GOOD MORNING. 

Here’s all the news you need to know to start the day. 

Push for independence 

1. The first ministers of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will meet in Cardiff today to sign an agreement aimed at putting pressure on Downing Street to hold referendums on independence.

Hospital violence

2. A Dublin hospital recorded the highest number of incidents of violence or aggression against staff, patients and members of the public over the past three years of any hospital in the country.

St James’s Hospital recorded more than three incidents of alleged violence or aggression every day on average over the course of 2023 to 2025.  

Elections in Sweden

3. Sweden’s election was too close to call early this morning, as the incumbent prime minister and the left-wing opposition leader both said they were ready to govern and the far right was seen losing ground.

Trump leaves Ireland

4. US president Donald Trump has left Ireland after two days in the country. He left us with a “cocktail to win over the Irish: booze and reunification”, our political correspondent Jane Matthews writes.

Pensions

5. The number of people paying into a pension has increased by 17% since last year, but just two in five are sure that their pension will provide a good standard of living in retirement.

Drone attack on train

6. Poland and Ukraine have denounced Russian strikes that hit a train just after another train carrying several EU officials and British ex-PM Boris Johnson passed through.

Shark attack

7. A 50-year-old surfer has been rushed to hospital after being bitten by a shark off the coast of Western Australia. 

Tennis

8. Alexander Zverev has beaten Ben Shelton in four sets to win the US Open in New York, marking the second grand slam the world number one has won this year.

Nicotine pouches

9. Health campaigners have raised concerns over the heavy marketing of nicotine pouches at Irish music festivals this summer.