Munich  - Experts say there's no need to spend a lot of money on expensive programmes for burning CDs and DVDs given the wide range of free disc-burning software available on the market.

According to PC Professionell, a Munich-based magazine, there are plenty of free programmes available such as BurnAware, which is compatible with Microsoft's Windows 7 system and can also burn Blu-Ray discs.

It can also create ready-to-boot software and allows you to add data to already copied media. Another free programme with similar features is CDBurner XP.

Munich  - Meeting in Munich, 18 special envoys concerned with Afghanistan and Pakistan vowed Wednesday to step up cooperation and focus on the success of free elections this year in Afghanistan.

Germany hosted the consultations in the Bavarian city, the first meeting of the Afghanistan and Pakistan Support Group.

In a statement, the German Foreign Ministry said Berlin would coordinate the panel in future.

Munich - Special envoys for Afghanistan and Pakistan met Wednesday in the Bavarian city of Munich to discuss the formation of a contact group to deal with the region.

Envoys from 14 nations are taking part in the discussions, the aim of which is to improve coordination and act on the implementation of new strategies in the landlocked Asian nation.

Among those taking part are US special envoy Richard Holbrooke, Germany's Bernd Muetzelburg and EU special envoy Ettore Sequi.

Munich  - Luca Toni is set to return into Bayern Munich's lineup for Saturday's big Bundesliga match at VfL Wolfsburg from a five-week injury layoff.

The Italy striker resumed training on Monday after being sidelined with Achilles tendon problems which made him miss Bundesliga and Champions League games for Munich as well as two World Cup qualifiers for his home country.

"I feel good," Toni told Munich's website. "I am happy to be back in training with the team."

Munich  - Extra-strong ultraviolet (UV) light rays are best avoided during pregnancy, according to an association of German doctors.

Pregnant women should pay particularly close attention to the duration and strength of UV rays in tanning studios, the BVF Professional Association of Gynaecologists advises.

Due to the extra hormones in their system, pregnant women sometimes report that their skin takes on a darker pigmentation. Additional UV light can increase the number of liver spots and freckles.

Munich  - Ailing mortgage lender Hypo Real Estate (HRE) needs further capital injections from the German state after a loss of more than 5 billion euros (6.7 billion dollars) in 2008, chief executive Axel Wieandt said Sunday.

HRE had confirmed Saturday that the German government is to recapitalize the bank with an initial 8.7-per-cent share purchase.

Wieandt was not able to confirm how much capital the bank needed,

but said this was to be discussed with government bank bail-out agency SoFFin, which is expected to take long-term control to rescue the mortgage lender.