A wind gust left 14 parachutists stranded in trees in Leopoldsburg, while Belgium mourned actress Chris Boni, remembered for her role as Yvette in Thuis. The day also brought a first Car-Free Sunday in Wallonia and a court ruling upholding rent controls in Brussels.
On Kamperbaan in Leopoldsburg, 14 parachutists were blown outside their planned landing zone by a powerful gust of wind. They landed in the trees. Emergency services from across Limburg deployed in force and arrived to free the group. The rescue operation focused on safely freeing everyone involved.
Actress Chris Boni has died at the age of 90. She became known to the wider public as Yvette Backx in the VRT soap ‘Thuis’, in which she appeared from 2001 to 2016. Alongside her work on the soap, Boni was active in theatre, film and television for decades. ‘Thuis’ communications officer confirmed her death.
Prince Harry appeared in London on Thursday for his first public appearance since returning to the UK three weeks earlier with his family. He attended an evening event held as part of the Invictus Games, a competition he founded in 2014 for wounded service members. This was his first public engagement since his return.
Warsaw reported a new drone attack Thursday near the Polish-Ukrainian border. The strike occurred very close to Polish territory, near Dorohusk, according to the Polish government. The incident comes as Poland condemns continued aggressive actions attributed to Russia.
Car-Free Sunday will be organised in Wallonia for the first time, involving 22 municipalities. This marks the first Wallonia-wide edition, with the event taking place in the participating municipalities as part of a mobility initiative.
Two Russian aircraft violated the airspace of Lithuania, a Baltic NATO member. The incident directly concerns Lithuanian territory and comes amid heightened regional tensions linked to the war in Ukraine. It is part of live coverage tracking developments in the conflict and their repercussions.
On Thursday, the Constitutional Court rejected an appeal by several real estate federations against the Brussels ordinance regulating rents. The scheme, which took effect in May 2025, therefore remains applicable in the capital. The ruling confirms the legal framework adopted by the Brussels Region to regulate residential rentals and limit certain amounts charged to tenants.
The municipality of Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht is buying back a site near the town hall after PFAS contamination was found. The council is paying nearly €14 million—the original purchase price—plus additional compensation. A 145-home project was planned for the site but cannot go ahead because of the contamination.
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