Schoolchildren are getting into the Christmas spirit this week, sending millions of gifts to needy children in Africa and Eastern Europe.

Lesotho’s military has seized and disarmed two police stations in the mountainous kingdom in an effort to secure the country, the defence force spokesman said.

The owner of an office supply business in Tralee, Co Kerry, and a "generous" charity worker, was found to have almost €800,000 in Swiss and other foreign bank accounts uncovered on foot of a revenue investigation and a European tip-off.

The Government’s decision to reopen the Irish embassy in the Vatican was hugely influenced by the work of Pope Francis and his commitment to ending world poverty, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said yesterday.

Have you ever wondered which country has the largest amount of gold reserves or how Ireland's youth unemployment rate compares with the rest of the world?

Five exceptional teenagers have scooped the top prizes at the West Cork Garda Youth Awards.

A teenager shot in the head by the Taliban followed in the footsteps of some of the world’s great leaders when she became the latest recipient of the Tipperary International Peace Award.

The king and queen consort of one of Africa’s poorest countries were the only heads of state to stay overnight at the State’s €52m Farmleigh House last year.

A Kerry bookshop and one man’s dream brought hope to a Lesotho community, says Peter Geoghegan

The spending of more than €600m on overseas aid this year has been defended by Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore as “the right thing to do”, despite the economic crisis.

A British man who ran a nature reserve on a rural farm in South Africa has been killed in a robbery.

Industrial action has spread in South Africa with a wildcat strike by 15,000 gold miners, while few workers reported for duty at in the fourth week of a stoppage at a platinum mine.

Following a club league game on Friday night, I watched the opening ceremony of the London Olympics with my team-mates in the local.

The King and Queen of Lesotho are in Ireland today, at the start of a three-day visit.

Prince Harry has admitted he sometimes wishes he were “normal” — and suggested his royal duties can be off-putting to women.

Africans are not passive recipients of aid but they do need our help, writes Jan O’Sullivan.

A man has been charged today in connection with the first ever seizure of the drug crystal meth at Dublin Airport.

Customs Officers at Dublin Airport have seized drugs with an estimated value of a quarter of a million euro.

A MAJOR charity initiative to provide medical and financial aid to a small country devastated by poverty and disease was launched yesterday.

Vodafone has unveilled what it claims is the world's "lowest-cost" mobile phone.

ONE of the world’s senior experts in HIV vaccine research said it was vital that complacency over the virus does not take hold after new figures showed a 20% rise in HIV cases in one Dublin hospital.

LAST week, in glorious weather, we walked the headlands of west Cork. On Three Castles Head, beyond Barley Cove, we found lizards basking on the walls of the collapsed 15th century bawn, golden lizards, sharp-eyed and fast, disappearing between the stones at the hint of a footfall or shadow.

Madonna's appeal to adopt another Malawian orphan has been successful.

Madonna is set to turn her attentions to orphanages in the African country of Lesotho if she is denied the chance to adopt Mercy James from Malawi.

Irish people can be proud of their role in fighting global poverty after an international report praised the State’s work in developing countries, it was claimed today.

DUTCH student Femke Van Der Kooij yesterday got into the swing of things for the upcoming Africa Day in Limerick.

HOPES of greatly increasing the number of children attending school in poorer countries within the next six years are on target thanks in part to Irish donations.

Libya’s Colonel Gadaffi was elected leader of the African Union today, a position the eccentric dictator has yearned for as he pushed his oil-rich nation into the international mainstream after years of isolation.

Leaders of England’s bid for the 2018 World Cup have been forced to insist £1.5m allocated for international projects is not intended to be a vote-winning sweetener.

Irish people will donate up to 300,000 boxes of Christmas toys in coming weeks to ensure Santa doesn't forget poor children abroad.

MINERS in the southern African kingdom of Lesotho have found one of the world’s largest diamonds, a near-flawless white gem weighing nearly 500 carats, mining group Gem Diamonds said.

Fabio Capello has warned any player lacking the total commitment required to play for England to “stay at home.”

VETERAN pop star Elton John has donated 120 motorbikes to help doctors and nurses do their rounds in the mountainous southern African kingdom of Lesotho.

The European Union has come under fire from a charity over deals which allow developing countries to sell their wares in Europe duty-free.

Former US President Bill Clinton met with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tonight before a private fundraising event in Dublin to support his wife’s bid for presidency.

Irish people are expected to collect up to 300,000 boxes of Christmas toys for needy children abroad in coming weeks.

IRELAND’S commitment to helping to reduce hunger in developing countries will be reiterated today.

Southern African leaders meeting this week were likely to be preoccupied with the economic and political crises in Zimbabwe that are sending thousands of refugees into neighbouring South Africa, Botswana and Zambia.

Fires that have swept through parts of South Africa in recent days have killed at least 18 people and damaged power lines, crops, forests and grazing areas.

The star-studded concert in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales will be an “incredible” night of music, Prince William and Prince Harry said today.

Sheryl Crow says she thinks baby son Wyatt will be the first in a “whole troop” of children in her life.

Sheryl Crow says she thinks baby son Wyatt will be the first in a “whole troop” of children in her life.

Zimbabwe’s neighbours are under increasing pressure to do something about its chaos – in part because it is already spilling over in the form of migrants fleeing economic collapse and political clampdown.

Mikel John Obi claims threats made against his family forced him to play for Nigeria this week against the wishes of club manager Jose Mourinho.