North China wilts under scorching heatwave

Olli Geibel is taking four showers a day, drinking four liters of water and chomping through a lot of salad these days in order to survive Beijing's heat wave, the likes of which he has never seen in Europe.

"It is the first time in my life to experience such hot weather," the 35-year-old German photographer said yesterday. "In Europe, temperatures over 35 C are almost unbearable to us. And now here is nearly 40!"

Scorching beneath the sun, he is even considering carrying a parasol, as do many women in the capital.