Belgium’s political and security concerns shared the headlines, from a drone plot trial involving two young men to a dispute over Brussels Airport’s flight plan. Across the border, France prepared a major security operation as the Yvelines attack continued to unfold, while Storm Austen brought an unexpected lift to Oostduinkerke.
The 1722 assistance line is reportedly overwhelmed, while one death has been reported in France amid the ongoing events. Emergency services remain central to the information being shared in real time. The situation is evolving, with continuous monitoring of reported developments and any guidance issued to the public.
Student and school pupil protests are spreading across much of Europe. In France and several Italian cities, demonstrations escalated into riots, violence and looting; new calls to loot are circulating. France is deploying 70,000 security personnel on Saturday. The protests also caused disruption in Brussels and Wallonia, with updates provided via a live blog.
The Flemish government is filing a conflict of interest against the new flight plan proposed by federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). His proposal aims to reduce noise pollution from arriving aircraft over the Brussels-Capital Region. Flanders fears this will shift the nuisance to the Flemish outskirts around Brussels Airport. The government refuses to accept this distribution of the burden.
In Yvelines, a 12-year-old girl was seriously wounded by gunfire during a shooting. Her mother says she had gone to the swimming pool before being hit by gunfire. France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office has taken over the investigation. Investigations are continuing to establish the circumstances of the attack.
Two men aged 19 and 24 from Antwerp must appear before the criminal court for allegedly planning a terrorist assassination attempt using a drone against Prime Minister Bart De Wever. The pre-trial chamber ruled that both suspects must stand trial. Their case will now proceed before that court.
The terrorist attack in Yvelines left one person dead and five injured. Police already knew the suspect, whose building was evacuated after the incident. Authorities are continuing to verify the facts to establish precisely the circumstances of the attack and how events unfolded as part of the ongoing investigation.
During Storm Austen, professional kiter Minh Claeys, 26, from Oostduinkerke spent an hour and a half at sea. Winds along the coast reached at least 100 km/h, and he jumped up to 25 metres high with his kite. After having his equipment checked and receiving guidance, Claeys warned inexperienced athletes that stormy weather requires knowing one’s limits.
S&P maintains Belgium's credit rating. At the same time, it expects the improvement in Belgium's budget position to slow. The assessment concerns the financial position of the Belgian government and serves as a signal to lenders and investors. This expectation could weigh on assessments of future public finances, while Belgium's budget policy continues to be monitored.
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