YIV Hospital Victory
Following ongoing negotiations with Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow and Central Middlesex Hospital, Park Royal for almost a year, they have introduced an ‘Asian Vegetarian Menu’. The menu is defined as free of meat, fish and eggs. A Jain vegetarian menu has also been introduced with no root vegetables. A system has also been put in place to alert all the staff concerned about the special diet of Hindu and Jain patients. A vegan diet is also on the menu! Our sincere thanks to councillor Mark Versallion and the hospital management for bringing about this progressive change. A special thanks also to Dhiraj and Punita Shah, Jyoti Shah and Naginbhai Avlani for taking part in the lengthy negotiations. Other hospitals can now follow Northwick Park’s example but it will need local Hindus and Jains to make it happen!
 

Animal Asia
This organisation does wonderful work in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries. Bear farming in China and Vietnam is widespread. Bears are kept in cages and bile is extracted from them. Bile is considered a, ‘magical’ ingredient for everything from haemorrhoids to hangovers. As a result of Animal Asia’s campaigns, leaders of 18 of mainland China’s 31 provinces became bear farm free. At Animal Asia’s bear sanctuary in China two completely blind bears had their sights restored after cataract surgery! UK ophthalmologists Dr. Claudia Hartley and Dr. David Donaldson carried out the surgery. Animal Asia is also fighting hard to end the brutal dog and meat trade in China, Korea, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. They are also working to end the practice of feeding live animals to tigers and other large predators. May God give Jill Robinson the director and all the supporters of Animal Asia more and more success. Please visit: www.animalasia.org and support them.
 

Leather shoe ban for schools in India.
Following a campaign by India’s leading animal rights campaigner, Maneka Gandhi, who is also a recipient of our Mahaveer Award, children in Indian schools will now have to wear non leather canvas shoes! There is a strong connection between animals killed for meat and their skins used for leather goods. So if you are wearing leather shoes, leather belts or keeping leather purses GO for non leather alternatives!
 

UN Report Recommends A Shift Away From Meat
A global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world from hunger, fuel poverty and the worst impacts of climate change, says a recent UN report.
As the global population surges towards a predicted 9.1 billion people by 2050, western tastes for diets rich in meat and dairy products are unsustainable, says the report from United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) international panel of sustainable resource management. It says: “Impacts from agriculture are expected to increase substantially due to population growth increasing consumption of animal products". Unlike fossil fuels, it is difficult to look for alternatives: people have to eat. A substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change, away from meat and dairy products.
 

Biofuel and Grains diverted to feed animals = mass starvation
According to United Nations 100 million people from the world’s poorest face starvation. 25,000 people a day die from hunger related diseases. The amount of grains fed to animals could feed 4 billion people. As if this was not enough almost 27 million hectares of land was used to produce crops for producing fuel in 2007. In 2008 food prices soared pushing almost 100 million people below the poverty line and almost 30 million people into hunger. Biofuel was responsible for at least 30% of food price rises. Biofuel is supposed to help fight climate change but in fact bio fuels cause more green house emissions than fossil fuels. Heavy use of fertilisers on the crops releases huge amounts of nitrous oxide, a gas 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The demand for new land for biofuel is causing thousands of hectares of forests to be torn down causing a huge release of carbon into the atmosphere. The human population is set to grow to 9 billion people by 2050 and unless meat consumption which is one of the main causes of green house gas emissions is not replaced with planet friendly plant based diet, a catastrophe awaits the human race.

Victory for Elephants in India
In November 2009 India’s Central Zoo authority issued an order that all Elephants should be removed from zoos and sent to national parks, sanctuaries or reserves with immediate effect. The ban has been extended to circuses also. Well done India! Don't ever go to circuses where animals are made to perform!

Animal Defenders International
ADI is a brilliant campaigning group fighting to abolish vivisection. Around 10,000 monkeys die in European laboratories. As part of their 'Save the Primates' campaign and with the help of Swedish animal rights group Djurrattsalliansen as well as Israel’s , Behind Closed Doors group they rescued 3 monkeys from Israel laboratories. From their grim lives in Israeli lab the monkeys have been brought to Lakeview a wonderful animal sanctuary in Ascot, Berkshire. These monkeys will now live happily until they die a natural death. ADI will finance their upkeep throughout their lives. ADI can do much more with your support - act NOW! Animal Defenders, tel: 020 7630 3340. www.ad-international.org.

Jo Rollino, the strongest man who ever lived dies aged 104
Jo lived in Brooklyn. He was a body builder, boxer and astonished people with his many incredible feats. The secret of his longevity he said were regular swims in the ocean, breakfast of oatmeal and never ever meat, cigarettes and alcohol! He died not a natural death but was knocked down by a truck.