Jake Shields Takes Win at UFC 144, Basketball Legend Yao Ming Visits Rescued Bears

• MMA superstar Jake Shields took Yoshihiro Akiyama down at UFC 144 by unanimous decision. Shields, a lifelong vegetarian, recently transitioned to a vegan diet. His endurance shined during the third round with relentless aggression and a takedown.

• Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming has visited bears rescued from the bear bile industry at Animal Asia’s moon bear sanctuary near Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.During his visit he spent time at the animal hospital where he saw a bear that had been farmed using the “free drip” extraction method undergoing a health check.Across Asia, an estimated 14,000 moon bears are being held in captivity on farms and milked for their bile because its believed to be effective in the practice of traditional Asian medicine despite the availability of inexpensive and effective herbal and synthetic alternatives. In China, the bears can spend more than 30 years in tiny cages and are milked regularly for their bile through crude catheters or permanently open holes in their abdomens.Yao Ming is a retired Chinese professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets in the United States National Basketball Association. As of the 2010–11 NBA season, he was the tallest player in the NBA, at 2.29m (7ft 6in). He is one of China's best-known athletes and is well-loved by the Chinese people.

"Moon bears are beautiful animals in nature", said Yao Ming. "Let's love and care for moon bears together. Support Animals Asia and help the moon bears"

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