British war planes are poised to begin a bombing campaign in Syria tonight after MPs overwhelmingly backed military action against Islamic State.

Oulart-The Ballagh (Wexford) 3-8 Clough-Ballacolla (Laois) 0-13 (AIB Leinster Club SHC): Oulart-The Ballagh made their expected advance to a Leinster Championship meeting with Clonkill of Westmeath but they were forced to survive a vigorous examination to do so.

Jim Bolger and Kevin Manning shared a double with classy two-year-olds Parish Boy and Lucida in Naas yesterday.

Tony Martin was waxing lyrical about 7lbs claimer, Sean Corby, after the youngster had guided his Artful Artist to victory in the featured Guinness Handicap at Galway last night.

Australian drug trafficker Schapelle Corby, her face veiled against a horde of press photographers, was hustled out of prison to start the next chapter of her troubled life after more than nine years behind bars in Bali.

An Australian woman convicted of smuggling marijuana into Indonesia in 2005 has been released from jail on parole.

A garda who sexually assaulted a female officer and harassed another at a Garda station has been given a six-month jail sentence and fined a total of €10,000.

Private Life

SIAN MASSEY, the match official at the centre of a sexism storm this week, will not take charge of her planned match this weekend due to the intense media attention.

Sian Massey, the match official at the centre of a sexism storm this week, will not take charge of her planned match this weekend due to intense media attention.

DOMESTIC entries have held strong despite the economic downturn as Cork Week prepares to begin racing off Roche’s Point this morning. Irish boats account for more than half the official entry list in contrast to previous years when overseas boats would account for as much as 80% of the turnout.

Trainer Mick Channon is to remain in hospital until next week following a successful operation last night.

Cork 2-11 Tipperary 1-4

A CO LIMERICK parish was last night celebrating a victory for people power after the Department of Education issued school bus tickets to 38 secondary students who were struck off school bus transport last August.

Australian Schapelle Corby will appeal against her drug conviction to Indonesia’s Supreme Court, one of her lawyers said today.

PARENTS plan to picket the constituency office of Minister of State Dr Tim O’Malley in Limerick today in protest at the lack of adequate school transport facilities for their children.

Convicted Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby’s best hope for overturning a 20-year prison sentence may now lie in video teleconferencing witnesses who claim the marijuana found in her surf board bag was planted, her lawyer said today.

An appeals judge agreed today to hear new evidence in defence of an Australian woman sentenced to 20 years in prison for smuggling drugs into Indonesia, including testimony from witnesses who claim marijuana found in her bag was planted, an official said.

Indonesia’s embassy in Australia was closed today after a suspicious package containing what authorities described as a “biological agent” was delivered there.

The Australian government today offered to send two senior lawyers to help the appeal of an Australian woman who was convicted of drug smuggling on the Indonesian island of Bali and sentenced to 20 years.

Russell Crowe is stepping up his fight for an imprisoned Australian beautician who has spent the last six months in an Indonesian prison on drug smuggling charges after hearing that a man who could prove her innocence has been stabbed.

Oscar-winning Gladiator star Russell Crowe has voiced support for an Australian woman accused of drug smuggling facing a possible death sentence in Indonesia.

CHAMPION jockey Paul Carberry took the honours at yesterday’s bank holiday meeting at Naas, registering a double on Alpha Rhythm and Harry The Ear in the two hurdle events on the card.

Ominously for punters in the week of the Martell Grand National, the recent trend for shocks in big handicaps is showing no sign of coming to an end.