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The number of news found: 17.

09/30/2015 EU TAKES MALTA TO COURT OVER FINCH TRAPPING

The European Commission is taking Malta to court over its tradition of trapping finches to trade between collectors or keep in cages as songbirds. The Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said finch trapping threatened a bird population already in decline, and it had already asked the Mediterranean island to ban the practice. "Since Malta has not committed to end finch trapping, the Commission has decided to refer Malta to the Court of Justice of the EU," the Commission said in a statement.

09/29/2015 THE NETHERLANDS BANS CIRCUSES WITH WILD ANIMALS

A lot of people have childhood memories of circuses filled with acrobats and terrifying clowns and bears doing somersaults on elephants as they jump through flaming hoops. Unfortunately, a lot of those animals don't get treated as well as a lot of people expect. Circuses are notorious for mistreating animals, and animal rights groups have long battled to bring circus cruelty to public attention. According to Four Paws, the Netherlands has banned circuses from keeping wild species like giraffes, elephants, tigers, lions, zebras, sea lions and primates. This will affect the 16 of the 22 active circuses in the country, and follows legislation already passed in Austria, Greece, and Belgium. The Dutch animal rights group Wild Animals Out of the Tent had been lobbying for the ban for the last nine years and will help circuses help find permanent homes for the animals transitioning out of the circuses.

09/28/2015 ALARMING REPORT ON THE HEALTH OF OUR OCEANS

The sheer vastness of the oceans on this planet make it seem almost impossible that our actions could bring them to the point of no return, but a new report has found that we are causing an alarming decline of marine ecosystems and the species who rely on them. According to the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) recently released Living Blue Planet Report, marine populations have declined by an astonishing 49 percent between 1970 and 2012, with with some fish species, including tuna, declining by almost 75 percent. The report is based on trends of 5,829 populations of 1,234 mammal, bird, reptile and fish species found in the Living Planet Index, which is maintained by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

09/25/2015 FRENCH LAWMAKER IS PROPOSING ALL SCHOOLS GO VEGETARIAN!

A French lawmaker will introduce a draft bill asking that vegetarian meals be obligatory in all French schools. This law is designed as a way of bypassing the country's rules on secularism, and accommodates for religious sensitivities. The online petition quickly gathered over 125,000 signatures! This past August, the French court upheld the local authority's decision to stop offering pork alternatives when pork was served in school. The ruling was then seen as a precedent for other schools. Since then, religious campaigners have been trying to find a way around the growing secularism in the country. Politician, Yves Jego, is hoping that the draft bill to make vegetarian menus obligatory in cafeterias will resolve this problem and will provide an option for everyone, whether it is a dietary belief or a religious belief.

09/23/2015 SWAPPING RED MEAT FOR BEANS

Vegetarians are often asked how they can survive without meat, and now they have their answer: beans. When searching for a meat alternative that would still leave consumers feeling full, researchers at the University of Minnesota discovered that beans may be the perfect swap. Beans are rich in protein,  the number one nutrient in producing the feeling of fullness. The study, published in the Journal of Food Science, could then inspire consumers looking to maintain or lose weight with more meat-free meals. The American Dietetic Association list beans as a "healthy food exchange" for weight loss, and studies have shown incorporating 3 cups of cooked beans into your diet each week helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

09/22/2015 TERRIFIED DOLPHIN THROWS HIMSELF AT MAN'S FEET TO ESCAPE HUNTERS

Taiji, Japan, is a bloodbath once again — and a heartbreaking video captures the final moments of the hunt's first victims. Ric O'Barry, founder of The Dolphin Project and star of the 2009 film "The Cove," was in Japan to witness the first days of the Taiji dolphin hunt. And an encounter he had with one of the victims left even a veteran like him shaken. One stricken animal, overwhelmed by fear, seems to intuitively recognize a friend. He throws himself on the rocky shore at O'Barry's feet, desperately thrashing and rolling onto his back as he tries to escape. O'Barry is equally stricken — but he can't do anything to help. "I will be arrested immediately," he says. "This is anguish," O'Barry says, crouching down by the tragic scene. "[He's] panic-stricken on the rocks, and I am heartbroken that I can't get in the water and help him away from... he's tearing his skin up. This is awful." It's unclear whether the dolphin died of fear or whether the fishermen finished him off.

