POPE VISIT – Pope Leo XIV is visiting nearby Metz today, with tens of thousands expected to attend. The Grand Duke will meet French President Emmanuel Macron at the city's Congress Centre this morning. He will then attend the Pope's address on Europe, peace, and unity, described as a tribute to Robert Schuman. The Grand Duchess will join the Grand Duke this afternoon for Mass at Saint-Étienne Cathedral. The Pope is also expected to tour Metz in the Popemobile before celebrating Mass. It is the first papal visit to the Moselle region since 1988, with major security and traffic restrictions in place. RTL Today will have live coverage, including a stream and rolling updates throughout the day at today.rtl.lu.
LISBON FLIGHTS SUSPENDED – EasyJet will temporarily suspend flights between Luxembourg and Lisbon early next year. The service will stop between 11 January and 7 February, with the airline citing lower seasonal demand following Christmas. This suspension comes at a time when several airlines have already revised their winter schedules to Portugal.
SCOOTER CRASH – A man has suffered memory loss after crashing his scooter on the CR152 between Mondorf-les-Bains and Burmerange on Saturday evening. Police found the injured rider in a field near the roadside at around half past five, with the scooter registered in France. He was taken to hospital after apparently losing control and being thrown from the vehicle near a roadside drain. Police are appealing for witnesses who may have information about the crash to contact Remich/Mondorf police.
BAVARIA TRAGEDY – In Germany, two tourists from the Philippines have been killed after a coach carrying around 50 people overturned on a motorway in Bavaria. The group had been travelling to Oktoberfest in Munich when the bus left the road near Buchloe early yesterday morning. Eight other people were seriously injured, and police are investigating the cause of the crash.
MAJOR SECURITY INCIDENT – In the UK, five men have been arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act following a major security incident near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The base is used by the US Air Force. Police responded after three suspicious vehicles were seen travelling towards it, with around 85 households advised to evacuate while bomb disposal teams were called in.
GIANT PANDAS – Two giant pandas sent by China arrived in the United States on Sunday, Beijing and the Atlanta zoo said, after a leaders' summit that was heavy on symbolism and light on major breakthroughs. The bears' transfer had already been agreed but the departure was announced Thursday during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington. The black-and-white mammals are immensely popular around the world, and China loans them out as part of a "panda diplomacy" programme to foster foreign ties.
NATIONS LEAGUE – Luxembourg have made a winning start to their Nations League campaign, coming from behind to beat Bulgaria 2–1 in Plovdiv. They face Iceland at the Stade de Luxembourg tomorrow night. Ireland beat Israel 3–0, but the Irish players declined the traditional pre-match handshakes and wore black armbands over the war in Gaza. Germany have suffered their first defeat under Jürgen Klopp, beaten 1–0 by Greece in Augsburg.
RUNNING – Yonas Kinde and Jenny Gloden are Luxembourg's national half-marathon champions following yesterday's Route du Vin in Remich. Vera Bertemes-Hoffmann also set a new national record over five kilometres, on a day which saw a record 6,500 runners take part across the event.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL – The Baltimore Ravens beat the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in the NFL's first-ever game in Rio de Janeiro as the Washington Commanders and backup quarterback Marcus Mariota stunned Seattle 33-31 on Sunday. The first NFL game at Brazil's iconic Maracanã, where the build-up had been dominated by concerns over the soccer stadium's patchy surface, proved to be a breathless thriller decided by a final kick. Derrick Henry was at his unstoppable best, rushing for two early touchdowns.
A warm, dry, yet cloudy day awaits with highs of up to 25-27°C this afternoon.
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