Germany's Social Democrats are likely to start coalition talks with other parties after narrowly winning a knife-edge federal election.

Olaf Scholz, the centre-left Social Democrat (SPD) candidate to succeed Angela Merkel, is often described as boring, but is on the verge of a sensational upset after yesterday's election.

The first weekly fuel allowance payments for 2021/2022 will be issued from this week.

The British Prime Minister is said to be considering whether to call in soldiers to deliver fuel to petrol stations as pumps ran dry after days of panic buying.

The chief executive of St Patrick's Mental Health Services has said the pandemic has had a significant psychological impact on people with an increase of 15-20% in reports of mental health difficulties.

Stay-at-home orders are set to be lifted in Sydney and surrounding New South Wales when the double-dose vaccination rate hits 70%.

Emergency authorities early today ordered people in an area on the eastern shore of La Palma island to lock down as the lava gushing from the Cumbre Vieja volcano approaches the sea.

A surgical registrar at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has said that the introduction of a recognised training pathway for doctors from outside the EU and EEA to train as consultants may result in more doctors staying in the health service.

Northern Ireland's planning minister has announced a review of the rules on oil and gas exploration.

Asking prices for homes in the third quarter were up 9% across the country compared to the same period last year, according to two separate reports by property websites.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar is in Washington DC for a series of high-level engagements on commerce and trade.

An emotional Rory McIlroy was reduced to tears as the United States regained the Ryder Cup with a record-breaking performance at Whistling Straits.

The Government is examining introducing a bank holiday between now and the end of the year as part of a pandemic bonus.

The Minister for Transport has indicated that Dublin's Metro Link will be delayed and will not be delivered by 2027.

The tallest mural in Ireland has been completed in Dundalk, depicting warrior god Lú, the namesake of Co Louth.

Iceland believed briefly it had become the first country in Europe to have a women-majority parliament after its election yesterday, but a recount showed it fell short, an election official has said.

A policy which effectively excluded doctors from outside the EU/EEA from accessing postgraduate training places is to be scrapped.

The tiny state of San Marino has voted to allow abortion in a historic referendum result that brings the predominately Catholic country in line with most of the rest of Europe.

The General Secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has said that gardaí should receive a pandemic bonus.

The Department of Health has been notified of 1,459 new cases of Covid-19.