Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Announces Updated Guidelines on Visa-Free Entry for Temporary Visitors

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Manila, Philippines — The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has released updated guidelines on the entry of temporary visitors, reaffirming the country’s visa-free access policy for short-term business and tourism travel. Nationals from 157 countries may enter the Philippines without a visa for a stay of up to 30 days, as long as they hold a return or onward ticket and a passport valid for at least six months beyond their planned stay. This policy is part of the government’s effort to keep travel smooth, secure, and welcoming for…

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FSW Debt Counseling warns of financial risks during the holiday season

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FSW Debt Counselling is calling for greater financial awareness in light of Black Friday and Cyber Monday discount campaigns. Every year, online shops in particular tempt shoppers with special discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Clever marketing puts pressure on customers and often leads to impulsive purchases. FSW Debt Counselling is therefore urging caution. Advertising psychology tricks, such as claiming that there is only one product left or that a discount is limited in time, create enormous pressure among customers. “At this point, at the latest, customers should think…

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Behind the Cabin Curtain: 8 Secrets Airlines Would Rather You Didn’t Know

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Most flights feel routine. You board, stash your bag, plug in your headphones, and trust the crew to handle the rest. But behind the calm voice of the captain and the tidy cabin, there is a world passengers rarely see. Airline employees know it well, and they tend to keep a few details quiet. Your headphones are not fresh out of the boxThe plastic wrapping misleads almost everyone. Those headsets were used by passengers on earlier flights. They are cleaned, checked, and sealed again. You might be flying with coffins…

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Sweden Leads Global Call to Action on Femicide at the United Nations in Vienna

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20 November 2025, Vienna, Austria – “Identify Me: Policy Solutions for Transnational Femicide” highlights the urgent need for cross-border cooperation to end violence against women. On 20 November 2025, the Permanent Mission of Sweden to the UN in Vienna convened diplomats, UN experts, law-enforcement specialists, civil society leaders and activists for a high-impact event marking the UN’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and the global Orange the World campaign. Among the participants was Marizel Rojas, Chairperson of ENFiD-Austria (European Network of Filipino Diaspora–Austria), who joined all three components…

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Driving bans on shopping Saturdays on Innere Mariahilfer Straße and Neubaugasse in Vienna

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To enable stress-free strolling and shopping in the run-up to Christmas, there will again be driving bans on Innere Mariahilfer Straße and Neubaugasse on shopping Saturdays in the pre-Christmas period. Christmas sales are expected to rise slightly this year The traffic restrictions apply on shopping Saturdays on November 29, December 6, December 13, and December 20, as well as on December 8. The section of Innere Mariahilfer Straße between Getreidemarkt/Museumsplatz and Stumpergasse/Kaiserstraße, as well as the section of Neubaugasse up to Westbahnstraße, will be closed to traffic, including bicycles and…

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Sharp increase in autumn: Covid-19 remains dangerous

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The flu season is approaching, while COVID-19 continues to be present. Markus Zeitlinger from the University Clinic for Clinical Pharmacology at MedUni Vienna recommends caution, vaccinations, and, in suspected cases, testing for SARS-CoV-2, as well as medication for people over 60 and risk groups. The Corona vaccine continues to protect “Similar to 2024, wastewater monitoring has already shown a fairly sharp rise in viral load this fall. Almost a third of hospital admissions for severe respiratory diseases in recent weeks were due to Covid-19,” Markus Zeitlinger told the APA. More…

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Filipino Visual Artists in Austria Celebrate 6th Anniversary

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Vienna, Austria — The Filipino Visual Artists in Austria (FVAA) proudly announces the celebration of its 6th Anniversary on November 29, 2025, at Younion Hall, Maria Theresien Strasse 11, 1090 Vienna. This milestone marks six years of creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange among Filipino artists living in Austria. Founded on November 30, 2019, FVAA was established with the vision of “artists helping artists.” The organization has since become a vibrant community dedicated to nurturing Filipino talent in the fields of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, and mixed media. Through workshops, exhibitions,…

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Winter weather continues: Black ice and snow at the start of the week

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For the time being, the weather will remain wintry. At the start of the week, mild air at high altitudes will also bring temporary rain and a risk of black ice, according to the Geosphere Austria forecast on Sunday. On Monday, apart from a few breaks in the east and southeast, the sky will often be gray, and precipitation is expected at times, especially from northern Vorarlberg to the north of Waldviertel. Initially, this will often be snowfall, which will quickly turn to rain. There is a risk of black…

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New wave of fraud hits: SMS scams explode before Christmas

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In the run-up to Christmas, it’s not just parcel volumes that increase—fraudulent SMS messages are also on the rise again. RTR warns against fake messages from parcel services, banks, or authorities. With the start of the intensive online shopping phase before Christmas, Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH (RTR) is once again seeing a significant increase in fraudulent text messages. In October, just under 700 complaints were received, slightly fewer than in the previous month, but the authority expects a sharp increase soon. The reason is apparent: the high number of parcel…

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