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

1. #GAZA: Israel is carrying out the most intense ground offensive of the recent conflict in Gaza with 20 people dying in early shelling.

2. #MH17: A top Ukrainian rebel leader has said that the pro-Russian fighters will allow access to the Malaysia Airlines crash site if Kiev agrees to a truce.

3. #DEVELOPERS: Nama is to offer financial incentives to property developers to stop them declaring bankruptcy in the UK according to the Sunday Business Post.

4. #GARDAÍ: Garda whistleblower Mauric McCabe is due to meet with acting Garda Commissioner Noirín O’Sullivan, possibly as early as this week.

5. #JOBS: More than 28,500 people applied for entry-level €11 an hour civil service jobs according to the Sunday Independent.

6. #CHILD ABUSE: A Dundalk man sexually abused as a child was offered €10,000 by Cadinal Sean Brady in 2011 to settle a court case reports The Sunday Times.

7. #SMOKING: A US tobacco company has been ordered to pay $23.6 billion in punitive damages in a lawsuit filed by the widow of a longtime smoker who died of lung cancer.

8. #LUGGAGE: A homeless man who repeatedly stole bags from passengers at London airports has been sentenced to three years in jail.

9. #RIP: Legendary actor James Garner, star of “The Rockford Files” and “The Notebook” has died according to TMZ.