Wiesbaden, Germany - German breweries sold less beer than ever in the first quarter of 2009 as the recession and a smoking ban in bars took its toll, according to figures released Thursday.

The Federal Statistics Office said sales of the amber liquid were down 6.8 per cent from a year ago to 20.7 million hectolitres, the lowest amount since records were first kept in 1993.

Some 86.3 per cent of the beer produced in Germany is for domestic consumption. Exports to Germany's neighbours in the European Union slumped 12.5 per cent to 2.2 million hectolitres.

Wiesbaden, Germany  - Rocking a chair back and forth is good for a child's body and mental capacity, according to a study conducted in Germany.

The study found that the rocking motion can reduce pressure on the backbone that can have a negative impact on body posture, breathing and organ function.

The study also found that rocking a chair can also improve a child's concentration and attention span.

Wiesbaden, Germany  - Patients with kidney stones should follow a low-purine diet, according to Germany's Professional Association of Internists.

Such a diet can reduce the concentration of uric acid in the blood which is linked to the formation of kidney stones.

Foods containing low levels of purine include eggs, fruit, vegetables and dairy products. Sufferers can also reduce the levels

of uric acid in the blood by drinking a minimum of three litres of fluids a day such as mineral water, diluted fruit juices or tea.

Wiesbaden, Germany  - German trade with South Korea declined markedly last year, statisticians said Friday, just three days before South Korea opens a major trade promotion at the annual Hanover Fair.

The data showed German exports to South Korea off by 16 per cent in annual terms in the fourth quarter of 2008, while South Korea's exports in the other direction declined 6 per cent.

Wiesbaden - Key German manufacturing industry sales fell by a record 23.3 per cent year on year in February, figures released Tuesday showed. The nation's statistics office said the plunge came in the wake of a dramatic 27.5 per cent drop in foreign manufacturing turnover for Europe's biggest economy. Domestic sales slumped by 19.5 per cent over the previous year.

Leading the fall was the country's car industry with auto makers' turnover plummeting 39.6 per cent in February compared to the same month in 2008.

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