ALLOWANCES to Palestinian health workers and funds for essential utilities could begin to flow from next month under a new mechanism developed by the European Union.

THE European Parliament has voted to fund stem cell research using human embryos, although the ban on such research in Ireland will remain.

The wealth gap between the old and new EU member states is narrowing but Luxembourg and Ireland are still the wealthiest countries in the bloc.

IRISH fishermen won their case against the European Commission yesterday, taken after the latter forced them to spend €50 million buying extra tonnage some years ago.

PLANS for an EU-wide pollution-based car tax were backed by MEPs yesterday.

SOME 58,000 EU citizens commit suicide every year but little is being done to tackle mental illness.

THE Government has been asked to make three key changes over the next three months to improve children’s rights, including giving children an independent legal voice in their parents divorce proceedings.

THE legal loophole which allowed ‘Mr A’ to walk free from court despite having sex with a 12-year-old girl is symptomatic of the Government’s inaction on children’s rights, according to the authors of a major new report which will be presented to the UN.

HEALTH is one of those areas jealously guarded by EU member states, who insist it must stay out of the clutches of the European Commission.

THE gap between obesity levels in the US and the EU is closing rapidly with campaigns encouraging people to eat healthily and exercise more having little effect.