The costs of failing to defeat Islamic State are rising to intolerable levels, both in lives tragically lost and dollars destroyed. A look at the numbers available suggests that the consequences of not acting outweigh the risks of a full-blown military boots-on-the-ground conflict.

ENGLAND:

At face value, it may have appeared more than a little crass of the Asian Tour to go ahead with the Manila Masters last week in the wake of the devastation that visited other parts of the Philippines in the form of Typhoon Haiyan.

Australian league player denies biting opponent’s penis

Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg holds a two-shot lead after carding a second-round 68 in the M2M Russian Open at Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club near Moscow.

South Africa's Thomas Aiken today claimed his second European Tour title thanks to some self-professed "phenomenal" golf in the Avantha Masters in India.

South Africa's Thomas Aiken today produced a stunning scoring burst to charge into the lead midway through the third round of the Avantha Masters.

Five Chinese men have been remanded in custody in connection with a garda raid on a cannabis growhouse in North Cork last Monday.

China’s defence minister Liang Guanglie is holding talks with his Indian counterpart amid growing tensions between Beijing and its neighbours over territorial claims in the South China Sea.

John Higgins made a shaky start to his Betfred.com World Championship title defence this morning but still took three of the opening four frames against Liang Wenbo.

Ken Doherty is "over the moon" to be back in Sheffield for the Betfred.com World Championship after twice sampling the pain of missing out.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will tackle his Crucible nemesis Peter Ebdon in the first round of the Betfred.com World Championship.

Darren Clarke appears to be trying to curry favour with Rory McIlroy going into today's first round of the 36-hole PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda.

Ken Doherty has punished Liang Wenbo for his World Cup sartorial blunder with a 5-4 win at the Australian Goldfields Open in Bendigo today.

The strength of China’s armed forces is 20 years behind the US and although the military is developing new capabilities, it is not a threat to peace in Asia, the Chinese defence minister said today.

Steve Davis was bracing himself for a clash with reigning Crucible king John Higgins after becoming the oldest winner of a match at the Betfred.com World Championship for 21 years.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will need to be on his best behaviour when he returns for the conclusion of his opening match this afternoon at the Betfred.com World Championship.

Ronnie O’Sullivan was told to cut out the nonsense after he made a rude gesture during his opening match at the Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible.

Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee defied a niggling elbow injury to card a superb bogey-free eight-under-par 64 today to share a two-shot first round lead at the Volvo China Open alongside Korea's Kim Do-hoon.

Ireland's Damien McGrane set about chasing down first round clubhouse leaders Pablo Larrazabal and Liang Wenchong at the Volvo China Open today.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal and Chinese number one Liang Wenchong established a one-shot lead midway through the first round of the Volvo China Open after defying cold and windy conditions at Jinji Lakes International Golf Club to card six-under-par rounds of 66 today.

THREE-TIME European Tour winner Jeev Milkha Singh is seeking to double his joy by winning the Avantha Masters which tees off at the DLF Country and Golf Club on the outskirts of Delhi today.

Europe ensured there will be all to play for on the final day of the Royal Trophy after Colin Montgomerie’s side battled back to lead 4 1/2 – 3 1/2 after today’s four-balls.

TREVOR FISHER JUNIOR held the lead at the halfway stage of the Africa Open after matching his opening-day effort with another 66 in East London to head into the weekend on 14-under-par.

Asia made a solid start in their bid to stage a successful defence of the Royal Trophy today after claiming a 2½-1½ advantage over Europe in the opening day's foursomes.

Asia have made a solid start to their defence of the Royal Trophy as they held the lead midway through the opening day's foursomes.

Some untimely misses from Mark Selby handed Ronnie O’Sullivan the momentum in their quarter-final tie at the UK Championship.

Liang Wen-chong was setting the pace at the Dubai World Championship today.

Ian Poulter carded a closing 72, one-over-par, to edge out China’s Liang Wen-chong by one shot and complete a nervous wire-to-wire victory in the Barclays Singapore Open today.

Liang Wenchong secured a historic win at the Midea China Classic today by becoming the first Chinese champion on the OneAsia Tour.

World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan eased to a 22nd ranking title victory after a 10-5 victory over Liang Wenbo in the final of the Shanghai Masters.

World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan eased towards a 22nd ranking title victory after taking a 6-3 lead over Liang Wenbo in the first session of the Shanghai Masters final.

World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan powered into the final of the Roewe Shanghai Masters with a crushing 6-1 win over world champion John Higgins this afternoon.

Liang Wenbo booked his place in the final of the Roewe Shanghai Masters following a scrappy semi-final encounter with Shaun Murphy today.

Shaun Murphy dismantled Ken Doherty to record his second straight 5-0 win and book his place in the semi-finals of the Roewe Shanghai Masters.

The all-Chinese encounter in the first round of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship did not disappoint its record-breaking audience after Ding Junhui came through a thrilling contest to beat Liang Wenbo.

The all-Chinese encounter in the first round of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship remained anyone’s game as Liang Wenbo hit back to trail Ding Junhui only 7-6 at the mid-session interval.

Stephen Hendry believes leaving the Crucible on a permanent basis should be out of the question as the Betfred.com World Championship organisers consider the future of their event.

Two-time former winner Mark Williams claimed he will be the man the world’s elite players will want to avoid in Wednesday’s World Championship draw after clinching his Crucible place.

Adam Blyth of Australia will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Maybank Malaysian Open after carding a six-under-par 66 today to edge ahead of Alexander Noren of Sweden and China's Liang Wen-chong.

Korean teenager Noh Seung-yul fired a sensational first round 10-under-par 62 to edge ahead of Alexander Noren for the clubhouse lead at the Maybank Malaysian Open today.

Jose Maria Olazabal has called for a “special” performance as his European team seek to overturn a five-point deficit to defeat Asia and extend their 100% record in The Royal Trophy.

Europe faced an uphill task on the second afternoon of The Royal Trophy as Asia seemed set to extend their advantage in the four-balls today.

Asia were in the ascendancy midway through the opening day’s foursomes at The Royal Trophy as Europe squandered early advantages.