
The Russian government approved import quotas for meat in 2012, according to a resolution published on Tuesday, reports Meat Trade Daily.

Food prices may ease in 2012 due to a slowing global economy, though no drastic drop from high levels is expected, the new director-general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said on Tuesday.

Uruguay authorized the Royal Navy Ice Patrol HMS Protector into Montevideo because it complies with normal procedure in spite of the fact that its next port of call is Stanley in Falklands/Malvinas.

Greece faces an exit from Europe's common currency block unless it clinches a deal on a second 130 billion Euro bailout with its international lenders, a government spokesman said on Tuesday.

German unemployment fell to its lowest rate in December since 1991, according to the German Federal Labour Agency.

Argentina ratified Tuesday its ‘imprescriptible” sovereignty rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces and blasted the UK for not abiding by UN resolutions calling for bilateral talks.

Denmark has assumed the presidency of the European Union as the 27-member bloc continues efforts to tackle the crisis ravaging the continent. Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt has said Denmark aspires to strengthen the EU in a difficult time.

The UK BAE Systems has signed a deal with the Brazilian Navy to supply it with three patrol vessels. The contract is worth £133m.

Spain’s economy is forecasted to contract in the first quarter of 2012 after shrinking in the previous six months admitted Economy Minister Luis de Guindos confirming analysts’ expectations that the Euro zone fourth largest economy is already in recession.

China has seen an improvement in a key measure of manufacturing, boosting optimism that steady economic growth will continue into 2012. The purchasing managers' index rose to 50.3 in December from 49 in November, the statistical office said. A reading of more than 50 shows expansion.