Actor's death comes amid rise in heroin use

The apparent heroin overdose death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman comes amid a sharp rise in trafficking of the illegal narcotic across the US-Mexico border in recent years and growing abuse of the drug nationwide, federal officials said on Monday.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Half a century of China watching

Colin Mackerras has chalked up many firsts in China from the time he first set foot in the country in 1960s to his current reputation as probably one of the most influential specialists on China affairs.

China to the world mastering art of PR

In the first half of the 20th century, it was Soong May-ling and Lin Yutang who shaped how the world saw China, just as it was Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping who became the faces of China in the latter half.

To change the child for the better, change the parent

Where Are We Going, Dad is the hottest reality show to hit China television recently, and its attraction speaks of the growing awareness of the father's role in raising a child.

Foreigners feasting on festive delights

A growing number of expatriates are choosing to work, study and live in China, lured by increased opportunities for exchanges in cultural and economic fields in the three decades since the pace of reform and opening-up accelerated.

Chinese New Year as seen by expats

February will mark my fourth year in China, and having been married to a Chinese woman for seven years now, I've seen my fair share of Spring Festivals.

Spending time with the family is the most important thing

My first Chunjie (Chinese Spring Festival) was spent at my wife's home in the Fangshan district of Beijing.

It's more for adults than children

I participated in China Central Television's 1999 Spring Festival gala in a crosstalk (a form of humorous dialogue) show with Mark Henry Rowswell - who's known in China as Dashan ("Big Mountain") - and other expats, including some from the former Yugoslavia and some from Africa. At the time, we were all students of Ding Baoquan, a crosstalk master.

A time for silence and for hongbao

One of my grandfathers was from Guangdong, so our family also celebrates Spring Festival in Bangkok, but we don't make the dumplings ourselves, we buy them instead. We also go to Bangkok's Chinatown for dinner.

Professionals find appetite for etiquette

'If one does not learn good manners, one can never succeed," states a verse from The Analects written by Confucius in about 500 BC.

Tips

Qualities valued by the Chinese