In brief: EU, China reach solar panel accord

Beijing – The Europe Union and Chinese solar panel exporters said Saturday that they had reached a settlement in their long trade dispute, with the exporters agreeing to sell their products at a minimum price in the EU market.

The agreement ends one of the biggest-ever trade disputes between China and Europe – a row that threatened to escalate into a full-blown trade war.

The settlement comes after negotiations that began in June when the EU announced that duties averaging 47 percent on Chinese-made solar panels, cells and wafers would come into effect in August. The EU said then that China was selling its products in the EU market at below-cost prices and harming the European solar panel industry.

Gay bars boycotting Russian-made vodka

Los Angeles – Several gay bars in West Hollywood have begun removing Stolichnaya Vodka – made from Russian ingredients – from their shelves to protest recent anti-gay laws in Russia.

“Come on down and drink something other than Russian vodka!” said Brian Rand, an accountant at Eleven Bar & Nightclub, a gay bar.

Eleven stopped selling Stoli and all Russian vodka products Wednesday night, Rand said, with the enthusiastic support of its customers.

In a statement on its Facebook page, Revolver Video Bar announced Thursday that it, too, would boycott all Stoli products “effective immediately.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed legislation banning “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,” including providing children with information on homosexuality and holding gay pride events.