The leader of one of South Korea's largest animal rights groups has been accused of secretly exterminating hundreds of rescued dogs - despite a declared no-kill policy - to ensure a continued stream of donations. South Korean attitudes on eating dogs are divided. While some consider them a delicacy, young Koreans typically reject the practice AFP/JIM WATSON South Korean attitudes on canines are divided - about one million dogs are eaten every year in the country, often as a summertime delicacy. But the tradition is declining as the nation increasingly embraces the idea of dogs as pets, with eating them now something of a taboo among young South Koreans. For years, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) has spearheaded campaigns to rescue canines from dogmeat farms across the country, accumulating some 23,000 members and around two billion won (US$1.8 million) in annual donations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in - who is a known animal lover with several dogs - … [Read more...] about Top South Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
Human rights campaign fund
Far right Le Pen launches European elections campaign
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Sunday (Jan 13) launched her party's campaign for the European Parliament elections, pledging to beat President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party in the vote. President of the French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party Marine Le Pen gestures to the crowd on Jan 13, 2019, in Paris, during a meeting to launch the RN's campaign for the European elections of May 2019. (Photo: AFP/Jacques Demarthon) Le Pen, leader of the National Rally (RN), formerly the National Front, presented the first 12 candidates on her list before a crowd of some 2,000 supporters in Paris. "If Emmanuel Macron does not have the wisdom to change policies, if he does not have the wisdom to return to the people" by dissolving parliament for fresh elections, voters will express their discontent at the European elections, Le Pen said. The European Parliament elections will be held May 23 to 26. At the campaign launch, Le Pen slammed Macron over the "yellow vests" … [Read more...] about Far right Le Pen launches European elections campaign
Top S. Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
South Korean attitudes on canines are divided -- about one million dogs are eaten every year in the country, often as a summertime delicacy. But the tradition is declining as the nation increasingly embraces the idea of dogs as pets, with eating them now something of a taboo among young South Koreans. For years, Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (CARE) has spearheaded campaigns to rescue canines from dogmeat farms across the country, accumulating some 23,000 members and around two billion won ($1.8 million) in annual donations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in -- who is a known animal lover with several dogs -- adopted a small black and white mongrel from CARE when he came to office in 2017. Staff members at CARE told the Hankyoreh newspaper that the organization's head, Park So-yeon, had more than 230 rescued dogs destroyed because of a shortage of space at the shelter. The number was equivalent to around a quarter of the animals the group rescued in the period, according to the … [Read more...] about Top S. Korean animal rights group slammed for destroying dogs
Maternal mortality rate falls in Việt Nam: report
Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Maternal mortality rate in the country fell from 233 per 100,000 live births in the 1990s to 58.3 per 100,000 live births in 2016. Contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR), on the other hand, increased from 37 per cent in 1988 to 67 per cent in 2016. These figures have been revealed in a study on the quality of family planning services in Việt Nam, which was launched in Hà Nội on Tuesday. The ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Health, with technical and financial support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Việt Nam. The study is conducted by the Việt Nam Research and Training Centre for Community Development (RTCCD) in coordination with the Bangladesh Human Development Research Centre in 2015-2016 in 20 districts across the country. The study researchers interviewed nearly 6,000 women aged between 15 and 49 to implement the study. The study aims at supplying updated and reliable … [Read more...] about Maternal mortality rate falls in Việt Nam: report
Campaigners concerned as India delays tough new anti-trafficking law
As a sex trafficking survivor, Lilufa Bibi was hoping that India would enact a new legislation aimed at helping thousands trapped in modern slavery. But lawmakers failed to table the bill in the last session of parliament, which ended this month. Bibi and other campaigners say they feel betrayed by the delay in passing the tough anti-trafficking law, which promises speedy justice and rehabilitation to survivors. "The delay only means that there are traffickers out on bail who continue to threaten victims, many of whom are still waiting for proper rehabilitation," said Bibi, 24, who escaped a brothel seven years ago. Her concerns are echoed by campaigners who point to government data that shows reports of human trafficking increasing by almost 20 percent in 2016 against the previous year, to 8,132 cases. Survivors and activists are demanding that the bill is passed by parliament soon, amid fears it may fall off the radar with political attention expected to turn to general elections set … [Read more...] about Campaigners concerned as India delays tough new anti-trafficking law