Language level B1:
Minus in Austria’s budget smaller than expected
The Austrian state exceeded its budget by 8 billion euros in 2023. Austria has therefore spent more money than the state has. However, this minus is 9.1 billion euros smaller than originally thought. This is because Austria, for example, received over 3 billion euros more money.
When the budget for 2023 was drawn up, more money was planned as a precaution for various crises. But not all of this money was actually used. Finance Minister Magnus Brunner finds this encouraging.
Explanation: Budget
For a state, the budget is the money that the state can spend. The money for the budget mostly comes from the taxes that citizens pay. The state spends the money on roads or hospitals, for example. If the government cuts taxes, it gets less money. Then he has to get this money from somewhere else. Or he has to spend less money.
Semester holidays in Vienna, Lower Austria, Vorarlberg
The semester break began on Friday for around 530,000 students in Vienna, Lower Austria and Vorarlberg. These last a week. Before the holidays began, the students received their half-year report cards. From Friday afternoon you have to expect traffic problems on Vienna city exits. On Saturday there may be waiting times at the entrances to the ski areas.
The first semester break ends on February 11th. From February 12th, students from Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia and Burgenland will have a week off. From February 19th, the students in Upper Austria and Styria will finally have their holidays.
EU-wide right to repair should come
In the EU, customers are to be given the right to repair technical devices. Politicians in the EU agreed on this on Friday night. Manufacturers of certain products such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and cell phones will have to repair these devices in the future if customers want them to.
The background to the new law is that too many devices are thrown away because the manufacturers do not want to repair them. European customers produce 35 million tons of waste every year because broken products are replaced with new ones. However, the EU Parliament and the EU states still have to approve the agreement.
Declaration: European Parliament
The European Parliament is the parliament of the EU. Members of the European Parliament from all countries of the European Union sit in the European Parliament. The European Union is abbreviated as EU. That is why the European Parliament is also called the EU Parliament. The European Parliament is elected every 5 years by those eligible to vote in the EU member states.
App shows medication availability in Vienna pharmacies
In Vienna, 70 pharmacies are taking part in a pilot project. The new ApoScout app shows which medications are available where in Vienna. This saves customers and pharmacies a lot of time. You no longer have to spend a lot of time on the phone looking for a medication.
But the app can do even more. You can use it to see the locations of all around 1,400 pharmacies in Austria and their telephone numbers. You can also check which pharmacy in your area is open at night, on Sunday or on a public holiday. People who are not very familiar with cell phones and apps will soon be able to obtain this information by calling the health hotline 1450.
Explanation: app
An app is a program that can be downloaded for a cell phone or computer. App is an abbreviation of the English word application. That translates as application or program. It is pronounced Äpp.
Little baby abandoned in Milan
In the city of Milan, Italy, a 53-year-old man experienced a big surprise. When he opened his front door he found a baby in a basket. The little boy was only 4 weeks old. There was a note in Arabic in the basket. It said that the mother died during childbirth and the father cannot care for the child.
The baby was immediately taken to a hospital. According to media reports, the baby is healthy. The police in Italy are now trying to find out exactly what happened and whether the mother is still alive.
Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2025
Huge surprise in Formula 1: 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton is moving from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025. This was confirmed from all sides on Thursday evening. Hamilton signed a contract with Ferrari for several years. This season, the 39-year-old racing driver is still driving for his previous team Mercedes.
At Ferrari, Hamilton will be a team-mate of Charles Leclerc, who has a long-term contract. From 2025 there will be a free place next to George Russell at Team Mercedes.
Language level A2:
Austria made a smaller loss than expected
Austria has the year 2023 with one
Completed under budget.
So Austria once again has more
Money spent than earned.
But the minus in 2023 was
smaller by over 9 billion euros
than originally expected.
That was also because
that Austria has more money
took more than expected.
In the budget for 2023
there were also high costs
planned for possible crises.
But that wouldn’t have been necessary.
Magnus Brunner is also particularly happy about this.
Brunner is Finance Minister of Austria
and responsible for the budget.
Explanation: Budget
The budget is an amount of money
for a very specific purpose.
For a state it is the money
that the state can spend.
In the EU it is the money
that the EU can spend.
The money for the budget
mostly comes from taxes,
that citizens pay.
Start the semester break
On Friday they started in Vienna,
Lower Austria and Vorarlberg
for all students during the semester break.
They last a week.
Before the holidays started,
the students still got her
Half-year report card.
From Friday afternoon you can
there are traffic jams on the highways.
There may be delays on Saturday
at the entrances to the ski areas.
The semester break for Vienna,
Lower Austria and Vorarlberg end
on February 11th.
From February 12th the students are out
Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia and
Burgenland a week off.
From February 19th the students will have
in Upper Austria and
Styria holidays.
Manufacturers will have to repair old devices in the EU in the future
Many people in the EU buy
new devices instead of repairing old ones.
But that is also because
that manufacturers old devices
often don’t want to repair.
That’s why customers often have to
buy a new device
and throw away the old one.
For example with refrigerators
or cell phones, that’s how it is.
This creates every year
many millions of tons of waste.
But that should work out
change in the future.
Devices must now be from
repaired by manufacturers,
if customers want that.
Politicians have that
decided in the EU.
Declaration: European Parliament
Members of the EU Parliament sit
from all EU countries.
You decide
about politics in Europe.
The representatives are elected
in the European elections.
They also say EU elections.
EU is the abbreviation
for European Union.
New app shows availability of medications in Vienna pharmacies
There is a new app in Vienna
for pharmacies.
This app can customers
very helpful.
It shows, for example,
whether there is one in a pharmacy in Vienna
certain medication still exists.
This means that customers and…
Pharmacist no more
talk on the phone so much.
Now you can just look,
whether a medication still
is available.
So far 70 pharmacies are doing this
in Vienna on this project.
That’s about everyone
fifth pharmacy in Vienna.
There are all over Austria
around 1,400 pharmacies.
Whether a pharmacy has night service,
you can now
for all of Austria.
The app is called ApoScout app.
Explanation: app
An app is a program.
You download it for your cell phone
or shut down the computer.
App is an abbreviation
from the English word application.
That means in German
Application or program.
It is pronounced Äpp.
Baby found on doorstep in Italy
In Italy a man has a strange baby
found on his doorstep.
It was in a basket.
The little boy was only 4 weeks old.
There was a piece of paper in the basket
in Arabic language.
On the note it said,
that the mother died during childbirth.
It also said that the father was not
can take care of the child.
The baby was taken to the hospital.
Several media outlets reported
that the baby is healthy.
The police in Italy are now investigating
what exactly happened.
You also want to find out
whether the mother perhaps
but still alive.
Hamilton will move to Ferrari from 2025
The Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton
will switch from Mercedes to Ferrari in 2025.
This is a big surprise.
The change was
announced on Thursday evening.
Hamilton signed
a contract with Ferrari
for a few years.
This season he is driving
39 year old but still for
the Mercedes team.
Charles Leclerc will be from 2025
be Lewis Hamilton’s teammate.
With Team Mercedes from 2025
one place free.
2024-02-03 15:19:26
#News #easy #understand #February
