Berlin - German u

Friedrichshafen, Germany - Shoe soles made of old tyres, breathable jackets which used to be plastic bottles and T-shirts derived from old rags.

The world of outdoor and sporting fashion has discovered that recycled products are not only kinder to the planet - they sell well too.

The latest advertising blurbs from many outdoor wear companies

boast that products such as garments, shoes and accessories are made exclusively or partly from reusable materials. Recycling and sustainability were also among the key themes at a recent outdoor clothing trade show in the southern German town of Friedrichshafen.

Kelkheim, Germany - Hippies and bird watchers traditionally nurture a love of nature, but according to a new study, "nature" is now hip in society as a whole.

"Nature is no longer seen as an abstract concept but is becoming an increasingly integral part of our style of living," said trend scouts Anja Kirig and Ingrid Schick of the Institute for Future in Kelkeim in Hesse state.

The experts have coined the term "Neo-Nature" to describe a movement which they believe is permeating the worlds of fashion, interior design and garden landscaping.

Hamburg - Dog breeders are calling it a "wurst-case scenario" for dachshunds as Germans are apparently losing interest in owning the stubborn "sausage dog" that has long been equated with Germany.

Dachshunds used to be as common on the streets of Germany as beer bellies and lederhosen and VW Beetles. But, like the Beetle, the dachshund has gone out of style.

Berlin  - German Chancellor Angela Merkel repeated her criticism of Russia's decision to recognize the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in a phone conversation with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev Wednesday.

"I made clear that I would have expected that one would discuss the issue in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) or in the UN security council, before unilateral recognition," the chancellor told journalists.

She noted that Georgia's territorial integrity had been stressed in several security council resolutions on which Russia had cooperated.

Berlin  - Germany Wednesday welcomed a power-shift in the Zimbabwean parliament with the election this week of a speaker from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and appealed to President Robert Mugabe to resume talks on establishing a transitional government.

"The German government welcomes this courageous election in the lower house as showing the spirit of change revealed in parliamentary and presidential elections this year is continuing," a Foreign Ministry spokesman said in Berlin.