In 2019, the illegal wildlife trade reached staggering levels. Pangolin scales and ivory were being trafficked in massive quantities from Africa to Asia, exposing a network of crime syndicates operating at an industrial scale. The sheer volume of these shipments marked a disturbing milestone, one that revealed the global reach …
The Chinese health ministry will enforce a ban on the system of donating blood for money. This decision comes following a report about more than 80 per cent residents of the Donghu village in Henan province being affected by the hiv virus. The villagers blame the government-owned blood banks for …
Remember the cartoon of the European explorer in North America, waving an axe to clear forests while moving towards the west coast a few centuries ago? The slogan "exploring the west' in China has a similar ring in the ear. China now has its eyes fixed upon its wild, barren …
The greatest hurdle in meeting China's environmental challenges is for the Chinese people to appreciate that it isn't merely the job of the government. Opinion polls indicate that even when the people are aware of environmental problems, economic development takes precedence. Government agencies entrusted with the task of enforcement of …
China has been the seat of philosophies like Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, which have often been touted as espousing the belief that humans should coexist in harmony with nature. This creates an impression that Chinese culture, rooted in these philosophies, would lead to a predisposition towards environmentally friendly policies. This …
• In 1996, China produced 1.4 million vehicles. By 2000, production is expected to reach 2.7 million and by 2010, six million • Registered motor vehicles in China (excluding scooters) are expected to reach 44 to 50 million by the year 2010. China's long-term goal is to have every household …
China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines are the most polluted countries in Asia, while Singapore, Malaysia and Japan are the cleanest, indicates a recent survey. The Hong-Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Limited (PERC) conducted the survey. In the survey, emigrants living in 12 Asian countries and territories rated …
Officials in Hong Kong have completed their slaughtering operation to contain the spread to a flu caused by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus. At least 1.4 million birds were slaughtered during the operation (see
Environmental activists in Hong Kong recently staged a protest against Nestle, a multinational food corporation, alleging that the company had failed to keep its promise to stop the use of genetically-modified (gm) ingredients in its products. During the protest, a vehicle blocked the exit of the company's factory to stop …
A proposal to ban smoking in all indoor public places is on the anvil in Hong Kong. The plan includes a complete ban on smoking in offices, shops, factories and restaurants, with managers empowered to enforce the prohibition. But Jimmy Yuen, a consultant for Hong Kong's occupational safety and health …
Despite three efforts, India has failed to breed the musk deer in farms, although there are examples of success from China and Russia. Musk is a highly valued product in several industries like cosmetics. It is obtained from a golf ball-sized gland in the abdomen of the male musk deer …
Genetic resources or biological materials derived from plants and animals remain the the basis for improvement of agricultural crops and for medicines for 75 per cent of the world's population. The biotechnology industry has harnessed living organisms to produce a variety of products, such as medicines and cosmetics. More controversially, …
researchers are convinced that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs. This theory gets credence from the recent discovery of fossil that has clear traces of feathers from head to tail. The fossil also supports the theory that some dinosaurs developed feathers not to fly but to keep themselves warm. The …
Why have we been witnessing so many different communicable diseases recently? Increase in population has given rise to densely inhabited areas leading to poor sanitation. This gives perfect opportunities to microbes to spread. Along with this is the problem of malnutrition, which sometimes goes hand in hand with the increase …
The death of wild animals in a zoo is, indeed a shocking phenomenon. On one hand the government and international agencies spend crores of rupees to save the tiger and on the other we murder 12 tigers due to gross negligence. The highly qualified doctors who vaccinated the tigers at …
Hong Kong's pledge to protect its environment is about to face its ultimate test. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation has appealed against a government's ecofriendly decision, which had stopped the corporation from laying rail-tracks through a wetland. The corporation is now spending a lot of money for gathering evidence to support …
Engineers in Singapore and China have developed audio beams that will help reduce noise pollution due to high decibel sound. The audio beam can focus a narrow beam of sound, just like a beam of light. Only the person within the beam area can hear the sound,' says Zhang Ming, …
China's premier protected reserve for the giant panda is degrading faster than the rest of its habitat. Attempts to protect the giant panda are proving counter-productive. A new study finds that destruction of the panda habitat inside the Wolong reserve in Sichuan is happening four times faster than before the …
Poisonous fumes from construction and decorating materials can cause leukaemia and other illnesses, claim authorities of China's Beijing Children's Hospital. Statistics complied by the hospital authorities indicate that most children treated for leukaemia in the past six months were residents of houses recently redecorated. Paints are said to be particularly …
Rural health care system in China has disintegrated, increasing the cost of treatment by 400-500 per cent from 1990 to 1997, states a United Nations report. Healthcare in several rural areas is so expensive that residents suffer from chronic infections and risk childbirth at home. They have stopped seeing doctors …
