Ceremony marks Ireland's EU presidency

A ceremony has taken place at Dublin Castle marking the start of Ireland's presidency of the EU, which formally begins tomorrow. The ceremony was attended by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Cabinet members, MEPs, other politicians, diplomats and the Lord Mayor...

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Eurozone crisis far from over - Angela Merkel

The eurozone sovereign debt crisis is far from over, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said in her New Year's address. However, she says that reform measures designed to address the roots of the problem are beginning to bear fruit. In a taped interview...

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Renewed appeal over man missing in Dublin

Gardaí in Balbriggan have renewed their appeal for information on the whereabouts of 24-year-old Paul Byrne, who has been missing since the early hours of Christmas Day. Mr Byrne was last seen at about 3am on 25 December on Sandy Lane in Rush, Co Dublin....

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Police blame dissident republicans for NI bomb

A senior PSNI officer has said that a foiled attempt to murder a police man in east Belfast yesterday was carried out by dissident republicans. Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said the attack could also have killed the policeman's family....

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Politicians push US to edge of 'fiscal cliff'

The US Congress comes back today without a deal to avert the "fiscal cliff" and with only a few hours of actual legislative time scheduled in which to act if an agreement materialises. Negotiations involving Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Republican...

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Dublin festival to kick-start The Gathering

The Gathering will officially kick-off with a New Year's Eve festival in Dublin city centre tonight. It will be the first in a year-long calendar of events organised to celebrate Ireland, its people and its connections, both at home and abroad. Thousands...

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Up to 41 killed by Pakistani militants

Pakistani militants have killed at least 41 people in two separate incidents today challenging assertions that military offensives have broken the back of hardline Islamist groups. In the north, 21 men working for a government-backed paramilitary force...

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Minister plans private pension drive

The Minister for Social Protection is to implement plans to get more people signed up to private pensions. Under the proposals employees will be automatically enrolled in pension schemes. In recent times there have been warnings about the problems...

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Man remains in custody over Dublin shooting

A man in his 20s remains in garda custody in connection with the shooting of a 35-year-old man in Dublin last Friday. Christopher Warren, from St Teresa's Gardens, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest. He was pronounced dead at St James's Hospital...

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Indian woman attacked on bus is cremated

An Indian woman who died from injuries sustained after being gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi has been cremated. An outpouring of anger and grief was displayed by millions across the country demanding greater protection for women from sexual violence....

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Obama fears fiscal deal failure will hurt markets

Lawmakers in the US are working on a last minute deal to set aside €600bn in tax increases and spending cuts. President Barack Obama said that financial markets would be affected adversely if US lawmakers fail to agree on a "fiscal cliff" deal before...

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Irish Coastguard saves 161 lives in 2012

Up to 161 lives have been saved by staff and volunteers with the Irish Coastguard so far this year. The Coastguard, which is a division of the Department of Transport, saw an 8% increase in incidents in 2012, compared to the previous year. Based on...

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ESB working to restore power to homes

The Electricity Supply Board has said customers affected by last night's power cuts will have their supply restored today. Up to 8,000 customers lost power across the country after storm force winds. Less than 50 homes remain without power. Ballina...

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Man arrested in connection with Dublin death

A man in his 20s has been arrested in connection with the death of a 35-year-old man in Dublin. Christopher Warren, from St Teresa's Gardens, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest. He was pronounced dead at St James's Hospital shortly after being dropped...

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Up to 1,500 sought consular assistance abroad

Figures released today show that Irish diplomatic officials gave assistance to over 1,500 people abroad. The Department of Foreign Affairs has described the assistance given as "serious consular emergencies", including deaths; arrests; accidents; child...

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Man dies after Kildare shooting

A 33-year-old man has died after being shot in Co Kildare. The incident happened at a house in Kilmeage, Co Kildare. He was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to Naas General Hospital with serious gunshot injuries. The house has been sealed...

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Body of a man found on Dublin street

An investigation is being carried out after the body of a man in his 30s was found on a street in Dublin city. The man was found in the south inner city last night at the junction of Cork Street and Reuben Street shortly before midnight. Gardaí say...

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Two dead after Moscow plane crash landing

Two people have been killed after a Russian passenger plane split into three pieces after sliding off a runway and crashing into a highway outside Moscow's Vnukovo airport. Initial reports said that there were 11 people on board, all crew, and that...

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Property prices rose by 1.1% in November

Residential property prices increased by 1.1% in November, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office. Last month's rise followed a 0.6% decline in October and compare to a 1.5% drop in November 2011 prices. In the year to November national...

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Weather warnings issued as strong winds expected

Two weather warnings have been issued by Met Éireann. One alerts people to gusts of up to 130 km/h - equivalent to 80 m/h for a time today and tonight in Co Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Mayo and Sligo. A second warning of gusts of...

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Man appears in court over Sandra Collins murder

A 48-year-old man has appeared before a special sitting of Ballina District Court in Co Mayo, charged with the murder of Sandra Collins. He has been named as Martin Early, with an address at Bannagher, Carrowmore-Lacken near Killala. He has been remanded...

