The new Austrian Government has discontinued the reunification of family members for asylum claimants in the country with immediate effect citing widespread concerns on immigration.
Referring to EU emergency provisions relating to national security, the government said it would temporarily freeze follow-on rights for asylum claimants already settled in the country.
The head of the three party coalition government Chancellor Christian Stocker explained that the country was no longer able to absorb new immigrants adequately.
"The capacity of Austria and its systems to take in (people) has limits," said the government headed by Chancellor Christian Stocker of the centre-right People's Party (OVP). "Due to the enormous influx of people, these systems are already at full capacity, or have already exceeded their capacity limits."
Critics have labelled the move a breach of human rights by the Austrian government with Shoura Hashemi, head of Amnesty International Austria saying “It's not a good sign when the term in office begins with a clear violation of applicable international law,".
Christian Stoker took office earlier in the month after a long stretch of negotiations to form a Government following a September parliamentary election victory by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO).
The new three-party coalition which includes the People’s Party, the center-left Social Democrats and the liberal Neos, has vowed to implement strict new asylum rules in a bid to address worry over immigration, one of its major campaign points.
Recent security incidents in the country including a stabbing rampage last month suspected of being carried out by a Syrian asylum seeker that killed a 14-year-old boy has caused negative reactions over immigration to be on the rise.
The government said that in 2023 and 2024, about 18,000 people came to Austria as part of family reunification, including 13,000 school-age children or minors.
"Given the number, it's obvious we should act responsibly and temporarily press the stop button," Stocker said.
Russia’s defense ministry has accused Ukraine of carrying out four separate attacks on its energy facilities within a 24-hour period, alleging violations of a U.S.-brokered moratorium aimed at preventing strikes on each other’s critical energy infrastructure.
Sporting legends, rising stars, and international guests gathered in Madrid for the 24th Laureus World Sports Awards, where the global sporting community came together to celebrate a year of exceptional achievements, inspiring moments, and the unifying power of sport.
South Korea’s former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was ousted from office, appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday to attend the second hearing in his ongoing criminal trial, where he faces serious charges of insurrection.
A U.S. airstrike on Yemen’s Ras Isa oil port has killed at least 74 people and injured 171 others, marking the deadliest known attack in President Trump’s renewed campaign against Houthi rebels and raising alarm over the widening scope of the conflict.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has signaled that a nuclear agreement with the United States remains within reach, provided Washington adopts a realistic and constructive approach ahead of the second round of negotiations with the Trump administration.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian ruble has emerged as the top-performing currency globally in 2025, registering an impressive 38% appreciation against the US dollar since the beginning of the year, according to a report by Bloomberg.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
A mob attack on an Ahmadi place of worship in Karachi has left one man dead, highlighting ongoing persecution of the minority group.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
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