Europe’s outgoing Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs tonight backed anti-gay Italian Rocco Buttiglione to take over the job as planned and not step down because of his personal views.

In a meeting chaired by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, EU nations agreed today on joint rules for dealing with asylum seekers to keep illegal immigrants out while guaranteeing essential rights for genuine refugees.

European Union nations weigh new measures to fight terrorism today at emergency talks called after the terror attacks in Madrid that killed more than 200 people.