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State papers reveal pro-life amendment concerns

Newly released State papers from 1982 reveal serious concerns within the Government of the time about the proposed pro-life amendment to the constitution. The files, released under the 30 year rule, show worries about the effect on medical treatment...

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Obama to meet congressional leaders today

US President Barack Obama and congressional leaders are set to meet for the first time since November with no sign of progress in resolving their differences over the federal budget and low expectations for a "fiscal cliff" deal before 1 January 2013....

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US army general Schwarzkopf dies at 78

Retired army general H Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the US-led international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991 has died. He was 78. A sister of Mr Schwarzkopf, Ruth Barenbaum of Middlebury, Vermont, said that he...

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Pakistan Taliban outlines conditions for ceasefire

The Pakistani Taliban has outlined conditions for a ceasefire, including the adoption of Islamic law, a spokesman has said. However, a senior government official described the offer as "preposterous". The Taliban, in a letter printed by the Pakistan...

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Winter storm wreaks havoc in US

A massive winter storm system has brought havoc to southern and central areas of the United States. There have been more than 30 tornadoes, as well as blizzards and snow storms. Residents have said they are very concerned by the dangers posed by the...

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Obama returns to Washington for fiscal cliff talks

US President Barack Obama returns to Washington today, after cutting short his Christmas holiday in Hawaii. He will attempt to revive budget talks aimed at dealing with the fiscal cliff. The fiscal cliff is a series of spending cuts and steep tax rises...

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Bhutto's son launches political career

The 24-year-old son of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has launched his political career with a fiery speech on the fifth anniversary of his mother's assassination. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's speech comes several months before national...

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Syria envoy calls for National Unity Government

The international envoy to Syria has called for the formation of a Syrian National Unity Government with full executive powers until elections can be held in a bid to end the crisis there. Speaking in Damascus, Lakhdar Brahimi said that there needed...

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70% of householders paid charge, says minister

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said that 70% of those liable to pay the household charge had done so. In a statement today, Mr Hogan said end of year figures giving the numbers who had paid the household charge show how wrong critics were...

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Syrian military police commander defects

The commander of Syria's military police has defected from the army. He is reported to have declared allegiance to the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, according to a video and a Syrian security source. The Dubai-based Arab TV station Al-Arabiya...

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Egypt's new constitution is signed into law

Egypt is facing parliamentary elections within the next two months, after voters approved a draft constitution by a majority of two thirds. The document, which has been signed into law by President Mohammed Mursi, has been criticised for favouring...

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Death of poet Dennis O'Driscoll

The death has taken place of the poet, Dennis O'Driscoll. Mr O'Driscoll, who was originally from Thurles in Co Tipperary, was 58. He was the author of nine volumes of poetry, as well as being an essayist and critic. His work has appeared in the Harvard...

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Dublin firefighters tackle two blazes

Emergency services dealt with two fires in the Dublin area overnight. A large fire broke out at an apartment block at Marine Parade in Sandycove at about 1.20am. Several units of the fire brigade attended the blaze. Four pump appliances, two aerial...

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Christmas Day calls, texts to Childline top 1,000

Childline dealt with an average of 50 communications an hour from children on Christmas Day. The listening service is run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for all young people in Ireland.  It said that, in some cases,...

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70% of retailers re-open for sales

Retail outlets across the country have re-opened their doors for the post-Christmas Day sales. For the first time, 70% of retailers in urban areas will open for business on St Stephen's Day. Retailers reported long queues outside their premises this...

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Cardinal Brady reiterates anti-abortion stance

Cardinal Seán Brady has urged everyone who believes that the right to life is fundamental to tell legislators that no government is entitled to remove that right from an innocent person. In his Christmas message, the Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and...

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Jacob Zuma pays visit to Mandela in hospital

South African President Jacob Zuma who has visited Nelson Mandela in hospital, has said doctors are happy with the progress that the 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader is making. President Zuma said Mr Mandela was in good spirits after more than two...

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Egypt expected to announce referendum results

Egypt is expected to announce the official results of a vote on its new draft constitution this evening. The results were postponed as the country's Supreme Elections Committee investigated appeals and allegations of voting fraud. Unofficial tallies...

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Pope condemns slaughter of 'defenceless' in Syria

Pope Benedict XVI has delivered his twice-yearly 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing and message to tens of thousands of people gathered in St Peter's Square and millions across the world. The 85-year-old Pontiff said people should never lose hope for peace. He...

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US police investigate shootings of firefighters

Police in New York state are continuing to investigate a shooting yesterday in which two firefighters died and two others were seriously injured. The gunman 62-year-old William Spengler is believed to have staged a deliberate ambush after starting a...

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Three children killed in UK crash

Three children have died and two adults have been injured following a crash on a busy UK motorway. West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said the three children - two boys and one girl - were travelling in a vehicle on the M6 that had crashed and overturned....

