CHINA: China pledged on Thursday that it would do what was necessary to protect the interests of Chinese companies after the United States banned new equipment sales from five Chinese firms.

The US Federal Communications Commission issued a ban last Friday on importing and selling telecommunications equipment from companies including Huawei and ZTE.

BRAZIL: The administration of left-wing Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is planning to establish a new Federal Police unit to tackle environmental crimes.