All posts tagged: Austria

The next social media ban? Austria looks to block kids under 14 from social media

The next social media ban? Austria looks to block kids under 14 from social media

Published by skeptic

Less than 4 months ago, Australia banned social media for kids under 16, sparking a wave of similar proposals from governments around the world. The latest effort to ban social media for children now comes from Austria. In a press release, the Austrian government announced that a bill will be introduced by the end of June to ban social media use for children under 14. According to the press release, a mandatory minimum age of 14 for social media would only be one part of the bill seeking to address child safety online. The bill would also introduce media literacy in schools to help young people “recognize disinformation and radicalization.” SEE ALSO: Pinterest CEO says ban kids under 16 from social media The Austrian government said these measures would be taken in order to address the issues children have faced as a result of social media, such as cyberbullying, addiction, and mental health problems. Mashable Light Speed While the press release doesn’t provide many details, it does mention that any bill introduced would address data privacy concerns related to …

Austria to ban social media for under-14s – POLITICO

Austria to ban social media for under-14s – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The move comes as the EU and member countries are scrambling to find solutions to protect children from the harms of social media. Countries including Spain, France, Denmark and Portugal are already moving ahead with plans for age restrictions. Proponents argue that age-related restrictions setting a minimum age for the most addictive social media platforms are vital to protect children’s physical and mental health. Critics say that bans are ineffective and are detrimental to privacy because they require users to verify themselves online. Human rights adviser Michael O’Flaherty, the commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, told POLITICO that bans are neither “proportionate nor necessary.” Source link

Can an Austrian hostel give a luxury ski chalet a run for its money? | Austria holidays

Can an Austrian hostel give a luxury ski chalet a run for its money? | Austria holidays

Published by Sam Flores

‘Want to come skiing in Austria at half-term?” I asked my 13-year-old son. “It’ll be just like one of those luxury chalet holidays, only we’ll make our own beds, cook our own dinners and carry our gear back to our accommodation ourselves.” Osian didn’t hear the caveats. “Sounds amazing,” he said, his eyes glazing to a cinematic sweep of white powder and the chance to perfect his 360. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. For many families, the dream of a catered chalet – and its ready-lit fires, homemade strudels and chauffeured lift shuttles – remains just that. Apartments offer access to the slopes at less vertigo-inducing prices, but they tend to come with a minimum seven-night stay. If you only have a few days to spare, or a budget that won’t stretch to a full week’s lift pass, hotels fill the gap, but then you’re back navigating the moguls of cost. Schruns in Austria’s Montafon valley has easy access to five …

Hungary’s Orbán, Magyar flex strength at huge rallies as election looms – POLITICO

Hungary’s Orbán, Magyar flex strength at huge rallies as election looms – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó took the stage to claim that Brussels, Kyiv and Berlin “want to bring Europe to war” and “want the money of Europeans to be given to the Ukrainians.” Near Kossuth Square, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Boulevard was at a standstill with dozens of buses still disgorging supporters from the countryside, who had been brought in to offset Budapest’s predominantly opposition voters. High school student Mikolt, 16, and her stay-at-home mother Daniela, 42, were arriving from the village of Eger in the northeast of the country. They said they supported Orbán because he is keeping Hungary out of the war in Ukraine and because he supports Christianity, the family and Hungarians. Tisza volunteers Balázs and Zsigmund on Andrássy Avenue before the march starts. | Max Griera/POLITICO Magyar is a “narcissist,” Daniela said, who “behaves like a wounded little child who no longer has any power” since leaving Fidesz in February 2024. “Russians go home” A 20-minute walk away, the Tisza marchers were beginning to assemble. Volunteers Zsigmund and Balázs, both 18, agreed to talk with …

Germany’s pro-business liberals risk death blow in regional vote – POLITICO

Germany’s pro-business liberals risk death blow in regional vote – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

This Sunday’s vote in Baden-Württemberg — a state of some 11 million people and the cradle of Germany’s increasingly troubled auto industry — is the first in a series of five state votes seen as key tests of the national mood, particularly as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) vies for first place in many national polls. For most of Germany’s postwar history, national elections have been dominated by either the the center-right Christian Democrats or the center-left Social Democrats, with the FDP choosing at varying times to form coalition governments with both of these parties. It served as a junior coalition partner in 18 out of 25 federal governments since the founding of West Germany. As parties on Germany’s political fringes, including the AfD, have risen in popularity across Germany, the pro-business FDP has been particularly hard hit, seeing its support collapse to just 3 percent in national polls. The FDP’s new leader, Christian Dürr, is trying to revive the party’s fortunes with a policy platform he refers to as “radical centrism.” | Bernd Weißbrod/picture …

