Slimline coalition established in Belgium

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.

The swearing-in tomorrow will be a long-awaited relief to the nation of 6.5 million Dutch speakers and 4.5 million French speakers who long ago grew frustrated with the deadlock between politicians over linguistic differences.