The Mid East region of the country has been worst affected by rising unemployment over the past year, according to figures published today by the CSO.

The fall-out from last month's war in Georgia is set to dominate talks in Dublin today between Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

US President George Bush today called for quick deployment of an international force, with robust rules of engagement, to help uphold the fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.

Irish MEP Pronsias de Rossa has expressed optimisism about the prospects for peace in the Middle East following the election of Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian Authority president.

Northern Ireland’s experience in emerging from conflict could be a model for the Middle East, an international conference being held in Belfast will hear this week.

Israeli and Palestinian leaders made concessions today to keep the road map to Mid East peace on track.

Palestinian and Israeli prime ministers began a summit meeting in Jerusalem tonight, where they planned to discuss disagreements over a US-backed Mid East peace deal.

The Hours director Stephen Daldry has been criticised for pulling out of a political drama set in the Middle East.

DUBLINERS’ disposable income is 16.8% greater than the national average at €17,042, 34.9% greater than the €11,944 average disposable income of Laois residents, the lowest in the country.

A Northern Ireland woman whose husband is caught up in a legal dispute in the Middle East has told of her fears if a new hearing goes against him.

The White House today blamed aggressive diplomacy by former President Bill Clinton for the current violence in the Middle East, saying he pushed Israelis and Palestinians too hard ‘‘in an attempt to shoot the moon and get nothing.’’

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has completed his first visit to the Middle East where he met both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.