Europe

05 Mar 2019; DW: German political leaders have reacted positively to a raft of suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron for strengthening the European Union.

In an official statement by Angela Merkel's government to Reuters news agency, a spokesperson said: "It's important ahead of the European election (in May) for pro-European forces to present their ideas. The German government supports the lively discussion about the orientation of the European Union."

06 Mar 2019; DW: Greek prosecutors have filed charges against 20 people over deadly wildfires in 2018.

The accused, including the greater Athens regional authority chief, two local mayors, the former civil protection head, and fire service officials, were hit with charges reportedly include involuntary manslaughter, causing bodily harm due to neglect, and arson through negligence.

They carry a maximum five-year prison sentence.

06 Mar 2019; DW: Two manufacturers of seatbelts, airbags and steering wheels were fined €368 million ($416 million) by the European Commission on Tuesday, in the latest antitrust case against car-part suppliers.

The US, Michigan-headquartered TRW Automotive will pay €189 million, while Autoliv, based in Stockholm, Sweden, has been fined €179 million penalty.

06 Mar 2019; DW: EU lawmaker Manfred Weber pledged to "try one last time" to keep Hungary's Fidesz party in the European People's Party (EPP), the association of center-right parties in the European Parliament, as it prepares to debate Fidesz's exclusion.

The EPP, which also includes Germany's Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union, has more lawmakers than any other group in the Brussels assembly. German-born Weber leads the conservative faction.

05 Mar 2019; DW: Time is up for European Union-mandated daylight savings time. The European Commission and European Parliament have agreed on that. All the relevant committees in Parliament are for the change, according to Germany's conservative Christian Democrat (CDU) MEP Peter Liese, who has devoted a lot of time to the issue.

GENEVA, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet announced Tuesday, "with deep regret," that the UN Human Rights Office in Burundi has closed at the insistence of the Central African nation's government.

UN rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani at a media briefing here quoted Bachelet as saying, "It is with deep regret that we have had to close our office in Burundi after a 23-year presence in the country" from Feb. 28.

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The Joint Commission of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will hold its first meeting in Vienna on Wednesday since the establishment of the European Union's (EU) so-called special purpose vehicle designed to facilitate trade with Iran, the EU said on Tuesday.

05 Mar 2019; DW: The UK and Spain signed a deal on Monday to combat tax fraud and money laundering in Gibraltar once the UK leaves the European Union. 

Under the agreement, individuals and companies in Gibraltar will have to pay taxes in Spain if they conduct most of their business there.

05 Mar 2019; DW: French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined his vision for fundamental reform of the European Union in an editorial to be published on Tuesday in leading newspapers in each EU country.

His impassioned call for a "European Renaissance" comes amid unease about a continued upswing in support for far-right, nationalist parties in the EU elections in May.

Macron's main recommendations:

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (Xinhua) -- A Russian UN envoy on Monday reiterated Moscow's call for direct access to former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, who allegedly suffered a nerve agent attack in Britain a year ago.

London has the obligation to allow Moscow such access under the international convention and bilateral treaties, Russian First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyanskiy told a press conference in New York.