In the tribal villages of Kudoshi, rural India, a group of determined girls is rewriting their futures through Kabaddi, a high-energy contact sport now played in over 50 countries. For these young women, Kabaddi is far more than a game—it’s a powerful escape from a life confined to household chores and societal expectations.A Kabaddi match involves…

Marianne Donven, a respected civil servant turned social advocate, recently made headlines after resigning from her government position in Luxembourg. Known for her role in founding Chiche!, a restaurant chain celebrated for its amazing food and commitment to employing refugees, Marianne's departure highlights her deep concerns over government poli…

A year ago, France introduced a new streaming tax aimed at boosting its domestic music scene, and the results have been promising. The Centre National de la Musique reports that the tax has helped fund hundreds of music productions and tours, particularly in underfunded genres like classical, chanson, and jazz. With €10 million allocated to these e…

Today marks a historic moment for Thailand as same-sex unions become legal, sparking celebrations nationwide. Over a thousand LGBTQ couples are tying the knot, symbolizing love and equality.One of the grandest events is unfolding in central Bangkok at a luxury mall, where more than 100 couples are exchanging vows in a mass wedding. The celebration …

Meet Thalia Stavrianoudaki, a data engineer blending tech expertise and resilience in Luxembourg's tech career environment. The interview is part of our Women in STEM series.ARA City Radio

The UK government has introduced new laws to criminalize the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfakes, addressing growing concerns over AI misuse. Deepfakes, hyper realistic digital manipulations of photos or videos, are increasingly used to exploit and harm individuals, especially women. Last year, a deepfake of Taylor Swift endorsing D…

Join Jon for this week's guide to find out where you can see James Walsh of Starsailor playing solo, information on a weekend of musical treats at Kulturfabrik and of course the recommendation of the week!ARA City Radio

In an ever-evolving world, the importance of continuous learning in the workplace is undeniable. Karolina, Director for Learning and Development, and Giuliana, Talent Management Lead at PwC, shared compelling insights into how curiosity and growth drive success.“Learning is more than a task, it’s a way of life,” Karolina explained, emphasising that…

As the excitement builds for the Luxembourg Song Contest on January 25th, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Carmen and Diego from Rhythmic Soulwave, a soulful six-piece band making waves with their unique blend of rhythm, jazz, and camaraderie. Representing one of Luxembourg’s most diverse and passionate musical acts, they’re vying for a cha…

We’re continuing with the stories about Luxembourgish Nobel Prize winners: Gabriel Lippmann can proudly claim the title of one of the pioneers bagging the award in 1908 – for figuring out how to reproduce colours in photos using a special effect called interference. But that’s not all. Before his big breakthrough, Lippmann made some fascinating dis…

A new and innovative book project set to captivate readers of all ages is coming from Rotondes. Blurring the lines between traditional literature and interactive art, the book offers a vibrant visual exploration reminiscent of "Where’s Waldo?" but with a unique storytelling twist.Lucie explains how the idea for this visual masterpiece was born out …

Laura Thorn is an emerging Luxembourg talent preparing to compete in the Luxembourg Song Contest. From teaching at the conservatory to stepping into the international music scene, Laura opens up about her unexpected journey and the whirlwind experience so far. She was not planning to enter the contest but an unexpected message from a Parisian produ…

Jon is back to let you know who is playing in 2025 before returning to the weekly guide next Wednesday. Who will you go and see this year?ARA City Radio

Indonesia has launched a bold free meal program to fight malnutrition, initially benefiting 570,000 schoolchildren and pregnant women in 20 provinces. The scheme will expand to include millions more this year and nearly 83 million people by 2029, nearly a third of the population. Meals feature locally sourced items like rice, chicken, tofu, beans, …

From teaching to tech! Discover Hannah Boughton’s inspiring career shift to data science and educational technology. The interview is part of our interview series on Women in STEM —don’t miss her story!ARA City Radio

Indonesia has launched a bold free meal program to fight malnutrition, initially benefiting 570,000 schoolchildren and pregnant women in 20 provinces. The scheme will expand to include millions more this year and nearly 83 million people by 2029, nearly a third of the population. Meals feature locally sourced items like rice, chicken, tofu, beans, …

MÄNA is one of the seven hopefuls competing in the Luxembourg Song Contest on 25th January. The winner will go on to represent Luxembourg in Basel for the Eurovision Song Contest.Despite the demands of her final year at university and a stressful move, MÄNA was drawn to join the competition by a song that resonated deeply with her experiences. “I…

