Independent wins at animal 'Oscars'

The Independent's coverage of the cruelty of factory farming and threats to wildlife has won the international print award at the animal "Oscars" in Hollywood.

At the Genesis Awards in Beverly Hills at the weekend, The Independent won the Brigitte Bardot International Award in the Outstanding Written Word section.

Judges praised a "prolific output of highly informative articles" by consumer affairs correspondent Martin Hickman on stories including the threat to orang-utans and other wildlife from palm oil production.