for a homeless asylum seeker, either within a public facility or, if necessary, in a hotel. The man had been put on a waiting list because the country’s shelters were full, making him effectively homeless.
NEW POLICE HEAD - The Government Council has unveiled a series of personnel changes, impacting key positions within the police directorate, intelligence service, and the High Commission for National Protection, starting from 1 June. Pascal Peters has been appointed as the new head of Luxembourg’s Police. Jeanne Schumacher will take over as the Director of the State Intelligence Service and Guy Bley as the High Commissioner for National Protection.
ST PATRICK’S DAY - With a vibrant Irish community present in Luxembourg, St. Patrick’s Day is also celebrated here on Sunday, the 17 March. From Irish dancing sessions, ceilis both for kids as well as adults, to live music in a number of Irish pubs and the Casino 2000 in Mondorff, we can all feel Irish on St Patrick’s Day.
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR - Israel says it is investigating an apparent airstrike on a UN food distribution centre in Rafah city. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says one of its staff was killed in the attack and 22 were injured. Israel claims a Hamas militant was killed in the rocket strike. Donor nations, aid agencies and charities are pushing on with efforts to rush food to the territory of 2.4 million people, where famine looms after more than five months of war. A first boat loaded with 200 tonnes of food aid is due to reach Gaza in the evening hours today.
NETHERLANDS WILDERS - Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders has abandoned his bid to become prime minister despite his stunning election win in November, due to a lack of support across the political spectrum. He said he can only become prime minister if ALL parties in the coalition support it, and that was not the case. The announcement came on the eve of an eagerly awaited report on Dutch coalition talks, amid speculation of a breakthrough that could result in a technocratic government.
UN HAITI - The United Nations is evacuating non-essential staff from Haiti, because of the volatile security situation. It says it is also setting up an air-bridge from the Dominican Republic to deliver aid to Haiti, where 4 million people face severe food insecurity.
TIKTOK BAN - The CEO of TikTok has warned that a potential ban on the platform in the United States would cost small businesses billions of dollars. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bill that could force TikTok’s Chinese owners sell or be banned over its alleged links to the Communist Party in Beijing.
FOOTBALL - In the football Champions’ League, Dortmund beat Eindhoven 2-0 yesterday and Atletico won with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out against Inter Milan. Both teams have now qualified for the quarter-finals. The draw deciding who will play against whom in the quarter-finals will take place at lunchtime tomorrow in Switzerland. The final is on June 1 in London at Wembley Stadium.
Tonight are the return matches in the round of 16 of the European and Conference League.
RUGBY - Wales centre George North has announced he will retire from international rugby after this weekend’s Six Nations match against Italy, saying he will live his dream once more.The 31-year-old has scored 47 tries for his country and is third on Wales’s all-time cap list with 120 Test appearances, behind only Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
It’s a foggy morning, but that’s about to burn away as the sun rises and starts its engines. No rain is forecast for today, with at least four hours of sunshine. Winds remain pretty calm. Mild temperatures today, starting off with 3-5°C in the morning and rising to 12–14°C in the afternoon.
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