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Summary of August 9th News:
1. Increased Support for Students:
- Students receiving Bafög (training guarantee) will see a 5% increase in basic needs allowance and additional funding based on parental income.
- Housing allowance for those living away from home has been raised to 380 euros.
2. New Training Guarantee:
- Young people struggling to find training placements will receive government-funded off-the-job training.
3. Travel Changes:
- ICE train journey between Hamburg and Berlin will be delayed by 45 minutes until December 14th due to construction.
- Night trains from Berlin to Paris and Brussels will be cancelled from August 12th to October 25th due to track work.
4. Energy & Housing Support:
- Landlords can now apply for subsidies to replace heating systems, with up to 70% of costs covered by KfW.
5. Other Updates:
- Feed-in tariff for solar panels will be reduced by 1% from August 1st.
- Trans people can register to change their gender marker and name at the registry office, with a three-month advance notice required.
- New school year begins in Thuringia on August 1st.