Chills and thrills

When Jack Frost comes to Harbin in winter he doesn't just nip at your nose; he chomps on all exposed flesh. But plunging mercury makes for soaring spirits in the capital of Heilongjiang province, and the spirit of the season is now taking shape at the world's largest snow and ice sculpting festival.

It's tiger feeding time, with a twist

While most wintertime holidaymakers rush south to balmy beaches, Harbin provides the polar opposite type of vacation destination.

Spring City where beauty and culture satisfy the senses

I was not born in Kunming, Yunnan province, and I cannot speak the dialect even though I spent 15 years in the "City of Spring". But in my dreams, I always return to the place that I remember so fondly.

Life Health

How to dodge the drill

Teeth should be cleaned at least twice a day.

Stress leads to daily grind

BERLIN: The alarm clock rings and you slowly lift your body from the bed. Your eyes are not fully open yet and there's a pain in your jaw that is so rigid you can feel the pressure right up to your temples.

Only fools rush brushing, say dentists

BERLIN: Cleaning teeth is usually a hurried affair. Most people grab a brush, squeeze a blob of toothpaste on the bristles and scour away for a few minutes.

Seeking out help to shake the blues

BERLIN: Everyone is familiar with bad moods, love sickness and feeling low when going through a tough time in life.

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".