EMILY COSTELLO: 'The word “vegan” was invented in 1944 in Leicester, England by Donald Watson and his future wife Dorothy Morgan. That year, Watson and others founded The Vegan Society. Research into the society’s early publications shows that their key focus was arguing for an end to animal exploitation. Veganism was ethical from its birth. In 1946, Watson wrote: “Human existence does not depend upon the inconceivable tyranny now existing against animals.” In 1950, the Vegan Society adopted its first official definition of veganism, agreed at their annual general meeting and published in…

FARAH MASTER: 'For the past two weeks China’s police have been raiding houses, restaurants and makeshift markets across the country, arresting nearly 700 people for breaking the temporary ban on catching, selling or eating wild animals. The scale of the crackdown, which has netted almost 40,000 animals including squirrels, weasels and boars, suggests that China’s taste for eating wildlife and using animal parts for medicinal purposes is not likely to disappear overnight, despite potential links to the new coronavirus. Traders legally selling donkey, dog, deer, crocodile and other meat told…

MICHELLE SLATER: 'Animal rights group Aussie Farms has declared it will be "business as usual" for animal activists after the Parliamentary Inquiry into Animal Activists on Victorian Agriculture passed down its recommendations last week. Aussie Farms founder Chris Delforce described the outcome as "definitely good news", but said it missed some opportunities to go even further... "It's still business as usual for us, we will still do everything we can to show the public what's going on and what it needs to see," Mr Delforce told The Express... Mr Delforce was buoyed by some recommendations…

JULIET GELLATLEY: 'It is time to finally make the connection between animal agriculture and environmental destruction, antibiotic resistance and disease outbreak... The coronavirus (WN-CoV), the viral disease outbreak that has captured headlines, has shut down cities and continues to spread while the rest of the world looks on with horrified abandon. Coronaviruses are a common type of virus that cause mild illnesses, such as the common cold, but can cause more serious respiratory problems... Where did it come from? How is the virus transmitted and what are the symptoms? Will face masks…

SERENA GORDON: 'The latest study on red and processed meat found that these foods boost your risk of heart and blood vessel disease. The study also found that meat ups your risk of premature death... The new research included six prospective studies of nearly 30,000 adults. A prospective trial is one that follows people over time and periodically collects data on their health. In this case, participants were followed for up to 30 years... The researchers found that those who ate just two servings of processed meats a week had a 7% higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Processed meats…

JUSTIN MCCARTHY: 'Nearly one in four Americans (23%) report eating less meat in the past year than they had previously, while the vast majority (72%) say they are eating the same amount of meat. Very few (5%) report eating more meat this year than in the past... Asked how often they eat meat -- such as beef, chicken or pork -- two in three U.S. adults say they eat it "frequently" (67%) while 23% say they eat meat "occasionally" and 7% "rarely" eat it. Just 3% report "never" eating meat. Certain groups are more likely than others to say they have eaten less meat in the past year: Women are…

KATIE WORKMAN: 'If you’ve never heard of jackfruit, keep your eyes open: You’ll start noticing it everywhere. Jackfruit is a very large tropical fruit often used as a meat substitute. It packs some nutritional wallop, and the fact that you can cook, chunk or shred it like chicken or pork makes it a go-to main ingredient in many vegetarian and vegan dishes. Its flavor is neutral, and it takes to all kinds of seasonings... Jackfruit is popping up on menus across the country, at vegan and vegetarian restaurants... Jackfruit is native to India, and also grows in Southeast Asia, Mexico, the…

DAN MARTIN: 'The animal-borne SARS virus 17 years ago was supposed to be a wake-up call about consuming wildlife as food, but scientists say China's latest epidemic indicates that the practice remains widespread and a growing risk to human health. Like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which was traced to bats and civets, the virus that has killed dozens in China and infected almost 2,000 people is believed to have originated in animals trafficked for food. Final findings are yet to be announced, but Chinese health officials believe it came from wildlife sold illegally at a market…

GEORGE MONBIOT: 'It sounds like a miracle, but no great technological leaps were required. In a commercial lab on the outskirts of Helsinki, I watched scientists turning water into food... We are on the cusp of the biggest economic transformation, of any kind, for 200 years. While arguments rage about plant- versus meat-based diets, new technologies will soon make them irrelevant. Before long, most of our food will come neither from animals nor plants, but from unicellular life. After 12,000 years of feeding humankind, all farming except fruit and veg production is likely to be replaced by…

EMILY LAURENCE: 'While the specific rules may change, there always seems to be a trendy—and restrictive—diet of the moment. In the ’90s, going low-fat and counting calories were all the rage. Then in the early 2010s, everyone was all about juice cleanses and detoxes. By 2018, high-fat, low-carb keto was the way to go. But lately, even eating keto seems out of vogue among the most forward-thinking healthy eaters. Instead, we’re seeing all signs point to plant-based eating—meaning a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and other plants while still leaving room for some animal…