Every morning TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know a little before 9am.

1.#CALLIN’ JONES’ ROAD: Garth Brooks says he wants to play five nights in Croke Park. If he doesn’t, however, here’s how you can get a refund, that is of course if Leo Varadkar doesn’t come to the rescue.

2.#CALLED OFF: A proposed meeting between leaders from Dublin and Belfast has been cancelled after unionists walked out of talks on parades, flags and the past.

3.#PLANE SAILING: Which countries landed military aircraft at Shannon Airport last year? Some of the names on the list of 35 will surprise you.

4.#LABOUR: Either Joan Burton or Alex White will become the leader of the Labour Party at around 4.30pm today. The leadership contest ends today, with counting set to begin at 12.30pm. Here’s what both candidates told TheJournal.ie they would bring to the job.

5.#DUE NORTHERNERS: Trinity College Dublin is looking to increase the number of Northern Irish students it takes in. The college is changing eligibility criteria for Northern students in a bid to attract hundreds of students.

6.#ISRAEL: Israel has responded to rocket fire from Gaza by moving troops to the border between the two. Israel says, however, that was a defensive measure.

7.#COMPLAINTS: The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission handled 5,000 allegations against members of the force last year. Here’s who complained and why.

8.#BRAZIL: Two people are dead after a bridge collapsed on top of a bus in Belo Horizonte in Brazil. The city is due to host a World Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

9.#TIMON EVERYBODY: It’s Friday, so here are some pictures of Dublin Zoo’s new meerkat pups. You’re welcome.