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Official referendum results due in Egypt

An official result is expected in Egypt's referendum on the new constitution. Unofficial results suggest over 60% of voters have backed the document which is supported by Islamists and President Mohammed Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood organisation. If...

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Train, rail and air services expect busy day

The country's roads, airports and train stations are expected to be busy again today as  180,000 people make their way home for Christmas. People are being urged to allow extra time for their journeys. Iarnród Éireann estimate that up to 70,000...

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Santa Claus delivering presents in Pacific region

Santa Claus has departed from the North Pole and has begun his worldwide delivery. The first stop was The Line Islands that are part of the Republic of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean. Currently, Santa is delivering toys in Australia where he finds it...

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UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi meets Syria's president

Special envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi met with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus to discuss a solution to the country's 21-month-old conflict. Mr Brahimi told journalists after the meeting that he discussed the situation in Syria overall. He said...

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Two charged over cannabis seizure

Two men have appeared in court charged in connection with the seizure of cannabis. The two men from Vietnam, Long Van Vuong, 52, and Lam Trong Guong, 36, of no fixed abode were charged under the misuse of drugs act. They were charged with possession...

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Gerry McEntee hits out at 'faceless' critics

The brother of the late Minister of State, Shane McEntee, has criticised anonymous attacks made on him following the recent Budget. Speaking at his funeral in Co Meath, Gerry McEntee hit out at what he called "the faceless people" who sent anonymous...

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Two charged men over Dublin cannabis seizure

Two men have been charged in connection with the seizure of €1m worth of cannabis in Dublin. Around 1,200 cannabis plants were discovered at an industrial unit at the Willow Business Park off the Nangor Road on Friday evening. The men, in their 30s...

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South Korea says North's missile could reach US

South Korean officials have said North Korea is likely to have the missile technology to fire a warhead more than 10,000km. The new technology, which was successfully tested earlier this month, would put the west coast of the US within range. North...

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Egypt's constitution 'approved' in vote

Egyptian state media has reported that a constitution drafted by an Islamist-dominated assembly has been approved by a majority in a referendum. The Muslim Brotherhood said an unofficial tally showed 64% of voters backed the constitution after two rounds...

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Monti available to lead Italy again

Italian caretaker Prime Minister Mario Monti has said that he would be ready to offer his leadership to political forces that adopt his agenda of reforms the country needs. Speaking at an end-of-year news conference, Mr Monti stressed that he was not...

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Fatal house fire in Co Carlow

A 50-year-old woman has died in a house fire in Hacketstown in Co Carlow. The woman's 20-year-old son found the house on fire when he returned home at 4.30am. He managed to get his mother out of the house, but she was later pronounced dead. Gardaí...

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ESB crews restore power after overnight outages

Electricity supply has been restored to nearly all homes after overnight power cuts due to gale-force winds and hurricane-strength gusts. ESB Networks spokeswoman Bevan Cody said repair crews are making good progress and they hope to have power restored...

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Retailers set to enjoy busy weekend

Retailers are expecting this weekend to be one of the busiest shopping weekends of the past five years. As hundreds of thousands of people do their Christmas shopping today, Retail Excellence Ireland said traders can move into 2013 with optimism. David...

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Two held after €1m Dublin cannabis seizure

Two men have been arrested after cannabis plants worth an estimated €1m were seized in Co Dublin. The cannabis plants were seized when gardaí raided an industrial unit on the Nangor Road yesterday evening. The men arrested are in their 30s and 40s...

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Pope Benedict pardons former Vatican butler

Pope Benedict has pardoned his former butler, Paolo Gabriele, who was convicted in October of leaking sensitive documents that alleged corruption in the Holy See. The Vatican said the Pope visited Mr Gabriele in the Vatican's jail this morning to tell...

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Egyptians voting in constitutional referendum

Polling stations have opened in Egypt in the second and final round of a referendum on a new constitution. The constitution was drafted by an assembly dominated by Islamists and the opposition says it is polarising the country. Unofficial results from...

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Russia says neither side will win Syrian civil war

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said neither side can win the war in Syria, and that China and Russia would be unable to persuade President Bashar al-Assad to quit if they tried. Russia has been backtracking since the Kremlin's Middle East...

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Two dead as looting spreads in Argentina

Two people have been killed in Argentina after looters broke into supermarkets in several cities, stirring memories of the country's devastating economic crisis 11 years ago. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to stop dozens of stone-throwing...

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Significant increase in number of burglaries

There has been a significant increase in the number of burglary and related offences, according to the latest crime figures. Figures from the Central Statistics Office show the number of burglaries rose by almost 8% - or 2,099 - in the period to September,...

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Latest attempt to avert 'US fiscal cliff' fails

The latest attempt to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, which many economists say threatens to send the United States back into recession, has failed. A vote on a Republican bill to limit tax rises to those earning more than $1m a year was abandoned...

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Death announced of Minister of State Shane McEntee

The Government has announced the sudden death of Fine Gael Minister of State Shane McEntee. He was 56. In a statement, the Government said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Shane's family and friends at this deeply sad time." Mr McEntee, a farmer...

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