Europe’s nationalists head to Washington – POLITICO

Europe’s nationalists head to Washington – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Johnson is the star attraction. But the conference is otherwise more of a low-wattage affair, with secondary speakers like recent Romanian presidential candidate George Simion and largely mid-ranking officials from Austria, Belgium, Georgia, Cyprus, Croatia, Serbia and Germany. There are no listed speakers from the Trump administration. A White House spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.  For the Europeans, it’s a chance to bask in the success of a kindred party at the peak of its power — and maybe have a little Trumpian aura rub off on them. “The MAGA movement is extremely important for Romanians, especially for the conservative-patriotic side, those who identify with MAGA values and policies,” said Simion, who is the leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians, which has a big polling lead over centrist rivals, according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls. He said he looked forward to seeing Johnson, whom he met at Donald Trump’s inauguration in 2025 and called “one of our friends in Washington.” Luna has cultivated ties with like-minded European lawmakers, as …

No Sign Iran’s Nuclear Sites Were Hit, IAEA Says, but Iran Alleges One Was

No Sign Iran’s Nuclear Sites Were Hit, IAEA Says, but Iran Alleges One Was

Published by Sam Flores

VIENNA, March 2 (Reuters) – The U.N. nuclear watchdog has no ⁠indication ⁠Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran ⁠have hit any nuclear facilities, its chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday, despite Iran’s ​envoy stating one was targeted a day earlier. Iran’s nuclear programme has been among the reasons Israel and the U.S. have given for ‌the attacks, alleging Iran was getting ‌too close to being able to eventually make an atom bomb. At the same time, what remains of Iran’s atomic facilities ⁠after the two ⁠militaries attacked them in June appears to have been largely spared in this ​campaign so far. “We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations … have been damaged or hit,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement to a meeting of his agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors. IAEA HAS LIMITED CONTACT WITH IRAN While the IAEA’s ​crisis-response centre has been unable to reach Iran’s nuclear regulatory authorities, there has been some contact with Iranian ⁠officials, Grossi ⁠later told a press conference. “We ⁠are, of …

How every EU country responded to the strikes on Iran – POLITICO

How every EU country responded to the strikes on Iran – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran risk another Iraq-style quagmire, but said Berlin won’t lecture Washington as it seeks U.S. help to end the war in Ukraine. The German leader is set to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Merz also stressed that despite U.S. efforts, Iran hasn’t agreed to a nuclear deal or committed to reducing its missile program. Merz’s warnings against protracted conflict were later echoed by British PM Keir Starmer during a video address. Starmer gave more detail on the extent to which the British government is willing to help the U.S. and Israel in the conflict, albeit in a defined and limited manner, than the initial E3 statement cowritten with Germany and France. Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed the safety of Greeks in the region and the need for effective control of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, according to local media. Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary is raising its counterterrorism level and used the strikes on Iran as a chance to talk about the …

Austrian Climber and Prosecutors Appeal Sentence for Girlfriend’s Death

Austrian Climber and Prosecutors Appeal Sentence for Girlfriend’s Death

Published by Sam Flores

VIENNA, Feb 24 (Reuters) – A 37-year-old climber ⁠and ⁠Austrian prosecutors are both launching ⁠appeals of his suspended prison sentence and fine ​for manslaughter over his girlfriend’s death on the country’s highest mountain while he ‌had gone to fetch help. The ‌couple, identified as Thomas P and Kerstin G, were running ⁠far behind ⁠schedule as they approached the summit of the Grossglockner mountain ​on a freezing, windy night in January of last year. When she was unable to go on out of exhaustion, he left her to fetch help ​in a shelter on the mountain, but also failed to make clear ⁠to ⁠the mountain police that ⁠they ​needed help, and did not respond to calls back and instant messages from ​the police. By ⁠the time rescuers arrived hours later, she had died of cold. A court in the western city of Innsbruck ruled last week that Thomas P should have realised long before they got stuck that his girlfriend ⁠would be incapable of completing the climb, adding that as the ⁠far more experienced mountaineer he …