EU agrees defence budget increase as Britain lifts block

By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union agreed on Tuesday to increase its military research budget for the first time since 2010 after Britain softened its opposition, a breakthrough that may signal British support for defence co-operation even once outside the bloc. A day after agreeing a new defence plan aimed at making Europe less reliant on U.S. help, EU governments increased the 2017 funding of the European Defence Agency, which helps countries develop aircraft and other ass