From The New York Times, this report about how Belgium is an incubator of the Islamist fifth column destabilizing Europe:
The country of just 11.2 million people faces widening derision as being the world’s wealthiest failed state — a worrying mix of deeply rooted terrorist networks; a government weakened by divisions among French, Dutch and German speakers; and an overwhelmed intelligence service in seemingly chronic disarray.
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the double bomb blasts at an airport and a metro train in the Belgium capital on Tuesday that killed dozens and injured scores. The Guardian reports: 16:14 Third bomb at airport was destroyed A third bomb found at the airport has been destroyed by security services, the provincial governor said, Reuters reports. 16:05 Brussels Airport chief executive Arnaud Feist has confirmed there will be no more flights today, describing it as a black day.
Energy utility Electrabel is evacuating Belgium's two nuclear power plants in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attacks in Brussels.
Doel, made up of four reactors, and Tihange, with three are closed and all vehicles coming and going are subject to checks. "Employees who are not needed to run the two power plants are now leaving the sites," Politico EU reports, adding that the "military arrived at the Tihange plant on Friday."
Authorities in Belgium’s capital have decided to cancel the city’s annual New Year’s Eve festivities and fireworks because of the threat of terrorist attacks. The decision comes following the arrest of two people suspected of planning an attack over the holiday. RT reports: In a Wednesday meeting, Brussels’s mayor Yvan Mayeur and Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon took a joint decision to cancel Thursday evening’s festivities. “Together with the interior minister, we’ve decided to not have the celebrations on Thursday evening,” Mayeur told the state broadcaster RTBF Wednesday night.