Protests against anti-Islam body

a small number of anti-Islam demonstrators clashed with anti-racism protesters outside a Dublin mosque yesterday.

The group calling themselves Anti-Islam Ireland met at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland on Roebuck Road, Dublin 14 at 2pm. However, a larger gathering of anti-racism demonstrators numbering between 90 and 120 people also attended the scene. Anti-Islam Ireland event organiser Sandra Archer said their aim was to highlight what she called the "wrongdoing of the Islamic faith across the world".

Beloved Hen Harrier killed

A satellite-tagged Hen Harrier has been shot dead in Co Kerry. The young female bird was known to thousands of people who had followed her since her first flight from a nest in east Kerry two years ago.

She had been fitted with a satellite tag as part of a joint project between the National Parks & Wildlife Service and local community group IRD Duhallow.

Named Heather by local school children, the bird of prey had travelled throughout the country, and recently returned to the south-west where it was hoped she would breed for the first time this spring.

Bombs explode in Bangkok

Thai police say two explosions at a transit hub near major downtown shopping malls were caused by small improvised explosive devices.

The explosions occurred around 8pm local time yesterday at the Siam Square station of Bangkok's Skytrain system, which serves several shopping centres, but no one was hurt.

The incident comes amid raised political tensions as the country's ruling junta has tightened its clampdown on critics of its rule.

Miss Rumble in the jungle

A Brazilian beauty pageant took a bizarre turn when the first runner-up snatched the crown off the winner of the Miss Amazon contest.

Sheislane Hayalla is justifying her reaction by claiming her rival, Carol Toledo, bought the title. The winner of Miss Amazon represents the jungle state in the national Miss Brazil contest.