Free Republic

As global food prices remain at record highs and war wages in Europe between two of the world’s largest grain suppliers, troubling videos from China show farmers slashing winter wheat production ahead of harvest times, adding even more uncertainty about food security. Bloomberg reports China’s agriculture ministry is very concerned about the matter. The ministry is investigating if there’s illegal destruction of wheat crops. The ministry said this comes three weeks before harvests, adding the crop was subjected to devastating floods late last year. There’s also concern that soggy field conditions in southern China due to abnormal rainfall could affect...

SNIPPET: "Kabul, 21 April (AKI) - At least 12 female students were hospitalised in Afghanistan on Wednesday after inhaling a poisonous substance sprayed at a school in northern Afghanistan. The 12 students of the Fatima Zahra Girl School, and a teacher and an assistant were mysteriously poisoned, Hamayon Khamush, director of the hospital in Kunduz city, was quoted as saying by Xinhua." SNIPPET: "To defend their ideology, Taliban militants have attacked girl students with gas and acid." SNIPPET: "In May last year 90 girls were hospitalised in Kapisa province, north-east of the capital, after someone sprayed toxic chemicals in the...

Confusion reigns over suspected SARS case   18:23 30 December 03   NewScientist.com news service   A suspected case of a man infected with the SARS virus, has been reported in China. More tests are being carried out as a "confused laboratory picture" emerges. Some reports suggested on Tuesday that SARS had indeed been confirmed by laboratory tests on samples from the 32-year-old television producer. Previous incidents since the world was declared SARS-free in late June, have proved to be either false alarms or isolated accidents in laboratory workers. For example, a case of SARS was confirmed in a medical researcher in Taiwan...