TOPIC

/ location

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

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

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

Espionage

Austria expels 3 Russian diplomats over signals spying

4 May 2026 - 8:01PM

Trip Inspiration

Discover Europe with flexible, affordable first-class Eurail adventures

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

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

The trolleybus that crashed into a supermarket. Photo: AFP

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

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

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

A man refuels his car in a petrol station in Villeneuve d’Ascq, north France, on March 11. Photo: Xinhua

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

A meter shows near zero-level pressure at a line production station on a Druzhba pipeline in Brody, Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

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

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

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

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

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

OpenClaw was launched last year and acquired by OpenAI in February, sparking global hype. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

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

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

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

US actor Timothee Chalamet poses on the red carpet at the Bafta Film Awards in London in February. Photo: EPA

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

An Iranian woman walks past an anti-US billboard in Tehran. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

Science

Nearly all advanced nations are part of a defence pact. Will China try to join?

International regime controls defence tech exports but a push for self-reliance has seen Chinese weaponry surpass that of Western nations.

24 Feb 2026 - 9:44AMvideocam

Adolf Hitler

Policing the past: Hitler’s childhood home becomes a police station

Holocaust campaigners say putting police in the dictator’s former home is a ‘problematic’ way of dealing with the town’s dark history.

21 Feb 2026 - 2:38PMvideocam

Crime

Climber convicted after girlfriend freezes to death on Austrian mountain

Man gets a suspended sentence and a fine for girlfriend’s death during a climb on the country’s highest mountain.

20 Feb 2026 - 11:59AM

A webcam image shows Thomas P. descending Grossglockner mountain with a flashlight. Photo: www.foto-webcam.eu

Taylor Swift

Austria files charges against suspect over planned 2024 Taylor Swift attack

Prosecutors said the now 21-year-old suspect planned to carry out an Islamist militant attack at a concert by the US singer in Vienna.

17 Feb 2026 - 1:08AM

Taylor Swift concerts planned in Vienna in 2024 were cancelled ‌at short notice after Austrian authorities said they had ⁠foiled an Islamist terror ⁠attack. Photo: Invision / AP

TikTok

TikTok ‘addictive’, EU finds in digital law probe

European Commission cites TikTok’s ‘highly personalised’ system, slams safeguards as ineffective.

7 Feb 2026 - 12:58PM

Artificial intelligence

China’s cloud giants race to support Moltbot, the ‘AI that actually does things’

Hyperscalers embrace the AI agent, which can execute tasks without step-by-step instructions, but privacy concerns loom large.

29 Jan 2026 - 8:00PM

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