Discover inspiring stories in our new interview series on women in STEM. Join us Tuesdays at 9:40 AM for interviews with trailblazers in science, engineering, and tech. This first episode features space engineer Tecla Trifilò.ARA City Radio

While we often highlight stories of global impact—fighting poverty, medical breakthroughs, or environmental initiatives—today’s What's Right With the World is a bit lighter yet no less impressive. Lady Gaga has achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming only the third artist in history to have multiple No. 1 songs across three different decades. She…

In this engaging segment of the PwC People Pulse, Olivier and Begga discuss the exciting philanthropic work behind their corporate foundation. The conversation centres around the foundation's mission to give back to the Luxembourg community and beyond, with a particular focus on education, culture, and humanitarian aid. Olivier, part of the foundat…

Women and minorities are being uplifted in the new podcast collaboration between WeSTEM and ARA City Radio. Originally founded in 2022 as Girls in Tech Luxembourg, the organization rebranded as Women Excel in Stem (WeSTEM) after the closure of the global Girls in Tech network. This rebranding allowed them to broaden their mission to include not jus…

Brazil’s Bolsa Familia program, which provides monthly cash payments starting at $120 to families below the poverty line, has long been celebrated for lifting millions out of poverty. New research now highlights its significant health benefits, particularly in reducing tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious disease. A study in Nature M…

New York City has launched the first congestion charge scheme in the U.S., targeting traffic south of Central Park. Drivers entering the zone during peak hours face fees up to $9 (£7) per day, with higher rates for larger vehicles like trucks and buses. Off-peak charges start at $2.25. The zone covers landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Ti…

A remarkable dinosaur track way has been unearthed in an Oxfordshire quarry, marking the UK’s largest discovery of its kind. The site features approximately 200 footprints dating back 166 million years, left by two dinosaurs: the plant-eating Cetiosaurus and the meat-eating Megalosaurus. The longest track ways span up to 150 meters, with more track…

Belgium has become the first EU country to ban the sale of disposable vapes, citing health and environmental concerns. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke emphasized that inexpensive vapes often lure teenagers into nicotine addiction, saying, “Nicotine makes you addicted. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are facts.” He also highlighted the en…

In Pakistan, cultural and religious taboos have long limited women’s use of motorcycles, but this is changing. Economic challenges, including soaring car prices, have driven a shift toward two-wheelers, offering women greater independence in commuting to schools, jobs, and markets. Programs like Women on Wheels (WOW), run by Lahore’s traffic police…

In a world often overshadowed by news of extinction, there's a spark of hope: scientists have recently discovered new plant and animal species! Among them are two pirate spiders from St. Helena, a remote Atlantic island. These spiders aggressively take over other spiders' webs and inhabit the island's threatened cloud forest. An expedition to Peru'…

We're continuing with the story about Jules Hoffmann: in the late ’60s, a young technician in the Strasbourg lab caught Hoffmann’s eye. Little did he know, she’d soon become his wife, the mother of his two children, and his most trusted collaborator. Barely married, she went back to university, earning degrees in biochemistry and biology, joining J…

Once upon a time, nestled in the quaint countryside of Beaufort, in the mystical eastern realms of Luxembourg, lie not one, but two castles – a duo of historical wonder that will have you saying, "Medieval meets Renaissance? Sign me up!"Find out more at www.bourgmeisterin.com!ARA City Radio

The Way of Liberation is a journey through vitrines and windows, an exhibition aiming for access to culture, to be witnessed through the streets of the city centers, exhibiting works of Arab artists - Palestine, Lebanese, Algerian and Sudanese artists. The idea is to give visibility and accessibility to their art work, especially in times in which …

Belgrade is set to introduce free public transport for all residents starting 1 January, Mayor Aleksandar Sapic announced. The initiative aims to reduce road congestion in the city of 1.7 million, where traffic jams are a daily struggle. Over the past decade, an additional 250,000 cars have clogged Belgrade’s streets, leaving many residents stuck i…

Brazil has made significant strides in reducing poverty, lifting 8.7 million people out of poverty in just one year, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Between 2022 and 2023, the number of people living in poverty fell from 67.7 million to 59 million, while extreme poverty dropped from 12.6 million to 9.5 milli…

The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant has officially come to an end, marking the close of a significant chapter in its history. Last year’s winner, Rikkie Kollé—the first trans woman to hold the title—was the final contestant to wear the iconic silk sash. Kollé used her platform to champion inclusivity, a theme central to the decision to end the cont…

