Mice studies shed light on asthma

PARIS: French scientists studying lactating mice say they can add an important piece of evidence to a charged debate as to whether breastfeeding helps protect a child against asthma.

IN BRIEF (Page 19)

Life Style

Big shoes to fill

PARIS: When Valentino took his final bow in Paris last week at his final collection before retirement, there were plenty of front-row female tears. Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu and various Ladies and Dames all pitched up to pay their respects, summing up the designer's reputation for attracting the celebrities and what Tom Wolfe dubbed "social x-rays".

Labels taking the plunge on aquatic haute couture

PARIS: While the real world ponders the prospect of global recession, we in the fashion industry have been mainly thinking about coral. Not saving Caribbean reefs, or anything useful like that, you understand, but clothes that look a bit like it.

Battle of the brands

Erdos, China's largest cashmere products company, gave a catwalk show in Beijing recently to showcase its new, luxury fashion brand "1436 Erdos". The name 1436 comes from the yarn of the cashmere used in the products and is positioned as a deluxe, semi-fashion brand offering high-quality cashmere apparel.

Life Expat

Sultans of swing

Former jockey Geoff Barton was ensconced in the Australian thoroughbred scene when he received the telephone call that would be the opening chapter of his China story. It was an unexpected opportunity that came while Barton was dealing with tragedy, and one that saw him headed for a foreign land to be part of a bold venture that has been described as China's greatest gamble.

Brit enjoys his Beijing takeaway

One Beijing expat shares what he most enjoys about life in the Chinese capital on the forum www.thebeijinger.com. The contributor, a British man who has lived here for more than two years, posted his observations under the title, "Living in Beijing as a foreigner is awesome".

Why Aussies go for gold and glamor in Beijing

While the Australia Day holiday this weekend is traditionally a time for cricket, beer and barbecues, the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Beijing is hosting a decidedly more sophisticated celebration for expatriates in the Chinese capital.

Life Travel

Walk on Hainan's wild side

Tropical Hainan Island is a winter refuge and will be a popular travel destination for the coming Spring Festival holidays. But this doesn't necessarily mean that hotels will be booked out and there will be hordes of tourists. There is another option: Pass by the golden beaches and head into the wild.