Xinhua Headlines: Farewell to "father of hybrid rice" Yuan Longping
Xinhua
25 May 2021, 02:06 GMT+10
-- Yuan Longping, whose high-yield hybrid rice helped fend off hunger in the world's most populous country and beyond, died of illness on Saturday.
-- His memorial service in the city of Changsha attracted tens of thousands of mourners, including many arriving from other cities to "see Grandpa Yuan for the last time." The mourning crowd stripped the city's florists bare of chrysanthemums.
-- Condolences came from across the globe. The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs called Yuan "a true food hero," praising him for saving millions of people from hunger.