The CO2 tax will be raised at the turn of the year, with 45 euros to be paid for one ton of carbon dioxide in the future. This will also affect refuelling, so ARBÖ recommends filling up your car before January 1st. Driving will be more expensive in 2024 due to climate protection measuresFrom January 1, 2024, a liter of diesel will be 3.7 cents more expensive, and a liter of petrol will cost 3.4 cents more, ARBÖ President Peter Rezar calculated today. However, he is concerned that there could…
Read MoreBeware of this travel booking scam
Criminals are increasingly trying to rip off holidaymakers on the internet. There is now a particularly dangerous scam on one booking platform.Booking.com is one of the largest travel portals on the internet, offering a wide range of accommodations and flights. However, caution is advised on such booking platforms, as fraudsters are trying to rip off holidaymakers with a new scam. Shortly after the accommodation has been booked, the supposed host gets in touch via WhatsApp and writes that something went wrong with the booking and that the credit card details…
Read MoreHome loan savings, pensions, transfers | Money and finance: What will change in 2024
The premiums for home loan savings and state-subsidized retirement provision (“Zukunftsvorsorge”) will remain unchanged in 2024. The home loan and savings premium will again be 1.5 percent, while the premium for future provisions will remain 4.25 percent. In the coming year, a maximum deposit of 1,200 euros per year will also be subsidized for building society savings, with a maximum premium of 18 euros. The maximum possible subsidy for future provisions, on the other hand, will increase slightly. The upper limit for subsidized payments is linked to the ASVG maximum…
Read MorePope Francis’s traditional Christmas message on Christmas Day focused on the war in the Middle East
In his traditional Christmas message on Christmas Day, Pope Francis focused this year on the war in the Middle East. The head of the Catholic Church called for a quick and lasting solution at the negotiating table. The Pope also called for peace in other conflict regions and compared abortions as a “massacre of innocents” to the suffering of children in war. Francis called on Christians to say “no” to war and weapons. “For if a man whose heart is unsteady and wounded has the instruments of death in his…
Read MoreSpicy food: What it says about your personality
Do you like chilli? Or other spices? Or does the mere thought of such food make you feel uncomfortably hot? Your preference in terms of spiciness may say more about you than you think. If you’re the kind of person who puts eight tons of chilli sauce on their pizza – kudos to you! And to your guts, too. Your digestive system must be toughened to the max. The palate and the headBut apart from the physical consequences of eating spicy foods, your taste has a greater psychological impact than…
Read MoreSleeping with socks: this is why you should never do it
Socks make it easier to fall asleep, but it’s better not to wear them when you sleep so that your body can regulate its temperature. Find out why here! Should you sleep with socks on your feet? This question divides opinion and leads to differences of opinion among experts. Each side has its own arguments. The benefits of wearing socks when sleepingAccording to a study conducted by two South Korean academics, wearing socks, which can be easily cleaned with a trick, leads to better sleep at night. The study on…
Read MorePope Francis gives the blessing “Urbi et Orbi”
Pope Francis reads the traditional Christmas message in the Vatican on Christmas Day (Monday, 12:00). From the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the head of the approximately 1.3 billion Catholics will bless Urbi et Orbi, i.e., the city and the world. It is expected that Francis will condemn the wars in the world. This year’s feast is particularly marked by the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Tens of thousands of believers are expected to gather in St. Peter’s Square. In his Christmas message last year, Francis called in…
Read MoreUp to 18 degrees: It’s warmer on Christmas Day than on Easter
On Christmas Day, the friendly and sunny weather character will predominate in the west and south, and there will often only be high clouds in the sky; any early morning fog will soon dissipate. In the north and partly also in the east, there will still be some denser patches of cloud, but short showers will remain the exception here, too. The snow line will mostly be above 2000m above sea level. The wind will blow weakly to moderately from predominantly westerly directions, brisk in the country’s northern parts, sometimes…
Read MoreOn December 25 and 26 | Shopping around Christmas: The opening hours at a glance
On December 25 and 26, special opening hours apply for food retailers on public holidays. Food markets at major train stations and airports can open, but this is not everywhere. (The exact times of the locations can be found here: Sonderöffnungszeiten | BILLA). Another option on Sundays and public holidays is petrol station stores and unmanned vending machines. A third of Austrians buy presents in the last week before Christmas, some just before the festive season. Petrol stations and pharmaciesPetrol stations are open just as long as on other public…
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