Cologne, Germany  - Being a holiday rep host may seem like a walk in the park, but in actual fact it has little to do with relaxation and involves hard work despite staying in a hotel and getting plenty of sun, sea and exercise.

The job of is to keep guests amused and making sure they are having fun.

In return, "You get to work in a beautiful place and have contact with happy people," says Jeannette Georges who has eight years experience as a holiday rep is currently working on Mallorca.

Cologne, Germany  - A modified Audi A4 B7 quattro has achieved a world speed record of 327.2 kilometres per hour running on an alternative bio-gas fuel processed from grass, the German technical testing authority (TUeV) Rhineland has announced.

"We wanted to give the debate on alternative fuels impetus by demonstrating that driving fun and ecology are not mutually exclusive," said Dr Stefan Behrning, who oversaw the project, conducted on a test track at Papenburg in northwestern Germany.

Cologne, Germany - A driverless runaway train carrying 1,500 tons of briquets and coal dust sped 5 kilometres through the German city of Cologne Tuesday before impacting itself in a warehouse.

Three warehouse workers were shocked but escaped injury in the sudden shambles.

The drivers, 44 and 20, of the yellow diesel engine had earlier bailed out after its brakes failed.

Cologne, Germany  - A crying baby should never be shaken as this can cause severe brain damage or even death, Germany's professional association for paediatricians said in Cologne.

Parents should first leave the room or count to 10 and take a deep breath before acting hastily and doing something they later bitterly regret, the association advises. A paediatrician could recommend a nearby outpatient clinic that can make the interaction with a difficult infant easier.

Cologne - The purpose of yoga may be to bring body, mind and soul into harmony, but a lot of people taking yoga classes want to look good too.

Many sportswear makers have recognized this and are offering yoga apparel. Their autumn and winter collections this year follow current fashion trends, especially in the choice of colours.

The new, yoga-wear line by Adidas is almost exclusively in natural colours, dominated by shades of mineral grey and green such as chalk, lava grey and flint, as well as light and dark loam hues. Venice Beach's yoga collection has a similar look, with colours such as limestone and moss green.