BBC News with Kathy Clugston.
In one of its strongest resolutions, the United Nations’ human rights council has authorized a UN investigation into mass killings in Syria last week. More than 100 people, including many children, died in the violence in the city of Houla. Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.
The decision to investigate the Houla killings and to publicly identify those responsible is a clear sign that the violation in the Syria will in the long term at least end up in the International Criminal Court in the Hague. Karen Pierce is the UK’s (ambassador) in Geneva.
Killing the (49) children has rightly shocked the delegations here, shocked people around the world. And the idea of publishing findings, naming people is to hold them to account and to let them know that they will be held account.
Russia, China and Cuba all voted against the resolution, claiming it was (biased) because it referred to the deaths in Houla as the work of pro-regime elements.
President Francois Hollande of France has said the only way out of the crisis in Syria is the (departure) of President Bashar al-Assad. After talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, he called for UN sanctions against Syria. But Mr. Putin cast doubt on the effectiveness of sanctions and said Syria’s rebels had also killed civilians.
There have been sharp falls in share prices in the United States and Europe, following a weak official report on the US (jobs market). Earlier figures had confirmed signs of a slow-down in china. Here is our economics correspondent Andrew Walker.
US business did manage to create some new jobs last month but not enough to keep up with a growing population. It could be a sign that the recent (upturn) in the labor market is faltering. The survey of industrial man-use in China kind of confirmed the early evidence that the sector is slowing. Europe problems are hardly news but further market pressure on Spanish government debt added to the (gloom). At the same time, interest rates on the debts of the United States and Germany fell. They are seen as safe investments, so that fall in rate is a sign of financial market nerves.
Voters in the Irish Republic have backed a European treaty drawn up in response to the Eurozone crisis. Just over 60% of those voting (approved) the agreement. Here is Mark Simpson.
It was the result most politicians in Ireland and Europe desperately wanted. And Irish, yes to the new (fiscal treaty). Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny called a vote for hope.
The ratification of the stability treaty will also mean that Ireland and other Eurozone countries can now put in place good housekeeping rules aimed at ensuring that responsible budgeting becomes the norm throughout Europe.
The treaty imposes strict new deficit limits but it also guarantees access to the new EU rescue fund, the European Stability Maxim.
World News from the BBC.