19/10 The Morning JOE

The Front Pages

Today’s main headlines from the broadsheets:

‘Double the pain: Hole in finances surges towards €15bn/Worst ‘hit’ to come in December Budget’ – the Irish Independent.

‘French pension protest escalates’ – the Irish Times.

‘Seán Og calls it a day’ – the Irish Examiner.

Four years of spending cuts and tax hikes is what faces families as a result of the hole in the Government’s finances which headed for €15bn.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy is ducking for cover at the moment as things get even hotter in the nation’s pension reform protests. President Sarkozy set up a government crisis centre yesterday after the protests escalated. Is that a place of solace for him and his buddies then?

Cork hurling hero Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, is hanging up his inter-county shirt after Rebels manager Alan Walsh told him he will not be in his plans next year. Click here for more on this news.

Tales from the Tabs

A drug addict has become the first addict in Britain to be sterilised for cash, according to the Star.

The 38-year-old, identified only as John, was paid £200 to have the snip and lose his chance to have children.

The money came from US charity Project Prevention and it is the first time its scheme to stop drug addicts having children has been implemented in the UK.

The Sports Pages

Majority of the tabloids have Wayne Rooney decked out in a Man City shirt already following a rift with Man United manager Alex Ferguson.

The Sun reckons that Rooney is set to ‘take the ultimate revenge’ by making the switch to Eastlands.

Old Trafford officials have played down talk of a transfer for the £90,000-a-week ace, calling it "nonsense".