A serious diplomatic rift has erupted between Austria and Turkey.The Turkish government decided at the weekend to veto Ursula Plassniks application for the position as secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The former Austrian Peoples Party (ÖVP) foreign minister said earlier this year she wanted to take over from Marc […]
Austria has retained its reputation for being one of the most secure places on earth despite being knocked down two spots in the United Nations (UN) Global Peace Index (GPI) 2011.The UN announced yesterday (Thurs) it considered Austria as the sixth-safest country in the world.The organisation investigated 153 nations on all continents about factors such […]
A former Central American police official has been detained in Upper Austria.Javier Figueroa the ex-federal police chief of Guatemala fled to Austria in 2007 after being accused of having been involved in the killing of at least 10 prisoners in 2005 and 2006. The executed convicts were accused of drug trading. Three of […]
Nadine Beiler finished last Saturdays Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in a disappointing 18th place.The 20-year-old pop singer competed with the ballad “The secret is love” in the event held in the German city of Dusseldorf. Beiler had to go through the semi final last Tuesday before performing as 18th of 25 contenders on Saturday. She […]
Less than a month has passed since more than 32,000 runners competed in the Vienna City Marathon (VCM), but Austrias amateur athletes are already fired up for future challenges.Thousands will take part in this years Graz Marathon (www.grazmarathon.at) on 9 October which has developed into one of the countrys main long-distance running challenges.On the same […]
A party founded by late right-winger Jörg Haider has caused a diplomatic rift by announcing that the Turkish president “is not welcome” in Austria.The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) was established by Haider in 2005. The party said yesterday (Mon) when Abdullah Gül started a three-day visit to Austria that the […]
Fans and officials of a Viennese football club are bemoaning the death of an up-and-coming player.Versatile striker Filip Mendes, his brother and three cousins passed away in a traffic accident in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rennweger SV announced today (Tues). Sport newspapers report that the 23-year-old Croat planned to marry his pregnant girlfriend.Rennweger SV who […]
New Peoples Party (ÖVP) Justice Minister Beatrix Karl has said she wants to win back peoples faith in the countrys juridical system.A majority of 55 per cent of Austrians told research group Karmasin in January that they put less trust in the juridical system now than one year ago.Karl was sworn in yesterday (Thurs). The […]
Peoples Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner has said he is ready to reattempt reforming Austrias youth protection regulations.Non-government organisations (NGOs) and opposition politicians have criticised decision-makers for years over the issue since laws strongly vary in all of the countrys nine provinces. The legal framework allows 16-year-olds to go out up to three hours […]
Impoverished Austrians have a significantly lower life expectancy, according to a charity.Siegfried Meryns “Nein zu arm und krank” (Say No to Poverty and Sickness) initiative (www.neinzuarmundkrank.at) reports that people with a monthly income of under 1,500 Euros die around four years earlier than the Austrian average.The organisation, which says poverty and diseases can form a […]