April Fools Day in the Media

Many media outlets in particular celebrated April Fool's Day today with spoof reports and advertisements.

The Irish Times reported that the Revenue Commissioners were planning an electronic tagging system for 'high net worth' tax exiles. The system would be provided by a US firm called 'Failproof'.

Herald AM featured no fewer than three spoof stories, two on the front page and one on the back.

For sports fans, the prospect of a high-profile addition to the resolution of the Cork hurling management saga was raised by a report saying Denis Walsh was poised to add Roy Keane to his backroom team.

On the news pages, US President Barack Obama was reported to have paid a surprise overnight visit to Co Offaly on his way to the G20 summit - to the annoyance of Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

And, in a report readers might be slow to dismiss as a phoney, the paper said graduates were to face a ban on moving overseas until they completed paying back their student loans.

A report on the Australian Herald Sun's website said the symbolic 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground would be bought by 'Mekong Industries, one of the largest companies in China', and renamed the Mekong Stadium. Victoria state Tourism Minister Tim Holding said Melbourne was bidding to hold the running of the bulls when the contract the Spanish city of Pamplona has held since the 13th century expires. Mr Holding said the bulls would run down the cafe-lined streets in the centre of the city, adding a new event to sit alongside the Australian Open tennis and the Formula One Grand Prix on Melbourne's sporting calendar.

Also in Australia, more than two dozen people in Melbourne woke to find their cars wrapped in cling wrap. he cling-film bandits striking at popular shopping precincts, outside railway stations and in sought-after residential areas, tightly wrapping cars in the plastic wrap. At least 28 cars were reportedly wrapped including one vehicle in Clarendon St in South Melbourne, another on Domain Rd, South Yarra, Church St, Richmond and again at Clifton Hill railway station.

Meanwhile Microsoft has revealed its latest blockbuster title for the Xbox 360, Alpine Legend. A variation on the popular Guitar Hero games, it would let players test their yodelling skills and, for a limited time, come with a free goat.

German FFH radio announced to listeners that Chancellor Angela Merkel was pregnant at the age of 54. Ms Merkel has always said she was 'too busy' to start a family.