The Republican leader of the Senate, Mitch McConnell, has said that "significant progress" has been made on a new economic stimulus package for the United States. Leading Republicans and Democrats held two meetings on Tuesday and indicated the two sides are moving closer to an agreement. Also today, Australia has appealed to the World Trade Organization to intervene in a dispute with China, which has slapped tariffs of over 80 percent on barley imports. Relations have soured between Canberra and Beijing in the past two years.
