07/29/2014VIETNAM Fried cat and cold beer, Vietnam's favourite new snack The consumption of cat meat is up exponentially: fried in garlic and served as a snack before meals. A medium-to-large adult cat can fetch up to US$ 70. A veterinarian explains that it is not cruelty. "The country was once very poor, and we had a long war". Eating anything "became a habit". Hanoi (AsiaNews)
- Despite an official ban by the authorities, cat meat has become a new favourite
snack in Vietnam.
Cat's growing
popularity is particularly worrisome for cat owners who live in constant fear of
seeing their pets disappear. A...
07/29/2014SOUTH KOREA Korea, Sewol survivors: Crew and Coast Guard abandoned us Hearing opens in Ansan to gather the testimonies of those who have managed to escape after the disaster, which killed more than 300 people. Heavy accusations against those in charge, who fled instead of helping passengers. The Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace: "Now we need a special law to shed light on the incident."
07/27/2014VATICAN "Stop! I am asking you with all my heart. Stop!" says pope as he speaks out on the Middle East, Iraq and Ukraine He mentions children, victims of war, "from whom we take away the hope for a decent life," urging the parties to address "every diatribe with the tenacity of dialogue and negotiation and the power of reconciliation". As tomorrow marks 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War, "a day of mourning," we should learn the lessons of history. The Gospel makes us know the true Jesus, the living Jesus, who speaks to the heart and is a life changer as he was for Saint Francis of Assisi. "The joy of finding the treasure of the Kingdom of God comes through, can be seen. Christians cannot hide their faith."
07/25/2014ASIA Air disasters: 2014 could beat 2005 in terms of fatalities So far this year, 680 people have died, higher than 12-month totals for the past three years. With 916 deaths, 2005 was the worst year. IATA points out that about 100,000 flights take place every day without incident with passenger trips on airlines exceeding three billion last year.
07/25/2014JAPAN Japanese trade deficit hits record levels in first six months of the year Trade deficit tops 7.6 trillion yen (US$ 74.9 billion) as exports fail to keep pace with imports. Higher sales tax and higher fuel and gas imports because of nuclear power plant closures push Japan's trade balance into the red.
07/25/2014INDIA Jharkhand, a journey among children crippled by uranium contamination For years, environmental groups have denounced the living conditions of the inhabitants of the villages around Jaduguda, India’s first uranium mine. The majority of children suffer from severe physical deformities, which often lead to their death. Activisits denounce the dumping of toxic waste products. The president of the company that operates the mine claims the children "were brought here on purpose."
07/24/2014INDIA Fr Nithya: Hunger and extreme poverty hinder human development in India by Nirmala Carvalho Fr Nithya OFM talks to AsiaNews about the 2014 Human Development Report. Based on the Index of Human Development, the studies ranks India 135th out of 187 countries. For the clergyman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic promises "mock the poor and the marginalised."
07/24/2014VATICAN-TAIWAN Pope sends condolences to Archbishop of Taipei for Magong plane crash The Pope sent a telegram through the Secretary of State. The plane was carrying 58 people; 48 have died. 10 others are hospitalized for injuries. The immediate cause is believed to be bad weather conditions, but the government has opened an investigation.
07/24/2014ISRAEL - PALESTINE Gaza war, the death toll grows; 150 Palestinians imprisoned and stripped naked The Palestinian death toll rises to 718; 32 Israeli soldiers and three civilians killed. Among these there is also a Thai migrant who worked in a garden centre near the Strip. Palestinians stripped naked because they were suspected of "terrorism". Uproar over unnecessary humiliation. Khaled Meshaal rejects any cease-fire. UN denounces use of schools in Gaza as a weapons depots. Ban on flights to and from Tel Aviv lifted, but the air traffic yet to return to normal.
07/23/2014MACAU - CHINA Beijing's censorship and Macau universities Lecturers are fired because they express pro-democracy views or mention the horror of Mao's reign. The politburo and the principle of "one country, two systems" are off-limits on university campuses.
07/23/2014JAPAN - MONGOLIA Tokyo and Ulaanbaatar sign deal to cut duties, agree on mediation with Pyongyang Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and Mongolian President Elbegdorj ink free trade pact to boost bilateral trade, mostly cars and beef. The deal is also inspired by a desire to get Mongolia to help in North Korean-Japanese relations. Former Communist nation is playing an increasingly important diplomatic role.
07/23/2014ISRAEL - PALESTINE Gaza War: U.S. and Europe suspend flights to Tel Aviv The flight ban lasts 24 to 36 hours. Fears of accidents similar to MH17 in Ukraine. For Israel, the suspension is a “prize” for Hamas. Michael Bloomberg on a flight to Tel Aviv. 637 Palestinians killed and more than 4 thousand wounded. Among Israelis, 29 soldiers killed, two civilians.
07/22/2014CHINA Government announces nation-wide investigation in the wake of "bad meat" scandal After undercover report shows the use of bad ingredients in making fast food products, Starbucks also pulls some products from the market. The government says lawbreakers will be "severely punished", but food scandals seem an incurable plague in the country.
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