Vienna will dim street lighting and reduce Christmas illuminations this year as part of the city's energy saving measures; according to the city spokeswoman “there will be no Christmas illuminations on the Ring”

The National Council has started its autumn work sessions with debate about tightening of the weapons law, as announced before the summer in consequence of a deadly rampage at a school in Graz

Airbnb has been providing data to the city of Graz, including the identity of the landlords, in response to growing opposition by many cities to short-term apartment rentals; Graz is demanding accommodation fees from landlords and will impose fines soon

Stephanie Venier, 31, announced the end of her skiing career; world champion with gold in the Super-G and bronze in the team combination, Venier caused a sensation last winter in Saalbach-Hinterglemm but has recently suffered a lack of motivation

Felix Baumgartner, the Austrian extreme athlete who became the first person to break the sound barrier in a freefall jump in 2012, died in a paragliding crash on Italy's eastern coast; he was 56 and reportedly died because of a heart attack while flying