The Today Radio news team brings you the latest headlines for Thursday, 13 March.

Luxembourg

DEFENCE SPENDING – With defence spending set to rise to 2% of GNI by 2030, Luxembourg is debating whether even this increase will be sufficient, while also exploring investments in military equipment and drone production. A final decision on Luxembourg's stance is expected before the NATO summit at the end of June.

In this context, RTL television held a round-table discussion yesterday evening with guests including Finance Minister Gilles Roth and former Defence Minister Francois Bausch. Roth told viewers that Europe must take its own defence into its own hands. He also highlighted Luxembourg's position in satellite technology, which he believes to benefit both European defence and Luxembourg's economy. The finance minister is confident that the necessary money for defence could be raised, partly through debt, but also partly through the European Investment Bank and the private sector.

MEP BULLYING – The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has annulled the bullying finding and subsequent sanction against former Luxembourg MEP Monica Semedo, ruling that her right to defence was not adequately respected during the proceedings. The case originated in March 2022, when an advisory committee of the European Parliament launched an investigation into Semedo following a bullying complaint filed by her former parliamentary assistant.

POVERTY RISK – Nearly one in five residents in Luxembourg is at risk of poverty, according to the latest figures published by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC). Despite being Europe's richest country, Luxembourg continues to grapple with a high at-risk-of-poverty rate, which stood at 18.1% in 2024, according to the Institute.

WINTER WEATHER – After a spell of mild weather, Luxembourg is bracing for rain and snow, with Meteolux forecasting a chilly, albeit brief, return to winter conditions. While spring may be on the horizon, winter is still firmly in place, with temperatures expected to drop to -2°C on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Sunshine is predicted to return from Friday onwards.

World

UKRAINE TALKS – US officials are on their way to Russia to discuss a potential 30-day ceasefire in the conflict with Ukraine. As the Trump administration tries to build on Tuesday's agreement with Kyiv, there has been no official response from the Kremlin. At a meeting in Paris of Europe's five main military powers, UK Defence Secretary John Healey urged President Putin to accept the ceasefire proposal. Meanwhile, Putin has visited Russian troops who have made gains against Ukrainian forces battling to keep Russian territory seized in an offensive last year.

GERMANY COALITION TALKS – Coalition negotiations begin today in Berlin. Around 250 politicians from the conservative CDU/CSU block and the Social Democratic Party will meet in working groups with the aim of creating a coalition government by Easter.

G7 MEETING – The foreign ministers of the G7 are meeting in Quebec, Canada today. The main topics are the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the trade war with the United States.

EU-SOUTH AFRICA SUMMIT – The EU-South Africa summit is taking place in Cape Town today. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is receiving EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Antonio Costa. The summit is an opportunity to expand relations in the areas of trade, energy, and security.

POPE ANNIVERSARY – Pope Francis marks 12 years as pope today while he is still recovering from pneumonia in hospital. According to the Vatican, he could be discharged in the coming days but the 88-year-old pope has still not been seen in public since his admission.

Sport

FOOTBALL – Starting with the football Champions League: Real Madrid edged past Atletico Madrid in a dramatic penalty shoot-out last night to reach the quarter-finals, where Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Borussia Dortmund also secured their spots. Real won 4-2 on penalties, Aston Villa beat Cub Brugge 3-0, and Borussia Dortmund fought back to beat Lille 2-1.

In an interview with RTL, Luxembourg international Leandro Barreiro – who plays for Benfica and has become the fourth player from Luxembourg's national men's football team to play in the Champions League – described the experience as something special, saying the Champions League is "every player's dream".

RUGBY – France head into Saturday's final round of the Six Nations with the luxury of knowing the destiny of the title is in their own hands. Les Bleus' dominant 42-27 defeat of double-defending champions Ireland in Dublin last weekend took them top of the table, a point clear of second-placed England. A bonus-point win over Scotland on Saturday would guarantee France a first Six Nations title in three years.

Weather

After days of sunshine and mild temperatures, Luxembourg is set for a shift in weather as rain and snow are forecast for today. It's a cloudy day, with light rainfall expected throughout the day, particularly in the south of the country. The French border regions are under a "snow-ice" alert from 6am to 3pm. Any snowfall will not settle, as temperatures are in plus, starting at around 1–2 °C this morning and rising to around 6°C in the afternoon.

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