FOR the first time in Tallaght and seven years after Ireland’s most storied club last tasted European action, Shamrock Rovers found that they were unable to rhyme hope and history in the Europa League last night, despite securing parity on the scoreboard with a dramatic injury time equaliser.

Egyptian health officials today reported the deaths of two women from bird flu, bringing to 19 the number of fatalities since the lethal H5N1 strain first appeared in the country last year.

An Iraqi appeals court today upheld death sentences imposed against “Chemical Ali” al-Majid and two other Saddam Hussein lieutenants convicted of crimes against humanity for their roles a massacre of Kurds, a judge said.

Gunmen tried to assassinate an investigative judge on the Iraqi Special Tribunal that is investigating Saddam Hussein and members of his regime, a spokesman for the court said today.