JEREMY IRONS has signed up as an ambassador for the new body promoting Cork as a film location.

THE Supreme Court has ruled the auditor of a company used by the late accountant Des Traynor for a “sophisticated and extensive scheme” of tax evasion by Charles Haughey and others must be disqualified or restricted in some way on grounds of unfitness.

FRANK SCHLECK surrendered the yellow jersey to team-mate Carlos Sastre as the Spaniard kicked away to a convincing victory on Alpe d’Huez in the 17th stage of the Tour de France.

CYRIL DESSEL’S masterly descent of the Col de la Bonette-Restefond clinched the prestigious 16th stage of the Tour de France from Cuneo to Jausiers as Frank Schleck retained the yellow jersey.

TOUR de France leader Frank Schleck has vowed to continue to use the strength and experience of his CSC team to tighten his grip on the yellow jersey.

KURT ASLE ARVESEN emerged from a group of a dozen escapees to win the 11th stage of the Tour de France from Lannemezan to Foix.

Kurt Asle Arvesen emerged from a group of a dozen escapees to win the 11th stage of the Tour de France from Lannemezan to Foix.

Borut Bozit won today's stage three of the Tour of Ireland after cycling 194km from Tralee to Ennis.

Matti Breschel won Thursday’s second stage of the Tour of Ireland cycle race after 166km from Clonakilty into Killarney.

NHS software group iSoft is poised to initiate an auction process in an effort to settle a long-running takeover saga, it emerged today.

Stijn Vandenbergh won Wednesday’s opening stage of the Tour of Ireland after 174km from Kilkenny into Cork.

Next week's Tour of Ireland has been strengthened further with the inclusion of CSC team riders Andy and Franck Schleck.

IT WAS not exactly the revolution which the Tour de France requires.

Team Astana have withdrawn from the Tour de France after Alexandre Vinokourov tested positive for a banned blood transfusion.

Michael Rasmussen today expressed his regret that yet another Tour de France has been tarnished by a doping scandal.

NORWEGIAN Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

Norwegian Thor Hushovd edged a tight finish to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France on the 193km route between Villers-Cotterets and Joigny.

British Airways shares were on the front foot today as it became the latest company to find itself at the centre of takeover speculation.

Some of London’s biggest stocks were in focus today as the FTSE 100 Index made strong progress after the holiday weekend.

Speculation over the future ownership of NHS software company iSoft took another twist today as it emerged that an Australian software firm was in talks over a potential offer.

FLOYD LANDIS staged a remarkable recovery to put himself back in Tour de France contention with a dramatic solo win in Morzine.

Tour de France director Jean Marie Leblanc has congratulated T-Mobile for ousting race favourite Jan Ullrich on the eve of the competition after he was named in a doping investigation.

LANCE ARMSTRONG has still to win a stage in this year’s Tour de France but Paolo Salvodelli yesterday became the second of his Discovery team-mates to cross the line first with an impressive victory in Revel.

Lance Armstrong has still to win a stage at this year’s Tour de France but Paolo Salvodelli today became the second of his Discovery team-mates to cross the line first with an impressive victory in Revel.

JAN ULLRICH has all but given up on his challenge to Lance Armstrong on this year’s Tour de France and admitted he is fighting Michael Rasmussen for a place on the podium.

SIX-TIME winner Lance Armstrong lost the Tour de France yellow jersey after another dramatic day of climbing which handed Germany’s Jens Voigt the race lead for only the second time in his career.

Scott Dougal

Lance Armstrong laid an iron grip on the yellow jersey today after victory in the team time-trial delivered a substantial lead in the 2005 Tour de France.

Canada’s most notorious female inmate, Karla Homolka, was secretly spirited from prison today after serving 12 years for the rapes, torture and murders of three teenage girls, including that of her little sister, authorities confirmed.

Information storage giant EMC has announced the official opening of its Cork Solutions Centre (CSC) at its international operations base in Ovens.

At least 16 people, many of them children, were killed in explosions at the office of a US security contractor in Afghanistan’s capital and a school in the south east as the country moves towards its first post-Taliban election.

Lance Armstrong landed what could prove a decisive blow on his biggest rivals today with a performance devastating to two of the men who hope to deny him a record sixth Tour de France victory.

Jan Ullrich fired a warning shot at Tour de France leader Lance Armstrong today in an 18th stage won by Pablo Lastras of Spain in a sprint finish.

AMERICAN cyclist Tyler Hamilton yesterday produced the biggest successful solo breakaway of the centenary Tour de France to post a win in the 16th stage that will go down as one of the most courageous in the 100-year history of the race.

Jan Ullrich of Germany made further inroads into the overall leadership of Lance Armstrong in a centenary Tour de France which is shaping up to be one of the closest in history.

Lance Armstrong's quest for a record fifth straight Tour De France title ran into an unexpected delay during today's 10th stage.

GIRO sprint king Alessandro Petacchi humbled his rivals to win the 168-km first stage of the Tour de France in a mass sprint tarnished by a spectacular crash near the finish line yesterday.

FINEOS Corporation, one of Ireland's leading software vendors in banking and insurance software, has announced that EBS Building Society is to implement its enterprise CRM and Business Process Automation product solution.

THE last time Michael Boogerd won a stage in the Tour de France, it was the last day Lance Armstrong would ride in the Tour before being diagnosed with cancer.

SPAIN took the honours on the fourth stage of the Tour de France yesterday with ONCE-Eroski claiming the team time trial and Gasteiz-born Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano taking over the yellow jersey.

Tour de France classifications.

IONA has announced an expansion of its alliance with Computer Sciences Corporation for the delivery of web services integration solutions to the banking and insurance industries.

Dublin company Macalla and CSC in Germany have formed an alliance to deliver Macalla's mobile e-commerce solutions to mobile operators and financial institutions throughout Germany.