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Geert Wilders. Photo: EPA/SANDER KONING

Austria investigates Wilders for hate speech

The Vienna public prosecutor has started an investigation against the Dutch right-wing leader Geert Wilders on charges of hate speech.READ

The scammers are active in tourist hotspots like Heldenplatz.

'Fake fundraisers' scam tourists in Vienna

Tourists visiting Vienna are being warned of a new scam where con artists posing as ‘fundraisers’ ask foreigners to sign a petition and then demand a cash donation. READ

The trophy for the women's winning team. Photo: Beach Volleyball Grand Slam Klagenfurt/Facebook

Phallic trophy unveiled for volleyball champs

A phallic-shaped trophy which will be presented to the victorious women’s team of the Beach Volleyball Championships taking part in Klagenfurt, Carinthia this week, has been greeted with derision on social media. READ

Tents set up for asylum seekers. Photo: Vol.at

Austria 'top country' for asylum seekers

The Traiskirchen refugee centre in Lower Austria has broken a new record - it is now housing 4,300 asylum seekers, although it only has 2,300 beds. 480 people are sleeping in tents in the grounds of the centre, according to the Interior Ministry, but 2,000 people don’t have a bed to sleep in. READ

Alex Smoltschnik. Photo: El Gato

Free tattoos as a stand 'against racism'

A tattoo artist based in Graz has been giving customers free tattoos - so long as their chosen design has a message of anti-racism and tolerance. READ

Vienna's markets show how multicultural the city has become. Photo: Gugerell/Wikimedia

Number of foreigners in Vienna up 49 percent

The number of non-Austrians living in Vienna has risen by 49 percent in eight years, recent statistics show. Political parties are now considering not only how to tackle the theme of immigration but also how to appeal to foreign citizens, ahead of local elections in October.READ

Wakeboarding on the Neue Donau. Photo: Wake Up

Woman loses arm in wakeboarding accident

A woman in Vienna lost her right hand and forearm in a tragic accident on the Neue Donau river on Sunday afternoon. READ

A rescue team examine the wrecked car. Photo: Bergrettung Fusch / Paul Hasenauer

Two Britons killed in mountain road crash

Update: Two British men in their 20s were killed on Friday morning when their car veered off Austria's highest mountain pass during a car rally, police said. READ

Photo: WTV

Mystery raccoon falls from Vienna window

Vienna council workers made an unusual discovery when they found an injured raccoon in the city’s central Landstrasse district, in front of an apartment building. They believe he fell out of one of the apartment windows, or from a balcony. READ

Not much chance of cooling down in the Klopeiner See. Photo: Jufa

Lakes reach 'bathtub' temperatures

Anyone planning to take a refreshing dip this weekend in one of Austria’s lakes after the scorching heat of the past few days is going to be disappointed - with the water in most lakes now as warm as a bathtub. READ

Features

IAEA headquarters in Vienna. Photo: IAEA

The IAEA: The world's eyes and ears in Iran

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency will be the "eyes and ears of the international community" in Iran, according to its Japanese Director General Yukiya Amano. READ

My Austrian Career

Khaled Khoshdel. Photo: Negina Pirzad

'I want people to accept the differences’

A native Afghan who fled his homeland in 1994, Khaled Khoshdel immigrated to Vienna for a better life. He came with optimism and a culture he wanted to share with European people, which led him to open the only Afghan restaurant in Vienna, called Noosh. READ

Help Me, Helen

Photo: minimalisti.com

Why ‘good fences make good neighbours’

Do you ever get pressured into doing something you don't want to? Do you sometimes feel used by others? Is it hard for you to say “no”? If so, maybe you need to develop stronger boundaries. Many people do. READ

My Austrian Career

Mary and her two children. Photo: Private

'Growing up abroad - I feel international'

Mary Röttig was born in Bangladesh and adopted by an Austrian couple as a baby. She grew up in London and lived in New York and Texas before moving to Vienna where she set up a bilingual Montessori-inspired preschool and nursery. READ

The Local List

Photo: Austria.info

Nine spectacular rides in Austria you have to cycle

June 3rd is European Cycling Day and what better time to plan a cycling adventure in Austria? Picturesque riversides and lakes, idyllic villages, historical towns and magnificent mountains are on offer - and taking your bike on the train is no problem. READ

From our other editions:

File photo of a lake view in Switzerland's Ticino region.

Girl, 5, dies after mum leaves her in boiling car

A five-year-old girl in the Swiss canton of Ticino has died after her mother left her alone in a boiling hot car, as Switzerland continues to sizzle in a record-breaking heatwave. READ

An actress plays Chancellor Angela Merkel in the magazine ad. Screenshot:Twitter.

'Angela Merkel' stars in lesbian magazine ad

Wednesday sees the launch of new magazine "Straight," aimed at gay women across Germany – but the magazine's advert is already causing something of a stir, reports Der Tagesspiegel. READ

Integration Minister Inger Støjberg. Photo: Keld Navntoft/Scanpix

Denmark to run anti-refugee advertisements

The government plans to launch an information campaign in foreign newspapers to deter refugees in response to human smugglers publishing comparative information on refugee benefits in EU countries. READ

The Local list

Spaniards do a lot of things better than anyone else, including matching their umbrellas with their flags. Photo: AFP

Ten things Spaniards do better than anyone else

We're not saying Spaniards are perfect, but there are certain things they just seem to do better in Spain than anywhere else. The Local gives you a rundown of the top ten. READ

The ever-splendid Gorges du Verdon. Photo: Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho/Flickr

The daftest TripAdvisor comments about France

France opens its doors to over 80 million tourists a year, who enjoy everything from world-class museums to pristine natural wonders. But you can't please them all... READ

A tornado over the Italian city of Genoa. Photo: Bibipisi74

Tornado predicted as Italy heatwave ends

The hot stuffy weather brought by the hellish heatwave Caronte is set to end this weekend, but meteorologists are warning that it's no cause for celebration. READ

Queen Sonja. Photo: Lisa Åserud

Queen Sonja comes to aid of Norwegian teens

Two teenagers who came to the aid of an injured girl off the island of Tjøme this week after the girl fell off a boat, were offered assistance by Queen Sonja who was spending her summer holidays at her family’s vacation home nearby. READ

The Local List

Have you been on paternity leave? Photo: Melker Dahlstrand/Image Bank Sweden

Nine ways to become a truly Swedish man

You can shop the look at cool Scandinavian fashion stores, or stick around long enough to get your own residency permit. But to really become a Swedish man, The Local reckons you've got to share these nine experiences. READ