Your Weekly Recap for 9–13 June 2025.
Here are five things you should know at the end of this week:
- Despite apologies, FLF and Rodrigues face growing backlash
- ISIS terror trial begins in Luxembourg without defendants
- Claude Meisch confirms French literacy program following successful pilot project
Austria mourns after former pupil kills 10 in Graz school shooting - One confirmed survivor after Air India crash with 242 on board
1. Despite apologies, FLF and Rodrigues face growing backlash
© RTL Archive
The Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) apologised for mishandling the Gerson Rodrigues controversy, an ethics committee announced, and Rodrigues himself issued a public apology on social media.
Over 70 protesters, joined by abuse survivor Emilie Boland, raised red cards during the Ireland match to denounce Rodrigues’ continued selection despite previous protests and public debate.
- Former and current politicians ramped up pressure on the FLF, with ex-Minister Georges Engel calling for deeper reflection and Sports Minister Georges Mischo announcing a cut to the federation’s nation branding subsidies.
Rodrigues and FLF respond – The controversy over Gerson Rodrigues' selection continues after last week's backlash over his domestic violence conviction, a barred journalist, and protester banners being removed during friendlies.
This Tuesday, the Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF) issued a public apology and announced an independent ethics committee would be estabished, but did not clarify Rodrigues' future in the team. The player himself also posted an apology on social media, criticised as lacking remorse and accountability.
Public backlash grows – That same evening, over 70 protesters raised red cards during the Luxembourg-Ireland friendly to denounce Rodrigues’ continued selection, joined by his former partner Emilie Boland, who called for solidarity with abuse survivors.
The action followed a disrupted protest last week and was supported by feminist groups, political parties, and unions. Irish fans also denounced the controversy by raising red cards in support of the protesters.
Political pressure – Former sports and labour minister Georges Engel criticised FLF's handling of the case, calling for deeper institutional reflection, while Sports Minister Georges Mischo announced a cut to the federation’s national branding subsidies, Tageblatt reported.
2. ISIS terror trial begins without defendants
© RTL Archive
Luxembourg opened a terror trial in absentia on Thursday against four men accused of supporting ISIS, with prosecutors revealing that three of them are presumed dead.
The only surviving defendant, Steve Duarte, a Portuguese national raised in Luxembourg, had been identified in an ISIS execution video – an allegation he had previously denied in a 2019 RTL interview that prompted strong criticism from then-Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn.
The court outlined how the men were radicalised in Luxembourg through extremist preaching and online propaganda, while legal and diplomatic hurdles continue to complicate efforts to prosecute or repatriate suspects.
Terror trial in absentia – On Thursday, the Luxembourg City Court began proceedings against four men accused of aiding ISIS operations in Syria and Iraq, including Steve Duarte – a Portuguese national raised in Luxembourg whose case has long drawn international attention.
Duarte faces charges not only of terrorist support, but also incitement, recruitment, and murder, based on allegations he appeared in an ISIS execution video. All four men remain in unknown locations and are being tried in absentia without legal representation.
Sharp response – In a 2019 RTL interview conducted from a Kurdish prison, Duarte denied holding any military or operational role in the Islamic State, claiming he went to Syria for religious reasons.
However, intelligence reports and survivor testimony suggest otherwise. Former Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn responded sharply at the time, stating "you don’t go to Syria to take photos of sunsets", and rejected any government responsibility for Duarte’s actions.
Diplomatic hurdles – In addition to laying out the charges, prosecutors on Thursday detailed how the defendants were radicalised. Testimonies referenced a mosque in Esch-sur-Alzette, where radical preachers allegedly spoke to the congregation, as well as the role of online ISIS propaganda in shaping the men’s ideological shift.
Investigators believe the defendants left Luxembourg for Syria and Iraq between 2013 and 2016, with several possibly entering conflict zones via Turkey.
Luxembourg’s prosecution is complicated by the lack of diplomatic ties with Syria and the inability to confirm the deaths of three of the accused. Despite this, authorities are proceeding under international legal precedent, which allows for prosecution in absentia and the right to appeal if any are later found alive. A verdict is expected soon.
3. Claude Meisch confirms French literacy program
© RTL Archive
Education Minister Claude Meisch confirmed on Wednesday that all primary schools will offer French literacy from the academic year 2026/2027 onwards, following a pilot project launched across Luxembourgish schools in 2022.
Teachers’ unions and MPs raised concerns over logistics, staffing, and insufficient consideration of educators’ professional input.
The government rejected calls for English literacy classes for now, saying the focus remains on French and German.
Literacy reform – Education Minister Claude Meisch confirmed this Wednesday that the nationwide rollout of French literacy classes will begin in 2026/27, starting with one age group and expanding gradually.
Known as Project 'Alpha', the programme builds on a 2022 pilot in Differdange, Dudelange, Schifflange, and Larochette, offering families the choice between French or German literacy instruction in early primary education.
