Austria is set to introduce sweeping changes to its road traffic regulations, aiming to improve safety across the country. The updated Straßenverkehrsordnung (road traffic code) comes into force on Friday, bringing a range of new requirements—particularly for the rapidly growing use of e-scooters. One of the most significant updates targets e-scooter users. From May 1, all e-scooters must be equipped with indicators and a bell. In addition, transporting goods or carrying a second person will now be explicitly prohibited under the new rules. These measures are intended to standardize equipment…

Austria may be facing a new public health concern as rising temperatures and increasingly intense summers create conditions that could allow long-eradicated diseases to reappear. Among them: Malaria. According to Christian Komposch, president of the Österreichische Entomologische Gesellschaft, climate change is triggering what he describes as a “complete transformation of fauna.” Speaking to ORF, Komposch warned that shifting ecosystems are enabling new species—and potentially dangerous pathogens—to establish themselves in Central Europe. Invasive species on the rise A key factor in this development is the spread of so-called neozoa—animal species introduced…

Austria’s migration authorities have reported a sharp uptick in enforced departures during the first three months of the year, with 1,882 individuals removed from the country against their will. The figures, drawn from newly published foreign nationals statistics, offer a detailed snapshot of how deportations, voluntary returns, and asylum decisions are shaping the country’s migration landscape. The largest group among those forced to leave were Eastern Europeans, reflecting a continued pattern tied to residency violations within the EU’s freedom of movement framework. Alongside these enforced removals, 1,693 people left Austria…