Category: Feature Stories

Shortly before the first Corona vaccinations in the European Union, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is raising hopes for more normality next year. “The vaccinations will help to gradually return to our normal life,” von der Leyen said in a video posted on Twitter on Saturday. Once enough people have been vaccinated, she said, people can begin to travel again, see friends and family and spend the holidays normally. “But until then, we must continue to be cautious.” The first doses of the Corona vaccine, made by Biontech…

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Pope Francis called for fraternity in times of pandemic in his Urbi et orbi blessing message on Christmas Day. The head of the Catholic Church remembered all people suffering because of the pandemic, as well as in conflict and emergency areas around the globe. Francis delivered his Christmas message and blessing in the Benediction Hall at the Apostolic Palace, rather than from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, as is customary. Risks and dangers of childhood illnessesFrancis urgently called for solidarity toward the most vulnerable, the sick, the unemployed and…

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927 million euros ended up in cash under the Christmas tree this year, compared with 836 million euros the previous year. On average, 274 euros were given as gifts per person. This means that cash was once again the most common Christmas gift, followed by gift certificates and books, movies and games. Every second person would like to save more from the cash gift this year, according to a survey (sample: 1,199 people) conducted by price comparison portal durchblicker.at. With the height of the money gifts there were clear differences…

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Even in times of the Corona pandemic, Pope Francis plans to celebrate the traditional Christmas Mass this year. However, in light of Corona rules, the Vatican had to move up the Mass on Thursday. It is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m., according to the Holy See, slightly earlier than usual because Italy has a Christmas curfew from 10 p.m. until early morning the following day. The Mass will be held with a limited number of participants to protect against contagion. The dreary setting of this year’s Christmas festivities is…

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Austria is about to receive Pfizer-BioNTech’s first coronavirus vaccine on Dec. 26. Here is an overview of the most important questions about the effect, side effects, vaccination reactions and protective effects. Approval in the EU“There are 9,750 doses coming. The delivery is made immediately to all federal states. One day later, vaccination can begin,” said Pfizer Austria CEO Robin Rumler in an interview with APA. Austria could initially receive up to 3.5 million doses of the vaccine. A certain protective effect against the corona virus is already given seven days…

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A new study shows that mouth masks can impair the brain’s ability to recognize faces. Do you also feel like you have a harder time recognizing your friends, acquaintances & co because of your mask? Then you’re definitely not alone. Scientists have found out in a new study that it really has become more difficult to recognize our fellow human beings. Researchers at “Ben-Gurion University of the Negev” believe that face masks impair the brain’s ability to correctly recognize and distinguish between different faces. The study results were published in…

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The new form of the Corona virus, which has the southeast of England firmly in its grip, is responsible for every second new infection. The new type of corona virus in the UK has been known since September and is regularly analyzed. But now the cases are multiplying rapidly. 50 percent of the increase in infections in London and south-east England is due to it. Currently, there are no observations that this is causing more severe Covid 19 disease than previously, however, it does not have to stay that way.…

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A variant of Sars-CoV-2 has spread in parts of England that appears to be even more contagious than the previously common form. But how scientifically justified is the concern? The fact is: a whole host of questions cannot yet be answered unequivocally. It cannot be completely ruled out that, despite all the uncertainties, the British government has taken the new variant as a welcome excuse to tighten British lockdown measures. Question: What is special about the new British virus strain? Answer: This new variant is characterized primarily by the fact…

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A hyper-contagious viral mutation in the UK is causing EU countries to cut flight connections, including Austria. The virus is “out of control,” Britain admits. The variant of the coronavirus discovered in the UK is causing great concern to authorities in the UK, but increasingly also in EU countries. Austria will also ban planes coming from the United Kingdom from landing. The health and foreign ministries confirmed this on Sunday. “This variant virus is out of control and we need to get it back under control,” British Health Secretary Matt…

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