22 killed as two blasts rock Belgium airport, another hits metro station

Two blasts rocked the Brussels airport in Belgium and another hit a metro station close to the European Union headquarters on Tuesday morning, killing at least 22 people.
Witnesses and local media said twin explosions were heard shortly before 8am local time (0700 GMT) at Brussels Zaventem airport, leaving the departure hall heavily damaged.
An agency report said shots were fired and there were shouts in Arabic shortly before the explosions.
The federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement that the three explosions “were terrorist attacks” and that a terrorism investigation has been launched.
The Prime Minister, Charles Michel, said Belgian authorities are working to secure “other sites” that are of concern.
Michel added that military reinforcements have been deployed and controls are being carried out at Belgium’s borders.
Michel called the attacks “blind, violent and cowardly”.
He said: “In this moment of tragedy, in this dark moment for our country, more than ever I want to call on everyone to display calm, but also solidarity.
“We are confronted with an ordeal, a difficult ordeal and we have to face this ordeal by being united.”
German police were tightening measures at the country’s border with Belgium.
A spokesman declined to give further details but said the move was part of series of security measures mounted by police at Germany’s borders, airports and train stations.
A spokesman for German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, called for “solidarity with the victims” and “determination towards the terrorists”.
A police official said on condition of anonymity that Belgian intelligence had advance knowledge of plans to carry out terrorist attacks in the country but was unaware of their time or location.
Brussels airlines have announced the cancelation of all its flights and the complex evacuation.
It said further that due to the two explosions, the airport is closed until further notice.
Rail and bus traffic to the airport was suspended as well.
The metro stations were closed and passengers were evacuated.
People were asked to keep away from the metro station by staff.
Shortly after the blasts at Brussels airport, authorities in Belgium raised the county’s alert level to the highest position, indicating a “serious and imminent” threat
Xinhua/NAN.