Sebastian Pinera is sworn in as president of quake-hit Chile, as a 6.9-magnitude aftershock strikes the centre of the country.

First results from Iraq's election suggest a tight contest may be developing between PM Nouri Maliki and main rival Iyad Allawi.

Freedom of expression on the web has been curtailed in 2009, the US state department says in its annual human rights report.

Turkey withdraws its ambassador to Sweden after the parliament votes to describe as genocide the killing of Armenians in WWI.

Hundreds of Nigerian women protest over last Sunday's violence near Jos, where many women and children were massacred.

Greek public and transport services grind to a halt and clashes break out during a third strike over austerity measures.

The Government is to meet trade unions tomorrow to discuss public sector pay and reform.

Tallaght hospital has said that an estimation by Trinity College Dublin public health specialist Prof Tom O'Dowd that 30,000 GP referral letters were unopened was incorrect.

The central and over-riding priority in all aspects of health care, in every hospital, at every meeting and in every last detail of administration is the interest of patients.

The tourism group behind a new ferry service linking Cork with Swansea has expressed confidence for the future of the service which today saw the ship arrive in Cork on its maiden voyage from the Welsh port.

The Department of Finance was accused today of undermining viable hotels by giving out ?329 million in tax breaks for new developments over a four-year period.

Two more people have died after contracting swine flu, bringing the total number of fatalities from the virus in the Republic to 24, health authorities confirmed this afternoon.