Europe

PARIS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- French police arrested more than 200 people on Saturday after violence broke out in Paris in a fresh protest of "Yellow Vest" movement.

Paris department police said 237 people were arrested after groups of masked individuals plunged the capital's landmark avenue of the Champs Elysees into chaos.

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said 1,500 people, known as far-left Black Blocs, hijacked the demonstration for fair fiscal policy and more money for the needy.

16 Mar 2019; DW: US carmaker Ford will shed 5,000 workers in Germany, it announced on Friday.

Ford hopes to save at least $500 million (€441 million) with the measures, according to a letter from executives to employees.

"This is part of a restructuring operation for Ford in Europe that was already announced in January with the goal of getting back being a profitable business," a spokesman said.

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.

16 Mar 2019; DW: Munich police announced Friday they are investigating 13 officers for internal and legal violations, including the sharing of objectionable content over social messaging services.

The Munich investigation follows prior revelations of right-wing extremist activity among German police forces and members of the military.

A chance discovery

DUBLIN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- The number of the applications for Irish passports has witnessed a sharp increase since this year, reported local media RTE on Saturday.

The report, quoting the Irish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney, said that over 230,000 applications for Irish passports had been received to date this year.

The figure represented a 30 percent increase over the same period last year, said Simon Coveney.

Berlin, Mar 15; GANASHAKTI: A group of European nations is urging Russia not to abandon a nuclear weapons treaty with the United States.

Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands are also calling for new arms control agreements to address the rising power of China and other nations.

The US gave notice of its intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty a month ago, citing Russian violations.

MOSCOW, March 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message to New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, offering condolences over a deadly terrorist attack in the city of Christchurch, where shooters targeted worshippers at two mosques, the Kremlin press service said.

MOSCOW, March 15. /TASS/. About 100 servicemen of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who will serve in China’s second regiment of S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems have started their training in Russia to learn to operate these weapons, a source in military and diplomatic circles told TASS on Friday.

"About 100 PLA servicemen who will serve on vehicles of the second S-400 regiment set have started their training at one of training centers of the Russian Defense Ministry," the source said. The training will be completed in late May, he specified.

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.

14 Mar 2019; DW: Lawmakers in the House of Commons overwhelmingly backed a government motion on Thursday to ask for a three-month delay for Britain's departure from the European Union, which is currently scheduled for March 29.

The move has also paved the way for a third vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's divorce deal with the European Union, which could take place early next week.