Belgium's soon-to-be prime minister set up a slimmed-down coalition today in one of the final steps before his team formally ends the record 541 days the country has gone without a government.

Police are searching for 20 fugitive convicts today, a day after they overpowered guards and escaped from a prison in northern Belgium, officials said.

Belgian Justice Minister Laurette Onkelinx today approved the extradition of confessed serial killer Michel Fourniret to France where he is to stand trial for the suspected killings of 19 people.

Eight days after Madrid train bombings killed more than 200 people, EU governments agreed in principle today to name an official to co-ordinate anti-terrorism activities across the European Union.