EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you need to know with your morning cup of coffee.

1. #MICHAELA: The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore will meet with the Irish ambassador to Mauritius today following as Mauritian newspaper’s publication of images of Michaela McAreavey after she was killed. The images have caused shock and outrage with the government now looking at the best way to raise concerns with the Mauritian government at the highest level, RTÉ reports

2. #RICH AND POOR: While the income of the poorest households in the country fell by almost a fifth in one year, the income of the richest households in the country rose by four per cent according to research by Social Justice Ireland (SJI). Disposable income for the richest 10 per cent of the population is now almost 14 times that of the poorest ten per cent, with SJI saying that government policy is favouring the rich.

3. #BANKS: One in four bank branches across the country will close over the next two years with AIB, EBS, Ulster Bank and Permanent TSB all looking to close 200 branches between them, according to the Irish Independent. Charlie Weston writes that that plans for branch closures across the country have been submitted to the government and regulators and will likely see the loss of thousands of jobs.

4. #BANKING INQUIRY: Staying with the banks, the chairman of the Oireachtas Finance Committee, Alex White, has said that legislation that allows the Oireachtas to establish more powerful inquiries is more important than whether his committee or the Public Accounts Committee investigates the controversial decision to guarantee Ireland’s banks four years ago.  There has been some dispute about which committee should carry out an investigation but White said it was more important to give the Oireachtas the necessary powers to carry out a proper probe.

5. #SYRIA: There has been heavy fighting in the Syrian capital of Damascus this morning with reports from activists and residents saying that mortar and small-arms fire has been heard in several areas, BBC News reports. Government forces have been clashing with rebels from the Free Syrian Army with talks at a diplomatic level to continue today as the UN-Arab League envoy to the region Kofi Annan meets with Russia’s foreign minister over the Kremlin’s continued support of the Syrian regime.

6. #NORTH KOREA: The head of the North Korean military has been removed from all official posts, according to State media in the secretive country. Ri Yong-ho was removed because of illness, according to a statement but correspondents and analysts in the region say there is widespread scepticism about the official reason for the surprise removal of one of new leader Kim Jong-Un’s inner circle, AFP reports.

7. #END OF TERM: TDs and Senators are off on their holidays this week or – as they would put it – heading back to their constituencies, as the Dáil and Seanad finish up until September. There is plenty of legislation before lawmakers including the personal insolvency bill while the upper house will welcome a very special guest as Taoiseach Enda Kenny addresses the Seanad for the first time since taking office.

8. #WEATHER: The thinking is that if it rains on St Swithin’s Day, which was yesterday, then it rains for the next 40 days. Sure enough there was rain yesterday and today has been a wet start for many particularly in Dublin. The forecast is mostly wet for the week ahead with some bright spells but you’d best keep that umbrella handy.

9. #MADONNA: The singer Madonna is facing legal action from France’s far-right Front National (FN) party after a concert in Paris featured a picture of FN’s leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her head, the Guardian reports. A spokesperson for Le Pen said that the image was “public insult” to the candidate who finished third in May’s presidential election.