News Bytes

Wanted: host families for exchange students in the German Bundestag

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All those interested in life, work and people of the US now have the chance to get some first-hand information: the InWEnt gGmbH is looking for host families in Berlin and Potsdam who are willing to take in American exchange students coming to Germany under the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program (CBYX) (Deutsch-Amerikanisches Parlamentarisches Patenschaftsprogramm PPP) for twelve months. The young Americans will attend German schools and do an internship. Upon request, the family can be granted monthly financial support of up to €230. If you are interested and want to support German-American understanding by taking in one of our American guests, please contact the InWEnt gGmbH, Regionales Zentrum (regional center) Berlin and Brandenburg, Ms Martina Meyer/ Mr. Lutz Krause, Luetzowufer 6-9, 10785 Berlin, tel.: (030) 254 82 – 212 or -223, fax: (030) 254 82 - 204, email: martina.meyer@inwent.org.

For more information, please check http://www.inwent.org

Forest fires in California contained

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After fighting the forest and bush fires in California twelve days straight, the firefighter teams could finally breathe again: A high number of the entire 1,400 blazing fires were under control as far as possible, according to US authorities’ assessments of the situation. California’s governor Arnold Schwarzenegger thanked the more than 19,000 firefighters from 41 states, who had come to California to support the local departments. 80 percent of the fires had been contained thanks to their outstanding effort, Schwarzenegger said. Approximately 617 square miles (1600 square kilometers) of land have been destroyed by the fires that had been caused, for the most part, by lightning storms twelve days ago. However, only 30 houses have been destroyed so far in the sparsely populated areas. No one has been injured. Experts believe that due to the hot summer it will take a few more weeks until the fires can be fully controlled.

Liza Minnelli never wants to marry again

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There’s one thing legendary singer and actress Liza Minelli (62) knows for sure: after the divorce from husband number four, music producer David Gest (55), in 2007 she never wants to get married again. Marriage wasn’t her thing, she told USA Today, and continued explaining that she was happy now, feeling as though she had both feet on the ground and her head in the clouds.

Being asked whether one of her many relationships had been the love of her life she replied: “I don’t know,” and talked about how every relationship is different and wonderful at the time. She said, she was always able to learn something new from the people she was attracted to, and that she had very good taste in friends but a very bad taste concerning marriage. The love of her life may have been her first husband, Australian singer and dancer Peter Allen. They were married from 1967 to 1974. Minnelli said they had stayed friends until the minute he died. Allen died of AIDS in 1992.

Americans fly less – out of frustration

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US airlines keep losing their customers. Annoyed by delays and security checks, Americans turn to different means of transportation. According to a survey by Travel Industry Association TIA, airlines in the US have lost 41 million customers over the last 12 months. The TIA study concludes that the loss of a $25.6 billion (approx. €18 billion) profit for the US economy is due to great frustration among Americans. That’s why more and more Americans don’t take the plane anymore.