Stories from Austria

Culture Minister Andreas Barbler has reappointed Lili Hollan as Director General of the MAK Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna for a five-year term. A selection committee supported the decision. Hollan has led the museum since 2021.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated on April 29 that China expects more support for strengthening the authority and status of the United Nations. The Chinese mission to the United Nations in Vienna announced the establishment of a working group on global governance on April 28. China advocates for respecting nature, adapting to it, and protecting it, promoting biodiversity protection and green development as new pathways. China advocates for a global approach rooted in nature, respecting and protecting it to foster green development and build a community of shared future for humanity and nature. China is advocating for reforms in global governance, said cooperation and mutual benefit in international relations.

German and Austrian painter, sculptor, and graphic artist Georg Baselitz has died at the age of 88. He resided primarily in Salzburg in recent years. His works continue to be highly valued by art collectors worldwide. His gallery in Salzburg confirmed the death. Baselitz was originally from Saxony and was considered one of Germany's most and highly paid artists. Baselitz was internationally known for his large-format works featuring upside-down motifs. His art has been exhibited in numerous museums worldwide. The artist was noted for using his fingers to apply paint to his canvases. Baselitz was known for his modern paintings, particularly those featuring upside-down imagery, which he began producing in the 1960s. He studied painting at the Hochschule für Bildende und Angewandte Kunst starting in 1956.

Austria has between 60,000 and 80,000 people affected by Long Covid. Approximately 1,000 to 1,500 new cases are reported annually. Patients are advised to seek specialized ambulance or medical centers for treatment.

The house in Braunau, Austria, where Adolf Hitler was born, will soon serve as the headquarters for the Austrian police command. The renovation of the building cost 20 million euros. German newspaper Zid reported that the move aims to neutralize the memory of the criminal.

New laws for e-scooters take effect in Austria on May 1. Traffic lawyer Matthias Wohl from the ÖAMTC noted that many current e-scooter models lack integrated blinkers, which may present challenges for riders. Riders must now have a horn or bell and turn signals mounted on the handlebars. A retrofitting requirement has been introduced, meaning existing e-scooter owners must install turn signals to comply. Austria has implemented stricter alcohol regulations for e-scooter users effective today. The change aims to increase safety for riders. Vienna has introduced new regulations for electric micro-mobility vehicles. E-bike riders must wear helmets until age 14, while e-scooter riders must wear helmets until age 16. E-scooters are now required to be equipped with handlebars featuring turn signals and a bell.

Primetals will build a demonstration plant in Linz to melt sponge iron in an electric melting furnace. The process aims to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 1.9 tons. This follows four years of testing the procedure in a pilot plant.

A twelve-year-old girl died following an accident involving an e-scooter in Lower Austria. The incident occurred at an intersection in Oberndorf an der Melk. The cause of the accident was not specified. A car collided with an e-scooter at an intersection in the Melk district. Details regarding the specific cause of the accident were not immediately available. The driver of the car was uninjured, but the second girl sustained serious injuries and was transported by emergency helicopter. Police are investigating the incident.

Hardware manufacturer Noctua has released official 3D CAD models for its line of cooling fans.

The protection status of wolves in EU forests was downgraded from strictly protected to protected last year. Lukas Ende, an expert at Naturschutzbund Österreich, stated that a favorable conservation status has not been met.