The Malaysian Insider :: Breaking Views
The Malaysian Insider :: Breaking Views |
| EU bans sale of all comestics tested on animals Posted: 11 Mar 2013 09:09 AM PDT
The EU has progressively clamped down on animal testing since the 1990s and banned most such products in 2009, but it left a few exemptions for several toxicity tests which will now cease. The ban applies to all products, wherever in the world they come from. The European Commission has "thoroughly assessed the impacts of the marketing ban and considers that there are overriding reasons to implement it," a statement said. "This is in line with what many European citizens believe firmly: that the development of cosmetics does not warrant animal testing." EU Health Commissioner Tonia Borg said Brussels would continue "supporting the development of alternative methods and to engage with third countries to follow our European approach". Earlier this month, Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido said it was dropping animal-tested products, with some exceptions where such tests were the only way of proving the safety of goods already on sale. "Our business partners that supply material to us will not rely on animal testing while we will no longer outsource such testing to outside labs," Shiseido said. Activists have for years pressured cosmetic firms and other companies that use animal testing to find alternatives to the practice, which they say is cruel and unnecessary. Shiseido, which dropped animal testing at its own labs in 2011, said it could ensure the safety of its products through other means, including using data from past experiments, human volunteers and other kinds of testing. – AFP/Relaxnews |
| Britain’s queen, convalescing, drops engagement Posted: 11 Mar 2013 08:54 AM PDT
"The queen will regrettably no longer attend the Commonwealth observance at Westminster Abbey today as she continues to recover following her recent illness," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said. The queen, who was discharged from hospital a week ago, is otherwise in good health and was still expected to attend a reception in the evening, the spokesman said. She will also attend some of her official engagements planned later this week. Last Monday, the 86-year-old British monarch left hospital after three days of treatment for a stomach bug, having been forced to cancel a planned visit to Italy. It was the first time in 10 years that Elizabeth, who rarely cancels official engagements, had been hospitalised. Despite cutting back on a once hectic timetable of foreign visits, she is still renowned for her stamina in dealing with a busy schedule at home. However, officials were quoted in British media as saying her current health problems were not serious and there was nothing to worry about. The queen's popularity with ordinary Britons remains high, boosted in the last two years by celebrations to mark her 60th year on the throne and the wedding of her grandson Prince William to Kate Middleton. The couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting a child in July which is likely to generate another bout of royal fervour across the country. The queen's 91-year-old husband Prince Philip, who has required hospital treatment himself three times since Christmas 2011, will attend the Commonwealth Day service in place of his wife of 65 years. — Reuters |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: ALL To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan