Rating should ease U.S. beef curbs: Johanns. Japan should swiftly relax its import trade criteria for American beef once a global animal disease watchdog awards the United States official beef-safety status, as widely anticipated, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Thursday. [News Source]

South Korea, U.S. try to save trade deal (AP via Yahoo! News) South Korea and the United States raced against time Sunday to try to conclude a landmark free trade agreement as demonstrators took to the streets to denounce the effort, with a man setting himself on fire in protest. [News Source]

Deadline extended for U.S. trade deal with South Korea (International Herald Tribune) The negotiators agreed to finish the talks by 1 a.m. Monday in Seoul, corresponding to a noon Sunday deadline in Washington. [News Source]

South Korea and U.S. try to save extended trade talks (International Herald Tribune) The United States and South Korea struggled to save a proposed free trade agreement in extended high-level talks on Sunday, after failing to conclude the deal by an original U.S.-imposed deadline. [News Source]

South Korea, U.S. try to save trade deal (AP via Yahoo! News) The United States and South Korea struggled to save a proposed free trade agreement in extended high-level talks on Sunday, after failing to conclude the deal by an original U.S.-imposed deadline. [News Source]

US/SKorea struggling to reach accord (FT.com via Yahoo! News) US and South Korean negotiators continued to disagree over key issues such as car, beef and agricultural market access on Sunday, after extending their deadline to forge a trade deal by 48 hours. [News Source]

Japan’s Seiyu to start selling U.S. beef (AG Weekly) TOKYO - Seiyu Ltd., the supermarket chain owned by Wal-Mart, said Monday that some of its stores will start selling U.S. beef at a time when most major retailers in Japan are still worried about possible health hazards. [News Source]