Shark fin soup off the menu.

• Position: China - Brief article

At $26 a bowl, shark fin soup is a delicacy that's been served at weddings, anniversaries, and special dinners in China for centuries. Demand has soared in recent years as a growing middle class is able to afford it. But that's led to overfishing, which has put sharks at risk for extinction; environmental groups have also focused attention on the inhumane way sharks are finned and thrown alive into the ocean, where they sink to the bottom and die. Now China's government has announced that the soup will no longer be served at state banquets--though the ban is not expected to take effect for three years. That puts China behind several...