The front pages
It’s time. Students across the land must prepare for Wednesday’s Leaving Certificate results with the sudden and alarming news that CAO points for nearly all third-level courses are set to increase.
The jobs shortage has driven up competition for places according to the front pages of the Irish Times and the Irish Independent, which both give the story prominence, and CAO figures are showing a 4 per cent increase in applications for level 8 or higher degree courses across the nation.
The Indo’s headline reads: “Students’ health at risk from points race†and continues by saying that “the system is failing our teenagers.â€
Research conduct by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) for the Indo shows that sixth-year students are suffering from high levels of stress, with many suffering from loss of sleep due to their college concerns.
The research showed that girls are suffering more so than boys. Well, we could have guessed that.
Tales from the Tabs
A star of Channel 4 TV sitcom Shameless has been arrested under suspicion of attempted murder.
Actor Elliott Tittensor, who plays Carl Gallagher in the show, is alleged to have driven over an 18-year-old male with his BMW Z4, leaving the victim blind, and is reported to have driven away from the scene.
The drama unfolded at 2am yesterday after Tittensor and girlfriend Kaya Scodelario (both pictured above) – Effy Stonem in teen hit Skins – went to a McDonald’s in Kentish Town, North London.
As reported by The Sun, Tittensor gave himself up to police but was held last night for questioning.
The sports pages
Joe Cole showed he was a true ‘Red’ yesterday afternoon in Liverpool’s first Premier League match of the season against Arsenal, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and saw Cole receive a straight red card at Anfield.
The report in The Star highlights the fact that both Roy Hodgson and Arsene Wenger have defended Cole over the challenge on Laurent Koscielny. Referee Martin Atkinson had no qualms in dishing out the red card in first-half injury time. It was the first time in Cole’s career to be sent-off.
“He is not one I would like to record as a guy who tries to hurt people. That is not his style,†Wenger said.
Meanwhile, The Sun has spectacularly reported that Diego Maradona wants to become the new Aston Villa manager.
The former Argentina head coach is still licking his wounds from the World Cup and according to his European spokesperson, Walter Soriano, Maradona would love to be Martin O’Neill’s successor.
“Diego is very attracted to English football and the way of life in your country and I know he would be very willing to move there,†Soriano said.
“He loves the English countryside and your respect for privacy, so he would be very happy there, especially at a big club like Aston Villa.
“If the owner Randy Lerner wants to make him a serious offer, I’m sure he’d get a very positive response.”
