Archived edition · October 21, 2026 Today's news →

What's happening in Europe?

Flag of Austria

Austria

News summary for

Go to today →

Millionaire 🎩

Millionaire accuses tax authorities of extortion in bribery trial

The bribery trial against entrepreneur Siegfried Wolf began with a notable development as Wolf accused tax authorities of extortion during an outburst in court. This trial, also involving former Finance Minister Hans Jörg Schelling, continues to draw attention as a key domestic legal proceeding.

Meanwhile, a goods train accident and subsequent fire in Lower Austria caused significant damage, prompting an investigation into the causes and necessitating extensive repairs. Separately, the ongoing investigation into the MAK museum art heist revealed that every trace of the stolen necklace remains missing, with an expert discussing the potential difficulty of assigning individual gemstones to the original piece.

In other news, a cigarette butt found in a police database may now help solve the cold case of Daniela Kammerer's murder, raising questions about the reliability of DNA evidence. Politically, a former Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) employee accused an SPÖ politician of promoting 'political Islam,' and the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) club leader in Vienna, Maximilian Krauss, reiterated a long-standing party slogan about Vienna not becoming Paris.

Some sources unavailable — showing 4 of 5 news sources today.

Top stories

Bribery Trial Against Siegfried Wolf Underway

The bribery trial against entrepreneur Siegfried Wolf for suspected bribery in a tax matter has begun, during which Wolf accused tax authorities of extortion. The trial also involves former Finance Minister Hans Jörg Schelling.

MAK Art Heist: Diamonds Still Missing

Every trace of the necklace stolen from the MAK museum is still missing, and an expert is explaining whether the individual gemstones could even be assigned to the original piece of jewelry.

Children's 'Future Depot' Faces Hurdles

The 'Future Depot' initiative, designed to facilitate investment for children, is considered a good concept but faces hurdles due to disagreements between government parties and low public trust.

Egisto Ott Loses Court Case Against Anna Thalhammer

A court has ruled against former intelligence officer Egisto Ott in a case involving journalist Anna Thalhammer, stating that Thalhammer's criticism was 'comprehensible'.

U-Committee Investigates Pilnacek's 'Ghost Drive'

The U-Committee is investigating Pilnacek's 'Ghost Drive,' with two police officers who were on duty around the time of Pilnacek's death scheduled to testify, followed by Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution Christian Stocker.

News sources