Austria

Photo Story: Border between Austria and Germany to reopen completely from 15 June

The border between Austria and Germany will be completely opened from 15 June, Austria’s tourism minister, Elisabeth Köstinger, has told the country’s public service broadcaster, ORF. The German chancellor, Angela…

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Austrian Airlines plans to cut 1,100 jobs

Lufthansa unit Austrian Airlines, which has applied for 767 million euros (669.7 million pounds) in emergency aid from the Austrian government, plans to cut 1,100 of its 7,000 staff by…

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Alp resort in Austria at heart of Europe’s outbreak reopens

Austria has lifted the strict quarantine on three ski resorts in Tyrol which were coronavirus hotspots. The three include Ischgl, known as the "Ibiza of the Alps", where hundreds of…

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Austria set to relax coronavirus lockdown measures

Austria will begin lifting its coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday but this is the first step in a long process, experts say. Austria came to a standstill when it introduced lockdown…

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World renowned Austrian restaurant now catering for medical staff

The internationally-known restaurants Steirereck and Meierei, owned by Birgit and Heinz Reitbauer, prepare up to 1000 free meals for emergency personals, since the Austrian government has announced measures slowing down…

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Austria becomes the first European country to announce plans to lift its lockdown

Austria plans to reopen smaller shops from next week in its first step to loosen a lockdown that has slowed the spread of the coronavirus, as long as the public…

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Austrian supermarkets hand out face masks

Austrian supermarkets began handing out basic face masks to largely compliant shoppers before they become compulsory next week, though there remained some confusion about the new measure and uncertainty about…

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Number of confirmed coronavirus cases exceeds 3,000 in Austria

The amount of people in Austria with confirmed cases of coronavirus crossed the 3,000 mark on Sunday, the Ministry of Health has announced. Compared with figures from Saturday, this is…

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Austrian ski town suspected as source of coronavirus across Europe

Politico reports that Tyrolean village of Ischgl in Austria may have been the main source of the outbreak of coronavirus in Europe. Health authorities across Scandinavia have traced several hundred…

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€38 billion relief plan announced by Austria

Austria will spend up to 38 billion euros to secure jobs and keep companies afloat, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday, joining other European countries providing more funds to limit…

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Austria limits people’s movement nationwide

The Austrian government is limiting people’s movement nationwide. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Sunday that there should be only three reasons for people to leave home: essential work, essential purchases such…

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Austria reports first coronavirus death

A 69-year-old man has died in Vienna after contracting the new coronavirus, Austria’s first death in the rapidly spreading epidemic, city authorities said on Thursday. Austria has confirmed 302 cases…

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Six killed in avalanches on Austrian Alps

Six people have died after avalanches hit two separate areas of the Austrian Alps on Sunday, according to local authorities. In the central Dachstein area, a location popular with hikers,…

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Balkan countries step up controls at borders

Countries along the so-called 'Balkan route', where hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers crossed in 2015-2016, are pledging not to allow migrants to cross this time after Turkey's decision not…

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Austria quarantines a dozen people after first coronavirus cases, Madrid confirms two

Austria has quarantined 12 people who were in close contact with a couple who were the country’s first coronavirus cases, one of whom works as a hotel receptionist, the local…

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Austria’s foreign ministry targeted in ‘serious cyber-attack’

Austria's foreign ministry over the weekend was targeted in a "serious cyber-attack”, warning another country could be responsible. The hack started on Saturday night and experts warn it could continue…

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Greens in Austria enter government for first time

The conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), led by Sebastian Kurz, and the Greens reached a deal to form a coalition government, the two parties announced late Wednesday. The "experiment" will…

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BrusselsViewPoint Europe’s 2019 Moments – Austria’s Ibiza-Gate

Denise Grech takes a glimpse at the most memorable moments in Europe this year. Ibiza-gate was a political scandal in Austria where the then chancellor of Austria Heinz-Christian Strache and…

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Austria ready to form new conservative-Green government

