From Waiting to Wonder: The Relevance of Advent Today

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On Sunday, November 30, 2025, the season of Advent begins. It is more than a countdown to Christmas—it is a sacred season of preparation, hope, and renewal that calls Christians to reflect deeply on Christ’s coming and His promise to return. Advent is four weeks leading up to Christmas, beginning on the fourth Sunday before December 25. The word Advent means “arrival” or “coming,” and the season invites believers to prepare their hearts for two realities: the celebration of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem and the anticipation of His second coming…

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Philippine Embassy Hosts Seminar “Migrating for Love and Avoiding the Pitfalls”

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Vienna, 25 November 2025 – The Philippine Embassy in Vienna hosted an in-person and online seminar titled “Migrating for Love and Avoiding the Pitfalls” on November 25, 2025. The session was open to married Filipinos and couples preparing for marriage who reside in Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic. Leaders from several Filipino organizations in Vienna joined the event in person, including VFÖ, WFWP, CFAA, and PACC. The program was organized by the Philippine Embassy in collaboration with LEPO and MIED. The seminar tackled a sensitive but urgent issue.…

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Austrians donated over a billion euros in 2025

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Last year, Austrians donated over a billion euros again. However, with a total of 1.07 billion euros, the overall amount declined slightly for the second year in a row. On Wednesday, the Fundraising Association Austria cited inflation, recession, and a growing number of crisis hotspots as the reasons for this decline. However, the proportion of donors in society (79 percent) is at an all-time high. Donations were particularly affected by the flood disaster in eastern Austria in 2024. Environmental and animal welfare causes also saw an increase. Support for development…

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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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