Concerns – The announcement drew criticism from teachers’ union SNE and MPs earlier this year, who warned that a dual French-German model could create logistical strain without adequate staff and infrastructure.
The union advocated a phased introduction and greater autonomy for municipalities, while MP Francine Closener pressed for more clarity on planning. Educators also criticised the ministry for giving limited weight to frontline teaching experience during the consultation process.
English literacy – CSV MP Diane Adehm suggested introducing English literacy classes in public schools, citing growing demand, but Minister Meisch said the focus must remain on consolidating the current reform before exploring new options.
4. Austria mourns after former pupil kills 10 in Graz school shooting
© AFP
A 21-year-old former student opened fire at a secondary school in Graz, Austria, killing 10 people and injuring 11 others before taking his own life.
The attack, one of Austria's deadliest, triggered three days of national mourning and drew condolences from across Europe.
Authorities found no clear motive, though the tragedy has sparked renewed debate over Austria's firearm laws.
School shooting – Austria was left reeling after a 21-year-old former student launched a deadly attack on the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz on Tuesday, killing nine students and a teacher before turning the gun on himself.
Armed with two legally owned weapons, the shooter wounded 11 others, prompting a massive emergency response. Police declared the situation secure within hours, but the motive remains unknown.
National grief – Austrian leaders declared three days of mourning, with a nationwide moment of silence observed Wednesday. Mourners gathered across Graz to leave flowers and candles, and hundreds responded to blood donation calls.
At the school, students dressed in black, some crying, paid tribute to classmates and teachers lost in the attack. Religion teacher Paul Nitsche, who narrowly escaped, described the eerie silence and chaos inside the school as “unreal”.
Politicians react – President Alexander Van der Bellen called the shooting “abominable” and signalled a potential review of gun laws, while media outlets questioned Austria’s relatively easy access to firearms.
International leaders – including those from Germany, France, and the European Commission – voiced shock and solidarity as Austria faced one of the darkest chapters in its recent history.
5. One confirmed survivor after Air India crash with 242 on board
© AFP
A London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least 265 people on board and on the ground, with only one confirmed survivor as of Friday morning.
The crash triggered a wave of national grief in India and abroad, as eyewitnesses described scenes of devastation and rescue teams worked to recover bodies from the wreckage.
The incident has prompted international investigations and renewed scrutiny of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner series in what seems an unusually large amount of aviation accidents in recent months.
Tragedy in Ahmedabad – Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed moments after takeoff on Thursday – slamming into a residential area near Ahmedabad airport.
The impact destroyed buildings housing young doctors and medical students, with debris scattered across the neighbourhood.
Authorities confirmed 204 bodies had been recovered, and only one person aboard survived. The plane was carrying 242 people, including Indian, British, Portuguese, and Canadian nationals.
Shock and grief – The crash sent shockwaves across India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the tragedy "heartbreaking beyond words". Mourners gathered at hospitals and crash sites, where witnesses described burning wreckage, people jumping from buildings, and thick smoke blanketing the area.
Tata Group, the owner of Air India, pledged financial compensation to victims’ families and full medical coverage for survivors. Emergency services, aided by the military, continued rescue and recovery operations into the night.
Boeing under pressure – An international investigation is now underway, with British and US air accident experts dispatched to assist Indian authorities.
The crash marks the first fatal incident involving a 787 Dreamliner, a model with a strong safety record until now. While experts warn it’s too early to determine the cause, early theories include a possible dual engine failure.
Boeing, already under pressure from past safety issues, pledged full cooperation as the aviation world turns its eyes to the upcoming Paris Air Show.
The best of... 📚
- Business & Tech – Ride-hailing firm Uber will launch self-driving taxis in London next year when England trials new driverless services, the firm and the UK government said on Tuesday.
- Science & Environment – Archaeologists have discovered what they say are the remains of a 16th-century merchant ship more than 2.5km underwater off southern France, the deepest such find in its section of the Mediterranean or any other French waters.
- Entertainment – The owners thought the sculpture perched for years on the corner of a piano was a Rodin copy, but after being declared as the real thing the small marble figure has now sold for one million dollars at auction, organisers said Monday.
- Sport – Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu stole the spotlight as women's tennis made a historic return to Queen's Club for the first time in 52 years on Monday.
And in case you missed it... ⚠️
- Humanitarian action – Five Luxembourgers departed to Cairo on Wednesday to join the March to Gaza, a civilian initiative aiming to challenge the humanitarian blockade imposed by Israeli authorities.
- Celestial phenomenon – Wednesday night brought the lowest June full moon in 18 years, known as the 'Strawberry Moon'.
- Mountaineering– Two young Luxembourgers, aged 21 and 23, are attempting to summit Mont Blanc with minimal hiking experience – and with that hope to become the youngest to reach the 4.805-metre high summit.
- Rail travel – Eurostar announced new direct routes from London to Frankfurt and Geneva.
Your Weekly Recap is published every Friday at noon. Read earlier versions.
