哈尔滨冰雪节

As temperatures fall across China, the northeastern city of Harbin is gearing up for the 27th internationally acclaimed Ice and Snow Festival, which gets underway Wednesday. With many sculptures already finished, our reporter Ma Zechen brings us a sneak preview of this chilled out gathering.

Night falls, and the lights come on. They may not be stronger than sports stadium fixtures, but they shine brightly as the heart of these delicate artworks. Under their radiant glow, these cubes of straight and curved lines spring to life. Here in this small downtown park, visitors from different places can share the same admiration. The cold doesn't seem to lower their interest at all.

The polar temperature creates a stellar atmosphere around this form of art, which is now a calling card for the capital of Heilongjiang Province. Over the next month, a large range of activities will be held, attracting a huge number of visitors from all over the world. The city has promised not to let anyone down, regardless of whether they live nearby, or far away.

Don't rush and be patient ... That's the message from organizers ... As the main event will begin in just a little more than 24 hours. They stress that visitors will be able to see a lot of sights at their own leisurely pace, saying Harbin stands ready to welcome everyone full of passion for all things winter, and no one should be disappointed.

This is AP News Minute.

The main highway between Southern and Central California remains closed in both directions. Blowing snow and ice from another winter storm have made driving conditions treacherous. Officials closed Interstate 5 after cars began sliding into lanes. The Los Angeles area is expecting at least another inch of rain through Monday.

Officials in Australia say at least three people have died since Saturday in some of the country's worst flooding in a decade. The floodwaters in Queensland now cover an area the size of France and Germany combined. At least 200,000 people have been affected. Damages are expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Lindsay Lohan is scheduled to be released from the Betty Ford Rehab center in Palm Springs today. But Lohan may face more legal issues. She is under investigation for alleged misdemeanor battery on a Betty Ford worker. Lohan was sent to rehab as part of her sentence for a drunken driving case.

The NFL playoff picture is now set, and for the first time in history, a team won its division with a sub-500 record. The Seattle Seahawks outlasted the St. Louis Rams last night, capturing the NFC West. The Seahawks finish the season at seven and nine (7-9). They will host the New Orleans Saints Saturday in the first round of the playoffs.

Diane Kepley, the Associated Press with AP News Minute.