Belgium’s day was marked by a PHP security flaw that took several DPG Media websites offline, alongside renewed tensions over NATO, Trump and the European Parliament. At home, unions announced a national protest, while football and public concern over vulnerable minors also drew attention.
Belgian group DPG Media announced on Wednesday that it had temporarily taken several of its websites offline as a precaution. The decision followed the announcement that a major security flaw had been discovered in PHP, a programming language. The affected sites were therefore suspended preventively following the cyber alert.
US intelligence attributes to Vladimir Putin an order to intensify a sabotage campaign targeting NATO member states. After a failed drone attack on Leipzig Airport, Germany considered invoking Article 5 of the alliance. The prospect highlights the risk of escalation between Russia and allied countries.
French President Emmanuel Macron has hit out at Donald Trump and other foreign leaders over their remarks about the riots in France. He called the reactions “as unacceptable as they are stupid”. Protests in France and parts of Italy escalated into violence and looting. The protests also caused disruption in Brussels and Wallonia.
More than 30 current and former followers accuse youth church Go Church of manipulation, control and financial pressure. Particularly vulnerable minors say the church gained influence over their studies, relationships, free time and money. Testimonies and an undercover investigation by VRT NWS Pano and De Morgen describe trauma resulting from this interference.
Raids were carried out on Wednesday at the former offices of the Identity and Democracy group in the European Parliament. The operation is part of an investigation by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office targeting far-right lawmakers. The investigation is ongoing, and legal proceedings continue.
Tonight, Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov will take part in an exclusive simultaneous exhibition in Antwerp. Twenty challengers will play against the former world champion at the same time, including former Red Devil Jan Vertonghen, Viktor Verhulst, Speaker of the House Peter De Roover, economist Geert Noels and VTM NIEUWS journalist Rob Vanherck. The match will be followed live as participants try to hold their own against the chess legend.
After three rounds of the Champions League league phase, Paris Saint-Germain are joint leaders alongside several other major European clubs. Club Brugge are also among the well-placed teams. LOSC, where Nathan Ngoy plays, are in a difficult position, second-bottom with zero points.
The three major unions plan another large national demonstration in Brussels on 23 November. They have announced a joint mobilisation in the capital. The rally is intended to mark a new stage in their collective action. The unions have thus set their next public gathering for this autumn, to be held in Brussels in the coming weeks.
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