Leipzig, Germany - Young adults are taking the offensive against undesirable body hair, according to a study of 314 students conducted by the University of Leipzig.

The study showed that 97 per cent of the women and 79 per cent of the men questioned regularly shave, epilate or otherwise remove hair from at least one part on their body. The average age of the study's participants was 23, and more than two-thirds of the participants were women. The study did not count the shaving of men's beards and moustaches.

Pforzheim, Germany - A watch should give the time, no more, no less.

But which watches will delight women's hearts and capture men's tastes is a question of design - and that changes over time. This year's line-up of watches feature glistening new colours, although some are transparent, prominently displaying the inner life of the timepiece.

This year, the trend in watches includes gold-plated rose-coloured finishes that have a technical look and feel, said Melanie Dummin of the jewellery chain Christ in Hagen, Germany. Alfred Schneider, director of Germany's jewellery and watch association in Pforzheim, agrees. Rose and reddish gold are the trendy colours for watch casings this year, he said, adding that copper alloys are responsible for the colour.

Hamburg - Natural cosmetics can cause skin irritations and allergic reactions similar to ordinary cosmetic products, dermatologists say.

Consumers should thus be careful when selecting a new product, said dermatologist Antje-Ulrike Wagner in an article published in the November edition of a German pharmacy magazine. Generally, contact allergies to herbal ingredients seldom occur, but people with sensitive skin should test a cream on the inside of the arm for three days before using the new product on the face.

Lampertheim, Germany  - After he got his massage, a man in south-western Germany robbed his masseuse and made off with the day's earnings, police said Thursday.

Berlin  - Ireland hopes next week's European Union summit will help break the impasse arising from Irish voters' rejection of the EU reform treaty, Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen indicated Wednesday.

"The situation we face represents a considerable challenge for Europe," Cowen said at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ahead of talks between the two leaders in Berlin.

"I'm hopeful we can identify the elements of an acceptable way forward next week," he said, adding: "Any way forward must naturally respond to the concerns of the Irish public which led to the rejection of the treaty in the referendum last June."

Frankfurt  - Deutsche Lufthansa AG announced plans Wednesday to take over ailing flag carrier Austrian Airlines AG.

A statement released after a board meeting said the German carrier initially planned to buy a 41.56 per cent stake in the airline from Austrian state holding OeIAG.

This would be increased to 100 per cent at a later stage, the announcement said. OeIAG is to decide on the offer Friday.