Government approves draft bill to set up motor insurance database

The Government has approved the drafting of a bill which would set up a National Claims Information Database for the motor insurance industry.

The Central Bank (National Claims Information Database) Bill is one recommendation from a report of the Cost of Insurance Working Group, which was chaired by Minister of State Michael D'Arcy.

The database would facilitate more in-depth annual analysis of motor insurance claim trends.

New UN sanctions to cut North Korea's access to fuel and oil

The United Nations Security Council has imposed tough new sanctions on North Korea in response to its latest ballistic missile test on November 29th.

The move will restrict oil supplies which are vital for Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programs.

The council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution by 15-0.

UK Brexit guidelines confirm "uninhibited movement" across the Irish border

The British government has published guidance on Irish citizens' rights in relation to Brexit.

An agreement reached earlier this month means the rights of Irish and British citizens under the Common Travel Area (CTA) are protected after the UK leaves the EU.

This means that no Irish or British nationals will be required to apply for settled status to protect their entitlements in Ireland and the UK respectively.

WATCH: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visits Irish troops in Lebanon

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has visited Irish troops based in Lebanon.

UNIFIL Head of Mission Major General Michael Beary welcomed Mr Varadkar at the UNIFIL base.

The Taoiseach reviewed a guard of honour, and also laid wreath at the cenotaph in memory of more than 300 UNIFIL peacekeepers - 47 of them from Ireland - who have lost their lives in the line of duty in south Lebanon.

New Zealand mountain is granted personhood

A mountain in New Zealand is to be given a legal personality in its own right.

Mount Egmont, or Mount Taranaki as it also known, will become a legal personality with joint responsibility shared between local Maori and the government.

The agreement was signed with eight tribes of Taranaki in parliament on Wednesday, according to Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Andrew Little.