Hamburg - Horses, dogs and cats make children happy, topping the wish list of most children under 10 years, a survey conducted by the German Toy Manufacturing Association found.

Although there were differences according to age and sex, some 21.9 per cent of the children interviewed said that having a horse, dog, cat and even a tiger would make them happy.

The wish list changes among children over 10 years with boys especially preferring to have a computer, according to the poll.

Hamburg - Taking time out for a hike lasting several weeks is becoming an increasingly popular pastime with the 900-kilometre St James Way in Spain experiencing a renaissance with thousands of people reviving a tradition dating back to the early Middle Ages.

Such a "pilgrimage" is no easy walk in the park and need plenty of advance preparation.

If you heed a few common hikers' guidelines and are reasonably healthy, you can walk such a long route without having to give-up in frustration with blistered feet, backache or other physical limitations.

Melbourne, July 26: Forget gold, silver or diamonds, the latest jewellery fad among teenage girls in China's Chengdu is “live fish”.

Much to the disappointment of marine biologists, the youngsters are standing in long queues to buy plastic pendants containing the small marine creatures.

Vendors say the fish can live up to three months in the sealed containers, which contain water, fish food and two solid oxygen balls.

After three months the fish can be released in ponds or tanks by breaking open the pendants, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The ornaments, which cost less than 50cents each, are popular as necklaces or bag decorations.

Berlin - Women who wear glasses don't have it easy when it comes to putting on make-up. Depending on whether a woman is farsighted or nearsighted, here eyes look either larger or smaller than they actually are through her spectacles.

Apart from that, both tinted and non-reflecting lenses soak up colour suddenly rendering the eyes paler than intended. The problem for some women is that they see only a blurred image when they look in the mirror without glasses, and contact lenses are not a viable solution for everyone.

These problems can easily be resolved, said Kerstin Kruschinski of a vision centre in Berlin.

Munich - Office workers know that in high summer it can be difficult to dress professionally and at the same time feel comfortable in warm temperatures.

Although women have it easier than men, it's often impossible to achieve both when dressing for work.

"As harsh as it sounds, men of the world wear long sleeves under a suit or sports coat even when it's 32 degrees Celsius," said Georg Stiels, a style consultant in Munich. "Anything else is in fact unfashionable."

Dusseldorf - Posh designer sofas are not the only alternative when it comes to freshening up your home.

Instead of heading to the nearest furniture store, consider a trip to a flea market, a place where treasures are waiting to be discovered.

"The appeal of furniture and accessories from a flea market is that the items have a story to tell," said interior decorator Annika Egner of Karlsruhe. Whenever Egner is assigned to furnish private homes for Room Doctor, a network of German interior decorators, she reverts to old furnishings first.