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

1.#POSTCODES: The new postcode system will be opened up to businesses to generate addition revenue for the Government, TheJournal.ie has learned. The system, due to be introduced in 2015, will be available to businesses at a cost.

2.#GOOD NEIGHBOURS: President Michael D Higgins will become the first Irish head of state to make an official visit to Britain. It was announced last night that Higgins had accepted the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II to make the visit. The news has been warmly welcomed across the board.

3.#REGENERATION: A non-profit organisation which revamped an estate in Longford has said at there are 22 estates across the country in need of “urgent” work. Clúid say that the estates in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Sligo, Tralee, Dundalk and Waterford could be upgraded – if the political will is there to do so.

4.#JOBS: Three companies today announced a combined 125 jobs across Dublin. Two of the companies are Indian-based and the jobs were announced by the Jobs Minister Richard Bruton who is on a trade mission to the country.

5.#TORNADO: Six people have been killed as dozens of tornadoes swept across the Midwest of the USA yesterday. The state of Illinois took the brunt of the fury, where trees were pulled from the ground and entire neighbourhoods flattened.

6.#GOOGLE: Search giant Google today announced that they were introducing an algorithm that would ban some child porn queries. Users who make the searches from now on will be returned warnings that their activities are illegal.

7.#MANDELA: The ex-wife of Nelson Mandela has told a newspaper that the 95-year-old former South African leader can no longer talk. Mandela was was released from hospital after intensive treatment in June.

8.#SYRIA: The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore is in Brussels today, where he will meet with EU foreign ministers. The issue of a continuing lack of humanitarian access within Syria will be on the agenda, Gilmore said.

9.#BRRR: This week will see cold, wintry showers, Met Éireann is warning. Thursday and Friday will see freezing fog, severe frost and heavy showers.