Hamburg - A sofa, a love seat and a chair. That's how living room seating has looked for decades.

But in times of constant change, the days of such static seating combinations are numbered. Nowadays, flexibility is in demand. Designers have answered by creating modular sofas or sectionals. Customers select the height, width, colour and fabric that meets their individual needs and essentially put the elements together themselves. This individuality is something experts see as crucial.

Hamburg - Consumers shopping for wine should not consider just the awards and quality seals on a bottle.

Awards are as plentiful as sand on the beach and can be confusing, said can Heike Broek of Germany's union of sommeliers. In order to judge the reliability of an award, the consumer has to know who awarded the prize and under what criteria.

Often journalists or cellarers on the payroll of the vineyard are on the jury. A study in the United States recently found that expert opinions often fluctuate greatly.

Hamburg  - The blonde hair tones seen on many heads could not possibly be attributed to nature. And it's clear that a number of Hollywood stars are helped along, so that their hair shines in white or peroxide blonde.

Blonde hair has always been considered especially attractive. Since supermodel Agyness Deyn brought the short platinum blonde haircut to the catwalk, the hair colour that keeps coming back into style is back again in entirely new looks.

Frankfurt, Germany  - Drinking water before a meal appears to curb the appetite, according to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksbury, Virginia.

The researchers reported the findings of a study they conducted involving overweight and obese people in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, a trade magazine published in the United States.

The study was discussed recently at a forum on drinking water in Frankfurt.

Munich  - The longer young people watch television, the greater the risk of developing depression later in life, a US study shows.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh recorded the number of hours 4,140 participants in the study watched television in the year 1995. They also recorded how long they played at the computer or listened to the radio. The average age of the participants was then 14.8 years, and there was no indication any of them had depression.

Seoul  - Do you need something to refresh your mind and body? If you live in the hustle and bustle of the South Korean capital, Seoul, this may be the time to warm up and go out for a walk along the river bank.

A one or three-hour stroll along the Yangjae River becomes a pleasant experience during which you can enjoy nature, ride a bike, walk your dog or indulge in conversation or romance.

Defying the reputation of Seoul as a city of dynamism and speed with its population of 10 million, the Yangjae River flows slowly at the heart of the city's most affluent southern district of business and commerce.

The river and its surroundings in the city centre are an unlikely hub of bio-friendliness.