The Front Pages
The main headlines on the national broadsheets today:
‘Eight year olds starting to use heroin’ – The Irish Examiner.
‘Disruption again for travellers as ash closes airports’ – The Irish Times.
‘College in fruit bat sex controversy’ – The Irish Independent.
If you’re waking up today with the expectation of jetting off abroad this morning then you better roll over and dream about it because, yes, the ash cloud is causing airport hiccups once again.
Dublin airport will be closed until at least midday today with over “300 flights cancelled last night and this morning, affecting the travel plans of at least 36,000 travellers,†as detailed in The Irish Times.
Donegal, Sligo, Belfast, Galway and Knock airports are all closed since last night. Cork and Shannon have been unaffected by closures. It is expected that Sligo, Galway, Waterford and Knock will all open this morning. The Irish Aviation Authority will continue to monitor the ash cloud situation and it looks like Irish travellers are still not of the woods just yet.
According to a report published by The Matt Talbot Adolescent Service, in today’s Irish Examiner, children as young as eight years old are using drugs and becoming involved in violent behaviour.
The frightening 2009 statistics show that 92% of young people attending the service in Cork were multi-drug users and referrals to the MTAS increased by 70% in the first six months of last year. Another finding showed 85% of young people attending were involved in the juvenile justice system. The smoking of heroin, using of prescription drugs, and carrying of weapons to defend themselves from drug dealers are all increasing trends with troubled youths according to the MTAS.
A UCC lecturer has spun college heads into a tizzy after showing a female colleague an article about the sex life of fruit bats. The Irish Independent covers the “political correctness†story concerning Dr Dylan Evans, who has been disciplined by the college for showing the article from a scientific journal to a colleague.
Dr Evans claims he has been harshly mistreated and that he showed the article which details “how fruit bats prolong copulation via oral sex†to more than a dozen colleagues for scientific purposes.
Tales from the Tabs
Not another taped sporting corruption scandal.
This time it has come in the line of the FIFA World Cup and England’s hopes of staging the 2018 tournament. The Sun delivers the astonishing news that FA chief, Lord Triesman, was recorded discussing the idea with a former female aide that Spain and Russia will fix matches in the forthcoming World Cup at South Africa. The FA official has resigned from his position with immediate effect as the FA and supporters have lambasted his behaviour.
In celebrity gossip, The Daily Star has speculated that Sienna Miller and Jude Law will get married this summer. The on-off relationship between the two big screen names claims to be firmly on these days and a country wedding followed by a New York party are reportedly the wedding wishes of the gorgeous Sienna.
The Sports Pages
England lifted the ICC World Twenty20 cricket trophy yesterday with a memorable victory over rivals Australia, and the back pages are plastered with their success in Barbados.
The Daily Star calls it “simply superb from start to finishâ€, as England recorded a spectacular seven-wicket victory over the Aussies.
Chelsea football manager, Carlo Ancelotti, has told The Sun that he would stay at the London club for another 10 years following the clubs domestic double this season.
“I think stability is important. I like life in England and it is easy to manage Chelsea,†said the Italian. Ancelotti is the first Chelsea boss to win “the double†and has sent out a message to club owner, Roman Abramovich, to extend his contract with a new deal.
