The Watchdog: For safety’s sake, blood banks don’t bend rules (The Kansas City Star) Amy Brown of Leawood wants to donate blood, but U.S. Food and Drug Administration requirements restrict her because she lived in England for many years. (The reason for the restriction: mad cow disease.) [News Source]

U.S. issues call to reopen beef markets (The Japan Times) WASHINGTON (Kyodo) The United States urged Japan and other nations on Friday to eliminate all curbs on U.S. beef imports related to mad cow disease and fully open their beef markets, following South... Read more ... [News Source]

South Korea Will Lift Its Ban on American Beef (NYTimes.com via Yahoo! Finance) The decision ended a ban begun in 2003 over concerns about mad cow disease and removed a major dispute between the allies. [News Source]

Beef deal revives hope for U.S. and Korea trade pact. A deal to allow U.S. beef exports back in the South Korean market boosts chances Congress will vote on a free trade pact with Seoul, but House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats said on Friday the pact's auto provisions should be revamped. [News Source]

S. Korea agrees to resume U.S. beef imports. South Korea agreed to resume U.S. beef imports that had been halted over fears of mad cow disease, clearing a key hurdle to a broader trade deal with Washington just hours before the countries' leaders were to meet Friday. [News Source]

South Korea will lift its ban on American beef. South Korea agreed on Friday to resume beef imports from the United States, ending a ban begun in 2003 over concerns about mad cow disease. [News Source]

U.S., South Korea announce deal to end ban on U.S. beef exports. The U.S. and South Korea agreed on a plan to lift the Asian nation's ban on American beef exports, removing a major impediment on a free-trade deal with South Korea, though significant hurdles remain. [News Source]

South Korea, U.S. work to settle a beef — over beef. The Bush administration Friday welcomed a new South Korean leader and an apparent resolution to a spat over South Korea's ban on American beef that had been blocking an ambitious free-trade deal. [News Source]

South Korea Will Lift Its Ban on American Beef (NYTimes.com via Yahoo! Finance) The decision ended a ban begun in 2003 over concerns about mad cow disease and removed a major dispute between the allies. [News Source]

South Korea to reopen its market to U.S. beef (San Francisco Chronicle) More than four years after closing its borders to imports of U.S. beef due to a case of mad cow disease found in a dairy cow in Washington state, South Korea said Friday it will fully reopen its market, moving to restore what was once more than $800 million... [News Source]