A climate expert has called on lawmakers to provide people with cheap public transport tickets as petrol prices continue soaring. Stefan Schleicher of the Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) said yesterday (Thurs) the current situation posed a “unique chance” for decision-makers. Schleicher told radio channel Ö1 that politicians should offer affordable long-term tickets for means […]
Gourmet crows to be shot
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Crows are gourmets who prefer organic food and are specifically targeting organic products, according to angry Austrian farmers who have won permission to start shooting the birds. Organic farmer Hannes Maier told local media that sometimes it was not possible to see the ground in his fields as the crows descended “in their thousands” to […]
Kothgasser to retire
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Alois Kothgasser, the archbishop of the Diocese of Salzburg, has decided to apply for retirement. Kothgasser announced yesterday (Weds) that he informed Pope Benedict XVI. about his wish in a letter. Kothgasser, 75, added he hoped for a private conversation with the Pope to discuss who could succeed him. A decision is expected for autumn. […]
Bodies bricked up in wall in Vienna
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Builders working on an attic conversion in Vienna have found the remains of three bodies bricked up in a wall. Police refused to discuss the case in detail but confirmed that only the bones remained – indicating the bodies had been there for some time – and that these had been handed over for forensic […]
A cuddle club has been set up in Vienna for people who miss physical contact that they can’t get from social media like Facebook and Twitter. Members at http://www.diekuschelparty.at/ have to pledge that they are there just for a good cuddle and not for any sexual reason – and before they can join in on […]
Almost a quarter of all the weddings in Austria are binational according to the latest statistics from Statistik Austria. It said that 23.5 percent of marriages fall into this category were either one partner is an Austrian and the other a foreign national – or both are foreign nationals. In 2010 that represented 8,823 binational […]
Hitler youth film for schools
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A controversial new film entitled “Hitler’s youth” – Hitlers Jugend – is set to be shown in Austrian schools in a bid to help youngsters learn of the dangers of allowing themselves to be led astray politically. Produced by the young Salzburg filmmaker Lydia Schiffkorn it used extensive archive footage and also spoke to people […]
No Fugging chance for name change
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Austrians considering renaming their village from Fucking to Fugging have been told to think again – because the name is already taken. Villagers at Fucking in Upper Austria voted yesterday to change the name to Fugging. But then came the news that there used to be a second village with the name Fucking in Austria […]
An Austrian man was left in a serious condition after a Bavarian curling game got out of hand during a tournament in Liebenfels, Austria. Police are investigating allegations that the curler aged 43 who was not named for legal reasons had been heckling his rivals when he was reportedly pushed by an opposing player – […]
An Austrian millionaire who became an Internet sensation when he revealed he had given away everything in order to help the poor is really a conman who simply wanted to get publicity to sell his house and pay off his debts. Media around the world rushed to cover the story of Karl Rabeder when he […]