The determination of a 70-year-old Irish woman to get justice for the abuse she suffered as a child in Magdalene Laundries is likely to have far-reaching implications for survivors of such institutions all over the world.

The Syrian military vowed today to “cut every evil hand that targets Syrian blood”, as it missed an Arab League deadline to allow observers in or face economic sanctions.

A United Nations human-rights panel has expressed concern that Britain does not stick to the global treaty against torture when it comes to its troops’ actions in Afghanistan and Iraq.