Category: General Interest

The mild weather will remain in the coming days after Christmas. According to the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) forecast, changeable weather and temperatures up to 13 degrees are expected in the coming days. Often sunny weather is expected on Christmas Day, especially in the western and southern half, away from fog zones. However, on the northern side of the Alps and in the east, a slight disturbance influence will be effective, leading to partly dense clouds and some rain until noon. With the departure of the disturbance…

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Yesterday, as I fell into my bed exhausted with a cold after a chaotic few days and the last of the Christmas stress, my thoughts gave me no peace. ‘It’s Christmas. Again.And, as usual, so incredibly fast.’I thought. ‘And how much has happened this year! What has happened? What has changed…? How many (unbelievably beautiful!) people did I get to meet, who entered my life (again) and who did I have to let go…? Crazy.’ I went my train of thought further. And so, caught in my maze of thoughts,…

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Waves of disease driven by different pathogens still have Austria firmly in their grip. Even the holidays do not change that. Thus, the Covid forecast consortium does not expect significant changes over the Christmas holidays – neither down nor up – in terms of new infections or hospital occupancy. Regarding new conditions, wastewater monitoring and officially reported case numbers also point to stagnation. An average of under 4,900 positive tests per day are reported throughout Austria. Corona protection measures are hardly in place, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take…

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Not good news for car and motorcycle drivers: many things will also become more expensive in 2023. The ARBÖ club clarifies what costs come to drivers. It will not be possible to drive away from inflation in the coming year: The first increase in the CO2 tax, which was introduced on October 1, will take effect on January 1. This means the tax will be raised from 30 euros per ton to 32.50 euros. Initially, an increase to 35 euros was even planned. But due to the high fuel prices,…

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The flu epidemic has not suppressed Corona. The numbers are rising again, and after BA.5, the BQ.1 subvariant is now dominant. After a relatively quiet start to the winter, corona numbers are slowly but steadily beginning to rise again. But not only that, there’s a blowout to report at the top. The previously dominant BA.5 variant has been successfully ousted. Instead, the BQ.1 lines have “quickly picked up speed,” as molecular biologist Ulrich Elling reports on Twitter. He said that BA.5, together with variant daughter BF.7, now account for only…

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Growth collapses in the first quarter of 2023 after the decline in the fourth quarter of 2022. When will Austria’s economy start growing again? Will energy prices continue to rise? And is Europe still competitive? WIFO head Gabriel Felbermayr answers these questions in an interview in the latest newsletter of “Österreich isst informiert” – an initiative of the Austrian food industry. Nestlé CEO Cédric Boehm also talks about dealing with increased raw material prices, the energy crisis and climate-friendly packaging. As Director of WIFO, Gabriel Felbermayr assumes that Austria will…

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Bad news for (almost) all gas customers. The network fees will increase in eight of nine federal states already from January 1, 2023, in some cases significantly. The gas network fees, set annually, will rise as of January 1, 2023, for an average gas-heated household in all federal provinces except Tyrol. This was decided accordingly by the Regulatory Commission of E-Control. Depending on the area, network charges account for less than 20 percent of the total gas bill, with the remainder accounted for by the cost of gas delivery and…

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What to do if you are not satisfied with the Christmas gift? The VKI clarifies exchange, right of withdrawal, warranty and guarantee. Not all Christmas gifts cause great joy to the recipient: Be it a piece of clothing in the wrong size, a technical device that gives up the ghost shortly after unpacking, or even a gift that simply does not please. What options do consumers have if something goes wrong with the gift? Manuela Robinson, head of the advice department at the Association for Consumer Information (VKI), provides information…

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This weekend, it will be bitterly cold in Vienna. According to the European weather model ECMWF, temperatures are supposed to rattle into the cellar on Sunday in the middle of the night. The ice whip strikes hardest in the north of the federal capital and around Korneuburg (Lower Austria). Here, up to -13 degrees are expected around 5 a.m.; negative double-digit temperatures remain from Floridsdorf through the Wienerwald districts. Even in the “warm” south around Leopoldsdorf, it is still -7 degrees. During the day, it is supposed to continue frosty…

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