Two interesting bits of news over the weekend. Firstly China's top causes of death are lung cancer and traffic accidents. This is not a surprise for anyone that's ever been to the place. In fact I'd estimate that traffic accidents caused by drivers smoking is likely to be the highest single killer in China.

Meanwhile Hong Kong tops the developed world with the highest abortion rate. 30% of all pregnancies are terminated in Hong Kong. That's a staggering figure. The article blames Chinese cultural pressures for only being married before having babies, but the article says there is a high rate of abortions within marriages too. What is omitted is there are women in HK who also travel to the Mainland for abortions, meaning the true figure for HK is likely to be even higher. While I know the whole issue of abortion is a moral minefield it seems like, in HK at least, for some it is becoming another form of post-conception contraception. It demonstrates the need for far better sex education in schools.