Munich - Art auction houses are not all gloomy about prospects in 2009 despite the global financial and economic crisis.

While art works remained unsold at auctions last autumn and the flurry of record prices in recent years has given way to a more sober-minded market, art buyers with bags of money are still out there, said the president of Sotheby's Germany.

Paris - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni became stars of France's comic book scene last year.

The cover of the recently published book, Carla and Carlito, depicts the French first lady carrying an image of Sarkozy in a baby sling.

It has sold 100,000 copies and demand continues, the newspaper Le Parisien reported in late December. The book depicts Bruni as the real power in the Elysee Palace and reveals that her control over him is so strong that the staff refer to him as Carlito or little Carla.

Berlin  - Couples need not wear matching balloon-silk jogging suits to be an eyesore, fashionistas warn. Identical pullovers or outdoor jackets are off-putting as well. Matching clothes make couples look too similar and interchangeable, which runs counter to style sense.

"Men and women have been wearing different clothes for centuries. Though women wear trousers nowadays, the desire to blur differences with matching outfits results in one of them no longer looking like a man, or no longer like a woman," explained Berlin fashion expert Bernhard Roetzel.

Hamburg  - Sometimes people's behaviour at the gym can put an abrupt end to their fellow gym-goer's comfort and relaxation.

For some, an example might be a woman in her 30s shaving her legs in the shower. For others it could be the older man sitting in the sauna without a towel under his bottom.

During winter, many people flock to pools, saunas, gyms and fitness studios and wellness services are gaining popularity. But not everyone knows how to behave in these facilities. Morals and manners are one thing; other rules are critical for hygiene.

Sydney  - What is it with farmers and their ploughs?

Thirty years of experience shows the superiority of drilling seeds directly into the ground rather than turning over the soil and scattering them along the furrows the plough's discs make.

But many who live on the land seem wedded to their ploughs and are staunchly against what's called "no-tillage" or "conservation farming".

Bremen, Germany  - Hiking has long since transformed from a sport for senior citizens to an activity with a cult-like following.

Thanks to a hiking club in Bremen, northern Germany, enthusiasts have a special opportunity in 2009 to practice their hobby and get rid of some of the pounds they may have piled on over Christmas.

The year-long event 10,000,000 Steps - Fit through Germany began