Austria will be able to ring in a new decade with a new government, after the conservative Austria’s People’s Party, led by Sebastian Kurz, and the Green Party agreed to…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria

A picture taken with a drone shows illuminated Christmas decoration at the so-called 'Christmas House' estate of the Gollnhuber family in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria. The Gollnhuber family since 2010 installs…

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Photo Story: Christmas market in Vienna

Photos from the Christmas market at Rathausplatz in central Vienna, Austria, on the evening of Sunday 15th December 2019, on the third Sunday of Advent. Photos: EPA-EFE/ZOLTAN BALOGH Click on…

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Malta, one of nine EU countries push back France’s drive to change EU enlargement process

Malta together with Austria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia have backed a counter-proposal to France's push aimed at changing the process for taking in new members, arguing…

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OPEC meeting breaks up without agreement

A meeting of the OPEC group of major oil-exporting countries broke up late Thursday without agreement on cutting production to head off pressure on prices from abundant reserves and…

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Photo Story: The Christmas traditional decorating of houses in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria

All kinds of Christmas decoration are illuminated at the so-called 'Christmas House' estate of the Gollnhuber family in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria. The Gollnhuber family since 2010 installs up to a…

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Large fire destroys part of world culture heritage city of Hallstatt in Austria

An aerial view made with a drone showing the damage and destruction caused by a fire during the night at the lakeside in the city of Hallstatt, Austria. Authorities say…

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House Hitler was born in to become police station

The house where Adolf Hitler was born will be turned into a police station, Austria's interior minister said, after years of debate over how best to prevent it becoming a…

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Bad weather causes mudslides in Austria

Members of the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer) remove mud and trees after a mudslide on the road to the Carinthian village Mallnitz, Austria, Austria. Due to the current weather situation…

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Austria bans smoking in bars and restaurants

Austria banned smoking in bars and restaurants on Friday, bringing the country's laws into line with most other European nations. Smokers who break the ban will have to pay €1,000,…

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Austrian Post fined for selling customer data

Austrian Post has been ordered to pay €18 million for collecting and selling mailers' perceived political preferences. The Austrian Data Protection Authority decided on the administrative penalty after finding that…

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Photo Story: Italian actress Sophia Loren honoured in Vienna

Italian actress Sophia Loren (R) is kissed by her son Carlo Ponti Jr. on stage. The Italian actress was awarded the European Cultural Award Taurus for her lifetime achievements during…

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Ten EU member states declare readiness to block arms export to Turkey

Italy is ready to block arms exports to Turkey because of its Syrian intervention, Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Monday. NewEurope reports that Italy is the biggest EU…

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Highlights from the Caravaggio & Bernini exhibition in Vienna

Photos from the press preview of the Caravaggio & Bernini exhibition at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) in Vienna, Austria, 14 October 2019. Paintings by Caravaggio, sculptures by…

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Photo Story: Eliud Kipchoge breaks two-hour marathon mark by 20 seconds

Eliud Kipchoge, Kenyan marathon world record holder, celebrates with the flag of Kenya in front of the finish line after the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, Austria, 12 October…

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Nobel Literature prize once more causes controversy

The Nobel committee has once again sparked controversy by choosing Austrian author Peter Handke, who has been accused of being an apologist for Slobodan Milosevic, for the 2019 literature prize.…

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Photo Story: Bulgarian President Rumen Radev visits Austria

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (L) and Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen (R) arrive ahead of a meeting at the Presidential residence of the Hofburg Palace, in Vienna, Austria.…

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Clear victory for Sebastian Kurz’s People’s Party in Austrian vote

Austria's People's Party, led by former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, has won a clear victory in Sunday's general election. With nearly all the votes counted, Kurz's party has more than 38%…

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Election Watch – Austria

Austrians vote on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election that conservative leader Sebastian Kurz looks set to win, but he will still need a coalition partner to secure a majority…

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Austrian election campaign winds up

Austrian political parties wound up their campaigns on Friday evening, before a parliamentary election on Sunday which Sebastian Kurz’s conservatives are tipped to win. Sunday’s vote is being held in…

