EU leaders plan tougher border controls as more people claim asylum

Funding pledged for cameras, drones and watchtowers, in move criticised by aid agencies and Luxembourg

EU leaders have agreed to toughen up border controls to keep out people trying to enter, with more funds pledged for cameras, drones and watchtowers at the bloc's external borders.

The decision was published in the early hours of Friday after the 27 leaders met to discuss tighter control of the EU's external frontier, in response to the highest number of people filing asylum applications since 2016.