1.   And Germany, where five German states unilaterally banned British beef imports last month, said it would seek a European-wide proscription.

2.   As freight lines docked elsewhere, Philadelphia chose to specialize in Chilean fruit and Australian beef imports.

3.   France, the first nation to ban beef imports from the U.K., has since been joined by other countries around the world.

4.   Many countries, such as the U.S., ban fresh beef imports from countries that have cattle affected by hoof-and-mouth disease.

5.   Spain, Austria, Greece and Italy have set strict conditions on the importing of live animals from France, and Austria has banned beef imports from Germany.

6.   Switzerland banned British beef imports in March.

7.   The Ministry of Health and Consumer Protection said it will ban British beef imports, reversing its decision yesterday to keep the nation open to imports.

8.   U.K. Agricultural Minister Jack Cunningham threatened to suspend beef imports from the EU if it postponed the ban.

9.   While frozen beef accounts for less than half of all beef imports, the U.S. is the biggest supplier.

10.   Others, notably South Africa, say they want to resume British beef imports.