09/21/2015 BROOKLYN COUPLE RESCUES CHICKEN FROM RITUAL SLAUGHTER

With the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur fast approaching, there's been some renewed discussion about Kaporos, a controversial Ultra-Orthodox ritual in which participants wave a live chicken three times over their heads before slaughtering it. Animal rights activists have long since argued that the ritual is a cruel practice, staging protests, filing lawsuits, and even rescuing chickens. One Brooklyn couple has even been raising a spared Kaporos chicken in their apartment—and they're doing their best to paper-train the bird so they don't have to keep changing her diaper. The couple in question are Vanessa and Steve Dawson, who currently live in Bensonhurst with their two cats and the aforementioned chicken, Penelope. Vanessa Dawson nabbed Penelope from a crate in Borough Park last October, where she and dozens of other chickens were awaiting slaughter. The Dawsons then nursed Penelope back to health and made her part of her family.

09/18/2015 SYRIAN REFUGEE BRINGS KITTEN ALL THE WAY TO GREECE

A Syrian refugee refused to make his perilous journey from his war torn country to the Mediterranean without his kitten. Photos of the twosome went viral depicting the touching moment when they both landed on the island of Lesbos, Greece, with the new migrant carefully cradling his feline friend. According to Greek news outlet Protothema, the man arrived with nothing but a few possessions, and, of course, he most precious cargo of all: his cat, Zaytouna, which is Arabic for Olive. The man and his family are expected to to take Zaytouna with them as they continue their way into Europe where they will hopefully find a new home soon.

09/17/2015 SWEDISH PEOPLE SAY NO TO FUR FARMING

A majority of Swedes do not think it should be allowed to breed minks in cages for their fur, according to a recent poll conducted by the survey company Demoskop on behalf of Djurens Rätt (Animal Rights Sweden). The opposition to fur farming was found among supporters of all parties in the parliament. It should not be allowed to breed minks in cages for their fur according to the Swedish people. To the question "Do you think it should be allowed to breed minks in cages for fur production?" 78 per cent of Swedes said no. The opinion against fur farming is thus unaltered since the previous opinion poll in 2014. Only 15 percent responded that they think mink farming should be permitted.

09/16/2015 JUST ONE LARGE STEAK A WEEK RAISES THE RISK OF BOWEL CANCER

Eating just a steak or two a week could give you cancer, World Health Organization scientists are expected to announce next month. WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is forecast to make the bombshell ruling after scientists meet in France to discuss the matter. British farmers and food manufacturers are bracing themselves for the decision, which they fear will devastate the industry. The IARC evaluates different substances according to their cancer risk, ranking them in one of five groups. Group 1 is "carcinogenic to humans"; 2A is "probably carcinogenic"; 2B "possibly carcinogenic"; 3 "not classifiable" and 4 "probably not carcinogenic". The IARC has so far evaluated 982 substances – and found only one to be "probably not carcinogenic". Of the remaining 981, it has found 117 to be carcinogenic, 74 probably carcinogenic and 287 possibly carcinogenic. The other 503 it found to be not classifiable.

09/15/2015 CALIFORNIA LAWMAKERS PASS SWEEPING BAN ON IVORY AND RHINO HORNS

In a another victory for imperiled wildlife, this week California lawmakers voted to ban the sale of elephant ivory and rhino horns in the state in an effort to protect these species from getting killed by poachers. In 1989, international sales of ivory were banned under the CITES, but loopholes still allow people to own and sell ivory that was imported before that, which is known as "pre-ban" ivory. California created its own law regarding ivory in 1976, which currently makes it illegal to import or sell elephant parts, but a loophole in the state allows for the sale of ivory that was imported before 1977. The bill closes the loophole and bans "buying, selling, offering for sale, possessing with intent to sell or importing with intent to sell elephant ivory or rhinoceros horn, except as specified under very limited educational and scientific circumstances, and would make this prohibition enforceable by the Department of Fish and Wildlife." Anyone with ivory who wants to sell it has until until July 1, 2016. After that date, selling will become be a misdemeanor, leaving anyone who gets caught facing fines of up to $50,000 and a year in jail.

