Japan has banned the use of domestic cattle to manufacture

Japan has banned the use of domestic cattle to manufacture medicines and cosmetics after confirming it had Asia's first case of mad cow disease last month, a Japanese governmental official said Wednesday. - AFP

Coffee prices spiralled lower on the London futures markets, driven to new lows on prospects of growing oversupply, traders said. The November contract on the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE) dropped below the psychological $400 a tonne level to trade at a new contract low of $392, a $16 loss from Tuesday. - Reuters

The euro zone's business indicator fell again in September, to minus 0.57 from minus 0.46 in August, remaining in the red for four months straight for the first time in two years, The European Commission announced Wednesday. - AFP

A total of 214 bank accounts containing deposits amounting to some four million euros (more than US$3.5 million) have so far been frozen in Germany in efforts to crack down on financial support for terrorism, the German economy ministry announced Tuesday. The ministry has also ordered the closure of other accounts relating to 26 individuals and entities which figured on a list issued by U.S. President George W. Bush last week as being linked to terrorism, a statement said. - AFP

Canada's government announced Tuesday it was disbursing C$160 million (US$100 million) in immediate aid to the country's troubled airlines, which were briefly grounded after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.Air Canada, the nation's dominant carrier which had originally asked for an aid package totaling between C$3 and C$4 billion ($2-2.7 billion), will receive C$100 million ($64 million) of the total package, Transport Minister David Collenette said. - AFP

Taiwan's premier on Wednesday said his government won't boycott a summit of Asian and Pacific leaders this month in Shanghai. Some officials have suggested that Taiwan might skip the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting because China has refused to invite President Chen Shui-bian. Premier Chang Chun-hsiung said that Taiwan was still insisting that the president attended the summit on Oct. 20-21, the Taiwanese Central News Agency wire service reported. - AP