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

1. #HORSE MEAT: The director of Consumer Protection at the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has said this morning that the recently-uncovered horse meat DNA contamination in beef burgers was more than likely ‘accidental’. Inquiries are ongoing but he said there is no evidence of ill practice where someone is trying to substitute horse meat for beef.

2. #IMMIGRATION: A new study has shown that black Africans come up against significant discrimination in the Irish labour market and have the highest rate of unemployment. In 2010, the labour force participation rate for Asians and White EU individuals ranged between 72 per cent and 86 per cent compared to 60 per cent for black Africans.

3. #HOSPITAL FOOD: The Coombe hospital in Dublin has said it will undertake a review of its menu after a picture of a meal served to one of its patients, consisting of a sausage roll and some overcooked wedges, was posted online. The hospital said the meal was “unacceptable” and that it would look to improve the choices it offered in the future.

4. #EXPLOSIVE: Houses in Drimnagh, Dublin, were evacuated last night after an explosive device was thrown into one of the private residences on the street. A bomb disposal team  was deployed and the device has now been handed over to gardaí to assist in their investigations.

5. #EU PRESIDENCY: Taoiseach Enda Kenny is addressing the European Parliament this morning outlining Ireland’s plans for the EU Presidency term. In the course of his two hour speech he is expected to focus on areas like jobs, eurozone stability and economic growth and will take questions from MEPs.

6. #DISABILITY: People with a disability are less than half as likely to be active in the labour market and more likely to experience discrimination in the workplace according to research from the ESRI. Only 36 per cent of people with a disability are active in the labour force, less than half the equivalent rate for other adults at 77 per cent.

7. #LONDON: A helicopter has crashed into a crane in the Vauxhall area  of central London this morning. Scotland Yard, which has sent officers to the scene, says it is too early to confirm any casualties but the London Fire Brigade and Air Ambulance are both at the scene. It is understood that at least one car was involved in the incident.

8. #SYRIA: At least 82 people have been killed and more than 160 wounded in a terrorist attack that targeted students on their first day of exams at the University of Aleppo, AFP reports. While opposition activists said government jets had carried out an air strike, a military official said ground-to-air missiles fired by rebels had fallen short.

9. #GUN CONTROL: US President Barack Obama is expected to to call for universal background checks for gun buyers, an assault weapons ban and limits on high capacity magazines, in new plans targeting gun violence, AFP reports. Today he will unveil his strategy to deal with gun violence, surrounded by children who wrote to him concerned about school safety.

• Over on DailyEdge.ie: Which star believes in actual, real leprechauns (because “humans are so disappointing”)? It’s The Dredge>