EU to provide more funds to aid Middle East refugees

Bloc's leaders agree on $1.1 billion for UN programs while also hiking border controls

After months of delay and debate, European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to mount a broader, more comprehensive response to Europe's migration crisis, including ponying up more money to aid refugees in the Middle East, both to feed them and to reduce the chance they will come to Europe, and to toughen EU border controls.

"In the face of a major challenge, Europe can't just say: We will not deal with this. That would be completely wrong," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. "We have to find answers together."