EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the stories you need to know as you wake up.

1. #ELECTION 2016: There was bad news for the government in the latest opinion poll, which shows support for both Fine Gael and Labour down.

2. #PRESIDENTIAL: The death of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Scalia has sparked an argument between the two sides of the US election.

3. #GANGLAND VIOLENCE: There are growing concerns about further conflict as gang associates of David Byrne fly in for his funeral, the Sunday Independent reports.

4. #POSTER WARS: Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter claims someone has been snipping the cable ties on his posters.

5. #NEW ZEALAND: A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Christchurch area of New Zealand, though no serious injuries have been reported, according to the New Zealand Herald.

6. #PAPPED: Former minister Joe Costello defended himself after a photo emerged of him and his wife smiling with Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch at a charity event, The Mail on Sunday reports.

7. #VENEZUELA: Three men have been sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing a former beauty queen.

8. #SPEED: There are big problems with Netflix speeds on Virgin Media – but whose fault is it?

9. #BRAZIL: There have been calls for the country to loosen its near-ban on abortion in light of the recent Zika virus outbreak, Associated Press reports.