Brussels was this morning hit by bomb attacks at the airport and in the metro that killed around 35 people. Here's a timeline of developments.
- Around 7am (8am local time): Two blasts hit Zaventem international airport. Witnesses say they heard shots in the departure hall before someone shouted in Arabic and then two explosions occurred.
- Shortly before 8am: Police say at least one person is dead and several others wounded. The airport is closed and a crisis cell meets at the interior ministry.
- Shortly after 8am: A third explosion hits a train in Maalbeek metro station near EU headquarters. About a dozen injuries are initially reported.
- 8.15am: Belgium moves to its highest level of terror alert.
- Shortly before 9am: The European Commission tells staff to stay home or in their offices, and a similar appeal is later made by the Belgian crisis centre to all Brussels residents.
- Shortly after 9am: The federal prosecutor's office issues a toll of at least 13 dead and 35 wounded at the airport.
- Shortly before 9.30am: All public transport grinds to a halt.
- Shortly before 10am: The high-speed Thalys train service between Belgium, France and the Netherlands stops running. Airports in cities including Frankfurt, London and Moscow beef up security. The border between Belgium and the Netherlands is reinforced.
- 10.15am: European Council President Donald Tusk condemns the "terrorist attacks".
- Shortly before 10.30am: Police and soldiers reinforce security around Belgium's nuclear power plants.
- 10.45am: Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel condemns the "blind, violent and cowardly" attacks.
- Shortly before 11am: Federal prosecutor Frederic Van Leeuw says one airport blast was "probably caused by a suicide bomber".
- 11am: "The whole of Europe has been hit," says French President Francois Hollande.
- 11.15am: Brussels transport operator STIB says the metro blast killed at least 15 people and wounded at least 55.
- Eurostar train service between London and Brussels is suspended.
- 12.35pm: Authorities "fear that people are still at large," says Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders.
- 1.30pm: Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur says there are "around 20" dead with another 106 wounded at the metro station.
- 1.45pm: A fire service spokesman says the airport attack killed 14 people and left more than 90 wounded, and warns the toll could rise.
- 2.25pm: US President Barack Obama condemns the "outrageous" attacks, while major US cities ramp up security.
- 3pm: The Belgian government declares three days of mourning.
- Shortly after 3pm: Media publish video surveillance pictures of the airport bombing suspects, three men pushing luggage trolleys.
- 3.50pm: Leaders of the 28 EU nations say in a rare joint statement that the bombings were an "attack on our open democratic society"
- 4pm: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemns the "despicable" attacks.
- 4.15pm: Third bomb failed to explode at Brussels airport, says Brussels governor.
- 4.40pm: The Islamic State group claims responsibility, saying "soldiers of the caliphate" carried out the attack against "the crusader state" of Belgium.
- 5.15pm: Belgian police issue a wanted notice for an airport attack suspect.
- Around 5.30pm: The Eiffel Tower is lit up in Belgium's national colours.
- 5.40pm: Belgium's federal prosecutor says the airport assault may have been carried out by two suicide bombers and the police are "actively looking" for a third attacker.
- 5.45pm: Police raids are under way across Belgium and several witnesses are being questioned, the federal prosecutor says.
- 6.00pm: Prosecutors confirm the discovery of a new explosive device containing nails during a specialist search. Chemical products and an Islamic State group flag are also found in the raid.
- 6.50pm: Prime Minister Charles Michel lights a candle during a vigil at Place de la Bourse in Brussels, the city's stock exchange building.
- 8.30pm: The Brussels airport attackers "came in a taxi with their suitcases, their bombs were in their bags," local mayor says.