09/14/2015 ANGER AS "DISASTROUS" BADGER CULL STARTS

Badger culls have got under way in parts of the UK, the government has confirmed. The announcement came days after permission was given to extend the controversial culling program. A new cull began in Dorset, while similar schemes in Somerset and Gloucestershire - where culling took place last year - have restarted. The culls began despite demands from Queen guitarist and campaigner Brian May for them to stop while he seeks a judicial review. More than 800 badgers are due to be killed in Dorset over the next six weeks, with culling due to continue for four years. The government said strong action was needed to protect the dairy and beef industry by controlling the spread of TB in cattle. But animal rights groups say previous trial culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire have proved to be neither humane nor effective.

09/09/2015 EUROPEAN TOP COURT UPHOLDS EU BAN ON SEAL IMPORTS

A European Union ban on imports of seal products not derived from the traditional Inuit seal hunt is legal, the 28-nation bloc's top court ruled on Thursday. The Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice rejected an appeal brought by an association representing the interests of Canadian Inuits - Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami - and seal product manufacturers against a ruling from a lower court in 2013. "By today's judgment, the Court dismisses the appeal in its entirety," the Court said in a statement. The association of Canadian Inuits had disputed the legality of the ban on the grounds that its objective - the protection of animal welfare - was not an exclusive competence of the EU. The EU ban, which arose over concerns of brutality in the seal hunt, has been challenged by Canada and Norway in the past.

09/08/2015 DEER WITH ARROW LODGED IN FACE IS SAVED

After more than nine months, a doe with an arrow lodged in her face has finally found relief. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife successfully removed most of the arrow from the deer's face after tranquilizing her Tuesday morning at a private property off Suffolk Way. The doe, whom activists have named Grace, was in good health and released back into the wild with her fawn, wildlife officials said. After sedating Grace, wildlife experts snipped off the shaft of the arrow but left the arrowhead in place because removing it could cause further injury. She is expected to survive, officials said. Last week, an online petition urging the state to help Grace garnered more than 100,000 signatures from all over the world. The cause was fueled by two videos shot by an animal rights nonprofit, Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK).

09/03/2015 SEABIRDS "BLIGHTED BY PLASTIC WASTE"

About 90% of seabirds have eaten plastic and are likely to retain some in their gut, a new analysis estimates. The study concludes that matters will only get worse until action is taken to stem the flow of waste to the oceans. Researcher Erik Van Sebille says the oceans are now filled with plastic and it is "virtually certain" that any dead seabird found in 2050 "will have a bit of plastic in its stomach". Dr Van Sebille and his colleagues report their work in the journal PNAS.

09/02/2015 DEMAND FOR MEAT ALTERNATIVES AND SOY PRODUCTS GROWING IN AUSTRALIA

Protein or meat alternatives are proving to be a viable market for Australian growers and manufacturers as more consumers turn to plant-based diets. The alternatives, known as meat analogues, are full of protein and are often substitutes for people who do not eat meat. Dean Epps, general manager of Life Health Foods, Australia's largest manufacturer of analogues, said the demand for protein alternatives that looked and tasted like meat was "coming from people who have aggressively reduced their meat". "Nearly half of Australian adults have actively tried to reduce meat in their diet to improve their health or lose weight," he said. Mr Epps tracks the trends of Australians' meat consumption through independent surveys and comparisons of national studies.

09/01/2015 THE SUMATRAN RHINO HAS GONE EXTINCT IN THE MALAYSIAN WILD

According to a new study, the Sumatran rhino is now considered extinct in the wild in Malaysia. Sumatran rhinos have not been found in Malaysia since 2007, and what are considered to be the last two female rhinos in the Malaysian Borneo were captured and placed into breeding facilities in 2011 and 2014. Researchers estimate that there are now fewer than 100 Sumatran rhinos left in the wild, which are distributed among three populations on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. In order to save the species, researchers suggest that safe regions be implemented where the rhinos can breed, otherwise known as intensive management zones, and place isolated rhinos into these areas so that they can reproduce safely. While Asian governments have approved of these zones in 2013, the researchers say they have yet to establish them.

The number of news found: 17.

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