EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the stories you need to know as you start your day.

1. #TRACKER MORTGAGE: A widower who was charged the wrong interest rate may now lose the family home due to repossession.

2. #RUSSIA: Sources have told Interfax news agency that police believe that yesterday’s St Petersburg attack that left 11 dead was carried out by a suicide bomber.

3. #DIVORCE: A new law aims to cut the wait time for a divorce from four years to two.

4. #ABUSE: A Meath man who sexually abused his fiancée’s three young daughters has been jailed for 10 years.

5. #PREMATURE: The Dáil will debate extending maternity leave for the 4,500 Irish mothers who start it in hospital every year.

6. #WANTED: A cute and well-behaved dog is needed to star in an opera in the National Concert Hall this month. The dog does not need to sing.

7. #POLL: A majority of people think Irish should be optional in Ireland’s schools.

8. #PLEA DEAL: Film director Roman Polanski has not received assurances on whether he will serve jail time if he returns to the US.

9. #HISTORICAL ABUSE: A Catholic congregation has claimed that the government was “forced” to set up a €1.5 billion redress scheme for abuse victims.