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

1. #EUROZONE: The eurozone is in turmoil this morning following the downgrading of nine countries by ratings agency Standard & Poor’s last night. EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has criticised the decision, calling it “inconsistent”. The move is particularly troublesome for Nicolas Sarkozy as France lost its triple-A rating just 100 days ahead of the presidential election. He held an emergency meeting with his Cabinet yesterday, Reuters reports.

2. #ACCIDENT: A luxury cruise liner carrying 4,200 people ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, Italy last night. At least eight people are feared dead, the Coast Guard has said.

3. #BARGAIN: A homeowner is trying to break the property market deadlock by selling his Westmeath house to the lowest bidder. The five-bedroom, four-bathroom property will sell for less than €500. But Rob Reynolds told TheJournal.ie he will still recover the €165,000 value of the home, plus make money from the transaction. See how, here.

4. #ALLOWANCE: Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin has said he will bring proposals to Cabinet in the coming months to address the allowance system which sees Independent TDs receive about €42,000 and senators about €23,000 on top of their annual salaries, the Irish Examiner reports.

5. #ANNIVERSARY: The congregation at a mass to commemorate the one year anniversary of the death of Michaela McAreavey was told her death has left a “painful void” for her family and friends. During last night’s homily, Bishop McAreavey said her murder while on honeymoon in Mauritius inflicted a wound that “remains deep and raw”.

6. #CAMP OUT: More than 50 parents have been queueing outside a school in County Kerry for the past two nights to ensure their daughters gain places at the all-girls Presentation Secondary School in Tralee. According to the Irish Independent, there are 130 places up for grabs for 2013.

7. #LIBYA: Citizens of Libya are determined to rid the country of every vestige of the previous regime – even down to the bank notes. The Central Bank has announced it is withdrawing the 50-dinar note, which bears the picture of Muammar Gadaffi and which many refuse to use. The one-dinar and 20-dinar notes will also be phased out, the Governor told reporters.

8. #OLYMPICS: An Irish marathon runner – who has been named in one of today’s papers - faces a two-year suspension which would rule him out of the London Olympics following a positive drugs test. The athlete – who is yet to qualify for the summer Games – is to appear before an Athletics Ireland hearing on Monday to explain the traces of EPO (a common performance enhancer) in his out-of-competition doping sample.

9. #GOLDEN GLOBES: Awards season kicks off in full tomorrow night with the Golden Globes. But Hollywood stars are normal too you know. Check out Brad Pitt unable to get it together to continue to shoot a scene with Jonah Hill for his newly-released film Moneyball.

What do you reckon he was thinking about to try and control himself? Suggestions in the comments section.