European Union

Chief of UNRWA in Gaza calls EU funds 'absolutely critical' but the bloc wants an audit

By Lorne Cook, Associated Press

The aid agency, UNRWA, has been the main supplier of food, water and shelter during Israel's war against Hamas. But it's reeling from allegations that 12 staff members participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.

Farmers in Italy, Spain and Poland protest over European Union policies

By Ciarán Giles, Monika Scislowska, Associated Press

The actions follow similar ones in other EU member nations in recent weeks with farmers complaining that the 27-nation bloc's environmental and other policies are a financial burden and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports.

The EU announces 210 million euros in aid to help Mauritania curb migration

By Associated Press

The EU has announced 210 million euros to help the coastal nation of Mauritania combat irregular migration, as the number of migrants making the dangerous Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Europe rises sharply.

Thousands of Spanish farmers stage a 2nd day of tractor protests over EU policies

By Ciarán Giles, Raf Cassert, Associated Press

Spanish farmers blocked highways and caused traffic jams to demand changes in European Union farming policies. They are also calling for more funds and measures to combat production cost hikes and severe drought.

EU scraps pesticide proposal in another concession to protesting farmers

By Raf Cassert, Associated Press

Farmers have insisted that measures like the one on pesticides would increase the bureaucratic burden and add to the price gap between their products and cheap foreign imports.

More than 1,000 migrants reached Canary Islands over past 3 days, Spain says

By Associated Press

The archipelago off northwest Africa has seen a surge in migrant arrivals in recent weeks as more people from West Africa attempt the dangerous journey.

EU seals deal for 50 billion-euro aid package for Ukraine, overcoming Hungary's veto threat

By Lorne Cook, Samuel Petrequin, Associated Press

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed it as a “very important” decision. His country could receive the first tranche of funds as soon as March, once the European Parliament has endorsed the deal.

EU heads urge more Ukraine support as ministers debate how to fill war-torn nation's ammunition gap

By Lorne Cook, Associated Press

Almost two years since Russian forces invaded Ukraine, the war has bogged down and fears are growing that public support for the war effort is waning.

Traffic-blocking farmers now closing in on EU capital in a protest seeking better market conditions

By Raf Cassert, Associated Press

The protests had an immediate impact. The European Commission announced plans to shield farmers from cheap exports from Ukraine during wartime and allow farmers to sidestep environmental rules.

ChatGPT violated European Union privacy laws, Italy tells chatbot maker OpenAI

By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press

Italian regulators say they informed OpenAI that its ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot has violated European Union's stringent data privacy rules.