Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has warned his fellow ministers to “dial down” their expectations for the forthcoming budget, senior Government sources have said.

Ireland is highly compliant with new international tax rules and is one of only three countries worldwide to have the highest levels of transparency in its domestic tax system, according to international financial monitoring body the OECD.

Usain Bolt bade one final, emotional goodbye to a sport he has dominated for the past decade with a lap of honour at the end of the World Championships in London.

No way of dressing it up, it’s been a poor championships so far for the Irish, meaning tomorrow’s race walks again represent the one remaining chance at a storybook ending.

Irish wing Alan McMahon, hopes today’s big World Cup qualifying game against Russia at the Carlisle Grounds in Bray (5pm), will provide him with further opportunity to develop his new-found career in Rugby League.

Robert Heffernan finished a fighting fifth in the men’s 50km race walk in 3:44:17 in a brave bid to defend his world title at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, while Ireland’s men’s 4x400m relay team set a national record.

GAA dominates this weekend’s sporting fixtures, but hey, we love our football and hurling so bring it on!

Jamaica’s Cabinet has approved new laws to decriminalise possession of small amounts of pot and pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry on the Caribbean island.

Franck Ribery has likened his World Cup absence to "a death in the soul".

Usain Bolt took his World Championships career medal tally into double figures by anchoring Jamaica to gold in the 4x100 metres relay in Moscow tonight.

Danny Welbeck and Kyle Walker missed training this morning ahead of England’s double-header against Republic of Ireland and Brazil.

Jamaica’s prime minister has described remarks by Zimbabwe’s leader disparaging the Caribbean island’s men were “grossly unfortunate, misguided and untrue”.

Portugal manager Paulo Bento will be forced to field a weakened backline in tomorrow’s friendly against Panama at the Estádio Algarve after central defenders Pepe and Bruno Alves pulled out through injury.

Speculation is mounting that triple Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt will visit Donegal in the coming months.

Usain Bolt brought the track action at London 2012 to a fittingly brilliant close tonight, anchoring the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to gold in a new world record.

Great Britain’s sprint relay woes continued last night as another baton changeover mistake cost them a place in the 4x100 metres final at the Olympic Stadium.

Shrugging off economic hardships and high crime, people across Jamaica have proudly displayed the national colours of gold, black and green to mark the Caribbean island’s 50th anniversary of independence from Britain.

The queues began long before the main event.

Former Ireland international long jumper Ciarán McDonagh will fly to Birmingham this morning to assist the Jamaican Olympic sprinters’ preparations for the London Games.

The United States have clinched four golds on the final day of the World Indoor Athletics Championships, a fifth was removed when the men’s 4x400m relay team was stripped of gold.

Jamaica's prime minister says she wants her country to sever ties with the British monarchy soon so it can turn the page on its colonial past and focus on development.

Jamaica and the International Monetary Fund expect to begin negotiations in the coming weeks on a new deal as grim economic forecasts pose significant dangers for the debt-schackled Caribbean island, officials announced.

Jamaica's new government is restarting talks with the International Monetary Fund.

New Jamaica prime minister Portia Simpson Miller has pledged to replace the Queen as head of state and make the island a republic.

Andrew Holness has been sworn in as Jamaica’s ninth prime minister.

REGARDLESS of the outcome of today’s 1,500m final at the World Championships in Daegu, Ciarán Ó Lionaird’s coach is convinced the 23 year-old Cork man has huge medal potential.

Most Jamaicans believe the island would be better off under British rule, a new poll suggests.

Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier is hoping to make a double transfer swoop early in the January transfer window.

World Cup pundit Robbie Earle was axed by ITV today after tickets for matches in South Africa were found to have been used for “unauthorised purposes”.

Jamaica has legalised casinos after a nearly year-long debate which drew fierce opposition from religious groups.

A senior Jamaican military officer said troops should be given more powers to help fight spiralling crime in the Caribbean country.

Usain Bolt completed his hat-trick of sprint titles at the World Championships tonight..

Five Jamaican athletes who were cleared after producing positive tests at their national trials in June are allowed to compete at the World Championships, although an independent panel hearing an appeal against the decision has yet to sit.

Usain Bolt will head to Berlin for the World Championships as a double world record holder and triple Olympic gold medal winner – but not as defending champion.

Tyson Gay sent another warning to Usain Bolt that he has the credentials to defend his 100 metres world title with another stunning performance tonight.

Ricardo Fuller has accused Andy Griffin of being “very rude and disrespectful” in the episode which led to the Stoke striker being sent off for slapping his team-mate in the defeat against West Ham.

The Football Association have confirmed they will pursue Jamaica for a £135,000 (€168,660) debt, despite the Caribbean country’s FA believing they would write off the sum.

IRELAND is among the record number of countries who have confirmed their intention for the right to host the Rugby World Cup either in 2015 or 2019.

A record number of countries are set to make official bids for hosting the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup tournaments.

Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Nobby Mashimo has confirmed his country has made a formal bid to host the World Cup in both 2015 and 2019.

Former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes has been named as the new coach of the Jamaica national team.

But taking pride in the sheer size of your country is increasingly anachronistic.

SPORTS bodies should narrow their focus to key events if they want to broaden prospects for Olympic medals, Minister for Sports Martin Cullen said.