A LATE night bus service will operate across Cork city this bank holiday as the city gears up for a recession-proof jazz festival which is expected to generate an estimated €6 million for the local economy.

IRELAND’S top athletes will join forces this weekend in Budapest in an bid to retain First Division status at the European Team Championships.

THE Irish Sports Council (ISC) and the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) appear to be on a collision course over the Beijing Review which is already under way.

THE Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) is not prepared to consider the selection of Star class sailors Peter O’Leary and Stephen Milne for this year’s Games pending the outcome of an appeal against their nomination lodged by Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks.

IF Cathal Lombard qualifies for the Olympic Games in Beijing then the Olympic Council of Ireland will give consideration his participation.

THE 2008 Cork Guinness Jazz Festival is expected to have a more multi-ethnic face with a number of Arab and Eastern European bands taking part.

JAZZ reigns in Cork this bank holiday weekend with a powerful blast coming last night from the organisers, who are promising the city’s best-ever Guinness international festival.

THE Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) has launched a blistering attack on RTÉ over aspects of their Games coverage in August.

THE SENSATIONAL theft of part of Olympic winning show-jumper, Waterford Crystal’s B sample, has been labelled “a sinister development” by Equestrian Federation chief Avril Doyle.

Hopes are high that four athletes will win the first Irish rowing medal at the Olympics this weekend.

JAMIE COSTIN was joined by family members at the KAT hospital in Athens yesterday as he awaited an air ambulance flight to Dublin for treatment on his injured back.

THE Irish Olympic delegation travelling to Athens next month will not be employing any security personnel additional to that provided by Greek authorities.

THE Olympic Council of Ireland appear certain to stand firm on their weekend deadline for Olympic qualification.

IRISH Olympic chiefs are confident that Athens will host a safe and successful Olympic Games in August.

THE Athletes Commission, set up to give international sports people a greater role in the affairs of the Olympic Council of Ireland, has been disbanded by the executive council of the OCI.