LAST UPDATE | 18 Mar

GOOD MORNING.

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

Oval Office

1. What’s it like to be in the room as Taoiseach Micheál Martin meets with Trump? Our political editor Christina Finn was in the Oval Office yesterday and writes that while Martin was “more relaxed and assured” it was “still hard to get a word in”.

Middle East

2. Iran has vowed revenge for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani by Israel as Iranian missile fire kills two near Tel Aviv.

Helen McEntee

3. Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee insisted the Government’s position on the US and Israel’s war in Iran is “clear”, but refused to say that they have breached international law. 

Meningitis

4. The British Government announced a targeted vaccination programme for students at the University of Kent after an “unprecedented” meningitis outbreak killed two people.

Limerick

5. A man is in a serious condition in hospital in Limerick after being assaulted in the city overnight. It’s understood the man suffered stab wounds in an attack at Athlunkard Street, around 10:30pm.

Zohran Mamdani

6. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani namechecked James Connolly, Pádraig Pearse, Roger Casement and the Dunnes Stores strike against apartheid South Africa in his St Patrick’s Day message.

Scotland

7. Controversial legislation that would have made Scotland the first nation in the UK to back assisted dying has been defeated at the Scottish Parliament.

Afcon

8. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) stripped Senegal of the Africa Cup of Nations title they won in January and declared Morocco champions. Several Senegalese players had temporarily left the pitch late in the match in protest at a refereeing decision.

Trump visit

9. Donald Trump yesterday said he is “going to try” visit Ireland this year for the Irish Open golf tournament when it is hosted at the Doonbeg course he owns in Co Clare.