New Catholic priests figures in decline

Categories
General News

Fewer Austrians decided to become Catholic priests in the first half of this year than in 2009 as the church’s crisis continues.Church officials said today (Thurs) 24 men will be consecrated priests in 2010 by the end of this month. They said 33 consecrations took place in the first six months of last year.The Austrian […]

Countryside culture delights at Regionale10

Categories
Culture

Dozens of concerts and exhibits will be on in Styria over the next few weeks as part of the Regionale10 festival.Fifty-one communities in Liezen district take part in the second edition of the event featuring theatre performances, musical shows and art exhibitions under the motto “In der Mitte am Rand” (In the Centre – At […]

Gyllenhaal says ‘Prince of Persia’ may be final ‘old school’ blockbuster

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Culture

Jake Gyllenhaal has revealed he would not be surprised if his new movie “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” turned out to be the last major Hollywood action film featuring “a real set”.The actor – who stars in the leading role of the blockbuster produced by Jerry Bruckheimer – told Austrian movie magazine Skip: […]

Civil servants satisfied with their jobs

Categories
General News

Civil servants are satisfied with their jobs, but workers in the retail-trade sector are not, according to the results of a new poll by the Upper Austrian Labour Chamber (AK) released today (Fri).AK said its labour-climate index had fallen to 110 points in early 2010, only two points higher than in autumn 2007. It added […]

Kid walks two kilometres ‘to visit babysitter’

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General News

A four-year-old boy was reunited with his parents after he left home “to visit his babysitter”.Officials in Villach, Carinthia, said today (Tues) police officers picked up the child around two kilometres from his home. He told the policemen he wanted to visit his babysitter in the neighbouring town.The boy’s worried parents had called police after […]

KTM back on track as earnings rise

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Business

Upper Austrian motorcycle and off-road vehicle maker KTM Power Sports AG is racing all the way on the road to recovery as earnings soared in the first half of its 2009/2010 business year.Officials at the Mattighofen-based firm said today (Thurs) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) climbed to 6.3 million Euros after losses of nine […]

Magna ends Graz plant part-time scheme

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Business

Thousands of workers at Magna’s Graz plant are back in full-time work as the car industry supplier registered a sharp increase in orders.Around 4,500 staff were put into an 18-month part-time model to avoid sackings.Workers’ Union official Thomas Stoimaier said today (Fri): “The company’s order situation is currently very good and this is why it […]

‘History lesson’ for Rosenkranz

Categories
Politics

Activists spread out tens of thousands of sheets of paper with the names of Nazi victims in Vienna yesterday (Tues) “to teach Barbara Rosenkranz a history lesson”.”A Letter To The Stars” organiser Josef Neumayr said: “We want to show what happens when intolerance shapes society.”Activists said they felt the urge to take action after Rosenkranz […]

Tolls not car fuel tax, says IV

Categories
Business

The Austrian Industrial Association (IV) is calling for car tolls rather than for an increase in taxes on car fuel, according to today’s edition (Fri) of news magazine Format.IV General Secretary Markus Beyrer is quoted as calling tolls based on the number of kilometres driven “a more intelligent alternative.”He said tolls could be staggered in […]

Mayor’s Mon Chéri praline not poisoned

Categories
General News

A Mon Chéri praline left on the windscreen of a Styrian female mayor’s car last Saturday was not poisonous, provincial authorities said today (Fri).In an earlier incident, another Mon Chéri praline left on the windscreen of Mayor Hannes Hirtzberger’s car in Spitz, Lower Austria, on 9 February 2008 was laced with strychnine. He became brain […]