World Trade Organisation (WTO) members met on Monday to assess how far the financial crisis has encouraged protectionism. Diplomats representing rich and poor countries discussed WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy's January report showing countries had ignored the Group of 20 nations' plea in November against raising trade barriers.
Russia announced it was temporarily suspending beef imports from United States, Canada, Uruguay, Byelorussia and Ukraine because banned noxious substances had been detected in some shipments.
Germany was the world's biggest goods exporter for a sixth straight year in 2008, staying just ahead of China by shifting nearly 1.5 trillion US dollars worth of merchandise, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Monday.
Bolivia and Venezuelans, South Africans and citizens from Lesotho and Swaziland visiting the United Kingdom will need a visa, under new rules issued by the Home Office. The named countries failed a test of the threat posed by their citizens in terms of security, immigration and crime.
The tragic convergence of drought, international crisis and export taxes could lead to the destruction of Argentina's farm production and the camp is in need of immediate support.
Seven Venezuelan police agents and four civilians have been arrested in connection with an attack on a synagogue, according to reports in the Caracas press. President Hugo Chavez, whom Jewish groups accuse of encouraging anti-Semitism, referred to the arrests and said the attack was led by a police officer who had worked closely with the rabbi at the synagogue.