BBC – About 190,000 ducks have been culled in the Netherlands as the authorities try to prevent the spread of bird flu across northern European countries.

The slaughter involved six farms, following the discovery of a virus in the village of Biddinghuizen, some 70km (43 miles) east of Amsterdam.

Outbreaks of the highly contagious H5N8 strain have been reported in Denmark, Sweden, Germany and Finland.