GOOD MORNING.

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

Pennsylvania

1. The FBI has identified the 20-year-old gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania last night.

Several shots were fired towards the former US president before he was rushed off stage by Secret Service agents bleeding from his ear. One person in the crowd was killed and two people were critically injured.

Condemnation

2. US President Joe Biden has led international condemnation of the assassination attempt, saying: “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence. It’s sick.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris described the incident as “frightening and wrong” and said it is a relief that Trump survived. 

Antimicrobial resistance

3. A mother whose newborn baby died when she was just eight days old has spoken to The Journal about the dangers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR occurs when pathogens – bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites – no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines.

Free schoolbooks

4. The free schoolbooks scheme is “death by a thousand cuts” for Irish booksellers, who have fears for the future of the industry if the scheme is expanded.

A lack of footfall in-store and small shops competing with large businesses for contracts has led to eight store closures since the scheme began, and more sellers are expected to exit the market after this year’s books are distributed.

City life

5. Paul O’Donoghue examines whether more pedestrians and public transport access – and fewer cars – in Dublin city centre will be bad for businesses.

Business groups in the capital have claimed that Dublin’s new transport plan could cost the city as much as €400 million.

Bin collections

6. As part of The Journal‘s Policy Matters series, Jane Matthews speaks to Labour Party Senator and spokesperson on employment affairs, Marie Sherlock about the argument for bringing waste collection back under public control. 

Household waste collection companies take in around €350 million in revenue each year. Conversely, local authorities spend approximately €100 million every year cleaning up illegal dumping.

Election fallout

7. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has claimed that the party diverged from what its supporters wanted in the family and care referendums and on the issue of immigration.

She admitted her party fell short of its own expectations in the recent election and said it had “lost the trust” of its regular supporters.

RIP

8. Dr Ruth Westheimer, the diminutive sex therapist who became a media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo, bedroom topics, has died at the age of 96. 

Westheimer died on Friday at her home in New York City, surrounded by her family, according to publicist and friend, Pierre Lehu.

All-Ireland SFC

9. Armagh defeated Kerry after extra-time to progress to the All-Ireland SFC final for the first time since 2003.