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

1. #OLYMPICS: After yesterday’s Irish successes at London 2012, all eyes will be on Katie Taylor when she takes to the ring for her Olympic final at 4.45pm. Meanwhile, the Olympic Stadium hosts the men’s 200m final and decathlon 1,500m final. TheScore.ie has noted the day’s highlights with the Olympic Breakfast.

2. #TURF WARS: The department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has processed over 1,000 applications for compensation from turf cutters after they were stopped from cutting turf on designated conservation areas of bog. The scheme has paid out over €1.5m this year.

3. #GARDAÍ: The Garda Representative Association president has told the Irish Examiner that gardaí are operating at a shoestring and are not patrolling some rural areas to try to preserve their ageing vehicles.

4. #AGENT ORANGE: US and Vietnamese authorities have launched a coordinated project to clean the Agent Orange chemical used to defoliate forests during the Vietnam War, which ended almost four decades ago.

5. #SYRIA: Iran is holding a conference on the situation in Syria this afternoon amid reports of a surge in refugees crossing the borders from Syria into neighbouring countries. Around 50,000 Syrians have sought refuge in Turkey.

6. #TAXES: High earners in Ireland are paying more tax after a number of tax relief measures were cut, according to analysis by the Revenue Commissioners reported in the Irish Times. The report found that in 2010, high earners’ average tax increased to 30 per cent from 5 per cent in 2006.

7. #STRIKE: As the Olympic Games enters their thirteenth day, cleaners working on London’s Underground have announced a 48-hour strike in a pay dispute. The strike means no cleaners will be operating in the part of the Tube near Olympic Park.

8. #KERRY: The Kerry Group has reported a 10 per cent increase in sales to €2.9 billion for the first six months of 2012.

9. #MIGHTY METEORS: Astronomy Ireland says stargazers are in for a treat this weekend as Perseid meteors light up in the Earth’s atmosphere in a shooting stars show. Weather permitting, Saturday night will be the best time to see the meteor shower from Ireland. Here’s a preview:

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