Category: Feature Stories

What does Easter mean?At Easter, the church celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It is the main festival of the Christian faith. According to the apostle Paul, the Christian faith would be invalid without Easter: “But if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is empty too” (1 Cor 15:14). The word “Easter” probably comes from the Greek word “eos,” the Latin word “aurora,” or “Austro” (Old Germanic), which all mean “dawn.” The resurrection took place in the early morning of Easter Day. What…

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Austria celebrates Easter with a rich tapestry of traditions that blend Christian rituals, local customs, and festive family activities. Here are the most common Austrian Easter traditions: Key Austrian Easter Traditions Palm Sunday (Palmbuschen and Palmesel) On Palm Sunday, Austrians craft and decorate Palmbuschen—bundles of evergreen twigs (such as catkins, boxwood, or holly) often adorned with colorful ribbons and sometimes a painted egg in the center. These are blessed in church and then placed at home, believed to protect the household In some regions, particularly near Salzburg, the Palmesel procession reenacts Jesus’ entry…

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Black Saturday, also known as Holy Saturday, is the final day of Holy Week, observed by Christians worldwide as a day of profound significance. It falls between Good Friday, which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ, and Easter Sunday, which celebrates His resurrection. Key Significances Commemoration of Jesus Lying in the TombBlack Saturday marks the day when Jesus Christ’s body lay in the tomb after His crucifixion. This period is remembered as a time of mourning and silence, reflecting on the reality of His death and the grief…

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Do you usually store your bread in plastic bags? Then you should rethink this habit! You probably know the situation: You have bought a deliciously fresh loaf of bread from the bakery and assume that it will keep for at least a week. But on the second day, you realize that the bread has become so dry that it is barely edible. What has gone wrong? There are several factors to consider when storing bread. Packaging plays an important role According to baker Joost Arijs, both the packaging and the…

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According to a new study, less than ten percent of plastic waste worldwide is recycled. Of the 400 million tons of plastic produced in 2022, only 9.5 percent came from recycled materials. “The global recycling rate is stagnating”, according to a study published in the journal ‘Communications Earth & Environment’ by a research team from Beijing’s Tsinghua University. While more and more plastic is being produced, there has been hardly any progress in recycling. The low recycling rate means that fossil fuels – mainly oil and gas – are used…

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According to data from the EU climate change service Copernicus, last month was the warmest March in Europe since records began. The average temperature on the continent was 6.03 degrees, 2.41 degrees above the average for the comparable period from 1991 to 2020, according to Copernicus. Globally, it was the second warmest March ever recorded. In addition, the lowest extent of Arctic sea ice ever measured in a March was recorded. According to the service, it was also the 20th month in the past 21 months in which the global…

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Hotel beds are usually adorned with a bed scarf, which is usually carelessly packed away immediately. What is a bed scarf, and what is it actually for? Many hotel rooms have a narrow coverlet at the foot of the bed. This throw, also called a bed scarf, is often about one meter wide and made of a more robust fabric than sheets and bedding. At first glance, the cover seems useless – it is hardly suitable for snuggling up in. If you want to slip under the blanket, you often…

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Beer drinkers have a poorer diet, are less physically active, and are more likely to smoke than those who drink spirits, wine, or a combination. Regarding alcohol, the wine-loving French could be on the right, “healthier” track. Because beer drinkers eat worse, smoke more, and are lazier than wine and spirits lovers, a new study shows. According to US researchers who tracked the drinking habits of almost 2,000 adults, even those who drank a combination of alcoholic beverages were healthier than beer-only drinkers. This is because beer drinkers had the…

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Humanity faces a range of existential and catastrophic threats—some caused by nature, others by our own actions. This report outlines ten of the most serious dangers based on scientific research, expert opinion, and global risk assessments. 1. Nuclear War Nuclear weapons remain one of the most immediate and devastating threats. A large-scale nuclear conflict could kill millions instantly and trigger a “nuclear winter,” disrupting agriculture and leading to mass starvation. 2. Climate Change The warming planet is already causing extreme weather, rising sea levels, and ecosystem collapse. If unchecked, climate…

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