Chancellor Nehammer to attend Ukraine Peace Conference in Switzerland

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) will participate in the Ukraine peace conference scheduled for mid-June in Switzerland. 

Nehammer confirmed his attendance during a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, where they also discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and potential Austrian contributions to the country’s reconstruction efforts.

The peace conference, set for June 15th and 16th, will be held at the Bürgenstock resort near Lake Lucerne. Organised at Ukraine’s request, the event will gather heads of state and government to discuss pathways to peace, although Russia has declined to attend.

Chancellor Nehammer emphasised the conference’s importance: “The peace conference in June is an important step towards preparing the ground so that peace is possible again. The situation is sensitive, but our clear goal must nevertheless be peace on our continent and an end to the dying!” He highlighted the need for a “broad alliance of allies for peace” beyond the European Union’s echo chambers, praising the involvement of global leaders.

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Wine cellar discovery unearths mammoth bones in Austria

A routine construction project in a Lower Austrian wine cellar became a scientific windfall after discovering mammoth bones estimated to be 30,000 to 40,000 years old. Researchers say it’s the most significant find of its kind in Austria in 150 years.

Winegrower Andreas Pernerstorfer made the discovery while working in his cellar in Gobelsburg. He contacted authorities, who quickly recognised the find’s importance.

“We found remains from at least three mammoths, including parts of young and much larger animals,” said excavation manager Hannah Parow-Souchon of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Der Standard reported.  “There could be even more, but that will be determined after restoration.”

The bones’ excellent condition is attributed to the cellar environment, but it also presents challenges. High humidity makes them fragile and requires careful excavation techniques.

“It’s an enormous opportunity for research,” said Parow-Souchon.  “The last comparable discovery in Austria was around 150 years ago, right here in the vicinity.”

The unearthed bones will be transported to the Natural History Museum in Vienna for conservation and further study.

Brown bear sighed in Vorarlberg

A young male brown bear has been identified on a wildlife camera in the municipality of Lech, Austria. Wildlife officials believe the bear migrated from Trento, Italy, via the Lech Valley.

Hubert Schatz, the provincial wildlife ecologist, advises residents to be cautious but not to panic. He recommends increased vigilance in the area, staying on marked trails, keeping dogs leashed, securing livestock in barns at night and protecting beehives with electric fences.

Any bear sightings should be reported immediately to the nearest police station, district authority, or Hubert Schatz himself (0664-6255311, email: hubert.schatz@vorarlberg.at).

A three-year-old’s death in Tyrol investigated as murder

Authorities in Tyrol are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy as murder after an autopsy revealed malnutrition as the cause.

The child’s father alerted police that his son was unresponsive, and emergency responders found the boy deceased upon arrival. An autopsy conducted on Wednesday confirmed malnourishment as the cause of death.

The parents, who have not yet been questioned, were hospitalised due to mental health concerns on Monday and arrested upon their release on Wednesday afternoon.

“The autopsy results give us reason to believe the child was inadequately nourished for a prolonged period,” said public prosecutor’s spokesman Hansjörg Mayr.  “An investigation for murder has been opened.”

The couple’s three other children, who showed no signs of malnourishment and had no prior contact with child welfare services, are now in the care of authorities.

The public prosecutor’s office has 48 hours to file a pre-trial detention application for the parents.

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