INGERSOLL-RAND, the maker of Bobcat machinery and Thermo-King refrigerated trucks, has agreed to buy Geith International to boost its offerings of industrial attachments for machines in construction and excavation.

The wind industry is expanding rapidly and has enjoyed a record year for investment in the UK, a new report showed today.

The former Bishop of Phoenix, Arizona, in the US, has apologised in court to the family of the pedestrian he killed in a hit-and-run accident last year, saying: “I know there is no one to blame for this but me.”

ANSBACHER Bank, which was been at the centre of one of the longest-running tax investigations, has been put up for sales by its owners.

The bans imposed last weekend on South Africans Robbie Kempson and Bakkies Botha for, respectively, a late cheap shot on Toutai Kefu and “deliberately attacking the face” of Aussie hooker Brendan Cannon, has highlighted once more the basic fact that rugby probably has more ‘bad boys’ than most sports. Declan Colley looks back at some of the sport’s anti-heroes.

Once seen as the preserve of only provincial and All-Ireland champions, the team holiday is fast becoming a common January past time. So who is going where in 2003? Mark Gallagher and Colm O’Connor investigate.

Martin Pipe warned today that the ground in Japan might prove too fast for Exit Swinger as he prepares the gelding for the Nakayama Grand Jump run in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

Flagship Uberalles and Florida Pearl will not run in the Nakayama Grand Jump in Japan next month