EU nations secure $3.17 trillion budget, Covid-19 aid deal

Weary but relieved, European Union leaders finally clinched an unprecedented NZ$3.17 trillion budget and coronavirus recovery fund today, somehow finding unity after four days and as many nights of fighting and wrangling over money and power in one of their longest summits ever. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, right, speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, left, during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels Source: Associated Press To confront the biggest recession in its history, the EU reached a consensus on a 750 billion euro coronavirus fund to be sent as loans and grants to the countries hit hardest by the virus. That comes on top of the seven-year 1 trillion euro EU...