EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the nine stories you need to know a little before 9am.

1. #VULTURE FUNDS: Thousands of Irish mortgages are in the hands of unregulated entities, meaning that home owners are left vulnerable to a rise in interest rates.

2. #HEALTHCARE: There has been a 600% rise since December in the number of people waiting more than a year for hospital treatment, the Irish Examiner reports. Former health minister James Reilly had set targets to end these long waits by the end of the year.

3. #IRAQ: US military planes have dropped supplies to civilians fleeing violence in northern Iraq. Air strikes have continued on Islamic State fighters.

4. #DIRECT PROVISION: There has been over 1,500 incidents reported to social services regarding child welfare or protection concerns in direct provision centres. The Irish Times details that these range from mental health problems to the inability of parents to cope with issues.

5. #SEEYA AUSTERITY: Talks on reversing pay and pension cuts imposed on public sector workers during the economic crisis will begin next year, Minister Brendan Howlin has told the Irish Independent. It’s also just 66 days until Budget 2015.

6. #GAZA: Sinn Féin is urging Government to stop buying military equipment from Israel, the Irish Examiner reports. The spend between 2004 and 2009 was in the region of €14 million.

7. #ANNIVERSARY: A demonstration is due to take place later today to mark the 43rd anniversary of the Ballymurphy Massacre. Over three days in 1971, eleven people were shot dead in Belfast by the British Army.

8. #UKRAINE: Fuelling Western fears that Moscow is planning to invade, authorities said Russia had attempted to send troops across the border under the guise of a humanitarian mission, AFP reports.

9. #THE G WORD: A country-western musician Garth Brooks (you’ve probably never heard of him) won’t be back in Ireland until 2017 at the earliest, the Irish Sun reports, due to added dates to his US tour. Of course, that’s assuming he hasn’t been put off the idea of playing here completely.