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Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps; 12-member jury sworn in for Trump's historic criminal trial; the importance of healthcare decision planning; and a debt dilemma: poll shows how many people wrestle with college costs.

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Civil rights activists say a court ruling could end the right to protest in three southern states, a federal judge lets January 6th lawsuits proceed against former President Trump, and police arrest dozens at a Columbia University Gaza protest.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

Hilton Hotels in Maine and Worldwide Go "Cage-Free"

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Monday, April 13, 2015   

AUGUSTA, Maine - Hilton Worldwide, one of the largest resort and hotel chains in the world, has announced it will eliminate the use of cages for egg-laying hens and gestation crates for breeding pigs from its global supply chain. This is a major victory for animal welfare, says Josh Balk, senior food policy director with the Humane Society of the United States. His organization partnered with Hilton on the issue.

"Most egg-laying chickens are confined in cages and are unable to engage in vital natural behaviors; and on the pork side, most mother pigs are confined in what are known as gestation crates," says Balk. "These are cages so small the mother pigs can't turn around for virtually their entire lives."

Hotels and resorts that fall under the Hilton umbrella, including Doubletree by Hilton Brands and Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts, will be required to switch to cage-free eggs by Dec. 31, 2017, and all pork products must be purchased from suppliers that house breeding pigs in groups rather than gestation crates by the end of 2018.

Balk says people often ask why it takes years to make the changes.

"It just takes, often, several years to change how literally millions and often times tens of millions of animals are raised for food," says Balk.

In a written statement, Jennifer Silberman, vice president for corporate responsibility for Hilton Worldwide said, "With more than 2,000 restaurants in our global footprint, our goal is to have a considerable impact on sustainable sourcing in our industry, as well as drive humane treatment of animals throughout our supply chain," she says.

Last year, Hilton announced a global ban on the sale of shark fin in all of its owned and managed properties.


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