Swine fever in second German state

The European Commission says it will decide this week whether to impose a ban on German pig exports after the discovery of another case of swine fever in the northern state of Lower Saxony.

It follows an outbreak of the disease last week, in one of Germany's largest pig farms, in the north-east of the country.

German authorities say more than sixty-three-thousand pigs will have to be culled if they are to contain the disease.

Belgium has already announced an immediate ban on all German pig exports.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service