Cologne, Germany - Carnival celebrations in Germany have been marred by brawls, police said Friday as the festivities shifted into high gear in a band of cities along the Rhine valley.

The annual celebrations are set to reach a climax on Monday with nationally televised parades of papier-mache floats through the streets of Dusseldorf, Cologne, Mainz and other towns.

Cologne - Transformability was one of the biggest trends to emerge at this year's international furniture trade show in Cologne.

There were sofas, for example, that didn't necessarily have to go in the sitting room and desks that did not have the serious look of office furniture.

Many of the 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries at the January show, featured furniture showing how different living spaces in the home are slowly growing together. At the same time, however, the differences between the private and the "public" parts of a home seem to be getting stronger, and this development has had an effect on furniture design.

Cologne, Germany - Sales of Toyota cars in Europe declined 10 per cent last year to 1.1 million vehicles, data from Toyota Motor Europe (TME) showed Friday.

The Japanese automotive giant said its market share in Europe sank by 0.3 of a percentage point compared to 2007 to 5.3 per cent.

Foreshadowing new models, the Cologne head office of TME forecast that Toyota would raise its market share to 6 per cent this year.

Russia is Toyota's biggest single European market, taking 204,849 cars in 2008, a rise of 30 per cent. Britain and Italy took second and third place.

Cologne, Germany  - Ford has improved the fuel economy and carbon dioxide emission figures of seven models using new technology including a "sleep mode" for the power steering.

The Ford C-Max 1.6-litre model fitted with a TDCi diesel engine has reduced fuel consumption to 4.5 litres per 100 km for both the 90 hp and 109 hp version with a C02 emission figure of 119 g/km.

The Crossover Ford Kuga 2.0-litre TDCi model with an output of 100 kW/136 hp is listed with a consumption of 6.1 litres and an emission figure of 159 g/km.

Cologne, Germany - Japan makes better use of the abilities of senior citizens than Germany does, according to a German expert in the field.

"Public services, families and companies in Japan can access the expertise of older people through regional centres and networks, said Hartmut Meyer-Wolters, professor of gerontology at the University of Cologne. "We're a long way from reaching this stage in Germany."

Cologne, Germany - An Amsterdam museum is set to launch an exhibition in late November highlighting the history of the evening purse or clutch bag - an item deemed essential by women especially those preparing for an upcoming ball or banquet.