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

1. #MONEY LENDING: Not one person has been prosecuted for illegal money-lending over the past seven years, despite repeated warnings that an increasing number of families have turned to loan sharks for assistance during the recession.

2. #ULSTER BANK: Dozens of Ulster Bank branches are opening throughout the weekend after a technical hitch affected payments to customer accounts. The bank said yesterday that it had identified the glitch and will be fully operational by Monday.

3. #SYRIA: Syria has claimed that it shot down a Turkish military plane that entered its airspace. Turkey’s government issued a statement last night saying that the two pilots remain missing.

4. #PENSIONS: Pension fund trustees could face legal action if they are found to be in breach of their duties, the Irish Pensions Board chief executive Brendan Kennedy has warned. Speaking at the launch of the IPB annual report, Kennedy also said that “as many as 80 per cent of defined benefit schemes are in deficit and in a number of cases, the deficit is substantial.”

5. #COURTS: A 38-year-old Polish man has been convicted of falsely imprisoning a UPC salesman at his Dublin home after waiting at home for two days for the company to install his broadband service, the Irish Times and Irish Independent report. The court heard that the man threatened to kill the salesman and to cut off his fingers unless broadband was installed within 24 hours.

6. #FLOODING: Parts of the UK are suffering flooding following torrential rain which the BBC reports has forced some people in northern England to evacuate from their homes.

7. #PARAGUAY: Paraguay’s senate has voted to remove the president from office following his impeachment trial on five charges of malfeasance in office. Outgoing president Fernando Lugo claimed that the country’s democracy as “deeply wounded” over the affair.

8. #SAORVIEW: Have you made the switch to Saorview? Ireland’s analogue TV service is being switched off in just over 120 days time – here’s what you need to know about switching to the digital-only Saorview service.

9. #MUTT UGLY: This Chinese crested called Mugly has won the coveted title of World’s Ugliest Dog at the annual contest in California. It’s a face only a mother/owner could love:

(AP Photo/Beth Schlanker, The Press Democrat)