Pop star Rihanna got her marching orders after a farmer in the North objected to her peeling off her clothes while filming a new video on his land, it was disclosed today.

CAPTAIN Aileen Leonard is in charge of the Defence Forces’ mortar troops in the Lebanon. Standing in the midday 35C heat at the Irish headquarters in Camp Shamrock, the Cork woman explained that she was in charge of 30 Irish soldiers in her unit.

A 39 year-old-man and a 24-year-old woman, both from Limerick but with Galway addresses have been remanded in custody charged with the possession of cocaine with a value of almost €500,000.

High safety standards here will help prevent any spread of the deadly avian influenza virus in Ireland according to the Irish Farmers' Association.

AS FEARS grow of bird flu spreading to Europe, Department of Agriculture vets have said that the risk to Ireland remains low and they are monitoring poultry closely.

A celebrity chef has ruffled the feathers of Irish farmers by accusing them of producing appalling chickens for consumers.

THE threat to public health from bird flu through eating cooked chicken is negligible, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland said yesterday.

FIANNA FÁIL got almost two-thirds of the political donations to TDs and Senators last year, raking in almost €300,000 in the run-up to the election.

Police today named their prime suspect in a murder hunt after a partygoer was shot dead in a toilet.