Watch on rice pests

The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) yesterday urged the main rice-growing provinces in the south and southwest to be on the alert for two common pests, the rice plant hopper and the rice leaf roller, which have infested several provinces since early last month.

"The insects have ruined paddy fields on a much larger scale than for the same period last year," the MOA said on its website.

New science book out

A Chinese version of a selection of articles published by Science magazine in the past decade went on sale in Beijing yesterday.

Jointly compiled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the book aims at offering valuable insights to Chinese researchers, postgraduates and anyone who are interested in science and creative thinking.

Thunderstorm warning

Thunderstorms and strong winds are expected to affect the southern part of the country over the next three days, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said yesterday.

Torrential rain was forecast to sweep regions south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, southwest Guizhou, south Guangdong, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

The CMA urged meteorological departments at all levels to increase monitoring.

(China Daily 05/08/2008 page4)