Herford, Germany - "Anyone can be lucky!" "Winning is wonderful!" These are the kind of lines used by video arcades, betting offices and casinos angling for customers.

Though most people realize that the operators just want their money, many bite. In Germany alone, there are as many as 400,000 gambling addicts, according to the Gambling Addiction Association (FAGS).

The consequences of the addiction are severe. "Gambling is the most costly addiction of all, often ends seriously and has the highest suicide rate," noted Ilona Fuechtenschnieder, the chairwoman of FAGS, which is based in the German town of Herford and looks after the interests of gamblers and their relatives.

Nuremberg, Germany - Barbie, the original fashion doll, turns an ageless 50 next month and must fight off a string of equally skinny challengers vying for attention from the world's little girls.

Mattel Inc, the world's biggest toy company, is planning celebrations all year marking the anniversary of the March 9, 1959 appearance at the New York Toy Fair of Barbie, who has since developed separate African-American and Hispanic identities and dozens of doll friends.

During the Nuremberg Toy Fair, which opens its doors Thursday for a six-day run, live mdels with outrageously long false eyelashes are showing 50 years of Barbie fashions. The company is celebrating Barbie as a role model who opened up new careers for girls.

Nuremberg, Germany - Barbie, the original fashion doll, turns an ageless 50 next month and must fight off a string of equally skinny challengers vying for attention from the world's little girls.

Mattel Inc, the world's biggest toy company, is planning celebrations all year marking the anniversary of the March 9, 1959 appearance at the New York Toy Fair of Barbie, who has since developed separate African-American and Hispanic identities and dozens of doll friends.

Wiesbaden, Germany  - Six of the world's major powers on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to diplomatically resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear activities while welcoming US President Barack Obama's willingness to widen dialogue with Tehran.

Senior diplomats from Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States met in the German city of Wiesbaden for the first time since Obama took office January 20. The six countries are leading the international effort to ensure Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapons capability.

Berlin - German troops are to be based on French soil for the first time since World War II, a government spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

Details of how many troops are involved and where they will be stationed still have to be worked out, government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said.

The troops form part of a 5,400-strong Franco-German brigade whose continued existence was called into doubt recently when French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced plans to reduce the size of the French army.

The news magazine Der Spiegel reported that 500 German troops would be based in the southern French town of Colmar, close to the German border.

Val d'Isere, France - Maria Riesch's world championship medal hopes were in danger after the German skier crashed in downhill training on Wednesday.

Riesch, 24, bruised her spine, damaged a ligament in her left knee and suffered light facial injuries when she crashed into the safety nets. She was able to ski down to the finish line on her own but it remains unclear how the injuries will affect her.

Riesch has won four of the last five slalom races of the season and is a medal contender in this event as well as the super combined race scheduled for Friday. She ranks second in the World Cup.