Insurers brace for record bill this year

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Business

Insurers have said they may have to pay out more natural disaster compensation than ever before as Austria has been hit by several devastating thunderstorms and floods.The federal Association of Austrian Insurance Agencies said today (Fri) damages to insured estates caused by freak weather conditions equals around 200 million Euros so far this year.The body […]

Six kangaroos and 52 birds in 1,300km truck ride

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General News

A Bulgarian tried to smuggle six kangaroos and more than 50 birds from the Netherlands into his homeland, Austrian border officials have revealed.Officials in Nickelsdorf, Burgenland, on the Austrian-Hungarian border said today (Fri) they stopped the lorry during a traffic check campaign yesterday.”The man told us he bought the six kangaroos and 52 rare birds […]

Wolford finds things less tight as earnings soar

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Business

Vorarlberg textiles producer Wolford has managed to double its earnings year on year, it has emerged.Company officials said today (Fri) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) soared from 2.18 million Euros in the 2008/2009 business year to 4.5 million Euros in the past business year.They added that Wolford, which is headquartered in Bregenz, had now […]

Austrian’s €300,000 yacht wrecked by blaze in Croatia

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General News

Insurance experts are set to investigate after an Austrian couple’s pricey yacht was devastated by a blaze last night (Thurs) in Croatia.Owner Harald Kiefer, from Feldbach from the province of Styria, said today the Sea Ray vessel caught fire shortly after 7pm at a pier near the Hotel Adriatic in Vrboska on the island of […]

No school uniforms comeback in Austria, says minister

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General News

Austrian Social democratic (SPÖ) Education Minister Claudia Schmied has ruled out a reintroduction of school uniforms following a heated debate over the issue by German decision-makers.Schmied said today (Fri) there were no plans whatsoever to enforce students to wear unified clothing at schools across Austria.Former Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries […]

Marla Glen lined up for Viennese Africa festival

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Culture

Marla Glen will headline this year’s Afrika Tage Wien (Africa Days Vienna) festival, it has emerged.Online music newspaper Britishrock.cc reports today (Fri) that the American soul singer is set to top the bill at the 17-day event which will start on 30 July.German singer-songwriter Hans Söllner and Austrian funk icon Kurt Hauenstein’s band Supermax are […]

Kaltenegger wipes away land tax calls

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Politics

People’s Party (ÖVP) general secretary Fritz Kaltenegger has ruled out higher real estate taxes as the budget debate intensifies.Kaltenegger said today (Fri) his party opposed an increase of land tax from next year. His pledge comes days after several economists and the ÖVP’s coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPÖ), called for an open discussion over […]

Croatia wins arbitration against Austrian firm

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Business

Croatia is celebrating after a United Nations (UN) court rejected an Austrian company’s demand for 80 million Euros compensation over a failed gambling venture.The gambling project was set up by the Croatian Lottery together with the Austrian firm Adria Beteiligungs GmbH (Adria) which suffered during the independence war and was eventually scrapped over management differences.The […]

RBS to become Under-21s team as boss focuses on RB Leipzig

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Sports

Red Bull boss Dietrich Mateschitz has revealed plans to make Red Bull Salzburg (RBS) the Under-21s team of his company’s football ambitions.The entrepreneur said today (Fri) he was convinced that RB Leipzig – who are currently competing in Germany’s fourth-highest league – will soon play a vital role in European football.”Red Bull Salzburg will be […]

Vienna tourism reports record overnight figures

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Business

The Viennese tourism industry seems to be over the worst of the economic downturn as it had its best first six months of the year in history.Vienna tourism chief Norbert Kettner revealed today (Thurs) that 4.8 million overnights occurred between January and June of this year, up by 12.9 per cent year on year and […]