Shops raked in more last year

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Business

The turnover of Austria’s retail trade soared by nearly three per cent year on year in 2010, it has been announced.Researcher KMU Forschung Austria said today (Tues) that shops in the country generated an overall turnover from sales of 50.1 billion Euros after taxes, 2.7 per cent more than in 2009. It pointed out that […]

Zoo elephants munch Xmas tree

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Lifestyle

Elephants at a zoo in Vienna have been served a 30-metre Christmas tree.Mum Numbi and her sons Kibo and Tuluba munched on the spruce at their enclosure at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna yesterday (Mon). The tree was erected at a Christmas market in front of Schönbrunn Palace which is just a stone-throw from the tradition-rich […]

One in 10 brace for Xmas family feuds

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Lifestyle

Many Austrians expect their families to argue this Christmas, a survey has shown.The Institute for Future Studies at the Fachhochschule (FH) college Salzburg found in a poll that 10 per cent of Austrians expect Christmas to be overshadowed by disputes between family members this year.The institute, which interviewed around 1,000 Austrians, also found out that […]

Oldest Austrian to turn 110

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Lifestyle

Hermine Nistler, the oldest person in Austria, will celebrate her 110th birthday this Christmas Eve (24 December).The Vienna-born woman can look back on a life of ups and many downs. Her parents died when she was just eight years old when a lung disease epidemic raged in the capital’s poverty-stricken population.Nistler, who used to work […]

Voluntary speed reduction call as Austria battles snow

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General News

Traffic experts have appealed to drivers to adapt their speed to the treacherous conditions they are currently confronted with across Austria.Strong snowfall has led to dozens of accidents on streets across all nine provinces last night and this morning (Weds).Six people had to be hospitalised in Vorarlberg this morning after a 28-year-old driver lost control […]

Xmas debt trap warning issued

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General News

One in five Austrians are at risk of getting themselves into debt this Christmas, a financial expert has warned.Alexander Maly of the Viennese Debtors Counselling Authority said today (Tues): “Some people feel pressure to consume and shop in order to belong to a certain group of friends.”Speaking to the Kronen Zeitung newspaper, Maly said around […]

More pickpocketing as crooks’ high season nears

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General News

The number of pickpocket offences is increasing – and police are bracing for another rise in figures as Austrians are flocking to shopping centres and Christmas markets.Federal police announced today (Tues) that they registered around 15,000 reported cases of thefts by pickpockets in the first nine months of this year. They stressed this was a […]

Shops experience ‘best 8th December in years’

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Business

Retail trade representatives are delighted about “sensational” revenue as hundreds of thousands of Austrians took the opportunity to go shopping on yesterday’s (Weds) national holiday.The 8th of December – which marks the Immaculate Conception of Mary – is traditionally one of the busiest days in the year for the retail trade sector as shops have […]

Austrian and Italian police team up at Xmas market

Categories
General News

Austrian police are cooperating with their Italian colleagues in a new pilot project.Carabinieri Lorenzo Galli and Paolo de Biasi will join Austrian police officers on patrol at the Christmas markets of Innsbruck, Tyrol, during the next few weeks.The Italian policemen said today (Fri) they will try to reduce communication troubles when their fellow countrymen become […]

Men exposed as Xmas shopaholics in poll

Categories
Business

Men will spend around 100 Euros more on Christmas presents than women, a new survey has revealed.GfK Austria found that male Austrians planned to invest 455 on Christmas gifts for their loved ones, while women were expected to spend an average 356 Euros this year.The agency, which interviewed 500 Austrians aged 15 and older, also […]