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Albrecht Duerer exhibition in Vienna

Highlights from the press preview of the 'Albrecht Duerer' exhibition at the Albertina museum in Vienna, Austria. It has been decades since so many works by Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) have…

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Austria revives double passport plan for Alto Adige

The Austrian parliament on Friday revived a plan to give a double passport to give citizens in the Italian region of Alto Adige who are German and local Ladin speakers…

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Swiss artist installs 300 trees in football stadium

Basel-based artist Klaus Littmann has transformed a 30,000-capacity stadium in southern Austria into a forest as part of an exhibit paying tribute to nature. It is Austria’s largest public art…

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Placido Domingo gets standing ovation in Salzburg

Opera legend Placido Domingo on Sunday evening received a standing ovation at the Salzburg Festival, his first performance since he was accused of sexually harassing women. Domingo gave his performance…

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Photo Story: Austria Railways tests tracks painted in white against heat

An handout photo made available by the Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) shows white paint on railway tracks, at a test area near Bludenz, Austria. The OeBB carried out a first…

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Austria, Greece and Slovenia ignore Von Der Leyen request for two Commissioner nominations

Ursula von der Leyen pledged to form a gender-balanced European Commission — but it's looking like an uphill battle. And some EU officials are bracing for the possibility that a…

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Austria confirms Hahn as its European commissioner

Austria confirmed that it wants Johannes Hahn, the current European Commissioner for enlargement, to stay on as its member of the next commission, headed by Ursula von der Leyen. The…

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Photo Story: The Rehearsal of Rigoletto for the Bregenz Festival

A view of the lake stage Seebuehne during a rehearsal of the opera Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi as part of the Bregenz Festival at Lake Constance, in Bregenz, Austria.…

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Austria election set for September 29th

Austria’s cabinet has set Sept. 29 as the date of the next parliamentary election. That was the first date on which the vote could have been held after parliament…

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Austrian parliament bans glyphosate weed killer

Austria is on track to be the first EU country to completely ban weed killer glyphosate, originally developed by Monsanto and marketed under the name Roundup. Members of Parliament in…

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Photo Story : Presidential salute

Portugal's President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa waves to the people during a tram ride in Lisbon, Portugal, 18 June 2019. Austria´s President arrived for a two-day official visit to Portugal.…

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Corporate Dispatch Morning Briefing

Good morning, These are the morning headlines chosen from our editorial team, from news sources from Malta and around the world for Tuesday. Start your day informed. Deaths and injuries…

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Kurz says emails suggesting his involvement in a scandal involving his previous coalition partners are fakes

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says emails suggesting his involvement in a scandal involving his previous coalition partners are fakes. Kurz said Monday experts found multiple inconsistencies to confirm they…

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EU-wide operation against counterfeit products, Law enforcement agencies in Malta involved in the operation

More than 4.7 million counterfeit products seized, over 16 400 social media accounts suspended and 3 300 websites closed in the EU-wide operation Aphrodite II against trafficking of counterfeit goods.…

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Photo Story : Life

An actor performs on stage during the opening ceremony of the 'Life Ball' charity event at the Rathaus city hall square in Vienna, Austria, 08 June 2019. The 26th Life…

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Brigitte Bierlein appointed as Austria’s chancellor of interim technocratic government

Brigitte Bierlein has been appointed as Austria’s first female chancellor, at the head of an interim technocratic government to rule the country for the next four months. Ms Bierlein, the…

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Photo Story: Final farewell to Niki Lauda

Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to the Formula One legend Niki Lauda during his funeral today in St. Stephen's Cathedral in his home city of Vienna. Hundreds…

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Austrian government crumbles as Chancellor Kurz loses no-confidence motion

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has lost a no-confidence motion, forcing his government from office, despite his party's victory in the European elections. It came after his former coalition partners in…

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Europe Votes: Austria, the Exit Polls, the projections

Austrian public broadcaster ORF has reported in initial exit polls that the recent scandal that took down the former far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache just last week did little…

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