Asia Pacific | China's Biggest Trade Gap Ever With U.S. Increases Pressure to...
Asia Pacific
China's Biggest Trade Gap Ever With U.S. Increases Pressure to Open Market
The U.S.'s record trade deficit with China last year may increase pressure on Beijing to meet its market-opening pledges and let its currency strengthen, government officials and analysts said.
Japan Changes Labeling Laws
Japanese agriculture and health ministries simplify labeling laws to produce a single label.
U.S. Troops May Fight In Phillipines
Washington (CNN) - Some 350 U.S. special operations troops will join with the Phillipine military in an open-ended mission to "disrupt and defeat" the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf rebel movement as soon as March, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
Europe
European Union bans beef imports from Paraguay amidst FMD concerns
The European Union banned beef imports from Paraguay after an inspection there found "serious failures" in animal health control, particularly concerning foot-and-mouth disease, according to the London Times.
Ireland: South's Meat Plants Face Closure Threat
The meat processing sector in the Republic of Ireland is facing major disruption with the possibility of some closures because of unsustainable costs from the Department of Agriculture and Food, a farmers' leader has warned.
USA
USDA pegs US beef exports at 2.57 bln lbs
The U.S. Agriculture Department projects U.S. beef exports to rise slightly this year, although the total could be reduced by higher prices and weakness in the currencies of major importing countries, a USDA analyst said on Friday.
Infectious clue in brain disease: Misshapen 'mad cow' proteins, or prions, found in nasal passages
People with the human form of "mad cow" disease apparently harbor the infectious protein in their noses, scientists are reporting, raising questions about transmission of the disease and opening a possible avenue for detecting it. The findings appear in today's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.