BETTER than at any time in its 170 or so years is the Kerry holding Knockaseed House.

Eleven people have died after drinking bootleg liquor since March, Turkish officials said today. They included three German students.

A TEAM of experts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to visit Ireland to inspect food safety and animal health controls with a view to re-opening the Saudi beef market.

THE Department of Agriculture and Food in Ireland and the Ministry of Agriculture in China have signed a document on agricultural co-operation.

An outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has killed 3,045 chickens in China’s far western region of Xinjiang but no humans were reported to be infected, the official Xinhua News Agency said today.

The US government is getting ready for the possible arrival of bird flu, and has held “significant planning sessions” in case of an outbreak, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said yesterday in Berlin.

Croatia reported a new case of H5N1 in wild fowl today – the country’s second outbreak of the deadly strain of bird flu since October.

China’s Ministry of Agriculture today announced three new outbreaks of bird flu, two in the west and one in the south, resulting in the killing of nearly 175,000 birds, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

China has reported two new outbreaks of bird flu among chickens in its north-eastern province of Liaoning, bringing the total number of reported outbreaks in the past month to six.

Some 2,000 birds died overnight in Turkey of bird flu, CNN-Turk television reported.

Six new fires broke out in Portugal today, after firefighters tamed several other forest blazes that were burning across the country, officials said.

A suicide bomber detonated a rubbish truck packed with explosives today outside a hotel used by Western contractors, killing himself and at least three others.

A type of bird flu that has killed millions of chickens is becoming more infectious to mammals.

The British government tonight accepted making mistakes in its handling of last year’s foot-and-mouth crisis - as the last of three reports into the outbreak was published.

A test has shown that a Japanese animal slaughtered in August carried BSE, confirming the first known case of the deadly brain-wasting illness in Asia.

The Ministry of Agriculture in Britain has denied it was planning a big increase in the foot-and-mouth slaughter regime, after Tory leader William Hague suggested details of a new cull were being held back until after the election.

Senior RUC officers are being called out of early retirement to help with the fight against foot and mouth disease in the North.

A family-run farm owned by a 74-year-old man who was born on the property has become the 1,000th case of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK.

Irish-trained horses remain doubtful for this week's Martell Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Officials at Cheltenham racecourse are still waiting to hear from the British Horseracing Board whether the rescheduled National Hunt Festival will be allowed to go ahead.

Another new case of foot-and-mouth has been confirmed in Devon, bringing to 89 the county's total number of outbreaks.

The British Government is to delay a decision on a vaccination ‘‘firebreak’’ to try to control the spread of foot-and-mouth, Downing Street said today.

The RSPCA says sheep are being slaughtered humanely in the mass cull in Cumbria.

Preparations are under way in Cumbria for the mass cull of animals near foot-and-mouth infected areas.

A fourth case of foot-and-mouth was discovered in the northeastern Dutch province of Gelderland today, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

If Britain fails to control foot-and-mouth, 50% of livestock will have to be destroyed, the Government's chief scientist has warned.

Britain's farming industry is being warned to brace itself for a very large epidemic as the foot-and-mouth crisis increases its hold on the nation.

More British army troops are to be deployed to help with the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Britain's Ministry of Agriculture inquired about incinerating animals infected with foot-and-mouth two weeks before the outbreak became public knowledge.

Queen Elizabeth believes racing should be suspended during the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

The number of confirmed cases of foot-and-mouth in Britain has now topped 300 as the controversy over the planned mass cull of healthy animals continues.

The mass cull of healthy animals to stamp out foot-and-mouth disease has already begun.

The British Government has vowed to continue with plans for the controversial mass slaughter of healthy animals which may have come into contact with foot-and-mouth disease.

The British Government is facing further calls to abandon plans for a mass slaughter of healthy animals which may have come into contact with foot-and-mouth disease.

A row has broken out between the Stormont Executive and the London-based Ministry of Agriculture.

Britain's farming industry faces months of torture as the toll from foot-and-mouth disease continues to rise.

The number of foot and mouth cases in the UK has climbed to 139, with a 140th case awaiting confirmation by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Cheltenham Festival has come under fresh doubt after it was confirmed a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease has emerged three miles from Lambourn.

The number of confirmed foot and mouth cases has risen to 69 across Britain and Northern Ireland.

The spread of foot and mouth disease continues to rise in Britain today with the number of cases reaching 57.

The Australian Rugby Union have confirmed that the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Britain will not prevent the Lions from making their summer tour Down Under.