Wiesbaden, Germany - Steel production in Germany dropped by half in the year up to March, the steepest decline since unification nearly 20 years ago, according to figures released Tuesday.

The Federal Statistics Office said German steelworks produced 2.1 million tons of raw steel and 1.28 million tons of pig iron last month, 49.8 per cent and 50.3 per cent below the levels of March 2008.

Compared to February, raw steel production was 17.5 per cent lower and pig iron production down by 14.2 per cent, the figures showed.

Wiesbaden, Germany - Germany experienced an unexpected drop in birth rates in 2008, while more people died than the previous year, according to figures released Tuesday.

The Office of National Statistics estimates that 675,000 babies were born last year, a drop of 1.1 per cent compared to the previous year's figure of 683,000.

Earlier estimates had anticipated a possible increase in birth rates over 2007.

In contrast, 844,000 people died in Germany in 2008, which is 2.4 per cent more than the previous year.

Termez, Uzbekistan  - German Chancellor Angela Merkel left Afghanistan Tuesday, after bad weather forced her to cut short a surprise visit to German troops in the region.

The chancellor, who had to cancel a planned excursion to the German military base in Feyzabad due to bad flying conditions, departed Tuesday morning from the Termez military base in neighbouring Uzbekistan.

Merkel's two-day visit came shortly after NATO set a new strategy for Afghanistan, placing a greater emphasis on reconstruction, alongside its military fight against the Taliban.

Termez, Uzbekistan  - German Chancellor Angela Merkel left Afghanistan Tuesday, after bad weather forced her to cut short a surprise visit to German troops in the region.

The chancellor, who had to cancel a planned excursion to the German military base in Feyzabad due to bad flying conditions, departed Tuesday morning from the Termez military base in neighbouring Uzbekistan.

Merkel's two-day visit came shortly after NATO set a new strategy for Afghanistan, placing a greater emphasis on reconstruction, alongside its military fight against the Taliban.

Stuttgart  - The German poet, dramatist and philosopher Friedrich Schiller is closely linked to the eastern German city of Weimar where he spent many years.

However, Schiller was born in present-day Baden-Wurttemberg in south-western Germany and spent his childhood and youth in the region of Swabia.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of his birth and fans of the great thinker, who are considering visiting the staging posts of his early life, will find more than just the classic sights to see.

Kiel, Germany  - Some holidaymakers want a maximum of fun; they down sangria from 10-litre buckets and party till dawn. But a growing number want the opposite: leisure instead of loud music, relaxation instead of rambunctiousness, and self-discovery instead of swilling.