The World Trade Organisation's Appellate Body has ceased to function, after the United States refused to nominate new judges to replace those who have retired. Critics say this will further disrupt global trade and the undermine the multilateral trading system.However, the death of the appeals court is, for many, the "tip of the iceberg" for the US, which objects to China's refusal to update its status at the WTO, and claims that the global trade referee is ill-equipped to deal with a state-led…