Cork County Councils’s grand plan to develop a new town near Blarney has been rejected by An Bord Pleanála.

THE Government has given the green light to create plans for the first purpose-built town in Munster.

China said today that it is taking effective measures to prevent the spread of bird flu and keep it from infecting people as the world’s most populous nation reported three outbreaks of the disease in a week.

PRELIMINARY tests conducted on three people who returned to the Indian Ocean French island of La Reunion after a trip to Thailand indicated they may have the H5N1 bird flu virus, authorities said yesterday.

Preliminary tests conducted on three people who returned to the Indian Ocean French island of La Reunion after a trip to Thailand indicated they may have the H5N1 bird flu virus, authorities said today.