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Austria

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Austria. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Vienna

Head of State

President Alexander Van der Bellen

Head of Government

Chancellor Karl Nehammer

The Austrian delegation celebrate their result. Photo: dpa

United Nations

Portugal and Austria defeat Germany for seats on UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan beat the Philippines by a vote of 143-49 to join the council for the first time.

4 hours ago

Islamic State

Man jailed for 15 years over foiled Taylor Swift concert attack plot in Austria

29 May 2026 - 3:13PM

China-Latin America relations

Panama encourages dialogue at UN as canal tensions with China simmer

27 May 2026 - 6:51AMvideocam

Espionage

Austrian spy found guilty of giving secrets to Wirecard fugitive

Egisto Ott had been a director in his nation’s secret service and was accused of passing on classified information between 2017 and 2021.

21 May 2026 - 6:26PM

Former Austrian intelligence officer Egisto Ott sits in the main jury courtroom of the Vienna Regional Criminal Court. Photo: dpa

Animals

Hiker killed in attack by herd of cows in Austrian Alps

Woman dead, husband injured in an attack by aggressive cows that has left authorities perplexed.

18 May 2026 - 10:18AM

European Union

EU rejects Putin’s idea of role for ex-German leader in future security talks

EU ministers dismiss proposed role for Gerhard Schroeder, who has cultivated a close relationship with Russia’s president.

12 May 2026 - 1:00PM

China-EU relations

Brussels bans Chinese inverters from EU-funded power projects

EU official says Brussels has identified cybersecurity and dependency risks in Chinese inverters.

5 May 2026 - 5:26PMvideocam

Staff members assemble inverters at an industrial park in Wuzhong, Ningxia Hui autonomous region, in February last year. Photo: Xinhua

Espionage

Austria expels 3 Russian diplomats over signals spying

Vienna, home to a large diplomatic presence, has long had a reputation as a den of spies.

4 May 2026 - 8:01PM

Trip Inspiration

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Breakfast in Spain, lunch in France and dinner in Italy – with plenty of sightseeing from a comfortable seat in between. The joys of flexible, first-class train travel can be yours for the price of a Eurail pass.

3 May 2026 - 8:00AM

United States

Austrian citizen admits plot to kill at Taylor Swift concert in Vienna

The 21-year-old and two other men also planned attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

28 Apr 2026 - 6:52PMvideocam

Defendant Beran A hides his face while being escorted out of court in Austria. He is standing trial for plotting to carry out an attack on one of superstar singer Taylor Swift’s 2024 Vienna concerts. Photo: AP

Nepal

Everest climbers left hanging after giant ice chunk blocks path to summit

Mountaineers are waiting for the serac above the Khumbu icefall to melt before marking the rest of the route for the spring climbing season.

27 Apr 2026 - 2:05PMvideocam

Members of an expedition team hike at Khumbu icefall on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

China exports

How a Chinese plastics hub shapes Tesla’s supply chain – and moulds the modern world

From car components to keyboards, this little-known industrial district in eastern China is crafting the small parts the world relies on.

23 Apr 2026 - 6:54AMvideocam

European Union

1 dead, 6 hurt as trolleybus crashes into supermarket in Austria

Police investigate a suspected medical emergency after a driver lost control of a Salzburg bus.

21 Apr 2026 - 12:27PM

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Ease the burden’: 5 EU nations urge tax on energy firms’ profits

As fuel prices spike, finance ministers from Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria ‘stand united’ and call for action.

4 Apr 2026 - 7:10PMvideocam

A pump jack and drilling rig in Texas. File photo: Reuters

Artificial intelligence

Tencent adds ClawBot plug-in to WeChat amid OpenClaw boom and privacy warnings

With over 1 billion users, WeChat becomes Tencent’s biggest OpenClaw campaign, bringing into focus opportunity and regulatory caution.

23 Mar 2026 - 10:30PM

Tencent is seeking to capitalise on the OpenClaw craze. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

As war in Iran roils energy markets, Europe pays price of ‘dependency’

Governments are racing to respond, as oil and gas prices raise fears of a further spike in living costs.

19 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

European Union

EU inspects Druzhba pipeline in bid to unclog Hungary’s block on Ukraine aid

Hungarian leader Viktor Orban has vetoed giving Ukraine its promised US$103 billion EU loan until Russian oil supply is resumed.

19 Mar 2026 - 6:26PMvideocam

Hong Kong science and tech

Fix, don’t fire ‘digital employee’ OpenClaw over security risks: Paul Chan

Finance chief’s remarks follow Digital Policy Office’s advice to government departments to avoid installing AI agent.

16 Mar 2026 - 10:05PM

OpenClaw functions as a proactive assistant – once permissions are granted, it controls applications, organises files, processes emails, sorts data and executes coding workflows. Photo: Getty Images

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong OpenClaw users say tool is helpful ‘family member’ who must be watched

They describe convenience of automating life tasks but say AI agent springs surprises, such as bots fighting and asking about existence.

14 Mar 2026 - 9:08PM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong government workers warned not to install OpenClaw due to security risks

Digital Policy Office points to potential risks of AI agent, including unauthorised data access, leakage and system intrusion.

13 Mar 2026 - 10:02PM

Artificial intelligence

China issues new safety rules for OpenClaw. Here are the dos and don’ts

Authorities outline six dos and six don’ts for OpenClaw users, warning of risks amid an adoption frenzy.

11 Mar 2026 - 11:14PM

OpenClaw has gained global traction for its ability to perform tasks on a user’s behalf, such as organising and responding to emails, drafting work reports and preparing slide decks. Photo: Xinhua

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran warns of US$200 oil as countries reach for emergency reserves

US president declares ‘we won’ the war as chaos in the Strait of Hormuz sends shock waves through energy markets.

12 Mar 2026 - 1:25PMvideocam

A man walks along the shore as oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates. Photo: AP

Artificial intelligence

China issues second warning on OpenClaw risks amid adoption frenzy

Cybersecurity agency cautions that improper installation and use of the AI agent carry severe security and data risks.

11 Mar 2026 - 2:35AM

Artificial intelligence

Chinese tech giants offer cheap, easy access to OpenClaw amid ‘lobster fever’

Shares of Hong Kong-listed MiniMax and Zhipu AI surge after launching OpenClaw tools.

10 Mar 2026 - 5:00PM

Artificial intelligence

Chinese local governments offer OpenClaw subsidies as security questions linger

Shenzhen and Wuxi pledge subsidies to fuel OpenClaw adoption even as analysts warn of a ‘tricky trade-off between ease of use and privacy’.

9 Mar 2026 - 9:30PM

Since its release in late December, OpenClaw has been a runaway success globally. Photo: Shutterstock

Artificial intelligence

OpenClaw fever: why is China rushing to ‘raise a lobster’?

Chinese consumers are using OpenClaw for everything from stock picking and report writing to slide decks, emails and coding.

13 Mar 2026 - 2:32PMvideocam

OpenClaw has been dubbed “raise the lobster” by Chinese consumers. Photo: Shutterstock

Fame and celebrity

Timothee Chalamet faces the music for saying ‘no one cares’ about opera, ballet

Performance groups around the world clapped back at the Hollywood star’s remarks, while a German minister invited him to watch a show.

8 Mar 2026 - 2:45AM

Middle East

US and Iran wrap up talks without a deal as war risks persist

Oman’s mediator cites ‘significant progress’ in Geneva, but a massive US naval build-up keeps the Middle East on edge.

27 Feb 2026 - 4:24PM

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