TRIPARTITE MEETING – Prime Minister Luc Frieden says the tripartite measures agreed in June are working. He spoke after meeting Luxembourg's social partners yesterday, and pointed to stronger purchasing power and slowing inflation. He said talks here are calmer than in some neighbouring countries and acknowledged the ongoing challenges posed by a difficult geopolitical context and unpredictable energy prices. The group meets again on 29 October.
Following yesterday’s meeting, STATEC is preparing a new inflation forecast. The talks reviewed the measures agreed at June's tripartite, amid concerns that the economic crisis could last longer than expected. STATEC director Tom Haas said those measures gave only temporary relief, and a longer crisis would mean a rethink. The forecast is due within two weeks, and should show when the next wage indexation could come.
CATTENOM FIRE – A fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon at the Cattenom nuclear power plant, in the electrical transformer of one reactor. The plant's automatic extinguishing system and firefighters with 6 vehicles quickly brought it under control, according to the operator. The fire was outside the nuclear zone and did not affect the plant's operations. Reactor 3 was already shut down for maintenance.
CHAMBER PETITIONS – MPs debate a petition this morning calling for Luxembourgish to be strengthened as an integration language, and that everyone who lives or works in the country must learn it. More than 8,200 people signed, well above the 5,500 needed for a public debate. The discussion starts at 9am.
A second petition has also reached the threshold for a debate in parliament. It calls for a reform of the weapons law, to let adults with a clean record carry pepper spray and other non-lethal self-defence items, including guns that fire blanks. So far 5,557 people have signed, and there are 15 days left to add support.
UKRAINE WAR – Ukraine's President Zelensky and the United States have described talks in Oslo on Tuesday as very productive, as they try to repair relations after a bitter row between Kyiv and President Trump. Zelensky met US envoy Steve Witkoff, with Jared Kushner joining remotely. He thanked Washington for resuming intelligence warnings of Russian strikes on civilian and energy targets. Witkoff now travels to Russia to meet President Putin on Wednesday.
FRANCE PROTESTS – France's Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu meets union leaders today to discuss security, after some of the worst rioting in years. He has promised a large police deployment for fresh protests on Saturday, and admitted the response last weekend fell short. Curfews remain in place in parts of Paris, and Marseille has brought in restrictions for minors.
Unrest is also spreading elsewhere in Europe over energy prices, living costs and housing, with smaller clashes breaking out in Milan as well as in Belgium over the weekend.
EXTREME WEATHER – Extreme weather has hit the south of France and Corsica, after Spain was affected earlier. Heavy rain flooded streets on Tuesday, and a man died near Marseille. The north of Corsica was worst hit, with huge amounts of rain. More than 11,000 lightning strikes were recorded in the morning, and 3,400 of them hit the ground on the island.
FOOTBALL – Some results from last night’s Champions League games: In the Champions League on Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain beat Barcelona 4-2. Liverpool won 4-3 against Villarreal, and Napoli beat Bodø/Glimt by the same score. Manchester City thrashed AEK Athens 5-1, Roma beat Slovan Bratislava 4-0, and Borussia Dortmund won 2-1 at Sabah.
CYCLING – Luxembourg champion Marie Schreiber has won the "Nacht van Woerden", a night cyclocross race in the Netherlands. She found her rhythm on a slippery course shortly before halfway and pulled clear with three laps to go. Dutch riders Aniek van Alphen and Lucinda Brand came in second and third place.
Grey clouds, little sun, and some rain expected... the day starts dry but heavily overcast, with rain arriving in the afternoon and potentially continuing into the evening. Temperatures begin between 7–9°C in the morning, warming up to a maximum of 13°C in the afternoon.
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