Syria’s conflict was sparked by an act of brutality — the detention and torture of schoolchildren who spray- painted anti-government graffiti in a southern city. In the three years since, the civil war has evolved into one of the most savage conflicts in decades.

Regime warplanes pounded Syria’s second city Aleppo for a fourth straight day in air raids that have killedat least 135 people, many of them children, a monitor said.

Ireland’s Dan Martin turned in a brilliant performance on yesterday’s weather-shortened second stage of the Tour de Suisse, finishing sixth in a select group of eight riders.

With the big names away in Akron, Londoner Brian Davis will be disappointed if he does not give himself a chance to end his long wait for a PGA Tour victory at this week’s Reno-Tahoe Open in Nevada.

SO FAR so good for Steve Staunton. He persuaded Bobby Robson to join him on the management ticket and then landed the biggest job in Irish football.

AS FOURTH seeds going into the European Championship draw, Ireland can have few complaints about their pot luck in Montreux.

England have been handed a favourable draw in their qualifying campaign for the 2008 European Championships in Switzerland and Austria.

THE Football Association will rely heavily on the advice of Trevor Brooking when they start plotting England’s Euro 2008 qualifying campaign next month.

STEVE STAUNTON has welcomed the prospect of his Republic of Ireland team playing European Championship qualifiers at Croke Park.