EU

The European Union on Friday eyed an extra 500 million euros for military support for Ukraine and fresh sanctions on Russia, as Moscow’s war spurred vows to bolster the bloc’s defences.

European Union leaders will discuss Ukraine’s application to join the 27-nation bloc in the coming days, the chairman of EU summits Charles Michel said in a tweet on Monday.

European Parliament President David Sassoli died on Tuesday in hospital in Italy where he was admitted on December 26, his spokesperson and office said.

The United States will bar entry to most travelers from eight southern African countries starting on Monday, after a potentially more-contagious new coronavirus variant was identified in South Africa, President Joe Biden said on Friday.

European Union states have agreed to suspend travel from southern Africa after the detection of a new COVID-19 variant, the presidency of the EU said on Friday.

Tech giant Google on Wednesday said that they will contribute $25 million to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to deflate online disinformation.