Belgium

25 Mar 2019; DW: The EU's budget commissioner, Günther Oettinger, proposed on Sunday giving the bloc the right to deny Chinese-funded infrastructure deals in Europe if they don't serve the EU's common interests.

The call came a day after Italy signed on to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious infrastructure project that has raised concerns in many EU capitals.

What are Oettinger's concerns?

Oettinger told Germany's Funke Media group:

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders worried about China’s growing power are devising plans to counter the ambitions of a country they describe as a “systemic rival.”

The European Council will discuss on Friday a 10-point strategy set out by the European Commission before an EU-China summit next month.

The EU wants to “fully address the distortive effects of foreign state ownership” and “achieve a more balanced and reciprocal economic relationship.”

BRUSSELS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- European Union's (EU) 27 members unanimously agreed to Art. 50 extension until May 22 if Withdrawal Agreement is approved next week by Britain's House of Commons, President of the European Council Donald Tusk said on Twitter Thursday.

If the Withdrawal Agreement is not approved next week, then extension will go to April 12, said Tusk.

The EU27 also approved the Strasbourg Agreement on Thursday and will continue no-deal preparations, said Tusk.

19 Mar 2019; DW: Two Chinese fanciers battled it out in an online auction to buy the star racer, smashing the previous record of €376,000 ($425,000). New interest from Asian markets in recent years has given the flagging practice a lift.

Belgium's best long-distance racing pigeon, Armando, was the subject of a bidding war between two anonymous Chinese buyers, putting enthusiasts into a spin on Sunday.

BUCHAREST, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The European People's Party (EPP) will fight for the same living standard all over Europe, said Manfred Weber, EPP candidate for the presidency of the European Commission(EC), here on Saturday.

16 Mar 2019; DW: The European Union, Canada and the United States slapped new sanctions on a number of Russian individuals and entities on Friday for their involvement in a naval standoff in the Kerch Strait in November 2018.

15 Mar 2019; AFP: Tens of thousands of young people skipped school across the globe on Friday and marched through the streets on a global day of student protests aiming to push world leaders into action on climate change.

Classrooms in capitals from Bangkok to Berlin, Lagos to London were expected to be empty, as the ambitious organisers of the student strike hoped to stage 1,000 demos in more than 100 countries.

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — The European Commission is warning Britain’s Parliament that voting against Brexit happening without a withdrawal deal in place isn’t enough and lawmakers must approve the deal, too.

An official from the EU’s executive branch noted Wednesday that the bloc already reached a divorce deal with Prime Minister Theresa May and the House of Commons rejected it - twice.   

The official asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the unresolved situation.

14 Mar 2019; DW: The European Parliament has voted to formally suspend EU accession talks with Turkey, citing severe political and democratic backsliding under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Lawmakers passed the symbolic non-binding resolution with 370 votes in favor and 109 against, with 143 abstentions.

12 Mar 2019; DW: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) later said it would be grounding all flights involving the plane, widening a prohibition to all EU member states.

Germany had earlier banned flights by the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in its own national airspace, becoming one of several countries to do so after last Sunday's Ethiopian Airlines crash.