January 19, 2006	Thursday	Zilhaj 18, 1426

GENEVA, Jan 18: The WTO is set to open to the public its hearings in the EU-US battle over billions of dollars in aid for aircraft giants Boeing and Airbus, officials said on Wednesday.

The first round of dispute settlement hearings is scheduled for June, and both sides in the tussle have agreed to let the public attend, trade officials added.

The WTO monitors respect for the rules of global commerce, which are set by the 149 trading nations that make up its membership.—AFP