US JET CRASH – A US Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed near Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany's Eifel region. According to initial reports, the pilot ejected safely and was attempting to land when the jet came down on a golf course near Binsfeld. One person on the ground was injured. Local media report the aircraft was one of four returning from a training exercise; the other three diverted to Ramstein. The cause of the crash has not yet been disclosed.
DIESEL PRICE – Diesel has dropped by almost 6 cents a litre at Luxembourg filling stations overnight, now costing €2.05. Petrol prices remain unchanged.
GRAND DUKE UN – Grand Duke Guillaume has addressed the UN General Assembly in New York, telling delegates Luxembourg remains committed to peace and security, human rights, and development. He said trust between nations and people was being eroded, and stressed the importance of multilateralism, pointing to Russia's war in Ukraine as proof peace cannot be taken for granted. He also called for stronger protections around AI.
POPE IN METZ – The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess will attend Pope Leo's visit to Metz on Monday. The Grand Duke will be received at the city's Congress Centre by French President Emmanuel Macron in the morning, before attending an address by the Pope described as a tribute to Robert Schuman, one of the founders of European integration. In the afternoon, the Grand Duchess joins the Grand Duke for Mass at Metz's Saint-Étienne Cathedral, celebrated by the Pope himself.
MALARIA RISK – Health officials say the risk of catching malaria in Luxembourg remains extremely low, after recent cases near Frankfurt airport, including three deaths, sparked concern. Infected mosquitoes are thought to have arrived by plane. Similar airport related infections happened in Luxembourg in the late 1990s, and preventive measures, including disinfecting cargo planes, remain in place at Findel. Around 40 imported malaria cases are recorded in Luxembourg each year.
UNGA – The UN General Assembly's general debate continues this afternoon, with the presidents of Syria, Iran, Argentina and Ukraine among the speakers. On the sidelines of the General Assembly, the US and Iran held direct talks again, the first in months. According to President Trump, they went well. No details were given, but a further meeting is expected soon.
There were also talks with Ukraine. President Zelensky has again said he is ready for a partial ceasefire with Russia, under which both sides would stop attacking energy infrastructure. Moscow has already rejected a similar proposal, saying it wants a more complete peace deal.
EU RUSSIA SANCTIONS – The EU has extended its sanctions list against Russia by three years, after intensive negotiations. Oligarchs Alisher Usmanov and Mikhail Fridman were removed from the list, as France and Luxembourg had each requested. Ukraine has sharply criticised the EU's decision, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha saying it is a move to save face rather than justify itself. He has called on individual EU member states to now impose their own sanctions on the two Russian oligarchs.
CHINA US – Chinese President Xi Jinping begins a three-day state visit to the US today. Talks with President Trump are expected to cover the trade dispute between the two countries, global conflicts – including the war in Iran – and the safety of AI.
FOOTBALL – Luxembourg's national football team will be without defender Seid Korac for the entire UEFA Nations League campaign. The 24-year-old, capped 23 times, suffered a cruciate ligament injury playing for Hellas Verona in Italy's top league at the weekend and requires surgery. He joins a growing injury list under coach Jeff Strasser ahead of Saturday's away match against Bulgaria.
Manchester City fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Bayern Munich, opening their Women's Champions League campaign. Arsenal beat Danish side HB Koge 1-0. Elsewhere, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain drew 1-1, Inter Milan beat Hacken 1-0, and Benfica won 2-1 away at Juventus.
ASIAN GAMES – 13-year-old Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi is closing in on a third Asian Games gold in Tokyo, after posting the fastest qualifying time in the women's 400m individual medley. She has already broken Games records twice this week and is being tipped as a major medal threat for the LA 2028 Olympics.
In much the same vein as yesterday, we can expect blue skies and sunshine aplenty today. Temperatures this morning will range from 5–9°C, warming up to a delightful maximum of 23°C in the afternoon.
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