In a promising step toward making our roads safer, a groundbreaking AI-powered camera system is currently being tested in Devon and Cornwall, England. Known as Heads-Up, this innovative technology is designed to detect drivers who may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. By identifying behavior consistent with impaired driving, the system en…

China has completed a monumental 46-year effort to encircle the Taklamakan Desert with a vast green belt of trees. Stretching over 3,000 kilometers in the Xinjiang region, this initiative is part of the "Three-North Shelterbelt" project, also known as the Great Green Wall, launched in 1978. The goal: combat desertification and protect vital farmlan…

The next week doesn't have to be all about Christmas parties, find out where you can see shoegaze gods DIIV, garage punk from Sprints or up and coming indie faves HoneyglazeARA City Radio

Efforts to restore the Aral Sea region are offering new hope. Once the world’s fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has shrunk dramatically over the past 50 years due to river diversion for irrigation, primarily for cotton farming. This environmental disaster transformed the area into the Aralkum Desert, mar…

Today we're talking about an intrepid biology hero, a Nobel Prize winner from Luxembourg, Jules Hoffmann. Hoffmann grew up in Echternach, exploring the countryside with his dad, a biology professor who shared his love for insects. While most kids collected toys, Jules was busy marveling at bugs – and it turns out, that fascination would lead to som…

Comedian Mari Volar joins Erin for a fun, candid chat about her life, her comedy, and being an immigrant in Europe. Mari spending the last night of her tour "100% C*ntinental", in Luxembourg. In the show, which she has taken across Europe, including to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, she and a group of comedians delve into the immigrant experience.M…

Technology is not just changing the workplace, it's revolutionising it. Kinga, a senior talent attraction and project management specialist in HR, and Christopher, an advisory manager specializing in digital transformation, shared their insights on how tech is transforming everything from recruitment to daily work tasks.Even HR, which people often …

Luxembourg is taking a progressive step forward by allowing gay men to donate blood, as confirmed by Health Minister Martine Deprez. This reform aligns with the nationalisation of the country's blood donation service. Historically, bans on donations from gay and bisexual men stemmed from outdated HIV screening limitations during the early AIDS cris…

The UK will ban junk food ads on TV before 9 pm and online anytime from October 2025. The move targets childhood obesity, aiming to promote healthier diets, reduce healthcare costs, and prevent 20,000 obesity cases annually. Get all the details on today's "What's right with the world".ARA City Radio

This year the Voices International Choir based in Luxembourg is celebrating the holiday season by putting on free concerts to raise money for Children's Charities. With 115 people performing as a part of the choir, this has been a big project to pull together. Jij, one of the members came on the Breakfast Show to talk to us about the rehearsal proc…

Norway has halted its deep-sea mining plans in the Arctic following pressure from the Socialist Left Party (SV) and growing environmental concerns. The pause affects a controversial initiative to extract metals essential for renewable energy technologies, including copper, cobalt, zinc, and rare earth elements. These resources, crucial for batterie…

Today on Local Matters, we explore the challenges parents face in finding family-friendly cafés in Luxembourg. Hear from Cecile, who created a new label certifying child-welcoming spaces, and visit Florence Café in the Gare area, one of the certified spots hosting an event for new moms this afternoon.…

Researchers at the London King's College have developed a new injection that Could Revolutionize Asthma and COPD Treatment. This is the first real breakthrough in 50 years of asthma research. A trial showed that a single dose of the new benralizumab drug significantly reduced flare-ups, improving symptoms and quality of life. The results of the stu…

Not your typical dictionary drama, but here it is—the Luxembourger Wörterbuch found itself in the eye of a storm in 1996, courtesy of Paul Cerf’s fiery exposé. The Grand-Ducal Institute faced scrutiny for antisemitic and offensive content, with Minister Erna Hennicot-Schoepges ordering unsold copies removed. Controversy swirled—from censorship conc…

After going out last week and loving Autumn Sweater (pictured) Jon's gig guide for this week features a Blackgaze band, the chilled out ambient sounds of Max Richter and some EDM for the recommendation of the week!ARA City Radio

Local Artists have donated their work to a Tombola organised by Gudde Wellen and LUkraine in order to raise money for 'Ukraine is calling'. This project is aiming to save human lives by funding emergency vehicles for Ukraine. The goal is 112 vehicles! All money raised will go directly to the cause. To help you can participate in the Tombola which h…