South Korea bans U.S. meat - The South Korean government has responded to a rally in early June involving more than 60,000 citizens protesting American beef imports. Major Asian markets have upheld a ban on American beef since the discovery of new cases of Mad Cow Disease in the U.S. raised consumer health concerns. Despite international pressure on the Bush Administration, the U.S. continues to ignore food safety concerns and violate World Health Organization guidelines by feeding slaughterhouse waste to animals and refusing to test all animals at slaughter for Mad Cow Disease.

Famous celebrity gone vegan - Last month, famous television personality, Oprah Winfrey, took a pledge to eat a vegan diet for 21 days. The 54-year-old announced her detox plans through her blog and said that this change would help her to think about eating differently. Shortly after, TV personality Ellen Degeneres hosted Kim Barnouin and Rory Freeman, authors of the best-selling vegan book, Skinny Bitch, on her daytime show. Degeneres declared that after having read the book she has become much more aware of what she eats.

The Canadian Press reports that following a 5-year roasting by PETA animal-rights activists, the fast food chain KFC Canada is promising improved welfare for the chickens it buys for its outlets in exchange for an end to a boycott campaign that will continue in the U.S. and elsewhere. In a signed agreement, the deal obliges KFC Canada to begin buying from suppliers who use gas to kill their chickens painlessly, considered to be the least cruel method of slaughter. The company is also promising to insist on other "animal-welfare friendly" measures relating to how the birds are kept, including a maximum on crowding and phasing out non-essential growth-hormones and other drugs. Customers of the restaurant chain will also be able to order a vegan "chicken" item. While the anti-KFC campaign will now end in this country, PETA said it would continue in the US, UK, and other countries.

A 2008 study completed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute is the first, large, lont-term epidemiological research project to draw a strong link between meat consumption and lung cancer, as reported by msnbc. More than 1/2 million subjects between 51 and 70 years of age were studied over a period of 8 years. "Statistically significant elevated risks were evident for esophageal, colorectal, liver, and lung cancer, comparing individuals in the highest with those in the lowerst quintile of red-meat intake." These results remained the same even when smoking habits were factored into the equation. The study focused on consumption of red meat and processed meats.