EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know as you kick off your day.

1. #MURDER: A post mortem will be carried out on the body of former garda John Kerins today. The 42-year-old was found dead in his Bailieboro home in Cavan yesterday. Morning reports reveal he was previously arrested and questioned over the disappearance of his neigbour Gerry Daly in 2011. He was also suspected of being involved in the drugs trade, reports RTÉ.

2. #REFERENDUM: Polls open at 9am so the electorate can have its say in the long-awaited Children’s Rights Referendum. Don’t forget your checklist.

3. #CRASH: Seventeen military personnel in Turkey have been killed following the crash of a helicopter early this morning. There were no survivors and an investigation has been launched, according to Slirt province governor.

4. #ROW: Siptu is to hold an emergency meeting of its Aer Lingus pension committee this morning as it tries to resolve a dispute over pensions and avoid strike action. Its members are due to examine an IBEC/ITCU five-point-plan.

5. #APOLOGY: The BBC has issued an unreserved apology for a Newsnight report which led to Lord McAlpine being wrongly implicated in the alleged sexual abuse of children at north Wales care homes.

6. #AOIFE PHELAN: The family of murdered au pair Aoife Phelan has issued a statement to say they are “happy” to have their daughter’s body back with them. Her funeral is due to take place this afternoon. A 24-year-old man, understood to be known to the victim, has been charged with murder.

7. #SRI LANKA: A riot at Colombo’s maximum security Welikada prison has left 27 dead and 43 wounded. The violence broke out between inmates and elite police commandos because they were carrying out a search for weapons and contraband.

8. #SENTENCED: A teenager in Ohio has been sentenced to life in prison for helping alleged killer Richard Beasley lure victims to an invented Ohio cattle farm for work. Brogan Rafferty, 17, used Craiglist to advertise the fake jobs.

9. #CLEVER CRIM: An English schoolboy who wore a sophisticated disguise to commit violent and armed robberies has been sentenced to five years in prison. Sixteen-year-old Miles Alura used facial prosthetics, makeup and a hair piece to disguise himself as an elderly man in order to raid a jewellers in Kent.