- Sinner reaches Shanghai final, will end year number one
- China-EU EV tariff talks in Brussels end with 'major differences': Beijing
- Sabalenka downs Gauff in three sets to reach Wuhan final
- Israel warns south Lebanon residents to 'not return'
- Sinner tames Machac to reach Shanghai Masters final
- Buried Nazi past haunts Athens on liberation anniversary
- Harris to release medical report confirming fitness for presidency: campaign
- Nobel prize a timely reminder, Hiroshima locals say
- Hezbollah fires at Israel as wars rage on Yom Kippur
- Analysts warn more detail needed on new China economic measures
- China tees up fresh spending to boost ailing economy
- China says will issue special bonds to boost ailing economy
- China offers $325 bn in fiscal stimulus for ailing economy
- Dodgers drop Padres 2-0 to advance in MLB playoffs
- Alexei Navalny wrote he knew he would die in prison in new memoir
- Last-minute legal ruling allows betting on US election
- Despite hurricanes, Floridians refuse to leave 'paradise'
- Israel observes Yom Kippur amid firestorm over Lebanon strikes
- Trump demonizes migrants in dark, misleading speech
- X says 'alert' to manipulation efforts after pro-Russia bots report
- US, European markets rise before Boeing unveils sweeping job cuts
- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Comoros shock Tunisia, Salah, Mbeumo strike in AFCON qualifiers
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Germany win in Nations League as 10-man Dutch rescue point
- Undav brace sends Germany to victory against Bosnia
- Israel says fired at 'threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- Ecuador's last mountain iceman dies at 80
- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
Ex-chancellor on trial as graft scandals rock Austria
Austria's former chancellor Sebastian Kurz goes on trial this week for allegedly giving false testimony, the highest-profile figure implicated in wide-ranging corruption scandals that have rocked the EU member.
The case marks the first time in more than 30 years that a former chancellor has stood trial.
Once hailed as a "wunderkind" of Europe's conservatives, Kurz stepped down as chancellor in 2021 following a string of graft accusations, including spending public money for favourable media coverage.
It marked the spectacular fall of the charismatic hard-liner, who became the world's youngest democratically elected head of government in 2017 at the age of 31.
Kurz, together with two others, will go on trial on Wednesday for providing false testimony to a parliamentary committee probing numerous graft allegations.
Kurz, 37, has repeatedly dismissed the accusation levelled against him, saying he is keen to prove his innocence in court.
"Like many of the (corruption prosecutors') accusations, this one will turn out to be false," Kurz said in a statement in August.
Both Kurz and his lawyer declined to provide new comments when contacted by AFP.
He could face up to three years in jail if found guilty.
- 'High risk' -
The case is being closely watched not only because of Kurz, but because prosecutors have so far failed to land convictions linked to the scandals that have rocked the Alpine country of nine million people since 2019.
The current case stems from a statement Kurz made in 2020 to a parliamentary committee probing corruption.
He is accused of having downplayed his influence in appointing the head of a state-run company.
Chat messages leaked to the media suggested that Kurz discussed the matter with the official, Thomas Schmid, who in one message says, "I'm so happy. I love my chancellor."
Co-accused with Kurz are his former chief of staff Bernhard Bonelli and Bettina Glatz-Kremsner, a former deputy head of Kurz's conservative People's Party (OeVP).
The presiding judge is expected to hear statements from the accused this week after which further trial dates will be set, according to a court spokeswoman.
Prosecutors have said they plan to call 18 witnesses, including Schmid, as well as Kurz's former finance minister and other high-profile officials.
About three quarters of cases involving false testimony have ended in convictions, according to justice ministry statistics.
The case poses a "high risk" above all for the prosecution, Austrian daily Kurier journalist Martin Gebhart said in a commentary.
"They can't afford to lose another glamorous case -- especially not this one," he added.
Former far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who was vice-chancellor under Kurz until 2019, has been acquitted in two separate corruption cases.
- Return of the far-right -
Numerous probes are still pending.
In a separate case, prosecutors are investigating Kurz on suspicion of embezzling public funds to pay for polls which were skewed to boost his image and for favourable coverage to help his political rise.
After leaving politics, Kurz is now involved in numerous private international enterprises.
The graft allegations have also had vast implications for Austria's political landscape.
The OeVP continues to govern in a coalition with the Greens, but their approval ratings have plummeted, playing into the hands of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).
With a new leadership, the FPOe now has around 30 percent support, according to polls, ahead of elections next year.
The party has managed to overcome the so-called "Ibizagate" scandal that engulfed it in 2019 and brought down Kurz's first government.
The scandal involved a video, filmed secretly on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, which showed then far-right leader Strache offering public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece in exchange for campaign help.
P.Silva--AMWN