GOOD MORNING. 

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

Middle East

1. The United States said it downed multiple Iranian drones targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday, hours after both sides said a deal to end the Middle East war was closer than ever.

Mark Carney

2. The Canadian prime minister Mark Carney is in town to meet the Taoiseach and President Catherine Connolly this weekend. 

Bill Kenneally

3. In our Morning Lead, Saoirse McGarrigle looks at the prominent role child abuser Bill Kenneally played in a major Irish political dynasty.

Belfast

4. Elon Musk, newly crowned the world’s first trillionaire, faced renewed criticism over anti-immigrant riots in Belfast after researchers said violent narratives he amplified on his platform X amassed millions of views.

Housing crisis

5. Hundreds of students at Ireland’s third-level institutions are homeless, according to data obtained from colleges and universities under the Freedom of Information Act. 

Dublin City

6. Dublin City Council’s chief executive has heavily criticised the government’s failure to pay infrastructure-funding development contributions on the increasing amount of social and affordable housing under construction in the city.

School holidays

7. Do school holidays need to be shorter? Sorry, parents: TDs don’t think so

Switzerland 

8. A Dublin man who has been living in Switzerland for almost 10 years has said that people are nervous that a referendum on capping the country’s population at 10 million could result in a ‘yes’ vote. 

World Cup

9. The US pulverised Paraguay as they opened their home World Cup campaign with a statement victory in front of a galaxy of Los Angeles stars, including Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Halle Berry, and David and Victoria Beckham.