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UN and Red Cross/Red Crescent staff reached Homs yesterday (Pic: EPA)

Red Crescent says 300 evacuated from Homs

The Syrian Red Crescent has said 300 people were evacuated today from the Old City of Homs.

The Vatican faces allegations that it protected paedophile priests and not victims

Vatican has policies to eliminate abuse, UN told

The Vatican has told a UN inquiry that it has detailed policies and procedures to help eliminate child abuse in the Catholic Church and to collaborate with state authorities to fight the crime.

News • 16 Jan 14

At least 1,000 people are reported to have been killed in the violence

Government to donate aid to South Sudan

The Irish Government is to dispatch 40 tonnes of emergency supplies to South Sudan where fighting is continuing.

News • 03 Jan 14

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was implicated in war crimes by UN human rights chief Navi Pillay

UN evidence on Syria war crimes implicates Assad

Evidence collected by UN investigators examining Syrian war crimes implicates President Bashar al-Assad, United Nations human rights chief Navi Pillay said.

News • 02 Dec 13

UN inspectors will visit the Arak plant next month

Iran invites IAEA to visit Arak plant

Iran has invited UN inspectors to visit a nuclear-related heavy water facility on 8 December.

News • 28 Nov 13

The Central African Republic has witnessed rising violence since rebels seized power in March

UN considers embargo for Central African Republic

The UN Security Council is considering imposing an arms embargo on the Central African Republic.

News • 26 Nov 13

More than 100,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict

January date set for Syrian peace talks

An international peace conference aimed at ending Syria's civil war will be held on 22 January, the United Nations has said.

News • 25 Nov 13

UN inspectors found evidence of chemical weapons use in Syria

Russia and US agree UN draft on Syria

The US and Russia have reached an agreement on a draft UN Security Council resolution aimed at ridding Syria of its chemical weapons.

News • 26 Sep 13

Qadri Jamil said government forces and rebels were incapable of defeating each other

Syrian govt ready for ceasefire in 'stalemate'

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil has said that the country's civil war has reached a stalemate and his government is ready to call for a ceasefire.

News • 20 Sep 13

There have long been concerns about reports of atrocities in North Korea, including executions and torture

UN report slams North Korean human rights abuses

Inmates in North Korea's prison camps have suffered starvation, torture and other "unspeakable atrocities", UN human rights investigators said in their first report on violations in the reclusive state.

World • 17 Sep 13

Professor Ake Sellstrom (L), head of chemical weapons team hands over the report to Ban Ki-moon (Pic: UN)

UN confirms sarin gas was used in Syria attacks

United Nations inspectors have confirmed they found "clear and convincing evidence" that poison sarin gas was used in an attack near the Syrian capital of Damascus on 21 August.

News • 17 Sep 13

UN investigators say the perpetrators do not fear accountability

Both sides in Syria have committed 'war crimes'

UN human rights investigators have said Syrian government forces and opposition forces have committed war crimes.

News • 11 Sep 13

Relatives buried over 600 victims of the massacre in 2011

Dutch state blamed in three Srebrenica deaths

The Dutch Supreme Court has ruled that the Dutch state is responsible for the deaths of three Bosnian Muslim men ordered to leave a UN compound in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre.

News • 06 Sep 13

Bashar al-Assad challenged the US and France to provide proof that his regime was responsible for the attacks

Assad denies responsibility for chemical attacks

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has denied allegations that his forces were behind chemical attacks in Damascus last month.

News • 02 Sep 13

US President Barack Obama held a meeting in the White House with his national security team to discuss Syria (Pic: Pete Souza/White House)

Over 1,400 killed in Syrian 'gas attack' - Kerry

A US intelligence report has said that 1,429 people were killed in a chemical weapons attack in Damascus, including at least 426 children.

News • 30 Aug 13

UN inspection teams are investigating alleged chemical weapons attack in Damascus

Use of chemical weapons in Syria 'real' - Kerry

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the use of chemical weapons in Syria was large-scale and indiscriminate.

News • 26 Aug 13

The Syrian government says rebels used chemical weapons at the Khan al-Assal site in Aleppo

UN weapons investigators ready to visit Syria

The United Nations has said experts are ready to visit Syria to investigate claims of chemical weapons use during the country's two-year civil war.

News • 13 Aug 13

Dublin-born Samantha Power has been confirmed as the US ambassador to the UN

Irishwoman confirmed as US ambassador to UN

Dublin-born human rights advocate Samantha Power has been confirmed as US President Barack Obama's next ambassador to the United Nations.

News • 02 Aug 13

An Afghan policeman stands guard beside the site of a bomb attack in Kabul

Increase in violence against Afghan civilians

The withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan has led to an increase in violence against civilians according to a United Nations Report.

News • 31 Jul 13

Nearly 1.8m refugees have fled the Syrian conflict to bordering nations

Syrians fleeing war at rate not seen since Rwanda

The United Nations has said the Syrian conflict has now generated the worst refugee crisis since the Rwandan genocide of 1994.

News • 17 Jul 13

Paulo Pinheiro said his team interviewed victims, refugees who fled some areas and medical staff

UN believes chemical weapons used in Syria

The US has said more information is needed about French claims the sarin gas has been used in the conflict in Syria.

News • 04 Jun 13

Ban Ki-moon called on Russia to help get North Korea back to six-party talks

UN concerned over North Korea missile tests

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has voiced concern over North Korea's launch of short-range missiles.

News • 19 May 13

Eamon Gilmore said extremist forces are trying to exploit the situation in Syria

Gilmore warns against arming Syrian rebels

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has warned against the West providing arms to Syrian rebels following the claims by al-Qaeda that it had merged with an Islamic militant group fighting President Basher al-Assad's troops.

News • 11 Apr 13

At least nine more UN peacekeepers were injured

Five UN peacekeepers killed in South Sudan attack

Five UN peacekeepers and seven civilians working for the UN mission in South Sudan were killed in an ambush by unidentified attackers in the restive eastern state of Jonglei this afternoon, the United Nations said.

News • 09 Apr 13

The bomb exploded near the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts

At least 15 killed in Damascus car bomb

At least 15 people have been killed and 47 have been injured in a suicide car-bomb in central Damascus.

News • 08 Apr 13

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