Hamburg  - A survey among junior managers in Germany has found that a majority believe their bosses do not listen to what they say.

Only one in six (17 per cent) described their superiors as "very good listeners," according to the poll taken among 400 managers by the Management Leadership Academy in the town of Ueberlingen on Lake Constance.

Many of the managers said work appraisals by their bosses were poor. Only one in eight (12 per cent) was completely satisfied with feedback from the top. Around 44 per cent said feedback was "good".

Hamburg  - New Year's Eve fireworks attract people of all ages into the streets to ring in the coming year with colourful fountains of fire, glittering, noisy displays and loud bangs.

However, the festive spirit turns dangerous every year when many a firecracker explodes too close to someone in the crowd. Burns, eye injuries and trauma caused by the blasts are among the most common outcomes. But some of these accidents can be avoided.

"Despite all the instructions and warnings, firecrackers are consistently handled wrongly or carelessly. Typically, alcohol and the heightened mood of the evening are contributing factors," said Klaus Gotzen, director of a German association representing the pyrotechnic industry.

Hamburg  - Millions of Germans will settle down in front of their TV sets on New Year's Eve for what has become an annual ritual - the airing of an ancient British comedy sketch starring a long-dead, music-hall comedian.

This year is the 45th anniversary of the broadcast which has become as much a part of New Year's Eve for Germans as singing "Auld Lang Syne" is in English-speaking countries. The 15-minute sketch, acted by Freddie Frinton and May Warden, this year will be televised by every major regional public-TV channel in Germany and by a scattering of commercial networks as well.

Hamburg  - If your browser's list of bookmarks has become so long that you can only see the bottom entries by scrolling down, it may be time for some housekeeping. Still, once dozens or even hundreds of links have piled up, getting them back in order can be an arduous task. It may be time for a different approach such as ongoing maintenance of your favourites. Several tools can help with this task.

Hamburg  - Lewis Hamilton's dramatic clinching of the 2008 drivers' title in the last lap of the final race of the season heralds what many believe will be the Briton's domination of Formula One for the foreseeable future.

The 23-year-old's passing of Germany's Timo Glock in the Brazilian Grand Prix to move to fifth place, helped the McLaren-Mercedes driver take the title by one point from race winner Felipe Massa of Ferrari.

Hamburg  - Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps starred on Planet Olympia while Spain were Europe's football stars and Lewis Hamilton prevailed in a galactic Formula One finale.

Jamaica's Bolt rewrote sprint history in Beijing with three earth- shattering world records. The American swimmer Phelps won eight gold medals and became the most successful Olympian ever with a total 14 golds.

Two months earlier, in June, Spain finally shrugged off their image of underachiever when their classy football gave them the Euro 2008 crown.