Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Man killed after brutal machete attack in Vienna subway, former chancellors support Rendi-Wagner as party leader, Vienna to get new tram line and more news from Austria on Friday.
- Man killed after brutal machete attack in Vienna subway
A man died on the afternoon of Thursday, April 20th, after he was attacked by several persons with blows and a machete near Vienna's Jägerstrasse metro station, the police said.
Several officers were sent to the scene in the early hours of Thursday after being alerted by eyewitnesses about the brutal attack. They administered first aid before the injured and still not identified man was sent to the hospital - the victim died the next day of his injuries.
An immediate search with the help of special forces and several police units was launched for the suspects in the Brigittenau region of the Austrian capital, police said. A suspect jumped into the Danube canal and was later caught and arrested by the authorities.
The 24-year-old Algerian man is still under arrest, and his questioning is still pending. The Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation after the victim died, police added.
According to the authorities, the background to the crime, possible suspects and motive are "completely unclear".
READ ALSO: What happens if you get arrested in Austria?
- What are the best websites and apps to learn German?
Whether you're a beginner in German or looking to gain some fluency, we've compiled some handy resources to take your language skills to the next level. You can read more HERE.
- Social Democrat Pamela Rendi-Wagner gets support of former chancellors
In a joint letter, former chancellors Franz Vranitzky, Viktor Klima, Alfred Gusenbauer and Werner Faymann spoke out in favour of Rendi-Wagner as the head of the centre-left party SPÖ.
Austria had been "shaped from the ruins of the Second World War into a free, prosperous country with social stability," and the SPÖ had played a "decisive role in this," the one-page document begins, according to a report by Die Presse.
The former SPÖ chancellors wrote: "As former chancellors and party leaders, we trust this difficult task in an extremely complex political and economic environment to the incumbent SPÖ chairwoman Pamela Rendi-Wagner with full conviction.".
Rendi-Wagner has been the SPÖ chairwoman since late 2018, but Burgenland governor Hand Peter Doskozil recently challenged her position. So now, party members will vote on who is their leader, and there is another candidate: Andres Babler, the mayor of Traiskirchen in Lower Austria.
Not among the red lineup of former heads of government for Rendi-Wagner is the man who brought her into top politics: Former Chancellor Christian Kern. He is likely to present his support to Doskozil "in the near future", the report added.
READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who will be the Social Democratic Party’s chancellor candidate?
- Vienna to get new tram line from 2025
Starting in the fall of 2025, Vienna is expected to have a new streetcar line. The Bim Line 12 will connect Vienna-Leopoldstadt with Josefstadt, Vienna Online reported.
For the most part, it will run on existing tracks, but part of the route will also be newly built. The terminus stations are located in Hillerstraße and at the Josefstädter Straße U6 station. The new line will primarily open up and connect the Nordbahnviertel district, where thousands of apartments have recently been built.
The new Line 12 also allows passengers to transfer to three subways, i.e. U1, U4 and U6. Later, the U5, which is currently under construction, will also join this round.
READ ALSO: Vienna’s U2 metro line hit by one year delay
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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- Man killed after brutal machete attack in Vienna subway
A man died on the afternoon of Thursday, April 20th, after he was attacked by several persons with blows and a machete near Vienna's Jägerstrasse metro station, the police said.
Several officers were sent to the scene in the early hours of Thursday after being alerted by eyewitnesses about the brutal attack. They administered first aid before the injured and still not identified man was sent to the hospital - the victim died the next day of his injuries.
An immediate search with the help of special forces and several police units was launched for the suspects in the Brigittenau region of the Austrian capital, police said. A suspect jumped into the Danube canal and was later caught and arrested by the authorities.
The 24-year-old Algerian man is still under arrest, and his questioning is still pending. The Vienna State Criminal Police Office has taken over the investigation after the victim died, police added.
According to the authorities, the background to the crime, possible suspects and motive are "completely unclear".
READ ALSO: What happens if you get arrested in Austria?
- What are the best websites and apps to learn German?
Whether you're a beginner in German or looking to gain some fluency, we've compiled some handy resources to take your language skills to the next level. You can read more HERE.
- Social Democrat Pamela Rendi-Wagner gets support of former chancellors
In a joint letter, former chancellors Franz Vranitzky, Viktor Klima, Alfred Gusenbauer and Werner Faymann spoke out in favour of Rendi-Wagner as the head of the centre-left party SPÖ.
Austria had been "shaped from the ruins of the Second World War into a free, prosperous country with social stability," and the SPÖ had played a "decisive role in this," the one-page document begins, according to a report by Die Presse.
The former SPÖ chancellors wrote: "As former chancellors and party leaders, we trust this difficult task in an extremely complex political and economic environment to the incumbent SPÖ chairwoman Pamela Rendi-Wagner with full conviction.".
Rendi-Wagner has been the SPÖ chairwoman since late 2018, but Burgenland governor Hand Peter Doskozil recently challenged her position. So now, party members will vote on who is their leader, and there is another candidate: Andres Babler, the mayor of Traiskirchen in Lower Austria.
Not among the red lineup of former heads of government for Rendi-Wagner is the man who brought her into top politics: Former Chancellor Christian Kern. He is likely to present his support to Doskozil "in the near future", the report added.
READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who will be the Social Democratic Party’s chancellor candidate?
- Vienna to get new tram line from 2025
Starting in the fall of 2025, Vienna is expected to have a new streetcar line. The Bim Line 12 will connect Vienna-Leopoldstadt with Josefstadt, Vienna Online reported.
For the most part, it will run on existing tracks, but part of the route will also be newly built. The terminus stations are located in Hillerstraße and at the Josefstädter Straße U6 station. The new line will primarily open up and connect the Nordbahnviertel district, where thousands of apartments have recently been built.
The new Line 12 also allows passengers to transfer to three subways, i.e. U1, U4 and U6. Later, the U5, which is currently under construction, will also join this round.
READ ALSO: Vienna’s U2 metro line hit by one year delay
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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